Manatee County launches $50M joint RNG project at Lena Road
Manatee County, in partnership with Nopetro Energy, recently broke ground on a $50 million renewable natural gas (RNG) production facility at the Lena Road Landfill.
The facility – the first of its kind on Florida's west coast – will capture and purify landfill methane from organic waste for delivery through existing pipelines, supplying a cleaner fuel option for buses and trucks, officials said. The facility, owned and operated by Miami-based Nopetro Energy, is expected to begin operations in 2027.
“By turning waste into worth, this project transforms a landfill byproduct into a valuable community asset,” Manatee County Utilities Director Patrick Shea said. “It is an innovative example of how Manatee County can deliver services responsibly by developing
practical, forward-thinking ways to create value from the infrastructure and resources we already manage.”
The facility is expected to generate enough renewable energy to power more than 4,500 Florida homes each year while eliminating emissions equivalent to 5.3 million gallons of gasoline, an amount equivalent to the carbon captured by approximately 22,000 acres of forest, officials said.
“We’re turning something that was once considered waste into a valuable energy resource for Florida,” said Jorge Herrera, CEO of Nopetro Energy. “We’re proud to bring that investment to Manatee County and to be building a project that will deliver value for years to come.”
Johnson Controls, based in Ireland with North American headquarters in Wisconsin, provided preliminary design, engineering and strategic consulting for the RNG facility and will deliver measurement and verification services for the duration of the project. Wisconsin-based Mead & Hunt is designing and constructing the facility.
Milestone for SMH heart surgeon
A Sarasota Memorial Hospital heart surgeon recently performed the world’s first heart procedure combining two new cardiac implants to replace a failing heart valve and reduce stroke risk associated with atrial fibrillation (Afib).
The milestone procedure involved two new implants approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in spring 2026. According to Edwards Lifesciences, which developed the implants, it’s the first time these devices have been implanted together in one patient anywhere in the world.
“Patients who need heart valve surgery often have other cardiovascular conditions that increase their risk of complications,” said Dr. Jonathan Hoffberger, SMH's chief of cardiovascular surgery who performed the procedure. “By combining these two devices in a single operation, we were able to replace a diseased heart valve while also addressing a significant source of stroke risk, without requiring separate surgeries.”
VSC hosts Indicators & Insights
Visit Sarasota County has invited corporate executives and industry experts to provide local, state, and national perspectives at its annual state-of-tourism-industry event on Nov. 19 from 8-11:30 a.m. at the Art Ovation Hotel.
The speaker lineup for the Indicators & Insights Summit features Bryan Griffin, president and CEO of Visit Florida; John David, president and CEO of the Sports Events & Tourism Association; Joseph St. Germain, president and partner at Downs & St. Germain Research; and Chantal Wu, senior director of Hospitality Market Analytics at CoStar Group.
“When you look at the tourism industry today, there isn’t one trend or one market that tells the whole story,” said Erin Duggan, president and CEO of Visit Sarasota County. “What happens nationally affects Florida, what happens across Florida affects Sarasota County, and what we see locally can tell us a great deal about where the industry is heading.”
Visit Sarasota County will also announce finalists for its Haley Hall of Fame Awards, honoring exemplary hospitality professionals. The event is sponsored by the Art Ovation Hotel, Sarasota Herald-Tribune/LocaliQ, Oysters Rock Hospitality, Siesta Wealth, Sir Speedy, and Willis Smith Construction. For tickets, sponsorships, and more information, visit bit.ly/VSCSummit.
Gunster takes over Icard Merrill
Gunster, a business law firm headquartered in West Palm Beach, recently announced that Icard Merrill has joined the firm, marking Gunster's entry into Sarasota and Manatee counties. With the addition, Gunster expands its bench in real estate, corporate, private wealth services, and business litigation across 15 statewide offices.
"Sarasota is one of Florida's fastest-growing markets, with a wave of new businesses and residents moving into the region," said Bill Perry, CEO and managing shareholder of Gunster. "Icard Merrill has spent nearly 75 years building deep roots ... and their team's culture and commitment to client service align seamlessly with our own."
