Venice Community News 
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FLORIDA CASH FOR CLUNKER AC SYSTEMS DETAILS ANNOUNCED!
Wednesday, August 25th, 2010 at 11:05am. 27 Views, 0 Comments.
State officials, announcing long-awaited details of its latest "cash for clunker" program Friday, said Floridians could snare a $1,500 flat fee rebate for replacing their central air conditioning systems with more energy efficient units starting this month.
The program opens Aug. 30, and will run through the end of the year or until the $15 million the Governor's Energy Office set aside for it runs out. But getting that cash back will be more complicated than it was for the new refrigerators, dishwashers and other items that tens of thousands of Floridians bought during the wildly popular "cash for clunker appliance" program earlier this year.
The money, which comes through federal stimulus funding approved last year, will cover only 10,000 rebates. By…
WAVE OF FORECLOSURES IN SARASOTA!
Wednesday, August 25th, 2010 at 11:04am. 22 Views, 0 Comments.
The wave of foreclosure filings that real estate experts had been anticipating all year began in a big way in July. Total filings in the three-county region jumped to 3,349 during July, a 40 percent increase from a month earlier and a 10.6 percent increase from July 2009. Charlotte County led the way with a 61 percent leap, while both Manatee and Sarasota counties saw their increases of more than 26 percent, data released by California's RealtyTrac Inc. shows.
Real estate analysts expect the number to keep growing in the months ahead because of two factors:
- A new wave of adjustable-rate mortgages resetting to higher interest rates.
- Banks feeling more comfortable about releasing supplies of unprocessed foreclosures because of increased demand and…
LEGACY TRAIL IN SARASOTA COUNTY FINISHES THE FINAL LINK!
Wednesday, August 11th, 2010 at 1:35pm. 49 Views, 0 Comments.
Legacy Trail, the best cycling trail in Sarasota County just got better. Now Sarasota cyclists can enjoy an 11-mile ride south that offers views of Roberts Bay and Dona Bay. Each bridge features little side areas where you can step off your bike and stretch your legs. In the evening, as the sun sets over the water, it's quite a sight.
On the Legacy Trail, you'll encountered cyclists of all ages. Some young men pedaled hard while crouched over $2,000 bikes with aerodynamic handlebars. Some older women cruised along while perched on upright bikes.
The Legacy Trail starts near McIntosh Road in Sarasota. It passes Osprey and Oscar Scherer State Park before crossing the bays just north of Venice.
The next bridge for the Legacy Trail will be the one…
FLORIDA BACK-TO-SCHOOL SALES TAX HOLIDAY RETURNS AUGUST 13th
Wednesday, August 11th, 2010 at 1:33pm. 46 Views, 0 Comments.
Shoppers, get ready to fire up the credit cards. Friday, August 13th starts Florida's tax-free weekend.
From 12:01 a.m. Friday to midnight Sunday, Floridians will not pay the typical 7-percent sales tax on books, clothing and footwear that cost $50 or less, as well as school supply items that cost $10 or less.
The tax-break was originally meant to spur the economy and give parents a break on back-to-school expenses. For the last two years, the tax holiday was on hold amid budge problems at the state. Now, it's back. But instead of a week, it's been shortened to a three-day weekend.
Luckily for shoppers, there's no requirement to prove the merchandise is for a student. Anyone can buy eligible items and receive them tax free, so that brassiere at…
SARASOTA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL IS CHANGING!
Wednesday, August 4th, 2010 at 1:44pm. 53 Views, 0 Comments.
The 9-story high bridge will connect Sarasota Memorial's East Tower to nothing at first, likely causing a bit of head-scratching among passersby of the busy hospital construction site.
Construction on the bridge will start in September, three months before construction manager Skanska USA starts work on the crown jewel of the project, the new nine-story Courtyard Tower. The bridge, as hospital bridges do, will connect each floor of the East Tower to each floor of the new tower.
