Another white school bus has appeared at South Venice Boulevard overlooking the Venicecanals as this permanently parked vehicle has been in the same spot for several months according to numerous local sources.  The vehicle has no license plates or tags and has not been ticketed for street sweeping.  There was another white school bus that was parked at Fourth that was removed by city officials as it was determined no one was actually residing in the vehicle but was being used as a storage facility on wheels by the owner.  This is another stretch of parking by the beach that was overwhelmed by RVs It was one of the major cleanups by city officials back in 2023 when Councilwoman Traci Park (CD-11) and Mayor Karen Bass assumed office.  These pictures were taken earlier this week by an area resident and shared with us.  Venice will continue to monitor this particular stretch of street for any repopulation of encampments and RVs Nick Antonicello is a thirty-two-year resident of the neighborhood who exclusively monitors the encampment and RV crisis on the streets of Venice is celebrating one year of business this spring... 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Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest news and events in Venice and the surrounding areas Made with ❤️ by ENKI Tech Editor’s note: This story first ran in the Venice Gondolier and is re-published here with permission SOUTH VENICE — Two people were killed and a third suffered serious injuries in a Sunday afternoon crash at U.S 41/Tamiami Trail and East Seminole Drive in South Venice The dead include a 37-year-old San Antonio Another 23-year-old Gainesville man was seriously injured but pavement-pounding journalism is not free Join your neighbors who make this vital work possible The woman was the driver; the Alachua man was the front seat passenger According to a Florida Highway Patrol report the woman was driving the sedan northbound on U.S an 80-year-old Venice man was driving a sports utility vehicle eastbound on Seminole Drive to determine which vehicle entered the intersection on green traffic signal,” the report stated noting both vehicles “entered the intersection at the same time.” The sedan then hit a traffic control cabinet The driver of the sedan was wearing a seatbelt; the passenger and backseat passenger were not The San Antonio woman and Alachua man were pronounced dead at the scene The Gainesville man was transported to an area hospital Portions of the road were closed throughout much of Sunday afternoon and evening during the initial investigation The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office is assisting Florida Highway Patrol with the investigation Join your neighbors who make this work possible VENICE – Construction work to fix the damage from hurricanes to the massive bulkhead along South Jetty and Humphris Park may not begin for roughly two years though "critical" erosion is occurring now as well as reconstruction of the South Jetty and work along the north side of Venice Inlet at North Jetty Beach is all subject to federal appropriations Army Corps of Engineers spokeswoman Peggy Bebb said via email Access to both Humphris Park and the South Jetty and North Jetty Beach has been closed since Hurricane Helene last year That damage was compounded by Hurricane Milton executive director of the West Coast Inland Navigation District – a local partner of the Army Corps – said the seawall landward of the South Jetty was damaged  most extensively by the two hurricanes Bebb said by email that the Army Corps “is only working on replacing the bulkhead on the southern shoreline.” when Venice Inlet was created to make a stabilized connection between the Gulf of Mexico and Roberts Bay at what was then known as Casey Pass The bulkhead shoreward of the jetty rock revetment and the seawall was originally made with wooden creosote treated planks “Over the years there’s been stuff placed on top of them a railroad tie sized wooden cap and rock placed up against it “It’s tied back into a system that’s exposed from Milton and Helene the south bulkhead along Humphris Park is the most severely impacted Teams of engineers have visited the Venice Inlet with the Army Corps splitting it into four parts the North and South jetties and the north and south bulkheads The deterioration of the south bulkhead likely means that repairs on the south side would be fast-tracked McBride is hopeful that the Army Corps will ultimately be able to start work sooner than the timetable referenced by Bebb so you know the city and the county and the (WCIND) are all working with every effort to move that timeline up because it is critical,” he  said He is also hopeful the Army Corps will restore both jetty and bulkhead systems at the same time because it would be more cost-efficient since contractors and materials would be on site we all recognize the recreational and the community importance of both jetties in both parks,” McBride said The city of Venice included priority funding for restoration of the South Jetty in a draft of its proposed federal legislative priorities which is scheduled to be voted on in the Jan That request cites early estimates to rebuild the damaged sections at between $50 million and $100 million A home in the 300 block of Cowry Road in South Venice is taped off after a Wednesday night homicide was found dead by Sarasota County deputies SOUTH VENICE — The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a homicide in the 300 block of Cowry Road deputies responded to the 300 block of Cowry Road regarding a shooting Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account The Venice Police Department providing an update on Saturday's fatal crash at the Circus Bridge Police say a white Toyota sedan lost control on the roadway The reason the driver lost control has yet to be determined where it struck a light pole and continued heading off the road The vehicle then went down the embankment and entered the Intracoastal Waterway Police say emergency personnel and bystanders rushed to help and enter the water They were able to flip the car right side up and entered the car vehicle by breaking a window.Fire rescue and civilians were able to extricate the 65 year old victim EMT personnel pronounced the woman deceased after attempting 20 minutes of live-saving efforts Sea Tow Venice and Sarasota County Sheriff's Dive Team Venice Police say the case is still an active investigation and next of kin notification is ongoing A woman in her 60’s died Saturday afternoon after her vehicle plunged into the Intracoastal Waterway near the Circus Bridge in Venice.Watch Community Correspondent Austin Schargorodski's report here.. You could see first responders in dive suits underwater by the white sedan The Venice Police Department (VPD) said emergency crews including the Venice Marine Unit and Sarasota County Dive Team They say one Southbound lane of Business 41 closed down for the investigation Area Opposite Free Public Library Repopulates With Permanent Camping  LA City officials made a concerted effort to end the illegal camping and permanent parking at Centennial Park and South Venice Boulevard only to see these vehicles back and growing again in numbers.  For all the good work to bring sanity back to this stretch of South Venice is being threatened once again.  This photo was taken here Wednesday evening April 16th around 5:00 pm as area residents are fearing another encampment and RV backslide.  a large portion of the area residents are tenants open drug use and violence that comes with these encampments that fester and grow out-of-control.  few if any embrace this nesting of RV’s that in many cases lack license plates and many are out-of-state individuals.  It was made clear these individuals are hardly “neighbors,” as described by homeless apologists who do not recognize the impact on actual Venice residents who just seek a reasonable quality-of-life environment that is safe for Venetians and their families.  Venice will continue to monitor this situation Nick Antonicello is a thirty-two-year resident of the neighborhood who covers the current encampment and RV crisis here n Venice Have an encampment or RV presence on your block or street Contact him via email at nantoni@mindspring.com The burn is part of an effort to determine the wildfire’s point of origin and the mechanisms Residents near Pacific.. The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a traffic crash in South Venice Sunday afternoon that killed two people a woman who was driving and a male passenger in the sedan were pronounced dead after their vehicle was struck on the left side while it was traveling north on U.S The unidentified woman was from San Antonio also was seriously injured in the collision both vehicles entered the intersection simultaneously The sedan later ran into the traffic tower and electric pole following the initial collision FHP reported the agency is still investigating to determine which vehicle entered the intersection on a green signal VENICE – What was left of Jetty Jack’s Refreshment Deck has been demolished and removed from Humphris Park but there is no timetable to restore public access to the park The combined storm surge impacts of hurricanes Helene and Milton damaged the popular snack bar and sunset viewing spot beyond repair and forced the closure of public access to Humphris Park and both the South Jetty at Humphris Park and the North Jetty at Nokomis Beach Park The storm surges devastated the parking lot rock revetment and bulkhead along the channel – which were built by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1937 when Venice Inlet was created make a stabilized connection between the Gulf of Mexico and Roberts Bay at what was then known as Casey Pass Those two storm surge events last fall prompted the closure of access to North Jetty Beach Park and demolished the North Jetty Fish Camp/Trolley, which dated back to 1946. South Jetty impacted by Hurricane Idalia in 2023Over the past several years the South Jetty has been impacted more than the north one by hurricane storm surge the South Jetty walkway – a popular fishing spot – was damaged by Hurricane Idalia's storm surge and closed It finally reopened July 31, 