Sarasota & Manatee Counties news thread

[wondermint2]

Hundreds baptized up and down the Gulf coast

For full article:

https://www.newsbreak.com/venice-fl/...the-gulf-coast

VENICE — John Sloan made a praise report but he wasn't at church.

Sloan, who was participating in the Baptism in the Gulf May 4 at Maxine Barritt Park in Venice, said he was walking down the beach and spoke to about 60 people. Most of them were already baptized.

But one man told a young girl nearby, “I think it’s time for you to get baptized.”

“Praise the Lord,” Sloan said. “They went down and Brett dunked her. Add one more to the family.”

“Brett” is Coastal Community Church Pastor Brett Brooks.

There were a number of stories like that as One Christ Won City marked its 15th anniversary by conducting a communitywide baptism. The organization has held such baptisms about 12 times.

People were baptized in the Gulf of Mexico just south of Sharky’s On The Pier restaurant.

Jim Foubister, the organization’s co-founder and president, said the event demonstrates the unity among pastors in the Venice area.

This is the second year that the organization has conducted baptisms in multiple venues. This year, they were held at Maxine Barritt (400 attendees, 66 baptisms, Foubister said) and at parks in Coquina Beach (the Crossing Church north of Bradenton), where Foubister says 300-400 people were baptized, with 700 total attendees, and Manasota Beach, where he said pastors from North Port, Port Charlotte and Englewood baptized 20 people with 100 attendees.

[wondermint2]

What did a historical consultant learn in a survey of the Gulf View section of Venice?

For full article:

https://www.newsbreak.com/venice-fl/...tion-of-venice

A survey of the Gulf View section of Venice found four structures eligible for addition to the local register of historical resources and three eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places.

St.. Petersburg-based consultant Chronicle Heritage LLC in 2023 surveyed the city’s 355-acre Gulf View section, which was among those first platted by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.

Funded by the city of Venice, that survey was the first of the type conducted in Venice in 40 years and is both a byproduct of and a requirement of Venice becoming a Certified Local Government last June.

In the 1980s, when the city last surveyed potential historical resources, the focus was solely on structures built in the 1920s – around the time the city was founded.

In 2022, a1940s era home in the Gulf View section was placed on the city's register of historical resources.

The new survey included structures built in 1960 and earlier. When the city applied to have the John Nolen Plan listed on the National Register of Historic Places, structures built up to 1960 were mentioned but only on a cursory level.

Chronicle Heritage included in its survey a recommendation of structures that could be eligible for the National Register of Historical Places and on the city’s local register of historical resources.

Once modified, the survey will be reviewed again by the board and eventually forwarded to the City Council.

What did the consultant learn?

[wondermint2]

Venice City Council to consider $2.5 million Sharky's expansion

https://www.newsbreak.com/venice-fl/...ky-s-expansion

The Venice City Council will consider an amendment to the city's lease with Venice Pier Group that would permit a $2.5 million expansion and renovation of outdoor dining at Sharky's on the Pier.

It would also grant VPG the option of two additional five-year lease extensions, up to a maximum lease term of 50 years, and increase the minimum seating capacity from 350 seats to 450 seats, and the maximum from 697 seats to 897 seats.

VPG operates Sharky's and Fins at Sharky's at the Venice Fishing Pier, along with Snook Haven along the Myakka River and the concession at Siesta Key Beach.

The amendment, on Tuesday's Council agenda, would be the fifth to VPG's current lease, which dates back to 2008. The original lease for Sharky's was entered into in the 1980s.

The memo states VPG has been working on the design and permitting of a significant capital improvement for several years.

"The project will provide significant structural improvement to the property, will meet all current building and hurricane codes and represents an investment into the property of approximately $2.5 million dollars," it says.

Increased seating capacity "will allow for optimization of the outdoor dining area and will encourage increased percentage rent payments in the future," the memo says.

VPG pays a monthly ground rent and a percentage rent based on the gross receipts.

A table in the memo shows rent paid to the city has nearly doubled in the last 10 years, from $637,856.52 in 2015 to $1,204,843.60 for this year, with some down years attributable to red tide and the pandemic.

According to the memo, VPG has received all the necessary permits for the project and is ready to commence construction next month, with a goal of completing it prior to the 2025 tourist season. The restaurants would remain operational throughout the project, it stated.

"This proposal represents a significant investment in the City’s property and an opportunity for enhanced future revenue for the City through this existing lease agreement," the memo concludes.

[wondermint2]

Venice mayor honored by Florida League of Cities

https://www.newsbreak.com/venice-fl/...ague-of-cities

Mayor Nick Pachota has received a Home Rule Hero Award from the Florida League of Cities for the second consecutive year.

He was recognized Thursday at a ManaSota League of Cities meeting “for his hard work and advocacy efforts during the 2024 Legislative Session,” an FLC news release says. “Pachota worked tirelessly throughout the session to promote local voices making local choices, protect the Home Rule powers of Florida’s municipalities and advance the League’s legislative agenda.”

Home rule is the authority of local governments to a city to address local problems with minimal state interference, it says.

The FLC award honors local government officials, elected and nonelected, “who consistently responded to the League’s request to reach out to members of the Legislature and help give a local perspective on an issue,” the release says.

