Briefs 8.1.13

+ County Sports Commission alters grant process
In a move meant to make the area more flexible in attracting events and talent, the Sarasota County Sports Commission (SCSC) announced changes to its grant process.

At the Sarasota Area Sports Alliance July Sports Spotlight held July 25, at Gold Coast Eagle Distributing, Nicole Rissler, SCSC director of sports, said the commission will soon appropriate grants on a quarterly basis — rather than annually, as it does now.

Currently, interested parties must apply for a grant by the end of August.

The changes would begin Oct. 1, the beginning of Fiscal Year 2014.

“Before, on the annual cycle, we would give money — 95% of our dollars — at one time,” Rissler said. “Then, halfway through the year, an opportunity would come along, and we had no money. Now, we won’t miss out on those opportunities.”

The commission gives out grants to people and organizations, such U.S. Soccer, as an example, or to venues, such as the Premier Sports Campus at Lakewood Ranch, that seek to host an event.

Rissler also revealed that the commission hired a third-party contractor, HBC Event Services, to be a booking agent for events.

“A lot of times, people putting on events will book hotels themselves,” Rissler said. “It’s been kind of a mess. It is very traditional in the sports world to have one consistent third party — who can develop relationships with the hotels — handling that.”

HBC, which begins work Sept. 1, is based in Albuquerque, N.M. Rissler says HBC will eventually open a Sarasota office.

HBC’s hire also signifies growth.

By the end of FY 2013, the SCSC will have hosted 70 events in more than 20 sports for an economic impact of more than $60 million, Rissler said.

+ Reality TV stars host event for children at TreeUmph!
The Wear Your Soul Foundation, a charity a semi-finalist from the NBC Show “The Biggest Loser” created to promote wellness to children, hosted a day-long event at East County’s TreeUmph! Adventure Course July 27.

Joe Ostaszewski, a semi-finalist from “The Biggest Loser,” and his identical twin, Henry, led 20 children ages 12 to 14 on a Wear Your Soul Experience.

Participants, who climbed and zip-lined through TreeUmph’s courses, had to win entry to the event in an online contest earlier this month.

The Ostaszewskis also gave a motivational speech to the children.

Both twins have been featured on the “The Biggest Loser.”

Joe Ostaszewski lost 147 pounds as a competitor on the reality show, while his brother dropped 127 pounds.

Through their foundation, started in 2009, the twins travel the country to introduce children to adventure sports to form the foundation of a healthy lifestyle.

“We believe that TreeUmph! Adventure Course was the perfect location for this event,” Joe Ostaszewski said. “The event aligns beautifully with our mission of tackling childhood obesity, while helping the kids build their self-esteem.”

+ Two armed men rob East County gas station
An East County gas station was robbed at gun point early Monday.
A Manatee County Sheriff’s Offfice report states two black males robbed the 7-Eleven gas station, located at 4227 State Road 64, at 1:26 a.m.

The first suspect, described as 6 feet tall and weighing about 160 pounds, was wearing a a long-sleeve shirt, dark jeans and a black bandana when he approached the store clerk. The second suspect, who is described as about 6 feet tall and weighing 185 pounds, also was wearing a long-sleeve shirt, blue jeans and a blue bandana; he approached a store patron.

Both men were armed, the report states.

The men fled in an unknown direction after the robbery.

+ Fort Hamer Bridge public meeting set for Aug. 7
Manatee County will hold a public meeting on the proposed Fort Hamer Bridge project from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Aug. 7, at the Bradenton Area Convention Center, 1 Haben Blvd., Palmetto.

The U.S. Coast Guard will chair the meeting, which is one of the last steps for securing final site-plan approval for the bridge.

After months of delay, the U.S. Coast Guard released a draft of the URS Corp.’s environmental-impact statement June 25. The document indicates the need for a bridge, connecting Fort Hamer Park to Upper Manatee River Road near the Waterlefe community, remains.

Manatee County hired URS, a Tampa-based provider of engineering, construction and technical services for public- and private-sector companies, to complete the EIS.

The Coast Guard required Manatee County to expand its environmental impact statement to include the Rye Road Bridge and determine whether it could meet the county’s need for a north-south route, after residents from Waterlefe, in July 2010, rallied against the two-lane bridge project.

The EIS draft concludes the proposed Fort Hamer Bridge is the best alternative to satisfy the need for an alternative north/south transportation route between areas east of I-75.

The EIS draft was made available on the federal docket July 5.

Manatee County and the Coast Guard will receive public feedback on the EIS draft at the public meeting.

+ The Lake Club earns honor for its pools
The Lake Club at Lakewood Ranch received accolades this month for the energy efficiency of its pools.
Symbiont Service Corp. presented an energy-efficiency award to The Lake Club, during a July 23 ceremony. The honor recognizes the club’s geothermal pool-heating system that services the two pools at its clubhouse.

With a 20-year life cycle, the system, created by Symbiont, is designed to keep water temperatures between 84 and 87 degrees, regardless of outside weather conditions.

The company, based in Englewood, said the product is 70% more efficient, durable and reliable than traditional pool-heating products.

“We are pleased to continue our efforts to step up our game yet another notch to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels,” said Jimmy Stewart, vice president of sales for Lakewood Ranch Communities. “The geothermal system is another way Lakewood Ranch carries on our green-building initiative to make living here comfortable, eco-friendly and economical.”

Roy King, Symbiont’s founder, developed and manufactured the geothermal temperature-control system in the early 1980s.

Meetings & agendas
• Manatee County Board of County Commissioners Budget Session (adopt millage rate) — 9 a.m. Aug. 1, at the Manatee County Government Administrative Center, 1112 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton
• Council of Governments — 4 p.m. Aug. 6, at the Bradenton Area Convention Center, 1 Haben Blvd., Palmetto
• Manatee County School Board Joint Meeting (with Sarasota and Charlotte County school boards) — 2 p.m. Aug. 7, at the Charlotte County School Board Chambers, 1445 Education Way, Port Charlotte
• Manatee County Board of County Commissioners Land-Use Meeting — 9 a.m. Aug. 8, at the Manatee County Government Administrative Center, 1112 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton