The Bradenton Marauders of the 10-team Florida State League kick off their season on Friday night against the Clearwater Threshers. The Single-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Marauders are entering their 14th season at Bradenton’s LECOM Park and will feature a number of different promotional nights throughout the season. On opening weekend alone, several promotions will be in play, including a free t-shirt giveaway on Friday night along with a Friendly City Friday happy hour to promote local businesses before the game. A post-game fireworks show will also take place on Saturday night.

After just missing out on the playoffs last season, the Marauders enter 2024 with a new manager, Jim Horner. Horner, who managed the Pirates’ Florida Complex League team last year (the entry level to the minor leagues and one level below Single-A), is no stranger to teaching and developing young players. Horner spent nine years in the minors as a player in the Seattle Mariners organization and has spent the last four coaching and managing in the Pirates’ minor league system.

This year, the Marauders will feature a number of prominent prospects for the Pirates on their roster. Mitch Jebb, a 2023 2nd round draft pick out of Michigan State University and the Pirates’ 8th ranked prospect according to MLB.com, will start the year out in Bradenton. Last season, the shortstop impressed with a batting average of .297 and 11 stolen bases over 34 games. Lonnie White Jr., an intriguing outfielder who played both football and baseball at Penn State, looks to show off his skills in Bradenton this year. White Jr., a 2021 draft pick, has had trouble staying on the field–injuries have been an issue with the former dual-sport star, but his raw power and speed could be enough to see him advance higher in the Pirates’ farm system this year.

LECOM Park, 1611 9th St W, Bradenton.

Pictured: The Bradenton Marauders post game fireworks show. Photo courtesy of The Bradenton Marauders.

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Sarasota Paradise, a USL League 2 team based in Sarasota, will officially kick off its 2024 season with its first training held on May 6, 2024, followed by its first game against Miami AC on May 19 in Miami, Florida. The season’s home opener will take place on June 1 against Swan City. New players to this season’s roster include Cody Read, a defender who played in the Premier League (academy) for Leicester City and at Fairfield University; Will Pierce, a midfielder who plays for Fairfield University; Mikey Burke, a right defensive back who plays for the University of Rochester; Brendan Reilly, a goalkeeper for Florida Gulf Coast University; and Matthew Sawaged, a winger. This year, 50 percent of the team consists of returning players, including Roman Holt, a center-back who plays for San Diego State; Angel Velasquez, a winger who plays for IMG academy; Jaden Berman, a left-back who has played for IMG Academy, George Mason University and UNC Asheville; Kai Tamashiro, a striker who played for IMG Academy and University of North Carolina Chapel Hill; Michael Carboni, a defender who plays for the Clearwater Chargers UPSL team and the Tampa Bay Strikers professional indoor team; Valerio Tatafiore, a midfielder who plays for New College; Oliver Dahlen, a striker; Caleb Powell, a forward who plays for UNC Wilmington; Ryan Sims, a forward who plays for Thomas University; and Victor Vandenbroek, a midfielder who plays for Juniata College. Standout player from the 2023 season Hosei Kijima has been called up to play for MLS team St Louis City SC. He scored in his debut and has made numerous appearances on the first team this season. Additionally, 2023 player Isaiah Easley secured victory in the NCAA National College Cup with Clemson University, capping off a stellar journey that included an unforgettable performance for Sarasota Paradise. For the 2024 season, Sarasota Paradise also welcomed three new coaches, including Mirko Dakovics as head coach; Glodi Konga as assistant coach, who also serves as the head men’s soccer coach at New College in Sarasota; and Mark Macphee as goal keeper coach. The season will run from May 19 through July 13, with home games played at Sarasota High School’s soccer fields. A full game schedule is available online. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. For those interested, contact hello@sarasotaparadise.us.  

