A budget approved by the U.S. House of Representatives could bring more funding to combat red tide on the Gulf Coast.

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, this week announced he had successfully secured $2.5 million for the National Water Quality Program that will be earmarked for research into harmful algal blooms. That comes after a number of significant red tide blooms that impacted the region over the past five years. 

In the 2022-’23 fiscal year alone, Manatee County cleared nearly 5 tons of dead fish and debris from area beaches attributed to red tide outbreaks.

The funding was one of two major ecological proposals Buchanan secured in the House budget. He also championed $1.15 million dedicated for the rescue and rehabilitation on manatees.

“These commonsense proposals will help ensure the survival of the iconic Florida manatee and combat red tide, which for too long has wreaked havoc on marine life, our waters and the many businesses that rely on Florida’s tourism-based economy,” said Buchanan. “I am very pleased to see these measures pass with broad bipartisan support and look forward to working to see them enacted into law.”

The money for both projects, per the House budget, would be directed through an Interior and Environmental funding bill.

Buchanan has also pushed for the past two years to put manatees back on the endangered species list, Sea cows were redesignated as merely threatened as of 2016. 

He also is continuing to work to treat red tide blooms impacting communities as federal disasters, similar to hurricanes. 

Photo courtesy Rep. Buchanan's Facebook.

Sarasota Memorial Hospital received top marks in the fall 2023 Hospital Safety Report Cards released today by the Leapfrog Group. Leapfrog assigned letter grades to nearly 3,000 general hospitals on how well they prevent medical errors, accidents and infections. The latest grades show hospitals reducing health care-acquired infections (HAIs) post-pandemic after significant increases in infection rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. SMH-Sarasota continued a straight “A” streak it has held since 2016 and has been among a select group of hospitals that maintained its strong safety record during the pandemic years and its challenging aftermath. The new grades are the first to reflect hospital performance post-pandemic. This cycle, nearly 30% of hospitals earned an "A," 24% earned a "B," 39% earned a "C," 7% earned a "D" and less than 1% earned an "F." Sarasota Memorial’s ranking comes on top of a growing list of national accolades, including multiple “Best Hospital” rankings and ratings for 2023-2024 from U.S. News & World Report, Magnet designation for 20 consecutive years, and repeated recognition on Newsweek’s list of the “World’s Best Hospitals.” SMH-Sarasota also is the only hospital in Florida to consistently earn the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ highest 5-star quality award since the federal government launched the rating system in 2016. SMH-Venice has not been open long enough to be graded in this cycle of report cards. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harms to patients. The Leapfrog grading system is fully transparent, free to the public and updated biannually to help patients choose the safest hospitals for their care. To view the Fall 2023 result, visit hospitalsafetygrade.org.

HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital earned an “A” safety grade from The Leapfrog Group, a national watchdog group that assigns letter grades to hospitals across the country. This is the 18th “A” grade the hospital has earned. The grades are based on more than 30 national performance measures including errors, accidents, injuries and infections, and what hospitals have in place to prevent harm. Grades are updated twice a year in the fall and spring. 

PGT Innovations, Inc. (NYSE: PGTI), a national brand and innovation leader in the fenestration and garage door industries, announced today the appointment of Craig Henderson as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective October 31, 2023. As Chief Financial Officer, Henderson will lead the company’s finance strategy, budgeting and planning, accounting, financial reporting, and investor relations functions. Henderson joined PGT Innovations in 2021 as Vice President of Finance, with responsibilities for leading the company's budgeting and planning and investor relations functions, and has been serving as interim Chief Financial Officer since February 2023. Henderson holds over 20 years of experience in finance leadership in both manufacturing and tech companies. Prior to joining PGT Innovations, he served in multiple financial leadership positions with Trex Company, Inc., including Director of Financial Planning and Analysis, Business Development, and Treasurer. Henderson received his Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting from Stetson University.  

Sarasota Memorial Hospital’s Venice Campus has joined the ranks of “Age-Friendly" health systems. The Venice hospital received the national recognition this month, joining approximately 1,900 hospitals, medical practices, clinics, and nursing homes committing significant training and resources to enhance care for older adults. The SMH-Sarasota Campus achieved this designation in 2019, and its Rehabilitation Pavilion has also been recognized as an age-friendly site. With the only two hospitals and inpatient rehabilitation facility on the Suncoast designated as “Age-Friendly,” SMH continues to set the benchmark for care for older adults. Among other initiatives, SMH is implementing evidence-based interventions known as the “4Ms,” which have proven essential in providing better care to older patients: What Matters, Medication, Mentation and Mobility. “Age-Friendly Health Systems” is an initiative of the John A. Hartford Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, in partnership with the American Hospital Association and the Catholic Health Association of the United States. Hospitals and health systems achieving the designation follow rigorous standards and evidence-based interventions specifically designed to deliver safe, reliable, high-quality care based on what matters most to older adults as individuals. 

