Sarasota Observer - Thursday, April 7, 2011

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SARASOTA

You. Your neighbors. Your neighborhood.

Thursday, APRIL 7, 2011

DIVERSIONS

NEWS

SCHOOLS

Actress Melliss Kenworthy knocks us out in 10 minutes.

INSIDE.

Local barrier-island rental rules could change if bill passes.

SSAS unleashes the beast for school musical.

PAGE 3A.

PAGE 5A.

OUR TOWN

off track By Robin Roy | City Editor

Photo courtesy of Anita Voth

+ Beggars can’t be choosers He’s been “begging” for at least 30 years, and that’s exactly how he got his name. Flashing a smile, a dolphin nicknamed “Beggar” has become an icon in the Intracoastal Waterway, between Nokomis and Venice. Sweet as pie, he’ll swim up to any boat begging for handouts. Anita Voth captured the photo while taking her family, visiting from Canada, for a boat outing.

(Although it’s wonderful to see a wild dolphin swimming up to your boat, just remember that feeding dolphins is illegal.

Marine Patrol will fine anyone who feeds him.)

+ Reading garden to honor teacher A barbecue fundraising dinner to support a memorial garden for Jeanette McKinney, a preschool teacher at Julie Rohr Academy for more than 30 years, will be held from 4 to 7 p.m.

Sunday, April 17, at the school.

The school is transforming its reading garden, where older students read to younger students, into a memorial for McKinney, who died Jan. 6 at age 71. She left behind thousands of JRA students, alumni and parents who adored her ability to make every child feel special.

Admission is $20 for adults and $10 for children. Call 323-7733 for information.

SEE OUR TOWN / PAGE 8

Rachel S. O’Hara

Abandoned boxcars have been left on the railroad track that goes through Shade Avenue.

BOXCAR BATTLE

Fearing they’re an invitation for trouble, residents are trying to get a railroad company to move about two-dozen railcars that have been parked in between two Sarasota communities.

About three weeks ago, residents in the Alta Vista and Gardens of Ringling Park communities watched as some new neighbors moved into the area — about two-dozen, graffiti-covered railroad boxcars.

On the railroad tracks between South Pelican Drive and Novus Street, the boxcars sit about 20 feet from Shade Avenue.

Residents fear the curiosity and temptation to take an up-close look will be too much for many kids in the community.

“I fear that friends could close a kid in there, and they won’t be able to get out,” said Pat Kolodgy, an Alta Vista resident.

On April 1, residents reported seeing two teenage girls park their car next to the train and get out to get a closer look.

They walked along the boxcars and, along the way, they looked inside the open boxcars, which house signs that people are using them as living quarters (see box at right).

Residents have been asking the City Commission and city staff mem-

bers to get the railroad to move the boxcars, but there’s little local government can do.

The Seminole Gulf Railway and CSX share ownership of the rail line.

Seminole Gulf owns the tracks and equipment, and CSX owns the land on which the tracks sit.

Federal law gives the railroads freedom to use its property at will.

Harry Neeves, Seminole Gulf Railway vice president, said his company is currently using the tracks between the two neighborhoods as a storage area.

“They won’t be staying there,” he said of the boxcars.

The boxcars will eventually move out to the national rail system through Oneco, but Neeves is not sure exactly when that will happen.

On March 30, he wrote to the city’s Neighborhood and Development director, Tim Litchet, telling him the railcars would be moved in a couple of weeks.

Commissioner Suzanne Atwell is as

Inside a boxcar About 20 feet from Shade Avenue, between Novus Street and South Pelican Drive, begins a long line of boxcars.

The fourth one down from the roadway has its door placed inside the car, exposing the interior.

Inside are obvious signs that the boxcar has been used as temporary living quarters.

Pillows and blankets indicate someone has slept there, and discarded jeans, shirts and shoes are also scattered throughout, as are soda and water bottles.

Robin Roy

SEE BOXCARS / PAGE 2

INDEX Classifieds ...........16 Cops Corner..........14

Crossword.............15 Letters....................7

Opinion...................6 Real Estate...........14

Sports...................13 Weather................15

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THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

second thoughts By Robin Roy | City Editor

Free garage parking extended City commissioners will allow free parking in the Palm Avenue garage for six months. The hourly price of some downtown spaces will drop from $1 to 50 cents.

Rachel S. O’Hara

Abandoned boxcars have been left on the railroad track that intersects Shade Avenue.

BOXCARS / FROM PAGE 1

BOXCAR BATTLE

concerned about safety as are the nearby residents.

“The open boxcars are a destination for someone who wants to hide for a while,” she said. “It’s just inviting vagrants.”

According to Neeves, the railroad has its own police force that patrols the areas in which it stores its cars. Its officers will first warn trespassers to leave the property, but they also have arrest power.

Instead of only asking local officials to do something about the railcars, some residents are appealing directly to Seminole Gulf Railway officials.

Kolodgy has written directly to Neeves to ask him to move the railcars as soon as possible.

“These hazardous boxcars are like magnets to curious children, adventuresome teens and the homeless already in that area looking for a dry ‘home,’” she wrote.

Neeves, however, was unmoved.

“We have the right to move and store freight cars on our property as we see fit,” he said. “The railroad has been in place long before the homes in the surrounding community have.”

Palmer Ranch residents have been battling Seminole Gulf Railway for nearly a decade.

A varying number of empty boxcars has been behind the Arielle condo complex since 2003.

The railcars sit less than 50 feet behind the condo buildings.

Dozens of boxcars have been shuttled back and forth on the tracks behind Arielle and Prestancia for years, even before those communities existed.

Some residents said before they bought their condos that Realtors told them the cars would be moved soon.

Harry Neeves, Seminole Gulf Railway vice president, said he’s heard that story many times.

“Some unscrupulous Realtors told buyers that the railcars would be gone soon,” says Neeves. “That’s a storage area for us. It could be a storage area forever.”

As city commissioners were being asked to finalize the city’s union with parking meters, they once again got cold feet.

To allow residents and tourists to get used to paid parking, the commission voted to keep the parking garage free for another six months, as well as reduce the hourly price of meters on one downtown street.

“That will ease people into it,” said Commissioner Dick Clapp.

And although city staff recommended the price of $1 per hour for all 459 metered spaces, commissioners wanted to reduce the price to 50 cents per hour for the spaces on Gulfstream Avenue, because some employees use that area to park.

Commissioners also extended parkingenforcement an extra two hours, to 8 p.m.

(See box at right.)

Meters will be placed downtown from Gulfstream Avenue to Orange Avenue and First Street to McAnsh Square.

Commissioner Terry Turner, who has consistently opposed the implementation of parking meters, reiterated his disapproval.

“These parking meters are effectively a tax on businesses,” he said. “(They) will cause some businesses to fail.”

Some business owners agreed.

“We’re talking about implementing paid parking at a time when it’s not hard to find parking — in the summer,” said Forrest Shaw, owner of Pastry Art. “We risk driving customers to other shopping districts.”

But city staff members and a parking consultant maintained that meters are an effective parking-management tool.

Enforcement hours City commissioners extended the hours of enforcement for free parking spaces throughout the city.

The new measure allows the city to write tickets from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., although it does not mandate those additional hours.

Currently, enforcement hours run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Enforcement for metered parking spaces will be 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Meter reader Sarasota’s parking meters will be a combination of multispace pay stations and traditional single-space meters.

Payment is possible by coins and credit or debit cards. Dollar bills will not be accepted, because they cause too many jams.

Drivers will be able to recharge their meter from any pay station in the city, no matter where their car is parked.

And although some business owners said minimum-wage employees will now have no place to park, City Manager Bob Bartolotta reminded them that there will still be 650 free parking spaces downtown.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

long and short of it By Robin Roy | City Editor

From homes

3

industrial age

By Loren Mayo | Community Editor

to hotels?

If a legislative bill is approved, residential areas on Sarasota’s barrier islands could see single-family homes converted into short-term rental properties.

Rachel S. O’Hara

Wade Turner, David Klos, Xavier Wooten and Maya O'Day are members of Selby Public Library’s Teen Advisory Board.

Selby Library to create space just for teens The Selby Public Library will begin renovations in April on its teen center and other facility upgrades.

Venice rentals Some of the established short-term vacation rental places and hotels in Siesta Key Village.

Short-term rentals, such as those in hotels, motels and vacation rental homes, are a staple of a large tourist area, such as Sarasota.

With some guests staying just one or two nights that can mean more people, cars and some noise to go along with them.

That’s why residents on the barrier islands are so upset over a new bill going through the Legislature.

HB 883 and SB 476 appears to strip local governments of the ability to regulate where short-term rentals can be located and seemingly allows them anywhere there are residential homes.

“It would eliminate any zoning that would restrict short-term rentals,” said Siesta Key resident Lourdes Ramirez, who alerted county commissioners to the pending bill.

The bill has cleared two subcommittees and will be heard in the Economics Affairs Committee April 7.

Ramirez believes the bill’s backers want to get final approval before the regular legislative session ends May 6.

Commissioner Nora Patterson, whose district includes Siesta Key, sent a letter last week to Florida Rep. Doug Holder, R-Sarasota, on behalf of the County Commission, expressing its concerns.

“The county has always prohibited renting out single-family homes as a hotel,” she said.

“On Siesta Key, we allow short-term rentals everywhere but single-family home areas.”

Patterson fears that if the county’s ordinance becomes moot, there will be a rash of property owners chopping up their homes and putting in additional bathrooms and kitchens.

“People were doing that on Siesta Key,” she said.

HOUSE BILL 883 “A vacation rental is deemed residential property and may not be prohibited or treated differently from other residential property based solely on its classification, use or occupancy.”

Photos by Rachel S. O’Hara

Lourdes Ramirez, Siesta Key resident, stands outside of the Siesta Beach Resort.

Illegal rentals on the Key are not unheard of. Ramirez said she used to have one in her neighborhood.

“They rented out every room in the house and had six cars in the driveway,” she said.

“The cars were literally hanging out into the street.”

Ramirez also fears that the bill will help sprout short-term rental properties just off the Key that will compete with those that do business on the Key, perhaps undercutting their prices.

“Barrier islands have higher property values, property taxes and insurance, so those properties on the mainland can charge less than the barrier-island rental properties,” she said.

Ramirez has contacted six other local municipalities, including Miami Beach, Orlando and Naples, to see if those cities will urge their legislators to oppose the measure.

She said she and Patterson will call local hotels to persuade them to do the same.

The city of Venice was forced to suspend its short-term rental ban after being hit with a trio of lawsuits.

With the downturn in the economy, some Venice property owners began renting out individual rooms in homes they could not sell.

In July 2009, the City Council passed an ordinance that set a minimum rental period of 30 days.

Homeowners have filed three separate lawsuits. The city lost one case, settled another for $300,000 and the third is pending.

The city is appealing the decision in the first case, but two weeks ago, it suspended the ordinance while it waits for the appeal to be heard.

Every day for the past three years, Wade Turner has walked from Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences to the Selby Public Library, where he is president of its Teen Advisory Board.

Past the double doors, to the left, sits the youth library and aquarium. Straight ahead is the young-adult section. And to the right is the audio/visual equipment.

There’s just one thing missing — a space designated for teens.

“Why this renovation is important to me,” Turner, 16, said, “is it would be nice to have something separate from the library. Personally, for me, I always wanted to have a little art room to work in.”

In addition to the teen center, Teen Advisory Board members have also requested a computer room, study room, art room and a visual-art studio.

“What we’re hoping to do is not only have all the resources that young folks need for schoolwork and creative pursuits, but have a place where teens can rest, work out a problem, chill and get centered,” said Liz Nolan, library manager.

The Sarasota County Commission awarded two construction contracts totaling about $1.6 million March 29 that will be used to remodel the library and improve Caspersen Beach. Funding for the teen center is provided through a $50,000 grant from the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation.

Enclosed behind a glass wall with an open ceiling system and exposed lighting and mechanical work, the center will provide computers, books and other materials to support schoolwork and recreational reading. A large ellipse in the center will drop down from the ceiling.

“We’re calling (the teen center design) ‘cyberpunk,’ because it’s got a lot of industrial materials,” said Todd Sweet, principal at Totem’s Architecture.

The renovation is scheduled to be completed in December. Other renovations for the 13-year-old building include new flooring in the second-floor restroom and carpet in the middle of the rotunda.

The chiller system will receive additional equipment to make it run more efficiently.

“What’s really lovely is that we have people who come here from all over the world and told us this is the most beautiful library they’ve ever seen,” Nolan said.

“It does our heart good, and for us to have a chance to freshen up is just a delicious opportunity. I’m hoping that when we rededicate it, people will remember why they fell in love with the library in the first place.”

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THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

+ Smoking ban approved for all city parks The City Commission took the advice of its parks advisory board and approved a smoking ban in all city parks.

But it also took it one step further.

Commissioners asked city staff to examine the feasibility of banning smoking on all city property, including places such as City Hall.

Sarasota County government and Sarasota Memorial Hospital have instituted similar campus-wide smoking bans.

The parks advisory board wanted to impose the ban in part to drive out criminal vagrants from Selby Five Points Park.

Board members also recommended to the commission removing the remaining six benches in Five Points Park, but commissioners, instead, voted to break up any groupings of benches.

So the city will immediately begin looking at areas that have two or more benches placed in close proximity.

For example, the city will remove three of Five Points Park’s six benches and place them in other parts of downtown.

The goal is to prevent vagrants from gathering en masse.

+ City employees get health center The city cut the ribbon April 4 on a new health center for its current and retired employees.

The facility is located at 237 Payne Park Way, near the Payne Park tennis courts.

City officials hope to cut healthcare costs by encouraging voluntary preventative health screenings and follow-up consultations.

CareHere, which runs similar facilities in 18 states, will run the health center and will staff it with

Meetings agendas

&

County Commission — 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 12, Robert L. Anderson Administration Center, 4000 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice 

 Charter Review Committee — 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, City Hall, 1565 First St., Sarasota  County Commission — 9 a.m.

Wednesday, April 13, County Administration Center, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota

two doctors.

The health service is meant to be convenient and more affordable for its patients.

The new employee health center will cost the city about $1 million in the first year.

It expects the cost savings to add up to $988,000 after three years.

What you missed on the Web The top-five most read stories online last week were: • Petition seeks to end homeless feedings (March 31) • Athlete of the Week: Megan Wallin (March 31) • Athlete of the Week: Martina Coppenrath (March 24) • Home demolition begins at park (March 28) • DUI suspect left kids home alone (March 30) See all photos from this week’s events online: • Sarasota Republican Club (March 31) • Tatum Ridge Kindergarten Roundup (March 31) • Keep Sarasota Beautiful Cleanup (April 2) • Mote’s Run for the Turtles (April 2) • Selby Garden Music Series (April 3) • Glenridge Renaissance Faire (April 4)

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THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

character ACTORS

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST By Loren Mayo | Community Editor

Middle-school drama takes center stage

 Beast — C.J. Ramsey “I thought the Beast would be fun to play, because he’s the complete opposite of what I’m used to. My ideal character is somebody who is nice, like me, and loves to read.

The Beast can’t read at all — Belle actually teaches him to read in the story.”

Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences students will perform the musical, ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ at 7 p.m. April 15 and 16, at the Booker High School Auditorium.

It’s near the end of Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences’ “Beauty and the Beast” musical rehearsal Tuesday, April 5. Zach Herman, who plays Gaston, and the Beast, played by his best friend, C.J. Ramsey, are getting If you go ready to practice their fight scene.

Tickets are $10 “Today’s the day for adults and $8 he gets to stab me,” for students and says C.J., who comes can be purchased at off more as a cute the SSAS campus, teddy-bear-of-a-kid 645 Central Ave., or than a beast. “He’s online at studio645. been looking forcom. ward to this all year.”

The moment Zach scored the role of Gaston, he dropped into a push-up position.

The push-ups, which have become routine during rehearsals whenever Zach has downtime, started when SSAS theater Director Mickey Stone threatened to add fake muscles to Zach’s Gaston costume.

Outside the drama room, Zach is marching around in the dirt, wearing imaginary boots and barely avoiding puddles from the morning rainstorm. His Gaston voice thunders across the school’s campus.

