Sarasota & Manatee Counties news thread

[wondermint2]

Money - The 50 Best Places to Live in the U.S

No place in our local area made this list. The closest to us that made the list are Ybor City & Babcock Ranch.

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/art...c4e7a981&ei=38

Money recently released its annual list of the 50 best places to live in the United States and a Tampa neighborhood made the cut.

The list highlights cities and towns “where a thriving economy meets affordability, diversity and an exceptional quality of life.”

Money called Tampa one of America’s hottest cities and highlighted Ybor City as one of the best places to live.

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*To see Money’s full list of the 50 best places to live, click here:

https://money.com/best-places-to-live/

[wondermint2]

FL Metro Area Saw Most Millennial Moves In U.S. In 2023: Report

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/real...c4e7a981&ei=54

Though half as many millennials are moving as they did a decade ago, many of this age range are flocking to Florida, according to a new report from Hire A Helper.

The majority of these moves were driven by a desire for new or better housing and a new job or job transfer.

Florida saw a 38 percent net gain of millennial moves in 2023, landing it among the top 10 states for the group, which was born between 1982 and 2000, the report said.

Montana topped the list with a 95 percent net gain in millennial residents.

The Tampa Bay area was the U.S. metro region that saw the largest increase in millennials last year with a 95 percent gain — nearly twice as many millennials that left the area, the report said.

Jacksonville also ranked high on the list, taking the No. 3 spot with a 54 percent net gain in millennial residents.

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*Find the full lists for state and metro areas with the most millennial moves last year here:

https://blog.hireahelper.com/2024-st...re-they-going/

[wondermint2]

The best things to do in Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch, Longboat for April 11-17

For full article:

https://www.yourobserver.com/news/20...t-april-11-17/

[wondermint2]

Trash, recycling collection rates will increase for Longboat residents

Waste Management’s three-year contract extension comes with a 28% residential rate increase due to increased labor and maintenance costs.

For full article:

https://www.yourobserver.com/news/20...ates-increase/

[wondermint2]

Seawalls can now be up to 6 feet tall on Longboat Key

The change raises the maximum allowable height from 4.5 feet to 6 feet and aligns with the town's long-term sea-level rise and resilience plan.

For full article:

https://www.yourobserver.com/news/20...-longboat-key/

[wondermint2]

Residents give Longboat Key high marks in citizen survey

Traffic was the primary concern for residents, but they were satisfied with town services and overall quality of life.

For full article:

https://www.yourobserver.com/news/20...itizen-survey/

[wondermint2]

City considers reducing number of co-sponsored special events

Taxpayer costs for 15 events have increased 75% in two years, prompting city commissioners to ponder the return on investment.

For full article:

https://www.yourobserver.com/news/20...nsored-events/

Whether the city of Sarasota should continue to co-sponsor some special events in the face of rising costs was central to a Monday Sarasota City Commission workshop discussion.

On the agenda were staff-proposed changes to the special event ordinances, largely consisting of housekeeping items and procedural matters, but with some new restrictions intended to strike a more harmonious balance between large street festivals and the comfort and convenience of downtown residents.

It was the opening salvo of a process that will include public engagement as changes are made to the current ordinances that will eventually go before the commission for final consideration.

The vast majority of special events that take place in the city are not co-sponsored by the city, leaving costs the responsibility of event organizers. The city does co-sponsor 15 annual special events, though, resulting in $387,592 in taxpayer expense in fiscal year 2023. That’s up 75% over fiscal year 2022, when the city spent $290,338 on those events.

The Sarasota Police Department comprises the largest line item each year, totaling $262,421 last fiscal year in overtime and other mobilization costs. Of the 15 events, the two largest SPD expenses were the downtown New Year’s Eve celebration at $57,182 and the Powerboat Grant Prix races at Lido Beach at $66,818. Both were up compared to $31,579 and $35,321, respectively, in fiscal 2021.

Of all those costs, it was the boat races, which last year were held near the July 4 weekend, that caught the attention of Vice Mayor Jen Ahearn-Koch, who questioned the near doubling over two years.

City Manager Marlon Brown said for all co-sponsored events for which the city is responsible for the costs, the SPD’s expenses are growing the fastest.

”There’s a lot happening in the nation in terms of the need to provide really good public safety,” Brown said. “We rely on SPD to say what resources they need to really ensure that we have a safe event. You'll see those numbers increase tremendously for all events for SPD.”

That prompted Ahearn-Koch to question how far the city is willing to go when it comes to bearing the costs of co-sponsored events.

[wondermint2]

Over 300 Suncoast residents attend Jewish National Fund USA solidarity event in Sarasota

For full article:

https://news.google.com/articles/CBM...S&ceid=US%3Aen

April marks six months since over 1,500 Hamas fighters stormed into Israel. Over 130 hostages still remain in Gaza. One organization unified Suncoast residents in Sarasota at an Israel solidarity breakfast.

It happened on Tuesday at the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee’s new building, The Ora.

The Jewish National Fund USA hosted the big event. They say the purpose was to unify the community at a time when antisemitism is high, to discuss what happened on October 7th, and also to raise money for Israeli’s and stand in solidarity with the country. The JNF also called for volunteers to go to Israel and help with the cause.

People of all different religions attended the solidarity event in unity.

[wondermint2]

Sarasota Meets Miami

For full article:

https://www.srqmagazine.com/srq-dail...ta-Meets-Miami

Throughout April, don’t miss the opportunity to dine at The Whitman, the restaurant concept inside the Bal Harbour Shops Access Pop-Up, which has set up camp at University Town Center. The Pop-Up is like a miniature version of the famous Bal Harbour luxury shops in Miami, inviting Sarasotans to shop, relax and enjoy some tasty fare.

The Whitman is the Pop-Up’s restaurant concept, which is headed up by Executive Chef Mark Levy. The restaurant takes its name from The Whitman by The Sea, which was a luxury Miami hotel owned by one of Bal Harbour’s current proprietors.

“The idea was to create an all-day menu. We’re open from 11am to 8pm, so we have to have a large balance of items.

Constellation Culinary Group, the people who are running the food element of this whole pop-up, identified the need for Latin flair and Miami flavor within the menu,” Levy says. “For example, in the salads, there’s quite a few occurrences of spices and chile and South American flavor.” He recommends the ceviche, with shrimp, octopus, scallops, avocado, Serrano chiles and leche de tigre, which has celery root, elderflower and lime juice, as a unique appetizer.

[wondermint2]

Champagne bar, piano lounge to open in downtown Sarasota

For full article:

https://www.yourobserver.com/news/20...unge-downtown/

A high-end Champagne bar and piano lounge is coming to downtown Sarasota.

The concept, from local entrepreneur Ronnie Shugar, will be called Sugar Champagne Bar and will have a menu centered on fine Champagne, wines, spirits and chef-inspired small plates, according to a statement. And, of course, a pink piano.

Sugar Champagne Bar is at 127 S. Pineapple Ave., which is the corner of South Pineapple and South Lemon avenues, outside The Mark condo building and Paul N. Thorpe Jr. Park.

A spokesperson for the project and Shugar said Sugar Champagne Bar will be a $4 million investment and could be open by the end of the year. Shugar, through an LLC named 127 Pineapple Partners, paid $1.8 million for the 1,947-square-foot building in May 2021, Sarasota County property records show.