Community Connections

Greetings! Welcome to the new Sarasota County Community Connections. We've changed our look to make things easier for you to find. Please take a look around, then share this with your family, friends and neighbors. Contact us if you have questions, ideas for articles, or feedback on the system, or just let us know how you like the new look, at communityconnections@scgov.net.  Get plugged in Sept. 23 SUNDAY: On Sunday, Sept. 23, celebrate 2012 National Plug-In Day at the largest electric vehicle event ever held in the Sarasota area. Annie, get your business guns in gear! Annie's Project, a national program developed to empower farm and ranch women to be better business partners, is coming to Sarasota. The seven-week course, taught by UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County faculty, begins Oct. 1 and continues through Nov. 13. The course is limited to 20 participants, and the deadline for registration is Monday, Sept. 24.  Mowing schedule through Sept. 29 The schedule for Sarasota County's roadside mowing and median maintenance program for Sept. 15-29, subject to weather conditions. Residents get more time to obtain birth and death certificates in Venice The Health Department has expanded hours for the Vital Records (birth and death certificates) office at the Robert L. Anderson Administration Center in Venice. The office is now open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., with closure during lunch from 12-12:30 p.m.  Planning Commission seeks member The Sarasota County Planning Commission is seeking a new member to fill an unexpired four-year term. Members must be Sarasota County residents for at least two years and are required to file a financial disclosure annually. The deadline for filing an application is Oct. 5. Facing foreclosure or bankruptcy? Come hear a panel of experts discuss the housing crisis, and get information about legal help and credit management. What can the new Economic Energy Zone (EEZ) do for you? Find out during a series of workshops offered by Sarasota County and the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County.   'Unbroken' is Library system's 'One Book' of the year Readers from across Sarasota County have selected "Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption" by Laura Hillenbrand as the "One Book, One Community" book of the year. "Unbroken" has spent nearly 100 consecutive weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, been hailed by TIME Magazine as the best nonfiction book of the year and has won the Los Angeles Times Book of the Year Award for Nonfiction. County named one of the 100 best for young people Sarasota County has been named one of America's Promise Alliance's 100 Best Communities for Young People presented by ING. The national award was given to Sarasota County to recognize its outstanding and innovative work in addressing the high school dropout crisis and for its programs and services that make it an outstanding place for youth to live, learn and grow. Learn to prevent fraud and exploitation of older adults The Sarasota Community Alliance Aging in Place Action Team and University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee will sponsor "Last Will and Embezzlement: Protecting Yourself and Others from Fraud and Exploitation," on Friday, Oct. 5, from 8 a.m.-noon at the USF Sarasota-Manatee Campus, Selby Auditorium, 8350 North Tamiami Trail, Sarasota.