State Rep. James Buchanan, R-Osprey, hopes voters in state House District 74 send him to the Florida Legislature for one more term. But Republican primary opponent Michelle Pozzie believes they need a change, both in individual representative and to business in Tallahassee.

Both Republicans spoke Saturday at the Republican Party of Sarasota Candidates Rally at Robarts Arena.

Buchanan first won election to the state House in 2018, and believes he’s positioned this term to achieve more. If elected, he will be among a senior class of House representatives serving a fourth and final term before term limits prohibit another run.

“There's a lot of opportunities, not only for our area but for the state to move the needle forward and do some great things and bring home some money for some of the projects that are important to our community,” Buchanan told SRQ. “I've brought home more than any other delegate in our local delegation as it relates to infrastructure.”

That includes $21.5 million in funding to expand the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. Strides were also made in the effort on River Road, and while he acknowledged construction isn’t moving as fast as many voters would like, he pushed transportation officials to put the project on a five-year horizon for completion.

Pozzie became politically active in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her father died in an Illinois hospital isolated from family — “I had to say goodbye to him through FaceTime” — and she left angry at government ability to rapidly take control of people’s medical decisions with their loved ones.

That concern extends to the increasing drive in state government for the Legislature to make policy calls instead of local government officials, including areas like local zoning law.

“You look at something like the Live Local Act—that is tied up in such a pretty bow. You think that's really cheery,” she said. “But when you pre-empt a local government, you take an area like I like in North Port, the second-fastest growing city in the nation, we care about whether you are changing our zoning or you are changing our density. Tallahassee needs to keep their hands off that.”

The Live Local Act, focused on affordable housing, includes requirements local governments allow developers the ability to create residential housing that addresses under certain conditions if it addresses that need. Pozzie said local governments should have retained the control they had of such planning decisions before the new law went into effect.

“Let people go to their City Commission and their County Commission for that. As state lawmakers, that’s not our job,” she said. “We’re not supposed to pre-empt. But I’ve seen them get drunk off of it.”

But Buchanan feels the Republican-controlled Legislatures has done plenty of good, including in addressing explosive growth and the rising cost of living. He helped craft the language for Amendment 5, which if passed in November will tie the value of homestead exemptions to inflation. He also noted historic investments by the Florida Legislature in the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

“It was a tremendous session when you think about leaving a legacy for the future of conservation for our kids and future generations, when you think about planning for the future of the state to 2070 what we want the state to look like,” Buchanan said. “And by the way, it's also a form of growth management.”

Buchanan has raised more than $154,000 to Pozzie’s under $16,000. The two face off in an Aug. 20 Republican Primary in House District 74, which spans east Sarasota County. The winner will face Democrat Nancy Simpson in November.  

Photos courtesy campaign Facebooks: James Buchanan, Michelle Pozzie.

The Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller has released its annual list of unclaimed funds, which consists of uncashed checks for court-related activities. This list, totaling $58,888.27, is for jury service, overpaid court fees, court registry, and vendor payments. Visit the Manatee Clerk's website to view the list. If you find you have money owed to you, you will need to file a notarized written claim or court motion with the Clerk’s Office. For more information on how to submit your claim, please contact Clerk's Accounting by email at clerkaccounting@manateeclerk.com or by phone at (941) 749-1800.Remember, the deadline to file a claim is September 1, 2024. Any money not claimed by this date will be declared forfeited and transferred to the fine and forfeiture fund under F.S. 116.21. 

Manatee Memorial Hospital, a cornerstone of healthcare in our community for over seven decades, announces a strategic realignment of its network of healthcare services and access points. Comprised of Manatee Memorial Hospital, imaging, emergency, rehabilitation, home health, surgical and specialty care, Manatee Health represents the entire system of healthcare services. In the 70 years that Manatee Memorial Hospital (MMH) has served the community, the hospital has grown rapidly in every category. MMH has been a market leader in innovation and recognized by accrediting agencies for several service lines. During these periods of growth, the hospital has added both inpatient and outpatient services to accommodate the needs of our expanding population. Manatee Memorial Hospital serves as the anchor brand and the inspiration for Manatee Health as the hospital was founded by the community in 1953.  As part of the new brand launch, the entire network, including the hospital, benefitted from a unified refresh of the logo. Though subtle, Manatee Health has incorporated a more modern font and aligned a consistent icon of the three-quarter cross that has long been associated with the hospital. 

