As more diners venture back into restaurants, many want to know first what’s being done to keep coronavirus off the menu. Now, a Sarasota public relations professional maintains a database to help consumers know what safety measures are taking place in their favorite eateries as well as let restaurateurs share best practices publicly.

Susan Hicks, founder of PRecise Communications, launched Safety 4 SRQ, an online directory where Sarasota and Manatee businesses can post Health Safety practices. For the moment, a handful of restaurants, retailers and salons/barber shops appear.

“It’s for the consumer to be able to come and find information on health and safety practices without having to wade through marketing,” Hicks said. “But it's also for businesses so local restaurants don’t have to have what their COVID-19 practices are printed next to their nicely plated menu items.”

The idea is that the database can become a depository of details on just what measures are taken to limit the spread of the pandemic.

Businesses like Michael’s on East, The Little Salon, Cutting Loose and Nick Choat’s Sport Clips Haircuts locations in Bradenton and Sarasota appear now.

“This online Health Safety directory is a great asset,” Choat said. “Our biggest problem has been communicating to the public that they will be safe coming to our salons for hair cuts and styling because of our firm commitment to following rigorous health safety measures.”

For the $10 per month basic package, businesses can go online and effectively fill in a check list of practices that apply at their business. For $20 a month, businesses can be listed as “supporting members” and share greater detail about their specific procedures.

Then businesses can also be listed as “Safety Superstars” if they make a pledge to temporarily close in the event an employee tests positive for COVID-19.

Hicks said the fees will help her offset the startup costs for the service, and she hopes to offer the database at a price that doesn’t burden businesses themselves.

The Sarasota political community never fails to inspire. Even with a pandemic preventing SRQ MEDIA from hosting its traditional “Where The Votes Are” precinct-by-precinct analysis in person, roughly 50 political leaders and activists in the region logged in to our first-ever virtual WTVA event.

Conducting similar events for more than a decade, it’s always a challenge to bring the most engaged audience on the topic together to find those trends not immediately obvious the night of the election. We knew already that Eric Robinson lost his School Board seat, but a close look finds that in 20 Republican precincts in Sarasota, more Democratic ballots were cast. A look even closer reveals Tom Edwards, Robinson’s opponent, won 19 of those precincts.

Yet it's never as simple as partisanship. Karen Rose, a Republican who won an open board seat, did so beating Democrat David Graham in 11 of Sarasota County’s 16 Democratic precincts. Again and again, a study of results shows that candidates who build a base both politically and geographically diverse will win the day.

Another revelation from a precinct level analysis? Mike Moran’s skin truly may have been saved in the primary by redistricting. Much attention during the controversial redrawing of Sarasota County’s Commission lines was directed at the fact Moran’s District 1 created a more Republican district than he previously represented. But even in a GOP primary, Moran won by a smaller margin than expected over his less well-funded opponent, Mike Hutchinson. In fact, when you count only votes cast in pre-redistricting District 1, Hutchinson would have beaten Moran with 3,005 votes to the incumbent’s 2,890. It was only Moran’s support in those precincts he voted to draw into his district that helped him win the primary 8,244 to 7,994.

Does that mean for sure Moran would have lost his primary if the lines remained the same? That’s an impossible question to answer. For starters, it seems quite likely the decision to redraw boundaries angered many voters who might otherwise have happily supported his reelection. But it seemed to many observers the precincts that disappeared from the district, and thus did not vote in a county commission race in August at all, represented territory hostile to Moran, if not now then in the general election. One way to read the Aug. 18 results is that he could be in trouble with much of his electorate. Another way is to say he’s good enough with voters added to his district that redistricting may have been a godsend.

Meanwhile, a study of numbers shows how important Ron Cutsinger’s win was in the District 5 race. He handily beat Chris Hanks for the GOP nomination. But more importantly, all but one precinct in the district saw more Republicans vote than Democrats. And that was with Democrats county-wide boasting a turnout of near 43% when turnout overall was just over 32%.

Of course that’s the great thing about digging into data. Your own confirmation biases can lead you to interpret the results in ways that make sense to you, but numbers don’t care about your preconceived notions and values. They tell you in black and white (and sometimes with decorative colors applied in Excel and PowerPoint) the final result of voter behavior in ways polling and, admittedly, media accounts cannot.

Our event included party leaders and candidates themselves, seeking answers in the tea leaves known as returns. But it’s a rare opportunity always to bring a range of political eyes to look at data together. In a time of polarized political debate and bitter electioneering, it’s still exciting to see dozens in Sarasota and Manatee converge, even online, to share their insights.

