Tuesday’s election results delivered substantial change and signaled a changing of the guard in Manatee and Sarasota politics.

That was especially prominent in Manatee County, where two Republican County Commissioners and a county constitutional officer lost re-election. That was inevitable in an at-large County Commission race pitting two incumbents against one another. George Kruse beat Kevin Van Ostenbridge with 58% of the vote in the Republican Primary. That was after Van Ostenbridge opted against running for his old district seat and spent a record $204,000 on the countywide race.

But voters also turned out Commissioner Raymond Turner, with challenger Bob McCann winning a Republican Primary with 54% in District 5. Meanwhile, Carol Van Felts won a District GOP Primary with 54% and Tal Siddique similarly won a Republican Primary with 61%, with the less well funded candidate winning in each seat. Voters also turned out Supervisor of Elections James Satcher in favor of Republican Primary challenger Scott Farrington.

In Sarasota County, the biggest loss for an incumbent was arguably School Board member Karen Rose. Challenger Liz Barker unseated her with just over 51% of the vote. Rose had been endorsed in the nonpartisan office by Gov. Ron DeSantis and selected as Board chair this year. But Tom Edwards, an incumbent backed by the Sarasota County Democratic Party, won a three-person nonpartisan race with nearly 56% of the vote. That means he will avoid a runoff in November. 

On the Sarasota County Commission, former Sheriff Tom Knight ousted Sarasota County Commissioner Neil Rainford in a Republican Primary with nearly 61% of the vote. Rainford had been appointed by DeSantis to the seat following the death of County Commissioner Nancy Detert, and he stood for election for the seat for the first time this cycle.

In the District 1 Sarasota County Commission race, Teresa Mast won a Republican Primary with more than 55% of the vote over Alexandra Coe.

In other important races, an anti-privatization slate of Sarasota County Public Hospital Board candidates easily won four Republican primaries in a closely watched race. Sharon Wetzler DePeters, Kevin Cooper, Pam Beitlich and Sarah Lodge each won their primaries with greater than 62% of the vote, and will advance to face Democrats in November.

In Manatee, there will be runoffs for two School Board seats. Heather Felton and Mark Stanoch will advance to a District 1 runoff, while Charlie Kennedy and Jon Lynch do the same in District 3.

In legislative races, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan won a Republican Primary with 61% over challenger Eddie Speir, and will now face Jan Schneider, winner of a Democratic Primary, in November. State Rep. James Buchanan, meanwhile, conquered a Primary challenge as well with almost 74% of the vote over challenger Michelle Pozzie.

The area’s one open legislative seat was in House District 72, where Bill Conerly won a Republican Primary with about 31%, beating Rich Tatem’s 28%, Alyssa Gay’s 22% and Richard Green’s 18%.

Oyster Boys Conservation (OBC) is hosting a live gathering for volunteers, donors, and community members on Thursday August 22nd, at the Gulf Gate Food+Beer location. This gathering is a chance to meet the team and to hear firsthand about the impactful projects OBC supporters have helped push to the finish line.

Suncoast natives Dom and Vince Marino started Oyster Boys Conservation, a 501(c)3 organization two years ago when they learned about the high rate of manatee death in Florida waters. The brothers decided to take action and dedicated their nonprofit group to cleaning local waters with a little help from some oysters. Vertical oyster gardens (VOGs), the Marinos discovered, were one of the fastest and most effective ways to have a positive impact on their environment. The main purpose of OBC's work is to restore the oyster population within Florida waterways. The means of accomplishing that is through awareness, education and volunteer recruitment.

In 2022, OBC celebrated their 100 VOG Celebration event. This event was held to mark completion of their first project (100 VOGs in Blackburn Bay) and their official formation as a 501(c)3. Now they are once again hosting a celebratory event to bring community members together and to celebrate 2 years of OBC by enjoying food and drinks at Food+Beer, and a network of like-minded individuals celebrating Florida waterways and OBC.

Food buffet tickets at the event start at $25 per person and drink tickets are $15 for two drinks. They are also accepting goods/services as donations for a fundraising raffle/auction throughout the evening.

The Oyster Boys encourage everyone to visit their website (https://oysterboys.org/) and sign up for their newsletter. “We are constantly seeking people willing to volunteer their dock for VOG installation as well as drillers ready to drill some oyster shells,” says Dom.

