9/11 Memorials Honor Victims, 20th Anniversary In Sarasota County

 https://patch.com/florida/sarasota/9-11-memorial-events-honor-victims-20th-anniversary-attacks

Tiffany Razzano, Patch Staff     Tue, Sep 7, 2021 

Events throughout Sarasota County will honor the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and mark the 20th anniversary of the tragedy. (Shutterstock)

SARASOTA COUNTY, FL — Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. More than 3,000 people died on 9/11 and memorial services organized throughout Sarasota County honor the victims of these terrorist attacks.

Sarasota National Cemetery

A 20th anniversary commemoration will take place Saturday, 6 to 7:30 p.m., at Sarasota National Cemetery, 9810 State Road 72 in Sarasota. The commemoration continues the tradition that began Sept. 11, 2001, when the Sarasota Ministerial Association first held a prayer vigil at J.D. Hamel Park.

The names of each person who died during the 9/11 attacks will be read during the ceremony. Those attending Saturday have the option of standing for specific individuals who died during the Sarasota Fire Department's Tolling of the Bell and when the bagpipers play "Amazing Grace."

Congressman Greg Steube, Bishop Frank J. Dewane of the Venice Diocese, Bishop Dabney Tylor Smith of the Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida, NAACP President Trevor Harvey, Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt Hoffman, and local police and fire chiefs, mayors, and commissioners will participate in the event.

A 70-plus community chorus will also perform during the commemoration.

Special commemorative coins have been minted to mark the occasion, and will be presented to Sarasota's first responders, veterans, active-duty military, Sarasota Elks Lodge members and 9/11 survivors in attendance. A procession of all clergy and distinguished presenters will begin the service.

The first 500 attendees arriving at the commemoration will be given red and white and blue flowers to be placed in a mesh that will eventually become the American flag located in front of the stage.

City of North Port virtual service and Remember the Fallen Memorial 5K Run

North Port Fire Rescue will host a virtual event Saturday at 9 a.m. on the city of North Port's Facebook page. The memorial service will include a flag raising, ringing of the bell and a few speakers. It can be viewed online here.

The city's annual Remember the Fallen Memorial 5K Run will be held virtually this year as well because of the spike in COVID-19 cases. 

University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee

USF Sarasota-Manatee will mark the 20th anniversary of 9/11 Friday at 8:15 a.m. with a flag-raising event before shifting to the campus courtyard for guest speakers, patriotic music, and the participation of local first responders and representatives of the Armed Forces. Light refreshments will be served afterward in the Selby auditorium.

Among the speakers will be USF Sarasota-Manatee campus Regional Chancellor Karen A. Holbrook and retired New York City firefighter Garrett C. Lindgren.

A member of Rescue Company 3, Lindgren was among the first responders at the World Trade Center immediately following the collapse of the north tower. He was later among the rescuers at ground zero from Sept. 11 to Dec. 15, 200 and suffered career-ending injuries while searching through rubble.

City of Venice 9/11 memorial service

The city of Venice will host a 9/11 memorial service Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to noon, at Patriots Park, 800 Venetia Bay Blvd.

The event will feature guest speakers and patriotic music. Attendees are asked to bring lawn chairs and social distance. Cold water will be provided.

 Ali H. Johnston, MBA in Real Estate

REALTOR®, Lic. Broker #BK3284964

West Villages Realty LLC

19503 S West Villages Pkwy

Stes A2 (by Appt)

Venice, Florida 34293

Office: 941-460-3179

Braves Path to the 2021 Postseason is in Their Hands

https://tomahawktake.com/2021/08/23/woodbridge-wines-video-contest-adam-jones/

by Jake Mastroianni Sept 3, 2021

With all the turmoil the Atlanta Braves have had in 2021 they still have all their goals within their grasp as they enter the final month of the season. 

It’s honestly crazy to even write that headline with where this Atlanta Braves team was even a month ago when they were third in the NL East.

