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Hi Sanford, hope you’re having a great weekend!

In today’s in-case-you-missed-it edition: Florida by rail small towns, Jack in the Box’s comeback, and a St Patrick’s Day river cruise + the top stories from this week & a sneak peek at next week.

From today’s sponsor, FinanceBuzz: Many Florida drivers end up paying higher auto insurance premiums because they don’t shop around enough. The same driver with the same car can get wildly different quotes from different insurers, so it truly pays to compare. Their free tool makes it easy.*

📰 Most-clicked stories this week

Sleepy downtowns in view: Published February 28, this feature rides Florida by rail, savoring proud small-town stops from DeLand’s historic core and Stetson’s red tile roofs to a quiet pause for Lake Monroe — read the full story.

New openings signal broader push: After more than 30 years away, Jack in the Box has opened in Longwood, near Sanford, and the chain plans another Florida location in April as expansion continues — see what’s planned next.

Power shift in river revival: Seminole County Sen. Jason Brodeur proposed restoring the Ocklawaha River, but an amendment leaves the decision on removing Kirkpatrick Dam to a 19-member board, with costs potentially exceeding $100 million — get all the details.

Nothing prepares you for a pet emergency: I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. As soon as we got home, I signed up for Spot. It’s super affordable – and reimburses up to 90% of the bill.*

Gold & silver are hot: Last year was gold’s best year since 1979. Silver did even better, climbing nearly 150%… and analysts expect the momentum to continue. Curious about precious metal investing? GoldCo has a helpful guide that covers everything you need to know. It’s free — and definitely worth a read.*

All the crowd favorites:

• Dine and dance at Diamonds and Denim
• Pick up groceries and essential resources
• Celebrate Count Basie’s big band brilliance

💎 This week’s top finds

Sweet potato pie fix: Generations Best Sweet Potato Pies transforms sweet potatoes into tiny, dangerously snackable pies that taste like a hug from Grandma’s kitchen. A box in the fridge tends to vanish… those “I deserve this” moments have a way of appearing between emails, errands, and quick breaths.

Crave-worthy chili fix: When comfort calls, Cupid’s Hot Dogs is serving classic chili-and-mustard originals and Chicago-style staples they’ve honed since 1946. Expect a nostalgic dog that’s satisfyingly messy and proudly napkin-worthy, the kind of simple, craveable bite that turns any weeknight into a small victory.

Waterfront seafood fix: Craving an easy weeknight dinner with a view? St Johns River Steak & Seafood keeps it casual with riverfront scenery and comfort classics: grouper, shrimp and grits, and more. The menu makes choosing pleasantly tricky, so share plates, sip something cold, and settle into Sanford’s breezy side.

These aren’t ads or sponsored placements — they’re the local spots your fellow readers clicked on most this week.

🫶 We got your back

Your data is for sale right now: There are over 400 websites selling your info to marketers, political campaigns, and scammers. They’ve got your phone number, home address, relatives’ names… you name it. That’s how robocallers seem to know everything about you before you pick up. You can remove your info one site at a time, or pay a service to do it for you. Here’s what we recommend →

Why your last diet didn’t work: Sustained weight loss is nearly impossible with diet alone. Your body literally fights back by making you hungrier the moment you start restricting calories. That’s why more doctors are recommending GLP-1s. The best part? Getting them has never been easier. We compared three programs to help you find the right fit. See which ones stood out →

Paying full price is officially optional: Blu Dot just marked down dozens of their best sofas, beds, dining tables, outdoor pieces, and lighting by as much as 60%. Not because something’s wrong with them, but because every great design eventually has to make room for the next one. The deals change daily, so it’s always a new adventure. *See what’s on sale today →

Most people have no idea what’s happening inside their body: Not because the data doesn’t exist, but because no one’s collecting it. Routine annual checkups miss things like body composition, biological age, and the biomarkers that can help predict long-term patterns. The good news? HumeHealth offers tools to help you track all of that at home for less than the cost of a specialist visit. *Use code NEW20 to save 20% →

Something in your house is about to break: It might be your AC, your water heater, your fridge… doesn’t matter. Every major appliance has an expiration date, and when it goes, you’ll be staring down a repair bill that can climb into the thousands fast. An AHS home warranty covers these types of surprises + *select plans are $150 off right now →

📆 Sneak peek at next week

Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →

All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.

