Twelfth Judicial Circuit Judge Stephen Walker honored with Outstanding Jurist Award

Walker was honored with the Meenu T. Sasser Outstanding Jurist Award at The Florida Bar’s annual convention last month. Presented by the Young Lawyers Division of The Florida Bar, the award is given to judges with a reputation for sound judicial decisions, an unblemished record of integrity as a lawyer and judge, and a willingness to assist young lawyers.

Upon accepting the award, Walker credited the continued support and guidance of colleagues and also paid homage to Judge Sasser’s legacy as a model of judicial excellence. Sasser, the first Asian-American judge in Palm Beach County, served as a Circuit Court Judge in 2009 until her death in 2019.

Congratulations also to assistant public defender Layron J. Gaither, who was presented with the Jim Slater Professionalism Award by Chief Judge Diana Moreland on behalf of the judges of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit.

· That’s 45 years of wedded bliss for Bill and Connie Chaltis.

· Big ups to Michael Cox, Michael Jenkins and Ryan Sullivan, who finished 1-2-3 in the inaugural Bradenton Baseball Mayor’s Classic hot dog eating contest at LECOM Park.

With Mayor Gene Brown keeping time, Cox downed 19 hot dogs in 10 minutes and won $300. Jenkins consumed 16, winning $200, and Sullivan ate 14 for $100.

Proceeds benefit the Bradenton Police Department’s Bradenton Blue Foundation.

· Nyssa Gartley is 34.

· A bow to Manatee Memorial Hospital’s newest Caddy Award winner, Norshelis Santiago, an Environmental Services Technician.

· Tracy Capozella is 39. Again.

· So is Susan Wilcox.

· That Ace Sanders was named the new head football coach at Bayshore High must evoke different memories for area football fans who saw him during his playing days with the Manatee Hurricanes.

Mine?

It was Ace’s 40-yard TD catch and run late in the fourth quarter that clinched Manatee’s epic 28-20 upset of vaunted St. Thomas Aquinas in the 2009 Class 5A state semifinal. Aquinas came into Hawkins Stadium 13-0, riding a 37-game winning streak and was the nation’s top-ranked team by USA Today.

What a game. What a night.

Good luck at Bayshore, Ace.

Vin’s People runs Sundays. Email Vin Mannix at vinspeople@gmail.com. Or call 941-962-5944. X (formerly Twitter): @vinmannix.