The Pickleball Club, a firm founded in 2019 that develops and operates private, membership-based high-amenity indoor pickleball facilities throughout Florida, recently announced it will host professional pickleball players and power couple James Ignatowich and Anna Bright in April for a clinic, pro exhibition and Q-and-A session at its Lakewood Ranch club. Ignatowich is a 23-year-old player with a background in tennis. After playing collegiate tennis for two years at Vanderbilt University, he developed an interest in pickleball. In 2023, Ignatowich won two gold medals in the Indoor National Championship on the PPA Tour and earlier this year, he became the first professional pickleball player to claim the No. 1 spot on ESPN SportsCenter's Top 10. Bright is a 24-year-old player residing in South Florida. In college, she played on UC Berkeley women’s varsity tennis team and reached a career-high ranking of No. 13 in the country. She is now a Gold Card touring pro with the PPA. Prior to joining the PPA, Bright played on the MLP Team Ranchers, APP circuits and was an account manager at DUPR. Ignatowich and Bright are both ranked No. 2 on the PPA Tour in mixed doubles. On Wednesday, April 17, registered players for the event will play with Bright for 90 minutes; learning forehand dinks, dinking patterns, resets, lobs and third shot drops. Players will then work with Ignatowich to focus on two-handed backhand dinks, speedups, one-handed flicks, counters and blocks, and drives. Following the clinics, a pro exhibition will take place with Ignatowich, Bright, Dominique Lemperle, director of programming and instruction at The Pickleball Club and Forest Dennis, head professional at The Pickleball Club at Lakewood Ranch. To conclude the day, a Q-and-A session will be held, where participants of the clinic will have the opportunity to ask the pickleball professionals questions of their own, as well as enjoy dinner served in the Players’ Lounge. The clinic, pro exhibition and Q-and-A session event will be open to members and non-members with a skill rating of 4.0+. Registration is now open for members of The Pickleball Club, with registration opening for non-members beginning Monday, April 1. The fee is $500 for members and $750 for non-members. For more information or to register, contact 941-271-4444 or lwrinfo@thepickleballclub.com. 

On Saturday, April 20th, you can spend a full day enjoying free hands-on family fun at the Palmetto Historical Park and Manatee County Agricultural Museum at 515 10th Ave. West, Palmetto. Each site will be holding a Suncoast Remake Learning Event, as part of the 15-day Remake Learning Festival held in four area counties, including Manatee.From 11 AM to 1 PM, visit “Crafts from the Past,” and create fun art projects related to the history of each building in Palmetto Historical Park. The many projects offered include making ice cream, pioneer dolls, journals, and more. While on-site, families will receive a chance at winning a family gift basket and visit a fun selfie station. Art and history can be enjoyed together! From Noon to 2 PM, join the Agricultural Museum and Soar in 4 Manatee as they host “Moo-velous Dairy Cows” at the Ag Museum. Participants will learn all about cows through learning games, making crafts, participating in a milk tasting, and more. The Florida Ag Experience will be on site with a cuddle calf and a milking demonstration.  Here families will have another chance at winning a different family gift basket and take some udderly wonderful selfie photos. Come learn about everyone’s favorite farm animal! Along with the free events, have lunch on the grounds with the North Manatee Kiwanis Club. They will be selling hotdogs, drinks, and snacks. Lunch will be available from 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM. It can be a full day of fun and food for you and your family along with lots of take-home goodies! For more information, call 941-721-2034. 

Due to scheduling and routing logistics, the national tour of SHREK – The Musical will be pausing for two weeks between April 15 - April 29. Regrettably, our original performance dates scheduled during this time are affected by this. However, we have fortunately been able to secure the following new dates. SHREK will now be coming to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall on September 24-25, 2024. Current ticket holders have been contacted via with information regarding their tickets for the rescheduled dates. Patrons who are unable to attend the rescheduled performance or who have questions regarding their tickets can contact the Van Wezel Box Office Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 941-263-6799. 

Registration is open now! Art Center Sarasota is once again encouraging young children and teens to set their inner artists free at its summertime art camps. The nine weekly sessions run June 3 to August 2. The programs target two different age groups: Creative Kids serves children, ages 6 to 9; Emerging Artists is for aspiring artists, ages 10 to 14. The camps are Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Before- and after-care is offered. Fees are $275 per week for Art Center Sarasota members with a family membership; $350 per week for non-members. Scholarships are available to those eligible. Art supplies are included; participants will also receive a free art camp t-shirt. Art Center Sarasota is also looking for teens, 15 and over, to volunteer as teaching and after-care assistants. Volunteer hours count towards high school and Bright Futures and National Honor Society requirements. For more information about Art Center Sarasota’s summer art camp, scholarship eligibility and teen volunteer programs, visit www.artsarasota.org; or call 941-365-2032; or email youtheducation@artsarasota.org. 