“I bet he wishes he could talk like that all the time,” says Emma Slotabec, who plays Belle. “His voice is like ‘boom!’ Perfect.”

Zach’s girlfriend, Sierra Schwabach, stifles a giggle every time he breaks into character.

“The very first day, we found Gaston — I mean Zach! — talking about the part on Facebook,” says Sierra, who plays Mrs. Potts LBK - 2010 I in the show.-“Every time Zach does something better than someone else, he says, ‘No one does this better than Gaston!’’”

 Belle — Emma Slotabec “Nobody talks to or gets her, so she reads to get away from the still life she lives. I don’t read and she reads constantly, so it’s kind of fun to switch into that mindset. With the Beast, it’s going to be really exciting when he gets his costume.”  Gaston — Zach Herman “I literally marched around the school singing ‘Gaston’ the day I found out I was Gaston. I watched the movie seven times over Christmas to get the walk, voice and characterization to make sure I had it down that he’s a complete jerk.”

Loren Mayo

C.J. Ramsey (the Beast) and Zach Herman (Gaston), middle, act out a fight scene while Jouse Rivera (Cogsworth), Ryan O’Dell (Lumière), Sierra Schwabach (Mrs. Potts) and Emma Slotabec (Belle) watch.

Although he’s forced to hold his arms in 90-degree angles every time he’s on stage, Ryan O’Dell says he’s pretty similar to his character, “Lumière,” minus the French accent, of course.

“I’m kind of like the person who runs everything in the castle,” he explains. “I’m French, and the French accent is not easy to do. When I meet Belle, I have to say, ‘Enchanté, mademoiselle,’ and kiss her hand.

When I rehearsed it, Mr. Stone said it was too much, and I had to tone it down. I

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As Gaston circles back to the group, the Beast grabs him in a mock choke-hold. Cogsworth, Lumière, Mrs. Potts and Belle flail their arms in the air and cry out in terror.

End scene.

 Mrs. Potts — Sierra Schwabach “My character is supposed to be this motherly type because of her son, Chip, but most people don’t look at me and see a cabinet full of children.

I spent four days watching ‘Harry Potter’ trying to master the British accent.”

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THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

Observer our view SARASOTA

“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.”

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Talk about a travesty …

There are a lot of people and companies buying distressed properties in Sarasota County to rehab and rent them out. It’s the market at work, supply meeting demand.

Perhaps the biggest operator, however, might surprise most people. Even many investors don’t realize the anonymous person he is negotiating against for a short sale, or bidding against in a foreclosure.

It’s the government.

A partnership between Sarasota County and the city of Sarasota is using federal stimulus money that is part of the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program to buy foreclosed or vacant houses, rehab them and flip or rent them.

The city and county have received a combined $30 million so far — $7 million from the first round in 2009 and another $23 million in 2010 — with about $6 million more on its way, said Jane Hindall, the NSP program manager.

Of course, as federal stimulus money, it is not even taxpayer money yet. It’s really just debt — debt against our children’s future income. More money we don’t have.

(See chart on this page.)

According to a Sarasota County agenda discussion item, the goal of the program is “to stabilize neighborhoods significantly affected by foreclosures by reducing the number of vacant and abandoned properties, bringing the properties into compliance with code and making homes available through sale or lease to low- and moderate-income families and individuals.”

The feds also attached green strings to the money, so that the houses must have energy-efficient upgrades from solar hot-water heaters to added insulation, increasing the cost of the investment to the city or county.

The program has bought 98 properties so far, but with the second round of funds, many of those properties are apartment complexes. So it is funding non-profits operating perhaps a few hundred rental units.

The NSP actually acts as a mortgager, buying the properties and then finding non-profit developers to rehab and sell or rent them. Some of those developers include Habitat for Humanity, the Community Housing Trust of Sarasota County, Catholic Charities Housing Sarasota, GoodHomes of Manasota Inc. (Goodwill Industries), Harvest Tabernacle and the Greater Newtown Community Redevelopment Corp.

The government program does not use any for-profit developers, although the non-profit groups use for-profit subcontractors when needed.

Another string attached to the money is that all of it must be spent on families at or below 120% of the median family income in the county, while 25% of it must go to people at or below 50% of the median income in the county. A portion of the money has been spent to build the third phase of Janie’s Garden housing project in Newtown. Oh, and the program also provides down-payment assistance for homebuyers — all of which is a pretty good formula for failure because people are getting into homes they probably cannot afford or do not know how to handle.

But that is not so relevant now. Rather than getting people into their own homes,

Kudos

to Roland Abraham

Roland Abraham, of Sarasota, combined a caring heart for kids who wanted to go to college and could not afford to with an incredible degree of personal frugality and self control. He helped 963 young men and women get through college.

Federal spending insanity Billions, trillions … whatever comes next for the federal budget. It’s all quite beyond any of us to grasp the size of the wildly out-of-control spending train in Washington, D.C. Sometimes it seems like those folks don’t live in the same reality as the rest of us.

So we brought the numbers to the most local level — a family in Sarasota County — to show the insanity of what has been going on and continues to go on with our future.

We took the median family income for Sarasota County and showed what household spending would look like if it mirrored the federal government’s attitude toward spending. It tells a striking tale.

In the chart below, family “income” represents this year’s federal budget revenues; “spending” represents federal expenditures; “credit card” debt represents the federal debt; and “cuts” are the tiny reductions Republicans are desperately trying to get through in the current year’s spending. The “new spending” level is what the ever-soslightly improved mess would look like

if Republicans prevail.

The result? If a Sarasota family making $41,957 spent like the feds, it would spend $62,600 this year while carrying $251,742 in credit-card debt.

Further, the more responsible spouse among the two — which is not saying much in our example — is trying to cut $1,058, so the family is only spending $61,542. But the other spouse is fighting that cut as unaffordable.

This is what is going on in Congress.

The Republicans are trying to cut $60 billion, which equates to that $1,058 for our family, and the Democrats and President Obama are fighting it at every step.

They are only up for a paltry $10 billion in cuts, which equates to $176 in our family budget. This is the context in which to listen to the Democrats calling proposed budget cuts “extreme.”

They can’t see even to slow the insanity, preferring to play re-election politics over the good of the nation.

The numbers make the case, and show why doing the right thing must get our support at the polls.

A FAMILY BUDGETS THE WAY THE FEDS SPEND MONEY Income $41,957

Spending $62,600

Credit card $251,742

Cuts $1,058

New spending $61,542

Sources: U.S. GAO, U.S. Census Bureau, Sarasota Observer

three-quarters of the homes bought in the NSP program are for renting. Local government as landlord.

In Newtown, the program is planning to demolish older structures and build townhomes. “There’s an awful lot of rental need,” Hindall said.

Indeed. Which is why there are a lot of investors. Sarasota County School Board Chairman Frank Kovach is among them.

He has been buying properties for the past year to rent. He only accidentally found out that a real-estate agent he kept running into while trying to buy distressed properties was the acquisition agent for the government.

He was surprised and frustrated with a government program competing directly with part of what he does for a living.

“Most small investors are not aware that they are competing with the county, and don’t realize that the county is trying to buy the same properties they are.

Losing bidders are not aware of their competition,” he said.

This is exactly the kind of thing government should not be doing for every conceivable reason.

First, the market is already doing what needs to be done — or trying to do it, if the government will get out of the way.

Instead, the government is competing with the private sector to provide a service already being provided.

Second, there is no money for this. The federal stimulus money is debt, and it is just morally wrong as our debt burden is looking increasingly impossible to pay off.

Third, it acts to bail out big banks Abraham owned a car but would ride his bike or even take the bus from his average home in Gulf Gate to volunteer at Mote Marine Lab. He gave what he had to the lab — his print-shop acumen.

Some people give from their abundance and get lauded while feeling little sacrifice. Abraham did not have an abundance that he spent on himself, but over about 20 years he gave $1.7 million to students for college.

He died at age 94 last week. R.I.P.

by pushing more tax money into that system. NSP sometimes even gets to bid on properties several days before private investors know about them.

Fourth, there is a risk that with further market declines, the county and city could be stuck with houses that they cannot sell or rent without taking a loss.

Fifth, it is a government program, which means by definition it will be riddled with inefficiencies and red tape.

The city and county should take the high moral ground and get out of it now.

Let the unnecessary expenditure of our children’s money be on someone else’s conscience.

+ Reasons for optimism

Last week’s Suncoast Workforce Career Expo was the latest in a string of signals pointing to a solidifying economic rebound in Sarasota.

Nearly 100 employers participated in the job fair at the Sarasota-Bradenton International Convention Center this year, compared to about 80 last year and fewer than a dozen three years ago, when the event was canceled.

Also, the unemployment rate is down a full percentage point from last year and actual employment is up. Statewide, nearly 33,000 jobs have been added since this time last year.

Commercial leases and sales rose in the past two months, vacancy rates are down, retail is up and homebuilder Neal Communities reported 107 homes sold in the first quarter, up 85% from last year.

+ Ed Smith goes silent

Now that the excitement of springtraining is over — that was quick — the lights are turned off for professional baseball at Ed Smith Stadium until a few weeks next spring. It turns out that the Baltimore Orioles do not have a farm team in the Florida State League like the Cincinnati Reds did.

The Orioles have all their farm teams in the Maryland area and never had any intention of operating one in Sarasota.

So while there will be events held at the stadium, the primary purpose for the newly re-developed $30 million stadium will be silent until March 2012.

SARASOTA Observer

TO THE EDITOR

+ Gov. Scott earns an ‘A’ on his report card Dear Editor: Bravo! Your March 17 editorial assessing Gov. Scott’s initiatives is spot-on. My favorite lines included: “Too bad” for senior politicos who have to fly commercial; “Politics be hanged” when it comes to doing the right thing; and, my favorite, “Don’t blink.” I only wish our other Sarasota papers were as insightful.

Chris Albright Sarasota

+ Former journalist knows of ‘barbarians’ Dear Editor: Thank you for Rod Thom-

son’s insightful “Needed: Barbarian with a Pen” column. As a former television and radio journalist, I have experienced first-hand “that kind of sicko.”

The questionable hygiene was mostly in the mental department. They just aren’t like the rest of us.

I remember working for the investigative reporter of a Tampa Bay TV station. His instructions regarding the restaurant inspectors were to “follow them until they do something wrong.”

That’s right, so much for the presumed innocent thing. It was always presumed — and then advanced by the promotions department — that we’d found dirt. Someone’s wrong, and we’re on top of it. Unfortunately, Mr. Hot Shot Reporter went on to ABC/Good Morning America. I went to Bay News 9.

Not that there’s anything wrong with Bay News 9. I do appreciate their more human and humane approach.

I remember hearing Cal Thomas lament that it’s unfortunate that more Christians don’t go into journalism. Not that he’s saying Christians will “save” journalism, but that he sees the dark field that needs truth. My, what better place for proponents of truth than the field of journalism? What do

we/they have to fear?

Thank you for your words.

Stand firm and speak up.

Sondra Guffey Lakewood Ranch

+ Paper’s job posting pulled back the veil Dear Editor: Thank you for your thoughtful perspective on the Sarasota Herald-Tribune “sicko” job posting. I have wondered who would be the one to expose the Sarasota Herald-Tribune for hiring investigative reporters with a dysfunctional moral compass. As it turns out, they did it to themselves. But I thank you for shining the light a little brighter on their faux pas.

Growing up in Sarasota, the Herald-Tribune was a staple in our household. I went on to become a journalism student at the University of Florida. I wanted to pursue a career in journalism. But something has happened since then. Investigative journalism has lost its luster, and it’s especially true for the Herald-Tribune. I’ve seen and heard of too many good and reputable people in Sarasota getting tangled up in the “gotcha” articles they love to claim they are so dedicated to writing every week.

Again, thank you. I enjoyed your point of view and appreciate your willingness to expose the job posting in full to the public. The public should know what kind of reading material they are bringing to the breakfast table in the morning. My appetite would surely dwindle if I dosed myself with

that paper everyday.

Lindsey Messick Atlanta

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“I saw new d? erti beg in adv cently e respon rwhelm ured. mission to be TK. tho est lan Am I and front d going ught,t ‘A acity’s new render. e curved the featCity Comare sure contact the par installed se to theingly este Th to shoulde man se m I al Sur ssiv vistas torick’s dolls a’hea is oz them. k, the cityLED ligh re- etscharges : $15 head not rkven?’” tionWith its ma ing Pat and pressin rpalo statues a 30- Each nig is upg ts at rently nio provid , the old a tourist is ins dev Sai lor g city tead yne Pa e to to- 60- ht at rading lase window + ‘Se r-light elo light Papin hom of the The cur g snig 9 ck sho ta rowh heart g will be ach, one htt from show, set minute p.m., any incl to w ude Saraso Bachar ime li lineo-up Burtgog buildin p. what tourism soundtthe “Star to the laser- mightThe s for , nks nkigle e Val startionsthi gift shois is just county’s tourist to fina t, Frathey, the sur racks, wil Wars” music light.Temptat “Th said the cessful Weetril A secTony BennetG. lly seen too one, ings. rounding l projec ogy to suc ood ond ny g needs,” “Every lew p sell condo t onto when a and Ken incideld only mea” the is goin For man t cou ntpalo build- the head. — from Eng a gift sho occoza strollin kets.” perien those int park Tha has n urr nior trin — ed tow chee the mu stag: ta. g thr asota,” ds of rte“Se aso war in cing the erested thin dSar gurahl ki Wa erent kin art) Sar Saradaninauoug in ex- the bea sic. to Herock (He feature LightB the mid ir own ran ta’s cin s, gwill take il 1 r scu Sar ing diff ed “I oza” to ay, Apr il 3, lptureasosm p will hats, penre. with rite FXdle of the clone Plaza at Nam paloack Frid nint niorout Fiv LE mo rist sho hirts, o , Apr noo blades D electro Lights park, himself in e “Se Poi e fromsid s: $10 e . Sunday vendors the tou med T-sglobes andinterestta mug , lanp.mthe placnts effects and MA -lumin abers broken nos the hos ial sota-thets, snow the most tnership All food ugh 10 din Saraso escent morial e. thropita Park. g y-bird spec. l wit prior will be XXout! ne magne perhaps be its par SurrenHe A Sar sol sou a . each day nd asotar anhearl at Pay But ure will onal the Selto each sho d 15 min nd administra alth Car atte Me e offe conditi

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+ Reader fesses up: She was ‘April Fooled’ Dear Editor: Oh, did you get this old reader, but good! I thought as I read the opening page, “Oh, me, what next?” as I know how the politicians are struggling to get people back downtown. Also I was around when the real Unconditional Surrender took place, so I

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was happy it was going to stay someplace! Then came the Walter. Good grief! Even the Waldorf, where I honeymooned with my still-active Navy husband, is feeling the economic pinch? When I came to the page of squished pictures I was really feeling sorry for you, as I receive the Sarasota Observer free of charge. I almost considered asking if I could pay for it, as I enjoy it so much! But I, too, am hit by the economic downturn. May your advertisers continue and increase!

Florence Marino Sarasota

Please email them to rthomson@ yourobserver.com, or mail them to the Sarasota Observer, 1970 Main Street, Sarasota, 34236. The Sarasota Observer gives priority to letters of local interest and about local issues. The Observer will print all letters to the editor if it feels they are of general interest, but only if the letter is signed and the author’s street address and phone number are given. The editor reserves the right to condense letters.

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Dear Editor: From January through November 2010, Sarasota County, with 2.1% of Florida’s population, had less than 1.3% of Florida’s sales ($9.5 billion of $735 billion). If Sarasota County’s leaders knew how retail works so that we were average, we could increase retail sales by $6 billion per year, resulting in thousands of new jobs in our county. Unlike the Jackson Lab proposal, which requires $200 million in public financing, we can improve how we do retail at little or no cost.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

OUR TOWN

acting out By Loren Mayo | Community Editor

Glenridge horses around at its ‘Renaissance Faire’

Kelly Welsh, Fred Melin and Melanie Miszewski

+ Three’s company Carol-Lee Porter calls the large red-eared slider that lives in her koi pond “Turtle.” The pond is home to Turtle’s two turtle friends, both also aptly named “Turtle.” Porter discovered 15 eggs laid by the original Turtle Tuesday on her lanai porch. Turtle was in hiding but had careCourtesy photo fully placed her eggs in a nest of leaves, which will be picked up, with the nest intact, by one of Porter’s friends, who works as a naturalist.