2024, only to close again five days later, after the passing of Tropical Storm Debby. Record storm surge from Helene and Milton made the problems worse Demolition and removal of Jetty Jack’s was accomplished by the city’s insurance contractor The popular snack bar was the product of a 1998 deal between then-Venice City Manager George Hunt and Eric Kotte to build what was later known as “Anita’s Sandcastle” out of shipping containers and provide public restrooms at the 2.1-acre park When will Humphris Park reopen?Access to Humphris Park is tied to the U.S long-term project to restore both the South and North jetties to their original specifications That project is still in the planning stages Venice spokeswoman Lorraine Anderson noted in a news release that the city of Venice can't repair the parking area and reopen the park until the rock revetment and bulkheads are fully replaced because they provide essential structural support to the parking area Venice public works employees are continuing to remove debris from the park The city coordinates weekly with the Army Corps and the West Coast Inland Navigation District for updates on the project A wildfire raged through a wooded area in South Venice on Sunday afternoon Firefighters stand by while a wildfire rages through a wooded area in South Venice on Sunday afternoon near the intersection of U.S Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission firefighters joined Sarasota County emergency teams to battle a blaze in a South Venice woods on Sunday afternoon Traffic slowed near where a wildfire raged through a wooded area in South Venice on Sunday afternoon along Jacaranda Boulevard west of U.S Smoke rose from behind a CVS in a wooded area off Jacaranda Boulevard and U.S Smoke blankets the nearby area as Sarasota County Sheriff's officers work the scene of a wildfire in South Venice on Sunday afternoon Smoke rises from behind a CVS in a wooded area off Jacaranda Boulevard and U.S 41 on Sunday afternoon as Sarasota County Fire Department firefighters stand by and help with traffic control An FWC firefighter runs toward equipment while working a wildfire in South Venice near the intersection of U.S Sarasota County Sheriff's Office and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission firefighters work a wildfire Sunday afternoon in South Venice A plume of smoke from a wildfire rises into the sky Sunday in South Venice SOUTH VENICE — Smoke can be seen for miles from a wildfire that ignited Sunday afternoon Dozens of firefighters from Sarasota County Fire and FWC were working the scene behind the CVS near Walmart at Jacaranda and U.S (This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccurate headline.) VENICE – Emergency healthcare options should expand for people on the island of Venice and in South Venice in May 2025, when a new 11-room free-standing Emergency Room run by Healthcare Corporation of America Sarasota Doctors Hospital is scheduled to open at 901 US 41 Bypass South Located just south of Venice city limits, HCA Florida Venice Doctors Emergency is part of HCA Healthcare West Florida’s strategy to help fill the void created when Community Health Systems Inc. decided to close its 312-bed  ShorePoint Health-Venice in 2022 Venice Mayor Nick Pachota noted that once the hospital closed in 2022 island of Venice residents asked how high-quality health care could be brought to people who live there “This ED facility is going to really resolve that issue for everyone,” “Pachota said Bringing emergency care closer to the island of VeniceThe facility is only about 4.5 miles from Sarasota Memorial Hospital’s Venice campus on Laurel Road, which celebrated a $90 million expansion of its emergency room from 28 to 61 exam rooms earlier this week it completed a five-story tower that increased the number of beds from 110 to 212 HCA Florida Doctors Hospital Medical Director of Emergency Services Dr Nick Fusco said after ShorePoint Health closed the hospital saw an increase in Venice residents – primarily seniors – arriving by ambulance so it makes sense to bring emergency medicine closer to them “If someone is having severe respiratory illness or chest pains getting them  in front of a provider as quickly as possible is going to save minutes off of crucial time where we could be arranging care getting them to specific things like a cath lab … or just to save tissue save the brain – whatever might be ailing them.” have established relationships with physicians who work with Doctors Hospital too Patients who are evaluated at the Venice free-standing emergency room will not need to be evaluated again at HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital prior to admission “They will go from our ER directly into our hospital without a second ED visit,” Fusco said “It’s just like you’re stepping into our main campus.” with 11 exam rooms and 24-hour full-service emergency care – including laboratory CT scanning and ultrasound capabilities – is being built on a 30-acre site that may one day include a hospital The need in that portion of Sarasota County and Charlotte County became more dire after Hurricane Helene when ShorePoint Health Punta Gorda did not reopen That hospital, as well as its sister facility, Shore Point Health Port Charlotte, are in the process of being sold to the West Florida division of AdventHealth but it is not known whether the nonprofit will consolidate operations into one facility the HCA Florida Doctors Hospital facility – anticipated to open as soon as May 2025 – is slightly smaller than the Wellen Park facility It features 11 treatment rooms and a dedicated area for EMS and trauma patients it is projected to cost $16.3 million and create 30 new jobs HCA Florida Doctors Hospital CEO Joe Rudisill said that ever since the hospital on the island of Venice closed “We've been planning on creating additional access points for our community 41 Bypass was chosen to be convenient for residents on the island of Venice for-profit hospital already has a preadmission services office located at 1740 East Venice Ave. so Venice residents scheduled for surgery at the main hospital at 5731 Bee Ridge Road can go through pre-surgical testing and consultations The practice of building free-standing emergency rooms that provide 24/7 care has grown exponentially in recent years Sarasota Memorial Hospital actually pioneered the concept in this area when it opened a health care center and ER in North Port in September 2009 In addition to the free-standing ER near North Port HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital has two free-standing ER facilities in Lee County HCA Florida Blake Hospital in Manatee County opened one in Palmetto and is building one in south Manatee County – within a couple of miles of a Manatee Memorial Hospital facility at Bayshore Gardens Manatee Memorial also has free-standing facilities at Palma Sola – not that far from Blake Hospital – and in Sun City Center HCA Florida Doctors Hospital opened a free-standing ER of its own in 2018 on State Road 70 in Lakewood Ranch Sarasota Memorial Hospital is in the process of opening its own free-standing ER in the Sarasota County portion of Lakewood Ranch – not that far from Lakewood Ranch Medical Center 15,000-square-foot full-service emergency room is already built and slated to open in early January That facility will have walk-in and ambulance entrances 21 treatment rooms – including two triage bays – and resuscitation and specialty rooms for pediatric behavioral health and other patients requiring advanced equipment and care it is expected to care for an average of 150 people a day Sarasota County Sheriff’s investigators search a parking lot and bushes near the killing of Patrick Warrick on April 22 in South Venice SOUTH VENICE — Authorities are still investigating two recent homicides in South Venice was found slain outside a business in the area of the 3900 block of South Tamiami Trail between Jacaranda Road and State Road 776 Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines Sarasota County SWAT takes position outside an Olivia Road home during the standoff Sarasota County Sheriff's Office SWAT team members prepare to go inside the home of a reported shooting on Olivia Road in South Venice A modified Bearcat tractor is taken to the scene in the 5000 block of Olivia Road This is used to help protect officers in dangerous situations A Sarasota County deputy secures the scene at 5071 Olivia Road where SWAT members engaged in a standoff with a shooting suspect A SCSO deputy pilots an aerial drone at Challenger Park near the Olivia Road standoff Monday afternoon SOUTH VENICE — The man who caused a SWAT team to raid a South Venice home Monday afternoon after a reported shooting had actually fled before deputies arrived and is now being sought who Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office authorities thought was at 5701 Olivia Road when they raided it is now wanted on charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon VENICE — A South Venice resident and a Port Charlotte resident are two of the three women arrested Wednesday in connection with a Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office investigation into illegal gambling at a Sarasota business are all charged with conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise; manufacturing storing or possessing a slot machine; and keeping a gambling house BELOW: Venice Police Marine Officer Paul Joyce leads some residents of MacArthur Beach & Racquet Club to safety Friday morning The Golden Beach area flooded from storm surge for the first time in local memory VENICE — As Hurricane Helene made its way through the Gulf to eventual landfall in the Big Bend area Thursday night public safety officials warned the main threat it posed locally was storm surge was left unstable and listing by Hurricane Helene Venice police rescue a woman and her dog from a home that flooded Thursday Hurricane Helene devastated the South Jetty and Humphris Park undoing all the repairs made after Hurricane Idalia in 2023 and Tropical Storm Debby in early August Floodwaters creep up along a neighborhood in Venice along the Intracoastal Waterway on Thursday during Hurricane Helene Gulf waters flooded roads and