Rome was not built in a day. The Sarasota Paradise, the city’s newest professional sports team, was not either. From the time the Paradise first began play in 2023—competing in the United Soccer League (USL) League Two—founder and CEO Marcus Walfridson's goal has been to bring professional soccer to the area. In 2025, that dream became a reality, when the team announced that it will be competing in the fully professional USL League One (USL1) in 2026. The Paradise took another step in its journey on November 12, when the team announced the signing of its first professional player, forward Garrett McLaughlin.

The 28-year-old McLaughlin, a native of Oklahoma City, was a standout at Southern Methodist University from 2016 to 2019, scoring 36 goals and notching 12 assists, before beginning his professional career in 2020. McLaughlin brings a wealth of experience to a club entering its first season in the highly competitive USL1—after starting his career with the Rio Grande Valley FC of the USL Championship, he played for Toronto FC II, North Carolina FC and Forward Madison FC of USL1 from 2021-2025. McLaughlin ranks near the top of the USL1 all-time leaderboard in goals scored with 34 and won the League One Final trophy with North Carolina FC in 2023.

“We’re looking to bring in players that want to be a part of what we’re doing here,” said Head Coach and Technical Director Mika Elovaara in a press conference on October 30. “We’re a young club, there’s a lot for us to build and grow upon. We want players who want to be a part of that process, because it’s very unique.”

The arrival of McLaughlin marks a shift in the Paradise’s direction. While 2025’s highly successful USL2 season saw a number of local standouts such as Andres Freire take the field, the majority of the roster will not return for 2026. USL1 operates in the third tier of American professional soccer—Major League Soccer tops the pyramid, with USL Championship just below—and has a season that will run from March through November. While USL2 is still a high level of play, USL1 is a step above.

“You are going to see players who you will have never seen in USL League Two. You will see players who have played at the top level of the game in the Bundesliga, you’ll see players who’ve played senior national team games for the USA,” says Elovaara. “People who don’t know League One will be surprised by the level of play—because it’s professional soccer, you’ll have players who just missed out on making it to the top level and players who will one day reach that level of the sport.”

Garrett McLaughlin brings a wealth of experience to the Sarasota Paradise. Provided photo.

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Step into The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, where curiosity drives discovery. Explore the wonders of our universe, planet, and natural world as you uncover the scientist within. Experience a virtual journey through space in our state-of-the-art Planetarium. Travel beyond the stars and witness the breathtaking beauty of the cosmos. Discover Florida’s story, from prehistoric times to the present, and meet the remarkable creatures that once called it home. In the Mosaic Backyard Universe, experiment, build, and explore hands-on science and engineering. Visit the Parker Manatee Rehabilitation Habitat, where rescued manatees recover before returning to the wild. Learn about their lives and the efforts to protect them. The Bishop is a community hub for learning, inspiring curiosity in every visitor. Your support helps us continue to educate, engage, and inspire future generations of scientists and explorers. From mastodons and manatees to meteorites, there is something here for everyone. 

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Sarasota County Schools’ Student Services department has been awarded the “Innovative Program in the Practice of School Psychology” award in recognition of their Excellence in Service Delivery from the Florida Association of School Psychologists (FASP). Per FASP, the “Innovative Program in the Practice of School Psychology Award” recognizes a new, non-traditional program or approach that is effectively designed to address a particular need of students and/or teachers. This prestigious industry recognition highlights the department’s innovative approach to expanding mental health services and implementing evidence-based practices that directly impact student success. The award celebrates three major initiatives that set Sarasota County Schools apart as a leader in school-based mental health: Securing a grant to support youth affected by opioid use, providing targeted interventions and counseling for students and families impacted by substance use disorders; Implementing Dr. Shannon Suldo’s Well-Being Promotion Program, a research-based framework that fosters resilience, optimism, and life satisfaction among students; Advancing school-based counseling services and behavioral interventions, ensuring intentional access to supports that promote emotional regulation, academic engagement, and positive behavior across all schools in the district.  

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The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall is hosting their first mainstage, sensory-friendly production with the Broadway holiday hit, Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical. Audiences will discover the magic of Dr. Seuss’ classic holiday tale as it comes to life live on stage. Featuring the hit songs “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch” and “Welcome Christmas,” THE GRINCH discovers there’s more to Christmas than he bargained for in this heart-warming holiday classic. Max the Dog narrates as the mean and scheming GRINCH, whose heart is “two sizes too small,” decides to steal Christmas away from the holiday-loving Whos.

Sunday, November 16, 10:30am performance. Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. 

 Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is pleased to announce that the official Groundbreaking Ceremony for Phase Two of its transformative three-phase Master Plan for the Downtown Sarasota campus will take place on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. To date, Phase Two has reached 88% of the necessary funding, with a grand total of $118 million raised for the entire Project. Building on the success of Phase One, this next phase will further enhance Selby Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota campus, securing its resiliency and expanding its beauty, research facilities, and educational offerings for the community and visitors from around the world. The capital goal for Phase Two stands at $60.9 million. $53.2 million has now been raised, which is 88% of the goal. The cumulative total of funds raised for both Phases One and Two has reached $118 million, including nearly $10 million for endowment with 99% percent of all funds coming from private philanthropy. Phase Two is expected to open in 2028. 

Miromar Outlets is excited to welcome Merrell, a global leader in outdoor active footwear, to its lineup of premier brands. The new store is now open, conveniently located between Polo Ralph Lauren and Skechers in Suite 333. Miromar Outlets is located at exit 123 off I-75 on Miromar Outlets Boulevard in Estero between Naples and Fort Myers. 

Arts Advocates is pleased to announce its schedule of December events, which includes a tour of the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe on December 2; a Van Wezel tour on December 8; and Gilded: The New Icons exhibit by Alicia Brown and Elisabeth Trostli. Unless otherwise indicated, registration is required at ArtsAdvocates.org.