Second Birthday Bash, Thursday, August 22nd, 6:00-9:00 PM, Food+Beer, 6528 Superior Ave, Sarasota. 

Pictured: Dom and Vince Marino of Oyster Boys Conservation. Photo by Wyatt Kostygan.

Florida Studio Theatre (FST) announces a charitable gift of $5,000 from the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation. The funds will be used to support the 2024-2025 Write A Play Program, a year-round arts integration program providing students with the example, the inspiration, and the skills to write their own original plays. Now in its 34th year, Write A Play reaches over 35,000 students annually and is designed to inspire the next generation of playwrights. Suncoast Credit Union, Florida’s largest credit union, founded the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation to promote the education, health and emotional well-being of children in the community. Each time a Suncoast member uses their debit or credit card, the credit union donates two cents to the Foundation to fund local initiatives. Since its inception in 1990, the Foundation has raised and donated over $45 million. 

Senior Friendship Centers (SFC) President/CEO Erin McLeod received the U.S. Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for her decades of service to the community. This prestigious accolade, part of the President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) program, recognizes individuals whose lifelong efforts have made a significant impact. Sarasota City Mayor Liz Alpert also honored McLeod by proclaiming August 14 as “Erin McLeod’s Day.” The ceremony took place at SFC’s Sarasota campus. McLeod's work is particularly crucial given that approximately 30% of Southwest Florida's population is 65 or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey. Under her leadership, Senior Friendship Centers has become a cornerstone of support, providing essential services and programs that promote wellness, connection, enrichment and joy throughout the aging journey. Over 150 attendees, including state, regional, and local leaders, came celebrated McLeod’s 20 years of dedication. The event featured speeches from notable figures including Dr. Jennifer M. Pilate, Certifying Agent for the Presidential Volunteer Service Award Program; Sarasota City Mayor Liz Alpert; Heather Kasten, President/CEO of the Sarasota Chamber; Kathy Silverberg, Vice Chair of the SFC Board of Directors and former publisher of the Herald-Tribune; and Dr. Felton Pilate, Grammy Award winner and President of United Spirits Media Group, and our own Chief Development Officer, Declan Sheehy. The evening culminated in a heartfelt champagne toast led by Silverberg, acknowledging McLeod’s profound impact on the community. 

Pictured: Senior Friendship Centers President/CEO Erin McLeod giving a thank you speech to the crowd. Photo courtesy of SFC.

First 1,000 Days Suncoast is excited to announce the appointment of Renee King as the initiative’s newest Family Navigator, alongside Tina Wilson. In this pivotal role, King will guide families through the complexities of accessing essential services during pregnancy and the crucial first 1,000 days of a child's life when critical development occurs. With over 15 years of experience in social services across public, private, and non-profit sectors in the Tampa Bay region, King brings a wealth of expertise and knowledge to the position. In addition to her role as Family Navigator, she is currently a therapist at Psychological Management Group in Temple Terrace. Her extensive background also includes roles as a therapist with Families First Florida, NICU Care Coordinator at Tampa General Hospital, and a school social worker with Hillsborough County Public Schools, among other positions. Launched by the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation, with continuing support from Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation and other local donors, First 1,000 Days Suncoast partners with more than 90 community organizations to connect families in Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties with essential resources and support. They served 306 clients in 2023 alone. According to Dr. Chelsea Arnold, DNP, APRN, FNP-bc, Initiative Manager at First 1,000 Days Suncoast, King’s extensive experience and background make her a natural fit for the team. King earned her bachelor’s degree in social work with a minor in women’s studies from the University of South Florida, and her master’s degree in social work from Florida State University. She also holds a certification as a licensed clinical social worker. 

To learn more, visit.

Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation’s Board of Directors recently approved more than $5.2 million in grants. Much of the funding aims to bolster nonprofit organizations that help weave the social safety net for vulnerable families and individuals in the region.  The largest grant, at $750,000, will strengthen the workforce that provides critical child-welfare and support services across Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties. “Many of these grants will fortify our hard-working nonprofit partners, which have faced ever-growing demand for their services—whether that’s housing with supportive services for homeless adults, therapies for young people with developmental disabilities, or essential programs for child safety, health, and well-being,” said Teri A Hansen, President & CEO of Barancik Foundation.  “Chuck and Margie Barancik believed philanthropy has the power to enrich the lives of all people.  Our Board is honoring that vision by investing in these crucial nonprofits on which our community has come to rely.” 

To learn more, visit.