reached buildings along The Esplanade in Venice Gulf waters reached the doors of homes along The Esplanade and Tarpon Center Drive in Venice Lake Venice Golf Club’s name was even more fitting than usual as Hurricane Helene passed by Thursday high waves and high winds strike the South Jetty in Venice on Thursday during Hurricane Helene The storm surge hadn’t fully receded from the Venice Beach Pavilion Friday morning Gulf Horizons residents get help with clearing the entrance to their condominium Friday morning thanks to a city bulldozer The sidewalk along Tarpon Center Drive was a mess of mud and water Friday morning Venice police and fire personnel help people stranded in the Golden Beach area get to safety Friday morning Venice police help residents of the Golden Beach area get to drier land Friday morning (This story was updated to add new information.) Bystanders and emergency personnel rushed to help a 65-year-old woman who died in a Saturday crash after losing control and entering the Intracoastal Waterway Emergency personnel responded to the crash at 1450 S. Tamiami Trail, where a white Toyota sedan lost control on the roadway. The car was heading south on South Tamiami Trail when it veered right, going over the curb and sidewalk. It then struck a light pole and went off the road, going down an embankment on the west side of the Circus Bridge The woman was identified Sunday as 65-year-old Connie Eileen Johnson In case you missed it: Woman dies when car plunges into Intracoastal Waterway at Circus Bridge in Venice: Police Bystanders and emergency personnel rushed to help the woman and flipped the car right side up police and civilians were able to extricate the woman after breaking a window but a team of EMTs pronounced the woman dead after attempting 20 minutes of life-saving efforts Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team Sea Tow Venice and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission all responded to the crash VENICE – The owners of 1.44 acres near downtown Venice have scrapped plans to build a hotel on part of the land, in favor of multifamily residential housing along Guild Drive and commercial along Tamiami Trail The City Council had deadlocked on a 3-3 vote in its Jan 14 meeting when development of a hotel was in the plan and Council Member Rachel Frank was absent the council gave initial approval of ordinances to unify the future land use designations for the area as "mixed-use corridor" and to change the zoning of three lots along Guild Drive to pave the way for the development by identical 5-2 votes with council members Joan Farrell and Ron Smith dissenting who used to live in the adjacent Country Club Shores neighborhood voted with Farrell and Smith to create the deadlock has been owned by the Barsuk family since the 1970s who was representing Barsuk Florida Properties LLC The three lots that front Tamiami Trail in the island are already designated as mixed-use corridor The three lots that front Guild Drive in Country Club Estates are designated as high-density residential The change reduces the height and density of any residential development on those back three lots do not plan to develop the parcel themselves but would sell it to a subsequent party who would do so He offered additional stipulations that specifically ruled out development of a hotel on the site and access along Guild Drive with a consolidated access off of Fairway Drive “We tried to listen to the comments from the mayor and council as well as the public,” Black said referencing both council's and residents' comments that raised questions about the compatibility between a hotel and the single-family residences east of Tamiami Trail The City Council had previously balked at plans for a hotel abutting Country Club Estates at 775 S Once that proposal stalled, the land was purchased by MPS development. Developer Mike Miller has plans to build a 36-unit condominium there. The Barsuk property is just south of Gold Rush BBQ Once the ordinances are approved on second reading any multi-family residences would be limited to 35 feet in height by right with the possibility of 10 feet understory parking Black said he anticipated the likely use of property along Tamiami Trail would either be restaurant or office use The second reading of the two ordinances will likely as soon as the Feb Sarasota County Sheriff’s investigators search a parking lot and bushes near the scene of a death investigation early Tuesday morning in South Venice A backpack and bicycle remain at the scene of a death investigation in a strip mall in the 3900 block of South Tamiami Trail between Jacaranda Road and State Road 776 An investigator with the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office works at the scene of a death investigation early Tuesday in South Venice Sarasota County Sheriff’s officers stand by at the scene of a death investigation early Tuesday in the 3900 block of South Tamiami Trail between Jacaranda Road and State Road 776 Sarasota County Sheriff's investigators search a parking lot near the scene of a death investigation early Tuesday morning in South Venice Sarasota County Sheriff's investigators search a parking lot near the scene of a death investigation early Tuesday in South Venice Sarasota County Sheriff's investigators search a parking lot and bushes near the scene of a death investigation early Tuesday morning in South Venice Sarasota County Sheriff's investigators search a parking lot and scene of a death investigation early Tuesday morning in South Venice Sarasota County Sheriff's officers stand by at the scene of a death investigation early Tuesday in the 3900 block of South Tamiami Trail between Jacaranda Road and State Road 776 SOUTH VENICE — Authorities are investigating a death discovered early Tuesday Two people died in a traffic crash Sunday at South Tamiami Trail and Seminole Drive in South Venice 41/Tamiami Trail is closed after a severe crash at the intersection of East Seminole drive The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office is assisting Florida Highway Patrol with the investigation according to a news release from the Sheriff's Office SOUTH VENICE — Sarasota County Sheriff's deputies are responding to a reported shooting in South Venice with one victim already taken to a hospital A modified Bearcat tractor used to help protect law enforcement during dangerous situations has been deployed to the scene at 5071 Olivia Road The Sarasota County Sheriff's SWAT team enters a home Monday afternoon on Olivia Road in South Venice after reports of a shooting A contractor demolishes the Jetty Jack’s concession stand at Humphris Park It was condemned due to damage from Hurricane Helene Hurricane Helene’s storm surge was so powerful that it took parts of the South Jetty down to the some of the elements installed in the 1930s VENICE — There’s some good news in the bad news about the damage the South Jetty received from hurricanes Helene and Milton: It’s so severe that repairs have become a priority project for the U.S The jetty and Humphris Park had reopened only days before Helene hit having just had repairs to damage from Hurricane Idalia in 2023 completed by the city They were closed in advance of Helene and haven’t been open since VENICE – Venice public works employees started repairs on the South Jetty walkway this week to relocate rocks shifted by Tropical Storm Debby as it passed last month City officials anticipate that the repairs will take about two weeks Most of Humphris Park – including Jetty Jack’s snack bar – is open to the public but people should stay outside of the barricaded area People who cross the barricade into the construction area could face a $75 file from Venice Police was closed for nearly a year because of damage from Hurricane Idalia this job does not require Venice Public Works employees to bring in more rocks They will focus on relocating rocks that shifted by Debby and fill voids a crew from Ajax Paving will bring in a fresh layer of asphalt The North and South jetties were built in 1937 when the channel was dredged between Roberts Bay and the Gulf of Mexico long-term project to restore both the South and North Jetty to their original specifications Humphris Park is closed nightly to vehicles from 10 p.m SOUTH VENICE — Two people were killed and a third suffered serious injuries in a Sunday afternoon crash at U.S Hurricane Milton, with 120 mph winds, made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane near Siesta Key at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9. It was the first hurricane to make landfall in the Sarasota-Bradenton area in more than a century The potential impact of the fearsome storm prompted President Joe Biden to call Sarasota Mayor Liz Alpert with an offer of assistance Emergency Management officials and first responders are still assessing Milton’s impact but early assessments indicated that aside from south Sarasota County which seemed to take the brunt of the storm surge from the storm the area escaped with far less damage than had been feared “Now that day has broken we're seeing the level of damage across the area as crews are getting out to assess the roads,” said Jennifer Hubbard a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Ruskin Hubbard said Milton was more of a wind and a rain event in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, while the landfall near Siesta Key meant that much of the potentially record-breaking storm surge would happen south of Osprey, along the shores of Venice The city of Venice and South Venice in unincorporated Sarasota County appear to have suffered the worst storm surge damage from Hurricane Milton according to briefings from the National Weather Service in Ruskin The highest recorded surge reported by the National Weather Service was 7.45 feet above the mean higher high water line which is part of the unincorporated neighborhood of South Venice The next highest surge was 5.32 feet above the mean higher high water line recorded by the United States Geological Survey at Venice Both Sarasota and Manatee counties sent damage assessment teams out at first light Thursday morning Though it’s still too early to make any definitive statements on the extent of the