It’s not every day that a photographer with the body of work that Susan Wood has is featured in a slideshow on the side of a building on a tiny island like ours. It happened, though, on March 30, as the second in a series that celebrates the senses called “Art After Dark.” The J.McLaughlin store hosts the events, which are held for charity. Wood, a world famous photographer to the stars of movies, music, fashion, and politics, as well as a highly skilled photojournalist capturing down-to-earth happenings, was thrilled to be part of it. 

Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast is excited to team up with Outdoors by Owner (OBO) to connect more people to the great outdoors and protect more special places in the process. A not-for-profit land trust, Conservation Foundation has been saving land in Southwest Florida since 2003. To date, they have permanently protected over 19,200 acres across 56 properties in the five counties they serve. Notable recent conservation successes include the 8-acre Don Pedro Island State Park Addition in Charlotte County, 20 acres of Florida Panther habitat in Collier County, the 191-acre Crowley Museum & Nature Center in Sarasota County, the 432-acre Myakka Headwaters Preserve in Myakka City, the 228-acre addition to Old Myakka Preserve in Sarasota County and the centrally located almost 300-acre Bobby Jones Golf Club in the City of Sarasota.

If passed it will award competitively solicited contracts to American Facility Services, Inc., At Your Service Cleaning Group, Inc., and United States Service Industries, Inc. for custodial services in Lee County Central Zone, on an as-needed basis for an initial three-year period with an option to renew the contracts up to an additional three years.