Sarasota & Manatee Counties news thread

[wondermint2]

Manatee County Teen Court honors Outstanding Senior Award recipient for 2023

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ma...a310e3e0&ei=27

The Manatee County Teen Court/Teen Court Too program celebrated volunteers and announced the recipient of the Outstanding Senior Award at its Annual Volunteer Appreciation Reception on April 2 at the Manatee County Judicial Center.

This event is a celebration of Teen Court’s 2023 accomplishments. Last year, Teen Court had 110 youth volunteers who served a total of 1,084 volunteer hours. The volunteers heard 401 cases and Teen Court saw a 1.1% decrease in defendants reoffending after completing the program compared to 2022.

High school senior Erline Constant was recognized with the Outstanding Senior Award for 2023. She joined Teen Court/Teen Court Too as a youth volunteer in 2021. Since that time, she has dedicated 400-plus volunteer hours to the program. She not only serves on Teen Court hearings, but she also helps train future Teen Court attorneys at Teen Court Attorney Training sessions.

[wondermint2]

Feed flamingos out of the palm of your hand at this Gem of Sarasota


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsOUilb3RP0

Established in 1939, Sarasota Jungle Gardens is known as one of the oldest tourist attractions in the state.

[wondermint2]

Originally Posted by wondermint2

Venice Theatre receives $1M gift as it works to rebuild after Ian (Video)

For video:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ve...c1fcf185&ei=55

The Venice Theatre was hit hard by Hurricane Ian. As we inch closer to another hurricane season, the recovery process continues. Other parts of the campus have been retrofitted to keep classes, rehearsals, and performances going as construction gets underway.

Crews are set to start pouring foundation on the site next week. After that, the building that housed the main stage should start going vertical.

“We say we are like the phoenix rising from the ashes, but literally, we cannot wait to see this building rise,” said Executive Director Kristofer Geddie.

Donations have been coming in from the community to support the recovery efforts after Hurricane Ian, however, rising construction and equipment costs have impacted the estimated cost to get the Jervey Theatre back open to guests. We are told it is going to cost an estimated $14 million for the rebuild.

“The heartbreaking thing was after Hurricane Ian, we started to see pictures of what happened to the theatre, and it just sort of tugged on us. We gave some money in the last few years toward the remodel and trying to get things done, but it became very very evident that that was never going to be enough,” said donor Jim Boldt.

Boldt serves as a city council member in Venice. He and his wife, Donna have been attending shows at the Venice Theatre for years alongside their children and grandchildren. The couple decided to make a contribution of $1 million to help with the recovery efforts and the completion of the three building campus.

The couple said they hope their gift encourages others to donate.

For more details on the recovery efforts, you can visit:

https://venicetheatre.org/hurricane-recovery-updates/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV8-CjDWM7A

[wondermint2]

House flipping is hot in Tampa Bay, while the rest of the country sees decline

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/real...a310e3e0&ei=39

The Tampa Bay area seems to just keep growing, and it's showing in the housing market.

Now, some groups are turning to flipping homes to turn a profit and help homeowners get a deal.

Driving down city streets like Westshore Boulevard in South Tampa, the trend is on full display as construction crews continuously either tear down old homes to build new or work on complete facelifts for older homes.

It’s a trend that’s going strong in Tampa Bay, but significantly decreasing nationwide, according to recent reports from real estate data curator, ATTOM, and the research leg of storage facility marketplace StorageCafe.

Tampa was listed as one of the best cities in the country to buy a fixer-upper. StorageCafe found buyers save an average of $80,000 when buying a home to renovate in Tampa, and found even more savings in Florida’s other major cities: Miami, Orlando and Jacksonville.

[wondermint2]

Arts Editor: Stages and museums stay busy as season winds down

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news...9a14384b&ei=13

"Some vacations end up being a mix of relaxation and work, but for my recent trip to Northern California, I had a long-awaited chance to fully step away from work and enjoy time with family and friends and not think about the work I left behind or stressing about what was awaiting me when I returned.

It helps that the busy winter season is finally slowing down. The May arts events calendar has about 40 new shows and exhibits, compared to more than 70 in March. In the monthly calendar you can read about some of the shows coming this week, like the season finales for Sarasota Contemporary Dance and Venice Theatre, and the Outdoor Pops concert presented by the Sarasota Orchestra."

[wondermint2]

*Disclaimer: Hurricane forecasts are not always accurate. There is no guarantee Sarasota will be hit with a hurricane this season. I'm posting this because it's in the news. Make of it what you will.

Forecasters predict record number of hurricanes that could threaten the Gulf Coast

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/to...9a14384b&ei=53

Weather forecasters at the University of Pennsylvania predicted a record hurricane season for 2024 on Thursday, a “hyperactive” season that could threaten the Gulf Coast.

The UPenn forecast predicts between 27-39 named tropical storms, with the best estimate of 33 storms, the most of any forecast in the 15-year history of the project. An average season usually has about half that number.

“We’ve seen many hyperactive seasons over the past decade, and in just about all cases, like our prediction for this year, the activity is substantially driven by ever-warmer conditions in the tropical Atlantic tied to large-scale warming,” Professor Michael Mann, who leads the forecast, said in a statement.
High sea surface temperatures in the North Atlantic and an anticipated moderate La Niña weather formation in the Pacific this fall are likely to lead to more storms, according to the forecast.