damage the general sentiment among local officials is a sigh of relief: It could’ve been a lot worse Weather experts predicted up to 15 feet of storm surge along the Sarasota area’s coastlines but early assessments indicate it didn’t come to pass Manatee County spokesperson Bill Logan said Milton’s late shifts in its path helped prevent what could have been catastrophic damage “Every little jog it took to the right seemed like it was working in Manatee County’s favor,” Logan said but it was not nearly what folks worried themselves over.” Sarasota County Emergency Management Chief Sandra Tapfumaneyi reported similar findings noting that the county experienced around 7-8 feet of storm surge on first assessment — mostly on the barrier islands but some inland As the back end of the storm eroded when it crossed the county it mitigated the more powerful storm bands that could have caused the record surge Both counties are reporting downed power lines and trees broken traffic signals and widespread tree and other debris as they make these early assessments Almost 214,00 in Sarasota County and more than 162,000 in Manatee County are without power according to the Florida Power and Light’s outage map Local officials encouraged residents and potential “disaster tourists” to avoid the area to let emergency services through “We just ask that you please stay put,” Tapfumaneyi said “Allow crews the opportunity to clear the roads.” Access to the following barrier islands will remain closed with entrances monitored by Sarasota County personel:  just west of Golden Gate Point in Sarasota • Siesta Drive Bridge 1400 Siesta Drive in Sarasota • Stickney Point Road Bridge 1512 Stickney Point Road in Sarasota • Blackburn Point Swing Bridge 733 Blackburn Point Road in Osprey • Albee Road Bridge 913 Albee Road in Nokomis • Manasota Beach Road Bridge The downtown Sarasota bayfront seemed to have sustained only minimal flooding but debris from Milton’s substantial winds littered every nook and cranny Business owners took down the boards over their windows and inspected the damage to their canopies At the city’s Bayfront early Thursday morning onlookers gawked at the boats either twisted in the water or sitting in the middle of the park A huge black and white yacht called the Indigo sat partially jammed up on the curb One full dock was lifted off the marina and onto the ground yards away blue shack for Suntex Boating Club and a motor boat laid dry at the park entrance The Carpe Diem II - a much smaller recreational boat - sat in the grass about 10 yards away city crews had begun to dissemble the trees blocking Main Street The highest wind gusts reported on land in the area was 102 mph at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport where the gauge later stopped working Wednesday night a gust of 85 mph was reported at Grove City at 10:45 p.m Wednesday; and a gust of 81 mph was reported at Punta Gorda at 7:59 p.m Wednesday in Bradenton; while in Sarasota a gust of 83 mph was reported at 9:55 p.m The Maritime station at Egmont Channel recorded 105 mph at 9:14 p.m Wednesday and the station at the  Skyway Fishing Pier recorded 103 mph at 8;30 p.m The highest reported rainfall of 18.75 inches came at St At Sarasota Bradenton International Airport while 6.08 inches was recorded at Siesta Key and 3.95 inches in Charlotte County Third hurricane to cause damage in area since AugustMilton came on the heels of Hurricane Helene, which caused record storm surge damage along the Sarasota-Manatee coastline on the way to making landfall in Florida's Big Bend Sept Hurricane Debby – which was a tropical storm when it passed by Sarasota and Manatee counties – brought record rainfall and flooding to Sarasota and Manatee Counties The only other named storm to make landfall in the area – Tropical Storm Gabrielle – did so in September 2001 at Siesta Key The wind speeds  of Gabrielle were just under hurricane force The fast-developing storm hit the area in the aftermath of the Sept Sarasota Memorial and HCA Florida Doctors hospitals are open and seeing patientsSarasota Memorial Hospital suffered some minor damage at both the Sarasota and Venice campuses but both facilities are up and running “All in all we did pretty well,” said David Verinder president and CEO of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System “We were a little nervous about this one as probably everyone else on the Suncoast was,” he added since Milton was at times a Category 5 storm “We’ve had three named storms now in a month so we have a little bit of muscle memory to put through the paces,” he added The hospital staff is transitioning through to its “B” team of fresh personnel SMH is assessing the status of the various urgent cares and doctors offices Verinder said people should check the SMH website to see what is open.HCA Sarasota Doctors Hospital had some tree limbs down on its campus but it is open and caring for patients which had started transferring patients to other facilities in anticipation of Milton’s arrival City of Venice tactical first-in teams reported street flooding of several roads Localized street ponding in North PortThe city of North Port tactical first-in teams started assessing the city at 2:30 a.m according to an email from a city spokeswoman Some side residential roads are seeing some localized ponding North Port EMS have responded to all people who called during the storm and are back to regular emergency response City public works was also  monitoring water levels in the Myakkahatchee Creek and canals because of potential secondary downstream flooding impacts as water flows into the Myakka River watershed VENICE – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the West Coast Inland Navigation District started long-awaited repairs this week on the South Jetty walkway in Humphris Park. The jetty was damaged by the storm surge generated by Hurricane Idalia as it passed Sarasota County on its way to an Aug 2023 landfall as a Category 3 storm in Florida's Big Bend area Combined damage from Idalia in Sarasota and Manatee counties approached $5 million. Damage to the South Jetty of the Venice Inlet and at Humphris Park was among the most significant recorded at Venice area beaches While Venice public works employees were able to grade the parking lot and the Jetty Jack’s snack bar reopened once that was repaired fishermen have been unable to use the South Jetty for almost 11 months The North Jetty on Casey Key was not as severely damaged and remained open for most of that time One reason for the lengthy delay was the time it took for the Army Corps of Engineers to bring in large rocks for what is technically a temporary fix of the South Jetty walkway More than 30 tons of rocks have been brought into Humphris Parks since July 22 and have been placed along both sides of the walkway to fill in empty spots and enhance stability of the jetty stressed that the integrity of the South Jetty itself and the the inlet was never in jeopardy after Hurricane Idallia in part to make it available to the public,” Ruderman said Placement of the large rocks was scheduled for completion July 26 the walkway atop the South Jetty must still be repaved – something that city public works staff is scheduled to accomplish Venice spokeswoman Lorraine Anderson said via email that it is “expected to be complete in a couple weeks.” The park and more than half of the parking lot – which also serves as overflow parking for the Crow’s Nest Restaurant Tavern & Marina – and Jetty Jack’s remained open while workers have been placing big rocks on the South Jetty The jetty itself is still closed to the public and individuals ignoring the “Jetty Closed” signs to fish from the jetty are subject to a $75 fine Chris Johnson, operator of Jetty Jack’s said the reopening of the jetty walkway will “be a huge improvement to our community fishermen “The tip of the jetty is the best fishing and they guys who get set up first catch the most fish,” he said then added that many of those people have likely gone to the North Jetty or the Venice Municipal Fishing Pier instead “Those guys would normally come up and buy a hot dog or a soda and we don’t have that,” Johnson said The Army Corps of Engineers is working on a larger long-term project to restore both the South Jetty and North Jetty to their original specifications Humphris Park and the South Jetty remain closed pending repairs by the Army Corps of Engineers dating back to the original construction in the 1930s but money to replace the jetty itself has yet to be allocated VENICE — The Venice City Council doesn’t want to spend any money to restore Humphris Park VENICE – Sarasota County closed all access to Caspersen Beach Park effective Wednesday because of the significant damage to Harbor Drive South from storm surge from Tropical Storm Debby on Aug 4. The storm damaged a portion of the road just north of the entrance Officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency along with Sarasota County officials surveyed the road and beach damage the week of Aug Sarasota County closed access to Caspersen Beach from the Venetian Waterway Park Trail According to a Sarasota County news release the park will be closed until further notice and a timeline for road repairs has not been established Humphris Park at the South Jetty in Venice was reopened Aug Army Corps of Engineers coordinate on a timeline for repairs There is no timetable for reopening of the walkway – a popular fishing spot that only reopened for public use after being closed because of damage from Hurricane Idalia Sarasota County announced it would close the local government offices Tuesday "out of an abundance of caution to focus on storm preparation" for the tropical system that is expected to become Hurricane Helene by Wednesday A county news release said garbage pickup will proceed normally Tuesday and the landfill will be open during normal hours All Breeze services (Breeze bus and trolley routes, Breeze OnDemand, and non-medical Breeze Plus trips) will also operate on a normal schedule for Tuesday, Sept. 24. Visit scgov.net/breeze for service updates The county also began other preparations Monday. County spokesperson Jamie Carson said the public works team took several steps, aware