News Briefs

+ Group makes strides in helping homeless
A pilot program in Sarasota has helped 22 homeless people find work.

The program, called Street Teams, is a joint project of The Salvation Army and the city of Sarasota. Thus far, 22 out of 33 people in the pilot program have found employment, said Tom Maxa, supervisor of the program. Workers are assigned to the Public Works Department for the mornings, and develop soft skills and employment skills in the afternoon.

+ Dine Downtown continues this week
A new culinary and cultural adventure has hit downtown Sarasota.

The first Dine Downtown Celebration showcasea a variety of downtown Sarasota restaurants featuring a “pick two for $22” menu, according to a press release from the Downtown Sarasota Alliance.

During Dine Downtown, until Oct. 14, residents and vacationers can visit as many participating establishments as they want.

For a list of participating restaurants and their menus, visit DDsrq.com.

+ Parking amnesty program extended
The city’s parking citation amnesty program will continue through October to encourage payment of parking citations at least 90 days past due. 

To be eligible, your parking ticket must be at least 90 days past due, and the city of Sarasota will forgive the $15 late fee. Payments must be received by Oct. 31. Since the program started in August, nearly 200 past due parking tickets were paid, generating almost $10,000 in revenue. For more information about the program, call 954-7057.

+ City seeks economic development coordinator
The city of Sarasota, the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Improvement District are reviewing candidates for the position of downtown economic development coordinator for Sarasota.

The position is funded by the organizational consortium.

Job postings for this position state that the public-private partnership seeks “qualified candidates to develop and implement strategies to promote the economic vitality of downtown Sarasota.” For more information and to apply, email [email protected].