Yes, that’s Kelly Welsh feeding a juicy Granny Smith apple to a stick horse. She thought he might be hungry after working so hard when his rider, a knight named Fred Melin, jousted Tuesday during the Glenridge on Palmer Ranch’s fourth annual Renaissance Faire.

Residents and staff members got a kick out of Tom Lemoine’s juggling act, when he threw three sticks with rubber feet attached to the end into the air.

>> Continued from Page 1A

+ Observer offers unique content on its website While clicking around YourObserver.com to get the latest news in your neighborhood, don’t miss The Observer’s daily online crossword puzzle (you can even save your puzzle and come back to it later); weekly E-editions of each paper; our online “It’s Read Everywhere” contest; and an interactive Weather page that shows you current conditions.

To access the crossword, click the crossword puzzle rectangle in the bottom, right-hand corner of the homepage.

To upload “It’s Read Everywhere” photos of yourself holding your favorite local newspaper in various worldwide locations, click on the contests tab at the top of the homepage. Photos can be uploaded through Oct. 15. Voting for the photo contest takes place from Oct. 15 to Nov. 7, and winners will be announced in the Nov. 10 “Welcome Back” issue.

Observer Facebook feedback  “Petition seeks to end homeless

feedings”

Melyssa Knott: “Really? Do they

not have anything else to focus on?

The homeless people at the park are people. They are not seagulls or alligators. The park is a public place. If you strip rich people of their money, and their air of entitlement, there is ... no difference between the homeless and the rich.”

Annette Davis, Claudette Pokone and Jan Byers

Andrea Graf Nolte: “What's the point? It's banned from public beaches, yet people still smoke and throw their nasty cigarette butts all over the beach. Who's enforcing the new laws? I've yet to see one smoker get fined.”

James Knake: “OK, fine, but only if they pass laws to ban noisy people, stupid people, people talking loud on their cell phones, anyone playing a game that could injure anyone, walking (because you can fall and get hurt). I got it ... let’s just ban everything and let the ACLU sort it all out!”

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Nikla Bob: “Sorry guys, the word ‘homeless’ does not apply here.

These people at that park hangout all day there, the word ‘vagrants’ is more appropriate. Try taking a child to the library sometime.”

 “Commission bans smoking in

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SARASOTA Observer

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THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

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sandy sprinters By Rachel S. O’Hara | Staff Photographer

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Photos by Rachel S. O’Hara

Runners make their way down the beach.

Sea-turtle supporters run for fun and a cause The 25th annual Run for the Turtles took place Saturday, April 2, on Siesta Key Beach. The race had a large turnout, with 1,005 runners and walkers who participated in the event, plus friends and family supporters who cheered on the participants.

There was a 1-mile Fun Run followed by a 5K. The fun-run winners were Alexander Zarris, 13, and Anna Johnson, 17.

The overall female winner for the 5K was Heather Butcher, 38, with a time of 18:31, and the overall male winner of the 5K was Jim McQuade, 41, with a time of 16:42.

Mote organized the event, with partners including the

Manasota Track Club and Sarasota County Parks and Recreation. This year’s event also honored Michael T. Martin, the event’s longtime sponsor who died last year.

The monies raised at the annual event go toward Mote’s seaturtle research. This is Mote’s 30th year of being involved in local sea-turtle conservation efforts.

Right: Sharalyn Hibbins, 9, won first place in her age group for girls.

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SARASOTA Observer

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

CLASSROOM CRITIC

‘The Lost Thing’ will play on Short Stacks Family Film Day “The Lost Thing” is playing as part of Sarasota Film Festival’s Short Stacks Family Film Day Saturday, April 9.

The Film Festival’s first Short Stacks Family Film Day will include a morning full of film, fun and pancakes, featuring a youthFEST short-film program screening, pancake breakfast, plus a handful of Kids Reel Life Studio workshop activities, such as animation and improv acting. All proceeds benefit the Outreach and Education Department and help keep educational programming free.

Breakfast seatings are at 9 and 10 a.m. The short-film program begins at 11 a.m., and activities are from 9 to 11 a.m.

Tickets are on sale now at sarasotafilmfestival.com.

Brenna Maginness Seventh grade Sarasota School of Arts & Sciences Overall, “The Lost Thing,”

by Shaun Tan, was a creative and original animation. The boy and the lost thing were very interesting characters with their own way of expressing their thoughts and ideas.

The film began with the boy explaining how he was going to tell us a story. I think this was an interesting idea. Not many films begin as flashbacks. The boy finds the lost thing on the beach, and after playing with it until everyone leaves, the boy realizes that the lost thing has no owner.

The boy brought it to his friend, who also declared the thing to be lost.

The boy took it home, where he saw a commercial for where to take the lost thing. When he went there he

Courtesy photo

Jennifer Castillo

found it was a dark, ominous building. The creature there told him that it was the wrong place to take a creature he loved, so instead he followed the arrows to a happy place, where the creature lived happily ever after.

There was a particularly good scene where the doors open to the happy place where the creature should go and live. Unlike the city, it is full of sunlight and color. As the camera shows different creatures, I can’t help but notice the stunning contrast between the city and the happy place. It shows you that the lost thing has finally found a place to be where it can be happy. The director seemed to enjoy comparing light and dark.

In conclusion, this movie was enjoyable. I liked the originality and the message about creativity. It teaches a valuable lesson in an entertaining way.

Seventh grade Booker Middle School In this heartwarming animated short film, a young boy, who collects bottle tops, discovers something that changes his entire perspective, a lost thing. On an adventure he goes to find where it belongs. When I first watched this, I was amazed at all the many different lost things there were.

In the boy’s world, the sky is dark and gloomy. It’s like everything has a place, and everything looks exactly alike.

There’s no creativity or originality, and there are no children. There is no fun, joy or difference in the boy’s world. Everyone is mature and very strict — all until the boy finds the lost thing. In the part when the boy is at the dark, windowless building, someone tells the boy not to turn him into the agency, to go

and find the special place for all lost things.

In the lost thing’s world, there is color, joy and creativity. Everything accepts everyone. No one thing looks like another. They all like to play with one another and help one another. It’s every unwanted thing’s heaven. Everything is made from different parts of animals, machines, tools and much more. That’s when I discovered a major detail in this film, “Everything has a purpose.”

Toward the very end of the film, the young boy has grown up to a young man. He starts to notice less and less lost things. I think that once you grow up, you start to lose all imagination, and in our lifetime, we all have at least found something lost and try to find its place.

I loved “The Lost Thing.” I recommend this for all ages and to everyone who wants to find a place. I give this short film five golden stars.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

garden variety By Maria Amodio | Staff Writer

POLITICAL DISCUSSION

By Rachel S. O’Hara | Staff Photographer

Selby Garden welcomes relaxing spring sounds

Sarasota Republican Club First Vice President Karen RichardIezzi, speakers Jeremy Wallace and Rod Thomson and club President Charles Volkert

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens held its first Garden Music Series of the spring season Sunday, April 3, at Selby. Concertgoers relaxed in their lawn chairs and on blankets while local band “Yesterdayze” played hit songs from the ’60s.

The Spring 2011 Garden Music Series will continue at 1 p.m. every Sunday through May 8.

Lawrence and Mary Jo Sciscenti

Sarasota Republicans hear from newsworthy speakers

Photos by Rachel S. O’Hara

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The Sarasota Republican Club held its monthly dinner meeting Thursday, March 31, at the Sarasota Yacht Club. The evening included two speakers, Rod Thomson, editorial page editor of The Observer, and Jeremy Wallace, political writer and reporter for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Joe Gruters, chairman of the Republican Party of Sarasota County, moderated the discussion on politics and business.

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“Planning Today For Your Financial Security Tomorrow”

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You and a guest are invited to join us for an educational seminar.

Our topics of discussion: • Envision ® – Get Your Investment Plan Back on Track • Fixed Income – The World of Fixed Income – A Look at the Bond Market • Estate Investment Planning – Six Easy Steps to an Effective Estate Plan Saturday, April 16, 2011 10:00 A.M. The Springs @ Lake Pointe Woods (Next to the Fountains off Beneva Road) 3280 Lake Pointe Blvd Sarasota, FL 34231

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Managing Director - Investments Seating is limited. RSVP to Receptionist at 941-929-2700 Wells Fargo Advisors is not a legal or tax advisor. An estate plan should be viewed by an attorney who specializes in estate planning and is licensed to practice law in your state.

Friday, April 8:  Billy Rice Band

Saturday, April 9:  Manatee Cloggers  The Cry’n Shames  Impulse  Fishing Presentation  High Tide  The Rogaines  The Boogiemen

Sunday, April 10:  Manatee Cloggers  Gumbo Boogie Band  The Crashers

6:00 pm - 9:00 pm 10:00 am - 10:45 am 11:00 am - 12:15 pm 12:30 pm - 1:45 pm 2:00 pm - 2:45 pm 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm 4:45 pm - 6:00 pm 6:15 pm - 9:00 pm 11:15 am - 12:15 pm 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm 2:45 pm - 5:00 pm

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All Proceeds Benefit Special Olympics Sarasota County

12 www.YourObserver.com

IMPROVE YOUR BRIDGE GAME!!

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SARASOTA Observer

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

Assisted Living at its Best!

Caring Well-Trained Professional Staff

Tatum Ridge rounds up kindergarten cutie pies Incoming kindergarten students and their parents toured their new school at Tatum Ridge Elementary School’s “Kindergarten Roundup” Thursday, March 31. Faculty and Parent Teacher Organization members dressed in cowboy hats and spurs greeted the little ones during the Wild West-themed event.

The kindergartners got their own cowboy hats, which they happily wore as they collected balloon animals, made arts and crafts and toured the classrooms.

Safe Environment

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Daily Activities Program Ainsley McMurtrie and Alannah Gregoire PTO members Traci Werman and Christine Zilleckis volunteer at the book sale.

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Twins Bryant and Sierra get a hug from their dad, Raymond Morris.

STONEYBROOK GOLF & C.C. Enjoy Golf & WatEr ViEWs plus morninG sun & EVEninG sunsEts from this 1661 sq.ft. 2/3 + den Abbey Veranda on 18th Fairway This turn-key end unit has cathedral ceilings,enclosed lanai,well maintained,nice furnishings,beautiful views. Full golf equity incl.renovated fitness Ctr + Clubhouse $304,000 Enjoy Glorious Golf ViEWs from this 2nd floor, turn-key 2BD/2BA Terrace Condo overlooking the 8th Fairway. Well maintained, tiled floors & lanai, above average furnishings,high ceilings. Full golf equity membership incl. renovated fitness Ctr. & Clubhouse, debt free community. $171,900 stunninG ViEWs of 4th GrEEn & fairWay from 1stG floor 1661 sq. ft. 1st flr. end unit Abbey VeIN furnishings, California Closets,mirrored NDgorgeous randa. Remodeled kitchen,sprawling tiled flrs,,dry bar,Eenclosed PElanai, L A S dining room. Full golf equity incl. steps from pool, 1 car garage $313,000 WondErful 4Bd/3Ba homE With spEctacular ViEWs of the 18th fairway featuring a G has plantation shutters, spacious fantastic kitchen with granite and,new stainless steel appliances.

ENDINHome master-suite,built-ins, pool bath,hurricaneSshutters,heated ALE P pool & spa,newer ac system and 3 car garage.

Paver brick drive & walk, lush landscaping. Golf equity included. $499,000 GrEat maintEnancE frEE Villa in Pebble Creek section, 2BR+den, crown molding, tiled flrs, huge G equity included, stable community, INgolf walk-in closets, tropical setting, tiled lanai, heated poolP+Espa.

NDFull debt free, fabulous clubhouse. $335,000 SALE faBulous 1661 sq.ft turn-kEy.End unit VEranda overlooking 7th fairway.

2/3BR+Den,encl. tiled lanai,plantation shutters,cathedral ceilings,wet bar,built-ins,upgraded tiled flrs.,garage. Full golf equity incl.renovated fitness ctr & clubhouse. opEn sunday 8941 Veranda Way #526 $313,000 BEautifully dEcoratEd and furnishEd 1661 Sq. Ft. End Unit veranda overlooking 7th fairway, 2/3BR + Den, chair rails, mirrored dining room, tiled flrs., walk-in closets, near pool + tennis. Golf equity incl.

Financially stable + debt free community. opEn sunday 8941 Veranda Way #521 $303,900 faBulously pricEd 2nd flr, turn-key furnished 2BD/2BA corner unit with a ”complete makeover”, fresh paint, new carpet, new appliances, new furniture, tiled lanai & much more. Full golf equity incl. stunning new grill room, renovated clubhouse. Assumable annual lease in place for 2011. $175,900 fantastic 2/3Bd Veranda with outstanding water & golf views of the 7th green & lake. Features granite counters, upgraded cabinets,tiled flrs.,enclosed lanai, den with built-ins,new AC system close to heates pool. Full golf equity incl.Debt free/financially stable community. $244,900 BriGht & chEEry 2BD/2BA true/end/corner unit on ground flr with golf views. Condo has brand new above average furnishings, newer carpets& AC system, freshly painted, extra windows for more light. Full golf equity incl. Renovated clubhouse with stunning new grill room. Assumable rental income in place for 2011 season. $178,000 country cluB liVinG at its BEst!! Fabulous water & golf views from this 2BD/2BA Condo on 3rd flr. Extremely well maintained and beautifully furnished & decorated. Brand new appliances & AC system. Full golf equity incl. Steps from heated pool and short stroll to clubhouse.

Renovated fitness center & clubhouse. $172,900 WondErful homE w/ beautiful lake views, featuring sprawling tiled floors, cathedral ceilings, huge family room, spacious kitchen, corian counters, new fixtures, freshly painted, new carpet, hurricane shutters and large lanai. Golf equity incl. renovated fitness center & clubhouse. Debt free & financially stable community. $354,900 a sEnsational maintEnancE frEE homE on MacGregor Lane.3BD/3BA, remodeled kitchen with granite + new appliances, remodeled bath,new carpets,freshly painted,new AC,hurricane shutters,huge heated pool + Spa.Full Minutes from Clubhouse, full golf equity incl., renovated fitness center & stunning grill room. $437,500 supErB tErracE 1314 sq. ft. End Unit overlooking the 8th fairway.Well maintained, above average furnishings,tiled flrs,enclosed tiled lanai,California closets,extra kitchen cabinets. Full golf equity incl. Renovated $179,900 fitness Ctr and Clubhouse. Debt Free Community.

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SARASOTA Observer

www.YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

athlete of the week By Rachel S. O’Hara | Staff Photographer

Q &A

BUSINESSOBSERVER + New College to salute Sen. Bob Johnson

What are you strengths and your weaknesses in soccer?

My strengths in soccer are probably heading the ball and defending, because I’m a big body for a defender. My weaknesses are probably dribbling and taking people on.

Do you have a favorite memory from this season?

My best memory of soccer this year was district semi-finals. We won in the last two minutes of overtime, in the second overtime, to go on to district finals and then continue on to regionals.

Loren Mayo

Kevin Cooper, Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce president; Stacey McInturff, Edward Jones branch office manager; C.J. Bannister, Edward Jones managing adviser; Vern Johnson, SKCC volunteer; and Jacque Abney, Edward Jones member services manager

Who is your favorite professional soccer player?

My favorite player, I would say, would have to be Didier Drogba, from Chelsea. I just love the way he plays. He’s a very physical player. He has a great shot, and he scores a lot of goals.

Rachel S. O’Hara

Josh Damm has loved soccer since he was 4 years old. Damm is now a senior at Riverview High School, where he is captain of the Riverview varsity soccer team, and is also a member and captain of the U19 Suncoast Spartan team. Damm is hoping to continue playing soccer in college and has had many accomplishments on the field, including receiving the title of Most Valuable Defensive Player for his high school.

+ Edward Jones hosts re-opening celebration C.J. Bannister, managing adviser of Edward Jones, held a grand re-opening March 30 for the firm’s Siesta Key location at 5112 Ocean Blvd. Bannister recently left the northwest Bradenton branch to join the Siesta Key branch.

Clients and guests attended a ribboncutting reception, along with members of the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce.

