EAST COUNTY
Observer
Lakewood Ranch’s weekly newspaper since 1998
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
Quilting a personal touch
PAGE 21 FREE • THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2023
VOLUME 25, NO. 24
YOUR TOWN
Affordable housing on the way The Livable Manatee Incentive Program works to benefit builders and residents. SEE PAGE 3
Liz Ramos
Todd Richardson turns into a taco.
Taco ’bout a good incentive Todd Richardson, the principal at B.D. Gullett Elementary School, was able to celebrate Cinco de Mayo in a special way May 5. With the help of Melissa Sharp’s fifth grade class, Richardson turned into a taco as a prize for raising the most money during the school’s walk-a-thon. Richardson laid on a blanket that looked like a taco shell while fifth graders covered him from head to toe in refried beans, lettuce, shredded and melted cheese, salsa, sour cream, guacamole and ground beef and more. “That salsa’s hot,” Richardson said as students poured salsa on him. “It’s spicy.” After he was covered in ingredients, students chanted, “Wrap him up,” as he was covered with the taco shell blanket.
Eyes on the skies Nine Cypress Springs Gracious Retirement Living residents take off on Dream Flights. SEE PAGE 8
Liz Ramos
Darryl Fisher, the founder and president of Dream Flights, takes Chip Tominelli, an Army veteran and Cypress Springs Gracious Retirement Living resident, on his second Dream Flight. Lesley Dwyer
Willis Smith Construction teammates Ron Humphrey, Carol Brunemann, Ginger aka “The Ginge”, Viron Lynch and Laura Lynch.
Building morale
The SUP and Run 5K brought together a group of Willis Smith Construction employees May 6 for an opportunity to build morale. The Lakewood Ranch-based company pays for employees to enter a 5K once a month. Ron Humphrey, a network engineer, chooses the race and registers the team. He said the company tries to participate in races that support good causes. As a veteran who served in the Army for 11 years, Humphrey said he leans toward veteran charities, making the Sup and Run 5K at Nathan Benderson Park the perfect race for him. The race benefited Operation Second Chance, which provides services to veterans who are wounded, injured and ill.
A+E
New firing, driving range on target Film festival favorite SEE PAGE 16
Manatee Technical College partners with Bradenton Police to construct Manatee County’s first range. SEE PAGE 4
Liz Ramos
Bradenton Police Chief Melanie Bevan and Jay Romine, the director of the Law Enforcement Academy at Manatee Technical College, celebrate the groundbreaking of the firing and driving range after waiting 15 years.