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JL Bainbridge & Company, Inc., a family wealth advisory firm based in Sarasota, Florida, has further improved its ability to offer personalized service by hiring a new team member to focus on the firm’s operations. As Director of Operations, Dan Greenwald, CPA, is now responsible for ensuring that JL Bainbridge’s team has the optimal systems and processes in place for serving clients. As an independent financial advisory firm, the company has the flexibility to  build its processes around what works best for its clients and their Family Wealth Advisors. “As we continue to grow, we need to make sure we have the right systems and processes in place,” said John Leeming, CFP®, President of JL Bainbridge. “Dan’s experience at The Goldman Sachs Group and Deloitte & Touche will serve him well here, but on a more personal scale.” Leeming added that Greenwald’s qualifications as a CPA give him an added level of understanding for processes that work well for finance-related activities. Jerry Bainbridge, CEO and co-founder of JL Bainbridge, also welcomed Greenwald with high praise: “Dan’s background in financial firms tells me that he’s extremely qualified, but it’s his passion for this business that assures me he’ll fit in well with the team." Prior to joining the JL Bainbridge, Greenwald was a member of the financial reporting group at a renewable energy company in Boca Raton. He worked previously at The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., and Deloitte & Touche LLP. Dan earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with a dual major in finance and accounting at the University of Central Florida. He went on to earn a Master of Science degree in accounting at the University of Notre Dame. For more information about JL Bainbridge and the services offered, please visit [www.jlbainbridge.com](http://www.jlbainbridge.com).  

Nurses from the emergency room at HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital delivered a life-saving lesson recently. They were invited to the community open house at Sarasota County fire station number 12 to teach Hands- Only CPR. Director of Emergency Services, Martina Giquinto, RN told people it is important to know. “Emergency response times are very fast in Sarasota County. If you are a bystander and see someone in cardiac arrest, you can do Hands- Only CPR to keep oxygen moving through the body until emergency responders arrive,” said Giquinto. According to the American Heart Association, immediate CPR can double or triple a person’s chances of survival after cardiac arrest. There are two critical steps to follow in performing Hands-Only CPR. The first thing is to call 9-1-1 to alert emergency responders, then make sure the person is on their back. Kneel beside the person, interlace your fingers, put the heel of one hand in the center of their chest with your other hand on top and give continuous chest compressions of 100 to 120 compressions per minute allowing the chest to return to its normal position after each compression. Most people were surprised that this form of CPR no longer requires mouth to mouth resuscitation and that you must push hard for Hands- Only CPR to be effective. Retirees, parents with young children, teens who babysit and elementary school children were all interested in trying the technique. 

Pictured: Martina Giquinto, RN and Dana Szalbirak, RN show community members how to do Hands- Only CPR. Photo courtesy of HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital.

Williams Parker, Sarasota’s largest law firm, is  pleased to announce Fletcher Rush was promoted to partner, effective July 1, 2024. “Fletcher is an excellent lawyer and key contributor to our firm’s continued success,”  states Williams Parker President, Michael Wilson. “His commitment and dedication to  serving our clients and community is a reflection of the culture our firm has maintained  throughout its nearly 100-year history.”  Fletcher Rush is a board-certified attorney who specializes in wills, trusts, and estates.  At Williams Parker, he represents clients and families in the design of wealth transfer  plans, including lifetime and testamentary transfers, as well as the use of revocable and  irrevocable trusts for the benefit of family members, friends, and charitable  organizations. Personal representatives and trustees acting in a fiduciary capacity seek  Fletcher’s counsel to help navigate the various complexities involved in the transfer of  wealth. He also represents clients in preparing and filing federal estate and gift tax  returns, providing recommendations to reduce transfer taxes, and post-mortem  planning solutions. Fletcher earned his degree in Economic, his Doctor of Law (JD), and  his Master of Law in Taxation (LL.M.) all at the University of Florida in Gainesville.  

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