Next General Meeting Jan. 12 at Lakeview Elementary

The next general meeting of the Lake Sarasota Community Group (LSCG) will be held at a new location, but at the usual time.

Set your calendar for Tuesday, Jan. 12, 7 p.m., and find us at Lakeview Elementary School (Off of Hand Rd.) in Portable #33. This portable is located at the south end of the campus, toward the Bent Tree side.

The location is being tried and we will talk about whether to make it our new regular meeting place at the meeting, along with all other regular and new business.

Happy Holidays

Ready for a great Christmas?

Santa came early?

Santa is due in Lake Sarasota on the firetruck on Sunday, Dec. 20th, between 2 and 4 pm. (See the map here).

But our neighborhood has been treated to a Christmas gift already.

Last week Ray and Connie Bresciani and some of their grown children and growing grandchildren spruced up the front entrances, laying down 40 bags of mulch, doing some weeding, and even thoughtfully added wreathes for a nice seasonal touch.



Thanks Ray and Connie and all you Brescianis! Not just for this gesture, but for the time, thought, sweat and care you have put into many projects in Lake Sarasota. We're fortunate to have quite a few residents who pitched in to help build Hina Point Park, pick up trash on Mauna Loa and to do a really thorough clean-up of Lakeview Park, among other projects -- all that great help is gratefully acknowledged. Not all are aware that if it were not for Ray and Connie, some of these projects would not have gotten done -- some they initiated, others were shaped and enhanced by their contributions, others they just showed up and did the hard work - providing food and organization for the Lakeview Cleanup, materials and plans for Hina Park, ideas and help for the canals in Lakeview Park.

In tough years like the one we've had, many of us feel pressed, and little able to spare thought, let alone time and energy, for things outside our immediate and urgent needs. Thanks to Ray and Connie, and to everyone who found it possible to pitch in this year to make Lake Sarasota a better place.

Beautification Sat. Morning 9 a.m.

From Ray comes this summons:

Good morning fellow workers of Lake Sarasota!

Our front entrances (Mauna Loa & Westminster) need some attention! Trimmed, weed whacked, & mulched. Would like to set up a short work detail for this Saturday morning at 9 A.M. We will probably need 30 to 40 bags of mulch.

Interested in keeping Lake Sarasota beautiful? Saturday morning some members of the beautification team will be out at the front entrance (Mauna Loa and Bee Ridge) with brand-new mulch and fertilizer purchased with some of our county grant money.

So come out at 9 a.m., meet some of the busiest people in Lake Sarasota, and help give your community a nice uplift.

Meeting Place and Santa Confirmed!

Two updates: We will hold our first meeting of 2010 on Jan. 12, from 7-8:30 p.m. at Lakeview Elementary, in portable #33, which is amongst the newer portables near the south entrance, going towards Bent Tree on Hand Rd.

Santa on a Firetruck has been a Lake Sarasota tradition for the past few years, and this year is no exception. Santa will arrive on Sunday, December 20, 2009 at 2:00 PM, and ride around the neighborhood, and end his visit around 3 PM.

He'll begin at Station 8 and proceed through Lake Sarasota Neighborhood on a firetruck from the Station. Here's the route:


View Santa Claus Comes to Lake Sarasota in a larger map

Friends of Park Group Forms

A new Friends of Rothenbach Park Chapter met Sunday to get some orientation on what the park is about, what can be done for it, and where to begin. Friends of Sarastota County Parks is the umbrella organization with many resources to help new chapters get going. (Facebook / Twitter).

All kinds of events are possible, from races and yard sales to butterfly gardens, hiking, and landscaping. It's really up to the communities that wish to get involved.

The first event will come on Jan. 16th - the Air Potato Pick-Up will begin at 9 a.m. and all are welcome. The idea is to rid the hammocks of as many of those bulbous air potato seeds as possible -- otherwise the invasive vine takes over and kills native species.

If you want to get involved in shaping Sarasota's new park, come out on the 16th and pitch in. All ages can help - bring a hat, gloves, closed shoes (not sandals), garbage bags or buckets (some will be supplied). When done, enjoy some refreshments at noon, followed by a brief Friends of Rothenbach Park meeting. For more info, feel free to contact the point persons for the Group: Ray and Connie Bresciani (371-1180) or at rayscons1@comcast.net .

