There is a common misconception about Sarasota: That come summertime, when our winter residents have migrated north and the temperatures hover in the low-90s, that everything comes to a screeching halt and suddenly, come June, the world on the Gulf Coast stops spinning. While that notion is grounded in some sense of reality, in 2025, it couldn’t be farther from the truth.

“It’s hard for people who have lived here for 5-10 years to remember what it was like 20 years ago, but Sarasota really slowed down for the summer,” says Erin Duggan, president and CEO of Visit Sarasota County. “Around 2004, we had a bunch of restaurants contact us saying, ‘Miami has a restaurant week, D.C. has a restaurant week, why are we doing something in Sarasota County?’”

And so Duggan and the team at Visit Sarasota County got to work. In 2005, the organization launched the first iteration of Savor Sarasota, a month-long celebration featuring specialty menus from local restaurants across the board. This June, Savor Sarasota is celebrating its 20th anniversary, in which over 50 restaurants throughout Sarasota County will feature multi-course meals from June 1-20. Participating restaurants must be a member of Visit Sarasota County—which provides them with year-round exposure for tourism, Duggan notes—and have to feature a two course lunch menu for $25 and a three course dinner menu for $45. “As a resident, it inspires me to try something that I’ve never tried before. Yes, I’m still going to go to Michael’s On East, but I’m also going to look at the menus and try new places,” says Duggan. “That’s ultimately why the restaurants participate in this—they want residents to be exposed to all of the wonderful offerings we have here.”

This June, Savor Sarasota has a new wrinkle to it. While the Visit Sarasota website has listings of restaurants and their menus by neighborhood and biographies of the chefs, it also features the Savor Sarasota Flavor Trail—a new, app-less mobile experience through which participants can explore the varying menus and check in when dining at participating restaurants. The top three diners with the most check ins between June 1-20 will be awarded prizes, which include gift cards to local restaurants. The 20th anniversary of Savor Sarasota is a testament to the fact that when the dog days of summer come, life in Sarasota is anything but slow.

Savor Sarasota, June 1-20, lunch for $25 per person and dinner for $45 for person.

Pops Sunset Grill and Triple Tail Seafood and Spirits at the Savor Sarasota Media Kickoff. Photo by Rod Millington.

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Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport is welcoming Kevin Podsiad to their team as the new Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. In this role, he will lead the airport’s financial decisions and planning and work closely with President and Chief Executive Officer Fredrick Piccolo. Podsiad will work to maintain and manage the airport’s finances, while also leading the airport’s support of local economic growth.

Piccolo said that he and his team were looking for a candidate with a background in finance and accounting, but in particular, an applicant with experience in the airport industry and aviation finance. Piccolo said that Podsiad, who worked at Tampa International Airport for 10 years prior and has a master’s degree in accounting, stood out among nearly 100 applicants.

Both Piccolo and Podsiad spoke to the particular nature of aviation finance — as a public entity, the airport must adhere to federal and state regulations while balancing private aspects such as revenues and local development.

“It's two unique worlds. If you had somebody who was focused on government, they would probably struggle more with the business side and the business thinking of it. If you had somebody from private business, they would probably get lost in the government side of things, because there are certainly nuances to government accounting that private accountants will struggle with from time to time. It's really that perfect blend of those two worlds,” Podsiad said.

As he transitions to his new role, Podsiad aims to increase his understanding of the airport’s operations, look for areas to improve financial efficiency and begin planning for future development.

“What interested me about Sarasota specifically was that I really wanted an organization that was growing. I want to take this role head-on and do a really good job. And so in the next five years, I hope I'm still here, making good decisions, helping the airport grow, assisting that wherever that may be–whether that's additional facilities or enhancing what we currently have.” Podsiad said. 

Pictured: Kevin Podsiad will bring 10 years of experience in aviation finance to the growing airport. Photo courtesy of Kevin Podsiad

After more than two decades of leadership, Janet Kahn, the founding CEO of the Early Learning Coalition (ELC) of Sarasota County, will embark on a new chapter as she prepares to retire at the end of June. Since ELC’s inception in 2002, Kahn has directed the organization’s evolution beyond its core mission as a childcare connector into an innovative, community-driven, government-funded nonprofit that has shaped the local early education landscape. The Early Learning Coalition’s Board of Directors has launched a thoughtful and strategic process to identify Kahn’s successor. A dedicated search committee, in partnership with a nationally recognized HR consultant, currently leads the effort to attract the most qualified candidates and ensure a smooth leadership transition. For more information please contact: Ana McClendon, ELC Director of Outreach, amcclendon@elcsarasota.org, 813-579-7122. 