☘ St Patrick’s Day Celebration @ St. Johns Rivership Co. | Tuesday (3/17) at 10:30 AM – St. Patrick’s Day calls for trading bar stools for the Barbara Lee, a lazy lunch cruise on Lake Monroe with live tunes, green beer, and a proper Shepherd’s Pie. Reserved tables, full bar, and downtown Sanford views, because we’re festive, not feral.

🚗 JCOF Concours d’Elegance @ Alaqua Country Club (Longwood) | Saturday (3/21) at 9:00 AM – Whether you’ve babied an E-Type for decades or your garage holds more golf clubs than horsepower, JCOF’s 38th Annual Concours d’Elegance is the place to shine, ogle, and swap stories. Register your Jaguar, or just come get inspired by polished cats and that proper British growl.

🌱 Popup Plant Sale @ Thomas Moreno Landscape Nursery, Inc. | Saturday (3/21) at 9:00 AM – Swing by the popup plant sale for a mini version of the shop, Saturdays in March only. Restock the jungle, replace the dearly departed, or finally adopt that pothos your windowsill keeps hinting at. Can’t make it? Call or text 407-324-2115, and order.

♻ Park Clean-Up Day @ The Woodlands Park (Longwood) | Saturday (3/21) at 9:00 AM – Help spruce up the neighborhood park with mulch spreading, bench scrubbing, fence-line tidying, and a little tree trimming. Swing by when you can. Bring gloves, shovels, a wheelbarrow if you’ve got one, and call it cardio, community, and volunteer hours for high schoolers.

🍀 Lucky Charm Workshop/Crop @ Lake Dr, DeBary, FL 32713, United States | Saturday (3/21) at 9:00 AM – Shuffle your photos, grab something green, and settle in for a nine-hour scrapbooking crop that’s more productive than cleaning the garage. Bring your supplies or a laptop, your lunch, and a snack to share, or shop on-site deals. Beginners welcome, pros smug, friends encouraged.

🎓 Annual Scholarship Brunch en Blanc @ West Side Rec Center | Saturday (3/21) at 11:00 AM – Break out your crispiest whites for Sanford’s all-white Women’s History Month brunch, raising scholarship funds and spirits in equal measure. Expect sisterhood, serious inspiration from True Health CEO Janelle Dunn and honoree Ingrid Nathan, plus good food, music, prizes, and the occasional mimosa peril.

🎷 Great American Big Band @ The Ritz Theater/Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center | Sunday (3/22) at 3:00 PM – Great American Big Band brings The Best of Basie to life, all snap, swagger, and that velvet swing. Expect tight horns, a rhythm section that actually swings, and charts you forgot you loved. It’s date-night classy, and you’ll be home before your knees complain.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

📻 Sanford report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 86°F – Low: 67°F – Precip: 55%

Patchy fog before 9am, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 10am and 1pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 1pm and 2pm, then showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly sunny, with a high near 86. South southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Later: Showers and thunderstorms likely before 11pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 11pm and 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. South southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

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Tomorrow – High: 81°F – Low: 45°F – Precip: 82%

Showers and thunderstorms after 8am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. South southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Later: Showers and thunderstorms before 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. West northwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Most popular house this week

This elegant 4-bed, 3.5-bath custom home in guard-gated Lake Forest backs to private conservation and shines with 12-foot ceilings, a wet bar, and a chef’s kitchen with 5-burner gas, JennAir ovens, and Brazilian granite. A screened lanai hosts a summer kitchen, heated pool and spa. Brazilian walnut floors, a gas fireplace, and resort amenities on a 55-acre spring-fed lake.

Take a peek inside →