Why do you love soccer?

I love the game of soccer because, for me, especially with my teams, I love playing with my teams and I love everyone on them. I love using my feet rather than my hands. It’s a more physical game and an enduring game than people make it out to be, and it definitely pushes me to use all of my abilities.

+ Koontz to serve two-year term on joint committee Jo Ann Koontz, an attorney and certified public accountant with Yesner and Boss, P.L., was recently appointed to the Realtor-Attorney Joint Committee of the Sarasota County Bar Association and the Sarasota Association of Realtors. She will serve a two-year term.

Visit our website to see a video of Damm’s entire interview. www.YourObserver.com

Stephen Martin, an independent financial adviser at SRQ Wealth Management, was recognized as a top financial adviser and named to the LPL Financial Chairman’s Club. The distinction is awarded to less than 6% of the firm’s more than 12,000 advisers nationwide.

“We believe members of the Chairman’s Club are among the premier financial advisers in our industry,” said Bill Dwyer, president of national sales and marketing for LPL Financial. “They serve as trusted resources and counselors for their clients and communities.”

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YourObserver.com You. Your Neighbors. Your Neighborhood.

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Tidewell Hospice is currently accepting applications for its next volunteer orientation in Sarasota County. Volunteer coordinators will match your interests with opportunities such as administrative support, patient and family support, vigil visits, pet therapy, music and arts activities, grief support and clowning and humor.

Visit tidewell.org for applications.

Where Paris Meets the Gulf Coast

Friday, April 15th

of Lakewood Ranch

+ Tidewell Hospice to hold volunteer orientation

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New College of Florida will honor Sen. Bob Johnson with a special ceremony for his lifelong service and dedication to preserving the excellence and integrity of New College.

The ceremony takes place at 4 p.m.

April 15, at the Robert and Beverly Koski Academic Plaza, at the corner of College Drive and Bay Shore Road.

New College will unveil its new Four Winds sculpture during the ceremony and dedicate it to Johnson.

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14 www.YourObserver.com

Corner Summer Cove condo real estate | transactions By Adam Hughes | Research Editor

SARASOTA

March 28 School bully 7:30 a.m. — 1500 block of First Street. Battery. A student got onto a school bus. He put his feet up on the seat and fell asleep. A few stops later, another boy got on the bus and sat on top of the student’s feet. The student woke up and tried to move his feet, when the other boy began punching him. The suspect got off the bus at his school. Police will check the bus surveillance video to see if they can identify the suspect.

Sleeps with the fishes 1 p.m. — 100 block of White Oak Way. Suspicious Person. A man called police in reference to a dispute he had with someone over parking. The man said that the person with whom he had argued may be “part of the mob.”

A little jaded 2:40 p.m. — 1500 block of Second Street. Theft. Several months ago, a man wanted to sell his former landlord a piece of jade art for $1,200. The landlord said he would think about it, so the man left the art with him. On the above date, the man went back to pick up the art, but the landlord, who never paid for it, refused to return it. An officer spoke to the landlord, who said he was going to keep the art until the man paid $4,400 in back rent. The man plans to press charges against the landlord.

said there were 2.55 seconds of red and 55 seconds of green. An officer checked out the light and determined the only problem was that there was heavy traffic at the intersection.

Seeing double 4 p.m. — 800 block of South Tamiami Trail. Dispute. The manager for an eyeglasses store said a man bought a pair of glasses but called back a couple of days later to complain that he was seeing double. He threatened to return to the store and kill them. The manager said the man appeared to be drunk when the man bought the glasses and again when he called to threaten her. That could explain the double vision.

March 29 Swing low 7:29 a.m. — Indian Beach Drive.

Road Hazard. Caller said a wire above the street had a loose tree branch hanging on it. The low-hanging branch was close to hitting passing school buses.

Here’s a tip 8:50 p.m. — 3400 block of Clark Road.

Theft. A middle-age woman walked into a restaurant and approached the counter. An employee asked her what she wanted to order. The woman responded by snatching the tip jar and bolting out the front door. The employee was able to get the woman’s license number as she drove away.

Stop-and-go traffic 2:57 p.m. — North Gulfstream Avenue. Road Hazard. Complainant said a traffic light was not cycling properly. He

sells for $1.1 million A condominium in Summer Cove on Siesta tops all real-estate transactions from March 9 to March 11. John and Mary Cassidy sold their Unit 404-C condominium at 1660 Summerhouse Lane to Joseph and Regina Culloo, of Lone Tree, Colo., for $1.13 million. Built in 2007, it has three bedrooms, three-anda-half baths and 2,490 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $1.15 million in 2009.

SARASOTA Desota Park

Madge Taylor and Virginia Taylor Scott, trustees, and James Taylor, of Manchaca, Texas, sold the home at 1902 Hyde Park St. to Charles and Lucy Painter, of Sarasota, for $495,000. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,660 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $675,000 in 2005.

Rachel S. O’Hara

Unit 404-C in Summer Cove, 1660 Summerhouse Lane, has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half bathrooms and 2,490 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.13 million.

SIESTA KEY

six bedrooms, six baths, a pool and 5,456 square feet of living area.

Robert Farry and Pamela Lyon, of San Francisco, sold their home at 5107 St. Albans Ave. to Adrian Rose, of Sarasota, for $320,000. Built in 1969, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,728 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $135,000 in 1993.

Isles of Sarasota

Siesta Beach

PALMER RANCH

Stephen Lee and Belinda Mei Yuk Mak, of Sarasota, sold their home at 5948 Mariposa Lane to Alan and Elizabeth Grindal, of Sarasota, for $380,000.

Built in 2007, it has four bedrooms, four baths and 2,521 square feet of living area.

It previously sold for $380,000 in 2008.

Deer Creek

Mark and Karen Dickson, of Osprey, sold their home at 8551 Woodbriar Drive to Stanley and Mahalie Fulton, of Sarasota, for $660,000. Built in 1993, it has

Visit our website to read more Cops Corner reports www.YourObserver.com

Read more transactions online and see a map of all sales www.YourObserver.com

ExcEptional SErvicE, ExcEptional carE, onE patiEnt at a timE

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GEnEral & coSmEtic DEntiStry

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30 Years of

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pErSonal attEntion

Grab the latest news, events and photo galleries for Longboat Key, East County and Sarasota anytime, anywhere.

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New Patients Welcome complimEntary initial Exam

Bermuda Building 544 John Ringling Blvd.

Sarasota, FL 34236

charlES E. cranE, DDS & John h. Quirk, DDS 55433

Cops

SARASOTA Observer

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

(code D0150)

lots of new Products!

Knowledgeable staff!

• Easter Lilies $6.49 - Single Stem 3-5 Blooms.

Call Ahead And Reserve Yours Today!

55295

• ALL Pottery 20% OFF! Except Fountains & Sale Items • 15Gal Washingtonia Palms $7.50 (While They Last)

Visit our newly remodeled Garden Center & Gift shoppe

Over 20 Acres Of PlAnts & trees

• Round Up 2.5Gal RTU Pump’N Spray (You Pay $18.99 - $5 Mail In Rebate Final Cost $13.99) • Check out Our Beautiful Orchids.

Arriving Weekly

M–F 9-5 Sat. 8–4

JOin Our rewArds PrOgrAm And receive: monthly emails with gardening tips and special savings!

5020 Lorraine road • Bradenton • 747-0499 • www.mariposanursery.com

Golf Lessons

We Have

available thru our head professional

Golf Logix GPS Ask about our Seasonal Membership

We’re Now

accepting Golf outings for 2011

Fall Rates Events View, save and share must-attend upcoming events.

Photos Browse and view our Black Tie photo galleries live from your iPhone.

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News Filter your neighborhood news by Longboat Key, East County or Sarasota.

$10 OFF

$15 OFF

$10 OFF

7am-8am

8am-12pm

12pm-2pm

exp. 4/30/11

exp. 4/30/11

exp. 4/30/11

New Restaurant Now Open Breakfast & Lunch 6:30am-dark

6600 River Club Blvd. Bradenton, FL 34202 • 751-4211

49397

Features

SARASOTA Observer

www.YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

MOON PHASES

RAINFALL

Sarasota

Wed., March 30 Thurs., March 31 Fri., April 1 Sat., April 2 Sun., April 3 Mon., April 4 Tues., April 5

0.90 2.55 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.93

Month to date: 2011 0.93 in Year-to-date:

April 11 First

April 18 Full

April 25 Last

May 3 New

15

WEEKLY WINNEr: SAIL of the day

2010 0.00 in.

2011 2010 13.01 in 10.17 in.

TemperatureS Wed., March 30 Thurs., March 31 Fri., April 1 Sat., April 2 Sun., April 3 Mon., April 4 Tues., April 5

Temps.

High Low 79 66 79 67 77 60 79 55 86 57 84 66 76 54

Record Temps.

High Low 89 (1945) 36 (1932) 79 (1965) 58 (1971) 94 (1974) 41 (2003) 88 (1990) 40 (1987) 88 (1957) 45 (1942) 90 (1917) 47 (2005) 89 (1939) 37 (1915)

Average Gulf water temperature: 75

Hilary McMahon submitted this sunset photo, taken on Siesta Key.

RED TIDE

Sunrise/sunset

PHOTO CONTEST: Enter your local sunset, sunrise or weather-related photos for The Observer’s

Karenia brevis, the Florida red tide organism, was not detected alongshore or offshore Sarasota Friday, April 1, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute.

Sunset 7:51 7:52 7:52 7:53 7:53 7:53 7:54

weather photo contest, sponsored by Cool Today. Please include where you took the photo when submitting photos, as well as your mailing address. Each week’s winner will receive a $50 restaurant gift card. Please send your photos to the Sarasota Observer, 1970 Main St., fourth floor, Sarasota, Fla., 34236, or email them to nschwartz@yourobserver.com.

Visit YourObserver.com to click on our interactive weather button, which features current weather conditions, weather radar and a five-day forecast.

52544

Thurs., April 6 Fri., April 7 Sat., April 8 Sun., April 9 Mon., April 10 Tues., April 11 Wed., April 12

Sunrise 7:15 7:14 7:13 7:12 7:11 7:10 7:09

T H E O B S E R V E R C R O S S WO R D Edited by Timothy E. Parker

C R Y P T O G R A M S by Myles Mellor 1. G C Q Z I B B I K O L F E O F L K V E G C Q I L B X S M O F C G E U I G OL

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GUYS OUT FROnT by Kenneth Holt ACROSS 1 Hankie substitute 7 Lettuce variety 10 ___ kwon do (martial art) 13 Palindromic address for a lady 18 Walrus-skin boats 19 Harmonious connection 21 Spanish actress Alonso 23 Information about consumers 25 Motion pictures, collectively 26 Curved molding 27 In a proper way 28 Christmas tune 30 “Uh-huh” 31 Republican stronghold 34 Robert of “Big” 37 Biased viewpoint 39 Hairy cousin on “The Addams Family” 40 Monk’s robe 41 “I’m ___ you!”

42 Frequently, poetically 45 ___ Maria (coffee liqueur) 46 Many miles off 47 Circus tent 49 The state of being typical 53 “For” vote 55 Central Swiss canton 56 Word in an Agatha Christie title 57 Use a lasso on 59 Cornfield guard 64 Greek vowels 65 Moonwalker James 66 “Survivor” network 67 A quarter of four 68 Sign

69 Big band venue 72 Sail supporter 73 Used to be 74 “Quiet on the ___!”

75 Tropical eel 76 When repeated, a vitamin B deficiency 77 Consider, as a thought 81 Berra the catcher 82 Certain antiseptic 84 “Now I ___ me down to sleep ...”

85 Base bed 87 Grave markers 89 Bagel topping 92 Sounds of disapproval 94 Baseball-bat wood 95 Gov’t property overseer 96 Send out 97 Classic theater 99 Spelling contest 100 WXYZ buttons 102 Roo’s friend 104 Almost four-fifths of Earth’s atmosphere 109 Santa ___ winds 110 “Giselle” garb 112 Cabaret show 114 Grand Canyon transport 115 Aquarium buys 117 Pool hall features 122 Fill with anger 123 Coming attractions 124 Out-and-out 125 Subside (with “off”) 126 They’re a year ahead of jrs.

127 “The Catcher in the ___” 128 Electrical resistance symbols dOwn 1 Surgeon’s target, sometimes

2 PR concern 3 Begat 4 “Land ___ alive!”

5 It’s picked in Maui 6 Guinness Book suffix 7 Thin pancake 8 Brewery oven 9 Punishment from a witch 10 Craggy peak 11 Fly ball’s path 12 ___ group (people sharing a common culture) 13 Nutmeg spice 14 Indigos 15 Dolphins Hall-ofFamer Marino 16 Temporarily suspended 17 Something kept 20 Kickback 22 Computer for a commuter 24 Wickerwork material 29 What all U.S. bourbon must be aged in 32 Tennessee gridders 33 Not quite upright 35 Ashen 36 Wounds with a tusk 38 Aristotle’s forte 42 Lennon’s love 43 Factory overseer 44 Most hackneyed 46 Jellied garnish 47 Prickly seed covers 48 Bad thing to invoke 50 Like the Grinch 51 Wayward 52 Scattered, as seed 54 Salute with gusto 58 Adversary 60 In a skillful manner 61 Like the 1920s 62 Type of kick

63 Watered down 65 It might be dumb or bright 68 Have unpaid bills 70 Owl calls 71 Jason’s mythological ship 72 The Beatles’ “Love ___” 74 Eyelid woe 76 Annoy 78 Bring joy to 79 Aries animal 80 Written reminders 82 “The stage ___” (dramatic line) 83 That girl, in Spain 86 General ___ chicken 88 Mollycoddled 89 Governing body 90 Word before “domain” 91 “My Way” singer 93 Thumbscrew ridges 97 Decide 98 Misgivings 101 Screen’s partner 103 Getty Center architect Richard 104 “Grey’s Anatomy” extra 105 Game played with a 40-card deck 106 Soviet prison camp 107 “Maria ___” (1941 Jimmy Dorsey hit) 108 Condor homes 111 Tech’s customer 113 Fluctuate 116 Criminal charge 118 “Cash” ending 119 “Viva ___ Vegas” 120 Chinese philosophical principle 121 Sofa part

Last weeks Cryptograms 1. A committee was defined by a fine comic as a body that writes minutes and wastes hours.

2. A busy purchaser at the office placed this funny notice on his desk: “Sanity is back-ordered. Sarcasm has an unlimited supply.”

Thursday, April 7, 2011 Items Under $200 For Sale

Boats

Garage/Moving/Estate Sales

Help Wanted

CARDBOARD BOXES- For shipping.

18x18x28. I have 175 boxes. Sell for $1 each. 941-918-9171

18/FT. 4 Winns Runabout 130HP Johnson.

No trailer. Runs well, looks good. $6000 O/B/O. Longboat Harbour 941-387-8786.

COCKTAIL TABLE- Extra large, square 48” each side.

5 Glass inserts on top. $75.

941-927-2299

Furnishings

COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE: Saturday, April 9th, 8:30a.m.-1p.m. University N. to Honore, right on Cooper Creek. Seventh annual community garage sale. University Place, 50+ families. Quality home furnishings, clothing, new scrapbook supplies, and much more!

ADVERTISING SALES PERSON- FT. Established business seeks experienced Telephone Sales Person for Business to Business sales. Must be Internet proficient and have telephone sales experience. $14 hourly. Monday- Friday. In Office only. Start Immediately. 941-955-2500

CORAL COVE COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE

Homemakers/ Companions CNA’S/ HHA’S

PICTURE- BEAUTIFUL large 54"W x42" D white egrets, neutral background. Wood decorative frame. $95.00 941-484-8409

LIDO ESTATE- Heritage “Federal” Buffet with Brass Gallery $695. Kindal “Block Front” Mahogany Chest $599. Large Drexel bookcase, Wallace Nutting collection $850.

Solid Oak Home-Office Desk, Return & Hutch $995. Lane Leather Sofa Sleeper, like new $599. 5pc White Patio Set, Superior, swivel Tilt Chairs $599. Stanley 5pc. King Bedroom $895.

Like new LaZBoy Sofa & 2-Recliners, Plasma TV, Daybed, Bar & Stools, Leather Groups (Robb & Stucky).

