Sarasota & Manatee Counties news thread

[wondermint2]

Originally Posted by wondermint2

Precautionary boil water notice for part of Charlotte County

Published: July 3, 2024 (about 1 hour ago).

For graphic:

https://winknews.com/2024/07/03/prec...rlotte-county/

The Charlotte County Utilities Department has declared a precautionary boil water notice for a portion of the Port Charlotte service area due to mechanical issues.

The affected areas will remain under a boil water notice until further notice.

Affected Customers: All addresses between El Jobean Road north to Hillsborough Boulevard and Flamingo Boulevard west to the Myakka River.

The notice was put into effect due to reduced system pressure from the shut off of the water supply.

Charlotte County Utilities is requesting that all residents in the affected area boil water intended for drinking or cooking at a rolling boil for a minimum of one minute until further notice.

The Utilities Department will notify all affected residents with a rescission notice as soon as the water quality is confirmed to be at safe consumption levels.

As an alternative, bottled water could be used.

Boil water notice extends into weekend

https://www.newsbreak.com/port-charl...s-into-weekend

PORT CHARLOTTE — The Charlotte County Utilities Department is extending its boil water advisory for customers in a large portion of Port Charlotte into the weekend.

The boil water warning was originally issued Wednesday afternoon, with a public service announcement stating that "mechanical issues" affected water service for Mid-County residents.

"Due to reduced system pressure from the shut-off of the water supply and as a precautionary measure, Charlotte County Utilities is requesting that all customers in the affected area listed above, boil water intended for drinking or cooking at a rolling boil for a minimum of one minute," the announcement read.

According to Utilities, the advisory applies to all address in El Jobean, and those between State Road 776 and Hillsborough Boulevard. Neighborhood roads include Biscayne Drive, Cornelius Boulevard, Chancellor Boulevard, Jacobs Street, McCabe Street, Chamberlain Boulevard and more.

In a follow-up announcement Friday morning, county staff that they anticipated the boil water advisory had not been rescinded, but could be over the weekend.

"Customers should boil water until further notice," the announcement states. "The Utilities Department will notify all affected customers with a rescission notice as soon as the water quality is confirmed to be at safe consumption levels."

West Port resident Donna Paules said her faucets didn't come on Wednesday morning. She called her homeowners association to find out why she and hundreds of others didn't have water.

"We are not sure the reason — nobody is really saying," she said. "I called and was told the outage is too large of an area for them to leave door knocker notices. We have to boil it, but we have also bottled water."

Some local businesses reported having "gold color" water come out of outside faucets before the water was turned off or they were told about the boil water notice.

Residents in the water boil notice area have also been told to use bottled water as an alternative for the duration.

Anyone seeking more information on the state of water services can contact Utilities at 941-764-4300 or visit CCU-Alerts.com.

[wondermint2]

Traffic backed up on I-75 in Sarasota (Video)

For video:

https://www.wfla.com/news/sarasota-c...-sarasota/amp/

Traffic on I-75 South near mile marker 209 in Sarasota is slowed.

Traffic cameras show a motorcycle pulled to the side of the road with officers on the scene somewhere between Bee Ridge Road and Fruitville Road.

WFLA has reached out to Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) for more information.

[wondermint2]

84-unit affordable housing community to open in Sarasota

For full article & photo:

https://archive.is/wDLIP

Work on an 84-unit affordable housing community in Sarasota is complete and it will officially open Monday afternoon.

That’s when the Sarasota Housing Authority will hold a ceremonial grand opening on the site of the Cypress Square apartments at 1672 21st St.

The community was built with funds from the sale of Low Income Housing Tax Credits awarded by the Florida Housing Finance Corp. that were bought by Bank of America, SHA officials say.

Other financing came from American Rescue Plan funds from Sarasota County, funding from the city of Sarasota and a long-term subsidy from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

According to a statement about the grand opening, Cypress Square was developed in a partnership between the SHA, Fortis Development, Sarasota County, the city of Sarasota, HUD, Florida Housing, Bank of America, Berkadia, Hoyt Architects and NDC Construction.

