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Sarasota Man Sentenced for Role in Advance Fee Loan Scheme

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The Office of Financial Regulation today announced that Stephen Hummell was sentenced to three months in jail to be followed by 15 years of probation, after a guilty plea for his role in an advance fee loan scam. He is barred from the lending industry for life.

Commissioner Drew J. Breakspear said, “Collecting an advance fee for the promise of a loan is illegal in Florida, and our investigators will continue to work tirelessly to ensure Floridians are protected from these scams. I thank the Sarasota County State Attorney’s Office and the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia for their assistance in this case.”

Hummell used a website, capitalfirstinvestorsgroup.com, to offer online loans to prospective borrowers. He purportedly assessed and collected more than $1.2 million in advance fees from more than 40 victims in exchange for promising them business loans. However, no loans or refunds ever materialized. The investigation revealed that the victims’ money was used for personal expenses.

To report investment fraud or suspicious activity, please file a complaint with the Florida Office of Financial Regulation online, flofr.com, or call (850) 487-9687.

US 41 and Gulfstream Avenue Intersection Improvement Public Information Meeting

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The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), District One, invites you to attend a public information meeting to discuss the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of US 41 and Gulfstream Avenue in the City of Sarasota.

The meeting is from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. (open house format) on Tuesday, March 27, 2018 in the Sarasota Municipal Auditorium, 801 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL.

At this public meeting, FDOT will display for your review information about the proposed roundabout. The meeting will be an open house format where people can ask questions and provide comments to FDOT representatives in a one-on-one setting. FDOT will accept written comments during the meeting.

FDOT is sending notices to property owners located within at least 300 feet of the intersection, including residents along Sunset Drive and Golden Gate Point. We encourage all interested people to attend and express their views regarding the project and information presented.

FDOT solicits public participation without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, or family status. People who require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or who require translation services (free of charge) should contact Jamie Schley, Title VI Coordinator, at 863-519-2573 or by email at [email protected] at least seven days prior to the public meeting.

RoadWatch Advisory for I-75/University Parkway Diverging Diamond Interchange in Sarasota/Bradenton

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SARASOTA/MANATEE

I-75/University Parkway (mile marker 213), Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) Sarasota/Bradenton:  Construction project: 

Lane Closures – Northbound I-75 On and Off Ramps at the I-75/University Parkway Interchange:

Wednesday, February 21. Details below:

The contractor anticipates implementing temporary single lane closures on northbound and southbound ramps of I-75/University Parkway interchange at night/overnight Wednesday, February 21 between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. while crews place the final layer of asphalt on the ramp. All ramps will remain open.

Improvements being made as part of this project consist of constructing a diverging diamond interchange, adding an auxiliary lane on northbound and southbound I-75, constructing new bridges on  I-75 over University Parkway, widening of University Parkway, widening of I-75 bridges over Errie Creek and Foley Creek, realignment of on-ramps and off-ramps at I-75/University Parkway, addition of ponds, drainage improvements, new lighting and signalization, construction of a noise wall on the west side of I-75, sidewalks, bike lanes, and pedestrian walkways. Expected completion is early 2018. The contractor is Prince Contracting, LLC. For additional information, please visit the project website at swflroads.com/i75/university/.

Special Olympics Florida to Host State Stand Up Paddle Championship in Sarasota

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Who: More than 145 Special Olympics Florida athletes, plus coaches and volunteers
What: Special Olympics Florida State Stand Up Paddle Championship
Where: Nathan Benderson Park
5851 Nathan Benderson Circle
Sarasota, FL 34235
When: August 26, 2017
7:30 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. Opening Ceremony
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Competition and Awards
See fact sheet for more information.
About Special Olympics Florida
Special Olympics Florida provides year-round sports training, competition, and health services to children and adults with intellectual disabilities, at no cost to the athletes or their caregivers, as a means to achieve physical fitness, self-esteem, socialization skills, and the life skills necessary to be productive, respected, and contributing members of their communities. To learn more, visit www.specialolympicsflorida.org.

