Sarasota & Manatee Counties news thread

[wondermint2]

A colorful floating sculpture is planned at Bradenton Riverwalk

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tri...4287de20&ei=50

A new sculpture of the historic Manatee River is coming to Mineral Springs Park in Bradenton.

The sculpture, "The Singing River," draws on the Manatee River's folklore and history. City officials say the planned sculpture will sit above the walkway along the Riverwalk East extension.

"In Native American legend, the Manatee River, dividing line between the Calusa and Timucuan peoples, was known as the 'Singing River' because of the most beautiful and lovely music it mysteriously made on certain moons," according to Manatee County's website.

The artwork, which will cost $350,000, is expected to debut next spring at Mineral Springs Park, 1312 Second Ave. E., Bradenton.

Jean Farmer, the city's public art coordinator, believes the sculpture will create a little magic in the park. She hopes it will make visitors curious to learn about the humming river.

"There's only about a handful of these rivers anywhere in the world," Farmer said.

She also wants the artwork to honor the river's history. An archaeological dig in 2020 revealed how Angolan settlers in the 19th century lived in Bradenton and added new importance to the site.

"It's important that we get it right because it's a very special spot," Farmer said.

[wondermint2]

Restoring the 'Oyster River' in Manatee County (Video)

For video:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/peop...4287de20&ei=51

Damon Moore, founder and Exec. Dir. of the nonprofit Oyster River Ecology has a plan to bring back oysters to the levels they existed in the Manatee River before dredging.

[wondermint2]

Letters to the Editor - North Port needs a police station. City officials want a palace.

For the full column:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/no...4287de20&ei=67

Save by building functional police station

When I was still working, my company made capital outlay decisions based on "want" versus "need."

For instance, we might have wanted to remodel the offices, but we needed to buy a new robotic welder.

A March 9 article in the Herald-Tribune, detailing the North Port city commissioners’ decision to approve $122.7 million for a new police station, reminded me of our corporate decision-making policy.

The architectural renderings were quite impressive, no doubt creating an exceptional working environment. However, could we not build a perfectly functional police station for $72 million and invest the remaining $50 million in affordable housing, mental health or reducing Fentanyl deaths?

I would wager that if we could substantially improve those three needs, we would require fewer police on the streets and therefore could build a smaller facility.

Imagine applying the same considerations when designing city/county administration buildings, fire stations, libraries and schools.

City and county commissioners would be able to help more constituents if they prioritized "need" over "want."

Bob Williams, Sarasota

[wondermint2]

Update: Manatee County Community Survey and Former Administrator's Legal Battle


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJuZP5OAMIo

In this episode, Cheri Coryea, Misty Servia, and Reggie Bellamy discuss critical topics you won't want to miss. Learn about the Citizens Survey available online on the county's website. Share your feedback on important issues like roads, parks, public safety, and the environment. Your voice matters, so don't miss this opportunity to make a difference! The survey can be found here:

https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/e...69f2ce78ae92c8

[wondermint2]

Manatee County Now Accepting Applications for Environmental Land Management and Acquisition Committee

For full article:

https://thebradentontimes.com/storie...uisition,80069

Manatee County residents who want to help protect land and water resources, preserve fish and wildlife habitat, and provide passive recreation are invited to apply for an At-Large position on the Environmental Lands Management and Acquisition Committee (ELMAC).

The Environmental Lands Program has been working on implementing the community-initiated Conservation and Parks Projects Referendum, which was approved by voters and authorized millions of dollars for the acquisition, improvement, and management of land to protect natural resources and provide parks.

This citizen’s advisory committee makes recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners on environmental land acquisition and management issues, including recreational planning and programming of public lands. ELMAC also serves as the Tree Advisory Board to promote awareness of the County-wide tree canopy and tree education programs.

Applications for this At-Large appointment will be accepted from March 22 through April 19, 2024, and can be found here:

https://manatee.hosted.civiclive.com...cquisition_adv

The only requirement for this position is that the applicant resides in Manatee County.

[wondermint2]

2-year-old's near drowning experience inspires family to share survival story (Video)

Ryder went with his dad to work on Nov. 3. In a matter of minutes, his life was changed forever.

For full article & video:

BRADENTON, Fla. — Ryder Cornthwait turns three in August. Just a few months after his second birthday, his parents didn't know if he'd see another one.

His mom works overnight shifts, so when she needed someone to watch Ryder, she asked her mom, Chrissy Rogers. Rogers had an appointment that day, so little Ryder went to work with his dad, Justin Cornthwait. Ryder's dad works as an electrician and took the toddler along with him to work at a house in Bradenton.

Rogers recounts when she first learned something went wrong. Her life turned upside down when her daughter called her in a panic.

"I went to get lunch and just walked in the door to the most heart-wrenching call from my daughter, screaming that he was being air-flighted. We didn't know which hospital. Didn't know which way to go," she said.

Ryder had nearly drowned.

Rogers said she later learned the toddler was eating his lunch outside while his father worked inside. The toddler wandered towards the pool. Despite a safety fence surrounding the pool, the 2-year-old found a latch that was unfastened and got in.

"It's a silent death. They don't scream. They don't splash," Rogers said.

