As May rolls into June, baseball is more prevalent than ever on Florida's Gulf Coast. In Sarasota, the Florida Complex League (FCL) Orioles kicked off their season on May 4, with 30 home games scheduled between May 4 and July 25. The FCL Orioles, who operate out of Sarasota’s Ed Smith Stadium are the base level of the minor leagues for Baltimore which harbors one of the deepest farm systems in all of Major League Baseball. Keep an eye out for players like pitcher Jesus Palacios and infielder Alfredo Velasquez for with a strong showing here, it won’t be long before they’re called up to Single-A Delmarva. FCL Orioles games at Ed Smith Stadium will be free of charge for the public to attend.

Just north of Sarasota, the Bradenton Marauders continue to grind out a tough, yet promising season. Fresh of an electric 11-game win streak, Bradenton has gone 1-4 in their last five games since, struggling to find the same offensive spark. Fear not, however, because in their upcoming six game homestand against the Dunedin Blue Jays they have a chance to turn the tide on their season. At 19-20, Dunedin is just two games up on Bradenton in the Florida State League West division. With a strong showing against Dunedin, the Marauders could leapfrog the Blue Jays in the standings and finish out an incredibly successful month of May.

During this six-game homestand the Marauders will host a number of promotional nights including Thirsty Thursday, Friendly City Fridays–which will also be Decades Night, where fans are encouraged to dress in the style of their favorite decade–as well as Military Appreciation Night and Paws & Claws on Saturday night.

Ed Smith Stadium, 2700 12th St, Sarasota, https://www.milb.com/bradenton, LECOM Park 1611 9th St W, Bradenton, FL 34205. 

Pictured: Paws and Claws Night at LECOM Park is a crowd pleaser to both canines and their humans. Photo provided by the Marauders.

Sarasota Rising’s The Living Arts Festival is holding its yearly poster contest for next year’s festival in 2025. Artists will have the opportunity to compete in creating an original poster for its annual weeklong celebration. The Living Arts Festival – Sarasota is an interdisciplinary arts festival like no other slated to have its second year in November 2025. The festival aims to broaden the region’s audience for the arts in all its “flavors,” emphasizing performing arts while offering visual arts exhibitions, family-friendly events, live music, and more. The winning poster will be utilized in conjunction with Sarasota Rising’s logo for all festival branding and merchandise, featuring its imagery on hats, t-shirts, pins, bags, and all sorts of great festival swag, as well as on the festival’s website and brochure. With this in mind, portions or pieces of it need to accommodate the Sarasota Rising’s branding text, logo, and the specifics needed to promote the festival. Thought should be given as to how elements could be used in isolation in print and electronically, on merchandise, websites, clothing, etc., to create a strong, effective, memorable, and flexible identity. As for the imagery in the piece itself, it should capture the spirit of Sarasota’s arts community; the initial focus being that of the Performing Arts: Dance, Opera, Theater, Circus Arts, Choral and beyond, but as an inclusive festival, there will be room for the visual arts, fine arts and even culinary arts to be displayed and elevated during this annual celebration. Choosing the winner will involve a rigorous selection process, allowing artists whose pieces the judges feel have merit to receive notes for resubmission. The criteria that will go towards deciding on the winning poster include the imagery used, how the festival’s messages are conveyed, and the imagery’s ability to draw attention to the community and its many creative facets. Sarasota Rising encourages all students of the arts, designers, and creatives in the greater Sarasota Manatee area to participate in this opportunity. In addition to the notoriety from their work being displayed throughout the festival and during its promotions, the selected artist will be awarded a $1,000 stipend. Submissions are being accepted until July 26, 2024, and a winner will be announced in August. The grand reveal will occur at one of their events this fall. For all contest details and submission requirements, please visit sarasotarising.org/poster-contest. 

Sarasota County Schools is pleased to announce that Mr. Raymond Wilson has been appointed as the new Principal of Venice Elementary School. He will assume his new role on Monday, June 3, 2024. “I am looking forward to getting to know all of the students, families, teachers, and staff,” commented Wilson. “Venice Elementary is renowned for its incredible school community and strong academic and civic achievements. It will be an honor to collaborate with such a dedicated school team and extended school community to support the growth of our students.” Mr. Wilson earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education (K-12) from Florida A&M University and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from the University of South Florida. He holds certifications in Educational Leadership, School Principal, and Music K-12. Before assuming his current role as the Principal of Laurel Nokomis School in May 2016, Mr. Wilson served as the Assistant Principal of Heron Creek Middle School and the Assistant Principal of Woodland Middle School. 

