Politics can be a divisive practice, but Debbie Trice said that’s not a necessary function of good government.

“My main message is we are all in this together,” the Sarasota City Commission candidate said. “I want Sarasota to be a city that works for everyone, someplace where everyone has a voice and a place.”

Trice, a 25-year resident of Sarasota County, is one of six candidates seeking two at-large seats in the commission. A prior manager at IBM, she has already held leadership positions including as president of the Rosemary District Neighborhood Association. After spending two years as part of the Sarasota County Charter Review Board, she hopes to bring her vision for governing to City Hall.

She feels the city would benefit from having more public input on growth and development, not less. She’s concerned about proposals to expand use of administration review to allow more construction moving forward without public hearings if plans include affordable housing. The inclusion of that element doesn’t eliminate the insight neighbors can provide to make a development better.

She uses an issue like growth on the North Trail, which could potentially result in people having a harder time getting in and out of their own driveways. Consulting with existing homeowners often can result in a solution that doesn’t hurt a proposed development but protects the quality of life and even safety of residents.

Her greatest issue with a proposed change to the comprehensive plan, though, remains its massive scope. Pushing through a 270-page change in the city’s master planning document without more community workshops involving both the Planning Board and City Commission is a mistake, she said.

“I don’t fault commissioners themselves for that,” she said. “The problem was the requested change grew too big to consider without an education.”

As to the issue of affordability itself, Trice has some concerns that much of the work at the city aims at specific segments of the population. Sarasota needs to handle challenges and needs impacting low and moderate income citizens alike, she said.

Closer to home, she’s worked on an extremely slow process of establishing a public park serving the Rosemary. Creating more amenities will make the area a more inviting home for working families, something that ultimately will also benefit employers in the city. This is one more sign, she said, that the city needs to have processes aimed at finding solutions. 

Trice appears on the ballot Tuesday along with five other candidates: Jennifer Ahearn-Koch, Dan Lobeck, Sheldon Rich, Terrill Salem and Carl Shoffstall. The top three candidates will advance to a runoff in November. There, the top two candidates will win at-large seats on the Sarasota City Commission.

All voters in the city of Sarasota can vote in the Tuesday election. 

Thanks to the participation of the community, the two larger-than-life Ibis at The Bay's new playspace now have a name... Sara and Zota. A nod to the past, present and future of Sarasota, Sara and Zota have found a forever home in the heart of The Bay. The Ibis will soon experience the laughter and joy of the young (and young-at-heart) as they explore the park when it opens in October.  

River Street Sweets, Savannah’s Candy Kitchen, one of Entrepreneur’s Top Candy Franchises in 2021, is set to open its next location in the bustling shopping area of St. Armand’s Circle in Sarasota, FL. River Street Sweets, Savannah’s Candy Kitchen is expected to begin serving up handmade sweets and ice cream for guests in Sarasota and surrounding areas on Thursday, August 25th, and will have a ribbon cutting ceremony with giveaways and free samples beginning at 11am.

“We’ve seen time and again that our Southern confections, family-friendly atmosphere and old-fashioned approach to candy making appeals to people nationwide,” said Jennifer Strickland, co-founder and co-CEO. “We’re confident the people of Sarasota will fall in love with our historic brand, and we’re excited to bring it to southwestern Florida. We’ve come to enjoy St. Armand’s Circle, the history and beauty of Sarasota,” adds her brother and co-founder, co-CEO, Tim Strickland.

River Street Sweets, Savannah’s Candy Kitchen will be located at 318 John Ringling Blvd in St Armands Circle and will feature the same Southern confections that guests have come to know and love since the flagship store opened in 1973 in Savannah, GA: World Famous Pralines®, handmade chocolate Loggerheads and Homemade ice cream and gelato, just to name a few. Friends, associates, fellow Chamber members and the Strickland family will be on hand to officially welcome River Street Sweets • Savannah’s Candy Kitchen to Sarasota. A portion of the proceeds from all Chocolate Loggerhead® sales on opening day will be donated to Caretta Research Project, a charity partner of River Street Sweets • Savannah’s Candy Kitchen. 

For more details.

