5 Things You Need to Know This Weekend: Aug. 13-15

1. Army Spc4. Patrick L. Lay II, a Braden River High School graduate, died after he was involved in an IED strike Thursday in Afghanistan. An infantryman assigned to the Army’s elite 10th Mountain Division, he was based in Ft. Drum, NY. His family and friends started this Facebook page to honor his memory. Leave your condolences for the family and your photos and/or memories if you knew him.

2. Manatee County is looking for board members for its two Community Redevelopment Area advisory boards. The boards consist of between five and 15 volunteer members appointed by the Board of County Commissioners. Members serve three-year terms. Community redevelopment areas are designed to attract commercial and building investments in an effort to improve the area, increase the tax base and to encourage public and private improvements. The South County CRA board meets on the third Tuesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. at the Harllee Full Service Family Center, 6423 9^th Street East. The 14th Street West CRA meets on the fourth Thursday of the month at Peace Lutheran Church, 1611 30th Ave. W.,  at 5:30 p.m. Applications are due Sept. 2. Find them online at www.mymanatee.org /advisory boards. For more information, visit the Community Redevelopment Area section of mymanatee.org or call Ivan Groom, Community Redevelopment Area Coordinator, at (941) 749-3029 ext. 6232 or e-mail him at ivan.groom@mymanatee.org.

3. Fourteen students participated in the National Junior Classical League's annual convention competing with 1,500 Latin enthusiasts from around the country. All fourteen students placed in the Top 20 and ten of them had a minimum of one Top 10 finish.  Members of the Saint Stephen's Latin Team are Anna Boyd, Joseph Class, Kemery Colbert, Elizabeth Djinis, Shelby Fauvel, Kayla Hayes, Corinne Hill, Benjamin Israel, Shubham Mathur, Alex O'Dell, Ashley Peterson, Stephen Scroggins, Gera Versfeld, and Shanil Wijesinghe.

4. About 50 students from across Manatee County will be honored during a Summer Graduation Ceremony at 6545 S.R. 70 East., at 10 a.m. today. Graduates at the ceremony represent all of the county’s public high schools. This ceremony represents a milestone achievement for each of the students who persevered through the summer to get those final credits needed to graduate. Superintendent Tim McGonegal, Assistant Superintendent Lynette Edwards and Secondary Schools Director Angela Essig will be among the speakers. School Board Chairman Robert Gause will be the keynote speaker.

5. The Manatee County Public Safety Department is hosting a grand opening ceremony and tour of the new Marine Rescue Facility on Monday at 2 p.m. The two-story, 8,800-square-foot facility at 2651 Gulf Drive South in Bradenton Beach will serve as a headquarters and training station for Manatee County’s lifeguards. The Marine Unit of Manatee Sheriff’s Office will also operate out of the new building. The storm-hardened building can withstand 130 mph winds. There will be a brief dedication ceremony on Monday followed by tours of the building and light refreshments.