5 Things: Bring Popcorn To Supervisor Of Election Debates

1. If future debates will prove to be as sharp, the battle between incumbent Kathy Dent and County Commissioner Jon Thaxton for the Supervisor of Elections seat will be worth the watch.

The next debate is set for 6 p.m. Monday inside Selby Library at a League of Women Voters of Sarasota County forum, and the sparks started Thursday at the Sarasota Tiger Bay forum.

Thaxton and Dent exchanged barbs at the debate, Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports:

“There just appears to be a repetitive theme of lack of transparency and blaming others for things that go wrong,” Thaxton said of Dent’s 12 years as supervisor. “We need to end the litigation and the conflicts and the mishaps that seem to be plaguing this office.”

Dent, for her part, accused Thaxton of using misinformation against her, and the debate got testy at times as both candidates spoke over and interrupted one another. Dent brought up her lengthy experience in the job and the special classes she has taken to improve as reasons why voters should pick her again.

2. In select Sarasota Publix stores, you'll soon be able to or online ordering. Publix announced the new feature Thursday and will reveal exact store locations at a later date. The first store to get the new features will be near the company's headquarters in Lakeland on Aug. 3.

3. Check out who's playing at the : Royal Southern Brotherhood, Ana Popovic, Curtis Salgado, Paul Thorn and Pett Crow. The festival announced the lineup this week, and tickets are on sale now for the Sept. 22 concert at Ed Smith Stadium. Buy tickets online at sarasotabluesfest.com. Advance sale general admission tickets are $22 and children under the age of 14 are free with paid adult admission. A limited number of VIP tickets are available for $75.

4. On another musical note, Noise Ordinance 3 needs bands for its third compilation album, and you can submit your band's songs and info online at http://noiseordinancecd.com/bandsubmission. You have until Aug. 1 to submit, and the album is expected to be released Nov. 10 at .

5. Alcohol and Planned Parenthood will mix tonight in an entertaining trivia night at  called Sexual Independence Day. Features sex trivia, funny sexual education videos played on the TVs, giveaway T-shirts, free condoms, beer specials and more sponsored by Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida. It starts at 8 p.m. No cover charge.