BayCare, one of Florida’s leading not-for-profit health systems, and Northwestern Medicine, Chicago’s premier integrated academic health system, are embarking on a strategic collaboration to expand access to advanced medical treatments, enhance clinical research, and improve training and education for current and future physicians in West Central Florida.By collaborating with Northwestern Medicine, a nationally recognized academic health system that includes Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, BayCare is securing a final key piece in its efforts to grow as an academic health system serving the region, which includes the Tampa Bay area.BayCare has one of the fastest-growing graduate medical education programs in the nation and an established research infrastructure, creating a solid foundation for integrating academic advancement with patient care. 

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North River Ranch welcomes new buying opportunities in multigenerational living with the expansion of home styles in its latest neighborhood, Crescent Creek. Now selling, Crescent Creek includes townhomes and single-family homes from David Weekley Homes and two-story, paired villas from Cardel Homes Florida. North River Ranch is an award-winning master-planned community by local land developer Neal Land & Neighborhoods. North River Ranch welcomes new buying opportunities in multigenerational living with the expansion of home styles in its latest neighborhood, Crescent Creek. Now selling, Crescent Creek includes townhomes and single-family homes from David Weekley Homes and two-story, paired villas from Cardel Homes Florida. North River Ranch is an award-winning master-planned community by local land developer Neal Land & Neighborhoods. 

Please join Sarasota County Schools’ Human Resources department for this virtual event on Wednesday, June 18 from 1:00 – 2:00 PM EST. This virtual event is a great opportunity for individuals interested in joining Sarasota County Schools for the 2025 2026 school year. Participants will be able to explore current job openings, learn more about the district, and connect with hiring representatives. To register, please visit: https://scsvirtualevent.easyvirtualfair.com. Questions? Please email recruitment@sarasotacountyschools.net 

Ahead of what forecasters predict will be an active hurricane season, Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) and Senior Friendship Centers are partnering to distribute hurricane preparedness meal kits to more than 400 seniors in Sarasota County on Wednesday, June 11, 2025. This effort will help provide vital supplies to seniors in the communities FPL serves. Each kit includes three days of shelf-stable, nutritious food, water and snacks for seniors who may not be able to leave their homes or receive home-delivered meals after a storm. Volunteers from FPL and Senior Friendship Centers will distribute the kits, helping ensure older adults have the resources they need to stay safe. The mission of Senior Friendship Centers is to build vibrant communities by advancing wellness, connection and enrichment throughout the journey of aging.

Wednesday, June 11, 2025, 7:30-10am, The Kathleen K. Catlin Senior Friendship Center, 2350 Scenic Dr., Venice. 

The Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County (DOH-Sarasota) observes Revive Awareness Day on Friday, June 6, 2025, and reminds residents that naloxone (Narcan) is a medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Floridians can find naloxone for their community by calling DOH-Sarasota at 941-861-2900.  

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Sarasota County Government will host a job fair with a special focus on hiring Veterans. The event will be on Thursday, June 19, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota, in the first-floor training room of the Sarasota County Administration Building. The job fair will feature a dedicated recruiting hour for Veterans, followed by general admission for the public. The schedule is as follows:  10 a.m. – 11 a.m.: Recruiting hour for Veterans; 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.: Recruiting open to the public. Sarasota County’s Human Resources team and hiring managers from multiple departments will be on site to speak with, screen and interview qualified candidates for a variety of open positions. Veterans and job seekers are encouraged to bring their resumes and be prepared for on-site, in-person interviews.For more information about job opportunities and Sarasota County Government’s commitment to veterans, visit scgov.net/jobs. 

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To help the community prepare during the 2025 hurricane season, Sarasota County is introducing free, voluntary, self-service sandbag locations to support residents in protecting their homes and property from potential tropical weather. Each self-service station will have empty bags and sand free of charge at three locations. The sandbag operations will be held at the following locations on June 14, July 19 and Aug. 10, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m: Ed Smith Stadium, 2700 12th St., Sarasota; Twin Lakes Park, 6700 Clark Road, Sarasota; South County Fleet, 4571 SR 776/Englewood Road, Venice.  

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