Public safety officials in Sarasota and Manatee County had their eyes tuned on Tropical Storm Ian, a named system threatening Florida’s entire west coast. According to the latest storm track forecasts, the system has a high likelihood of impacting this region, which still falls in a cone for potential landfall. 

“This is a time to just kind of watch it, stay aware of what’s happening by watching the local media, putting your disaster supply kit. Just stay calm and know what you are going to do,” said Sarasota County Emergency Management Chief Ed McCrane. “We don’t want people waiting until the light minute to put their supplies together.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency in all of Florida. President Joe Biden has already authorized FEMA to direct resources in 24 Florida counties, including Sarasota and Manatee, at risk of direct impact. As of late Sunday, a tropical storm watch and storm surge watch was in place from Englewood south.

But it could still be days before the full effects of the storm are known on this area. Manatee and Sarasota school officials made the call Sunday evening to leave schools open today, and will closely monitor the storm to make decisions through the week.

The National Hurricane Center expects Ian to reach hurricane-force winds today and to become a Category 4 storm by the time it passes over Western Cuba. It will remain a major hurricane as it enters the Gulf of Mexico, forecasts show, but is expected to diminish in force as it heads for West or Northwest Florida. Bute forecasters with the Center remind that forecasting models once the storm moves past Cuba show great uncertainty about its path and its intensity.

State officials have also stressed that even if the storm diminishes in power, the presence of a Category 4 storm in the Gulf could generate significant storm surge on Florida’s coast even if wind forces slow down.

“No matter what track Ian decides to take, there is a risk of storm surge, hurricane-force winds and heavy rainfall along the west coast of Florida by the middle of this week,” reads a statement released by Manatee County emergency officials on Twitter.

Officials in both counties have declared a state of emergency locally. In Manatee, self-serve sandbags are available at Bennett Park, Buffalo Creek Park , Rubonia Community Center and Myakka Community Center, pre-made bags are available at Manatee Beach, Bayfront Park and Ciquina Beach and full-service distribution is happening at G.T. Bray Park and the Bradenton Area Convention Center. Sarasota County has self-serve locations at Ed Smith Station, Twin Lakes Park and South County Fleet. The City of Venice is also allowing self-serve sandbagging at Wellfield Park, and North Port is doing the same at the George Mullen Activity Center. 

Shumaker is pleased to announce that Sarasota Partner Hunter G. Norton has been appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis to the Twelfth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission for a term ending July 1, 2026. Norton is reappointed from a list of nominees recommended by the Florida Bar after serving a term from 2018 to July 1, 2022. The Judicial Nominating Commission (JNCs) selects nominees to fill judicial vacancies within the Florida court system. There are 20 judges for each circuit court and county courts contained in that circuit. The JNC is required to operate in accordance with the Uniform Rules of Procedure applicable to each level of JNC.Board certified in business litigation by the Florida Bar, Hunter is considered an expert in his field, focusing his practice on business, construction, and civil litigation. Renowned as a determined oral advocate who can speak to the court, he counsels his clients on all phases of the litigation process. He received his bachelor’s degree from Regents College and his law degree from the University of Miami. 

Sarasota County welcomes David Rathbun as the fire department’s next Fire Chief following a nationwide search. Throughout his more than 30 years of service at Orange County Fire Rescue, Rathbun rose through the ranks, providing direction and leadership for nearly every division during the span of his career with the department. Rathbun started with Orange County Fire Rescue as a firefighter/EMT in 1989 and has served as a lieutenant, battalion chief, assistant chief, division chief of logistics, division chief of operations and division chief of planning and technical services. He retired as the department’s Deputy Fire Chief in January. Throughout his 32 years with OCFR, Rathbun managed fire operations, emergency medical services and special operations, fleet and equipment needs for the department with more than 1,500 personnel. He developed standard operating procedures, long-term station location and facility capital improvement plans, implemented a strategic planning process and new computer aided dispatch system as well as managed the department’s re-accreditation.

“The opportunity to work with the heroes of Sarasota County Fire Department is an extraordinary one. I look forwarding to getting to know them and deepen the ties we have with our residents and visitors,” Rathbun said. Rathbun holds a master's degree in public administration and a bachelor's degree in business management and marketing. He also proudly served in the United States Navy from 1983 to 1987. Rathbun is a native Floridian and is married to his wife Michele. Together they have five children and eight grandchildren. He is expected to start his new role with SCFD on Nov. 7, 2022. 

