Sarasota & Manatee Counties news thread

[wondermint2]

New Mosquito Management Services facility in Nokomis breaks ground

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/new...f2b8927d&ei=34

Sarasota County officially broke ground on a new Mosquito Management Services facility on Friday.

It is located at 16500 Honore Ave., Nokomis.

The new 19,600 square-foot building will include laboratories, an insectary, disease surveillance, aquaculture facilities, workshop spaces, and areas for educational and community outreach. A rendering of the facility is attached. Learn more about the project here:

https://www.scgov.net/home/showpubli...98684561270000

It is expected to open in the spring of 2025.

[wondermint2]

Homeownership now ‘unaffordable’ in Sarasota/Manatee area counties: study

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/real...bdf5397b&ei=64

As home prices have skyrocketed over the past few years, locals – who haven’t seen their wages skyrocket to match – are finding it harder and harder to enter the housing market.

Personal finance site MoneyGeek analyzed the rising cost of real estate in metro areas around the country and compared home appreciation between 2021 and 2023 to changes in income during the same time period. They compiled a list of 57 counties were homeownership has recently become unaffordable for the typical family.

Three Tampa Bay area counties made the list, including Manatee, Sarasota and Hillsborough.

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*To find our list of recently unaffordable counties, MoneyGeek narrowed down counties with populations larger than 250,000 and population growth above the national average (0.55%). The analysis examined three factors in these counties: home price appreciation since 2021, the ratio of homeownership costs to rent and homeownership costs as a percentage of median income.

[wondermint2]

Free Lido Beach parking spaces under debate in city proposal

City commissioners Jen Ahearn-Koch and Erik Arroyo defend open access to the beach amid a plan to increase fees and expand paid parking in Sarasota.

For full article:

https://www.yourobserver.com/news/20...city-proposal/

[wondermint2]

10-story apartment complex proposed for downtown Sarasota site

The developer of 1 Main Plaza intends to transform the 1700 block of Main Street in Sarasota into a 226-unit building that will include 25 affordable housing units.

For full article:

https://www.businessobserverfl.com/n...town-sarasota/

The redevelopment of east Main Street in downtown Sarasota continues to move swiftly along.

The latest project: a high-density rental community, currently unnamed, that will take a well-known local business with it. While the proposed project, which will occupy several parcels of Main Street between Indian Place and Pine Place, has yet to be given a moniker, the developer is a familiar name: Belpointe REIT Inc.

Bottom line

Key takeaway: Development, especially in residential units, continues apace on the east side of Main Street in downtown Sarasota. The latest proposed project is a 10-story apartment tower with 226 units.

Core challenge: Competition for renters and buyers in what has become a crowded space. Pricing the market-rate units, given inflation and other worries, is another potential challenge.

What's next: The project, from Bellpointe REIT, must be approved by the city of Sarasota's city’s Development Review Committee. It then requires administrative approval from the city's Director of Development Services. The project is within one of four downtown zoning districts, so it will not require Planning Board or City Commission approval.

[wondermint2]

Big Bounce America brings world's largest bounce house to Sarasota (Video)

For full article & video:

https://www.fox13news.com/news/big-b...o-sarasota.amp

Your eyes did not deceive you, the world’s largest bounce house is set up at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota.

If you’ve seen it in the past, you’ll notice it’s gotten even bigger.

"We added more bubbles, more foam, more inflatables inside so if you turn around a corner there is something different inside," said Noa Visnich the tour manager of ‘The Big Bounce America.’

It’s been two years since ‘Big Bounce America’ made a stop in Sarasota County.

There’s fun for the whole family with separate times to bounce for everyone.

"We like to make sure everyone has a good time and to make it safe and fun for everyone, we do capacity limits so to make sure we are staying at our capacity, we plug time slots, and we also don’t want 15-year-olds jumping with 4-year-olds. That’s no fun for the 4-year-olds," said Visnich.

With slides, ball pits and even an inflatable sports arena filled with goals, nets and hoops, hardly anyone leaves here in a bad mood.

"You can’t help but go in there and smile because you just see bubbles, confetti going off and DJs playing games," said Visnich.

DJs will turn up the music and transform Nathan Benderson Park into a larger-than-life playground for everyone.

All you need to do is kick off your shoes, throw on socks and get jumping.

"Our venue is gorgeous. We are right on the water which is so amazing. You can look forward to an amazing time," said Visnich.

If you miss your chance to jump in Sarasota ‘Big Bounce America’ will return to Tampa at Raymond James Stadium March 2-10.

For more information, click here:

https://thebigbounceamerica.com/

[wondermint2]

UF/IFAS Extension Hosting Youth Safety Day

For full article:

https://www.scgov.net/Home/Components/News/News/5945/23

SARASOTA COUNTY – For many children and teens, farms, ranches and many outdoor areas offer an irresistible opportunity to play and explore, with an array of livestock and machinery, wildlife and rugged settings, and more. But, these areas also can pose an array of unforeseen dangers for the youngsters who work on or visit these settings.

UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County, in partnership with Progressive Agriculture Foundation, is showcasing ways to spot and avert these often-unexpected risks at a “Youth Safety Day” Feb. 03 at the Sarasota County Farm Bureau, 7289 Palmer Blvd., Sarasota.

