Earl Varn News Today

VENICE – If Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt Hoffman had his way, Tuesday afternoon’s swearing-in ceremony would have been a simple matter of stopping by Chief Judge Kimberly Bonner’s chambers with his wife, Teri Hoffman, to recite the oath of office. Instead, Hoffman found himself on stage at the Venice Community Center, addressing a room full of friends, colleagues and well-wishers – including elected officials, area police chiefs and adjacent county sheriffs – as he thanked everyone f...