Could more fish and native plants curb water pollution in Florida? A new bill filed by state Rep. Margaret Good, D-Sarasota, would require industry at least give the plan a try.

The freshman lawmaker this week put out new legislation to require Multimodal Biological Controls be attempted before polluters resort to spraying chemicals. 

“This summer, several constituents brought to our attention that the vast majority of retention ponds use herbicides to manage invasive species growth,” Good says.

That seemed especially troublesome considering how such spraying in Lake Okeechobee has led to cyanobacteria thriving in the water there, which has then fed destructive blue-green algae blooms following releases into the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie rivers. Many environmentalists see a correlation between those problems and the record red tide that happened on Florida’s west coast this year, as nutrient pollution seeped eventually into the Gulf of Mexico.

Good says her team looked for some meaningful way to curb such pollution. “We thought there has to be a better alternative,” she says.

Staff looked at examples of MBC in use in the region. For example, developments like The Landings utilize fish and plant growth in its stormwater management plans. That means complementary native species help control plants, algae and invasive exotics within the aquatic environment, and herbicides don’t have to be introduced. 

It’s a technique promoted by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, which successfully fought invasive aquatic plants through the release of alligator weed flea beetles and other bugs.

Good recognizes the solution won’t work for everybody, and she doesn’t want invasive species destroying habitats either. Her bill doesn’t prohibit water pollution permits from being issued by the state, but applicants must first demonstrate MBC won’t serve as the solution to a particular problem.

The bill could have a shot at passage, considering the focus on water quality issues leading into the March legislative session. Gov. Ron DeSantis is his first days in office promised $2.5 billion will be spent on water projects in his first term, and Good wouldn’t be upset if some of that money helped implement her proposal.

“In Sarasota County, there’s also some county grant money you can get,” she says.

She hopes the organic, natural solution can help prevent future disasters like the algae issues that struck the region last year. 

Photo courtesy UF IFAS: Grass carp help stop the spread of invasive hydrilla.

In an effort to enhance the diagnosis and treatment of stroke among area residents, Manatee Memorial Hospital has announced the opening of the county’s first Biplane Interventional Radiology Suite featuring the Azurion image guided therapy system from Philips Healthcare. This flexible system can aid in the diagnosis and treatment of a range of patient conditions including stroke, cancer, biliary disease or vascular disease, using minimally invasive procedures. The catheter-based procedures are designed to reduce some of the risks and recovery time found in traditional surgical approaches. Among the many benefits of catheter-based interventions are shorter hospital stays, reduced recovery time without the pain of a large incision, and less visible surgical scarring. 

Manatee Memorial Hospital

Williams Parker has announced that John C. Getty has joined the firm as an associate. He focuses his practice on labor and employment. Getty represents employers regarding discrimination claims, wage and hour litigation, and investigations by regulatory agencies such as the Department of Labor and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He has an extensive background in civil litigation, representing clients before state, federal, and administrative courts. His experience includes litigating matters related to Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). He also counsels employers on avoiding employment litigation. 

Williams Parker

According to a report from the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee, 2018 reports more closed sales, an increase in overall inventory and a rise in median prices in Sarasota and Manatee counties. Condo sales outperformed single-family homes, reaching new records in closed sales. The two counties reported a combined total of 21,344 closed sales in 2018, a 6.7 percent increase from 2017. In Manatee County, single-family homes increased by 7 percent to 6,485 closed sales, while Sarasota sales increased by 0.5 percent to 7,952 closed sales.

Condo market sales increased year-over-year, with both counties reporting the highest recorded number of sales over the last ten years. Sarasota condos increased by 8.1 percent from 2017 to 4,150 closed sales. Manatee condo sales increased by 11.1 percent to 2,757 sales. The overall volume of sales for Sarasota single-family homes increased by 5.1 percent to $3.1 billion, while Manatee increased by 11 percent to $2.5 billion. As for condos, Sarasota sales volume increased by 6.7 percent to $1.5 billion, while Manatee County increased by 18.7 percent to $643.2 million. For more information and related statistics, visit the RASM website below. 

Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee

All Faiths Food Bank has announced that Ben Hanan has been elected Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for a one-year term, while Dennis Doughty joins the Board for a three-year term. Nelle Miller was elected to continue as Chair, Jack Higgins as Treasurer and Susan Malloy Jones as Secretary.  Returning Board members are Tom Bernstein, Paul Cantor, Tomas Dinverno, Bart Lowther, Keith Monda, Hal Munter, Terri Vitale, Neal Vorchheimer, and Elton White.

A native of Sarasota, Hanan is an attorney with Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick. Also a CPA, Hanan’s principal areas of practice include business and estate planning. Hanan is a Past Chairman of the Board of Gulf Coast Community Foundation and Past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County. He currently serves on the board of Bradenton Area Economic Development Corporation. Doughty retired from Booz Allen, where he held multiple positions of increasing responsibility, including President of the U.S. Government Business from 2007 to 2009 and Senior Executive Advisor from 2009 to 2013. 

All Faiths Food Bank