Jacob Ogles is contributing senior editor for SRQ MEDIA. 

Sarasota Farmers Market's Phil Pagano did indeed step down from his longtime role back in April amidst COVID-19 shutdowns and not being able to see eye-to-eye with the market's board of directors. After serving as Executive Director and Market Manager for over a decade, Pagano is now shifting his "support small business" efforts to opening his own brick-and-mortar general store. The store is now open daily for shopping local goods and artisan treats you likely scout on Saturday's at the downtown Farmers Market. Aside from launching his own artisan popcorn venture, titled Uncle Phil's Organic Popcorn, the store will also offer many of your favorite Sarasota Farmers Market vendors' goods. Java Dawg Craft Roasted Coffee bags sit on shelves below locally-made washcloth towels while Southwest Woodwork's wine holders and serving trays are displayed alongside Ashjoi's Natural Artisan Soaps. Other recognized market vendors's locally-made items include Sunshine Canning jams and Mazzone Olive Oil, both in a variety of different flavor selections. Lunar Earth's loose-leaf tea/herbs are bagged for purchase along with tea steepers, Sarasota Candle Co.'s funky candles make a guest appearance with long-beloved scents and Winter Park Honey graces the shelves with a wide range of medicinal and gourmet honey. An exclusive item you may not have seen yet is Big Wave Organic Cotton Candy, packaged in large Mason jars and available in different flavors such as pineapple, lychee, coconut, lilikoi and sea salt caramel. 

Meanwhile, shoppers can snack on Pagano's small-batch artisan popcorn, made with organic coconut oil and sea salt. Tastes are free, and prepackaged boxes for purchase are organized into four different flavors: kettle, plain, cinnamon and maple. Option to order bags of the popcorn online in "Farmers Delight 4-packs" or the "Jumbo Papa Pop" size are available as well. 

Uncle Phil's General Store now open and poppin' - 1316 N East Ave., Sarasota, 34237, unclephilsorganicpopcorn.com.  

Photo courtesy of @unclephilsorganicpopcorn

Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS) welcomes medical oncologist/hematologist Swati Pathak, MD. She is caring for patients at the FCS Davenport office at 40107 US Highway 27, Suite 200 in Davenport, FL and the FCS Lake Wales office at 2 FL 60 West in Lake Wales, FL. FCS CEO Nathan Walcker said, “Dr. Pathak has extensive experience as a medical oncologist, educating medical students and serving patients in community settings. We are excited to have her join the FCS family.” 

Click here for more information.

Lakewood Ranch had a record-setting 189 sales for the month of August, up from 115 in 2019. The Ranch secured 1,197 new home sales through the end of August of 2020, beating last year’s numbers by 8 percent. “Although demand remains strong from the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic markets, we have seen a sizeable uptick in Florida buyers from throughout the state, especially Tampa, Orlando, and the east coast,” Cole said. “Activity amongst Lakewood Ranch buyers is also notable, with many current residents looking for new homes with larger floorplans.” 

Click here for more information.

Tri County Air received the 2020 Frank G. Berlin Small Business Award from the Greater Sarasota Chamber in the Medium Business category. Last year, Tri County Air's non-profit Serve FL (Tri County Community Foundation), was presented with the Mayor’s Pillar of the Community Award from the Mayor of Venice, FL. Additionally, it received the Venice Area Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year award the same year. "Not only do we have an amazing team of employees, but we are honored to serve an equally amazing community, many who have trusted our company from the beginning, since 1977. We do not claim to be perfect; our customers know and understand this better than anyone, but we do our best to serve with excellence time and time again." Tri County Air is a second-generation family-owned and operated company, with the third generation working in the business today. We have proudly served the residents of Manatee, Sarasota, and Charlotte counties for the past 43 years by providing the area’s best air conditioning and heating maintenance, service, and new installs. It is our pleasure to be the only family guaranteeing your family’s comfort since 1977.  

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PGT Innovations (NYSE: PGTI), a national leader in premium windows and doors and the nation’s largest manufacturer of impact-resistant windows and doors, held a drive-thru Hurricane Laura Relief Supplies Distribution Event in Lake Charles, LA where the Florida-based company provided much-needed emergency supplies to those affected by the recent Category 4 hurricane. This relief effort is a continuation of PGT Innovations’ 15+ year history of post-hurricane community support.“When a storm impacts any of our neighboring states – whether along the East Coast or across the Gulf, our team is compelled to help however we can with relief efforts to aid those families affected,” said Jeff Jackson, President and CEO of PGT Innovations. “As a company headquartered in Florida, we have seen the devastation that these incredibly powerful weather events can leave behind. Our goal is that the support and supplies we provide will help residents know that they are not in this alone; that there are companies and organizations that will be there to help them rebuild their homes, their communities, and their lives.”  

