Sarasota & Manatee Counties news thread

[wondermint2]

Major East County road projects to progress in 2024

State Road 70 and Lena Road will be undergoing major transformations.

For full article:

https://www.yourobserver.com/news/20...ects-progress/

Commissioner Jason Bearden said the current Manatee County Commission will eventually be known for building roads.

“We’ve all been here for three years or less, so a lot of these issues with our infrastructure are because of former boards, but our board, our No. 1 priority is roads,” he said. “Myself, Mike Rahn and Amanda Ballard, who just came on the board, have already secured over $20 million dollars at the state level for our roads.”

Not only is Bearden an at-large commissioner, but he’s also a Lakewood Ranch resident, so he sits in traffic, too. Among the projects he mentioned are Fort Hamer Bridge and the 44th Avenue East extension, but there are some other major road projects in East County that should be seeing major progress in 2024, too.

[wondermint2]

Animal rescue expansion completes in April for increased care

After four years of progress, the expansion at Nate's Honor Animal Rescue in Lakewood Ranch nears completion.

For full article:

https://www.yourobserver.com/news/20...mpletes-april/

[wondermint2]

New executive director has big plans for Save Our Seabirds' future

Brian Walton is using his previous nonprofit expertise to update systems at the City Island nonprofit and involve it in more community events.

For full article:

https://www.yourobserver.com/news/20...-our-seabirds/

[wondermint2]

Statewide entrepreneur help center opens two new offices in region

For full article:

https://www.businessobserverfl.com/n...opens-offices/

The Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of South Florida is opening a pair of satellite offices in the region to kick off 2024.

The Florida SBDC provides no-cost assistance to aspiring, emerging and established businesses through consulting, training and market research. The Florida SBDC at USF covers 10 counties in the region.

One location, scheduled to open Jan. 8, according to a statement, is in Manatee County, in the Manatee Chamber of Commerce’s Lakewood Ranch office. That office will be staffed with a Florida SBDC at USF consultant three times a week (every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday). The office is at 4215 Concept Court, Lakewood Ranch, 34211.

[wondermint2]

This is from the "Vin's People" column in the Sarasota Herald Tribune.

Manatee County Sheriff’s Office honors deputy of the year for lifesaving action

For the full column:

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/32821...esaving-action

A salute to Deputy Jared Leggett and a bow to Jay Hegemier, fleet manager for the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. Leggett is MCSO’S 2023 Deputy of the Year and Hegemier is their 2023 Employee of the Year.

A year ago, Leggett was with Sergeant Brett Getman at MCSO’s Anna Maria District Five Unit when Getman collapsed. Unable to find a pulse, Leggett radioed for help and started CPR. Holmes Beach Police Sergeant Thomas Fraser responded to the scene and resumed CPR while Leggett grabbed an AED device to resuscitate Getman’s heartbeat. Then EMS arrived and took over.

EMTs and Blake Hospital staff determined that had it not been for Leggett and Fraser, the incident would have ended tragically.

And Hegemier was recognized for his compassion and generosity.

Tamara Rogers, a temporary administrative assistant for four months, is physically disabled and wheelchair-bound. Taking an MCAT bus and pushing herself in a manual wheelchair, getting to and from work was a challenge. This was in summertime, too.

Seeing her struggles, Hegemier went above and beyond. He found an electric wheelchair for free that needed repairs and ordered the parts, paying for them himself. Good to go, the wheelchair was presented to an emotional and grateful Rogers.

On her last day of work, she told Hegemier her brief stay with MCSO was nothing short of a miracle because an “angel” gave her that wheelchair.

[wondermint2]

Biggest concerts, comedians coming to Tampa Bay, Sarasota in January, February, March

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news...ch/ar-AA1mlC8p

We're only a few days into January, yet there are already big-name concert and comedy tours making their way to our area, starting this weekend and through February and March.

The two biggest shows each showcase a pair of musicians, as rappers Drake and J. Cole co-headline two nights at Tampa's Amalie Arena, while the Piano Man himself Billy Joel teams up with fellow '70s and '80s hitmaker Sting at Raymond James Stadium. Multiple annual music festivals also return over the next three months, including Florida Strawberry Festival, Gasparilla Music Festival and Reggae Rise Up, along with the debut of a new comedy festival.

To help keep track of it all, here are the top rock, rap, country, pop, R&B and stand-up comedy shows set to visit the greater Tampa Bay area from January to March, listed in chronological order. Event details are subject to change.

[wondermint2]

10 Longboat Key projects to watch in 2024

Islandwide transit, a vacant commission seat and beach erosion are just a few of the issues on tap for Longboat in 2024.

For full article:

https://www.yourobserver.com/news/20...ts-watch-2024/

While Longboat Key had its fair share of achievements in 2023, it’s time to look ahead.

Last year, the Town Commission, staff and residents started the momentum on several projects that are heading toward notable progress in 2024.

There were also some notable issues, such as St. Regis Longboat Key parking, undergrounding project delays and Hurricane Idalia, which flooded areas of the island.

[wondermint2]

Bradenton Beach sets sights on 2024, gears up city projects

For full article:

https://www.islander.org/2024/01/bra...city-projects/

Bradenton Beach officials are setting their sights on an array of projects in 2024 to address infrastructure improvements, police training, parking issues and planning for one of the island’s largest hotel developments.

Mayor John Chappie outlined Dec. 18 the major projects. At the top of his list are the undergrounding of utilities and the remodeling of stormwater systems in north Bradenton Beach.

[wondermint2]

Holmes Beach puts focus on consolidation concerns in 2024

For full article:

https://www.islander.org/2024/01/hol...cerns-in-2024/

The city of Holmes Beach was under fire from state and county leadership all of 2023.

And, with potential consolidation of the municipality lingering on the horizon, that might not change in 2024.

Mayor Judy Titsworth and Commissioners Terry Schaefer, Carol Soustek, Dan Diggins and Greg Kerchner told The Islander the week beginning Dec. 18 that they were primarily concerned with state-led consolidation efforts heading into the new year.

Rep. Will Robinson Jr., R-Bradenton, sparked the controversy in January 2023 when he questioned the number of municipalities needed to govern the island at a Manatee County Legislative Delegation meeting.

Robinson proposed the delegation commission a study into the potential consolidation of the island cities and the delegation unanimously backed the study, which began in November.

The study is projected to be completed by July.

[wondermint2]

Demolition in progress at proposed hotel site

For full article:

https://www.amisun.com/2024/01/01/de...ed-hotel-site/

Shortly after the Dec. 7 city commission approval of a 106-room resort hotel/restaurant/retail complex on the corner of Bridge Street and Gulf Drive South, demolition began on the first building on the site.

On Dec. 11, a permitted demolition began on 129 Gulf Drive S., the location of the former Joe’s Eats N Sweets.

The property that the hotel will be built on is co-owned by local developer Shawn Kaleta and Bradenton Beach commissioner and businessman Jacob Spooner. It is sited on 1.61 acres and located at 101, 105 and 117 Bridge St. and 106, 108, 110 and 112 Third St. S.

In a Dec. 27 email to The Sun from Bradenton Beach permit technician Annabre Veal, the permit application for demolition of 101 Bridge St. is complete and demolition permit applications for 105 and 117 Bridge St. have also been submitted.

The proposed scope of the work at 101 Bridge St. is “Demo and remove entire structure (Mixed use comm/res, 2 living units, 1 comm building),” according to the permit applied for by Kaleta.

Several local residents who are critics of the hotel project have expressed concern about the historical background and environmental concerns surrounding the three remaining buildings on the proposed hotel site, and they have reached out to city officials with their findings.