The Youth Safety Day event, running 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., will offer for youth ages 8 through 18 an array of hands-on demonstrations that highlight and help to avoid harmful, hidden hazards of farm surroundings and other rural settings, including large animals, tractors and heavy equipment, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), and more.

Additional sessions teach lifesaving first-aid techniques, staying safe in the sun or around the machine shop, firearm safety, and more. As a bonus, a helicopter and rescue truck are scheduled for the event, plus an onsite food truck and entertainment.

Through the array of engaging activities, children can learn about potential dangers and the importance of taking responsibility for their own safety, understanding and respecting safety rules and guidelines, and then sharing what they learn with their family and friends. Parents are encouraged to attend and support their children’s learning.

Cost to participate is $5 per youth, in advance or at the gate, and includes snacks, a take-home bag, and a Safety Day T-shirt. Parents or guardians are admitted free with a paid youth. Space is limited, so save your spot by registering early at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/625674097067.

For more information, contact Dr. Rod Greder, sustainable agriculture agent, UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County, at 941-861-9810 or rgreder@ufl.edu.

[wondermint2]

8 Of The Best Places To Watch The Big Game In Sarasota

If you’re hoping to catch the big game in Sarasota, here are 8 sports bars to check out.

For the full list:

https://patch.com/florida/sarasota/a...me-in-sarasota

We don’t yet know what teams will make it to the big game on Feb. 11, but it’s not too early to scout the best places to watch.

If you want someone else to make the snacks or serve the beer, several sports bars in Sarasota are primed for the handoff. Kickoff in Las Vegas is at 3:30 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on Sunday, Feb. 11, but you’ll want to get to your favorite spot earlier.

Here are some area sports bars and other venues with enough screens that you won’t miss a play:

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6 Of The Best Places To Watch The Big Game In Bradenton

If you're hoping to catch the big game in Bradenton, here are 6 sports bars to check out.

For the full list:

https://patch.com/florida/bradenton/...game-bradenton

[wondermint2]

Elections official gearing up for a big year

For full article:

https://www.newsbreak.com/venice-fl/...for-a-big-year

Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Ron Turner decided to begin his presentation to the Venice City Council on Tuesday with a joke.

"It's going to be a quiet year, I fear," he said.

The reality, of course, is that he expects the year — which his office began planning for in December 2022 — to be anything but quiet.

It's a presidential election year, which means he has a presidential preference primary — Republican Party only — to run in March, along with elections for Longboat Key and two parks and recreation districts.

Then come the primary election in August and the general in November.

In addition to federal and state offices, the ballot will include three local constitutional officers — tax collector, property appraiser and supervisor of elections — as well as three County Commission seats, two School Board seats and two Venice City Council seats (the ones occupied by Vice Mayor Jim Boldt and Helen Moore, both of whom can run again); three North Port City Commission seats; and likely some referendums.

The elections will require supplementing his 30-plus member permanent staff with about 1,000 poll workers and 600 temporary employees, Turner said.

Compare that to last November, when two City Council races were the only things being decided. That election was run by City Clerk Kelly Michaels and the SOE office, which handled printing and mailing ballots, renting poll locations and staffing them and tallying the votes.

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by wondermint2

Free Lido Beach parking spaces under debate in city proposal

City commissioners Jen Ahearn-Koch and Erik Arroyo defend open access to the beach amid a plan to increase fees and expand paid parking in Sarasota.

For full article:

https://www.yourobserver.com/news/20...city-proposal/

We stopped going to Lido and St. Armands due to the paid parking money grab. We used to go monthly, to dine and shop, now we go 2x/yr.. We used to spend $3,000/yr. on the circle, but now we spend $500/yr..

We used to take all of our out of town guests there too...no more.

Now, we go to the art show, and 1 car show...that's it.

It's not that we can't afford the paid parking, its the principal of it that we are protesting.

I sent letters to everyone involved in the decision so they'd know how locals felt. I suggested providing annual windshield stickers to Sarasota County residents for a nomimal fee so locals wouldn't be impacted.

I told them how important affluent locals are to the businesses on the circle, & how we help support them in the Summertime when the snow birds, & tourists vanish.

That was 6 yrs ago, so they've already lost $15,000 of our patronage....and counting. We are not alone.

The greedy politicians did the same to St. Pete beach, so we have not gone there in 10+ yrs..

If they do it to downtown Venice, we'll move away. Our economic impact in Venice is easily $20k/yr..

If everyone did what we did and continue to do, they'd stop it.

[wondermint2]

10-foot great white shark pings off Florida near Sarasota

For full article:

https://www.newsbreak.com/sarasota-f...-near-sarasota

A 10-foot great white shark was tracked off the Sarasota coast Thursday.

Research group OCEARCH placed a tag on white shark Penny's dorsal fin last April during an expedition off North Carolina. The satellite tag transmits a ping with location information when it breaks the water's surface.

At 11:18 p.m., Penny pinged off Sarasota's coast near the edge of the West Florida Escarpment, a 560-mile-long cliff in the Gulf of Mexico where the seafloor plunges from just over 300 feet to nearly 10,000 feet deep. The escarpment is between 155 to 215 miles off the coast.

This is Penny's first trip to Florida since she was tagged. Once she was tagged, Penny traveled north to Nova Scotia before starting her migration south in late October.

Penny previously pinged in Southwest Florida, off Marco Island, on Jan. 6.

Here's what to know about Penny, other shark pings in SWFL, OCEARCH and white sharks in Florida: