The Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation (SAHP), in partnership with the History and Preservation Coalition of Sarasota County, is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 Sarasota County Heritage Awards. Held on May 1 at the Sarasota Art Museum, the sold-out event welcomed 125 attendees and highlighted local individuals whose work exemplifies outstanding commitment to preserving Sarasota County’s unique architectural, archaeological, and cultural legacy. 

This past week, from May 6-12, Sarasota Memorial Health Care System (SMH) celebrated National Nurses Week. SMH’s two hospitals—one in Sarasota and another in Venice—and its health system employs over 3,500 nurses and 1,100 patient care/multi-skilled techs. These nurses and techs are in many ways the lifeblood of a hospital system, working the front lines of patient care and ensuring that all of the complex mechanisms of a hospital system run smoothly and efficiently.

“For us at SMH, we take the opportunity to recognize, celebrate and thank our nurses and techs for all of their hard work, unwavering dedication, commitment, caring and compassion,” says SMH Chief Nursing Officer Jean Lucas, PhD, APRN. “I’m so proud of our nurses and their continued commitment to providing the highest quality care for our patients. They are the ones who are there for our patients and their families in the good times and the bad times—they’re dedicated to always being there as needed.”

Some of the traditions included in SMH’s celebration of National Nurses Week, include recognizing Nurses of Excellence, a peer-nominated process that celebrates nurses and techs that exude SMH’s core values. “That’s always a really exciting time of the week, to have these nurses and techs nominated by their peers,” says Lucas. “We also do the “Blessing of the Hands”, which is a tradition where the chaplains anoint nurses’ hands with oil and bless them as instruments of healing. That’s something that’s very heartfelt across our system. Then we have a lot of unit-based and department-based celebrations as well.”

While SMH operates at the forefront of modern medical care, caring for Sarasotans is nothing new to the organization. 2025 is a particularly significant Nurses Week for SMH—it marks 100 years since Nurse Ruth Wilhelm, RN, operated as SMH’s first hospital superintendent when the original 32-bed Sarasota Hospital opened its doors in 1925.

“I think what sets our nurses and techs apart is that they love what they do. They take a lot of pride in the work that they’re doing for our patients and in the community, they’re compassionate and caring and set high standards for themselves,” says Lucas. “When you walk onto one of our campuses and you're cared for by one of our nurses, their caring, compassion and commitment to quality is palpable—I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of their team.”

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Carlisle Inn is honored to again be recognized as one of the world’s best places to stay. For the second straight year, the inn has been named a Tripadvisor® Travelers’ Choice® Award winner, ranking among the top 10% of listings worldwide with consistently positive guest reviews. Dutchman Hospitality Group owns and operates the 100-room inn and conference center that combines modern amenities with traditional comfort in the heart of Sarasota's Pinecraft Amish community. 

After nearly seven months of closure following severe hurricane damage, Michael Saunders & Company is pleased to announce the official reopening of its Anna Maria Island office as of April 29, 2025. Located along Marina Drive in the City of Holmes Beach, the boutique office has been a longstanding fixture in the community, serving Anna Maria, Holmes Beach, Bradenton Beach, North Longboat Key, and West Bradenton. In the wake of last year’s devastating storms, the building suffered extensive interior damage, requiring a full rebuild—including removal of all subfloors, the pouring of a new concrete slab, and complete interior reconstruction.

Teen Studios invites high school students ages 13-18 to explore traditional and digital arts in character design, painting, mixed media, virtual reality, photography, script writing, storyboarding, and more. Working with Ringling faculty and professional artists, you will develop and refine techniques to bring your artistic visions to life. Connect with other artists and get to know the College! Sessions A, B, C, Monday-Thursday, June 2-19, morning or afternoon. Esports Camp welcomes participants ages 12-18 to train, compete, and refine their skills through in-game drills, strategy breakdowns, daily matches, and challenges—all while playing alongside experienced coaches. With regular wellness breaks and a focus on both gameplay and teamwork, students will dive into some of the most popular games at Ringling College, including Valorant, Overwatch, Super Smash Bros., Fortnite, and Rocket League. Sessions E, F, G, H, Monday-Thursday, June 30-July 21. 

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The YP Summit, presented by Kerkering, Barberio & Co., is an anticipated annual event that brings together local young professionals to hear from community leaders, engage in networking opportunities, and discover new ways to grow both personally and professionally. With the theme “THRIVE: Grow, Lead, Succeed,” this year’s summit is designed to empower attendees to move beyond self-doubt, embrace new opportunities, and confidently take ownership of their success. This half-day event promises to be an incredible experience, with a continued celebration of excellence highlighting our Young Professional of the Year Honorees and the Young Professional Newcomer of the Year. Our Speakers: Jonathan Justiniano - Founder of YNC Coaching and Consulting, J.Todd Ross - Co-Founder & CEO of Belle Haven Solutions, LLC, Lisa Charles - Author, Speaker & CEO of Embrace Your Fitness, LLC. 