Find the Best Route to the USRowing Youth National Championships with Florida 511

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Download the free mobile app or visit FL511.com
to check routes to Nathan Benderson Park

Rowing fans can glide through traffic with Florida 511 while on their way to the 2017 USRowing Youth National Championships at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Friday, June 9 through Sunday, June 11.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) encourages residents and visitors attending the three-day event to use the Florida 511 Traveler Information System to arrive safely and with fewer delays.
Fans should check the interactive road map on FL511.com before leaving for real-time traffic information and incident alerts in English or Spanish. Drivers also can view roadway cameras and check travel speeds on roads near the competition venue, including I-75.
The free Florida 511 mobile app, available on the Apple App Store or Google Play, features an interactive map showing traffic speeds and incidents on roads around the user’s location.
Rowing fans can register on the website or mobile app for a My Florida 511 personalized services account to create a custom door-to-door route to Nathan Benderson Park or other favorite destinations. Route-specific text and email alerts can include travel speeds, travel time estimates and traffic information.
Additional ways to receive information from Florida 511 include calling 511 toll-free from any phone in the state or following any of the statewide, regional or roadway-specific Twitter feeds (#FL511), such as @FL511_Southwest and @FL511_I75.
FDOT encourages all drivers to visit the Florida 511 website before leaving or have a passenger check the mobile app to avoid using a phone while driving.

RoadWatch Advisory: I-75 SB On-Ramp & NB Off-Ramp CLOSED Wednesday, April 5 at University Parkway Interchange

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FDOT Header
SARASOTA/MANATEE
I-75 (SR 93) / University Parkway Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) Sarasota/Bradenton:  Construction Project:
Detour – I-75 Southbound On-Ramp Closed at the I-75/University Parkway Interchange: 
Wednesday, April 5. Details below:
The contractor anticipates implementing a temporary detour route at the I-75/University Parkway interchange at night/overnight Wednesday, April 5 between 11 p.m. and 12 midnight to prepare for a traffic shift.
Motorists traveling on University Parkway wishing to travel south on I-75 are directed to enter northbound I-75, exit at westbound SR 70/Exit 217 B, enter southbound I-75 and continue south on I-75. Motorists may also use local roads and enter I-75 from Fruitville Road.
Detour – I-75 Northbound Off-Ramp CLOSED at the I-75/University Parkway Interchange: 
Wednesday, April 5. Details below:
The contractor anticipates implementing a temporary detour route at the I-75/University Parkway interchange at night/overnight Wednesday, April 5 between 12 midnight and 5 a.m. to replace the attenuator.
Motorists traveling north on I-75 wishing to exit at University Parkway, Exit 213 are directed to continue north on I-75, exit at westbound SR 70/Exit 217 B, enter southbound I-75, and exit at University Parkway/Exit 213.
Improvements being made as part of this project consist of constructing a diverging diamond interchange, adding an auxiliary lane on northbound and southbound I-75, constructing new bridges on  I-75 over University Parkway, widening of University Parkway, widening of I-75 bridges over Errie Creek and Foley Creek, realignment of on-ramps and off-ramps at I-75/University Parkway, addition of ponds, drainage improvements, new lighting and signalization, construction of a noise wall on the west side of I-75, sidewalks, bike lanes, and pedestrian walkways. Expected completion is fall 2017. The contractor is Prince Contracting, LLC. For additional information, please visit the project website at http://www.swflroads.com/i75/university/.

US 41 at Fruitville Road Public Meeting Scheduled in Sarasota

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The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), District One, will hold a public information meeting as part of the Project Development and Environment (PD&E) study to evaluate improvements to the intersection at US 41 and Fruitville Road in the City of Sarasota. The meeting will be Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at the SRQ Media Room located in the Annex building of Sarasota City Hall, at 1565 1st Street, Sarasota, Florida, 34236.
The meeting will be an open house format from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. where people can ask questions and provide comments to FDOT representatives in a one-on-one setting. Persons wishing to submit written statements, in place of or in addition to oral statements, may do so at the meeting or by sending them to Project Manager Joshua Jester by email at [email protected]. All statements postmarked on or before April 21, 2017, will become a part of the public meeting record.
FDOT is sending notices to property owners located within at least 300 feet of the intersection and projected project boundaries FDOT encourages all interested people to attend and express their views regarding the project and information presented.
FDOT solicits public participation without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, or family status. People who require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or who require translation services (free of charge) should contact FDOT project manager Joshua Jester at 863-519-2251 or by email at [email protected] at least seven days prior to the public meeting.

Sarasota’s Mizell Wins T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League Gator Division Event on Lake Okeechobee

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Fort Lauderdale’s Bartlett tops Co-angler field

3.27.2017 JessieMizell

Jessie Mizell of Sarasota, Florida, won the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Gator Division event on Lake Okeechobee Saturday with a five-bass limit totaling 23-pounds even. For his victory, Mizell pocketed $4,915.

