Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: Could a new AG letter reshape Sarasota’s rural land and housing?

And on the Sarasota Patch calendar - Open House - North Port

Patch AM Team's profile picture
Patch AM Team, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
Sunday September 27th Patch AM
Sunday September 27th Patch AM (Patch graphic)

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:

  • Could a new AG letter reshape Sarasota's rural land and housing?
  • How could new Head Start rules change services for Sarasota families?
  • What Sarasota homeowners must know about strict watering limits through March 2027

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!)

Weather forecast:

  • Sunday: Partly sunny and nice, with a high of 84 and low of 68 degrees.
  • Monday: Mostly sunny and delightful, temps: high: 88, low: 70. 🌶 Hot!
  • Tuesday: Mostly sunny and delightful, with a high of 86 and low of 72 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

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.
   

📸 Around Sarasota

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Sarasota

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

📣 Sarasota Shout Outs!

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.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • WBTT opens 2026-2027 season with 'Sophisticated Ladies' —Sharon Kunkel Read on Patch
  • A true Tabby.
    Kitty is 15 yrs old. They're known to live the longest of felines. Not sure about that statistic but my last Tabby lived 21 yrs and never was sick. (Nextdoor The Woods of Sarasota)
  • Ace really loves this place and so do I !
    Ace made a new friend there , Tom, one of the park rangers, who is extremely nice and very knowledgeable. We have been making this location our… (Nextdoor Kensington Park)
  • Brinker International posted a job opening for Janitor - Bee Ridge Chili's in Sarasota. Apply here.
  • Sam's Club posted a job opening for Freezer, Cooler and Deli Stocker Associate in Sarasota. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Sarasota here.

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!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what's happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from Sarasota