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Today, the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County, in collaboration with the Ringling College of Art and Design, announced the three finalists for their 7th Annual Innovation by Creative Design Award, which are S-One Holdings Corporation, EcoRover Chairs, and Cruise Car . Leadership from each company will speak on a panel moderated by Ringling College of Art and Design President Dr. Larry R. Thompson during the EDC’s Annual Meeting & Awards Luncheon on Friday, October 7th. Pete Petersen, CEO of Dealers United, and 2018 award receipient, will announce the 2022 Innovation by Creative Design Award winner following the panel. The Ringling College Innovation by Creative Design Award recognizes a business or individual for their innovative product or service that demonstrates a creative design solution and has achieved market success. It serves as part of the EDC’s Annual Meeting & Awards Luncheon, Foundations of the Future, which will take a look at local businesses and spotlight those that are emerging as local and national leaders, as well as those altering the landscape with their innovative approaches. Attendees will hear from forward-thinking companies that are diversifying our economy, with visionary and even unconventional approaches to growing their companies. Interested attendees should register as soon as possible, as seating is limited. Half and full table purchases can be made directly through the EDC office to avoid service fees. For more information on tables, please contact Allison Evanitz at aevanitz@edcsarasotacounty.com. Individual tickets are $70, which can be purchased online at www.eventbrite.com/e/annual-meeting-awards-luncheon-2022-tickets-365922272367. 

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Registration is open for the 2022 fall semester at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Ringling College (OLLI at Ringling College), which offers noncredit educational opportunities for adults to pursue new interests, expand intellectual horizons, and enrich their lives. The semester, which runs September 28-November 18, 2022, features nearly 60 courses, lectures, and special presentations covering a wide variety of topics, including arts and entertainment, history, music appreciation, health, literature, philosophy, religion, and science. Course highlights include “Improv Brain Games,” “Democracy and the Electoral College,” and “Living Green and Helping the Environment (A Walking Tour).” Classes are offered in-person on the Ringling College Museum Campus, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, and online via the Zoom platform. To register, or for more information about becoming an OLLI member, visit www.OLLIatRinglingCollege.org or call 941-309-5111. 

As ShorePoint Health Venice shutters its hospital, Sarasota Memorial Health Care System is flexing its team and facilities to meet the community’s increased demand for care. ShorePoint’s abrupt announcement last month that it would close the city’s oldest hospital left many patients and their doctors only days to find new specialists and facilities to provide not only emergency, inpatient and surgical care, but also essential outpatient care and procedures, including rehabilitation therapy for people recovering from illness and injuries, infusion therapy for people battling cancer and bariatric and interventional radiology procedures. It also left hundreds of healthcare workers looking for new jobs. When Sarasota Memorial learned of the looming closure on Aug. 22, just one week before that hospital shut down its ER, SMH leaders began taking aggressive steps to prepare for the increasing number of patients seeking care at SMH-Venice. Those measures included: Reconfiguring and converting administrative space and waiting and reception areas to add more triage and treatment rooms to its emergency care center; Hiring additional staff across its health system, including nearly 100 from ShorePoint; Meeting with EMS and patient care teams at its Venice, North Port and Sarasota campuses, and network of urgent care centers to streamline processes and help ensure patients in Venice and the surrounding community have timely access to urgent and emergency care, as close to home as possible; Expanding hours and diagnostic services at its network of imaging and outpatient centers, and adding outpatient rehabilitation services at Sarasota Memorial Health Care Center at Blackburn Point, to help serve patients from Venice and south county who need outpatient rehabilitation care; Expediting construction that will double SMH-Venice’s capacity to care for patients. The first phase, a new patient care tower that will add 68 more beds, will be complete in 2024, followed soon after by the expansion of the ER, diagnostic imaging and surgery areas; Moving forward with plans to build a new hospital in North Port and develop a comprehensive medical campus on land it owns in nearby Wellen Park. In the interim, SMH leaders continue to explore every option to expand emergency services in Venice. SMH made several attempts in the past few weeks to talk with corporate executives at ShorePoint Health about options that could keep the Venice hospital’s ER open on a temporary basis, including a short-term lease that would allow SMH to care for patients in ShorePoint Venice’s ER. For information about SMH services or help finding a doctor, call SMH HealthLine at (941) 917-7777. 

AN ECLECTIC FALL | From subdued earthbound hues to riveting patterns, trends this fall point toward the individualistic. Fashion is in the eye of the beholder, and certainly in Sarasota and beyond, our local purveyors curate an abundant collection of styles.

Check out this season’s sensational styles through this link, on our social media, or in the September edition of SRQ Magazine! 

Read Here!

RESTAURANT REVITALIZATION | The restaurant industry took a serious hit from extended lockdown policies.

Hear more about the state of Sarasota’s restaurant industry through this link, on our social media, or in the September edition of SRQ Magazine! 

Read Here!