that the ground is still saturated from the rainfall causes by Hurricane Debby last month "This is a fast moving storm, so we have to move as quickly as we can in making decisions, and that's why we start sandbag operations (Tuesday) morning County workers across several departments are pre-positioning equipment as they monitor the storm and its projected path and impacts "Each department has a plan that's been activated," Carson said "They are working through action items to prepare for the storm." Sarasota County will also expand its evening hours for the 311 information line on Tuesday Expected storm Helene prompts Sarasota County sandbag stations to openSarasota County is opening sandbag filling stations at three locations Tuesday and Wednesday, in anticipation of potential impacts what is expected to strengthen to Hurricane Helene this week. Self-service sandbag filling stations will be open from 9 a.m There is a limit of 10 bags per vehicle. Bags and sand will be provided. Individuals are asked to bring their shovels. Updates and more information will be available at scgov.net and on @SRQCountyGov social media pages The city of Venice will also offer self-service sandbag stations from 8 a.m Residents can bring their own bags or pick up bags from Venice City Hall The city of North Port opened a self-serve sandbag filling station Monday afternoon at the Larry Thoennissen Athletic Fields behind the George Mullen Activity Center Bags and sand will be available while supplies last, with a limit of 10 bags per vehicle. Residents are asked to bring their own shovels.For more updates, visit  NorthPortFL.gov/Alerts Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInSARASOTA (WWSB) - Locations listed will be open for regular voting on November 5th Here are all of your Suncoast voting locations: 3809 CHAPEL DRSARASOTA, FL 34234 2801 NEWTOWN BLVDSARASOTA, FL 34234 6050 LONGWOOD RUN BLVDSARASOTA, FL 34243 4080 LAKEWOOD RANCH BLVD NLAKEWOOD RANCH, FL 34240 1620 MYAKKA RDSARASOTA, FL 34240 5101 BEL AIR AVESARASOTA, FL 34234 1845 34TH STSARASOTA, FL 34234 5900 N LOCKWOOD RIDGE RDSARASOTA, FL 34243 1201 N BENEVA RDSARASOTA, FL 34232 2004 LONGMEADOWSARASOTA, FL 34235 124 S TUTTLE AVESARASOTA, FL 34237 3333 12TH STSARASOTA, FL 34237 4880 FRUITVILLE RDSARASOTA, FL 34232 8010 FRUITVILLE RDSARASOTA, FL 34240 3330 FRUITVILLE RDSARASOTA, FL 34237 8200 BEE RIDGE RDSARASOTA, FL 34241 7601 STATE RD 72SARASOTA, FL 34241 501 BAY ISLES RDLONGBOAT KEY, FL 34228 (TEMPORARY MOVE) BAYFRONT COMMUNITY CENTER 803 N TAMIAMI TRLSARASOTA, FL 34236 1300 BLVD OF THE ARTSSARASOTA, FL 34236 2050 OAK STSARASOTA, FL 34237 803 N TAMIAMI TRLSARASOTA, FL 34236 2256 BAHIA VISTA STSARASOTA, FL 34239 4041 BAHIA VISTA STSARASOTA, FL 34232 6901 BEE RIDGE RDSARASOTA, FL 34241 2035 MAGNOLIA STSARASOTA, FL 34239 3224 BEE RIDGE RDSARASOTA, FL 34239 4835 BENEVA RDSARASOTA, FL 34233 7091 PROCTOR RDSARASOTA, FL 34241 1460 GLENEAGLES DRVENICE, FL 34292 1535 E VENICE AVEVENICE, FL 34292 1115 CENTER RDVENICE, FL 34292 6207 W PRICE BLVDNORTH PORT, FL 34291 1602 KRAMER WAYNORTH PORT, FL 34286 2365 ESTUARY DRVENICE, FL 34292 13800 TAMIAMI TRLNORTH PORT, FL 34287 2200 PLANTATION BLVDNORTH PORT, FL 34289 2400 TAYLOR RANCH TRLVENICE, FL 34293 10500 TAMIAMI TRL SNORTH PORT, FL 34287 12125 WARM MINERAL SPRINGS DRNORTH PORT, FL 34287 3050 PAN AMERICAN BLVDNORTH PORT, FL 34287 4200 S BISCAYNE DRNORTH PORT, FL 34287 4675 CAREER LNNORTH PORT, FL 34289 2001 LYNX RUNNORTH PORT, FL 34288 219 MARLETTE DRNORTH PORT, FL 34287 428 VIVARNORTH PORT, FL 34287 5401 HOLIDAY PARK BLVDNORTH PORT, FL 34287 4615 GLEASON AVESARASOTA, FL 34242 2300 HALEY LNSARASOTA, FL 34231 4826 MCINTOSH RDSARASOTA, FL 34233 6210 CRESTWOOD AVESARASOTA, FL 34231 6908 BENEVA RDSARASOTA, FL 34238 8490 MCINTOSH RDSARASOTA, FL 34238 6700 CLARK RDSARASOTA, FL 34241 7112 CURTISS AVESARASOTA, FL 34231 (TEMPORARY MOVE) OUR SAVIOR LUTHERAN CHURCH 2705 N TAMIAMI TRLNOKOMIS, FL 34275 8885 S TAMIAMI TRLSARASOTA, FL 34238 OSPREY PUBLIC LIBRARY AT HISTORIC SPANISH POINT 337 N TAMIAMI TRLOSPREY, FL 34229 290 B AVENUE OF KINGSNOKOMIS, FL 34275 509 COLLINS RDNOKOMIS, FL 34275 502 VENETO BLVDNORTH VENICE, FL 34275 234 NIPPINO TRL ENOKOMIS, FL 34275 129 S TAMIAMI TRLOSPREY, FL 34229 208 PALM AVENOKOMIS, FL 34275 1060 LAUREL RD ENOKOMIS, FL 34275 326 NOKOMIS AVE SVENICE, FL 34285 606 BIRD BAY DR SVENICE, FL 34285 425 US 41 BYPASS NVENICE, FL 34285 800 TAMIAMI TRL SVENICE, FL 34285 700 WATERWAYVENICE, FL 34285 101 VIA VENETOVENICE, FL 34285 695 CENTER RDVENICE, FL 34285 2550 ENGLEWOOD RDENGLEWOOD, FL 34223 2395 SHAMROCK DRVENICE, FL 34293 406 SHAMROCK BLVDVENICE, FL 34293 3167 ENGLEWOOD RDVENICE, FL 34293 3951 WOODMERE PARK BLVDVENICE, FL 34293 4365 STATE ROAD 776VENICE, FL 34293 700 E DEARBORN STENGLEWOOD, FL 34223 1300 S RIVER RDENGLEWOOD, FL 34223 27075 Fairway DrPunta Gorda, FL 33982 Charlotte Harbor Event and Conference Center 75 Taylor StPunta Gorda, FL 33950 1120 Centennial BlvdPort Charlotte, FL 33953 3436 Indiana RdRotonda West, FL 33947 6868 San Casa DrEnglewood, FL 34224 4070 Beaver Lane NWPort Charlotte, FL 33952 23000 Midway BlvdPort Charlotte, FL 33952 12650 Wilmington BlvdPort Charlotte, FL 33981 26900 Harborview RdPort Charlotte, FL 33983 6400 Taylor RdPunta Gorda, FL 33950 750 Essex AvePort Charlotte, FL 33948 370 Atwater StPort Charlotte, FL 33954 2001 Shreve StPunta Gorda, FL 33950 43281 Cypress Pkwy (Field House)Babcock Ranch, FL 33982 1780 W Marion AvePunta Gorda, FL 33950 11200 First AvePunta Gorda, FL 33955 3460 N Access RdEnglewood, FL 34224 24411 Rampart BlvdPort Charlotte, FL 33980 245 Cougar WayRotonda West, FL 33947 670 Cooper StPunta Gorda, FL 33950 1201 Aqui Esta DrPunta Gorda, FL 33950 8600 29th Ave EPalmetto, FL 34221 5601 16th Ave EPalmetto, FL 34221 9505 Moccasin Wallow RdParrish, FL 34219 8565 Crowns CtPalmetto, FL 34221 9608 US 301 NParrish, FL 34219 6750 US 301 NEllenton, FL 34222 1012 57th St EBradenton, FL 34208 9422 Old Tampa RdParrish, FL 34219 Summary of Precinct 115 5525 Fort Hamer RdParrish, FL 34219 12180 US 301 NParrish, FL 34219 1200 Glory Way BlvdBradenton, FL 34212 35800 State Road 62Duette, FL 34219 26604 State Road 64 EMyakka City, FL 34251 10525 Lebanon St Myakka City, FL 34251 637 43rd Street Blvd W Palmetto, FL 34221 1701 10th St WPalmetto, FL 34221 501 17th St WPalmetto, FL 34221 1 Haben BlvdPalmetto, FL 34221 2410 4th Ave EPalmetto, FL 34221 3607 US 301Ellenton, FL 34222 1816 9th St WBradenton, FL 34205 3200 15th St EBradenton, FL 34208 1812 27th St EBradenton, FL 34208 Summary of Precinct 217 1100 15th St EBradenton, FL 34208 2112 53rd Ave EBradenton, FL 34203 570 57th Ave WBradenton, FL 34207 512 Pine AveAnna Maria, FL 34216 1505 Center RdTerra Ceia, FL 34221 248 Harbor Dr SHolmes Beach, FL 34217 201 2nd St NBradenton Beach, FL 34217 6200 Gulf of Mexico DrLongboat Key, FL 34228 6311 3rd Ave WBradenton, FL 34209 4701 Independence DrBradenton, FL 34210 2000 75th St WBradenton, FL 34209 3120 1st Ave WBradenton, FL 34205 1301 Barcarrota AveBradenton, FL 34205 2511 75th St WBradenton, FL 34209 5502 33rd Avenue Dr WBradenton, FL 34209 3700 26th St WBradenton, FL 34205 1805 30th Ave WBradenton, FL 34205 1305 43rd St WBradenton, FL 34209 5051 26th St WBradenton, FL 34207 6081 26th St WBradenton, FL 34207 1903 69th Ave WBradenton, FL 34207 7226 Tamiami Trl NSarasota, FL 34243 5115 Cortez Rd WBradenton, FL 34210 415 67th Ave WBradenton, FL 34207 7461 Prospect RdSarasota, FL 34243 6919 26th St WBradenton, FL 34207 5840 26th St WBradenton, FL 34207 5601 Country Club WaySarasota, FL 34243 7671 Lockwood Ridge RdSarasota, FL 34243 7671 The Park BlvdUniversity Park, FL 34201 8000 Stone Harbour LoopBradenton, FL 34212 4915 53rd Ave EBradenton, FL 34203 515 Upper Manatee River RdBradenton, FL 34212 5215 Lorraine RdBradenton, FL 34211 2113 57th St EBradenton, FL 34208 7340 Tara Preserve LnBradenton, FL 34203 7704 CR 675Lakewood Ranch, FL 34211 4602 Lena rdLakewood Ranch, FL 34202 8175 Lakewood Ranch BlvdLakewood Ranch, FL 34202 15800 State Road 64 EBradenton, FL 34212 16410 Rangeland PkwyLakewood Ranch, FL 34211 11315 Palmbrush TrlLakewood Ranch, FL 34202 Violinist Chouchane Siranossian performed with the Venice Baroque Orchestra Friday night at the Sanctuary of the Arts While there are many period instrument ensembles only a few reach the highest standards of performance The Venice Baroque Orchestra is one of the best the 13 string players and conductor-harpsichordist Andrea Marcon gave a perfectly pitched demonstration of stylish affinity and instrumental brilliance at the Sanctuary of the Arts in Coral Gables The players were joined by violinist Chouchane Siranossian for a program titled “A Venetian Duel of Bows,” contrasting the works of the leading violinist-composers of the era Baroque bows and specially constructed instruments that replicate those of the 17th and 18th centuries period string ensembles typically produce a warmer The problem with many such groups is that they easily stray from pitch since the effects of humidity and environment are even more problematical than with modern instruments No such issues affected the playing of Marcon and his Venetians their intonation was secure and their unity of ensemble impeccable From the first bars of Vivaldi’s Concerto for Strings in G minor The score’s Largo finds the Red Priest at his most eloquent and the players imbued the inspired paragraphs with nobility A brisk and incisive concluding Allegro was infused with the spirit of the dance Siranossian joined the orchestra for the remainder of the program a virtual Baroque violin recital with strings and harpsichord She is one of Europe’s top period players who combines mastery of technique with pristine musicianship Siranossian shaped the melodies of the opening Allegro of Vivaldi’s Concerto in G minor (“Il Favorito”) with grace and depth of feeling an arietta sparkled with variegated colors in an almost vocal manner The strings’ brilliant articulation set the tempestuous aura of the final Allegro but Siranossian’s phrasing emphasized elegance amidst the fireworks The Sonata in D minor by Francesco Maria Veracini is a tour de force for solo violin Siranossian’s robust attack in the initial Passagallo was striking and she brought sophisticated verve and charm to the lively finale in which