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Sarasota | Neighbors

Luna Cassandra and August Ray walk across the bridge.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • June 30, 2024
Project Pride marches 700-foot flag over Ringling Bridge

Project Pride described the event as an opportunity to "light the bridge our own way."

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Josie Calderon, 9, removes some sand from a sculpture.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • June 27, 2024
Kids learn new way to make sand castles at sculpture camp

The camp, a partnership with Sarasota County and The Sand Lovers, has been running for 12 years.

  • Siesta Key
  • Neighbors
A painting by Frank Hopper.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • June 27, 2024
Palm Avenue gallery acquires Sarasota-centric artwork from airport

The paintings by local artists Regan Dunnick and Frank Hopper will eventually be displayed for the public.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Stacey Marks (left) and Kari Schroeter (middle) perform a dance workout.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • June 26, 2024
Chamber's small business awards highlight community of caring

More than 600 people gathered to celebrate 30 local businesses on June 21.

  • Sarasota
  • Business
Will Westendorf, 8, of Cincinnati, who loves music, tries out a drum.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • June 26, 2024
Everyone moves to same beat at Siesta Key Drum Circle

The drum circle has been held for nearly three decades.

  • Siesta Key
  • Neighbors
Natasha Clemons
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • June 22, 2024
Newtown Juneteenth Celebration celebrates progress

The event brought together local vendors in recognition of the holiday.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Molten bronze is poured from the crucible into a series of molds at Bronzart Foundry.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • June 20, 2024
Bronzart Foundry creates art for sites around the world

The Sarasota-based foundry crafted an award for the 14th Dalai Lama.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Brian Finnerty and Amanda Heisey spent more than a decade on stage with each other at area theaters before getting married in January.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • June 19, 2024
Newlyweds found love and theater in Sarasota

Brian Finnerty and Amanda Heisey have been sharing stages in the area for nearly a decade.

  • Arts + Culture
An athlete prepares to shoot a basketball, as a Cardinal Mooney student watches.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • June 18, 2024
Athletes with intellectual disabilities shine at Camp Shriver

Special Olympics Florida teamed up with Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School to bring the camp to Sarasota.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
  • By Florida Power and Light Company (FPL)
  • June 17, 2024
Florida Power & Light enhances energy grid with planned upgrades in Sarasota County

FPL plans to make upgrades in Sarasota as part of its ongoing commitment to avoid outages and restore power faster following severe weather.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Sponsored Content
Rabbi Michael Shefrin meets Gracie, and Craig Serota.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • June 16, 2024
Temple Emanu-El celebrates pets with annual Blessing of the Animals

The event honored pets of all kinds, offering blessings to dogs, cats and even a leopard gecko.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Low water levels concentrate fish and other aquatic animals, sustaining migratory and native wading birds, including imperiled species like wood storks.
    By
  • Miri Hardy
  • June 15, 2024
Rainfall ends record low water levels at Myakka

Periodic dry conditions, resulting from extended drought, regulate and benefit plant and animal communities.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Heidi Ayala and Nina Costa enter the circle of the roda.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • June 13, 2024
Centuries-old Afro-Brazilian martial art and dance thrives in Sarasota

Founded in 1996, Capoeira Volta Ao Mundo creates a place for people to learn the art of Capoeira.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
  • By BayView Dental
  • June 12, 2024
4 Dental Truths for a Sparkling Smile

The Tooth, The Whole Tooth, and Nothing But the Tooth and Surprising Truths.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Sponsored Content
Love Gordon, Addison Riesen, Solomyn Hoinkas and Coco Claypoole show off their art made with recycled cardboard.
    By
  • Petra Rivera
  • June 10, 2024
Home-school students present projects on Ocean Day

Mote's Ocean Day celebration challenges local home-school students to learn about ways to take care of Florida's waters.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Robert Winkle, Lori Goldmeier and Geoff Martz
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • June 8, 2024
SRQCon hosts all things pop culture at Selby Library

Cosplayers flocked to the event, which featured vendors, crafts and an escape room.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Queen of the Night blooms for crowd at Selby Gardens
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • June 7, 2024
Queen of the Night blooms for crowd at Selby Gardens

The flowering cactus only shows its blossoms for one night each year.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Celery Fields is a mecca for birders and other nature lovers.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • June 7, 2024
Sarasota Audubon Society announces incoming president

Longtime area resident Sara Reisinger started at the nonprofit as a volunteer.

  • Sarasota
  • News
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
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Latest in Sarasota

1
District 5 representative Ron Cutsinger will be the 2026 chairman of the Sarasota County Commission.
  • December 19, 2025
Sarasota County commissioners pick chair, vice chair
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Locations of the new St. Armands speed tables are marked in red.
  • December 19, 2025
St. Armands speed humps will be replaced with permanent speed tables
3
All games in the 2027 Sarasota College Softball Classic will be played on the championship field (lower left) at the new 17th Street Park Regional Sports Complex.
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New north county park draws major collegiate softball tournament
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Sarasota Police Department personnel monitor Sarasota's network of cameras, license plate readers, gunshot detectors and other devices in the nearly completed Real-Time Operations Center.
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Sarasota homes light up for the holidays

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