“I began the day fishing near Bird Island, but the wind picked up and muddied the water,” said Mizell, who earned his second career-win on Lake Okeechobee in BFL competition. “I stayed there for a while and caught a couple of small ones. By 1 p.m., I knew I needed to change things up.

“I went to a little cove by the North Shore that was out of the wind and fished really slow in the calm water,” continued Mizell. “I focused on some small lilypads. I went back and forth along a 100-yard stretch and caught my limit by 3:30 p.m.”

Mizell said he used a Red Ear-colored Spro Dean Rojas Bronzeye Poppin’ Frog 60 on a 7-foot, 11-inch medium-heavy 13 Fishing rod to craft his limit.

“I could see a slight wake under the frog that most people wouldn’t notice,” said Mizell. “I paused and let the bait sit for about 10 or 15 seconds. When I moved it, they’d eat it.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

               1st:          Jessie Mizell, Sarasota, Fla., five bass, 23-0, $4,915

               2nd:         Brianne McMillan, Belle Glade, Fla., five bass, 22-4, $2,658

               3rd:          Jim Hurlock Jr., West Palm Beach, Fla., five bass, 19-9, $1,640

               4th:          Cody Davis, Deerfield Beach, Fla., five bass, 18-9, $1,147

               5th:          Nicholas Hoinig, Delray Beach, Fla., five bass, 18-8, $1,083

               6th:          Mike Surman, Boca Raton, Fla., five bass, 18-6, $1,201

               7th:          Dustin Royer, Davie, Fla., five bass, 18-5, $819

               8th:          Jesus Villegas, Virginia Gardens, Fla., five bass, 16-12, $737

               9th:          Frank Mackin, New Port Richey, Fla., five bass, 16-9, $1,405

               10th:        Kyle Monti, Okeechobee, Fla., five bass, 16-4, $573

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.  

Mackin caught the heaviest bass of the tournament, a fish weighing 8 pounds, 4 ounces, which earned him the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $750.

Brandon Bartlett of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, weighed in five bass totaling 19 pounds, 9 ounces, Saturday to win the Co-angler Division and the top prize of $2,833.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

               1st:          Brandon Bartlett, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., five bass, 19-9, $2,833

               2nd:         Matthew Wolfe Jr., Orlando, Fla., five bass, 15-7, $1,429

               3rd:          Fernando Rosa, Plantation, Fla., five bass, 13-9, $817

               4th:          Richard Mongiovi, Indian Lake Estates, Fla., five bass, 12-10, $573

               5th:          Garrett Carter, Middleburg, Fla., five bass, 12-8, $471

               5th:          John Hendry, Crystal River, Fla., five bass, 12-8, $471

               7th:          Michael Carter, Bokeelia, Fla., five bass, 12-2, $460

               8th:          Andrew Pulliam, Spring Hill, Fla., five bass, 11-13, $369

               9th:          Robert Alton, Fort Pierce, Fla., five bass, 11-11, $328

               10th:        Hayden Scharf, De Leon Springs, Fla., five bass, 11-10, $287

Bartlett also caught the biggest bass among Co-angler Division anglers, a fish weighing 7 pounds, 9 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $375.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 19-21 BFL Regional Championship on Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Georgia. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard.

The 2017 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. Top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the BFL on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

About FLW
FLW is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money in 2017 across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, with offices in Minneapolis, FLW conducts more than 274 bass-fishing tournaments annually across the United States and sanctions tournaments in Canada, China, Mexico, South Africa and South Korea. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show, broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, while FLW Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros. For more information visit FLWFishing.com and follow FLW at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.

US 41 at Gulfstream Avenue Public Meeting Scheduled

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FDOT Header
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), District One, is hosting a public information meeting as part of the Project Development and Environment (PD&E) study to evaluate improvements to the intersection at US 41 and Gulfstream Avenue in the City of Sarasota. The meeting will be Tuesday, March 28, 2017 at the Sarasota Municipal Auditorium, 801 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, Florida.
The meeting will be an open house format from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. where people can ask questions and provide comments to FDOT representatives in a one-on-one setting. FDOT will accept written comments during this meeting. FDOT will show a video running on a continuous loop that describes the alternatives developed during the PD&E study.
FDOT is sending notices to property owners located within at least 300 feet of the intersection, including residents along Sunset Drive and Golden Gate Point. We encourage all interested people to attend and express their views regarding the project and information presented.
FDOT solicits public participation without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, or family status. People who require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or who require translation services (free of charge) should contact FDOT project manager Joshua Jester at 863-519-2251 or by email at [email protected] at least seven days prior to the public meeting.