News Briefs

+ Gold Coast Eagle aids sick dolphin
Gold Coast Eagle Distributing, the Lakewood Ranch-based Anheuser-Busch distributor, has donated $500 toward the care of a sick dolphin being treated at Mote Marine Laboratory.

The bottlenose dolphin, nicknamed Edna, became stranded June 6 on Longboat Key and was transported to Mote for treatment. She has remained in critical condition for weeks.

“She’s responding well to treatments for pneumonia and other medical issues, including parasites and gastritis,” Mote’s Hayley Rutger said.

Edna is estimated to be about 3 years old and weighs 170 pounds. She is under weight and is suffering from pneumonia, gastritis and other medical conditions.

+ Tree, plaque remember Ina Gross
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the murder of Lakewood Ranch resident Ina Gross, and her friends continue to cherish her memory.

Friends of Gross gathered June 23 at Paw Park in Greenbrook in Lakewood Ranch, where they dedicated an oak tree in her honor and placed a granite plaque that reads, “This tree was planted in memory of Ina Gross, Our Dog Park Friend. 2012.” The tree was donated by Lakewood Ranch Town Hall staff.

“It was, for us, a way of remembering her,” said Gross’s friend, Cliff Kaplan, who has known Gross through the Paw Park since 2003. “She belongs there with us. Pretty much the whole Paw Park (membership knew) her.”

Gross was a longtime member of the Lakewood Ranch Dog Park and went there nearly every day with her dog, Nicky. She was found dead in her home Jan. 9.

Kaplan said Lakewood Ranch Community Development District 4 donated the oak tree, and friends raised funds for the granite memorial plaque. Leftover funds were donated to the Resurrection House in Sarasota, where Gross volunteered.

+ SCF maintains tuition with budget
The State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota District Board of Trustees recently approved a $48.2 million fiscal year 2012-13 operating budget.

The budget, which was approved unanimously, did not include a tuition increase for SCF’s baccalaureate programs or for its two-year associate level degrees for Florida residents.

This makes SCF an even greater value compared to other local and regional institutions, said Board Vice Chairman Dr. Craig Trigueiro, an East County resident.

The University of South Florida, Sarasota-Manatee has increased tuition by 11%, and most state universities have increased tuition up to 15%, SCF officials said.