The announcement comes after Colorado State University researchers, generally considered the most reliable forecast, also predicted a rough hurricane season. The CSU forecast calls for 23 named storms in 2024, significantly higher than the average of 14.

The CSU forecast warns Americans to “anticipate a well above-average probability for major hurricanes making landfall along the continental United States coastline and in the Caribbean.”

[wondermint2]

Fat Rabbit, Ed’s Tavern, 15 South, Taverna Toscana: Restaurant News

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tri...9a14384b&ei=63

Check out the latest bar and restaurant news in Sarasota and Manatee counties:

[wondermint2]

No more dust? Manatee County has new construction rules, but resident concerns remain

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/real...9a14384b&ei=82

After months of complaints, Manatee County Government officials have promised to hold developers accountable for dust storms that are caused by construction.

In Parrish, Lennar Homes is building Rye Ranch, a 1,369-acre housing development on Rye Road, across the street from the Foxbrook neighborhood. Angry residents have complained to county officials that dust from the construction site is covering homes, making traffic more dangerous and causing medical issues for some residents.

"When that dirt comes across the street, it doesn't come as a little bit of light dust, it comes and settles as black soot," Foxbrook homeowner Brenda Smith said. "...I have never lived in a dirty home and I don't appreciate not being able to invite people into my home because I'm embarrassed."

Similar complaints about construction dust have been filed in West Bradenton, where another developer is also building a large housing community, officials said.

At the Manatee County Commission meeting Tuesday, county staff said the goal of a new set of regulations is to get developers to meet land development and nuisance codes, which require them to control the dust leaving their construction sites.

The county will require developers to create a dust control plan, shut down construction if winds are higher than 15 mph and limit land clearing to 100 acres at a time unless the county gives special approval. Developers should also seed or sod cleared areas that will not be accessed for more than 21 days and put fences or trees along areas larger than one acre.

Developers will need to submit an approved dust control plan within two weeks. If they fail to control the dust leaving their construction sites, developers will have to shut down construction for a first offense, shut down construction and pay a fine for a second offense and create a revised dust control plan for a third offense.

"We don't want to go out there and hit people over the head and say, 'You failed to control the dust,' because then our residents are already suffering," Deputy County Administrator Evan Pilachowski said. "We want to work with them on this dust control plan to make sure that we don't have as many dust complaints as what we've seen out there today."

Commissioner George Kruse, who said he visited Foxbrook residents, acknowledged that their quality of life has worsened in recent months. He said the county needs to get developers to follow the rules.

[wondermint2]

Originally Posted by wondermint2

First-in-the-nation drone program comes to Tampa General/Manatee County

AA-approved drone technology will speed up response times for 9-1-1 callers in Manatee County’s coverage area.

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/fi...42fdd0ef&ei=23

Tampa General Hospital (TGH), in partnership with Manatee County and Archer First Response Systems (ArcherFRS), has announced a groundbreaking program that uses drone technology to deliver life-saving emergency equipment to 9-1-1 callers. The program, set to launch on May 1, aims to improve response times for health-related emergencies in the Manatee County coverage area.

TGH’s president and CEO, John Couris, emphasized the transformative potential of this initiative. “Through the use of technology and innovation, Tampa General Hospital is transforming health care,” said Couris. “This first-in-the-nation program can effectively save lives by responding to health-related emergencies faster than ever before.”

The program will deploy drones carrying automated external defibrillators (AEDs), NARCAN Nasal Spray, and tourniquets, providing quick access to life-saving equipment for emergency situations. The goal is to enhance survival rates for cardiac arrests, opioid overdoses, and trauma-related injuries.

The program will initially serve a 3.5-square-mile area from the Manatee County EMS Lakewood Ranch Station, with plans to expand coverage to 35 square miles with additional approvals from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The drones are equipped with safety features such as ASTM-certified Parachute Recovery systems, on-board computers, and LTE cell modems.

Video here:

Drones to be used for certain emergencies (Video)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/techn...9a14384b&ei=87

Tampa General Hospital is launching a pilot program, using drones to deliver life-saving treatment in certain cases in Manatee County.

[wondermint2]

‘Every second counts’: Sarasota County Walmart employees save life after customer suffers cardiac arrest

For photos:

https://www.wfla.com/news/sarasota-c...ac-arrest/amp/

Walmart employees at a North Port store saved a customer’s life after they went into cardiac arrest earlier this month.

On the evening of April 10, North Port Fire Rescue responded to a Walmart located at 17000 Tamiami Trail regarding a reported cardiac arrest.

Before crews arrived, three employees — Suzan Martucci, Tanya Frener and Amy Bredfeldt — stepped in to perform life-saving measures on the patient, Mary Ann Disanzo. When medical personnel arrived at the store, they were able to regain a pulse in under a minute.

“If not for the quick thinking of the Walmart employees, this outcome could have been very different,” EMS Division Chief Brian Gorski said. “Their response, partnered with the exceptional care provided by our Station 82 C-Shift crew, put this patient in excellent hands.”

Officials said if the employees had not stepped in, Disanzo would not have survived.

“Every second counts in an emergency, and their actions undoubtedly made a crucial difference,” North Port Fire Rescue said.

Fire rescue highlighted the importance of CPR and having AEDs readily available.

To sign up for hands-on CPR training, residents can call North Port Fire Rescue at 941-240-8150.