The Elizabeth Moore Sarasota Open announced three wild card players for the ATP Tour Challenger men’s professional tournament. Tennis players from all around the world will compete in singles and doubles play at Payne Park Tennis Center from April 7-14. Yibing Wu, a former world #1 junior and Bradenton resident. He's ranked as high as 54 in the world which is the 2nd highest ranking of any Chinese player. Wu is also the first Chinese player to win an ATP event when he won Dallas last year with wins over Taylor Fritz and John Isner. Tennys Sandgren, had a career high world ranking of 41. Sandgren reached the Finals of the Sarasota Open in 2019 where he lost to Tommy Paul. Toby Kodat, a 21 year old Bradenton resident and a former Roland Garros junior finalist, losing to current top 10 player Holger Rune. Kodat and fellow Bradenton pro, Martin Damm, are the youngest doubles team in history to win a match at the U.S. Open. Qualifying matches begins Sunday April 7 with 24 players competing for the last 6 spots in the main draw. The finals for doubles is on Saturday, April 13, with singles on Sunday, April 14. For schedule and additional information, visit www.sarasotaopen.com. 

Music Bingo is happening Friday, April 19th from 6-8pm at Hamlet’s Eatery with a total twist! Talented local musician, Sabrina McClenithan, will be hosting. She will be playing some of the songs LIVE! Come for dinner, stay and enjoy the tunes and win prizes! Music Bingo is similar to regular Bingo but instead of calling out numbers, music is played and you find the song title on your card. There will be four rounds and no charge to play. You can play one round or all four. Dinner is available featuring traditional and vegan options. There is Prosecco on tap and a great selection of craft beers and wine.

Hamlet’s Eatery is located in the courtyard of The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime at 821 Apricot Ave in Sarasota. For more information call 941-445-1938 or visit www.HamletsEatery.com. 

When Hershorin Schiff Community Day School Head of School Dan Ceaser attended a recent Members Art Show at Art Center Sarasota, he came across an award-winning mixed-media piece that immediately caught his attention. The piece, "For Humanity," shows two ultra-Orthodox Jews and an IDF soldier praying at the Western Wall. Local painter and illustrator Mayer Kersun created the piece, explaining, "The attack [on Israel by Hamas] on October 7, 2023 inspired me to make a statement about humanity. Looking at the picture, you will see two ultra-Orthodox Jews and an IDF soldier at the Western Wall. They probably see the world differently. But when it comes to Israel and anti-Semitism, they are united." Ceaser requested that Kersun allow the school to have the artwork on “indefinite loan” but, when the artist came by to drop off the painting, his tour of the school so impressed him that, the next day, he donated the piece outright.
“As soon as I saw the painting, I felt that – in addition to being beautiful – its sentiments were well aligned with our school philosophy,” said Ceaser. “Mayer used the tragic events of October 7th to create something that captures feelings of hope, unity and our shared humanity – despite peoples’ differences. I am grateful to him for allowing us to have this piece to display in the years to come.” When he was old enough to hold a pencil, Kersun was drawing the cartoons from the comics page. Since World War II was going on, he would draw fighter airplanes that he would see in the newspaper. His urge to draw was there but the time to pursue the artistic world did not come until he retired from his business. That was when he started taking continuing education classes from local schools and from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia. It has been a big part of his life for the past 20-plus years. “I was so impressed with the school – the wonderful things I saw and what its mission is,” Kersun said. “Hopefully, by having my artwork there and by discussing it, it will be meaningful to the students and some good will come of it.” 

Pictured: Local artist Mayer Kersun (center, holding artwork) and CDS Head of School Dan Ceaser (back left) with students Willow Dotson, Maia Forman and Charlie Armstrong. Provided photo/Community Day School.

