E A ST COUNTY
Observer Lakewood Ranch’s weekly newspaper since 1998
Back to nature in East County. PAGE 14
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
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FREE THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2020
VOLUME 22, NO. 24
YOUR TOWN
Unified to face COVID-19
SWEET SCIENCE Homemade science experiments can result in some tasty treats. SEE PAGE 8
Manatee County’s EMS, fire districts share COVID-19 plans to serve public.
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Sign of patriotism Nathan Dolan, a third grader at Tara Elementary School, presented the Pledge of Allegiance on April 8 online both by speaking and by American Sign Language. Beverly Dolan, Nathan’s mother and interpreter at Tara Elementary, taught her son how to sign the pledge, so people who are deaf would be able to participate. “I thought it would be a nice, different twist than the usual saying the Pledge of Allegiance,” Beverly Dolan said.
PAM EUBANKS SENIOR EDITOR
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Hailey Richards, the daughter of Robert E. Willis Elementary School science teacher Kelly Richards, enjoys her homemade ice cream after she finished a do-at-home experiment.
t was just a few months ago when Manatee County’s Emergency Medical Services and fire department personnel had just one primary thought in mind as they answered a medical call. That was the health of the person or people who needed help. COVID-19 has changed that dynamic. Now EMS and fire department personnel have to be worried about their own health more than ever. The reasoning is simple. If first responders have been exposed to COVID-19 and are showing symptoms, they can’t take care of the public. Even the threat of contracting COVID-19 has put first responders on the sideline, and that adds additional stress to the remaining workforce during a challenging time. Supervisors from both the county’s EMS and fire services recognize the importance of working together to keep first responders ready to serve East County. East Manatee Fire Rescue Chief Lee Whitehurst said EMS and fire districts created a “unified com-
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EMS CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Keeping up with the teacher Ruth Casadevall, a third grade teacher at B.D. Gullett Elementary School, wanted to give her students an inside peek at what her life is like at home during e-learning. Every Tuesday, Casadevall posts a video of “Keeping Up with Casadevall,” named after the TV show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.” “I was thinking of silly ways that I could get a video or something going every week for them,” she said. Casadevall’s videos provide moments of laughter while also educating students and making them feel connected to their classmates.
Bad times lead to great need As nonprofit revenues fall due to COVID-19, the Giving Challenge is more important than ever. SEE PAGE 5 File photo
Maribeth Phillips, the president and CEO of Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee, says the greatest need for the nonprofit is donations to purchase food.
Funds will help do a body good Dakin Dairy seeks local financial support to bottle excess milk it would like to donate. SEE PAGE 4