Good morning, Sarasota.

A local kid was named a finalist in a superhero contest that celebrates creativity and community spirit.

The finalists will be honored in a ceremony later this month in Sarasota.

This weekend, Sarasota hosts free festivals: Taste of the Bay offers local food downtown Sunday noon to 3 p.m., a Pride festival lights up Rosemary District Saturday 4 to 11 p.m., Cock and Bull reopens with live music Friday-Sunday, and families enjoy Halloween fun at Arlington Recreation Center and UTC.

Publix has announced that customers can order fully cooked Thanksgiving meals online starting Oct.

27, with pickups beginning Oct. 31 until Nov. 25 so shoppers can plan ahead for a stress-free holiday dinner.

Grasshopper Mexican Restaurant & Bar on S.

Tamiami Trail closed after more than a decade, leaving a farewell note that thanked patrons for 14 years of support. The Tex-Mex spot, known for its wet burritos and margaritas, had cited construction challenges before shutting its doors.

The Sarasota Art Museum is showing Presence, a photography exhibition featuring over 100 iconic photos by famous photographers.

It runs from Oct. 18 to April 4, 2027.

Manatee Players has been staging Carrie: The Musical at the Bradenton Kiwanis Theatre (502 Third Ave. West) since Oct.

15 and will run through Nov. 1. The production offers a bold retelling of bullying and a girl's discovery of a dangerous power, with tickets priced at $32.50.

Booker High School hosted a hands-on culinary lab on Oct.

22 where chefs James Veldhouse & Hillary Diamond from Gecko’s Grill & Pub taught students professional cooking skills as part of the Tornado Kitchen program.

Cadets at Sarasota Military Academy engaged in a virtual session with an astronaut from the space station on Oct.

22, gaining firsthand insight into space life and mission details.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said 533 registered divers removed 36,187 invasive lionfish from local waters during the summer-long Lionfish Challenge plus the event will return next year to boost marine life protection.

Florida Realtors has spent nearly $20m to support Amendment 3, a proposed change that would increase homestead exemption amounts for homeowners in Sarasota + Manatee when it takes effect Jan.

1. Local real estate agents offer divided views on whether the changes will boost home buying or affect government budgets.

Sarasota's condo and townhome sales surged in the third quarter as transactions rose up to 26.8 percent in some areas and cash deals made up nearly 61 percent, while several properties sold for over 10 million dollars and median prices remain below single-family homes.