Basketball great Jerry Lucas to make Bradenton appearance

Basketball Hall of Famer Jerry Lucas coming to Bradenton

BRADENTON -- Jerry Lucas, a NBA Hall of Famer, will be in Bradenton for several programs at Emmanuel United Methodist Church, 5115 Cortez Road W.

Programs planned include improving family relationships, 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sunday, learning made fun and easy, 4:30 p.m. Sunday, and remembering names and faces, 7 p.m. Monday.

Lucas is one of only three players to win championships at high school, college, NBA and Olympics.

He is most passionate about his Christian faith, and off-court work teaching memory skills and techniques for learning and success.

Admission is free. Free-will offering will be received.

Information: 941-792-3497.

-- Herald staff writer

EAST MANATEE -- Manatee Supervisor of Elections, Michael Bennett, will be guest speaker for the East Manatee Republican Club luncheon 11:30 a.m. Feb. 11. at Peridia Golf & Country Club, 4950 Peridia Blvd. E.

Lunch costs $16.

Reservations: 941-739-3813 or email longboatfl@aol.com.

Gruters to speak at GOP meeting at Feb. 5 meeting

BRADENTON -- Joe Gruters, vice chairman of the Republican Party of Florida and head of Donald Trump's presidential campaign in the state, will be the speaker at the 11:30 meeting Feb. 5 of the Women of Manatee County Republican Club at Renaissance on 9th, 1816 Ninth Ave. W., Bradenton.

Gruters, running for a seat in the Florida House of Representatives, will discuss the Republican party in Florida. Lunch is $20 for non-members and $18 for members. Call 795-6381 for reservations.

Eight sheriff's employees share top January honor

MANATEE -- Kelly Brown, Jessica Donaldson, Farrah Dawley, Jill Freel, Kristoger Monica, Brian Ogle, Kimberly Porter and Caitlyn Welch have all been named Employee of the Month for January by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

An elderly woman caught in heavy rain Sept. 17 felt she could not drive home safely to Arcadia. A dispatcher called AAA, but since her vehicle was not disabled, it would cost $85 to tow her vehicle. The woman said she could not afford it and planned to sleep in her car. The dispatchers on duty split the cost of the tow to get her home.

A dispatcher contacted a friend who runs a tire/car repair shop in Myakka and he braved the flooded roads to tow the woman's car to Arcadia at no cost. The collected money was given to him anyway.

"Their compassion and desire to assist demonstrated a spirit of teamwork that spread throughout the squad," wrote Sheriff Brad Steube in a news release.

Saving 2 lives earns monthly award for Manatee deputy

MANATEE -- James Boldin has been named Deputy of the Month for January by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

Boldin responded June 25 to a car wash where a woman was unconscious with a needle sticking out of her arm.

Emergency medical personnel administered the Narcan antidote, which caused the woman to regain consciousness and she was transported to the hospital.

Boldin learned a relative of the woman had taken the same drug at an abandoned house. Boldin found a person on the ground next to the house. Just as EMS arrived, the man stopped breathing and was administered the Narcan antidote and transported to the hospital.

"Boldin was diligent to follow up and follow through on information critical in order to locate an overdose victim and get him medical attention," wrote Sheriff Brad Steube in a press release. "He went above and beyond and beat the high probability the second victim could have died from an overdose."

House passes dangerous dog bill 118-0 on Wednesday

A bill to determine the fate of dogs that cause severe injury to people unanimously passed the House of Representatives with an 118-0 on Wednesday.

State Rep. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, filed the bill after the highly controversial case of Padi, a Manatee County 4-year-old male Labrador mix who bit off part of a child's ear this summer.

Padi, who is now free after a judge's ruling the death penalty for the dog was unconstitutional, had faced euthanasia because the bite was considered a severe injury under state law.

"A full Senate vote is all that remains and that should take place within the next week or two of session," Manatee County spokesman Nick Azzara said in an update to commissioners on Wednesday afternoon.

Home elevator safety bill passes Florida Senate test

A bill promoting residential elevator safety, prompted by the tragic death of a Bradenton 12-year-old boy, was unanimously approved by a Florida Senate committee Wednesday morning.

The bill, sponsored by state Sen. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, would require a sensor to prevent an elevator from working if anything is in the shaft. The law would be named after Maxwell Eric Grablin, who was killed in a tragic accident when he crawled into his family's residential elevator to get his hamster. The elevator came down on top of him and suffocated him.

"The Max Grablin Act will help prevent other Florida families from enduring the tremendous loss and personal tragedy that the Grablin family has sustained," Galvano said. "This legislation provides for additional safety measures to be installed in the elevators of private residences to protect children from injury or death."

The House version, sponsored by state Rep. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, passed its first House subcommittee Tuesday.

-- Herald staff reports

This story was originally published January 28, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Basketball great Jerry Lucas to make Bradenton appearance ."