her bow bounced on the strings to felicitous effect Her violin soared in the sanctuary’s resonant acoustic The violinist’s burnished sonority was perfectly balanced with the deeper tones of Irene Liebau’s cello Marcon’s patrician harpsichord artistry provided solid underpinning The Concerto in A Major by Giuseppe Tartini is more classically proportioned and Siranossian captured the work’s formality while avoiding heaviness The beautiful melody of the Largo andante approaches unearthly inspiration and Siranossian’s straightforward rendering allowed its sublimity to shine Violin and strings blended winningly in the joyous Presto finale The violin’s pyrotechnics suggest the high-jinks of Paganini a century later and Siranossian dashed them off with devilish verve Pietro Antonio Locatelli was one of the Baroque era’s most inspired melodists His Concerto in C minor is unusual in form with two andantes framing a central Largo Siranossian spun the twists and turns with canny musicality bringing finesse as well as fire to the cadenza at the score’s conclusion Her sound remained clear and pure even in the instrument’s upper reaches the composer’s signature imprint proved immediately recognizable in the robust opening of the Concerto in D Major (“Grosso Mogul”) Siranossian surpassed herself in the rapid fiddling that seemed like an 18th century version of country music The typical echo effects between soloist and ensemble players were dispatched to perfection A second movement Recitativo/Grave is an extended solo Siranossian pitched the florid writing in broad singing lines without allowing mere display to upend structural clarity She assayed Vivaldi’s own cadenza in the final movement Standing ovations and repeated curtain calls brought Siranossian and Marcon back for encores of the opening movement of “Spring” and the final Allegro of “Winter” from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons the musicians brought to these most played of Baroque concertos a freshness and sparkle that seemed like they were discovering the works for the first time RK Cultural Productions presents Ruckus with flutist Emi Ferguson and violinist Rachell Ellen Wong  7:30 p.m. at the Sanctuary of the Arts in Coral Gables   rkculturalproductions.org Posted in Performances Posted Nov 04, 2024 at 10:08 am by Lewis Grenville Thank you RK Cultural Productions for a superb evening Posted Nov 11, 2024 at 4:47 pm by Margaret Seroppian And Outstanding violinist solo and ensemble. XHTML: You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong> Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Officials said Nagy bought his winning ticket from a Publix at 4173 South Tamiami Trail in Venice With a 1-in-3.49 chance of winning a prize (CBS12) — A man from Sarasota County has over $2 million reasons to smile The Florida Lottery announced on Friday that Stephen Nagy claimed a $2 million top prize from the 100X The Cash scratch-off game See also: Critics question Florida's universal school vouchers as public funds used for theme parks The 62-year-old decided to receive his winnings as a one-time The Publix will also receive a $4,000 bonus commission for selling the ticket VENICE − When visitors stepped into Bela Urban’s house on Golden Beach Boulevard in Venice The native Hungarian had lived in the house a short walk from the Gulf of Mexico since 2002 and he filled it with one-of-a-kind furniture pieces from across the word pictures and his late wife’s needlepoint creations lined the walls the pieces are piled on the curb outside his house — ruined and ready for waste management to collect them evacuated to a friend’s house for the Category 4 storm and didn't see the damage until Friday morning Surveying his bedroom Saturday — miscellaneous knickknacks once displayed on shelves but now scattered across the damp floor — Urban said he’s still in shock “I still don’t get the full impact of this thing yet,” Urban said washing away decades of history within a few hours of pounding by powerful winds and waves that hammered the area even though the center was more than 100 miles away the refrain was the same: “The worst we’ve ever seen.” salvaging what they can and tossing the rest The city of Venice has advised residents to stay off the roads and away from the more severe areas as they assess the extent of the damage Bulk yard waste pickups are available by appointment at (941)-486-2422 Venice's waste management will eventually collect Urban’s pile of furniture which is growing with the help of his friends and neighbors They’ve taken a box cutter to the thick Persian rug previously spread across the living room tearing through the fabric to create more manageable pieces to carry outside where Mary Charles' family is clearing out the house she’s lived in since the 1970s her grandchildren and other friends and neighbors have worked since Friday morning to organize the debris been staying with a relative in Sarasota for a few weeks and wasn’t present for the storm or the cleanup Charles’ daughter and a Lakewood Ranch resident said they hadn’t shown her photos of the house yet Charles had meticulously organized almost every object in the house handwriting its worth and where she got it on sticky notes inside Milko fought tears as she sorted through bowls and plates: She wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the house she grew up in so soon “We thought we’d have more time to do this,” Milko said like Jetty Jack’s refreshment deck in South Jetty Park which is a major tourist attraction in Venice Built in the 1980s and located at the end of Tarpon Center Drive adjacent to the inlet Jetty Jack’s previously survived major storms like Hurricane Irma Hurricane Ian and August’s Tropical Storm Debby with substantial but reparable damage “Tough place to have a business,” a Facebook post from the shack ahead of Debby reads The damage to coastal properties like Jetty Jack’s is extensive The jetty itself was torn apart by storm surge and adjacent homes saw their interiors inundated with water and sand Police are working to fence off the park and asking locals to avoid the area as cleanup continues Local officials are working on a timeline and cost estimates as they assess the damage Assistant City Manager James Clinch told the Herald-Tribune it would be a price tag of “a few millions” at least nothing is certain — except that Venice won’t be the same Sam Montes had one word for Helene's impact:  Contact Herald-Tribune Growth and Development Reporter Heather Bushman at hbushman@gannett.com VENICE – The family of the owner of Jetty Jack’s Refreshment Deck started a GoFundMe page after Hurricane Helene destroyed the snack bar which was made from shipping containers in 1998 and is owned by the city while the city of Venice has closed Humphris Park as the city fixes damage done there by Hurricane Helene “Our lease more or less expired, or ended, as a result of this thing,” said Chris Johnson, who has operated the concession since 2018. Johnson said that money contributed through the GoFundMe effort started by his daughter-in-law Marina Williams will be used to help employees and cover the losses of Johnson and his wife Linda By Tuesday afternoon the fundraiser had brought in slightly more than 70% of its $25,000 goal. Johnson was insured for fire and theft but could not obtain flood insurance for the contents of the business City spokeswoman Lorraine Anderson said via email that the structure itself was insured by the city he had not yet been able to go inside Jetty Jack’s which he said contained about $80,000 in equipment – some of which is leased – and spoiling food products that he feared may attract rats A fixture at Humphries Park, the snack bar was the product of a 1998 deal between then-Venice City Manager George Hunt and Eric Kotte to build what was later known as “Anita’s Sandcastle” out of shipping containers The structure gave the city restrooms at the 2.1-acre park and Kotte’s daughter Anita Deans – who operated a hot dog cart there – a covered place of business Kotte and the city split the $61,930 construction cost while Kotte and Hunt worked out a 15-year lease with a 10-year renewal option Deans paid the city $8,880 a year in rent and charged the city $12,780 a year to maintain the adjacent restrooms Deans did not exercise her option to renew the deal and operated on a month-to-month basis from January 2016 until May 31 Profit-sharing and a new dealChris Johnson and his father Bob Johnson The contract called for Johnson to pay the city $1,000 a month in rent maintain the restrooms and share profits with the city Despite setbacks ranging from red tide and storm closures to the COVID-19 pandemic – which led to the city modifying Johnson’s lease with a rent abatement clause similar to one that had been in place with the Venice Pier Group – Jetty Jack’s grew in popularity In 2022, when Venice relaxed a ban of consumption of alcohol on city beaches both Jetty Jack’s and the Pilot House snack bar at the Venice Beach Pavilion were allowed to sell alcohol Anderson said any decision on a future concession will be made once Humphris Park is rebuilt Venice could opt to build a permanent restroom facility at the park or hook up temporary restrooms in a modular building a tack the city of North Port has taken at Warm Mineral Springs Johnson said he plans to open a new business – ideally back at Humphris Park if things work out once the park reopens “I would like to be able to set up a food truck and leave a food trailer there,” Johnson said “I always feel there’s a silver lining with something that happens bad,” he added “I just believe something good’s going to come from this.” As the high tourism season starts, businesses from Englewood Beach on Manasota Key north to Casey Key are continuing to recover from the impacts of hurricanes Helene and Milton and Debby at Caspersen Beach and the Venice Jetties is still problematic because of parking but many of the restaurants and businesses have reopened or plan to reopen soon “The message that I’m going to tell you is that you need to come to the Key and go to the businesses that are open and buy something or they’re not going to make it,” said Toby Delbridge owner of both Barefoot Trader and Beach Co in Englewood