bserver O
EAST COUNTY
You. Your neighbors. Your neighborhood.
NEIGHBORHOOD
IN THIS ISSUE
East County schools salute local military veterans. PAGE 1B
OUR TOWN
Thursday, NOVEMBER 15, 2012
SPORTS
Ranch volleys toward state semi-finals. PAGE 13A
call of duty by Pam Eubanks | Managing Editor
water cycle
beauty and the feet
by Pam Eubanks | Managing Editor
Lakewood shifts to reclaimed water Braden River Utilities has begun using reclaimed water from the city of Sarasota for irrigation in Lakewood Ranch.
+ Ranch youth stars in new musical The East County’s Channing Weir, a senior at Lakewood Ranch High School, will portray a key role this weekend in “Jonesing,” a musical written and directed by Bradenton resident Dylan H. Jones. The show will be held at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 15 through Nov. 17 and at 1:30 p.m. Nov. 18, at Manatee School for the Arts, 700 Haben Blvd., Palmetto. Tickets are $12 for adults or $80 for seniors (60plus) or students with valid identifications. “It’s different from traditional musicals because it’s sung entirely without hardly any dialogue, but without a definitive plot, either,” Jones says of the show. “Each song stands on its own and tells a unique story.” Similar in tone and format to “Songs for a New World,” each of the actors portrays characters seeking something missing in their lives.
+ Teacher organizes Sandy assistance Lakewood Ranch resident and local teacher Jennifer Venditti is organizing a schoolbased initiative to assist students affected by Hurricane Sandy. Children are making cards for students whose schools have been closed, and teachers are being asked to send any extra supplies they have in their classrooms. Candies leftover from Halloween also will be sent. Donations are being sent to Samoset Elementary, where Venditti works. “I have five schools in New Jersey who have sent me their addresses and wish lists and letters of need,” she said. “We are just trying to coordinate those efforts. There are a lot of people helping with monetary donations and in other ways.”
SEE OUR TOWN / PAGE 4A
Photos by Pam Eubanks
East Manatee Fire Rescue’s Shawn Battick, an engineer, moves a 165-pound life-size mannequin, after completing a rigorous course.
Responding to the Challenge
Local first responders and students in related academies at MTI participated in the First Responders Challenge Nov. 10. EAST COUNTY — As East County Fire Rescue’s Lt. Kim Luther strapped on her helmet and other gear, she knew the challenge ahead would be grueling, even if there were no real fire involved. Training moments like this one would help prepare her for whatever real-life situation may arise. “It’s an awesome challenge,” Luther said, as she readied to hoist a roughly 60-pound hose
over her shoulder and carry it up four flights of stairs, among other obstacles. “It shows your strength, your determination. It’s a teamwork thing, too. There’s other firefighters cheering you on, whether you work with them or not.” Luther and dozens of firefighters, first responders and students going through Manatee Technical Institute’s related
SEE CHALLENGE / PAGE 8A
East Manatee Fire Rescue’s Lt. Kim Luther geared up to test her physical endurance.
LAKEWOOD RANCH — The water is on. Braden River Utilities, a developer-owned utility that provides irrigation water to Lakewood Ranch, officially started using reclaimed water from the city of Sarasota Nov. 6, to provide irrigation water to residents of Lakewood Ranch. The project has been in the works for more than a year, with BRU installing 1,500 feet of 18-inch and 11,300 feet of 12-inch water transmission lines, according to documents provided by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. “We are just embarking on this venture,” said Gerald Boyce, manager of compliance and operations for the City of Sarasota Utility Department. “They tapped our system. We already had a line going out east to Hi Hat Ranch.” The city of Sarasota has agreed to a 20-year contract to provide an average of 2 million gallons of reclaimed water per day, Boyce said. “That’s a lot of water, but we average making probably 6.5 million gallons a day,” he said. “There’s quite a bit more. At this point, we can meet all our obligations easily.” The partnership with the city offsets the use of potable groundwater use within the Braden River watershed. BRU’s current demand from its commercial-and-residential users in the Southwest Sector of Lakewood Ranch is more than 5 million gallons per day. It uses well water and water from Aqua Utilities to meet its
SEE IRRIGATION / PAGE 8A
INDEX Business.............. 9B Calendar............ 10B
Classifieds ........ 13B Cops Corner....... 12A
Crossword.......... 12B Real Estate........ 12A
Sports................ 13A Vol. 13, No. 44 | Three sections YourObserver.com Weather............. 12B