Neal Land & Neighborhoods, a Manatee and Sarasota-based master-planned community developer, welcomes Christopher Wand to its land development team. In his role as Land Development Manager, Wand will manage and coordinate day-to-day site development primarily at North River Ranch, working closely with site contractors, sub-contractors, service utilities, engineers, site planners and landscape architects for community infrastructure. Wand brings over 8 years of construction and project management experience with a focus on scheduling, budgeting, and customer service. He is well versed in managing contract terms and conditions, as well as implementing standard practice project management systems. Wand’s project portfolio includes several single-family and multifamily projects across Florida, like Oasis at Highwoods Preserve and Laurel Highlands. He is a graduate of the University of Central Florida.This new hire comes as Neal Land & Neighborhoods continues construction and development progress and plans for future new communities. At North River Ranch, the development of its new phase, Wildeaf, continues. Homebuilder Neal Communities is set to start home sales in late 2022 / early 2023. Announcements for a second homebuilder at Wildleaf is forthcoming. Further, Wand is involved with the community’s upcoming central amenity. Land and site preparation is in progress. Projected ground-breaking on the first phase of the amenity complex is for fall 2022. For more information on Neal Land & Neighborhoods, including the company’s latest development news, visit https://nealland.com/.  

Pictured: Christopher Wand. Photo by Rob-Harris.

The Golden Group at RE/MAX Platinum Realty has been recognized in the 2022 “America’s Best Real Estate Professionals” list by REALTrends + Tom Ferry. The prestigious survey is based on 2021 transaction sides and sales volume for participation agents and teams in the United States.Consisting of Jessica Bow, Brad Dunleavy and Liza Knipe, the Golden Group was named among America’s Best teams for sales volume. To qualify for America’s Best, participating teams were required to have completed at least 75 transactions or closed $30 million in sales volume. Only 1.5% of all Realtors in the country make up “America’s Best.” The Golden Group closed almost $40 million in 2021. With a combined experience of almost 35 years, since its inception in 2015 The Golden Group has been unstoppable, recently adding a Golden Group Commercial Division to its repertoire. The Golden Group is known for going above and beyond for all of their clients in every transaction. While being based out of RE/MAX Platinum Realty’s Downtown Sarasota office, they consistently work throughout Southwest Florida.Jessica Bow is a consistent top producer earning RE/MAX Chairman’s Club status. She is a Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES), ePro, Graduate of the Realtor Institute (GRI), Certified Waterfront Specialist (CWS) and Pricing Strategy Advisor (PSA), among others.Liza Knipe has been a residential sales specialist for more than 19 years. She has earned the Certified Waterfront Specialist (CWS) designation and is in the last stages of completing the GRI and Accredited Buyers Representative (ABR) designations.Brad Dunleavy, the Team’s Tech Guru, has been a Realtor for seven years and is a construction expert, as well as heading up the Team’s Technology and Marketing/Video Production divisions.The Golden Group can be reached at 941-356-2585, 941-586-0576 or Sales@SoldByGoldenGroup.com. 

Pictured: Jessica Bow, Brad Dunleavy and Liza Knipe,

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Investing in Manatee County is a sound idea. At least that’s what prominent investor ratings show. Both Fitch Ratings and Moody's Investors Service have assigned top ratings to Manatee County. The two services also provided a very high grade for the $212 million revenue improvement and refunding bonds series 2022.

An issuer rating is an assessment and provision of an opinion of an issuer's overall capacity to pay its financial obligations, focusing on the issuer's ability and willingness to meet its financial commitments. The investor ratings reflect the County's historically solid operating performance characterized by high independent revenue raising ability, solid expenditure flexibility and maintenance of sound reserve levels. Expectations for strong long-term revenue growth trends and a low long-term liability burden also support the scores.

“We are pleased with the ratings,” said Manatee County Administrator Scott Hopes. "This shows that we are maintaining our fiscal responsibilities now, with a careful eye toward the future.” 

For more details.

Manatee County is accepting applications for two seats on the Children’s Services Advisory Board (CSAB). The CSAB makes recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners about priorities and expenditures of the County’s dedicated millage for children’s services. The CSAB typically meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 3 p.m. in the Manatee County Administrative Center, 1112 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, during the annual program funding review process and participates in a full-day retreat in October each year. The seats are three-year terms, beginning October 1, 2022, ending September 30, 2025. The vacant positions must be filled by a judge and a physician who are Manatee County residents. To qualify for consideration, applicants must submit the applicationbby Friday, August 26, 2022 at 3pm. 

Click for application.

Join us for the launch episode of SRQ Magazine's Women Who Roar podcast featuring special guest Dr. Carol Probstfeld, President of the State College of Florida, Manatee Sarasota. Special guest interview by SMARTgirl Ambassador Autumn Pepper Rhodes and a Moment of Inspiration with Karen Medford of Sirius Day Spa. 

Click to watch the first episode.