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Sarasota | Neighbors

Nicholas Lewis, David Pratt, Mark Hamel and Evan Santiago, 9, play chess
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • June 6, 2024
Community of players grows at Manasota Chess Center

The brick-and-mortar chess club has received national recognition.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
  • By Azure Siesta Key
  • June 5, 2024
A New Era of Luxury Living Begins on Siesta Key’s Pristine Shores

Conceptualized nearly a decade ago by Ed Eible of Architura, Azure residences will feature three exclusive units.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Sponsored Content
Paul Lotierzo and Jason Champion
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • June 5, 2024
Project Pride offers new gathering place for LGBTQ+ community

The organization recently established a new headquarters and hired its first executive director.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
A rendering shows the interior layout of Project 24 Climbing. Designs are currently being finalized.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • June 4, 2024
Climbing gym will take Sarasota vertical in 2025

Project 24 Climbing is expected to break ground in August and open in spring 2025, becoming Sarasota's only climbing gym.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Maggie Poppoon, 6, a visitor from Texas, examines stone items at the market.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • June 3, 2024
Visitors enjoy locally made items and the outdoors at farmers market

The market offered a wide range of items, including jewelry, crafts and foods.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Regular schedules of prescribed burns help restore and maintain healthy habitats for imperiled fire-dependent species such as gopher tortoises.
    By
  • Miri Hardy
  • May 30, 2024
Fire plays critical role in Myakka park

Some imperiled species, such as the gopher tortoise, crested caracara and pine lily, wouldn't survive without occasional fires.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Members of Choral Artists of Sarasota offer a performance.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • May 30, 2024
Choral Artists of Sarasota preps for D-Day commemoration in France

The chorus will be seen by more than a million people at Normandy American Cemetery and will also perform in Paris.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Liliana William and Miguel Gomez participate by motorcycle.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • May 27, 2024
Memorial Day Parade marches in honor of fallen service members

Bringing together veterans and local organizations, Sarasota's parade remembered those who gave all.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Carly Weakland of Veterans Affairs Law walks with Anthony Kuhn and his longtime friend from the U.S. Army, Wayne Robinson.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • May 25, 2024
Veterans and community members hike in honor of Memorial Day

The ninth annual Memorial Day Hike by SRQ Vets remembered the fallen.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Brigade Inspector Dan Kennedy and Brigade Commander Rebecca Morgan
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • May 23, 2024
Sarasota residents gather descendants of Washington's Army

Society of the Descendants of Washington's Army helps people trace their lineage to the patriots who camped at Valley Forge.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Paintings from Children's Art Classes
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • May 21, 2024
Creative Kids of SRQ enters nonprofit scene with Youth Art Show

The nonprofit offered the gallery walls to young artists and helped them visualize a future in the arts.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Cyclists head out on the Ride of Silence.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • May 20, 2024
Ride of Silence honors cyclist victims of roadway accidents

The 22nd annual ride, a 7-mile loop through downtown Sarasota, was held in honor of cyclists injured and killed on public roads.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Plymouth Harbor residents treated firefighters at Sarasota County Station 3 to lunch on May 15, 16 and 17.
    By
  • Carter Weinhofer
  • May 17, 2024
Plymouth Harbor shows appreciation to firefighters with annual lunch

Residents visited Sarasota County Fire Department Station 3, toured the facility and dined with the firefighters.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Karen Dudley navigates the pool.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • May 16, 2024
Swim school helps adults overcome fear in the water

Adults travel across the country to visit the Sarasota-based Miracle Swimming School for Adults and gain confidence in the water.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Bob Blancato speaks at Senior Friendship Centers.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • May 13, 2024
Senior Friendship Centers hosts advocate for the needs of older Americans

Bob Blancato, the national coordinator of the bipartisan 3,000-member Elder Justice Coalition, spoke at the organization during Older Americans Month.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
This team-building exercise involved passing the cones to each other as fast as they could while squatting. Once all the cones were passed, the women went down into a plank.
    By
  • Petra Rivera
  • May 12, 2024
New workout group leads Mother's Day class on Lido Beach

Kathryn Adelman brought mother-daughter pairs together the morning of Mother's Day as a part of her female-empowerment workout group.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Seneca Puleo came dressed as a Val'kyr from World of Warcraft.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • May 11, 2024
SiestaCon brings a new comic con to Sarasota

The event, held by Dark Side Comics in Sarasota and Unknown Comics in Texas, featured cosplay artist, special guests, custom vehicles and more.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Nicole Machenheimer and Maloney
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • May 10, 2024
Sarasota teacher adopts dog her class met on field trip

Maloney was a special guest during a performance of "The Call of the Wild" at the Van Wezel.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Emmanuelle Nobert, performer from Karen's Hora Loca dressed in a costume based on "The Mask," and Deirdra Sampson
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • May 6, 2024
Downtown Sarasota becomes festival scene for Cinco de Mayo