Click here for more information.

Nonprofits unite to make sure that young people referred to Teen Court get the wrap around services and support that they need, now more than ever. Personalized Estate Liquidation (PEL) Benefiting Youth, Inc., an affiliation of estate sale company, PEL Consignments, LLC, presented Teen Court of Sarasota, Inc. with a $15,000 gift to support their local wrap around services. Executive Director, Heather Todd added “Support from PEL means that as we see a need, we are able to implement quality services that benefit the students we serve at Teen Court.  It takes a village to raise a child and we are so thankful that PEL is part of our village.” 

For more information, call 941-993-8757 or visit www.personalizedestateliquidation.

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Be a part of Dive Against Debris® event with Sarasota's Florida Underwater Sports and support Project AWARE’s flagship citizen-science program which empowers scuba divers to remove marine debris from the ocean and report data on the types, quantities and locations of materials collected. Since the program’s launch in 2011, more than 86,000 divers have participated in Dive Against Debris in 120 countries around the world, reporting over 1.6 million pieces of trash have been removed from the ocean. As the only underwater debris data collection program of its kind, Dive Against Debris both improves the health of ocean ecosystems through localized volunteer efforts and provides valuable information about underwater debris to help inform policy changes that can positively impact the aquatic environment. Project AWARE's next goal is to add the next million pieces of debris to the global dataset by the end of 2020 to mobilize local communities and continue to build evidence of the scale of the global marine debris crisis.

Along with keeping our beaches and reefs clean, Florida Underwater Sports works with and supports MOTE Marine Laboratory, Disabled Divers International and provides support to our diving community. 

Join the public beach event on Saturday, September 19 at 9 am on Venice Beach. Enjoy hot coffee and fresh donuts, get a dive briefing, grab a debris bag and start collecting. Non-divers are welcome to help and pick up beach trash.  

Learn more about the event here.

The Child Protection Center, Inc. (CPC) recently received a $10,000 grant through the generosity of the Wilson-Wood Foundation to support CPC’s Children and Families Supervised Visitation Program (CFSVP). The funding from this grant aids CPC in meeting the growing demand for CFSVP, which has seen a 41% increase in services from April through July, with a state record for the number of supervised visitations in April. At the onset of the pandemic, the program adapted to virtual outlets for the safety of the children, caregivers, staff, and volunteers, and the positive response has opened the door to the option for virtual accommodations in addition to traditional visits in the future. 

For more information on CPC or the Supervised Visitation Program, visit www.cpcsarasota.org or call 941-365-1277.

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Two generous grants were awarded to Laurel Civic to further its mission to equip, educate, and empower the individuals and families we serve. The members of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Venice (UUCOV) donated $20,320 to provide initial funding for Laurel Civic's new Hand Up Initiative. Hand Up is an empowerment project to build financial capacity in economically distressed low-income families and underserved populations of Laurel and the surrounding areas. Michael D. Fluker, Executive Director of Laurel Civic said, "We believe that Hand Up will provide the needed tools for education and support to establish financial stability and improve our clients’ financial health.” 

SRQ Magazine delves into Firmo Construction's latest projects this September and explores how their cutting edge VR technology is a game changer for the construction industry. Now available to view and download, the Firmo Construction BrandStory shares how this local design-build firm approaches adaptation, innovation, and growth. 

Click here to view the BrandStory

The Sarasota Ballet School is delighted to announce the introduction of the American Ballet Theatre® National Training Curriculum starting in September. The ABT® National Training Curriculum is a breakthrough program that combines high quality artistic training with the basics of dancer health and child development. Register for The Sarasota Ballet School’s by-appointment Open House this Saturday, 12 September, 9am to 2pm at our Rosemary Studios. Call 941-225-6520 or email education@sarasotaballet.org to learn more. 

Click here for more information.

The first annual 5K and one-mile fun run with all of you in person but much like some of the cats in our lives, they are “social distancing” in an effort to keep the community safe. They hope that you will join them in their first annual virtual Fall Feline Fun Run in support of the cats and kittens they serve each year and the people who love them. Registration is open now through the morning of October 31, 2020 and is $35 per registrant. If you are unable to participate in the walk/run, please consider donating to support their lifesaving work. The first $10,000 raised in registrations and donations will be matched dollar for dollar thanks to an anonymous donor. 

Click here to register.