Well done to Jazzmyne Washington, Palma Sola Elementary fifth-grader and winner of the Manatee County Retired Educators Association Fifth-Grade Essay Contest.
Her essay, “I Miss You,” was about her grandmother’s influence and mirrored the essay contest theme, “A Happy Memory,” about a grandparent or older adult who impacted student’s lives positively.
Other winners were Willis Elementary’s Madison Elmore and Alia Kovacs (second), Palma Sola’s Oliva Bower (third), as well as Abel Elementary’s Kinley Johnson and Nathaniel Kent (third).
Co-chaired by Candice DeLazzer and Kris Williamson, the contest included 70 students from six schools. Participating teachers included Jessica Holt (Palma Sola), Jennifer McGregor (Willis), Mary Dalton and Elizabeth Gardini (Abel), Keowsha Newton (Blackburn), Jalla Johnson and Eliette Miranda (Rogers-Garden Bullock) and Rebecca Facer (Tillman).
· Francine Hewitt is 90 years young!
· May Godspeed, John Carlock, a good man who successfully coached Manatee High baseball and softball as well as the offensive line for the Canes’ ‘85 and ’89 state football champions.
· Props to Palma Sola Botanical Park’s Nature Photography Contest winners.
The Adult Category included Best in Show: Rhonda Olschefskie; Abstract: Christopher Gerber; Fauna and Flora: Helen Lewis; Vista: Anne Goetz; and Black and White: Meg Durshimer.
The Middle School Students category included Black and White: Aaron Attari; Abstract: Abigail Christiansen; and Vistas and Flora: Eva Imerman.
The Elementary School Students category winner in Flora and Abstract was Max Braniger.
· Vernon DeSear, long time Manatee Memorial Hospital executive and now Manatee Memorial Foundation CEO, received the 2026 Robert P. Bartz Award for Outstanding Leadership from the Manatee Chamber of Commerce.
· Happy trails to Manatee County Sheriff’s Office retirees Lieutenant Robert Pereyra (28 years) Deputies Joseph Scott (29) and Raquel Blackshear (23) and Visitation Clerk Alicia Fredenburg (29).
· Shirley Schaffer is 39. Again.
· Six State College of Florida faculty and staff are National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development 2026 Excellence Award winners, nominated by colleagues for outstanding commitment, talent, teaching and service.
Invited to May’s annual NISOD conference in Austin are winners Angel Kelly, office supervisor, library services; Toni McLeroy, associate professor, dental hygiene; Leah Nusman, coordinator, TRIO Student Support Services; Stacey O’Donovan, director, institutional research and reporting; Amanda Schlachter, associate professor, theatre; and Jie Sun, Ph.D., assistant professor, chemistry.
· The new Bradenton Police Department officers are sponsored recruits Steven Bembry, Andre Caraballo, Renee Hickman, Mark Penu, Zachary Smego, Kimberlee Vinnola and Xavier McNeal and experienced officers Zachary Bernstein, Joseph Gallina and Fallon Watton.
· With St. Patrick’s Day Tuesday, here’s some Irish humor from pal Ceci Gosling.
Six Irishmen are playing poker when Murphy loses $500 on a single hand, clutches his chest and falls over dead.
“Lads,” the host says. “One of us must tell the wife. But who?”
They draw straws and O’Brien picks the short one.
Be discreet, he’s told.
“Discretion is me middle name!” he says.
Reaching the house, O’Brien knocks and Murphy’s wife answers the door.
“Your man just lost $500 and he’s afraid to come home,” he says.
“Tell him to drop dead!” she says.
“Done!”
Vin’s People runs Sundays. Email Vin Mannix at vinspeople@gmail.com. Or call 941-962-5944.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: VIN’S PEOPLE: A show of gratitude by Manatee elementary students
Reporting by Vin Mannix, Special to the Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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