Another Movie Night – Lilo & Stitch at Mixon Farms
Thursday, January 9 | 6-8 PM | Mixon Farms, Bradenton
Yes, TWO free movie nights in one week! This one's at Mixon Farms (2525 27th St E, Bradenton) featuring the 2025 Lilo & Stitch. Same deal—bring your chairs or blankets and enjoy. Mixon Farms is always a nice setting for these.
Today’s Sponsor:
Live Comedy 12.30.25 8PM: FREE
Sarasota-Bradenton Home Show
January 9-11 | Robarts Arena, Sarasota Fairgrounds
Thinking about home projects for the new year? The Home Show is back with vendors covering everything from kitchens to landscaping to smart home tech. Good way to get ideas and find local contractors.
FREE Community Cleanup Day
Saturday, January 10 | 8 AM - 1 PM
This is a big one! Manatee County is hosting free drop-off for bulky items, appliances, tires, yard waste, and recyclables at TWO locations:
Parrish Community Park (7550 Fort Hamer Road)
Myakka City Community Center (10060 Wauchula Rd)
Finally a chance to get rid of that old [insert thing that's been sitting in your garage for two years]. Just bring proof of residency. Quick heads up: they won't take paint, chemicals, electronics, or hazardous waste—but pretty much everything else is fair game.
Coming Soon: Manatee County Fair
January 15-25 | Manatee County Fairgrounds, Palmetto
Mark your calendars! The fair is back for 11 days of rides, fair food, livestock shows, and that particular brand of chaos only a county fair can deliver. More details to come, but start mentally preparing for funnel cakes.
📰 Local News Worth Knowing
Our Schools Are Crushing It 📚
Some genuinely great news: The School District of Manatee County just earned its highest rating EVER—a "B" with 744 points—and a record 25 schools got "A" grades.
Local highlights:
Parrish Community High: 95.1% graduation rate
Southeast High: 89.2% (up 12.7%!)
Palmetto High: 90.7% (up 5.9%)
Also, two new schools opened this year: Harvey K-8 at Copperstone (right here in Parrish!) and Lake Manatee K-8 in Lakewood Ranch. Hats off to the teachers, staff, students, and families making this happen.
🔗 Source
Bishop Animal Shelter Gets Major Upgrade 🐕
The expanded Bishop Animal Shelter in Bradenton is officially open after a $12 million investment. The new setup includes eight kennel buildings with heating and cooling, indoor/outdoor access, and room for about 120 dogs (with space to grow). A new adoption building is coming summer 2026. If you've been thinking about adopting, this is a great time to visit.
🔗 Source
Flight to the North Pole Celebrates 40 Years ✈️
A heartwarming tradition continued last month—the 40th annual Flight to the North Pole brought more than 300 children facing life-limiting illnesses and their families to Feld Entertainment in Palmetto, transformed into a winter wonderland. Santa arrived by helicopter, kids enjoyed train rides and crafts, and everyone got gifts. This event has been giving families a break from medical treatments since 1985.
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'Respond with Care' Sticker Program
The Manatee County Sheriff's Office launched a really thoughtful program—brightly colored stickers that alert first responders when someone has special needs (hearing impaired, visually impaired, cognitive needs, etc.). Stickers are FREE at any MCSO district location. They also have a "Take Me Home" registry for individuals who might wander. Small thing that could make a big difference.
🔗 Source
Turning Trash into Power 💡
Here's a cool one: Manatee County announced a $50 million project to convert landfill gas at Lena Road into usable renewable natural gas. Right now, 75% of the methane just gets burned off. Starting in 2027, it'll power the equivalent of 4,500 homes and cut emissions equal to 5.3 million gallons of gasoline per year. Not bad for garbage!
🔗 Source
Manatee Community Foundation Gives Big to Animal Welfare
The Manatee Community Foundation just awarded over $200,000 to 14 animal organizations including Cat Depot, Humane Society at Lakewood Ranch, and Humane Society of Manatee County. The grants support spay/neuter programs, medical care, foster programs, and more. Love seeing the community take care of our four-legged friends.
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🤝 Ways to Give Back
Looking for ways to get involved this year? Here are some local organizations that could use a hand:
Manatee County Animal Welfare (Bishop Shelter)
Dog walking, cat socializing, fostering, photography, event support
📧 [email protected] | 📞 941-742-5933 ext. 8314
🔗 More info
Humane Society of Manatee County
Dog walkers, cat cuddlers, event ambassadors (ages 18+ for dogs, 14+ for cats)
📧 [email protected] | 📞 941-747-8808 ext. 315
🔗 More info
Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee
Meal delivery (just 1.5 hours, one day a week), Food Bank help, office support
📞 941-747-4655
🔗 More info
Manatee Habitat for Humanity
Construction (no experience needed!), ReStore help, events (ages 16+)
🔗 More info
Special Opportunities This Month:
That's a Wrap!
Lots of good stuff happening in our little corner of Florida. Whether you're catching a movie, grabbing wings, cleaning out the garage, or just enjoying the (hopefully) beautiful weather—hope you have a great week.
Got news or events I should know about? Hit reply and let me know!
Until next time,
Good News Parrish 🌴
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