Free H1N1 Vaccinations for all Sarasotans Dec. 5th

H1N1 flu vaccinations now available for all Sarasota County residents

The Sarasota County Health Department will offer free H1N1 flu vaccinations to the general public from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5 at the following locations:

* Sarasota County Health Department, 2200 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota
* Woodmere Community Park and Recreation Center, 3951 Woodmere Park Blvd., Venice
"We have served the at-risk population, and now, we're prepared to provide the vaccine to the general population," reports Chuck Henry, incident commander for the Sarasota County H1N1 response.

According to Henry, health officials will immunize as many people as possible during the two clinics Dec. 5. Both the H1N1 nasal mist, which is preservative-free, and an injectable vaccine of inactivated virus will be available.

The H1N1 (Swine) flu vaccine is not intended to replace the seasonal flu vaccine. Each vaccine protects against a different virus. For adequate protection against all known circulating flu viruses, people are advised to get two vaccinations: one for seasonal flu and one for H1N1 flu. Similar to the seasonal influenza vaccine, most healthy adults who receive the H1N1 vaccine will have protection in eight to 10 days. People who receive the seasonal FluMist(r) nasal spray vaccine must wait at least 28 days before receiving the H1N1 FluMist(r) nasal spray vaccine.

Blank consent forms will be available at each location for those who do not download the vaccine consent form in advance. Those who do not have access to a computer can visit the health kiosks at any Sarasota County library. The Sarasota County Call Center has a TDD line, 941-861-1833, available for those who are hearing impaired.

For more details about Saturday's vaccine clinics, including a fact sheet about the vaccine and instructions about vaccine consent forms, call 941-861-2800, or visit the Sarasota County Health Department's Web site, www.sarasotahealth.org<http://www.sarasotahealth.org>

Jan Thornburg
City of Sarasota
Public Information Officer
941-954-2613
941-650-9693 (Cell)
941-954-4113 (Fax)

Get involved: From the LSCG Board

Dear Residents of Lake Sarasota:

We had our monthly meeting last night. It was interesting and informative.

We had a citizens patrol report from Ted Cover. Ted reported that crimes in October were up from crimes in September (we don't have the November police report yet). The Citizens Patrol is in need of volunteers to patrol our neighborhood. WE NEED YOUR HELP! Please contact Ted at 379-0758 orTCover6161@aol.com

If you can just patrol for a couple of hours a month it makes it much easier on everyone. Please make an effort to give the Citizen's Patrol a hand!

Yard of the Month winners were selected and will receive the Yard of the Month signs shortly. It should be prominently displayed until the next winners are selected in January, 2010.

Since we were required to change the date of this month's meeting (circumstances beyond our control) we have decided to have our $50. cash raffle at our next meeting. The next meeting is tentatively scheduled for January 12, 2010, but the arrangements have to be finalized. We will send out another email when the date and location have been confirmed. WHY NOT COME AND TAKE A CHANCE AT WINNING $50.?????

UPCOMING EVENTS

We believe that Santa Claus will be visiting the neighborhood on December 20, however this is another date that we have to confirm with the fire department since they will be loaning Santa a fire truck to ride around the neighborhood on. We will let you know when Santa's plans are finalized.

We have tentatively selected March 13, 2010 for our next garage sale.

We have tentatively selected April 10, 2010 as the day for our Spring Fling.

We are in discussions as to when to start working on a new business directory and will let everyone know when to send in the information and money if they want to be in the directory.

The events that take place in Lake Sarasota require a lot of work when the work is only done by only a few people. We would ask that you try and help us out by volunteering some of your time to help with one or more events. This will help to keep things moving and will make our community better for everyone. Please contact Sandy Allen at 921-2137 or sallen11@comcast.net and let her know how you can be of assistance with the events that are coming up. THE LAKE SARASOTA COMMUNITY GROUP NEEDS SOME HELP!