Since then they’ve held as much as a 5.5 game lead in the division before seeing that dwindle down to two games.

Still, entering the final month of the season and the last 29 games, their path to the postseason is pretty clear — win and you’re in.

And while the road ahead isn’t easy, it’s also not that difficult.

They just got done playing the hardest teams left on their schedule in the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. And while they lost all five of those games, there is some solace in knowing three of those games were one-run games and they weren’t overmatched in any of them.

This team is capable of competing with the best teams in baseball.

Braves remaining schedule

They’re in the middle of a four-game series in Colorado where the Rockies have been one of the best teams in baseball. But the Braves got off to a good start with a comeback win on Thursday.

Braves remaining schedule

They’re in the middle of a four-game series in Colorado where the Rockies have been one of the best teams in baseball. But the Braves got off to a good start with a comeback win on Thursday.

If they can win two of the next three they’ll be in good shape coming home where they face a terrible Nationals team, the Marlins, and the Rockies.

Then they have to go back out West to face the Giants, Diamondbacks, and Padres.

The Giants are coming back down to Earth a little and are beatable. The Padres are crumbling, and the Diamondbacks are one of the worst teams in the league.

Finally, the Braves finish up at home with a huge series against the Phillies and end with the Mets.

Certainly not the easiest schedule down the stretch, but with the way this team has played since the trade deadline I feel like they’re more than capable of winning all of those series.

Braves’ Math for Holding Off the Phillies

And the Braves essentially have to win every series the rest of the way in order to stay ahead of the Phillies who have the easiest schedule down the stretch.

After some tough games against the Marlins and Brewers, they play the Rockies, Cubs, Mets, Orioles, Pirates, Braves, and Marlins.

Let’s do a little math and see how many games the Braves need to win.

The best month the Phillies have had this year was in August when they went 17-11. They’ve had double-digit losses in each month.

I could realistically see them going 19-10 or even 20-9 the rest of the way.  That’s likely the best-case scenario for the Phillies, but also really possible with their schedule.

That would put their overall record at 88-74.

And I honestly think the Braves could go 19-10 the rest of the way with their schedule, and that’s predicting a series loss to the Giants and a four-game split with the Padres.

That’s also predicting a series win at home over the Phillies, which will be a big series.

The best month the Braves have had this year also came in August when they went 18-8.

As I said earlier, I definitely believe this team is capable of going on a similar run in September to clinch the division.

If they can win two of the next three they’ll be in good shape coming home where they face a terrible Nationals team, the Marlins, and the Rockies.

Then they have to go back out West to face the Giants, Diamondbacks, and Padres.

The Giants are coming back down to Earth a little and are beatable. The Padres are crumbling, and the Diamondbacks are one of the worst teams in the league.

Finally, the Braves finish up at home with a huge series against the Phillies and end with the Mets.

Certainly not the easiest schedule down the stretch, but with the way this team has played since the trade deadline I feel like they’re more than capable of winning all of those series.

The path for them is clear, just take care of business and win the series that you should and perhaps sweep a series or two. Either way, I hope fans enjoy this final month of the regular season and what this team has had to overcome to put themselves in a position to win the division a fourth straight year.

 Ali H. Johnston, MBA in Real Estate

REALTOR®, Lic. Broker #BK3284964

West Villages Realty LLC

19503 S West Villages Pkwy

Stes A2 (by Appt)

Venice, Florida 34293

Office: 941-460-3179

Florida zoo receives orphaned baby manatee rescued off Venice coast

https://nbc-2.com/news/state/2021/08/31/florida-zoo-receives-orphaned-baby-manatee-rescued-off-venice-coast/

by Katelyn Massarelli  9:37 PM EDT, Wed September 01, 2021 

 TAMPA, Fla. – Zoo Tampa received a tiny patient this week, and she is the smallest rescued orphaned Manatee calf the zoo has treated!