The nearly three-year-old, multi-phase construction project still has another three years before completion. Earlier phases may have appeared busier because they included very visible projects, including demolition of the power plant and the Ortho Building fronting U.S. 41 and…
NEW HINTS OF RELIEF FOR HOUSING IN SARASOTA REAL ESTATE
Wednesday, July 28th, 2010 at 11:01am. 23 Views, 0 Comments.
Southwest Florida entered 2010 with dire predictions from a bevy of experts that a housing market showing signs of sales and price stability would be overwhelmed by summer with a wave of new foreclosures driven by the region's stubbornly high unemployment rate. But so far, that has not been the case. In fact, the most recent foreclosure data would seem to suggest that Manatee, Sarasota and Charlotte counties may have dodged the bullet.
The great unknown is just how many loans on properties will ultimately fall into the distressed category. Foreclosure filings in June hovered around their lowest point since summer 2009, according to data released Wednesday by RealtyTrac Inc., a California company that has been tracking the phenomenon.
Realtors will…
NO LIMIT POKER NOW AVAILABLE IN SARASOTA!
Wednesday, July 14th, 2010 at 2:39pm. 47 Views, 0 Comments.
A new state law allows no-limit poker betting at 23 casinos and pari-mutuels parlors in Florida, including One-Eyed Jacks Poker Room at the Sarasota Kennel Club. According to the website CardPlayer.com, the new law "is expected to propel Florida into one of the premiere poker destinations in the country." "Florida becomes another Atlantic City, Tunica or Vegas," Russ Christianson, the vice president of gaming operations at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, told the website.
That is quite a progression since 1997, when Florida first legalized poker, but limited pots to $10 -- total. The new law is part of a compact reached with the Seminole Indians and is expected to pay the state $150 million annually over the next decade.
The new law affects…
OSCAR SCHERER STATE PARK NAMED AS ONE OF THE BEST!
Wednesday, July 7th, 2010 at 1:53pm. 59 Views, 0 Comments.
ReserveAmerica, one of the largest providers of campground reservation services, honored Florida State Parks in 17 categories for outdoor recreation, including 15 parks named to the Top 100 Family Campgrounds. Florida's state parks were also honored in multiple other categories including canoeing, biking and hiking.
"The Florida Park Service is honored to be recognized in a total of 17 categories on America's Top 100 Campgrounds list," said Florida Park Service Director Mike Bullock. "Providing clean, affordable and enjoyable places for Florida residents and visitors to recreate while continuing to restore our natural and cultural resources is our mission."
Select Florida State Parks were recognized in the categories below.
Top 100 Family…
HOUSE VOTES TO EXTEND HOMEBUYER TAX CREDIT!
Wednesday, June 30th, 2010 at 12:16pm. 50 Views, 0 Comments.
Homebuyers would get an extra three months to complete their purchases and qualify for a generous tax credit under a bill overwhelmingly passed by the House on June 29th. Under current law, homebuyers who signed purchase agreements by April 30 have until Wednesday to close on the sale to qualify for tax credits of up to $8,000. The bill would give buyers until Sept. 30 to complete their purchases.
The extended deadline only applies to people who signed purchase agreements by April 30. The National Association of Realtors estimates that about 180,000 homebuyers who already signed purchase agreements are likely to miss the Wednesday deadline.The bill passed 409-5. It now goes to the Senate, where Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has sponsored…
SARASOTA COUNTY REGISTER SALES GAINS FOR THIRD CONSECUTIVE MONTH!
Wednesday, June 30th, 2010 at 12:11pm. 63 Views, 0 Comments.
Sales figures continued to surge in April for businesses in Sarasota and Charlotte counties, as they did for most of the rest of Florida. It was the third consecutive month of increases for Sarasota County.
Statewide, sales grew 7 percent in April, according to new figures released by the Florida Department of Revenue. For the first four months of the year, Florida businesses posted a 4 percent increase in sales, compared with the same period last year.
Perhaps the hottest industry in the region was home furnishings, which began to take off early this year. Before that, the industry's sales had dropped for three consecutive years.
Businesses like Sarasota's Bed Warehouse, Pamaro Shops on University Parkway and Bacon's Furniture in Sarasota and Charlotte…
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