The Lake Sarasota Community Blog

This weekend brings 1,800 athletes from all over Florida to Sarasota for the FSRA State Championships. Come out and see what the fun is all about. It's exciting, it's the biggest event of the season, it's free. April 27-28 at Nathan Benderson Park. All the info here.

Greetings! Welcome to Sarasota County Community Connections.  Contact us if you have questions, ideas for articles, or feedback on the system, at  communityconnections@scgov. net.     Emergency Services Awards ceremony TODAY:  Citizens and Emergency Services personnel will be honored at an awards ceremony from 2-4 p.m. Thursday, April 25, in the Commission Chamber at the Sarasota County Administration Center. Try transit and commuter services TODAY:  Sarasota County Area Transit and the Commuter Services program of the Florida Department of Transportation are holding a joint celebration of Try Transit Day and Commuter Services Day.  Arbor Day takes root April 27 and 30 THIS WEEKEND:  Celebrate Arbor Day 2013 with two educational events April 27 and April 30. Both classes will be at UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County at Twin Lakes Park, 6700 Clark Road, Sarasota.  Clerk releases first 'IMPACT Report' The Clerk of th...

Long before Racetrac developed its "sit-down" gas station with coffee and wifi, Frank Lloyd Wright had a similar (but not quite identical) idea for a "waiting station" as a cultural center :

March property sales highest total since August 2005 Property sales in the Sarasota real estate market remained hot in March 2013 and for the first quarter of 2013. The March 2013 sales figure of 887 was the highest total since August 2005, and for the full first quarter, sales were 11.3 percent higher than in 2012. Members of the Sarasota Association of Realtors ®  sold 628 single family homes and 259 condominiums in March 2013. That compared to 504 single family homes and 229 condos sold in February 2013, for a 21-percent increase over last month and 6.7 percent higher than March 2012. The huge number of sales coincided with an impressive increase in the median sales price, especially for single family homes. The figure of $210,000 for single family homes was the highest since August 2008 - nearly five years ago. For condos, the median was $182,000. The condo figure has fluctuated substantially over the past few years, dropping to a low point of $127,000 in July 201...

April 18, 2013 Greetings! Welcome to Sarasota County Community Connections.  Contact us if you have questions, ideas for articles, or feedback on the system, at  communityconnections@scgov. net.     Wow, lots going on this weekend! Check out everything that's taking place Saturday.   'Big Truck Day' They rumble, they roar, they roll - and they are big! Sarasota County will host the "17th Annual Big Truck Day" 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Saturday, April 20, at Twin Lakes Park, 6700 Clark Road, Sarasota. Trail Safety Day Join the open house celebration and Trail Safety Day from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday, April 20, at the new Osprey Junction Trailhead, 939 East Bay St., Osprey.   Kensington Park community cleanup   Sarasota County will hold its annual free community cleanup in the Kensington Park area from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, April 20. Dumpsters will be provided at three locations for residents. K-9 Search and Rescue Sarasota K-9 Searc...

April 11, 2013 Greetings! Welcome to Sarasota County Community Connections.  Contact us if you have questions, ideas for articles, or feedback on the system, at  communityconnections@scgov. net.   County named 2013 All-America City Award finalist Sarasota County has been named one of 20 finalists for the All-America City Awards, a nationwide contest established by the National Civic League that recognizes communities demonstrating innovation, civic engagement and cross-sector collaboration.  Get 'Money Smart' April 19-27 Financial professionals in banking, investments and retirement planning will host a series of presentations during "Money Smart Week @ Your Library," at Sarasota County Libraries.  Energy Upgrade workshops save money and energy Free 30-minute Energy Upgrade workshops are open to civic groups, clubs, faith organizations, nonprofit associations and businesses. 'Tour de Parks' maps now online The 2013 Tour de Parks route ma...

The Sarasota Coalition of Neighborhood Associations (CONA) will hold its regular Monthly meeting on Monday, April 8, 7 pm at the Sarasota Garden Club, 1131 Blvd of the Arts. The agenda includes a candidate forum with the three remaining candidates for the municipal commissioner at large for the City of Sarasota.  The Lake Sarasota Community Group recently became a member of CONA.

Greetings! Welcome to Sarasota County Community Connections.  Contact us if you have questions, ideas for articles, or feedback on the system, at  communityconnections@scgov. net.   FIRA Championships come to Nathan Benderson Park this weekend FRIDAY:  The top collegiate rowing teams in the southeast will take to the waters of Nathan Benderson Park on April 5-6 to battle for the Florida Intercollegiate Rowing Association (FIRA) Championship trophy.  Mowing schedule for April 1-12 The schedule for Sarasota County's roadside mowing and median maintenance program for April 1-12, subject to weather conditions. CHAT holds community forum The North Port Community Health Action Team (CHAT) will host the "Coming Together as a Community for Our Children" forum at the North Port City Hall Commission Chambers, 4970 City Hall Blvd., North Port, at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10.  Libraries get new website design The Sarasota County Library Sy...