Sarasota & Manatee Counties news thread

[wondermint2]

Town of Longboat Key operating hours change permanently

For full article:

https://www.yourobserver.com/news/20...e-permanently/

Most Longboat Key town departments will continue operating under new hours year-round.

This season, from Jan. 2 to April 30, the town embarked on a pilot study to change the operating hours one hour earlier, now from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Previously, most town departments operated from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The idea, according to Town Manager Howard Tipton, was to address concerns about traffic congestion getting off the island during peak times.

“It seemed to go well. It’s one of those fixes that doesn’t cost anything, but can make something better,” Tipton said.

Traffic congestion remained the No. 1 concern for the town to address in the 2024 citizen satisfaction survey, with 63% of respondents agreeing that it is one of the most important issues. About 59% of residents were dissatisfied with traffic flow and congestion, according to the survey.

Tipton said the town received similar responses in an employee survey, which prompted the pilot program.

[wondermint2]

Book fair shines spotlight on world of local authors

For full article:

https://www.yourobserver.com/news/20...local-authors/

Sarasota may be widely known for its affinity for the arts, yet sometimes there are unseen ventures in the arts beneath the surface, as guests found at the Local Author Book Fair, held April 27 by Bookstore1Sarasota.

“This is like a full-time job times three,” said Alice Abyss, who wrote “Pharmakides,” a novel presenting an alternate version of the story of Medusa from the points of view of 27 birds.

Abyss' book was published in 2023. She saw it through to completion, performing the editing, creating the cover and self-publishing the volume — yet she’s still drawn to the financial freedom writing offers.

“I like to live for myself and put work into my business,” she said.

Bryn Durgin, director of programming at the bookstore, said anytime events like the book fair are held, attendees are surprised at the number of local authors in the community.

[wondermint2]

Report: Build-to-rent boom targets Tampa, Sarasota-Bradenton and Lakeland

Construction is soaring in the Sunshine State, where four metros landed among the top 20 for single-family home projects being built for rental properties.

For full article:

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

Some metropolitan areas on the Gulf Coast are standouts when it comes to “build-to-rent” activity, according to a new study from apartment-finder RentCafe.

Increasingly, builders are constructing homes for renters around the country, where 27,500 houses for rent were completed last year, RentCafe reports. Currently, even more homes are in development; over 45,400 homes are under construction to be rented out in the coming years, its study shows.

Since 2019, Tampa has tripled its number of build-to-rent houses by adding 1,100 single-family homes for rent, RentCafe reports. With 1,352 rental homes under construction, that puts Tampa at No. 10 on the list of top 20 metropolitan areas with the most build-to-rent units underway.

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*The full study is here:

https://www.rentcafe.com/blog/rental...truction-2024/

[wondermint2]

Effortless Gardening in Sarasota: Top Shrubs for Low-Maintenance Landscapes

For full article:

https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotac...caping-shrubs/

Shrubs are a common addition to the landscape and are often used to outline the home and provide decoration near streets and sidewalks. While some are prized for their foliage, others are planted for their showy blooms. Keep reading to learn about some shrubs that require minimal watering and care in Sarasota County.

[wondermint2]

Originally Posted by wondermint2

Osprey residents trying to rezone property before commercial development

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/real...e434cff2&ei=45

Osprey residents are fighting against a developer and they hope to rezone a piece of land before its turned into an office complex and oil change facility.

The property, located at 1401 S. Trail in Osprey is more than 63,000 square feet and was sold in 2023 for more than half a million dollars with the intention to build a ‘Take 5″ automotive shop and an office complex.

Several residents have express concerns about the changes. Sarasota County will hear the rezoning petition on Thursday afternoon.

Video about this here:

Development fight in Osprey

For video:

https://www.newsbreak.com/osprey-fl/...ight-in-osprey

[wondermint2]

Cops Corner - Man claims he was served spiked drinks

A regular patron says a bartender siding with his estranged wife served drinks that made him sick. This and other Sarasota Police Department reports in this week's Cops Corner.

For the full 'Cops Corner' column:

https://www.yourobserver.com/news/20...spiked-drinks/

[wondermint2]

Stephen Guffanti to run for seat 2 on SMH Board

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/34219...2-on-smh-board

Stephen Guffanti is seeking seat 2 of the Sarasota County Public Hospital Board.

A retired doctor, he is running against two fellow Republicans and one Democrat.

The Democrat is John A. Lutz, and the Republicans are Kevin Cooper and Kendra Becker-Musante.

Guffanti said in his experience in the medical field, he does not remember ever asking another their political beliefs.

His background is in emergency medicine. He said there should be “one standard for all, one of excellence.”

Guffanti is running in light of what he said was poor treatment from SMH during the COVID-19.

He says that, in August 2021, he received poor treatment. He claims doctors “created a treatment plan for a patient they had not seen: me.”

Without a doctor on the board decisions cannot be correct, Guffanti said.

“Everyone knows you need to see the patient first.”

He then went on to list COVID patients who had died at SMH. Some, he said, were treated as “pandemic patients,” rather than patients.

He said he was a patient in a COVID ward with a roommate.

“We asked to talk to the doctor, they removed his name from the white board. They didn’t tell me the doctor’s name. When I documented patient abandonment on Facebook, they called security instead of the doctor and put me in isolation,” he said.

Once there was a change of shift, however, he said the next doctor sent him home. He was in the COVID ward for hours.

Guffanti thinks adding a medical expert like himself would improve the board of “six business people.” Three of the members are from the nursing profession.

He said doctors view tragedy as a loss of life, not as simple financial numbers.

As for his beliefs regarding the contentious “medical freedom” topic, Guffanti said patients should have options.

“Patients are always entitled to a second opinion. If that’s what people are talking about, I believe in it,” Guffanti said.

Guffanti is retired. He does, however, read to children, teaching them literacy in his free time.

His personal mission statement has to do with doctor and patient boundaries.

“Doctors should give advice and not mandates,” he said.

Sarasota County’s primary election is Aug. 20. The general election is Nov. 3.

[wondermint2]

Lakewood Ranch Cub Scouts prepare for annual Pinewood Derby

The top three winners from six dens will participate in the Manatee District Pinewood Derby.

For full article:

https://www.yourobserver.com/news/20...inewood-derby/

[wondermint2]

Wednesday is the deadline for Resilient SRQ grants

Applications for municipalities, nonprofits, public housing authorities and community-based development groups to apply for the Resilient SRQ funding is Wednesday.

Organizations seeking Resilient SRQ funding under the Multifamily Affordable Housing Program will close Weds, May 1.

Sarasota County is a direct recipient of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery. Sarasota County will be given $201.5 million in funding to split amongst applicant organizations affected by Hurricane Ian.

To see if you meet requirements, click here:

https://www.resilientsrq.net/

[wondermint2]

The Best of Sarasota 2024: Editors' Picks

For full article:

https://www.sarasotamagazine.com/art...-editors-picks

Sarasota is booming, and we’re flush with exciting new restaurants, shops, services, attractions and more. Here are our favorite new finds from a year full of them.