The Icard Merrill attorneys and professionals joining Gunster will continue to work out of their Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch offices.
"Joining a firm with a breadth of practice areas and statewide presence gives our clients access to expanded resources and expertise," said Telese Zuberer, president of Icard Merrill.
New pacemaker therapy at SMH
Sarasota Memorial Hospital is the first hospital in the Tampa Bay region offering a new pacemaker option for certain heart failure patients who are unable to benefit from traditional cardiac resynchronization therapy.
The leadless WiSE system uses a battery and ultrasound transmitter inserted beneath the skin of the chest, along with a tiny electrode implanted inside the left ventricle. The electrode converts ultrasound energy into electrical stimulation to help the heart beat in a more coordinated and efficient way.
“This technology gives us a different way to deliver cardiac resynchronization,” said SMH electrophysiologist Robert Eckart, DO, who recently implanted the new system with Brian Betensky, MD. The WiSE system is currently available at about 30 centers nationwide, with SMH among four hospitals in Florida offering the technology.
Rare oil painting to be auctioned
Sarasota Estate Auction will be offering a rare oil on canvas by American Impressionist Frank W. Benson (1862–1951), "The White Heron," dated 1924, at the firm’s Nov. 14-15 auction at 522 S. Pineapple Ave., Sarasota.
The 44x36-inch painting is accompanied by an extensive exhibition history and provenance connecting it to Thomas Cochran and the Bliss family, two important names in the history of American art collecting. The White Heron is available for preview at Sarasota Estate Auction.
“The opportunity to handle such an important painting by Frank Weston Benson, coupled with incredible provenance that connects Thomas Cochran and the Bliss family, is truly an honor,” auctioneer and owner Andrew Ford said.
The work is housed in an unusual carved frame believed to be associated with Charles Prendergast, a close friend of Lillie P. Bliss. A prominent financier and major collector of American art, Cochran would go on to assemble a collection that became the foundation of the Addison Gallery of American Art at Phillips Academy.
The painting’s exhibition history includes the Guild of Boston Artists, Carson Pirie & Scott in Chicago, and the Hawthorne Hotel in Salem in 1925; the Corcoran Gallery, Toledo Museum, and Art Institute of Chicago in 1926; followed by Macbeth Galleries in New York in 1927. "The White Heron" was purchased from Macbeth Galleries by Cochran for $5,000.
Contact Ford at 941-650-8854 or Sarasota Estate Auction at sarasotaestateauction@gmail.com for more information. Bidding will be available through Sarasota Estate Auction's website, in person, by phone, and through LiveAuctioneers, Invaluable and Bidsquare.
The auction will also feature a lifetime collection of rare Tiffany & Co. sterling silver designed by Edward C. Moore, including an enormous Tiffany silver epergne, a pair of covered vegetable dishes, and additional pieces by Tiffany & Co., Gorham and 18th-century English silversmiths.
Around and about
· Innovation Academy SRQ recently announced the resignation of Head of School Fayth Jenkins and has named Jacqueline Hinds, currently Assistant Head of School and Instructional Curriculum Specialist, as interim Head of School.
· Michael Quinn, whose career includes more than 15 years of fundraising and development leadership experience across health care and higher education, was recently named Chief Philanthropy Officer for the YMCA of Southwest Florida.
· The Keyes Company independent real estate brokerage recently added Catalist Realty to its Sarasota office. A Sarasota-based brokerage, Catalist will operate as The Catalist Group within Keyes. Keyes’ Sarasota office, with nearly 70 associates, will relocate to Catalist’s historic cottage office at 1630 Morrill St.
· Dr. Vincent Federico, a fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeon specializing in minimally invasive surgery, has joined Coastal Orthopedics in Bradenton. A Florida native, Federico graduated with honors from the University of Florida before earning a medical degree from the University of Florida College of Medicine.
· Erica N. Adusei, Merissa Pearce, William McVey and Willie Clemons III have joined EXIT King Realty's real estate sales team at 8728 E. State Road 70 in Bradenton.
Compiled from news releases
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Manatee County launches $50 million RNG project at Lena Road
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