News Briefs

+ Bashaw Elementary to raise funds for reading
The Bashaw Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization will host a rummage sale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 24, at the school, 3515 Morgan Johnson Road, to raise funds for the school’s Accelerated Reader program.

Accelerated Reader is an online program that will allow students to receive immediate feedback on comprehension of books they have read.

+ VPK Priority Choice Open Enrollment starts
Parents who want their child to attend a voluntary pre-kindergarten program at a Manatee County public school during the 2012-2013 school year soon can apply to do so.

The VPK Priority Choice Open Enrollment Period will run from March 19-30, and parents should apply in person at the Manatee County School District’s Parent Information Center, 234 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.
Starting on March 19, VPK Priority Choice applications will be available at school sites, online at www.manateeschools.net and at the Parent Information Center.

With their application, parents should bring to the center identification, a certified birth certificate and a Certificate of Eligibility, which must be obtained from the Early Learning Coalition at 3526 Ninth St. W., Bradenton.

Approval of applications are subject to enrollment capacities and other criteria.

For more information, call the Parent Information Center at 708-4971.

+ Manatee targets unlicensed contractors
Manatee County officials arrested 14 laborers working without proper licensure during a recent sting.

Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputies apprehended laborers with help from the Manatee County Building and Development Services Department and the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

“We will continue to crack down, not only with the contractors but with the property owners who knowingly hire them,” Manatee’s Building and Development Services Department Director John Barnott said. “Unlicensed contractors can create a lot of problems for homeowners, including everything from inferior work to not having proper insurance.”

Homeowners can find a comprehensive list of licensed contractors with the Manatee Chamber of Commerce, the Gulf Coast Builders Exchange, the Home Builders Association of Manatee County or the Manatee County Building and Development Services Department. Licenses also can be verified at www.myfloridalicense.com.

To report unlicensed building activity, call Manatee County Building Department at 749-3047 or email complaints to [email protected].