Good morning, Sarasota.

The Ohio State Alumni Club of Sarasota-Manatee will host game-day watch parties at Captain Curt’s on Siesta Key starting Sept.

5 at 12:30 p.m. to unite Buckeye fans during its 26th season, drawing over 500 members with a long tradition of community.

A kitten whose head got stuck in a propane exchange locker outside a Walgreens in North Port was freed by fire crews who worked with Animal Services, and a kind Walgreens employee later adopted it after a microchip scan revealed no owner.

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (on Manasota Key) has secured $450,000 in grants to support residencies, arts education and accessible programming.

The funds come from benefactor groups including local and national foundations to expand its acclaimed arts incubation programs.

Residents will enjoy diverse local events this weekend from today to Wednesday.

Highlights include the Summer Circus Spectacular at the Historic Asolo Theater, a youth musical at FSU Center for the Performing Arts, comedy at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, and community games at The Paradise Center in Longboat Key.

Sarasota County students will return to school on Monday, Aug.

10 and school zones will be active with lower speed limits, buses, cyclists and foot traffic. Officers advise drivers to use extra caution and consider alternate routes + leave earlier for safe drop-off and pickup.

Sarasota residents looking to turn their gym habit into a career can explore the IPTA Personal Trainer Certification, which bundles CPR/AED certification and unlimited exam retakes (along with study tools and business support) to ease the transition into fitness training.

A water main break closed part of Beneva Road at Marketridge Road on Wednesday morning, with northbound lanes reopening (by 4:15 a.m.).

Drivers should avoid the area until the repairs on the water lines are complete.

If Amendment 3 is approved in November, Sarasota County schools will face funding cuts that may lead to reduced school safety staff and local services (like mental health support and child care programs).

Families and students could see fewer partnerships with first responders and community programs as a result.

Bear Mattress’s sleep study shows most Americans prefer an ideal sleep temperature of 67°F while Florida residents tend to sleep at 69.2°F—below the recommended 78°F for energy savings.

Updated Aug. 5, the study also compares sleep preferences across states.

Twelve Florida hospitals, including Sarasota Memorial Hospital (recognized for overall performance and specialized care), earned national honors in the latest U.S. News and World Report rankings.

Rankings measured patient outcomes, survival and complication rates to help patients choose their care.

On Wednesday, Aug. 12, Sarasota stargazers can enjoy a rare planetary alignment before sunrise, a partial solar eclipse peaking at 1:46 p.m. (with eclipse glasses required), and the Perseid meteor shower peak under a new moon.

The nearly 5-acre campus at 801 N.

Orange Ave. is being listed for sale today by The DeLieto Team at MSC Commercial — offering developers the chance to build an 18-story mixed-use project under the Live Local Act as the academy consolidates its campuses.

Detroit Mike & Trey Wanvig Live Performance

6-10 p.m. — JR's Old Packinghouse Cafe — Free entry — Experience the soulful sounds of blues with Trey Wanvig in a lively local setting.