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BayCare Health System today announced that Keri Eisenbeis, Chief of Staff and Chief Communications Officer, is stepping into an expanded role. Starting immediately, Eisenbeis will also oversee the not-for-profit health system’s marketing efforts. Her new title is Chief of Staff and Chief Communications and Marketing Officer. The additional assignment adds marketing to Eisenbeis’ role providing support for BayCare President and CEO Stephanie Conners and leading BayCare's external affairs with a focus on government relations, strategic communications, community benefit and broader community partnerships. She also oversees the health system’s research administration. For more information, visit BayCare.org.  

Avelo Airlines announced today the launch of Stretch and Stretch+, two new seating upgrade options to provide Customers with more personal space and a more comfortable travel experience. Customers who purchase Stretch+ will be seated in a row where the middle seat is left intentionally unoccupied. Avelo also offers Standard seating and Stretch seating, offering extra legroom. The Stretch and Stretch+ options will be available for an additional fee on all Avelo flights beginning September 3, 2025. Customers can purchase these upgrade options now at AveloAir.com for travel on or after that date. 

Del Webb Catalina showcased its fun-filled active lifestyle to future homeowners during a special event April 5 – and it was like opening day all over again as guests learned about the premier resort community’s amenities, activities, events and new-construction homes. The active adult community in Lakewood Ranch also attracted hundreds of guests during its February grand opening. Guests at the April Lifestyle & Pickleball event previewed Del Webb Catalina’s completed pickleball courts, the Renown Lifestyle House amenity center and seven professionally decorated model homes. They also had the opportunity to meet John Sheaffer, the new lifestyle director dedicated to curating programming and activities for a variety of interests. Participants included those who have already purchased their new Del Webb Catalina home and homebuyers interested in elevating their lifestyle. Interested homebuyers are encouraged to call or text the helpful local team at 941-260-2711 for additional photos, details and special incentives. Also visit www.DelWebb.com/Catalina to receive the latest community updates. 

The Sarasota County Fire Department (SCFD) has been internationally recognized for excellence in emergency cardiac care, earning the Heart Safe Community award for a large community from the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC). The Heart Safe Community Award honors EMS systems across the world that demonstrate effective strategies for addressing cardiac emergencies, from public education to rapid response interventions. The award was presented to SCFD during the Fire-Rescue Med Conference May 7, recognizing the department’s outstanding efforts in these areas.More than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of hospitals each year, according to the American Heart Association, making immediate action critical to survival. 

As part of the City of Bradentown’s 122nd birthday bash hosted by Realize Bradenton, the Manatee Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller invites the public to a special open house at the Historical Records Library on Saturday, May 17, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visitors can stop by the Clerk’s booth at the Bradenton Public Market at the corner of Old Main Street and 4th Ave W to learn more about the Historical Resources Department and pick up walking directions to the Historical Records Library, located just two blocks away. At the open house, guests will find exhibits showcasing Bradenton’s history since becoming a city in 1903, which will be presented using resources available at the library, along with information about the library’s role in preserving our community’s past. Free cake will be available while supplies last. 

Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman is proud to announce the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) Corrections Training Academy’s second graduating class. On Tuesday, the seven newest recruits of the Courts and Corrections Division gathered at the sheriff’s office to celebrate with family, friends, and agency members. The graduation ceremony follows their 13-week, 420-hour academy class, where the recruits were instructed in physical fitness, firearms, defensive tactics, first aid, legal, officer safety, and correctional supervision. Additionally, they trained in emergency response, communications, and familiarization with the agency’s facility and equipment. The seven graduates included: Class President and Corrections Deputy Dale Olson, Corrections Deputy Matthew Noble, Corrections Deputy Christopher Chavez, Corrections Deputy Denzel Dejesus, Corrections Deputy Alex Merchant, Corrections Deputy Cohen Pereira, and Corrections Deputy Armany Rosario-Rodriguez. 

 A recent grant of $10,000 from the Bishop-Parker Foundation will support Goodwill Manasota's Pursuit of Education program. This program completely covers tuition costs for Goodwill employees seeking to better their job and life prospects through training, certifications and post-secondary degrees, with the support of GoodPartner Coaches (life coaches). Not only have scores of team members been able to pursue promotions and associated wage increases, the impact of the Pursuit of Education program on Goodwill’s workforce is undeniable, with an average annual retention rate of over 75% for team members who participate in upskilling opportunities.