RUG- ORIENTAL 70x102”, nice pattern. $100 obo. 941-371-4505

941-745-2596 3015 1st St. (US Hwy 41) Bradenton

GE REFRIGERATOR freezer works perfect $135. Folding metal table 72"x30" $50.

Coleman bag $15. 941-922-7234 NATIONAL MOTOR Museum Mint, 25 cars, 5 trucks, 2 display stands, $160 the lot.

941-918-8407.

TABLE- 52" round, mica top, sturdy $100.

Table, 4 chairs on casters $50. 941-923 8355 TV- SHARP 32”. Works perfectly with remote. $40. 941-351-3475 WHITE KING (ruffed) spread $40.00. Off white Crochet spread $75.00. Wicker Armoire 36"X72"X20" $85.00 957-1555

Antiques/Collectibles

Manatee Furniture

SARASOTA BARGAIN Thrift Store & Consignment Center. 1635 12th St., Sarasota. Washers, Dryers, Refrigerators, Freezers. Furniture, Beds, Dressers, Sofas, Tables, TV’s, Records, Books, etc. Don’t give your items away, let us sell them for you!

Delivery & pick-up available. 941-812-0587

Garage/Moving/Estate Sales ANTIQUE STORE LIQUIDATION Sat. April 9: 9:00 – 2:00 (#’s @8) Airport Mall (Old US 301) 8251 W. University Pkwy

BUYING OLDER paintings; landscapes, beach, watercolors, any subject. Early furniture, oriental rugs, silver, etc. Quality items.

Terry, 941-349-8560.

Autos For Sale LEXUS 1998 ES300- White Pearl 4 door sedan. Taupe Leather interior, one owner, 100,000 original miles, well maintained & excellent condition. Recent full service with new tires. Asking $7,200. 317-627-1189

Boat Slips For Rent/Sale LBK MOORINGS; 45’ slip near bay for rent by owner. Good monthly or longer rates.

941-383-3103.

Eclectic mix of long ago shuttered store: 19th century Samurai sword; old world pieces including turn of the century oil paintings (John Miles, Nelson Bickford) over 100 hand colored early botanical & other fine prints; decorative frames; old linens; Limoge, Minton, Wedgwood, Copeland china; fine crystal; orientalia; vintage toys; French brass bed; antique claw foot desk; Also lots of usable furniture, bedding & household items.

PREMIUM ESTATE LIQUIDATORS

SATURDAY APRIL 9th 8-3 Over 18 Homes!

Maps & list of sale items available at entrance to Coral Cove at US 41 & Caribbean Dr. There is something for everyone including: Gourmet cooking items, books, jogging stroller, tools, fishing equipment, Pottery Barn furniture, adult & children's clothes, toys, housewares, retro furniture, kayak, pool table, computer monitor, area rug, US Open tennis pictures & more!

FRIDAY & SATURDAY, April 8th & 9th, 8a.m.-4p.m. 3080 Riviera Dr. War Medal Collection, Napoleon figurines: 22, various eclectic different parts of the world items.

Don’t miss this sale. A must see!

HUGE GULF GATE ROTARY SALESaturday 8-3. 2207 Gulf Gate Drive.

Iberia Bank parking lot.

MOVING SALE- Sat. April 9th, 8am - 1pm.

Living room, dining room, kitchen, bedroom furniture, household items. Must sell. 611 Venice Lane, Siesta Key, Sarasota.

Telephone: 941-349-5943.

General Merchandise FENCE SECTIONS- Board on board, 6x8, pressure treated. $35 each. Call 941-756-8915

Investment Opportunities INVESTOR WANTED - $150,000 for 24 months. 9% annual interest with payments monthly. Well secured/ insured. 941306-6715.

Storage STORAGE FACILITY Boat/ RV/ Trailer.

Secure facility, low monthly rentals, Clark Rd area. 941-809-3660, 941-809-3662

4 EAsy WAys To Place your Classified Ad THE OBSERVER LP # 39514

You Can Make a Difference. Help seniors stay independent. We provide: non medical care, personal care, meals, light housekeeping, transportation & companionship.

Flexible hours available- F/T, P/T, Overnight, Weekends and Live-In. Positions available in Sarasota/ Bradenton/ Venice. To work now fax resume to 941-929-7438 or email: joanieck@comcast.net

Commercial Property For Rent EXECUTIVE SUITES: South Tamiami Trail, Gulf Gate area. Full service conference room. One month free rent. Wireless internet and utilities included. From $250/mo. Call 941-923-6050.

OFFICE SUITE: Reception Area, 2 Private Offices, 575/sq.ft., Lakefront View, 1891 Porter Lake Drive, south of Fruitville, minutes from I-75. Includes: Electrical, Water, Security, Parking. Annual Lease: $835 per month. 941-355-9520.

Condos/Apts. For Rent 1BR/1BA: IMMACULATELY clean, nicely furnished, pool, tennis court, walk to shops, near downtown. No pets. $625/mo. annual.

Assigned parking. Water, sewer, pest control included. 941-374-3401.

BEE RIDGE. Large studio, furnished. Full tile, immaculate, full kitchen, full bath, pool, cable, on #5 bus line. No pets. $615/mo. annual. 941-374-3401.

FIRST LIDO 1900 Ben Franklin. Large 1BR/2BA condo. Gulf view from all windows, No obstruction. Rent for 6 months or longer. $1500. 513-834-1410 LBK: BAYFRONT, 2BR furnished condo, Longboat Harbour. Spectacular water views from every room, ground floor, end unit.

Covered parking, no trucks/ pets/ smoking.

Gulf/ private beach house access. Boat dock available. Avail. April 2nd. $1300/mo annual lease +utilities. 734-425-8245.

This week’s crossword answers

Call 941-955-4888 Reserved Space LP Reserved Space

Fax 941-362-4808

www.yourobserver.com Ready When You Are – Classified Ads, The Way to Sell

Email classified@yourobserver.com

Online at

www.yourobserver.com/classifieds All major credit/debit cards accepted.

THE OBSERVER LP # 39513

www.yourobserver.com

17 Classifieds 17A

Auto Transport

Painting/Wallpapering

SUNCOAST TRANSPORTER

CARLO DATTILO PAINTING. Licensed & insured. Interior/ Exterior painting including drywall repair and retexturing. Wallpaper installation & removal, pressure washing.

Residential & commercial, condos. Honest & reliable. Free estimates. 941-744-1020.

35+ years experience.

SARASOTA Observer

THE SARASOTA OBSERVER THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011 Thursday, April 7, 2011 Condos/Apts. For Rent

Homes For Sale

SPELL-BOUNDING FULL BAY VIEWS. Location is everything. Walking distance to downtown, St. Armands Circle and the Gulf beaches. Boating and fishing are only steps away. 2 bedroom condo, ground floor, covered parking, furnished, boat dock included. Newly renovated pool. 55 and older community. $1200/mo. for 12 months or $1500/mo. for 8 months. Tenant pays electric. Please call Karin Stephan at 941-504-4435.

Fractionals TIMESHARE ON LONGBOAT KEY LITTLE GULL COTTAGES. Beautiful 2BR/2BA on bayside, dock, pool, access to private gulfside beach area. Week 24 - Unit 14 (June) only $1200 OBO. LONGBOAT BAY CLUB - 1600/sq.ft. float week, 2BR/2BA, balcony overlooking bayside cove, pool, hot tub & dock. Only 100 yards walk to the gulf. $1500 OBO. Call Sandy @ 407-234-9551

Long Distance Delivery.

“Snowbirds” I drive your car door to door!

One Inclusive price.

Mike 941-993-0236

Cleaning

STUNNING VIEWS, Private Boat Dock, Deep Water/Sailboat Access Canal Private Beach Access, Elegant Marble Floors Throughout, Granite/Stainless Kitchen, 15 Foot Dramatic Cherry Ceiling.

A FREE PIZZA with Purchase.

All Brokers Realty Inc 714-0555 Shawn R. Giles DIRECT 941-962-5764

DEEP WATER ACCESS Boater’s Dream residential rental in south Longboat Key. 3BR/2BA, approx. 1720 sq.ft., only minutes to Sarasota Bay and open Gulf. 100/ft canal frontage with pool. Yearly lease at $2350/month + utilities. Call 228-327-7801.

LUXOR MHP

SIESTA KEY Waterfront Cottage for Rent.

1 Bed 1 Bath cottage. One car garage plus carport. All new appliances ( including washer and dryer) and fixtures as well as a brand new heat and A/C unit. On a canal with dock for 24 ft boat. Yearly rental only. 1399.00 per month. Utilities not included. Call 928-4247

A CLEANING EVEN YOUR MOTHER-INLAW WILL APPROVE! Every time, guaranteed! Licensed/Insured. Bonded. www.CleanTimeServices.com Pamela, 941-320-0023.

BRAZILIAN CLEANING Service by Maria.

Residential/ Commercial.

Meticulous Cleaning. Excellent References. Free Estimates. Reliable. Lic./ Ins. 941-400-3342 CARLA’S PROFESSIONAL HOUSECLEANING Only $20 per hour.

Honest, reliable and great references.

Call Carla 941-894-9262

FREE ESTIMATES! Call Dottie, detailed cleaning. 24 Years Exp. Lic./ Ins. Residential/ Commercial. Dottie, 941-321-6645.

WATERFRONT MINI-ESTATE 1502 Siesta Dr. 5BR/ 4.5B Gated 5,158sf. Almost everything new! Smart House, wood floors, elevator, 4 car gar. Pool/ Spa deep water dock. Outdoor kitchen & fireplace. $2,095,000.

MY Realty Co., Marni Hayden

941-809-5044

Vacation/Seasonal Rentals

LESIA’S CLEANING SERVICE, ETC. Professional, Friendly and Efficient. “Your Neighbors’ Best Kept Secret.” Best Rates.

Insured. 941-504-7868.

Computer Services

Waterfront Property

Flooring

WATERFRONT FOR TRADE- Will trade LBK gulf front, 2BR/2BA, upgraded Condo for AMI Gulffront condo.

Make offer.

217-493-6216

JUST REDUCED in Turtle Rock! 3 BR/3 BA Courtyard home! High End upgrades, Fireplace, Pool, Spa. 3rd BR w/separate entry, perfect for Guest Suite or office.

Pristine! $359K. Call Tom Ward, Waterside Realty, 941-350-2463.

PALMER RANCH DISTRESSED PROPERTIES FREE computerized list with pictures.

FREE Home Warranty at closing. buyforeclosures@realtyofsarasota.com 941-468-4917 Brigett Stinson Century 21 Advantage

D SOLD! L O S In The Observer Classifieds in The

Observer Classifieds

Adult Care Services

R.J. DAVIS WHOLESALE FLOORING: Sales & Installation. Tile, stone, wood, pavers, laminates & Travertine. Also, I install your tile or wood at $1.99/sq.ft. Your laminates $1.49/sq.ft. 18 years Lic./Ins. Call me and I will absolutely save you money. Free estimates. 941-586-8996 ☺.

A LENDING HAND

Home Improvement/ Remodeling

Companions & Certified Nursing Assistants available from 4 hours to 24/7.

SAME DAY SERVICE AVAILABLE. Call for info:

WATER HEATERS, faucets and small plumbing repairs. Reasonable rates. License #CFC1426756. 941-737-0349.

CNA/HHA WILL take care of your loved one.

Excellent references. Great rates. Flexible hours. Call 941-726-0392.

COMPLETE IN-HOME PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL HEALTH CARE is available through ElderCare Services Unlimited.

Companionship/ caregiving, medical and non-medical, meal preparation, light housekeeping, transportation. Medicare/ Medicaid affiliated. 3 hours to 24/7. Lic. #30211372 Bonded/Insured.

941-377-4465, Eldercaresarasota.com PRIVATE DUTY HOME CARELicensed, insured LPN for full or part-time.

Your cherished one deserves extra special attention and compassion. Geriatric, respite care, cleaning, meals, errands, caregiver relief. Call 941-928-4611 or email: PrivateDutyHome@aol.com

I come to your home or office.

 Bill Paying & Account Reconciliation  Organizing Personal and Business Files  Budgets & Financial Reports  Federal and State Tax Returns BONDED & INSURED Over 25 yrs. experience Telephone: 941-749-5646 yourbookkeeper@tampabay.rr.com

Pressure Cleaning

Tile

BIRD KEY TRADE. Anchor built, 2002, 3100/sq.ft. luxury home. Pristine, private, 3.5/BA, well pool. Will trade for condo or commercial, +/- cash. Call Mike, 941953-6393.

CNA- LICENSED with Experience. Available immediately.

Great references.

All Certifications completed. Call Angie at 941-993-2480

Personal & Business Bookkeeping Accounting/ Taxes

Concrete

Homes For Sale

941-809-3725 or 877-507-4040

PERSONAL TRAINER- I come to you!

10+ years experience. Weight-loss, Strength-training, Motivation. Improve your health and mobility!

941-807-2219 http://www.kelliefitness.com

ALL STAR PRESSURE CLEANINGNo Job Too Small. Call Mike 941-356-0402

ARCHITECTURAL DECORATIVE CONCRETE OVERLAYS. Unlimited patterns and colors. Great for: Driveways, Pool Decks, Garages and more. www.SRQFloors.com 941-726-4622

FORECLOSURES IN Sarasota County. www.foreclosuresinsarasotacounty.com RE/MAX Platinum Realty

COMPANION/ ASSISTANT- Driver, housekeeping, errands, cooking, house/pet sitting, gardening. References - Brenda, 266-0349.

COMPUTER REPAIR, Installation and Training.

Fast and Reliable.

Call “The Computer Doctors”. 941-586-8535.

LBK: TIFFANY Plaza Beachfront Condos, 1st floor, 2BR/2BA, walk out to beach.

Beautifully furnished, heated pool, covered parking. 1 mo. min. 941-383-3338.

FORECLOSURE LISTS- Bank Foreclosures, & Distress Sales. Receive a free, computerized printout of foreclosure properties. Free recorded message. 1-888-525-8449 or email us at: eslinger.realty@gmail.com. Eslinger Realty, Inc.

Personal Services

YOUR PERSONAL BOOKKEEPER, LLC Gail Sunray, Owner

CUSTOM CLEANING for home, office, RV, boat. Eco friendly. Experienced. Insured.

Estimates. Call Carolyn 941-961-0889 or Terry 941-966-2027.

Homes For Rent

$425mo-1 bed/bath mobile homes.

55+ community. No Pets.

5811 14th St. W. Bradenton.

Sarasota Real Estate Assoc, Inc. Greg Nowak 941-809-6034

www.YourObserver.com

STEVE ALLEN FLOOR COVERINGS PROFESSIONAL TILE & MARBLE INSTALLATION 20 YRS. EXPERIENCE CALL FOR FREE ESTIMATE 726-1802 LIC/ INS

Visit us online at www.yourobserver.com

Get all 3 Observers for only $99

Stand out from the crowd and get widespread exposure with The Observer ‘Make Your Move’ real estate ad. Your ad will appear in all 3 Observers – reaching prime prospects in Sarasota and Manatee counties.

• The Longboat ObserverReserved Space Buy N • The Sarasota ObserverLP Reserved Space ow • The East County Observer Ad Specifications Ad Size: 2.5” x 3” Photo size: 2.5” x 1.5” Avg # of words: 40 Full color available!

No logos.

Designate your headline.

e l P SAM abs o Mod lutely el pe rfect elegan ers. t Bis O 3400 ne of be cayne fl home in s o s kitch q. ft. und t lots w/l or plan b silver en w ake y Ba er air oak & /w m .4 appl. .

3 car ood cabin BD + d Private V boo Build en en. B ie g uilt in ar., larg ets, gran , 3 1/2 B ws. Ov e htd er ite co A. G 2001 ou po u ! $89 9,90 ol & spa nters, sta rmet 0. Jo hn D w/outdoo inless Jo o r 941 hn Doe e Real Estakteitch-555 .

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Auto Transport

To advertise your listing call (941) 955-4888 or email classified@yourobserver.com

RETIRED LONGBOAT KEY police officer & associate. Drive your car to the North and back. 941-713-1596, 941-720-0426.

You. Your Neighbors. Your Neighborhood.