“The dedication and effort of these local officials who tirelessly advocated for local decision-making was a difference-maker this legislative session,” FLC Chief of Legislative Affairs Casey Cook said in the release. “On behalf of the League and its legislative team, we’re proud to recognize each of them and thank them for their service.”

Pachota shared credit for the recognition.

“This award is a result of the efforts of so many great collaborators, and I am so fortunate to have a supportive family, extremely intelligent and innovative members of our city staff and open-minded elected officials to work with to meet on common ground,” he said in the release.

[wondermint2]

Charlie Kennedy Seeks to Return to Manatee School Board

For full article:

https://www.thebradentontimes.com/st...ol-board,87153

On Thursday, former Manatee County School Board member Charlie Kennedy filed to run for election to the District 3 seat currently held by Mary Foreman. Kennedy previously served as the board's District 2 representative from 2014 to 2022.

“If elected to return to the school board, my constituents can expect I will work with my fellow board members to ensure financial stability, continued academic improvements, fidelity to Florida law, and building board consensus—even on tough issues—through the superintendent, staff, and public input,” Kennedy said in a press release announcing his candidacy.

Kennedy has been an educator for two decades. He has taught in various states, including Florida, where he’s taught at Manatee High School and IMG Academy. He currently works at Daughtrey Elementary in Bradenton.

During his previous tenure, Kennedy's board colleagues elected him to serve twice as chair and twice as vice chair. Kennedy supported a referendum for additional millage funds to support teachers, staff, and academic enrichment. The measure was approved by voters, resulting in Manatee County teachers being among the highest-paid in the state.

Kennedy has already earned the endorsement of Foreman, who will not be seeking another term.

[wondermint2]

Florida homeowners abandon insurance amid skyrocketing rates


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSaqPnwGy5M

A new report reveals how Florida homeowners are struggling as price hikes are driving many to ditch home insurance.

[wondermint2]

Mobile homeowners struggle with lot fees


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbuWX0oAiXw

A home is supposed to be an asset but for these homeowners, it’s quickly becoming a burden.

[wondermint2]

Originally Posted by wondermint2

Sarasota County changes conservation status of Nokomis land for construction project

For full article & graphic:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/real...b45e7544&ei=27

Sarasota County is changing a Nokomis land parcel’s future use designation from conservation to build a fleet maintenance facility in one of the fastest-developing areas in the country.

County commissioners spoke of the growing need for government services in southern Sarasota County, which has one of the fastest-growing populations in the country. The land itself is about a quarter of a mile down the street from the Magnolia Bay housing development that is under construction.

County officials said the location was efficient and cost-effective, and that the growing population in southern Sarasota County requires an expansion of government services.

Although the land is zoned for government use, its “future land use” was marked for conservation, which led many people to urge the commission to vote against the facility.

The facility would be around 63,000 square feet, meant for maintaining emergency service vehicles and “parts storage, property storage, administrative functions, vehicle acquisitions, and asset management,” according to county plans.

Construction on the facility is expected to begin in the spring of 2025 and be completed by the fall of 2026.

Shari Thornton, a County Commission candidate for District 3, said she worried that the new facility would compound traffic in the area, which is already near new housing developments and a landfill. Thornton also pulled out an artist’s rendering of the facility, which she pointed out bears “no resemblance” to the natural habitat.

“It seems like the county is chipping away at this land, and it won’t be there once we take it away,” Thornton said. “You can never bring it back.”

The resolution passed 4-1. Commissioner Mark Smith said he thought the land’s future use designation as conservation when it would be needed for government use caused unnecessary confusion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BycIlsRBT2o

Sarasota County commissioners have approved a plan to change the conservation status on a parcel of land on Knights Road to build a fleet maintenance facility, and many citizens are concerned over the change.

Different points against the change were brought up at Tuesday’s meeting.

“Between dump, Lorraine Connection, Putting the Fire training station, 70 acres zoned for 790 homes condos, there’s no way you are gonna be able to widen Knights Trail Road to accommodate all that traffic, all that heavy machinery from the dump, from the new facility, from Ajax. People are gonna die left and right,” one resident, Chris Bealigan said.

For full article:

https://www.snntv.com/sarasota/commi...-knights-road/

[wondermint2]

North Port to celebrate 65th anniversary

https://www.mysuncoast.com/2024/05/1...h-anniversary/

The City of North Port will be celebrating its 65th birthday this summer on June 18 at the City Center Front Green .

The event will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. The community can celebrate with various activities highlighting the city’s history.

North Port was officially incorporated as a city in 1959.

According to City Manager, Jerome Fletcher, “this is North Port’s biggest year yet.”

For more information on the celebration, visit:

https://www.northportfl.gov/Event-Di...ay-Celebration

[wondermint2]

New culinary academy to get more people with disabilities employed (Video)

For full article & video:

https://baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2...h-disabilities

The Haven received a $50,000 grant to start a free culinary training program that will help those with disabilities in Sarasota and Manatee counties find jobs in the service industry

The program, which is funded by the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, started last month

The organization's Culinary Academy started in early April 2024 and will last for one year

The Haven CEO Brad Jones said he hopes they will be able to certify roughly 100 people with disabilities