Cypress Square’s 84 units are a mix of 18 one-bedroom apartments, 36 two-bedroom apartments, 24 three-bedroom apartments and six four-bedroom apartments. It will be open to residents who earn 30% of the area median income and 80% of the area median income.

The authority’s website says the community will have 21 project-based Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and 63 affordable Low Income Housing Tax Credit apartments.

[wondermint2]

Increased inventory levels offer greater options for Sarasota homebuyers

Article by Duff Rubin - the Southeast Regional President of Coldwell Banker Realty.

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/real...3ce7c119&ei=11

Make no mistake: Florida is still the top relocation destination in the nation for personal moves. Additionally, companies that are often in search of a skilled labor force and more attractive tax options are also choosing Florida. According to fDi Markets, from 2019-23, Florida ranked second in the nation behind only Texas for the most companies relocating to the state.

With the frenzied levels of residential real estate sales slowly reverting to pre-pandemic levels over the last year, this then affects inventory levels. Certain pockets of Florida are seeing higher inventory levels than others, including the metropolitan Sarasota region.

Let’s compare data from Florida Realtors for Sarasota County from May 2019 and May 2024. Both have comparable inventory levels for single family homes (4.5 months and 5 months, respectively) and a similar median percent of the original list price received (94.5% to 94.2%). For condos and townhomes, inventory is slightly higher than single family homes, with 6.3 months’ inventory (compared to 5.7 months for May 2019).

One surprising area when comparing data from these two months was just how much median sales prices had increased in that four-year time period. The data shows home prices have nearly doubled, with single family prices going from $305,305 to $530,000 while condos/townhomes had a substantial increase from $238,000 to $368,000. That’s amazing news if you bought a home or condo in the last four years!

The Sarasota-Manatee region still has a great deal of interest as well as many new construction projects underway. Cash buyers are taking advantage of the opportunity to purchase in all price points, but particularly at the luxury price point.

“We still have an active and robust market, with many buyers focusing on value purchases whatever their price range,” noted Matthew Day, Coldwell Banker Realty Managing Broker of the Sarasota Downtown and Central offices. “Movement in the single family residential real estate market, for both resale and new construction, has been good, with business similar to 2019 levels (pre-pandemic).”

And while inventory levels are higher in Sarasota and South Florida in general, having more options could be enticing buyers from other parts of Florida. Potential homebuyers in places like Tampa and St. Petersburg may find driving down the Gulf coast a short way will provide more alternatives for finding their ideal homes.

[wondermint2]

As bad as I’ve ever seen them.’ Anglers say more sharks are stealing fish in the Gulf

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nhl...3ce7c119&ei=17

Shark problems are now prevalent across Florida and other areas. What used to be an isolated incident around bigger structures like reefs and wrecks is now almost every area of the Gulf. From tarpon fishing off the beaches, to snook on the flats all the way to the steps hundreds of miles in the Gulf, it has become far too often sharks taunt anglers.

At the beginning of June, on my first trip offshore we encountered sharks at two of our six spots. We were happy it wasn’t more.

When this occurs, the only option is generally to leave. If fish are biting, they are eaten by sharks which hover about halfway down to the bottom waiting for hooked fish to be presented in front of them. If fish aren’t biting, it’s usually a result of said sharks making fish feel unnerved.

[wondermint2]

Family and friends gather to honor Charel Carter (Video)

For video:

https://www.mysuncoast.com/2024/07/0...outputType=amp

Mourners packed into the George Potter Building at the Sarasota County Fairgrounds Saturday morning to honor the life and legacy of one of three women fatally shot nearly two weeks ago.

Loved ones said 31-year-old Charel “Pigg” Carter was a loving daughter, sister, friend, and mother to everyone who knew her.

“She was everything that a father could ask for in a daughter, my uncle just loved her” said Carter’s cousin Nique Carter.

Carter was fatally shot by Javonte Brice along with Brice’s mother and a cousin before dying himself in a shootout with officers at the Georgia-Florida line.

Investigators said Carter was involved in a relationship with one of Brice’s ex-girlfriends.

“She was a person of love and was loved from Sarasota to Bradenton and Bradenton to Tampa, and she was well known,” added Carter’s friend Wendy Lane.