Rogers said an off-duty officer was the first to respond. He gave Ryder CPR until EMTs arrived and took over.

Ryder was airlifted to Johns Hopkins All Children's in St. Pete. The doctors told Rogers that by the damage done to his brain, they estimated he was underwater for 10-12 minutes. He was without a pulse for more than an hour.

"When the doctors come in hours later, we were told to say our goodbyes and we refused," Rogers said. "They kept saying if he codes again, we don't want to continue CPR and we all refuse to believe that or to agree to that."

Rogers and Ryder's parents didn't give up and Ryder kept fighting.

Now, more than 4 months later, Ryder continues to fight.

"He can't talk, he can't walk, he can't hold his head up. But he's a fighter and he refused to give up just like we did," Rogers shared.

While his life will never be the same, Rogers believes her grandson survived for a reason. Part of that reason is to help other families prevent the same heartbreak.

"Anything we can do to help somebody save these babies is our goal," Rogers said.

According to the CDC, Florida has the second-highest drowning death rate in the United States. Last year, 97 children drowned in Florida, according to the Florida Department of Children and Families. What makes these tragedies all the more devastating is that they're entirely preventable.

Steps you can take to prevent drowning include teaching your kids basic swimming and water safety skills, building fences to fully enclose pools, supervising children closely, and learning CPR. The CDC has a thorough list of preventative steps and resources available.

As Ryder continues his recovery journey, there are a lot of medical bills along the way. You can view the family's GoFundMe by clicking here:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/prayers-f...ercentrecovery

[wondermint2]

Make Your Easter Reservations at These Sarasota Restaurants

After your Easter egg hunt, head into one of these restaurants for a beautiful brunch.

For full article:

https://www.sarasotamagazine.com/eat...-sarasota-2024

Round up your peeps and head to Easter brunch at one of these great local restaurants.

[wondermint2]

A New Gated Community in Venice Will Bring 582 More Homes to the Region

The master-planned community Vistera of Venice will span roughly 300 acres in south Sarasota County.

For full article:

https://www.sarasotamagazine.com/hom...ra-venice-neal

The new gated community Vistera of Venice will bring 582 homes to south Sarasota County. Zoned for up to 1,500 residences, the project is spearheaded by Neal Land & Neighborhoods. Associated Neal Land Ventures, the land acquisition and development firm, purchased the roughly 300-acre site for $18 million (or $60,000 an acre) in 2018.

The property was previously owned by the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, which earmarked the land for affordable housing, but that plan was cut short by the Great Recession. The land is located just east of Interstate 75 and between Laurel and Border roads, in north Venice.

Vistera of Venice includes villas from the high $400,000s and larger homes from the $500,000s, but “we expect the average will be from the $500,000s to the $700,00s,” says John Neal, president of Neal Land & Neighborhoods.

Floor plans range from two to five bedrooms and two to three bathrooms, and span 1,595 to 3,748 square feet, with two- to three-car garages. Paired villas are two to three bedrooms, with two bathrooms and two-car garages that range from 1,638 to 1,848 square feet. With phase one done, and another on the way, completion for the new master-planned community is estimated for the end of 2024.

[wondermint2]

'They'll try to get you to act fast:' Manatee County Sheriff's Office shows ins and outs of scam calls (Video)

For full article & video:

https://news.google.com/articles/CBM...S&ceid=US%3Aen

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office is sharing examples of what the agency calls "red flags" to help spot scammers.

Odds are you’ve gotten at least one a day. Scam calls have become the new normal.

"They’ll basically put some sort of urgency in it. They’ll try to get you to act fast," said Sgt. Jason Farrier with the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

Sgt. Farrier says one call, in particular, claiming to be "Lieutenant Branberry" has been circulating county-wide.

To help the public identify a spam call, the sheriff’s office released a video showing obvious signs to look for.

"They’re good, but they have a lot of things they are not good on. As far as identifying different components of the agency, direct messaging with the agency, misrepresenting titles of divisions and things like that," said Sgt.Farrier.

In addition to using a fake email and phone number to ask for a payment, there are small discrepancies; things like "sheriff's department" instead of "sheriff's office."

[wondermint2]

Elvis Presley once ate at this Gem of Sarasota (Video)

For full article & video:

https://www.newsbreak.com/sarasota-f...m-of-tampa-bay

Lace up your blue suede shoes and visit this Gem of Sarasota!

Waffle Stop was once visited by Elvis Presley on Feb. 21 1956, while he was in town for a performance at the Sarasota Opera House.

According to staff, he ordered three eggs, three pieces of bacon, toast, and three glasses of milk.

“At that time there was only a few restaurants,” Waffle Stop Owner Dolly Hollinger said.

The locally-owned restaurant has been decorated with posters, pictures, figurines, and even a life-sized statue of The King for decades.

“A lot of stuff was given to me, a lot of stuff,” Hollinger said. “I bought a few things but mostly everything was donated.”

The cash-only diner is known for serving traditional breakfast items, like eggs, pancakes, waffles, home fries, bacon, sausage and toast.

“It’s just all simple,” Hollinger said. “No frills, like your mom and pop would make.”

Waffle Spot is located at 660 S Washington Blvd. in Sarasota.

The diner is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 6 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and then on Sunday from 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.