Board of Directors

Lake Sarasota Community Group

Latest Severe Weather Alert

For: Sarasota County Emergency Management -- Sarasota County, FL
Condition Yellow

Sustained Wind 25+ MPH

Issued: 4:43 PM EST Wed, Dec 02, 2009.
Valid: 04:43 PM EST Wed to 07:30 PM EST Wed

Winds:
20 to 30 mph with gusts to 40 MPH

Discussion:
Strong southerly winds will continue through the rest of the afternoon which could reach up to 30 mph at times. Higher gusts are possible. Winds will gradually decrease this evening.

Notes from Dec. 2 Meeting

If you received a flyer announcing the December meeting on Dec. 8 or 9, ignore it -- for various reasons the meeting was held Tuesday night, Dec. 2. We tried to get the word out, however, due to very low turnout, the drawing for the $50 gift certificate has been rescheduled for the January 12th meeting (see below for more details).

Crime update: There were eight incidents in Lake Sarasota in October, according to the Sheriff's report. That's down from 20 per month during the summer (but up from four in Sept.)

Ted is looking for help with Citizens patrol - please call him (941 379-0758) or email him at TCover6161@aol.com. Training for the patrol is brief, easy and available - contact Ted and he'll set it up.

Three more homes were awarded Yard of the Month and will be hearing from Renee.

Sandy is working on lining up the annual Santa on a fire truck -- please check this space for an update, but tentatively it's Sunday, Dec. 20th. Confirmation and time TBA.

Sandy collected $117 in donations from the Fall garage sale.The date of the Spring Garage Sale is March 13. Contact her to get on the map.

The Spring Fling is set for Saturday, April 10.

Sandy plans to start working on the next biz directory on Mar. 1, with plans to distribute it around May 1. There was some discussion of posting the directory online, perhaps even on Facebook. Folks are looking into this. Contact her for more info: sallen11@comcast.net (321-5582).

The next general meeting will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 12, from 7 - 8:30 pm. Most likely it will be in a new venue, at Lakeview School. More on this as details are known.

LSCG meets Dec. 2

The final 2009 monthly meeting of the Lake Sarasota Community Group will be held on a different day and time:

The group will meet on Wednesday, Dec. 2, at 6:30 pm in room 203 of Sarasota Baptist Church community center - this is just upstairs from the room we normally meet in.

The meeting will run from 6:30 to 8 pm - at 8 we have to be out of the building. People are invited to bring snacks, drinks and their ideas for next year. A $50 gift certificate will be raffled off. Among projects to be discussed, a community garden, bike paths on Bee Ridge west of Mauna Loa, and [your project here].

(Note: The first meeting of 2010 will take place in the same room on Jan. 13, 6:30 pm.)

Free Housing Seminar Dec. 5

Click to enlarge:

Best wishes of the season

From the Lake Sarasota Community Group:

A very happy Thanksgiving,



And a sane Black Friday:

Dog Park Patrons Pitch In

A couple of piles of mulch were dropped at the dog park a while ago, and remained there undisturbed, until this morning. After waiting patiently but in vain for it to somehow spread itself, a stalwart group of dog owners Friday morning took matters into their own hands. They brought shovels and pitchforks, rakes and a wheelbarrow, and in between the bantering about Frankenstein parodies and the relative work ethics of men and women, about an hour and 20 minutes later, most of one large pile was spread where there had just been dirt before.

A few images from the entirely enjoyable occasion, with hearty thanks to Kathy, Art, Roxanne, Jenn, Steve, Jim, Dan the Squirrelmaster and Bill for literally pitching in:

dog park mulch movers

Free H1N1 Vaccine

October crime report from the Sheriff"s Office

Ted shared this October update of crime reported in Lake Sarasota:

Here's the October crime report:

There were eight total incidents: one burglary, one juvenile disturbance, and six thefts. Palau Drive was the "hotspot" with three thefts. Two were at adjacent addresses (4051 and 4052). The burglary was at 4111 Berkshire. The Juvenile disturbance was at 6918 Jarvis Road. The other four thefts were at 7266 Mauna Loa, 4008 Palau, 4102 Berkshire, and 3948 Middlesex. Most incidents occurred between the 9th and the 17th of the month. Most incidents occurred between 5 p.m. and midnight. Three incidents occurred in the morning hours, one at 4111 Berkshire (burglary), one at 4008 Palau (theft), and one at 4051 Palau (theft).