The David A. Straz, Jr. Manatee Critical Care Center received the baby manatee. The center is one of only two places that takes orphan calves in, according to zoo officials.

The female manatee weighed in at 44 pounds and was found in the Gulf of Mexico near Venice.

She was rescued by Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission field staff.

Zoo Tampa officials said she is doing well under the car and watch of the zoo’s Animal Care team and Veterinary team.

Ali H. Johnston, MBA in Real Estate

REALTOR®, Lic. Broker #BK3284964

West Villages Realty LLC

19503 S West Villages Pkwy

Stes A2 (by Appt)

Venice, Florida 34293

Office: 941-460-3179

Pets Are Hungry Too

 https://mayorsfeedthehungry.org/events/

Saturday Aug. 28th, 2021, 9am – 12 pm

Cool Today Park, 18800 S. West Villages Parkway, Venice, FL 34293, Spring training home of the Atlanta Braves.

Pets are Hungry Too – A dog food drive, in conjunction with The National PTSD Service Association (NPSA), to benefit persons, pets, and veterans struggling to feed their four-legged fur babies due to the COVID-19 crisis.

“Pets are Hungry Too“ is Saturday Aug. 28th, 9am – 12 pm, at Cool Today Park, 18800 S. West Villages Parkway, Venice, FL 34293.

Our members tell us that about 40% of the people they serve at our food pantries come with pets and often share what little food they have with their pets.

The main goal is to get food for the service dogs; however, we also need pet food for the dogs and cats of the other people who come to us for food.

About The National PTSD Service Association

The National PTSD Service Association, Inc. is a nonprofit agency that provides service dogs by clinical referral at no cost to veterans and public safety personnel in need, empowering them to live fulfilled lives. With 22 suicides a day to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the National PTSD Service Association is providing a solution that works: highly-trained service dogs for veterans and first responders with PTSD. To learn more, visit https://www.nationalptsdserviceassociation.org/.

Ali H. Johnston, MBA in Real Estate

REALTOR®, Lic. Broker #BK3284964

West Villages Realty LLC

19503 S West Villages Pkwy

Stes A2 (by Appt)

Venice, Florida 34293

Office: 941-460-3179

12th Annual Downtown Venice Labor Day Weekend Craft Festival September 4th-5th

 Aug 16, 2021 | Venice Main Street, Event, News

Saturday, September 4th, 2021- 10:00am to 4:00pm

Sunday, September 5th, 2021- 10:00am to 4:00pm

100-300 West Venice Ave in Venice, FL

Free Admission

The tremendous support of the Venice community is one reason why this craft festival is so successful! Located on Florida’s west coast, Venice is a vibrant town on the Gulf of Mexico, filled with historic charm, natural beauty, and independently owned shops and restaurants. 

Presented by Howard Alan Events in partnership with Venice MainStreet.

Please be mindful and follow CDC guidelines.

Ali H. Johnston, MBA in Real Estate

REALTOR®, Lic. Broker #BK3284964

West Villages Realty LLC

19503 S West Villages Pkwy

Stes A2 (by Appt)

Venice, Florida 34293

Office: 941-460-3179

Banner year shaping up for sea turtle nesting

 ENGLEWOOD — This year may not break records for turtle nesting, but it is shaping up to be a banner year for the reptiles on Manasota Key and other local beaches.

This baby loggerhead instinctively heads towards the Gulf — unless it is disoriented by artificial lights or disturbed by people. More and more sea turtles are nesting on local beaches and their nests have begun to hatch.  SUN FILE PHOTO

So far this nesting season, as of Aug. 13, sea turtle patrols on Manasota Key documented 4,777 loggerhead nests, 290 green and one Kemp's ridley nest.

For the entire season last year, 4,634 loggerheads nested on Manasota Key, along with 154 green and two Kemp's ridley nests. Nesting season extends from May 1 to Oct. 31.

