Manatee County officials in Florida are concerned about significant sand loss on Anna Maria Island, particularly after Hurricane Idalia. They have contacted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for assistance with beach erosion issues. The county has experienced the loss of over 150 feet of sand in some areas and nearly 50,000 cubic yards in the Coquina Beach area. The Manatee County Board of Commissioners is seeking federal aid for the Manatee County Shore Protection Project to renourish the coastline, a move supported by local business leaders like Chuck Wolfe of Chiles Hospitality.

Over 8,000 participants ran the seventh annual Skyway 10K across the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, supporting veterans. Despite a sudden burst of rainfall, runners completed the 6.2-mile race, which spanned three counties. The event raised funds for the Armed Forces Families Foundation, which has collected over $2.6 million to date. Participants expressed pride and support for military families, with all runners receiving medals and recognition for their efforts.

Sarasota County Public Safety Communications Center has integrated new technology to enhance vehicle location during emergencies. The Rapid Deploy Radius Mapping partnership with OnStar allows for precise location pinging and quicker response times. The technology provides accurate coordinates, crash data, and can even send text messages, translate foreign languages, and estimate the height of a crash location. It also enables access to public street cameras for dispatchers. This upgrade is expected to improve efficiency in handling the increasing volume of emergency calls.

Holiday House SRQ, a nonprofit initiative in the Tampa Bay area, is creating a winter wonderland in three Sarasota schools, including Wilkinson Elementary, Emma Booker Elementary, and Alta Vista Elementary, to allow students to select and wrap gifts for their loved ones. The program, which benefits over 1,700 students, is supported by community donations and focuses on schools without a parent-teacher organization. In addition to holiday gifts, the initiative has provided new sneakers and paid overdue library fees for students. Organizers are accepting donations to expand the program further.

Tom Stallings, creator of the Lights of Palmetto, a popular Christmas light show in Palmetto, Florida, faced significant health challenges including COVID-19, the flu, pneumonia, and a four-month fight for his life on a ventilator, resulting in a coma for two months. Despite these setbacks and now using a wheelchair, Stallings was motivated by the joy his light show brings, particularly to his daughter. Colleagues from the industry and volunteers from various states rallied to install over 180,000 lights in two days, ensuring the show's continuation for the holiday season.

In the 'Take Care of Maya' trial, defense witnesses, including retired Stanford Medicine pediatrician Dr. Elliot Krane, criticized the treatment Maya Kowalski received from her former doctors, particularly the high doses of ketamine. Krane questioned the validity of Maya's Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) diagnosis and the treatment approach. The family's lawsuit against Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital alleges medical malpractice, battery, and false imprisonment. The defense suggested that Maya's condition might have been a case of Munchausen Syndrome by proxy, caused by her mother, Beata Kowalski.

A Sarasota woman, Gillian Kaye, is searching for her stepson, Sagui Dekel-Chen, who went missing after a Hamas attack on his kibbutz in southern Israel. Dekel-Chen was last seen protecting his pregnant wife and children. Despite the evacuation of his family and other survivors by the Israeli military, Dekel-Chen's whereabouts remain unknown. Kaye's husband has traveled to Tel Aviv to assist in the search, and the family is experiencing significant trauma due to the situation.

The Sarasota Ice Rays, a new JV high school ice hockey team, is set to make its debut in the Lightning High School Hockey League. Founded by Laurie Moore, a Sarasota mom who moved from Massachusetts, the team was created due to the lack of local high school hockey opportunities for her sons, Todd and Kevin. Despite Sarasota County's previous challenges in sustaining a hockey team and the absence of local ice rinks, the Ice Rays have recruited 22 athletes and two coaches. The team's debut is eagerly anticipated, with the community and the Tampa Bay Lightning fostering a supportive environment for the sport's growth in the region.