The Observer

5

18 www.YourObserver.com 18A Classifieds

THE SARASOTA OBSERVER SARASOTA Observer THURSDAY, APRIL 2011 Thursday, April 7,7,2011

www.yourobserver.com

COMPUTER

HOME SERVICES

55196

ACCOUNTING

54488

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NEW TV - CALL ME

Home Furnishing Restoration and Upholstery Specialist!

Honesty • Integrity • Quality • Value In shop free estimates Pick up and delivery services available

Hours: Monday-Friday 9am - 3pm • Weekends by appointment

ESTABLISHED 1975!

941• 925 • 2447

ATTORNEY

Law Office of

YOUR DESIGN - YOUR CHOICE OF WOOD

PATIO REPAIRS Furniture Sales & Repairs #USHIONS s 3LINGS s 5MBRELLAS

941-504-0903

• Landscape design/renovation/installation • Native plants/Xeriscape Experts • Freeze Proof Plants • Sod Repair • Container Gardening • Seasonal Clean Up, Remulch • New Pavers & Paver Repair • Organic Gardening & Fertilizing

Experienced • Insured Worker’s Comp Lic. #RGLAN-SL-A1815

Repair Express

Affordable Expert

941-544-3816

GrazingGoatsLawnCare.com

Honey Do Lists / No Job Too Small ASK ABOUT OUR DISCOUNTS! – 10% Senior Discount

AFFORDABLE LAWN CARE

Call: 941-746-5255

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SARASOTA Observer

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

Three Agents In One

In these uncertain times for the nation’s real estate markets, there are encouraging new certainties about ours. First, with a growing number of properties being sold from Bradenton to Boca Grande—Southwest Florida is showing definite signs of a sustained recovery.

gold standard for unbiased local market profiles based on actual sales. Your agent as knowledge broker will walk you through these revealing monthly trend reports and explain your best options as a buyer or seller.

Second, the recovery is occurring faster in many popular neighborhoods and price segments; less so in others. Third, in something of a blast from the not-too-distant past, a significant number of sellers are working with our agents to field multiple offers—thanks mainly to aggressive pricing.

Last week, front pages across the nation announced in bold headlines that February’s existing-home sales dropped 9.6% nationally compared with January. They were also down by 2.8% compared with last February.

To immediately capitalize on developing opportunities and trends within specific communities, neighborhoods, zip codes and price ranges we continuously provide our agents with updated market reports from such trusted sources as Trendgraphix—the industry’s

8191 Midnight Pass Rd $2,799,000 #A3923126 Susanne Cosgrove-Lee

According to the Sarasota Association of Realtors, February sales in the Sarasota MLS were up 24.2% over January, up 27% over February 2010; and the inventory of unsold homes hit a six-year low. Plus, for the first time since April 2010—when the first time home buyer tax credit was still artificially stoking sales—pending sales exceeded 1,000. This proves yet again the adage that all real estate is local, thus making it unwise to form local housing decisions based solely on national trends.

With too many present-day transactions succumbing to preventable lending or title issues, your agent must also function as a troubleshooter as the sale progresses from contract to closing. Working in tandem with the teams from MSC Mortgage and MSC Title our agents offer their customers the added benefit of one-stop shopping; where the expertise and problem-solving skills of everyone involved remains unified, purposeful and communicative.

Foreclosures continued to place a drag on February prices in 14 of

When you choose a real estate company, be sure to get the personal representation you need in today’s hyper-challenging market. Choose an agent from Michael Saunders & Company and you’ll get three professionals in one. The licensed agent, the knowledge broker and the problem solver.

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To guarantee a successful transaction these days, your agent must not only possess competent real estate skills but also be equal parts knowledge broker and problem solver. Foreclosures, short-sales, fluctuating inventories and falling values—it can be very difficult for buyers and sellers to keep ahead of the market when the playing field changes constantly. To maximize your understanding of today’s market, be sure to contact an agent from Michael Saunders & Company. No one is more fully equipped, better trained or capable at dealing with each new twist and turn this market sends our way.

The Sarasota Herald-Tribune dutifully reported these less than stellar results as well—but with one key difference. It noted early-on in the story that for the third straight month homes sales in Southwest Florida defied the national trend. In fact, 17 of Florida’s 19 metro areas bucked February’s downward trend in national home sales. 18 of them also enjoyed higher condo sales.

Florida’s metro areas. Sarasota’s median price receded as well. Still, as the quickening pace of unit sales indicates, prices now occupy a comfortable range for many buyers who believe that any additional price declines are not worth the wait if it means missing out on a specific property, passing up a low interest rate; or having fewer firstrate properties to choose from. Instead, they’ve been known to formulate offers based on their best judgments of how area home prices may yet fall marginally before bouncing back. Moreover, our market has been repeatedly declared undervalued by numerous real estate experts.

Theirs is also the expectation that prices will recover rather quickly once the backlog of distress sales is dealt with.

A RT S | E N T E RTA I N M E N T | S O C I E T Y | F O O D | FA S H I O N | D é C O R

Diversions YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

INDECENT EXPOSURE by Heidi Kurpiela | A&E Editor

“When you’re on stage for only 10 minutes, you’ve got to be prepared with your character the second the lights come up,” Melliss Kenworthy says.

Heidi Kurpiela

Steel magnolia Theatre Odyssey’s Melliss Kenworthy dons two hats for this year’s 10-Minute Play Festival: artistic director and actress. The feisty star gives a killer performance as both.

F

or 40 years, Melliss Kenworthy has played blushing leading ladies in big, showy musicals.

Many actresses get typecast. It comes with the job. And let’s face it: In an industry that values stars, being pigeonholed as the leading lady isn’t exactly a misfortunate.

Yet, Kenworthy has all the makings of a great character actress.

From her big-brimmed sun hat, strawberry bob, sunglasses, gravelly laugh and salty sense of humor, Kenworthy is a striking creature that appears decades younger than her 71 years.

KENWORTHY CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

INSIDE

BACKSTAGE PASS: SFF’s Allison Koehler / 4

Black Tie THE SOCIAL OBSERVER

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ Orchid Ball Steve and Buffy PAGES 11 and 13 Smith

CAMERA READY ‘Avant Garde’ / 12

2 ■ Diversions

www.YourObserver.com

■ THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

>> COVER STORY KENWORTHY from 1

IF YOU GO

Theatre Odyssey will present its 10-Minute Play Festival, “Seven in ’11” at 8 p.m. April 8 and April 9 and at 2 p.m. April 10, at the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe venue, 1646 Tenth Way, Sarasota.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door on the day of the performance. For more information, visit www.theatreodyssey.org.

“(Playwrights) are brave to turn over their words to a director,” Kenworthy says.

“You never know if the visions will align.”

GOT 10 MINUTES?

Bradenton playwright Bernard Yanelli, author of “Justice Here, Justice There,” gives us his tips on writing a 10-minute script.

should be clear to the audience that it’s going to cause tension in the main character’s life.”

• Create a memorable protagonist

“Most 10-minute plays, or at least comedies, have to have a ‘wow’ finish. The audience loves a payoff.”

“Your character should have extreme personality traits that the audience is either rooting for or against.”

• Add a triggering event

“A triggering event should happen in the first minute or so, and it To visualize Becky Sue, picture Kenworthy in turquoise eye shadow, a lowcut blouse, black bra, tight jeans and gaudy jewelry, sitting spread-eagle in a rocking chair, guzzling from a beer.

“I’ve never had so much fun,” she squeals.

With one 10-minute script, Kenworthy feels as if she’s caught up on decades of lost bad-girl roles.

“I was thrilled when Melliss said she wanted the part,” says Yanelli, a history and economics teacher at St. Stephen’s

• Write a surprise ending

• Think competitively

“Competition raises the stakes.

It’s why I like entering these play festivals. They’re fun, and they force aspiring playwrights to work harder.”

Episcopal School. “She’s an outstanding actress, and apparently she’s never played anything like this before, which is funny because she can be very saucy.”

Locally, Kenworthy, a Philadelphia native, has appeared on stage with the Banyan Theater Company and The Golden Apple Dinner Theatre.

She volunteered this year to be Theatre Odyssey’s artistic director, because she hoped to bring more recognition to local playwrights by expanding the competition’s awards reception.

“We have such a plethora of talented writers in this community,” Kenworthy says. “I think it’s important to make a big to-do of their work. These plays are their babies. It’s a big deal when they’re able to see them mounted on stage.”

The three-day play festival, which received 54 new submissions this season, was whittled down to seven 10-minute scripts.

Dubbed “Seven in ’11,” the program includes premieres by Yanelli, Paul Argentini, CeCe Dwyer, Larry Parr, Lorene Erickson, Lisa Evans and Connie Schindewolf.

Sitting on the judging panel is novelist Wayne Barcomb, actress Catherine Randazzo and retired Asolo Repertory Theatre Director Howard Millman. The winner of the contest will receive a cash prize following Sunday’s matinee performance.

As an artistic director, she says she would love to organize a catered reception for the festival’s playwrights. However, due to time and space constraints, she’s had to table the plan for next year.

In the meantime, her goal is to do Yanelli’s boozy, foul-mouthed Becky Sue justice by being as lewd and crude as possible.

“I can’t tell you how cathartic it is,” Kenworthy says, tilting the brim on her straw bonnet. “It’s such a good feeling to not be playing a cookie-baking grandmother.”

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A Katharine Hepburn-meets-Lucille Ball kind of dame, Kenworthy has waited years to showcase her comedic chops.

“Deep down in my heart I’ve always wanted to do comedy and character acting,” Kenworthy says. “But no one would ever give me a part. I was always the straight woman.”

That is, until a Southern, backwoods, bourbon drinking, husband-killer came along.

Now in her third season as a performer with Theatre Odyssey, an annual 10-minute play festival founded by Sarasota actor Tom Aposporos and playwright Larry Hamm, Kenworthy has taken on two new roles: artistic director and Becky Sue — a trashy, Southern wife wronged by her two-timing husband in the black comedy “Justice Here, Justice There,” by Bradenton playwright Bernard Yanelli.

A longtime Sarasota actress, Kenworthy has easily embodied both.

Within five minutes of walking into the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s new downtown building, which Theatre Odyssey will use for this weekend’s play competition, Kenworthy begins projecting her lines on stage in a tenacious Southern drawl — profanity and all.

“You don’t understand,” Kenworthy hisses. “I had to poison the sonofabitch.”

The monologue continues with the revelation that Kenworthy has just killed her cheating husband by slipping rat poison in his tuna casserole and clobbering him over the head with a shovel.

As the actress swaggers across the stage, her mouth curls downward with each angry and disturbingly funny passage.

“I haven’t read through the lines with my husband,” says Kenworthy, a Harbor Acres resident. “I want him to come to the show and get the full effect at once.

He doesn’t eat tuna casserole, so he shouldn’t be worried.”

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Diversions ■ 3

■ THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

>> COLUMN

art scene HEARD

HOT TICKETS

by Heidi Kurpiela | A&E Editor

+ SFF makes a play for female theatergoers Ladies: This year’s Sarasota Film Festival is for you. Soak it up.

Although its organizers have not come out and stated this fact: SFF’s events and partnerships are awash in estrogen, from the pet project of celebrity guest-of-honor Geena Davis (Davis is being honored for founding the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media), to its collaboration with Through Women’s Eyes (TWE), a film festival sponsored by the Gulf Coast Chapter of the U.S. National Committee for UNIFEM. Now in its 12th year, the TWE lineup includes Kim Longinotto’s documentary, “Pink Saris,” about a gang of women fighting for women’s rights in India; Michèle Midori Fillion’s “No Job for a Woman: The Women Who Fought to Report World War II”; Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s “Miss

Courtesy photo

“The Price of Sex” premieres April 9.

Representation,” about the damaging representations of women in the media; and the premiere of Mimi Chakarova’s sex-trafficking investigation, “The Price of Sex.” Fans can meet the women who called these shots at a filmmaker’s reception from 6 to 7:30 p.m. April 9, at Art Center Sarasota. Tickets are $75. For a complete list of TWE films, visit www.throughwomenseyes.com.

‘Deathtrap’: Ira Levin’s classic mystery thriller is up now through May 14, at the Asolo Repertory Theatre. Directed by Peter Amster, the play stars Mercedes Herrero, Bryan Torfeh, James Clarke and third-year conservatory student Dane Dandridge. The show holds the record for the longest-running comedy-thriller on Broadway.

For tickets, call 351-8000 or visit asolorep.org.

‘Ghost-Writer’: Florida Studio Theatre closes its season with Michael Hollinger’s new play “Ghost-Writer” about a New York novelist who falls in love with his young secretary. FST regulars may recognize Hollinger’s name. The playwright’s “Opus” prompted the company to collaborate with the Sarasota Orchestra two years ago. “Ghost-Writer” is up now through May 29, in FST’s Keating Theatre. For tickets, call 366-9000 or visit www.floridastudiotheatre.org.

+ La Musica to ‘GPAC’ the house

+ Roller derby films predicted to ‘Bomb’

La Musica turns 25 this month with a string of concerts April 4 through April 15, at the Sarasota Opera House, led

by Artistic Director Bruno Giuranna and associate Artistic Director Derek Han. For those of you South Sarasota County residents who cringe at the thought of trekking into downtown Sarasota at the height of season, The Glenridge Performing Arts Center is hosting a free open rehearsal at 3:30 p.m. Friday, April 8.

Catch performers Federico Agostini

Just when you thought the wild Bradentucky Bombers couldn’t get any cooler, they get immortalized in not one, but two short films screening at the Sarasota Film Festival.

Sarasota writer/ director Moe Lynch’s “Crushed” stars Bradentucky Bomber Mary Brown as a skater who keeps her roller derby life a secret from her co-workers, despite the telltale bruises cropping up on her arms and legs.

State College of Florida film student Amanda Ibasfalean’s “Derby Girls: Inside the

+ Gloria Musicae brings back Mozart’s ‘Requiem’ It’s been 10 years since Gloria Musicae presented the regional premiere of Robert Levin’s completion of Mozart’s “Requiem Mass in d Minor.”

The composer died before he could

finish it, which left classical-music groupies scrambling to fill in the missing pieces, including Levin, whom many of you know as the artistic director of the Sarasota Music Festival.

Lisa-Marie Mazzucco

Cellist Julie Albers

(violin), Anne Schoenholtz (violin), Julie Albers (cello) and Franco Petracchi (bass) as they work through “In Rossini, Sonata a Quattro No. 1 in G major.”

Remember, not all musicians will let you drop in on a rehearsal — especially the perfectionists.

Well, Requiem-ites, the lost Mozart work returns next week to Gloria Musicae. The concert’s four soloists, handpicked by famous mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne, are as follows: soprano Julie Davis, mezzo-soprano Deborah

Robert Rex Jackson

The Bradentucky Bombers

Bradentucky Bombers” stars the entire allfemale roller derby league.

A Bradenton native, Ibasfalean highlights the league’s sportsmanship, athleticism, charity work and ability to juggle work, motherhood and skating.

For more on the films, visit www.bradentuckybombers.net.

Nansteel, tenor Joshua Stewart and bass-baritone Richard Ollarsaba.

The show begins at 7:30 p.m.

Monday, April 11, at the Sarasota Opera House. For tickets, call 360-7399 or visit www.gloriamusicae.org.

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■ THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

>> BACKSTAGE PASS by Heidi Kurpiela | A&E Editor

Sonic youth Allison Koehler makes sure area students get the red-carpet treatment during SFF’s youthFEST. A 6-year-old Jack Russell terrier named Turk is the unofficial guard dog of the Sarasota Film Festival’s outreach and education department.

If you’ve visited the Cocoanut Avenue office recently, you’ve probably met the high-strung pooch and its laidback owner, Allison Koehler.

Over the course of the last three years, the 24-year-old tattooed outreach and education director has turned the 1920s Florida cracker shack into a functional live/work space.

That’s right. From January to May, Koehler lives where she works. You would too if your office was as homey as Koehler’s.

There’s a small lobby furnished with bookshelves and reading materials, a classroom with one wall freshly covered in chalkboard paint, an editing suite filled with filmmaking equipment, an office, a bedroom, a kitchen and a fenced courtyard.

