Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Five Things: Payne Park Playground | Herald-Tribune Protest | Pinecraft | Blues Fest | Cuts Against Cancer
1. The new circus-themed playground at Payne Park that opened in June will close for work beginning Thursday. The two-week closure is to install shading for the play area designed for 3-to-5-year olds, installing irrigation lines, finishing landscaping and finally those fences will come down. The playground is expected to reopen Friday, Oct. 12. 2. A group is planning to protest in front of The Herald-Tribune at 1 p.m. Thursday after a misleading and false anti-Obama ad appeared in the paper Sunday. The story is garnering regional and national attention from the press. 3. The County Commission is expected to receive an update today on planning and upgrades in Pinecraft—Sarasota's Amish and Mennonite village. During the past several months…
Monday, September 24, 2012
5 Things To Know: County Budget | Sarasota Blues and Music Festival | Pinecraft Planning | Voices United Concert | Arlington Park Pool Reopening Soon
1. Sarasota County's fiscal 2013 budget is poised to be approved at a special meeting at 7 p.m. Monday. The Sarasota County Commission will hold a second public hearing tonight in the Administration Center and are expected to adopt the final millage rates and the budget as well. Other adoptions expected include the fiscal years 2013-17 Capital Improvement Program, Surtax II project list amendments and an amendment to the Capital Improvements Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan. The general budget is an estimated $897 million. The total millage rate is proposed to increase to 3.3912 from 3.3384 in fiscal 2012, mainly due to a nearly $2 million in the mosquito management budget. 2. Saturday is the annual Sarasota Blues and Music Festival at Ed…
Monday, September 17, 2012
5 Things To Know: Romney in Sarasota | Walmart Market To Open | Alta Vista Meeting | Sarasota Millionaires Football | One Book Selected
1. Presidential candidate Mitt Romney is scheduled to attend a small fundraiser at The Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota on Thursday at $2,500 a head, but so far no public event has been scheduled. Joe Gruters, chairman for Republican Party of Sarasota County, told The Tampa Tribune that the local party is working to have an open event: "We have no confirmation" on a public event, "but obviously we're trying to do everything we can to have one," Gruters said. For tickets to the Romney at the Ritz fundraiser, email JoeGruters@gmail.com or call 941-914-2004. 2. The new Walmart Neighborhood Market, 3500 N. Tamiami Trail, is set to open at 8 a.m. Wednesday, following a ceremony at 7:30 a.m. The Sarasota Neighborhood Market is only one of about 200 of …
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Five Things To Know: Beatles Tribute Band | SCORE Partnership | Drag Queen Bingo | The Brew | Pledge The Bird
Editor's Note: On Sept. 26, the Liverpool Legends concerts were canceled. 1. Tickets are now on sale for three special concerts featuring the Liverpool Legends Beatles Tribute band, which is organized by Louise Harrison. In May Patch brought you the story about how Louise Harrison, a Sarasota resident and sister of famed Beatle George Harrison, is an honorary fellow at University of South Florida, Sarasota-Manatee this fall to help integrate arts education into classrooms. Now the time has come for the concerts with the high schoolers. The Sarasota performance is Saturday, Oct. 6 at Booker High School. Tickets are $25 and proceeds from advertisements in the evening programs go toward the high school's music program as part of Harrison's …
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Five Things To Know: Ringling Roundabout | Walmart Market Opens Soon | Ringling Picnic Returns | Markakis In Sarasota | Summer Essentials Winner
1. The City Commission is asking for more information about what a roundabout would cost and look like at Orange Avenue and Ringling Boulevard. The commission voted 5-0 Monday for staff to move forward with estimates and exploration of a roundabout there, which could take at least five to six years before it could be funded and constructed. Staff hasn't dedicated time to examining a roundabout, so the city is only working with ballpark figures, said City Engineer Alex Davis Shaw, so the commission's direction now enables staff to look into the possibility. The city needs to replace an aging span-wire traffic light system there that is relatively unstable during high winds and hurricanes, Davis Shaw said. The other option would be …
Monday, September 10, 2012
Five Things To Know: USDA Tour | Special Meeting | Beach Access Closed | Walk For The Kids | Restored Clock
