Beyond the Beach: The Sarasota County Government Podcast

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Latest Episodes:

Resilient SRQ: Sarasota's HUD Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery Program Feb 21, 2025

In this episode, Sammi and Lisa sit down with Steve Hyatt, Division Manager and Emily Blaine, Communications and Outreach Coordinator with the Resilient SRQ team. Sarasota County is a direct recipient of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)'s Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery, otherwise known as Resilient SRQ.

Established in 2023 to support Hurricane Ian recovery, the program is backed by $201.5 million in CDBG-DR funding from HUD. Now, with a new $210 million allocation for recovery from 2024’s storms Debby, Helene, and Milton, the county will administer over $411 million in funding to rebuild homes, repair infrastructure, and strengthen resilience. Tune in to learn how these efforts are shaping the future of Sarasota County!

For more information on Resilient SRQ, visit resilientsrq.net.

New Year, New Career: Explore Opportunities with Sarasota County Jan 17, 2025

In this episode of Beyond the Beach, Lisa and Sammi sit down with Heather "HD" Deyriuex, Workforce Planning Manager for Sarasota County, to discuss exciting career opportunities in local government. Now is the perfect time to start the year fresh with a new career and explore diverse job paths.
Additionally, Lisa and Sammi discuss some of the interesting roles with Sarasota County with Bob Benzsenyi, landscape supervisor, who shares his journey overseeing the county's mowing team.
Start your career with Sarasota County at scgov.net/jobs!

Get Festive with Upcoming Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Events Dec 12, 2024

Beyond the Beach is at the beach with Aaron Carson from Sarasota County Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources! In this episode, they sit down at Siesta Beach and discuss the many future events Sarasota County PRNR is offering soon. From holiday fun to sports competitions and nature celebrations, there’s something for everyone! Here's a glimpse of what's happening:

Sandy Claws Beach Run: Get festive with this fun run on Dec. 14 at Siesta Key Beach.
Fire Fest: Experience controlled burns and learn about Florida's fire ecology on Jan. 25.
Gulf Coast Games for Life: A multi-sport competition for athletes 50+, happening from Jan. 18 through Feb. 15.
Winter Break Camps: Keep kids active during school break with exciting camp options, running throughout late December and early January.

All of these events and more can be discovered in Sarasota County's new digital event guide! To explore the interactive guide, visit SarasotaCountyParks.com.

Upcoming Events and Programs with Sarasota County Libraries Sep 20, 2024

In this episode, we sit down with Katie Dow, Programs and Partnerships Manager for Sarasota County Libraries, to highlight the exciting events and initiatives offered through Sarasota County Libraries.

One Book, One Community: Dive into the county-wide reading program, where Sarasota residents are encouraged to read the same book. This year’s top five book contenders include Remarkably Bright Creatures and The Art Thief.
Off the Page Literary Festival: Get a sneak peek at this November’s literary celebration featuring authors like Amor Towles, Rebecca Renner, and Curtis Sittenfeld. There’s something for everyone, from kids’ events to writing workshops.
Pop-Up Library: Learn about Sarasota’s mobile library, bringing books, Wi-Fi, and story times to various locations across the county, making library services more accessible.
Remake Learning & Summer Reading Challenge: Discover STEM and educational programming for families, along with summer reading challenges offering prizes for readers of all ages.

Learn more about the amazing programs offered to the community at SarasotaCountyLibraries.org.

Inside Emergency Management with Sandra Tapfumaneyi Jul 25, 2024

In this episode, we sit down with Sandra Tapfumaneyi, Sarasota County's Emergency Management Chief to discuss how we can prepare for hurricanes and other emergencies. With a wealth of experience, including serving as Chief of Lee County Emergency Management and Incident Commander during Hurricane Ian, Sandra shares her invaluable insights and lessons learned from managing some of the most catastrophic hurricanes in recent history.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Hurricane Ian Lessons: Key takeaways from managing one of the most devastating hurricanes in U.S. history.
2024 Hurricane Season: Predictions and updates to National Weather Service messaging, and what it means for Sarasota County.
Preparing for Severe Weather: Tips on how to stay safe during various types of severe weather events, not just hurricanes.
Emergency Kit Essentials: Recommendations for what to include in your hurricane preparedness kit, plus Sandra’s favorite snacks and creature comforts.

Stay tuned as Sandra shares practical advice and resources to help you and your loved ones stay safe this hurricane season.
Find out more at scgov.net/beprepared.

Meet the Communication Interns Jul 11, 2024

What makes Sarasota County such a fantastic place to live, work, and play? Join hosts Lisa, Sammi, and Ken as they share their personal connections to the area and discuss their favorite parts of Sarasota County. They are joined by the summer communications interns—Lin, Xinyu and Sabrina—who bring fresh perspectives and exciting projects like animations promoting water conservation and videos that highlight staff and events.
We make it fun with a trivia guessing game and share the enriching hands on experiences our summer interns are having. Don’t miss this refreshing kickoff to a new season packed with informative and entertaining content!

More information on Intern Sarasota County can be found at scgov.net/intern. Start your career with Sarasota County at scgov.net/jobs.