Excitement is in the air as home sales begin in TerraWalk, DiVosta’s first neighborhood in Babcock Ranch, and an official grand opening is planned for Nov. 11. Featuring DiVosta’s signature resort-inspired lifestyle with exclusive lakefront amenities, TerraWalk offers 1,000 luxury single-family homes and garden villas nestled along lakes, preserves and cul-de-sac streets. The grand opening event, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., also marks the completion of TerraWalk’s four professionally decorated model homes and includes food trucks and limited-time savings on new homes. TerraWalk’s extensive network of hiking and biking paths connect to Babcock Ranch’s growing trail and park system and lead to the neighborhood’s private eight-acre amenity center. Surrounded by water views, the resort campus offers expansive indoor and outdoor destinations for active and leisurely pastimes. As the community’s social and activity hub, the luxuriously appointed 12,000-square-foot clubhouse features a state-of-the-art fitness center, spin room, dedicated movement studio and locker rooms, activity and game rooms, golf simulator, an indoor-outdoor lounge, and a catering kitchen. Alfresco amenities include a resort pool, heated spa, The Porch Bar and Grille , fire pit lounge area, an events lawn, dog park and tennis, pickleball and bocce courts. Situated within 416 acres, TerraWalk’s location in southwestern Babcock Ranch in Lee County offers immediate access to State Road 31 and shorter travel times to I-75. The neighborhood is also close to stores and restaurants at the Publix-anchored Crescent B Commons and Founder’s Square, the town’s lakefront downtown of healthcare, professional offices, remote work sites, restaurants and the center of communitywide celebrations, entertainment and events. Future commercial development is planned just to the northeast of TerraWalk. TerraWalk’s model homes illustrate the gated neighborhood’s 11 floor plans and DiVosta’s consumer-driven designs emphasizing flexibility, outdoor living and sought-after open concepts blending spacious gathering rooms, kitchens and café dining areas. Homes feature kitchens with islands, inviting owner’s suites and flexible spaces for additional bedrooms, dens and retreats. The models also represent TerraWalk’s three home collections – the Vista, Distinctive and Echelon series – and highlight luxury finish selections and options for homebuyers to personalize their homes. TerraWalk offers convenient access to the Southwest Florida International Airport, the Punta Gorda Airport and major shopping, dining and entertainment destinations in Fort Myers and Punta Gorda. Families with school-age children have a choice of educational options, including the renowned onsite Babcock Schools providing K-12 project-based learning. Students are also eligible for the School District of Lee County’s school choice program, which includes International Baccalaureate and advanced academic programs for middle and high schoolers. For more information about TerraWalk in Babcock Ranch, America’s first solar-powered town, visit the new sales center at 12532 Quartz Drive, join the VIP Interest List at www.DiVosta.com/TerraWalk or call 941-344-2971. 

Pictured: Envisioned as the social center for TerraWalk, the future neighborhood clubhouse will be designed with spaces for residents to gather, dine and workout along with a resort pool featuring dedicated lap lanes and a spa.

On Friday morning, November 10, the teacher tribute bus tour left from the Sarasota County Schools district office at the Landings. On the bus were school administrators, former Teacher of the Year Award recipients, Education Foundation of Sarasota County team members, and local reporters. They visited three schools to share with three teachers some exciting news: they had been named finalists for the Sarasota County Teacher of the Year Award.  This year’s finalists are: Elementary school: Ronnique Major, Emma E. Booker Elementary School, Middle school: Haley Brown, Pine View School, High school: Dennis Pinna, North Port High School.  In coordination with school-based staff, a surprise event was held for each teacher to recognize their accomplishment as a Teacher of the Year finalist. Dennis Pinna, who thought he was attending professional development with his social studies colleagues, was surprised in the North Port High School gym, where the advanced orchestra class performed, and students and cheerleaders cheered. Haley Brown thought she was attending a school assembly when she was surprised by the tribute bus entourage coming out from behind the curtains to celebrate her. Ronnique Major was surprised to step out of her classroom door to find the other fifth-grade classes, her family, and the tribute tour group clapping and cheering loudly to congratulate her. The event and announcement of the finalists is part of the annual Ignite Education Teacher of the Year Award Celebration, which the Education Foundation sponsors in partnership with Sarasota County Schools. This year’s Ignite Education Teacher of the Year Award Celebration will be held on Wednesday, December 13, at the Venice Community Center. Forty-six school-based Teacher of the Year finalists will be honored, and one of the three finalists will be named the Sarasota County Teacher of the Year. One teacher will also be recognized as the Innovation Teacher of the Year. Throughout 2024, the district Teacher of the Year will represent Sarasota County Schools at the Florida Department of Education Teacher of the Year Program and will serve as a spokesperson for and representative of the teaching profession. This celebration is made possible because of generous sponsors. The Education Foundation is grateful for presenting sponsor Sunset Automotive Group as well as Publix Super Markets Charities and Suncoast Credit Union.For more information about the Ignite Education Teacher of the Year Awards Celebration, including ticket availability, visit EdFoundationSRQ.org/ignite.

FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION | Role of the curator, November 2023. 

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