Beach and the Old Florida Gallery on Dearborn Street the barrier island is getting there,” added Doug Izzo executive director of the Englewood Florida Chamber of Commerce Prime Englewood Beach dining destinations operated by Manasota Key Group – SandBar Tiki & Grille Magnolia’s On The Bay and Lock ‘N Key Restaurant – are still working toward a reopening date An open letter from Sue and Rocket Atamanchuck, owners of Manasota Key Group, posted on the manasotakeygroup.com web site  reads: "The challenges brought by Hurricanes Milton and Helene have tested us all but it’s the Englewood community that lifts us up “Our comeback is not just possible; it’s inevitable,” it continues “and we can’t wait to share many more wonderful memories with you.” Beachcomber Trading Post and Calico Jack’s were open and serving a steady stream of customers on Beach Road Parking for Englewood Beach remains closed while contractors sift through sand piles to remove the debris But people staying at Manasota Key Resort and individual rental properties with access to the beach can still use it Snowbirds and tourists were also able to get more than a few steps in Delbridge said he was able to quickly reopen his Beach Co surf shop; he decided to expand the clean-up of Barefoot Trader into an interior remodel of that shop The Dearborn Street area was hit by storm surge from Milton “There was worse flooding at my Dearborn store than there was at Englewood Beach,” Delbridge said he could power wash the building out and reopen more quickly Homeowners closer to Lemon Bay were not so fortunate One friend’s house was flooded by two feet of water during Hurricane Helene and then Hurricane Milton brought roughly four feet of storm surge “It was a total loss for that whole neighborhood,” Delbridge added The Hermitage Artist Retreat at 6660 Manasota Key Road, just south of Blind Pass Beach continues to make progress on clean-up of the historic campus Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg noted that the “epic mountains of sand are gone and we are fully back and operational in our Palm House facility.” He added that the goal is to reopen the historic Hermitage House for artists later in January and bring the other individual living spaces back online in the following weeks Hermitage programs are being hosted at a variety of area venues, with more information available at https://hermitageartistretreat.org Meanwhile there is no access to beach parking at Blind Pass Beach Sarasota County Spokeswoman Genevive Judge said via email that about 2,400 feet of Manasota Key Road north of Blind Pass was damaged as well as rip rap in place to protect against erosion as the only public beach in the Englewood area technically open as well as Caspersen Beach south of Venice will depend on when Sarasota County has funding and a plan to rebuild those roads Sarasota County Public Works Director Spencer Anderson told the Herald-Tribune that it would look at more resilient ways to rebuild both Manasota Key Road and Harbor Drive which provides vehicle access to Caspersen Beach What beaches and businesses in Venice are open?Virtually all the businesses in Venice – the “shark tooth capital of the world” – are open “South Brohard beach and the beaches north of that are readily available to get to so we’ve been sending our customers there,” said Linda Hervas a store on the island of Venice that sells a patented shark tooth sifter though Hervas said many customers will park at the beaches in Venice and then walk south Stores on the island of Venice are all seeing regular seasonal business “There’s definitely a large uptick in downtown in Venice during holidays and it’s only going to get busier in February,” said Kara Morgan “Everybody is open and hustling right now – this is the time that they do the most amount of business.” Meanwhile Venice waterfront restaurants, Crow’s Nest Restaurant & Marina on the Intracoastal Waterway and Sharky’s on the Pier and Fins at Sharky’s near the Venice Municipal Fishing Pier are also both open. The pier remains partially open after suffering damage from both hurricane’s Helene and Milton. Both the North Jetty Fish Camp/Trolley and Jetty Jack’s Refreshment Deck at Humphris Park – popular with people who enjoyed watching boats at the Venice Inlet as well as sunset aficionados – sadly were damaged beyond repair Access to both Venice Jetties likely depends on how the U.S Army Corps of Engineers approaches its long-term plan to restore both jetties Pop’s Sunset Grill and Pelican Alley – both located off of Albee Road on the Intracoastal Waterway in Nokomis – have both reopened for business Beach access on Casey Key is still limited to Nokomis Beach the boat ramp is open as is Shark Tooth Beach Concession at 208 S Justin Bloomquist who operates Shark Tooth Beach Concessions said that more people are patronizing that stand – many ask about the status of North Jetty Beach reopening Judge said by email there is no set timetable to reopen the parking lot at concession at North Jetty Beach for a couple of reasons heavy equipment is still being used to sift and move sand and separate debris That debris then needs to be removed from the park Sarasota County must still repair the parking lot – including spaces for Americans With Disabilities Act access – and reestablish crosswalks Once North Jetty Beach is opened by Sarasota County Bloomquist said they plan to bring live music to the North Jetty Grille and change the hours so people can enjoy the sunset there watch live music and grab a daiquiri or glass of wine,” Bloomquist said “It’s still a great place to watch the sunset.” This photo is thought to date back to the original construction of the jetties in the 1930s when they were part of a project to protect Casey’s Pass executive director of the West Coast Inland Navigation District and City Manager Ed Lavallee prior to a city media event regarding debris left in local waters by Hurricane Helene Venice Marine Patrol Master Officer Paul Joyce Behind him are representatives of the police department Sea Tow Venice and The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission VENICE — Hurricane Helene was a storm like no one in Venice had seen before And it revealed something no one in Venice today had seen — the pilings and bulkheads from the original construction of the South Jetty nearly 100 years ago SOUTH VENICE — A South Venice man who allegedly shot a childhood friend through a door over an argument on social media on Monday afternoon is in custody in Charlotte County charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Kevin M in Englewood shortly after midnight Tuesday on a Sarasota County warrant VENICE – The South Jetty walkway at Humphris Park, 2000 Tarpon Center Drive, reopened to the public Wednesday afternoon after being closed for nearly a year because of damage sustained from Hurricane Idalia in August 2023 Army Corps of Engineers and West Coast Inland Navigation District started long awaited repairs on the rock structure the week of July 22 Workers placed more than 400 tons of granite rocks along both sides of the walkway Venice Public Works crews used more than 12 tons of asphalt to create smooth walkway surface on the popular fishing spot proprietor of Jetty Jack’s snack bar said at the reopening He noted that there were not yet a lot of people at the South Jetty Wednesday afternoon “I’m going to make a (social media) post today when I get home and get the word out,” he added The city of Venice started spreading the word of the reopening through its social media channels Wednesday afternoon Damage to the South Jetty of the Venice Inlet and at Humphris Park was among the most significant recorded at Venice area beaches That forecast calls for 4 to 6 inches of rain from Sunday through the middle of next week and a potential for 6 to 8 inches of rain when Friday and Saturday are factored in a forecaster with the National Weather Service Ruskin The potential rainfall is a product of a low pressure system that formed in the same portion of the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico where Hurricane Helene took shape but the latest system is not anticipated to grow into a named storm “We’re not seeing any indication of a strong tropical system; it’s going to be more of a rainmaker for us,” Fleming said Sarasota County sandbag-filling stations open from 9 a.m to 7 p.m.Sarasota County’s self-service sandbag filling stations will be open from 9 a.m Individuals are asked to bring their shovels Venice sandbag-filling station open from 8 a.m to 4 p.m.The city of Venice will open its self-service sandbag stations from 8 a.m North Port sandbag-filling station opens at George Mullen Activity CenterThe city of North Port sandbag-filling station is at the Larry Thoennissen Athletic Fields behind the George Mullen Activity Center The station is open and accessible with no set hours Bags and sand will be available while supplies last Residents are asked to bring their own shovels Manatee County has seven sandbag filling stations open Friday For a complete list, visit https://mymanatee.org/storm The Myakka River flood warning area issued by the National Weather Service now includes portions of North Port and Warm Mineral Springs the high water mark at Myakka State Park was at 10.21 feet – slightly lower than initially projected as much as two feet of flood water may inundate affected areas through Saturday morning Floodwaters in northern Sarasota County – which suffered considerable flooding in the Philippi Creek watershed, especially in Pinecraft and areas off of Lorraine Road and Palmer Boulevard, southeast of the Celery Fields – are expected to continue to recede. Sarasota County public works crews deployed a water pump near the end of Webber Street on Thursday The location of the pump will add more capacity for drainage along the Palmer Boulevard and Lorraine Road area In addition to flooding communities, the water also overwhelmed area sewage treatment plants, resulting in millions of gallons of sewage spilling into area waterways. The 10.21-foot crest of the Myakka River at Myakka State Park was at the upper level of moderate flood stage Flooding has already occurred north of State Road 72 It should reach Interstate 75 