The Lake Sarasota Community Blog

SCAT is on Facebook Visit and like the page now to stay on top of new service announcements. Emergency Services director named Sarasota County's next Emergency Service director is scheduled to begin  Aug. 4 , and brings with him 25 years of public safety experience.  Rich Collins, the current Emergency Management director for Osceola, Fla., will fill the county's vacancy created by the retirement of Chief Mike Tobias. Get happy - vote for our summer Parks video Time to get happy and vote for Sarasota County parks! Our summer campers and staff worked hard on a video for a Florida Recreation and Parks Association contest. Help us push it over the top by voting between now and  July 27 . Visit the "It Starts in Parks' Facebook page and click on the video contest tab. Select the Sarasota County video and enjoy watching the energy and enthusiasm of some of the best campers ever! Vote now! Free extension classes and workshops Saras...

SARASOTA, FL – Sarasota County residents must be registered to vote by Monday, July 28 to be eligible to vote in the Primary Election on August 26, according to Supervisor of Elections Kathy Dent. To register, one must complete a Florida Voter Registration Application . Applications are available at supervisor of elections’ offices, city halls, county libraries, county offices, and social service agencies and may be downloaded from the supervisor of elections (SOE) website at  www.SarasotaVotes.com . Dent also recommends that voters visit the SOE website to verify their registration and precinct information prior to going to the polls to vote. Just click on “Voter Information” in the main menu and then select “Voter Lookup” or “Precinct Finder” and follow the easy instructions. A voter who has moved, had a name change, or needs to update his or her signature since the last election may do so by completing a Florida Voter Registration Application. Voters may call the su...

Dear Lake, Welcome to Sarasota County's community e-newsletter. If you have questions, ideas for articles, or feedback on the system, contact us at pubcom @scgov.net.     SCAT is on Facebook Visit and like the page now to stay on top of new service announcements. Voter registration deadline nears for  Aug. 26  Primary Election Sarasota County residents must be registered to vote by  Monday, July 28 , to be eligible to vote in the Primary Election on  August 26 , according to Supervisor of Elections Kathy Dent. Show your love for local parks July is National Parks and Recreation month, and Sarasota County Parks and Recreation is celebrating by launching its own Instagram account this week.   Update shots now before school begins With local schools scheduled to resume  Aug. 18 , Sarasota County public health and school officials remind parents to get their child's immunizations update...

Ted shared the latest Sheriff's report for the neighborhood: The June 2014 Sheriff's Dept. report for Lake Sarasota shows four incidents:  one act of vandalism, two burglaries, and one theft (auto). The vandalism occurred at 4123 Westminster on June 20, and was reported at  9:36 a.m. The two burglaries occurred at 6323 Bikini on  June 7  (reported at 2:22 a.m.), and at 4172 Lancaster on June 22 (reported at  10:26 p.m. The theft occurred at 6950 Jarvis Rd. on June 25 (reported at 8:57 a.m. This compares to five incidents during May, 2014.

Note Changes this year including shorter hours and limits on tires and what can go to which dumpster.

Full Tent Joe O'Hara and Commissioner Charles Hines (seated) Dignitaries and Citizens Dig In Laughter, speeches and cookies made today's groundbreaking for the widening of Bee Ridge Road an enjoyable moment. The road project, which is expected to take two years to complete, will transform Bee Ridge Road East of I-75 into a gateway to the East.  The road will be widened to four lanes up to Laurel Oaks/Bent Tree. It will have a planted median, bio-swales, sidewalks, bike paths, four roundabouts and buffering -- some 12,000 trees, bushes and plants will be put in with drip irrigation. The project began with a proposal that came from the communities of Bee Ridge Road. Joe O'Hara initially approached Sarasota county officials in 2002, and formed the Bee Ridge Neighborhoods Committee to work with the County to work on every aspect of the project to make sure that in the end -- after the dust settles -- it will add beauty, value to the communities alon...

A visual explanation of the change planned for the exchange at University Parkway at I-75:

The Groundbreaking Ceremony is set for Friday, July 11, at 10 a.m. at the Firehouse grounds on Bee Ridge and Tora. Look for the large tent - there will be refreshments, and brief remarks from County Commissioners. The hope is that residents of Bee Ridge neighborhoods will come out and show their support for the project. If the County understands that the road is important to residents, it might be more likely to consider modifications. For an update on the timing, costs, and design of Bee Ridge Road, and details of the four roundabouts,  click here. While the full time line for the project is 600 days (Summer 2016), the expectation is for most of the work to be substantially completed within 300 days of commencement. Note that the work schedule is approved for roadwork from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. 6 days a week. One lane of Bee Ridge will always be open for cars to get through. More details here .

We have not received official notice, but word is, the annual Neighborhood Clean-Up for Lake Sarasota will be held Saturday, July 19th, 8 a.m. to 2:30 pm. If the pattern follows previous years, dumpsters will be ready at the usual two locations: near the dog park on Hand Road, and at the Fire Station at Tora.

Dear Lake, Welcome to Sarasota County's community e-newsletter. If you have questions, ideas for articles, or feedback on the system, contact us at pubcom @scgov.net.     SCAT is on Facebook Visit and like the page now to stay on top of new service announcements. Holiday closings for Independence Day Most Sarasota County Government offices, including the Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County, will be closed  Friday, July 4 , in observance of Independence Day..   County seeks public input on master plan for solid waste Sarasota County is hosting three upcoming public workshops at multiple locations seeking input from area residents and business owners about the county's future solid waste master plan.   Stay safe with holiday fireworks Every year people are taken to hospital emergency rooms in the United States because of injuries from fireworks. What's the best way to stay safe and enj...