The weekend included block parties at Circo and El Melvin Cocina Mexicana.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Zeta the Babe offers a performance.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • May 5, 2024
Pride fest spotlights arts talents in the LGBTQ+ community

Now in its 14th year, Be Fabulous Music & Arts Pride Fest brought together a lineup of local musicians to perform for the community.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Mike Kopp and Max McCloud have a laugh together.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • May 5, 2024
Concert helps Sarasota community 'Vibe on Palm'

The night’s entertainment at Fresh Fridays on South Palm Avenue featured The Alan Grant Band.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
The group meets in Walter Sparkman's home.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • May 3, 2024
Succulents thrive in (somewhat) secret garden in Sarasota

In a quiet, leafy corner of the city, the Sarasota Succulent Society has been raising hardy plants since 1950.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
  • By Tidewell Foundation
  • May 2, 2024
Tidewell Foundation Raising the Next Generation of Hospice Nurses

Tidewell Hospice, a not-for-profit organization, offers care provided by expert care teams wherever patients call home.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Sponsored Content
New museum to feature model railroad and vintage toys
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • May 1, 2024
New museum to feature model railroad and vintage toys

Lakewood Ranch's Richard Pierson expects to open Sarasota Toy Museum and Moosehead Toys and Comics, with space dedicated to an HO scale model train layout, in July.

  • Sarasota
  • Business
Alice Abyss published “Pharmakides."
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • May 1, 2024
Book fair shines spotlight on world of local authors

Authors gathered at the Bookstore1Sarasota fair to showcase works in a range of genres.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Flynn Berman, 11, breaks the matzah.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • April 30, 2024
Families celebrate Passover at Temple Emanu-El feast

The event taught the traditions of Passover in an evening featuring costumes, songs, games and more.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Alexander Simon, 1, makes his way across the floor in the Diaper Derby.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • April 28, 2024
Community Baby Shower helps provide for essential needs

The 2024 Community Baby Shower highlighted services for families while keeping kids entertained with events like the “Diaper Derby.”

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Avenue of Art expands mission of bringing color to the city
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • April 25, 2024
Avenue of Art expands mission of bringing color to the city

The project in Burns Square now enters its third phase, with 100 sidewalk paintings set to be added to the existing 210 by the end of the month.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Ianna Guedes and Lucia Moretta add a treatment to their bacteria. The Giving Challenge has helped meet the needs of students at Sarasota High School's MaST Research Institute.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • April 24, 2024
Giving Challenge lends helping hand to Sarasota County nonprofits

The fundraising event, which spans four counties, helped once again to strengthen nonprofits in Sarasota County.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Ed Kolodzieski of Longboat Key company Ultra-Marine enjoyed showcasing what he said are the first Zodiac Nomads, a lightweight boat with an electric motor, in the United States.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • April 22, 2024
Boat enthusiasts gather at Suncoast Boat Show

Promoted as the Gulf Coast’s premier boat show, the event features a wide selection of boats both on land and in the water.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Asher Ripley, 6, assembles plants to create a sun print at Suncoast Waterkeeper.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • April 21, 2024
Earth Day at The Bay unites community in support of the environment

The event featured Suncoast Remake Learning Days activities hosted by nonprofits from across Sarasota, a tree giveaway by the city of Sarasota and more.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Anticoagulant poisons in bait traps threaten native rodent hunters, like barred owls, who help keep pests in check.
    By
  • Miri Hardy
  • April 20, 2024
Birds of prey help control rodent populations

Widespread use of anticoagulant rodenticides is a growing threat for Florida's raptors.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Chris Jericho meets Jake Harris, 4, and Christopher Harris, 9.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • April 18, 2024
Wrestler Chris Jericho visits Booker High to inspire students

The wrestler and comic book author visited the school to encourage students — including those working on the digital art for his new graphic novel.

  • Sarasota
  • Schools
Chazzan Cliff Abramson
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • April 16, 2024
Temple Sinai honors Chazzan Cliff Abramson

Over the past 18 years, Abramson has taught, conducted services and led life cycle events at Temple Sinai.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Lindsay Krause, Marc Chartier, Danille Cotting, Melissa Ehrmann and her husband James Ehrmann
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • April 15, 2024
99 Bottles marks five years in Sarasota with block party

The fifth anniversary Block Party at 99 Bottles Taproom & Bottle Shop included live music, food trucks and new beer releases.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Rabbi Brenner Glickman speaks to the group about Passover.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • April 14, 2024
Toddlers learn about Passover at Temple Emanu-El's Tot Shabbat

The morning brought kids and adults together for Passover songs and crafts.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
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