LONGBOAT
Observer Longboat Key’s weekly newspaper since 1978
Kiwanis awards $63,000 in scholarships. PAGE 12
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 39, NO. 52
FREE
A+E
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 2017
Homicides stun Key
ARTISTS BRIDGE THE GAP INSIDE
Night manager, guard shot to death at Zota; incident is the first killing on Longboat since 2000.
YOUR TOWN
T
hough Longboat Police won’t describe details of the 911 call they received from the Zota Beach Resort early Friday morning, Deputy Chief Frank Rubino said this week that the first officer arrived within two minutes of the call. More officers from Longboat Key, along with Sarasota, Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach and Manatee County weren’t far behind, securing the crime scene and the rest of the premises to ensure the safety of employees and guests while also preserving evidence.
Philip Kotler
Kotler highlights Longboat Key in autobiography In June, Longboat resident Philip Kotler published his autobiography “My Adventures in Marketing.” In the book, Kotler, who is known as the “father of modern marketing,” dedicates a chapter to Longboat Key. In the short, essay-like chapter, Kotler explains how he and his wife, Nancy, ended up on the island. The couple was looking for a place to escape the bitter Chicago winters. Friends suggested California, but the Kotlers were set on Florida. They chose Longboat Key, because of the area’s rich history of art and culture. At the end, Kotler recognizes a fear a lot of residents have: traffic congestion and tall buildings. “Hopefully, Sarasota will strike a healthy balance between growth and quality of life,” he wrote.
TURTLE TRACKS WEEK OF JULY 30 TO AUG. 5: Nests False Crawls
2017 2016 23 37 18 40
TOTAL, AS OF AUG. 5: 2017 2016 Nests 1,244 1,137 False Crawls 1,152 1,563 Source: Mote Marine Laboratory Data for Longboat Key
SEE PAGES 2-3
Anna Brugmann
Longboat Key Police Chief Pete Cumming stands outside Zota Beach Resort. The resort was the scene of a double homicide on Aug. 4.
Lawsuits settled Colony Association and Whittall end litigation. SEE PAGE 5
Park’s next phase hits the beach Work begins on beach access at Bayfront. SEE PAGE 6