Last Thursday, Brevard County School Board Member and education leader Jennifer Jenkins launched Educated. We Stand, an Independent Expenditure Committee dedicated to safeguarding the integrity of public education and ensuring our schools remain beacons of enlightenment, not battlegrounds of ideology. Educated. We Stand’s mission is to limit the influence of far-right extremists and maintain evidence-based learning environments that foster critical thinking and prepare students to be engaged, informed citizens. Jenkins will serve as the IE’s chair. Jennifer Jenkins said: “It is clear that the far-right's assault on public education threatens our children’s futures and the foundation of our democracy. With Educated. We Stand, we're not just fighting back; we're defending the very essence of learning, curiosity, and inclusion in our schools. We're standing up for the future of unbiased education and the preservation of our democratic values. “Because every child deserves a safe space to learn, explore, and grow without the threat of political agendas clouding their education. And no school board member should ever be targeted or threatened for standing up for basic truths and rights; not by their governor, not by right-wing politicians, not by anyone. This is not just about winning battles; it's about safeguarding the soul of American education for generations to come. Because the cost of doing my job has been high, but the cost of doing nothing would be much, much higher.” By protecting, recruiting, and electing school board members across the country who advocate for unbiased education while opposing those pushing conservative agendas, Educated. We Stand aims to serve as a beacon of hope that unites communities in protecting the sanctity of education. Jenkins has made national headlines for defeating Moms for Liberty co-founder Tina Descovich for school board by nearly 10 points in a district that Donald Trump won by double digits. In addition, she gained recognition for championing unbiased public education at great personal cost. Jenkins’ powerful advocacy and national platform have landed her as Governor Ron DeSantis’ #1 target of Democratic officials to defeat in 2024, and her strong voice for LGBTQ+ rights in Florida schools made her a national target for extremists who have leveled threats on her life and harm to her family, including protests at her home, vandalism of her property, and threats to her child. Jennifer has inspired millions by standing up to these vicious attacks and physical intimidation against her and her family, never giving up and maintaining the confidence that she represented the beliefs of the overwhelming majority of her community. To learn more about Educated. We Stand and ways you can support, please visit www.EducatedWeStand.com. 

On Friday, May 24, 2024, before sunrise, School District of Manatee County Board Members will join Superintendent Dr. Jason Wysong and District Administrators to celebrate a successful school year. The group plans to wave and cheer for drivers at approximately 5:30 a.m., as dozens of school buses roll out of the Matzke Support Center to pick up students on the last day for the 2023-2024 school year. Matzke Support Center is located at 1 Matzke Way in Bradenton.  

The annual Kids' Summer Beach Runs are returning to Siesta and North Brohard beaches throughout June and July. One-mile fun runs will be offered, encouraging children and their families to participate in healthy activities together throughout the summer. The free Kids' Summer Beach Runs are scheduled as follows: Tuesdays, June 4 through July 30, at Siesta Beach, 948 Beach Road, Sarasota, Wednesdays, June 5 through July 31, at North Brohard Beach, 1400 S. Harbor Drive, Venice, No runs are scheduled for Tuesday, July 2, at Siesta Beach or Wednesday, July 3, at North Brohard Beach. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m. near the playground at Siesta Beach and the Venice Fishing Pier at North Brohard Beach. Runs start at 6:30 p.m. for both locations. Participants will receive a finisher ribbon and kids who complete four runs receive a free T-shirt, a free kid's meal coupon for Gecko's Grill & Pub and a coupon for kid's New Balance shoes. The runs can be completed at either location. Kids' Summer Beach Runs are presented by Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources, New Balance of Sarasota and Sarasota Crew. Additional sponsors include the Florida Department of Health-Sarasota, Friends of Sarasota County Parks, Gecko's Grill & Pub, Manasota Track Club, Sharky's on the Pier and Siesta Beach Eats. To learn more, visit SarasotaCountyParks.com or call 311.  

Join Hamlet’s Eatery this Wednesday for Not Your Typical Trivia night. This week with be a 70s theme hosted by Mark & Scott of Sarasota Street Talk. Each week we will have a local celebrity host with a theme of their choice. Doors open at 6pm for dinner and trivia is from 6:30-8pm. There will be be prizes for top teams and last place always receives Free Fries (because losing is still fun)! Hamlet’s is located in the courtyard of The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime at 821 Apricot Ave in Sarasota. For more information visit www.Hamletseatery.com or call 941-445-1938 to make your reservation.