1. Two U.S. Department of Agriculture officials will tour Sarasota Tuesday to get a closer look at some of the county's food programs. Kevin Concannon, U.S. Undersecretary of Agriculture for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, will make a special presentation at Phillippi Shores Elementary School, to the Sarasota County School District to honor the 22 district schools that were awarded the U.S. Department of Agriculture HealthierUS School Challenge Award. The two will also stop at All Faiths Food Bank to learn more about the county's only food bank, which also serves DeSoto County. Last year, All Faiths Food Bank distributed 6 million pounds of food – equating to 5 million meals. 2. The City Commission will host a special meeting today …
Friday, August 24, 2012
Five Things To Know: Donald Trump | Fabulous Five | Tropical Storm Isaac | Dick Hyman | Whole Foods Parking
1. If you don't have a ticket for Donald Trump's Sunday appearance at The Ritz-Carlton, then you're out of luck. The Republican Party of Sarasota County announced Thursday that Statesman of the Year dinner sold out to a record crowd. Trump will receive the Statesman of the Year award from the local GOP party that night before 950 guests. “This is the largest crowd we have ever had attend a ticketed function. There has never been anything like it, the press coverage, the excitement and the overwhelming number of people wanting to witness Mr. Trump receive the honor of Statesman of the Year has been bigger than anything we have ever dealt with before," Party Chairman Joe Gruters said in a news release. 2. Westcoast Black Theater Troupe's …
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Sarasota native and daredevil Nik Wallenda's reality show on The Science Channel was pulled from the network's lineup Monday and isn't expected to return.
1. Nik Wallenda's series on The Science Channel is on hiatus. You might have noticed the show was absent from the line-up Monday night and its return is indefinite, Wallenda tweeted. The show, which in the past two weeks went under the name Danger By Design and Nik Wallenda: Beyond Niagara, followed Wallenda's previous stunts before Niagara Falls as well as his family here in Sarasota. Wallenda told The Herald-Tribune that the show could see another life internationally: "There was really no marketing done on it, and it went through three name changes, so it's really not that surprising," said the 33-year-old Sarasota resident from Branson, Mo. "So it's been put on hold for now, but it's been picking up a lot of energy overseas, so we'll …
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
The Fruitville Road Winn-Dixie will have a grand opening Wednesday followed by a community open house on Thursday night.
1. Winn-Dixie's massive renovation of its Fruitville Road store will culminate with a grand opening today and a community open house Thursday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. with live entertainment and giveaways. “The store’s new amenities are not the only thing getting noticed. Our team members are energized and take pride in providing our customers with an unforgettable shopping experience,” said Dale Root, Winn-Dixie store director. "We invite our neighbors to check out their newWinn-Dixie store." The 56,000-square-foot store features a cafe with free WiFi, more made-to-order selections, expanded gluten-free options, mix-and-match wing bar, artisan cheese shop with 120 varietes of cheese and more. The store is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to…
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
The red steel beams will be permanently located at Gulfstream Avenue and U.S. 41.
1. The city commission accepted a donation Monday of the sculpture Complexus from the Season of Sculpture's Under Azure Skies exhibit on the Bayfront. It's the red angular steel sculpture that's located beside One Sarasota Tower. Do you like this sculpture and think it will be a good permanent addition? 2. Make sure you nominate the best local hot spots in Sarasota. Until July 8, we're collecting nominations for Readers' Choice 2012 in 25 categories 3. Behind-the-scenes work is coming along on the new restaurant and event space inside the Palm Avenue garage that will be managed by the Seidensticker family, which owns Libby's. The unnamed restaurant will have three local firms work on designing and building the restaurant, which is due for …
LibertyLover
2:14 am on Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Obama has plenty of these high price tag events as well which are not open to the public. I'm not sure what you think you will get from an in-person public appearance that is not similar to what you hear being reported - but of course in the case of Mitt Romney you might actually hear the truth instead of what is twisted in the lapdog media. more ›