and communities off of Border Road near the Carlton Reserve Friday evening and continue into Saturday morning Peak water level at I-75 is anticipated at daybreak Saturday the city of Venice issued a statement urging residents in Northeast Venice that some street flooding of east Laurel Road may be occurring Rising water is expected to progress south and reach U.S. 41 and homes off of Playmore Drive near the Tarpon Point Grill and Marina by early morning Saturday Peak water level is expected at noon Saturday The warning will continue through noon Sunday North Port city spokesman Jason Bartolone said via email Thursday that potentially affected areas include some homes in Warm Mineral Springs and North Port adjacent to the Myakka River Sarasota County has already opened up an evacuation center at Woodmere Park ENGLEWOOD – Doug Izzo, executive director of the Englewood Florida Chamber of Commerce, was explaining the damage inflicted by Hurricane Milton on Englewood to a Herald-Tribune reporter on cell phone Friday while driving down New Point Comfort Road when he paused to change direction “I've got to turn around; there's a boat in the middle of the road,” Izzo said, shortly after explaining that Milton – which made landfall Oct. 9 in Siesta Key – was part of a one-two punch for the coastal community a storm that passed by Sarasota and Manatee counties about 100 miles offshore but that was different – people got water in their properties with Helene "the water ripped the buildings apart – there’s a lot more destruction.” as well as the tony communities of Gasparilla Island “What a lot of people are not talking about is the mainland,” Izzo added "There are areas of Old Englewood around Dearborn Street that is not an affluent community.” Englewood is an unincorporated community about 27 miles south of Siesta Key that straddles the Sarasota-Charlotte county line is in Sarasota County – its growth fostered by the county through a Community Redevelopment Agency The Charlotte County portion of Englewood serves as – among other things – the gateway to Boca Grande Artistic Director and CEO of the Hermitage Artist Retreat is frustrated that national news outlets have ignored Englewood and Manasota Key With no vehicle access to the key to check on the six-acre campus at 6660 Manasota Key Road he has had to rely on the description offered by a couple of neighbors who made it to the key and some aerial footage "But there’s a lot of mileage of coast and barrier islands between there and I think Manasota Key was one of the hardest hit and I think that we just haven’t heard about it because most people have not been able to get back there to see their own properties “It’s devastating to have this kind of damage My understanding from our neighbor is the Hermitage buildings are still standing But they are badly damaged and covered in sand." "We are committed to diving in and taking care of it and restoring as quickly as we’re able but it’s heartbreaking to see all this –  hard to manage it without being on site and so much of the community doesn’t even have power Helene, with a storm surge believed to be between six and eight feet of water, left roughly four-to-five feet of wet sand on the Hermitage campus but staff was able to get on the barrier island relatively quickly and start cleanup efforts “Had we not done the work that we did the past nine days digging out from Helene and done a tremendous amount of digging out and cleanup and preventive work and building trenches and barriers in anticipation of Milton I think we would be looking at a very different picture and these pictures could be covered with far more sand or even worse,” Sandberg said “We’re a resilient organization and it's a resilient community We’re going to get back to doing what we do as quickly as we can,” Sandberg added The Hermitage is looking for alternative locations to host programs and an alternative venue for its signature fundraising event While national media attention has not yet found Englewood national relief organizations are making their presence felt A World Central Kitchen relief team started serving meals at the Englewood Chamber of Commerce at 601 S Rotary International  District 6960 has been operating disaster recovery teams in response to all three hurricanes that have impacted the area − Debby Rotary deploys trailers to central locations in impacted areas – which currently includes the Venice Art Center The trailers are stocked with tools – including chainsaws to cut dangerous tree limbs – a cadre of volunteers to help clean up storm-ravaged properties – as well as hot water and everything for people impacted by natural disasters to clean up “We already have a team down there,” said David Pankiw a Wellen Park resident who served as past president of the Venice-Nokomis Rotary Club and team leader in Englewood Volunteers do not have to be Rotary members to help with the efforts “When we got down to Lemon Bay and Englewood it was a disaster,” Pankiw said of the circumstances in Englewood after Helene Rotary spent four days starting the cleanup effort for homes on Lemon Bay “All those homes are gone now,” because of Milton Longtime Englewood resident Keith Rowley from Rowley Insurance spent Thursday visiting customers who live along Lemon Bay “The wave action was horrible for homes,” said Rowley who noted one customer had a 38-foot boat in their swimming pool “No telling what the Key is going to be like; the bay(front) houses are horrible.” The debris line along Dearborn Street started at Culture Coffee and the Dearborn Coffee House Two boats were on Placida Road from Skip’s Marina by Lemon Bay High School the major issue appeared to be storm debris “This is not an Ian – Ian was widespread structural damage,” he said “Soffit damage but nothing major structural from the roof,” he added Most of Dearborn Street is without power and internet as well “Last night out of my house it looked like a lightning storm but there was no lighting,” Rowley said “It was all transformers blowing – they were all green flashes.” Patti Clark was taking a Saturday morning class at First Baptist Church of Venice when she saw this stuffed bear in the back of a truck It was being donated to the church’s youth group “This gives a whole new meaning of ‘bearing your sins,’” she said The South Venice Yacht Club celebrated its annual Commodore’s Ball the club will host several environmental events aimed at cleaning up waterways with the help of its members who own and store their kayaks at the club Daniel VerBurg captured sunset at Sawgrass The South Venice Yacht Club hosted a fashion show and luncheon in February at their hall Sixty-two ladies attended and enjoyed 15 outfits modeled by members The clothes were provided by Scarlet Macaw Resort Wear This event is one of many activities SVYC hosts throughout the year including bi-monthly dinner dances in season Terrie Marrapese and Donna Deese of Scarlett Macaw along with their mascot “Roary the Lion,” show off the bench they donated to the Venice Senior Center The bench was made as a reward for Lions recycling 500 pounds of plastic The soft toys sharing the bench are some of the almost 400 bears donated to the Venice Police Department for children in distress up against a Indians' club that's ranked in the top five in the Sunshine State Follow along with us here at High School On SI Florida as we will be providing live scoring updates all throughout the evening (Keep refreshing for live scoring updates throughout the night) Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm Eastern Time .@IMGAFootball 7, @VeniceIndianFB 7, end of the 1st Q #flhsfb @HighSchoolOnSI @SBLiveFL .@IMGAFootball 21, @VeniceIndianFB 10, end of the 3rd Q @HighSchoolOnSI @SBLiveFL #flhsfb Great breakup here by the @VeniceIndianFB defense Indians will get the ball back with 7:43 remaining trailing 21-16 👀@HighSchoolOnSI pic.twitter.com/aK5Rbaq09D Follow SBLive Florida throughout the 2024 high school football season for Live Updates the most up to date Schedules & Scores and complete coverage from the preseason through the state championships Be sure to Bookmark High School on SI for all of the latest high school football news To get live updates on your phone - as well as follow your favorite teams and top games - you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App| Download Android App -- Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @sblivefl ANDY VILLAMARZOAndy Villamarzo has been a sports writer in the Tampa Bay (FL) Area since 2007 writing for publications such as Tampa Bay Times FL area and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in the summer of 2022 covering the Tampa Bay Area He has quickly become one of Florida's foremost authorities on high school sports radio programs and digital broadcasts as an expert on team rankings © 2025 ABG-SI LLC - SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER South Jetty was closed this weekend because of the waves crashing onto the walkway City officials will have to inspect the walkway to determine if the Jetty can be reopened Venice’s South Jetty took a pounding from Tropical Storm Debby meaning city officials will once again have to determine if the Jetty is saee to be reopened The levels in the Intracoastal Waterway rose Sunday after Tropical Storm Debby dumped inches of rain on the area Certain neighborhood streets in Venice flooded Sunday causing the city to close certain roads and intersections The intersection of Curry Lane and Pinebrook Road went underwater Sunday A resident used a small rowboat to get down that road near Gardenia Drive The roads near Casa Seville condominiums on La Guna Drive in Venice saw significant rain The road leading to Caspersen Beach was partially eroded away Sunday from Tropical Storm Debby Erskine Drive went underwater in certain areas Sunday Some of the parking area at Higel Marine Park went underwater Sunday Waves crash over South Jetty Sunday during the visit of Tropical Storm Debby The Venice Fishing Pier was closed Sunday because of the danger posed by Tropical Storm Debby Harbor Drive at Caspersen Beach is closed to vehicles because of road erosion VENICE – Warnings have been issued in Venice for flooded roads and dangerous conditions as T…