“Three-quarters of the building is for working and one-quarter is for living,” laughs Koehler, a New Jersey native who splits her time between Sarasota and Brooklyn, N.Y. “We basically work 18-hour days, so it’s pretty convenient.”

By “we,” Koehler means she and George Denison, the office’s production manager

KOEHLER’S TOP 5 KID FLICKS ‘The Land Before Time’

“This movie still makes me cry. I had a Petrie puppet growing up.”

‘Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer’

“I’m talking about the original stop-motion animation. I’ve got five nieces and nephews, and all they know is the digital version. It breaks my heart.”

‘The Little Mermaid’

“I was a big singer as a kid, and the songs from ‘The Little Mermaid’ were the best for singing.”

‘E.T.’

“I have a special place in my heart for ‘E.T.’ I think I always sympathized with the kid seeing something and the parents not believing him.”

‘The NeverEnding Story’

“It had that awesome dragon.” and other 24-year-old inhabitant.

She and Denison were film students at the University of Tampa when they began working as SFF volunteers four years ago.

Now full-fledged employees, Koehler and Denison run youthFEST, an arm of SFF that provides more than a dozen filmrelated programs to Sarasota and Manatee County students.

More than 5,000 students participate in youthFEST each year. According to

Heidi Hurpiela

“I pay attention to a lot of film fests,” says Allison Koehler, pictured here in SFF’s education classroom. “I think the quality of our festival is right up there with Sundance and SXSW.”

IF YOU GO

youthFEST family features include “Circus Dreams,” “To Be Heard” and the German stop-animation import, “The Sandman and the Lost Sand of Dreams.” For a complete list of outreach and education events, visit www.sarasotafilmfestival.com.

Koehler, it’s the largest youth program of any film festival in the United States and the only one that offers its curriculum and equipment to students for free.

In addition to collaborating with community organizations, SFF’s outreach and education office runs youth screenwriting and cinematography workshops, film analysis classes, field trips and filmmaker lectures.

Students serving on youthFEST’s “Junior Jury” even assist in selecting the winner of SFF’s “Best Family Film” at the end of the festival.

“Working with kids is definitely not something I planned on doing,” Koehler says. “But now that I’m here I feel like it’s a win-win situation on every level. There’s

TM

no other youth fest I’d rather be working for.”

She breezes past photos of teen filmmakers posing on last year’s red carpet. The snapshots serve as reminders of her hard work.

In the off-season, Koehler works as a website copywriter, freelance video editor and event planner in Brooklyn. As much as she enjoys the break, she says she’d love to see SFF turn its education and outreach programs into a year-round endeavor.

“I think a lot of people forget that we’re a nonprofit organization,” Koehler says. “Yes, we have amazing and fabulous parties, but we have this giant youth component that requires constant fundraising. We rely on the community to keep us functioning.”

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Diversions ■ 5

■ THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

>> HIGHLIGHTS by Heidi Kurpiela | A&E Editor

Young artists shine at downtown festival Hundreds of student performers flocked Saturday to Five Points Park for the Arts and Cultural Alliance’s YouthArts Fest.

It’s good to be a kid in Sarasota — especially an artistic kid.

From the Sarasota Ballet to the Sarasota Orchestra, it seems as if every arts organization in town has a thriving youth program.

Parents, how do you keep up?

Last weekend’s YouthArts Fest, sponsored by the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County, provided the ultimate platform for young artists and performers to showcase their skills.

The morning kicked off with a loud wakeup call: the Sarasota School of Arts + Sciences’ Tiger Drum Line led

by Director Elizabeth Farrell.

The program rolled on with perfor-

mances by the Sarasota Ballet School, Florida Studio Theatre’s Musical Theatre class, Booker High School’s VPA Dance program and Bay Haven School’s chorus and violin ensembles.

By mid-afternoon, the Alliance Stage at Five Points Park had hosted more than 18 different acts, including the Sarasota Youth Opera, The Players Kids, the Sarasota Music Academy and the West Coast Civic Ballet.

This was (of course) in addition to the festival’s busy craft stands and student art exhibits. If you didn’t know any better, you’d have thought downtown Sarasota’s beloved Arts Day was back.

Dancers from the Sarasota Ballet School kept the crowd on its toes.

Above: Matthew Decker, a third-year illustration student at Ringling College, sketches a live model in front of Selby Library.

Students from Sarasota Ballet’s Dance — The Next Generation perform a Lady Gaga-inspired number.

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Photos by Heidi Kurpiela

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■ THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

>> EDIBLES by Molly Schechter | Food Editor

Kumquats are the surprising little fruit The first and most obvious surprise of the kumquat is its taste. It is the sweet tart of the citrus clan, and even more oddly, it is the skin, which is sweet, and the pulp that is tart. The next surprise is that even though it looks like a citrus, smells like a citrus and is certainly similar in taste, it is not technically a member of the citrus family. This native of China had a change of genus status in 1915, when it was discovered that the fruit’s cellular structure is significantly different from other citrus. It was then assigned its own genus name, Fortunella, in honor of Robert Fortunel, who introduced kumquats in 1846 to Europe. The name comes from Cantonese, meaning “golden orange” and was first spelled kam kwat.

This is the end of the kumquat season in Florida and its peak in California. That means that the owners of any kumquat trees in your neighborhood will be more than happy to have you pick the remaining fruit. The trees in these parts are remarkably generous, leading their owners to behave similarly. Always ask, of course.

If you don’t have that kind of access, you can often find them in the supermarket, though they can be pricey.

The easiest way to enjoy a kumquat is simply to wash it and eat it in a bite or two.

Be prepared: The first sensation can be almost sour. But the tang quickly cedes to sweetness — a rewarding transition that is yet another delightful surprise.

When you have had your fill of the raw fruit (which can be habit-forming), you will want to keep some on hand, which is as easy as cooking them in a simple sugar syrup. Unless you are making a huge batch, there is no need to go through a sterilizing routine. Simply cleanse jars and lids with boiling water, ladle the

RECIPE

Preserved kumquats Yield: about two pints 2 pounds kumquats 2 cups sugar 2 cups water

Photos by Molly Schechter

Fruit freshly picked from the tree.

fruit in hot and keep in the refrigerator.

You will be surprised how many times you take them out to enjoy as a versatile, sweet relish with anything from a chicken-salad sandwich to your favorite dinner entrée. Come holiday time, combine your candied kumquats with your favorite cranberry sauce. Or make the

combination fresh, using the following recipe. There are literally dozens of other ways to use this little treasure, including a delicious cake made famous by the late Sylvia Collins, of Longboat Key. Request that recipe via email to mschechter@ YourObserver.com, and if you have a favorite to share, please send it along.

Wash the kumquats and cut in half lengthwise. Use the tip of a paring knife to remove as many seeds as you can find, and don’t worry if you miss some.

Combine sugar and water in a large saucepan over mediumhigh heat, and cook until sugar is dissolved, using a pastry brush to return any sugar that clings to the sides of the pan to the syrup.

Add kumquats and simmer five minutes. Ladle into jars that have been rinsed with boiling water and store in the refrigerator almost indefinitely.

RECIPE

Cranberry-kumquat compote Adapted from Gourmet Magazine, circa 1997 Yield: about 3 1/2 cups 1/2 to 1 pound kumquats (10 to 20)

12 ounces fresh cranberries 1 cup sugar 1 cup water

Thinly slice kumquats crosswise and remove seeds. Pick over cranberries. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan, and stir until sugar is dissolved, about five minutes. Add kumquats and simmer five minutes.

Remove kumquats to a bowl using a slotted spoon. Add cranberries to the syrup and simmer 10 minutes or until they are all popped. Cool completely, then chill. If making ahead, refrigerate fruit in separate containers, so kumquats will retain their color. Just before serving, stir kumquats into cranberry mixture.

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Diversions ■ 7

■ THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

>> REVIEWS

Film

Music

>> ‘The Jonestown

>> The Artist Series of Sarasota:

Defense’

Angela Meade and Danielle Orlando

One of my favorite films being screened at this year’s Sarasota Film Festival is “The Jonestown Defense.” Shot entirely on location in Sarasota, the film is a visual rush, especially for locals.

But the emotionally-charged subject matter is even more captivating than its exotic locale.

In the opening scene, the camera captures a stunning sunrise in which an alligator, an owl and an armadillo are basking.

Suddenly, a disoriented man in a suit and tie is seen stumbling through the woods. Clearly, something’s wrong.

As the film flashes back, we recognize the same man in an office engaged in a frenzied oneon-one, mini-basketball game. We soon learn that his name is Chris (Dennis Ostermaier) and his world is falling apart. His company is being bought out by a large corporation, which requires him to fire his employees. Recently separated from his wife and discovering that his son doesn’t much care about being around him, Chris is holed-up in a beachfront hotel (Lido Beach Resort).

Overwhelmed by depression, Chris unexpectedly jumps into the pool, fully clothed. Paul (Michael Michaelessi), also a guest at the hotel, dives in and rescues him — on a multitude of levels. His old friend, Frank (Robert Stevens), whose com-

A pair of extraordinarily talented musicians blew into the Historic Asolo Theater last week, thanks to the Artist Series of Sarasota. Soprano Angela Meade and pianist Danielle Orlando made a big splash and an even bigger impression, but each for a different reason.

Meade, whom you may remember from her appearance on “The Audition,” the recent documentary film about the Met auditions, has a big, technically magnificent voice that will, barring something unforeseen, probably carry her into a major career.

She’s already made her Met debut as Elvira in Verdi’s “Ernani” and has covered the title role in “Armida.” She’s also popping up all over the globe.

This is an opera singer in the old golden-age-of-opera sense: big voice, solid technique, exquisite breath control, secure coloratura abilities and excellent training.

She should do really well on the operatic stage. Her “Casta diva,” “Bel raggio lus-

Courtesy photo

“The Jonestown Defense” will be shown at the Sarasota Film Festival.

SFF20 11

cian who gives Chris a one-night stand. Ostermaier, Stevens and Michaelessi are a perfect triumvirate, playing off one another like old pros. Perhaps the fact that in real life they’ve been pals for 15 years has some bearing on that accomplishment.

There’s just something so cool about watching a movie chockfull of familiar sights. The I-canreally-relate-to-this-film factor goes through the roof. Shots of St. Armands Circle, Lido Beach, the Ringling Museum and Sarasota’s downtown skyline all provide an up-close and personal relationship to this compelling film. Best of all, Takoudes’ camera caught a short ride down St. Judes Drive, on Longboat Key, with my house up there on the big screen. Talk about personal.

Screening times for “The Jonestown Defense” are 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 15 and 2:45 p.m. Saturday, April 16. There will be a Q&A after each screening with the director and cast members in house.

— Pam Nadon

CORRECTION

Abla Lynn Hamza and Bethany Kiral are sopranos, not tenors, as was printed in last week’s column.

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pany is swallowing up Chris’, teams up with the two on a journey of self-loathing and, eventually, self-discovery.

“The Jonestown Defense” is a slang term used in the business world. When one harms their own company in order to stave off a predator, they’re committing a kind of corporate suicide (think: Kool-Aid). In his desperation Chris resorts to such measures, which fuels his downward spiral.

Director Greg Takoudes attended the Sarasota Film Festival three years ago, promoting his critically acclaimed, “Up With Me.” He was so impressed with Sarasota that he put his next project (“The Limit of Wooded Country”) on hold to make “The Jonestown Defense.” It’s just another glowing affirmation that Sarasota is a great place to make wonderful films.

Aside from telling a poignant and timely story, “The Jonestown Defense” soars due to creative casting. Amy Seimetz (“Tiny Furniture”) is amazing in a small part, portraying a sleazy magi-

inghier” and “Ernani! Ernani, involami,” were impressively sung and beautifully crafted.

Her attempts at Lieder by Liszt and Richard Strauss were less successful, because her focus on sound trounced her understanding of the poetry and ability to communicate with sincerity and sensitivity. The same could be said for her “Depuis le jour,” the gorgeous aria from Charpentier’s “Louise,” which needs more than the spinning float Meade delivers so well.

In this day of great acting singers (Fleming, Dessay, Damrau, Netrebko, to name just sopranos), a great singer needs more than a great voice. Meade has all the makings of a world-class singer.

The question is, does she have what it takes to be a world-class artist?

Orlando does. This is a pianist with incredible technique, sensitivity and ability to make music. She supports, leads and follows all at the same time. Any singer would be thrilled to have her at the — June LeBell keyboard.

Design Courtesy of Bluescape Creative, LLC Illustration Courtesy of Vince Fraser

8 ■ Diversions

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The Sarasota Ballet paid tribute to one of America’s most renowned choreographers, George Balanchine, with a diverse program featuring three of his works: “Divertimento No. 15,” “Prodigal Son,” and “Who Cares?” Each piece highlighted different aspects of the Balanchine style: classical ballet in “Divertimento”; a story ballet (rare for Balanchine) with “Prodigal Son”; and jazzy lyricism with “Who Cares?”

“Divertimento No. 15” requires the dancers to demonstrate long lines, with both their arms and legs, paired with fast footwork in petits battements. Set to music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the ballet includes a cast of eight principal dancers — five women and three men — and eight female members of the corps de ballet.

“Divertimento” is a technically challenging ballet and the members of the corps rose to the challenge. They managed to keep up with the fast-paced movement and maintain their lines, however an overall elasticity required by the Balanchine style was lacking throughout the corps, making the movement seem stiff and static. For example, one combination for the girls in the corps required the dancers to tombé from an arabesque with an overextended hip. Emily Dixon, Elizabeth Sykes and Rita Duclos perfectly demonstrated this overextended movement.

David Nava’s clean technique boasts perfect fifth positions after every step and is only enhanced by his beautiful facilities, which include long lines and beautiful feet. His arabesques are cause for applause. Ashley Ellis seemed at ease with the Balanchine choreography and received oohs and aahs during her pas de deux with Miguel Piquer, when she performed multiple arabesque penchées that went far past 180-degrees. Kate Honea demonstrated lightening-speed footwork en pointe and during a pirouette sequence that rotated between en dehors (outward) and en dedans (inward).

There couldn’t have been anyone better to dance the Prodigal Son than Logan Learned, whose acting abilities, paired with his tremendous technique, were put to good use. Learned started out the ballet with a lighthearted dance scene with

the Goons — nine bald-headed crazy men (who were actually a highlight of the entire piece) — and then ended the piece with repentant drama as he returned to his home stripped of his ego and material goods.

The seduction scene of “Prodigal Son” seemed unusually tepid. The choreography for the siren, danced by Danielle Brown, is erotic, powerful and controlled, yet Learned and Brown’s performance seemed to be lacking something. Many times the siren is danced by an extremely tall woman, which makes the choreography even more dramatic and pronounced.

Even though Brown is much taller than Learned, there were some movements that seemed less dynamic than they should have been.

Of course, “Who Cares?” set to music

by George Gershwin was an audience favorite. The jazzy ballet was danced in front of a New York City skyline backdrop.

The cast of 24 danced with exuberance and passion that earned them a welldeserved standing ovation after the opening-night performance.

Standouts of “Who Cares?” include: • Sara Scherer was easily picked out of the cast of “10 girls.” She stepped outside of the ballet comfort zone giving a free-feeling flair to her dancing.

• Simon Mummé continues to showcase a more mature aspect of his dancing. He was a perfect partner to Christine Peixoto in “S’wonderful.”

• Victoria Hulland looked like she thoroughly enjoyed her dancing in “The Man I Love” with Octavio Martin. She brought a flirtatious side to this performance.

• Ellis danced one of the most memorable solos from “Who Cares?” — “Stairway to Paradise” — with a light-heartedness and lightness on her feet.

• Martin and Honea demonstrated what seniority looks like in a ballet company during their pas de deux, “Embraceable You.” Both dancers exude mature confidence that only makes their dancing more exciting.

• Honea wowed again in her solo, “My One and Only,” with an en dedans doublepiqué turn sequence, which is incredibly difficult, but she pulled it off with ease.

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■ THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

>> COLUMN

black tie tales

+ Oldies but goodies Chairwoman Ariane Dart set out to plan an over-thetop event with a live band, and, boy, did she surpass partygoers’ expectations at Forty Carrots Family Center’s Firefly Gala March 26.

