Good morning Sarasota! Your connection to what's happening around town is here. Take a sip of coffee and read on. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: Open House - North Port and 10 more events.
Today's riddle: What are the two favorite words for a shark to hear? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. Florida AG letter undercuts Sarasota County in Live Local legal fight (mysuncoast.com) — Sarasota County's effort to limit large Live Local Act apartment projects on rural land has been dealt a blow by a new advisory letter from Florida's attorney general, which sides with developers on what counts as mixed-use property. The opinion could influence six ongoing lawsuits, open the door to thousands of new housing units, and potentially leave county taxpayers paying steep legal bills.
2. Head Start overhaul could reshape services for Sarasota families (wusf.org) — Sarasota County's Children First Head Start program could see major changes if a federal proposal to slash regulations moves forward, raising concerns about funding, class sizes, and support services for vulnerable families. Local leaders say they'll try to preserve current standards, but worry looser federal rules could eventually reduce resources for Sarasota children living in poverty, homelessness, or foster care.
3. Watering restrictions to remain in place until March 2027 in some SWFL counties (wgcu.org) — Sarasota residents will remain under once-a-week lawn watering limits until at least March 2027 because of an "extreme" water shortage and a 15-inch rainfall deficit. The rules apply even to private wells, with watering allowed only four hours before or after midnight, while larger properties get both time windows.
4. Southside students go gold to remember classmates, support cancer awareness (yourobserver.com) — Southside Elementary students in Sarasota turned their campus gold to honor classmates lost to pediatric cancer and raise money for research through the Go Gold campaign. The event, now spreading across Sarasota County, included a butterfly release for former student Lucas Ticola and support from Boca Raton nonprofit Myla's Beleaf, giving local kids a way to grieve and take meaningful action.
5. Sarasota County conferred 1,376 degrees and certificates in 2023-24 (sarasotareview.com) — Colleges in Sarasota County awarded 1,376 degrees and certificates in the 2023–24 academic year, with bachelor's degrees making up the largest share. Local schools granted credentials across 52 fields, led by animation and related technologies, while national figures highlight rising college costs and the growing role of financial aid for students.
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making Sarasota PatchAM possible:
Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
Ok Sarasota! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: "MAN OVERBOARD!" (Thank you M J. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what's happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Sarasota Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.