WORDS & PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst
For over 80 years, Janet and Dean Mixon operated Mixon Fruit Farms off 27th Street East in Bradenton. But after the citrus greening disease and rising insurance costs, the Mixons made the difficult decision to put the property up for sale. That decision began with conversations with the Manatee County Board of County Commissioners, and in 2025, they voted to purchase 39 acres of the …
WORDS: Shannon Evans
PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst & Cox Chevrolet
Most people can remember their first car, that moment they sat in the driver’s seat, and their world widened. I can go…anywhere. In 1926, that sense of possibility was still new. The Model T era had just ended, and the idea of owning a car was shifting from luxury to something within reach.
A hundred years on, people still chase …
WORDS & PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst
Our future is bound to our oceans.
The ocean supplies most of the oxygen we breathe, much of the food we eat, and the critical resources that underpin ecosystems and economies. Now, oceans worldwide face unprecedented challenges, creating an even higher demand for research to help sustain tomorrow’s oceans.
But Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium—a longtime champion of ocean science and education—is rising to meet …
WORDS: Shannon Evans
PHOTOS: Katelyn Disbro & Soar in 4
Across communities, certain places quietly shape the future. Libraries do it through books; parks do it through play. But Soar in 4’s new Soar Lab in west Bradenton brings learning and play together, promoting early learning standards and showing families how fun can build the skills children need for school.
Dr. Sheila Halpin, Director of Early Learning for the School …
WORDS: Shannon Evans
PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst
To read is human; to listen without judgment is divine—or, in this case, canine.
Every Thursday, students at Anna Maria Elementary School gather in the media center for a much-loved program: Reading with the Dogs. One class at a time sits and reads to therapy-trained and socialized dogs and their volunteer handlers for a time of tale-sharing, tail-thumping fun. What better way to gain …
WORDS: Shannon Evans
PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst
Once upon a time, families in Palmetto watched as 10th Street transformed into the pages of their favorite stories. Presented by the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County (ELC), the 77th DeSoto Children’s Parade continued its annual tradition with this year’s theme, “Once Upon a Parade: A Storybook Collection.” Along with performers and the usual conquistadors, story-worthy floats inspired by favorite children’s books …
WORDS: Shannon Evans
PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst
Jenna Bush Hager may be a TV personality and bestselling author, but at the recent Booked for Lunch event in Lakewood Ranch, she felt more like a fellow book lover sharing stories with friends.
On April 4, the Library Foundation of Manatee County welcomed 300 guests to the Grove Restaurant for this sold-out fundraiser featuring Bush Hager as the keynote speaker. Educators, community leaders, …
WORDS: Shannon Evans
MAIN PHOTO: City of Bradenton
Once you’ve lived in Florida long enough, you likely don’t bother with daily weather updates. From May to November, it’s hot, with those predictable 4 p.m. thunderstorms rolling through. From November to April, it’s less hot, and, if we’re lucky, we might get a day or two we call “chilly.” It’s predictable. There’s usually no need to scrutinize the forecast.
The exception, …
WORDS: Shannon Evans
PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst
Who says the most exciting plays happen on the field? Tampa Bay Buccaneer #95 C.J. Brewer traded the playbook for a storybook as he promoted literacy at The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature.
On September 10th, downtown Bradenton’s Bishop Museum buzzed with excitement as the Bucs defensive lineman stepped into the spotlight, reading Mary the Manatee by Suzanne Tate to an eager group …
WORDS & PHOTOS: Robyn Bell
My name is Robyn Bell, and this year, I had the honor of being selected for the Dr. Art Engelhard Student Exchange Program. This program, offered through the Hernando De Soto Historical Society, allows local students to visit Bradenton’s sister city of Barcarrota, Spain, and learn firsthand about the history that unites us while being fully immersed in the Spanish culture.
During my time abroad, …
Tom Bennett Park | 280 Kay Rd, Bradenton, FL 34208
WORDS & PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst
It was an exciting morning at Tom Bennett Park for the much-anticipated ribbon cutting and grand opening for the fully ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant Bradenton Kiwanis Playground located at 280 Kay Road in Manatee County.
In 2022, the Kiwanis Club celebrated its 100th anniversary. To celebrate the huge milestone, the then-incoming president, Neil …
The City of Bradenton hosted a ribbon cutting last month for the Bradenton Reads! Exhibit Grand Opening. The project, a partnership between the City of Bradenton and the School District of Manatee County through the Public Art Advisory Board, the School District of Manatee County Early Learning Team, and Soar in 4 Manatee, promotes the importance of early literacy through art. Mayor Gene Brown assisted in the ribbon cutting alongside …
WORDS & PICTURES: School District of Manatee County
A handful of professional baseball players were special guests at Tillman Elementary in Palmetto. Brandan Bidois, Elijah Birdsong, Owen Kellington, Patrick Reilly, and Landon Tomkins are pitchers for the Bradenton Marauders, our local minor-league team for the Pittsburgh Pirates. They joined third and fourth-grade students, as well as physical education teachers Tyler Bench, Kyle Mauk, and Hunter McGarry.
The players used their …
WORDS: Sheri Roca
PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen
Did you know that there is a magical place right here in Manatee County where you can not only get up close and personal with elephants but help in the global conservation of these majestic creatures? Just east of Lakewood Ranch, you will find the Myakka Elephant Ranch. This facility is a family-owned and operated nonprofit conservation center that offers once in a lifetime, …
WORDS & PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen
Hailing from Delaware, working in management at Walmart, longing to sell snow cones on the beach somewhere, Stephanie Edwards made her dreams a reality in 2015.
Stephanie worked for Walmart for 23 years. She sat on the board of directors for a food bank and the local chamber of commerce through her management position with the company, as well as served in various local reading …