 The Manatee Arts Education Council (MAEC) in partnership with the Manatee Education Foundation and the School District of Manatee County, is excited to present the 5th Annual Arts Alive, featuring student performances and high school student artwork. Plus, recognition of outstanding arts education leaders in our community and schools. Arts Alive will be held on Friday, April 5, 2024, at State College of Florida in the Performing Arts Recital Hall, located in Building 11A, 5840 26th Street West in Bradenton. Guests will enjoy hors d’ oeuvres, live entertainment, and a silent artwork auction from 5:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. The awards and performances will start at 6:30 p.m. and last through 8 p.m. The Master of Ceremonies is Summer Smith, News Anchor from WWSB ABC 7. Featured performances include the following: Manatee High School Fiddlers, Elementary Music Students, State College of Florida Chamber Choir, a Lakewood Ranch High School Pianist, Braden River High School Clarinet Quartet, and the Manatee School for the Arts Turning Pointe Ballet Company. Presenting sponsor for Arts Alive is NDC Construction and Reception sponsors are Ringling College of Art + Design, Willis Smith, The Early Learning Coalition, Bradenton Area Arts & Culture, Long & Associates, and the Manatee Education Foundation. Art Gallery Sponsors include Williamson Design Associates, Pittsburgh Pirates, AJAX, Tandem Construction, and Creative Contractors. Corporate Sponsors include AD Morgan, B&I Construction, Manatee Memorial Hospital, and Suncoast Credit Union. Patron Sponsors include Engineering Matrix, ME&S, Sweet Sparkman, and Hepner Architects. Media sponsors include NEXTGEN Magazine, METV, and WWSB ABC 7. 

Junior Achievement of Tampa Bay and Raymond James will bring together high school students from JA's four launch 3DE schools (St. Pete, Dunedin, Chamberlain and Hillsborough) to compete in its 2nd annual Innovators Showcase event on April 3, 2024, at Raymond James headquarters. This showcase is to highlight the students’ self-started business ideas to leaders in the Tampa Bay business and education community. As part of the 3DE curriculum, these 11th grade students have passionately worked on a yearlong project centered around entrepreneurship, which consisted of developing a tangible business, product or service. At the Innovators Showcase, which will mark the culmination of these projects, the top selected teams will have the invaluable opportunity to present their ambitious business ideas to members of the community in grand fashion. 3DE launched locally in 2020, and is quickly expanding, with the goal of transforming public school education through its private/public partnership. The model provides relevant and experiential learning for high school students, so they will become a better prepared future workforce. The Innovators Showcase offers students firsthand exposure to top business leaders to help further their career aspirations. 

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Garden of the Arts (GOTA) owned by Matt Beebe and Dena Kittelson is the newest recipient of the Englewood Spirit Award. Randy Moore, the publisher of Englewood Healthy Living made the announcement this week. The award recognizes an individual, couple, business, or nonprofit making a sustained and meaningful contribution to the health and vitality of the region.
GOTA includes a retail location at 460 W. Dearborn Street in Englewood and a certified plant nursery in the Englewood Arts District. Matt and Dena hosts monthly garden tours of their food forest demonstration garden. Dena is also an artist influencing the mix of products available at their retail store including select visual art items, vibrant gift cards, glassware, and houseplants. GOTA is the twelfth recipient of the Englewood Spirit Award since 2018. Prior award winners include Kids’ Needs Englewood, Real Bikes Englewood, A. Marie Bronson with Shear Sailing & Salon, Englewood Art Center, A Better Scoop Ice Cream Shoppe, Marie Laforge with Mango Bistro, Englewood Community Care Clinic, Dr. Noël Crosby with Advanced Hearing Solutions, Hooked on SUP, One More Day Foundation, and Englewood Beach Yoga with Lata and Robert Coykendall. 

Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman joined Florida Sheriffs Association (FSA) leadership to congratulate SCSO Chief Lisa Kiesel on her graduation from the FSA Commanders Academy on Friday. The Commanders Academy is recognized as the premier course of executive study for mid to upper-level criminal justice leaders. The core curriculum of the two-week course is focused on leadership, ethics, discipline, and additional subject matter areas related to leadership in law enforcement. FSA welcomed over 50 presenters and panelists to instruct the deputies and personnel representing 36 Florida sheriffs' offices who graduated from the prestigious Commanders Academy. The academy is an informative and educational experience vital for the next generation of public safety leaders. 

2024 DECALS AND DONUTS |  We are thrilled to recognize and celebrate the winners and honorees at the 3rd Annual Decals & Donuts hosted at SRQ Studios on Wednesday, April 17th from 8-1pm. Please join us for coffee and donuts to grab your window cling decal, magazines, and photo opportunities. 

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