Some mourners wore tee shirts with photos of Carter on both the front and back. One shirt even featuring Carter’s nickname of “Pigg” according to loved ones.

“It’s her beloved nickname, and it is pig with two g’s, so she’d be mad if you spelled it with just one g,

“Lane added as she recalled Carter’s wit and sense of humor.

[wondermint2]

Sarasota restaurant space on the market for $2.2 million

In the week's top commercial real estate news, a Chilean manufacturer buys land to build a $25 million plant, a bank branch sells in Tampa, and a major industrial project gets a broker.

For full article & photos:

https://archive.is/7sxrV

Sarasota/Manatee

Fine dining: The home of the Bella Vino & Cocina in Sarasota is for sale but the restaurant, for now, is not going anywhere. According to a listing by the commercial real estate firm Michael Saunders & Co. the restaurant is at 3983 Destination Dr. in Osprey, just off South Tamiami Trail, and the asking price is $.2.2 million. It’s listed as 150-seat turnkey restaurant with “indoor/outdoor seating, phenomenal kitchen and a great buildout, perfect for an ambitious restaurateur.”

The listing also is clear that the business is not included in the deal. And that’s because Bella Vino has a little more than two years left on its current lease, says Eric Massey, a senior commercial advisor at the firm. As for the real estate, the two-story building is 3,863 square feet. The ground floor includes a large bar within the seating area and the second floor can be used for banquet events, private parties or overflow seating.

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Market day: A year after it opened, a Publix-anchored shopping center is on the market. The property is The Shoppes at Palmer Ranch at 8405 Honore Ave. in Sarasota. The sale price does not appear on the listing from the broker, Colliers, but according to Sarasota County property records the owner, WMG Development, paid $4.4 million for the site in 2021 before building the center.

Located off Honore Avenue at Central Sarasota Parkway, the 65,417-square-foot shopping center is fully leased with a tenant roster that includes Publix Liquors, Dental Care at Palmer Ranch, Sherwin-Williams, Wellness Animal Hospital, Ann Volcano Nail Lounge and Fuji Sushi Steakhouse. There are two freestanding ground-leased parcels with long-term leases — Circle K and Fifth Third Bank — that are being sold individually or separate from the shopping center.

[wondermint2]

Complete Streets Improvement study underway on Anna Maria Island

https://www.yourobserver.com/news/20...ets-study-ami/

The Florida Department of Transportation is conducting a Project Development and Environment Study for potential improvements to the corridor from State Road 789 from north of the Longboat Pass Bridge to State Road 64, and Gulf Drive from State Road 64 to White Avenue.

The project length is about six miles total and will evaluate multimodal alternatives for the corridors in Anna Maria Island, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach. Aspects like pedestrian safety, bicyclist safety and quality of life will be considered in the study.

“Minimizing environmental impacts while enhancing the future transportation network consistent with the community’s vision and character is also a project goal,” an FDOT release stated.

This PD&E will not include Longboat Key. Looking forward, Longboat Key is also eyeing a similar project with its Gulf of Mexico Drive Complete Street Corridor Project.

The project was listed as a priority for the town and the Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization, which set aside $18.3 million for the project in its long-range planning from 2025 to 2045.

[wondermint2]

Sarasota Improv Festival leaves the script behind

Florida Studio Theatre's annual festival creates spontaneous comedy with careful planning.

For full article:

https://www.yourobserver.com/news/20...prov-festival/

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*If You Go

The 2024 Sarasota Improv Festival. July 12-13. Florida Studio Theatre campus, 1265 First St., Sarasota. Single tickets $10 and $25; passes $75 for two days, $59 for Saturday, $49 for Friday. Visit: https://FloridaStudioTheatre.org for a full schedule of performances.

[wondermint2]

Variety of food trucks offered at UTC Mall (Video)

Published: Jul. 6, 2024 at 6:08 PM EDT | Updated: 15 hours ago

For video:

https://www.mysuncoast.com/2024/07/0...ered-utc-mall/

University Town Center Mall located in Sarasota offered something unique to Suncoast residents.

Over 40+ Food trucks, trailers, and pop-up tents were featured at parking lot 4 near the East Side/Main entrance.

The event offered free admission and parking and lasted until 8:00 p.m.