Three-hundred-eighty-two guests, with an additional 50 concert-only ticket holders, were in attendance for a performance by KC and the Sunshine Band, who played for an hour and 20 minutes and put on a whole production. Event planner Jennifer Grondahl reports that the stage, which was moved in on a semi-truck, took more than 20 hours to set up.

by Molly Schechter and Stephanie Hannum

+ Here comes the bride … times three Thank goodness the weather cooperated, because wedding bells were ringing all over town this weekend. Leah Turner married Christian Cotter, of Atlanta, Saturday, April 2, at First Presbyterian Church, followed by a reception for 300 at the Field Club. Guests were entertained by the Atlanta-based six-member group, The Atlanta Party Band. Leah is the daughter of Williams Parker attorney Jim Turner and his wife, Karen.

Also married on April 2: Morgan Stanley Smith Barney’s Stan Carter and Toni McGowan at Laurel Oak Country Club;

Barbara Banks

Newlyweds Leah and Christian Cotter

and Blake Gratton and Brittany Kimel at the John and Mable Ringling Museum courtyard.

+ Entertainment extravaganza

It was bound to happen. In the midst of high season and multiple events per night, we accidentally missed one. Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast hosted “Déjà vu: Big American Bandstand” Saturday, March 26, at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota.

Boy, did we miss out on some great photo opportunities — 200 guests arrived dressed in their favorite era and were treated to the Big Band sounds of Sarasota High Admirals. Even Austin Powers and Dick Clark were on hand for the exciting, fun-filled festivities of the evening.

Right: Jamie & Mike Stone at “Déjà vu: Big American Bandstand” March 26.

Joy Mahler

+ Tidbits

Premium preview … Get the first chance at Designing Women Boutique’s premium estate sale of fine jewelry and designer fashions from the estate of Ethel Taub at a preview event 6 p.m. April 14, at the shop. For reservations, call Janet Hunter at 371-6798.

Sale takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 15 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 16 … Fabulous freebie … In an Oprah Winfrey fashion, the final announcement at the Women in Partnership Luncheon March 30 was that the guests were going home with a 288-page coffee-table book, “Scenes from the City: Filmmaking in New York.” Produced with the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting, the luncheon’s guest speaker,

+ Black Tie Affair ‘Pirate and Princess Ball’

Heather Locklear

KC and the Sunshine Band

The 60-year-old lead singer, Harry Wayne Casey, kept the crowd on their feet dancing and laughing with his quips.

“I’m the Justin Timberlake of the ’70s, so take a good look, ladies, this is what he’ll look like eventually,” he said.

NYC Media and Entertainment Commissioner Katherine Oliver, touted the beautiful book. PNC Wealth Management and Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s next luncheon is coming up April 29 and features former Massachusetts Gov. Jane Swift.

Two is better than one ... Sissy Yates’ unusual-and-beautiful jewelry had a big night out at the Greenfield Awards dinner March 27. Wearing necklaces by Sissy — Muffy Cabot’s daughter — were Joan Golub and Susan Brainerd …

Don’t underestimate … Last week’s Carreño Dance Festival Luncheon had reserved half of the ballroom at Michael’s On East for the luncheon, but had to move it to Van Wezel when organizers were pleasantly surprised with more than 250 guests …

SPARCC — Safe Place Rape and Crisis Center • 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, April 9 • Girl Scouts Conference Building • Tickets: adults $65, children $40 • For information, call 365-0208, Ext. 106 If your kids love to dress up, the “Pirate and Princess Ball” is the perfect familyfriendly event. Don your best pirate and princess garb and head over to the Girl Scouts Conference Building for a great party to benefit SPARCC. For your taste buds, there will be a kids buffet catered by Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q, as well as an adult buffet catered

by Simply Gourmet and a dessert table by Pastries by Design. For the kids, Pure Imagination Studio will be working with the children on special pirate-and-princess themed craft projects as well as face painting, a caricature artist, balloon artist, dancing to kid-friendly tunes, a kids “chance” auction, a toddler play area and even a pirate invasion and real-life princesses. Chaired

by Erika Quartermaine and Shannon Hankin.

Community starts with an act

we can...

The Sandefurs also help sustain gems like the orchestra, ballet, Circus Sarasota, the John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art and Florida Studio Theatre.

Before John died in 2009, he said leaving a legacy with the Community Foundation was like having a son to carry on the Sandefur name and philanthropic spirit. We’re so grateful that Tana and John have partnered with us to protect the future of the things they love.

So can you.

941.955.3000 | www.CFSarasota.org

51867

together

It’s not surprising that Tana Sandefur studied social work at The Ohio State University. She and her late husband, John, have given their hearts, time and resources to improve so many aspects of life in Sarasota. For years, Goodwill, the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation, WEDU, State College of Florida, Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center (SPAARC) and others have benefitted from their generosity.

THE SOCIAL OBSERVER

Black Tie

GUEST FASHION EDITOR Nikki Heil Page 19

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

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By STEPHANIE HANNUM

Black Tie Editor

The grit and glam of the roaring ’20s were on display at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ 30th annual Orchid Ball Saturday, April 2. Flappers, gangsters and all around fabulously-dressed guests roamed the gardens, which highlighted 1920s music and a jazzy performance featuring Sarasota Ballet students.

“The Great Gatsby”-themed evening — chaired by Kristiana Serbin — had the highest attendance and highest level of sponsorship in years. More than 350 guests were treated to dinner

by Michael’s On East under a chandelier-lit tent, a live auction and the busiest dance floor of the season with the sounds of the DeLeon Orchestra.

Mary Pat and Kevin Radford

Photos by Stephanie Hannum

Keith and Debbie Lowrance, Bibb and Pam Swain, Deb Knowles, Diane and Keith Anderson

Tom and Allison Luzier

See MORE PHOTOS on page 13

Bruce Saba, Randi Donahue and Terri Saba

Sara and Nick Ferguson

Billy Johnson and Cornelia Matson

Terrie and Rodney Linford, Connie Parker and Sandi Stuart-Murray Chairwoman Kristiana Serbin and Nora Johnson

Walter and Christine Caldwell

Darlene and Carmen Scoma

12 ■ Diversions

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■ THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

>> CAMERA READY

An Evening at the Avant Garde ‘Once Upon a Time …’

Ringling College of Art and Design Saturday, March 26 | Ringling College of Art and Design

Ron and Rita Greenbaum Photos by Loren Mayo

Sean and Leslie McHale, Joann and Steven Stein and Margaret and Matt Callihan

David and Amy Sessions

Bill Johnson and Susan Borozan

Dr. Larry and Pat Thompson lead the “Shrek” parade.

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Diversions ■ 13

■ THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

>> ORCHID BALL Continued from page 11

Jacqueline Morton, Carol English, Jody Ulrich and Beathe Elden

Matt and Meghan Leiter

Nicole Mancini, Alfredo Ordonez and Sheryl Vieira

Aurelie and Mark Van Den Broek with Babette Bach and Rob Patten

Pam Revels and David Yarletts

Sally Trout and Tom Ross

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14 ■ Diversions

www.YourObserver.com

■ THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

>> CAMERA READY

‘Simply Sarasota’ Kitchen Festival Celebrity Breakfast Junior League of Sarasota | Saturday, April 2 | Michael’s On East

Photos by Stephanie Hannum

Kitchen Festival Chairwoman Debbi Benedict, special guest Katie Lee and Angie Stringer

Linda Larkin and her daughter-inlaw, Kathryn

A2 US Womens 2010 Posters_Layout 1 14/09/2010 09:19 Page 2

Martha Rogers, breakfast Chairwoman Julie Hawkins and Kathy Dewey

Jane Kiebitz and Libby Early

Lisa Ward and Jennifer Vett

Stacey Corley, Nancy Vafeas, Sarah Lodge and Olivia Thomas

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Diversions ■ 15

■ THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

>> CAMERA READY

Frances Ranier, Patricia Laughlin and Diane Partington

Photos by Stephanie Hannum

The Carreño Dance Festival Luncheon

The Carreño Dance Festival Tuesday, March 29 | Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall

Leah Verier Dunn and Jessica Ruddock

Irwin and Marcia Katz

Robert de Warren and guest speaker, Dance magazine’s Wendy Perron

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Addison Wright, Dallas Finley and Diana Dizon

Mo Aubry, Lynda Doery and Muriel Mayers

16 ■ Diversions

www.YourObserver.com

■ THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

>> CAMERA READY

Go Red for Women Luncheon

Survivor Gracie McMinn and her mom, Leighann

American Heart Association Wednesday, March 30 Michael’s On East

Florence Katz, Gertrude Kasle and Gert Wiederhorn

Photos by Stephanie Hannum

Co-Chairs Mary Ann Conroy, Valerie Powell-Stafford, Michelle Ritter and Leela Beers

Stephanie Stutzman, Co-Chair Donna Disbro and Stacy Theis Lauren Enger, Tom Skelly and Betsy Lieberman

Marci Weibel, Samantha Richards, Kristina Calvin and Liz Sheridan

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www.YourObserver.com

Diversions ■ 17

■ THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

>> CAMERA READY

Spring Fling Sarasota Opera Guild | Tuesday, March 29 | Sarasota Yacht Club

Liliane Sealy-Schrock and honoree Betsy Bagby

Photos by Stephanie Hannum

Jan Chester, Ellen Berman, Christine Johnson and Dottie Baer Garner

Co-Chairs Alma Abshier and Michelle Fournet

Ruth Bader, Mary Dunne and Karen Kennedy

Women in Partnership Luncheon

Helena Panoyan and Eleanor Williams

Photos by Stephanie Hannum

• Jams World® Clothing is expressive and artistic, well-loved for its color and comfort.

• Our ‘story’ and ‘aloha’ prints transport you to an island paradise while our classic black and white designs defy humdrum casual and evening wear. Ideal for the beach, traveling, or resort wear • Our print art is 100% exclusive and printed in limited edition.

We purchase original hand painted textile art from around the globe which is transformed into beautiful fabric by skilled artisans in Japan.

Ringling College of Art and Design Wednesday, March 30 Ringling College of Art and Design

Carol Phillips and Kathryn Carr

Guest speaker Katherine Oliver and Jeanne Corcoran

Lisa Schalk and Rick Thurman

Helping You on the Path to a Healthy Life.

If you’ve followed the traditional route to medical care, you know it’s easy to get lost along the way.

At LernerCohen Healthcare, we’ve chosen a different path.

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18 ■ Diversions

www.YourObserver.com

■ THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

>> CAMERA READY

Greenfield Prize Award Celebration The Hermitage Artist Retreat | Sunday, March 27 | Michael’s On East

Photos by Molly Schechter

Joni and Bill Greenfield with Sanford Goldman and Dr. Mary Davenport Dr. Philip Kotler and his brother, Milton Kotler

Barbara Toll

Bruce Rodgers and keynote speaker Oskar Eustis

Chairwoman Flora Major and Greenfield Prize recipient John Guare

Louise and Bob Greenfield

Dr. Bobbi Lorry and Susan McLeod

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Diversions ■ 19

■ THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

>> FASHION by Stephanie Hannum | Black Tie Editor

guestfashioneditor

SUGAR LIPS DRESS “This dress is very light and airy.

It has a vintage look — it’s very sweet. I can keep it simple and wear it with flip-flops or dress it up with heels.”

NIKKI HEIL

ELEVENSES PANTS “These are my sailor pants du jour — I seem to buy a sailor pant for each year. I just love linen, and I embrace the wrinkles.”

Nikki Heil, marketing and community relations specialist at Whole Foods, has a vintage-looking style and loves to mix feminine with masculine items. The Rotarian and Whole Planet Foundation ambassador for Florida likes to support people who are supporting the planet — even with her clothing — by purchasing post-consumer products and organic fabrics.

“I have a very eclectic style — girly but still rustic. I love to collect things when I travel and mix it up.”

JUNO & JOVE CUFF “I got this as a gift, and it has changed colors since I got it. It’s made of recycled computer chip parts.”

VINTAGE BOOTS “I pretty much wear these every week — they are my most favorite thing in the world. These boots were a present from my dad to my mom for her 25th birthday, and then my mom gave them to me on my 25th birthday. The older and more worn they get, the more I love them.”

TURQUOISE NECKLACE “This is my favorite gift that my husband has ever given me. It’s heavy, earthy and the beads stay cool.”

LYF ‘SHELLY’ BAG “This fun bag is the same material as an Army surplus bag, so it’s strong. It’s so masculine but with little girly surprises and details hidden all over.

I usually use it as a beach bag.”

VINTAGE BELT “This was my grandmother’s belt, and it’s great to put with anything.”

ADRIENNE VITTADINI SKIRT “This is my go-to businessmeeting skirt.

Pencil skirts fit nicely on curvier shapes.”

BEAD NECKLACE “I found these in a cabinet of odds and ends in an antique store while I was in Guatemala working with the Whole Planet Foundation.

I love finding random things on my travels.”

ZOE’S TEES DRESS “The first reason I loved this dress was the name, because my daughter’s name is Zoe. But, then I fell in love — it’s my go-to summer dress. I can roll it up to easily travel, too.”

Time for a New Look?

Regional Exhibition Celebrate the Juried Season atPhotography Longboat Key Center for the Arts! and The Art of Tapestry: Thread by Thread Durante Gallery

Ed Brickman April 8 through May 12, 2011 “Legal Forging” December 2 – images 16, 2010 created by light and textures revealed Enjoy visual Opening Reception | Thursday | December 2 | 5 -7 pm through thread as you view these two quality exhibition of Please rsvp to 941.383.2345 by November 30 for the Dec 2 reception.

artist from our region.

A selection of Ed’s work will be for sale to benefit the Longboat Key Center Receiving for the Arts photo entries: Monday, April 4 • 10-2 pm Ed Brickman has been making jewelry since he was a teenager and has never lost his enthusiasm for the creative process. His work can be found in the permanent collections of the Newark Museum in Newark, New Jersey, and the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City. Ed has been teaching jewelry for many years at LBKCA. This is the first time Ed will be showcasing over 200 pieces from his collection. You’ll not want to miss this show!

LBK Garden Club in collaboration with LBKCA presents:

A Taste Of The Keys And Male Fashion Show Wednesday, April 13 • 5:30 – 8:30 pm

Great Savings on all Hunter Douglas Window Treatments!!

Ticket Price: 50.00

$ Cultural Media Room ‘Open Trunk’ Join Holiday us forSale anby evening of fashion, food and December 2 - 16, 2010

2 complimentary drinks to support the Garden Club Find that unique holiday gift for your loved ones made by Ringling College and the Center for the Arts students and alumni. You’ll find paintings, sculpture, jewelry, crafts, and

Kitchens • Bedrooms • Bathrooms • Built-ins Flooring • Wallcoverings • Furniture • Accessories

much, much more!!

See LBK dignitaries model Brooks Brothers fashion

we do it all!

Hours for the selected Sale: Monday through Friday, am to 4 pm restaurants and taste food from 129different Special Saturday hours!! from our Keys!

Saturday, December 4, 11 am to 3 pm & Saturday, December 11, 11 am to 3 pm

Celebrating 25 years in business

This is an event not to be missed!

Opening Reception and Sale | Thursday | December 2 | 5 -7 pm Please rsvp to 941.383.2345 by November 30 for the Dec 2 reception.

INVENTORY CLEARANCE SALE

For ticket and information call 941.383.2345

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6860 Longboat Drive S | Longboat Key, FL 34228 www.lbkca.ringling.edu | 941.383.2345 Hours: Monday – Friday | 9 am to 4 pm

ar twork • furnishings accessories

941-951-1822 • Cell 941-724-2353 2095 Siesta Drive - Across from Dillards

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20 ■ Diversions

www.YourObserver.com

■ THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

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941-926-7000 ~ Over 5,000 listings on our website: PrudentialPalmsRealty.com

Prudential Lakewood Ranch Realty and Prudential Palms Realty are sister companies serving Manatee and Sarasota Counties. © 2011. An independently owned and operated member

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Prudential is a registered service mark of The Prudential Insurance Company of America.

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Agents conveniently located at: Lakewood Ranch Main Street ~ Market Street in Lakewood Ranch ~ Siesta Key - Osprey Downtown Sarasota, Tamiami Trail ~ Palmer Ranch ~ St. Armand’s Circle ~ Stoneybrook ~ Longboat Key