The number of incidents doubled over September, but are still below the high levels experienced during the summer months.

Ted Cover
Citizens Patrol

As always, Citizens Patrol could use a few good volunteers - it doesn't take much time, is entirely safe, and proven effective. Give Ted a call at 379-0758 (email) if you can spare an hour a month or so.

Carjacking: Advice from the Florida Attorney General

How to Prevent a Carjacking

Source: Florida Attorney General's Office

• Keep doors locked and windows shut.
• Don't stop to assist a disabled motorist. Instead contact a service station or police.
• When stopped at a light, leave enough room between you and the car in front that you could make an escape.
• Be suspicious of anyone approaching the car with fliers, asking for change or directions. Be ready to leave carefully, even if it means running a red light or stop sign.
• While driving, if struck from behind or in any suspicious way, stay in your vehicle with the doors locked and windows closed until the police arrive. Activate your vehicle's emergency flashers.
• If you're very suspicious, get the other vehicle's license number and drive to the nearest police station or a well-lighted area with lots of people.
• If you think you are being followed, drive immediately to an area with lots of lights and people. If possible, drive to the nearest law enforcement office.
• Obtain and use a cellular phone to call for help. In Florida, dialing *FHP anywhere in the state from a cellular phone will connect you with the nearest Florida Highway Patrol station.

LSCG Meeting Notes, Nov. 10, 2009

Chief Fire Inspector Don Damron offered a lot of information about smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. For those unable to attend, a summary has been put in the files section of the Yahoo Lake Sarasota Group.

The treasury currently has $1321.15. We also still have grant money from the county.

Ray gave us an update on the Bee Ridge Rd. East project that will widen and buffer the road. More here.

NOTE: Several of those present were strongly in favor of forming an ad-hoc committee to press for sidewalks and bike paths to extend west of Mauna Loa to Cattlemen, much of which falls to the state, rather than the county. Also, the empty land used for used cars and a dilapidated old political sign at Bikini and Bee Ridge needs to be cleaned up, several said. Stay tuned.

During a recent Citizens Patrol round, Connie noted the location of several potholes on various Lake Sarasota streets. On Oct. 14, she called the county number: 861-5000, and was connected with a woman who took the addresses of the homes near the potholes. All the potholes had been filled by Oct. 20th. Connie was impressed that it only took one call to get it done. She also learned that Lake Sarasota roads are due for repaving in 2011.

Sandy received $127 in donations from her work on the maps for the Garage Sale, which seems to have been a success.

The group is concerned about recent vandalism at the park and was glad to hear that security cameras are to be installed there. There are also plans to further oxygenate the water of the ponds in the park -- more on this soon.

The next meeting is set for Dec. 8 - if we are meeting in the same room, people will bring snacks.

And the group thanks whoever donated a new flag -- a new one had been ordered, but when the man arrived to replace the old one, he found someone had beat him to it. Our unknown benefactor's kindness is deeply appreciated.

Ted was unable to make the meeting, but will update us on recent incidents in Lake S. soon. He also still needs volunteers for Citizens Patrol: Tcover6161@aol.com

Fire Inspector will speak tonight

At next Tuesday's LSCG meeting, Don Damron, Chief Fire Plans Reviewer/Inspector of the Sarasota County Fire Dept. will talk about home fire safety, and the department's smoke detector and home inspection programs.

Other Agenda items will include discussion of future events, Yard of the Month, Bee Ridge Road update, parks issues (vandalism), and other new business as may come up.

We meet the second Tuesday of each month at Sarasota Baptist, room 100, at 7 pm. The group is strictly voluntary - no dues, no deed restrictions, all welcome.

Update: Ida will bring some rain, wind

Update from Emergency Services as of Tuesday morning:

Good Morning: Ida is now on shore and is expected to weaken. We are watching #73 located near Puerto Rico. This system has the potential to develop into a storm. I will keep you posted on any developments.