Zoe Bass isn't that surprised. Bass, along with Wilma Katz, is the state primary permit holder overseeing Coastal Wildlife Club's volunteer sea turtle patrols on Manasota Key.

Fortunately, from reports Bass received from volunteers, storm surge from Tropical Depression-Tropical Storm Fred only washed over and did not inundate nests with water. Turtle eggs can survive washovers, but not inundation of seawater that displaces oxygen in the sand.

Bass reported accretion of sand along portions of the Gulf shoreline north of the Sarasota-Charlotte county line on Manasota Key.

Bass did issue a warning: Keep lights off on the beach and fill in any holes.

Nests have begun hatching all over Southwest Florida beaches, and artificial lights, including flashlights, can cause the hatchlings to be disorientated as they emerge from the nests and scramble towards the Gulf.

Holes left on the beach can become death traps for the hatchlings, which are only 3- or 4-inches long.

To learn more about sea turtles and sea turtle nesting, visit my fwc.com.

Ali H. Johnston, MBA in Real Estate

REALTOR®, Lic. Broker #BK3284964

West Villages Realty LLC

19503 S West Villages Pkwy

Stes A2 (by Appt)

Venice, Florida 34293

Office: 941-460-3179

Downtown Wellen Park breaks ground Wednesday

By CRAIG GARRETT Staff Writer Aug 17, 2021 Updated 4 hrs ago

A rendering suggests what Wellen Park may look like some time in the near future.

IMAGE PROVIDED

 NORTH PORT — Pitched as North Port's new entertainment district, Downtown Wellen Park officially breaks ground Wednesday.

The mix of retail, dining and lakefront recreation is the centerpiece district of several upscale neighborhoods, the Atlanta Braves spring training complex, the Marketplace plaza, anchored by a Publix, and other amenities.

That area centered at Tamiami Trail and Mercado Drive sprawls over several hundred acres and also includes a North Port police/fire rescue station to service the city’s western edge. That opens next year. Assisted living and new housing are included in Downtown Wellen Park. Opening is planned for late 2022, a spokesperson said.

“Everybody gets what they’re asking for” in the new district, North Port Mayor Jill Luke said of Downtown Wellen Park. “I’m just so excited.”

Wellen Park is the renamed West Villages, a planned community covering some 11,000 acres.

Downtown Wellen Park will become its retail business hub. The enterprise had also opened a welcome center in the adjacent Marketplace plaza.

The largest four trees inside the perimeter — one with a 96-inch diameter and well over 100 years old, all salvaged from the property — will flank the entryway to the project, a welcoming canopy of green that will provide a “sense of place,” said Rick Severance, Wellen Park president, “that doesn’t feel brand new.”

The other trees get sprinkled around the development — including an 80-acre lake, restaurants, shops, concert and festival areas, a food-truck park, splash pad and a kid play area.

Downtown Wellen will serve as the premier shopping, dining, and entertainment destination for our growing community. Part of the Wellen way of life, this welcoming, walkable destination will have something special for everyone, from great eateries to stylish shops and exquisite sunsets.

The first phase should open by 2022, Severance said. At build-out, Wellen Park will contain some 20,000 homes and 50,000 residents, or about two-thirds of North Port’s current population.

As Downtown Wellen Park takes shape, North Port has also boosted its campaign to push its activity centers, nine downtown-like districts within the city.

Activity centers — not to be confused with fitness hubs such as the George Mullen Activity Center — were meant for walkability or riding a bike to work, bringing retail and employment zones, for instance. Housing and recreation are part of that mix.

These districts date to 1997 and were a retooling then of the city’s future. The idea was a greater mix of retail and jobs with its housing. One district may feature medical professionals, another light-industrial businesses or corporate offices.

Ali H. Johnston, MBA in Real Estate

REALTOR®, Lic. Broker #BK3284964

West Villages Realty LLC

19503 S West Villages Pkwy

Stes A2 (by Appt)

Venice, Florida 34293

Office: 941-460-3179