Sarasota Observer - Thursday, March 24, 2011

Observer SARASOTA

NEWS MAYor’s SEAT

A newly elected commissioner could lead the city. 3A.

?

DIVERSIONS: POSH PAPERBOY

NEIGHBORHOOD 9A

Big Kid Playground

INSIDE | PAGE 1B

Locals join the construction crew at People at Play.

Style guru Eric Cross proves print isn’t dead at upcoming fashion show.

You. Your neighbors. Your neighborhood.

SLICE OF THE CITY PEOPLE, PICS & PLACES

Thursday, MARCH 24, 2011

THE JACKSON LABORATORY

Follow the money

A group of Collier County government appointees asked The Jackson Laboratory tough questions. In the end, Collier decided it was too risky.

By Jean Gruss Gulf Coast Business Review Rachel S. O’Hara

+ Pastry Art workers show shamrock style Jovee Henehan, Thomas Connel and Jesse Hillman, Pastry Art employees, celebrated St. Patrick's Day by dressing up in their best Irish flair Thursday, March 17. The employees wore their outfits and enjoyed having “the luck of the Irish” with them all day long.

Loren Mayo

Darby Adams and Yakira Padilla made this “robug.”

+ Bug robots roar to life at Brookside Whether she’s spearheading a pumpkin-carving project or teaching her students about hydroponic farming, Brookside Middle School teacher Susan Roberts is always up to something. This time, thanks to a grant from Sun Hydrolics and assistance from electrician Willie Woody, her classes built buzzing soda can “robugs.”

See SLICE / PAGE 16A

INDEX Black Tie.................................9B Classifieds..............................20A Cops Corner..........................17A Crossword.............................19A Opinion....................................6A Real Estate...........................18A Weather................................19A Vol. 7, No. 20 Two sections www.YourObserver.com

Joe Swaja has some advice for decision makers in Sarasota who are now considering millions of dollars in charitable gifts and taxpayer subsidies for The Jackson Laboratory.

“I would go and get a group of individuals who are involved in this industry, understand this business and have nothing to do with Tampa or Sarasota to give unbiased advice,” says Swaja.

Swaja, who retired to Marco Island after serving as vice president of worldwide customer service for production systems at Xerox Corp., was one of eight financially skilled volunteers who examined The Jackson Laboratory project in Collier County last summer. He was part of a little-known group called the Productivity Committee, volunteers appointed by the county commission to review county operations and suggest improvements.

Swaja is blunt about Bar Harbor, Maine-based Jackson Laboratory’s efforts last year to establish a Florida research facility in eastern Collier County, 40 miles east of Naples. “If that was a business plan coming across my desk, I wouldn’t have approved it,” he says. “It’s kind of hard to swallow in today’s world.”

In its quest to boost the local economy, Collier County economic-development officials recruited Jackson Laboratory with the promise of $260 million of taxpayer money, half of which would have come from the state and the other half from the county. In addition, the nonprofit genetics research institute planned to raise another $120 million from pri-

Nancy DeNike

Joe Swaja (pronounced “sway”), a retired Xerox Corp. executive who lives on Marco Island, says he wouldn’t have approved The Jackson Laboratory’s business plan. Swaja is a volunteer member of the Collier County Government Productivity Committee, which reviewed the institute’s plan for a research lab in eastern Collier.

ON REVIEW.NET Visit the website of The Observer’s sister paper, Gulf Coast Business Review, to read the entire Collier County Productivity Committee's “Economic Vitality of Jax-Florida” analysis. vate donors and millions more from government grants. Jackson Laboratory would directly employ 244 people, with the promise of thousands more from related operations that would move nearby.

The Jackson Laboratory

project in Collier began to unravel when the Productivity Committee questioned Jackson’s business plan and growth assumptions in a report to the county commission in July.

“The return wasn’t there for the risk involved,” concludes

Stephen Harrison, chairman of the committee and a corporate accountant.

The Collier County effort eventually failed, because Naples resident Gov. Rick Scott and successful Naples entrepreneurs such as Reinhold Schmieding, founder of global Naples-based medical device manufacturer Arthrex, didn’t support the venture as it was

SEE LAB / PAGE 8A

The return wasn’t there for the risk involved.

— Stephen Harrison, chairman of the Collier County Government Productivity Committee

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the sarasota Observer THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

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local presence

First Church celebrates 120 years downtown Timeline

By Maria Amodio | Staff Writer

Maria Amodio

The Rev. Arthur McClellan stands in front of the Pineapple Avenue entrance, which will have glass doors and new canopies after it is remodeled to be more identifiable and welcoming to passersby.

In 2005, First United Methodist Church faced a major decision. It was offered $17 million for its downtown property, where the church has been located since 1911.

In a congregation-wide vote, an overwhelming majority of the members chose to stay, and this year the church will celebrate its 120th anniversary at its downtown location, 104 S. Pineapple Ave., where they have vowed to remain.

“We are a downtown church,” says the Rev. Arthur P. McClellan, senior pastor.

“We don’t want to lose that presence.”

First Church, which is the longestexisting organization in Sarasota, will celebrate its anniversary with a March 30 reunion dinner for current and returning congregants.

First Church’s history began in 1891, when 12 founding members established the Methodist Episcopal Church South, as it was originally named. In 1893, the church’s first building was erected on a small plot of land at the corner of Main Street and Pineapple Avenue, where Patrick’s restaurant is now located. The land was purchased for $40.

In 1911, First Church moved to its present location on Pineapple Avenue.

The church currently has 1,150 members.

The church has undergone several renovations and other changes over the decades, including the addition of a day-care center and a family-life center.

Rod Warner, chairman of the church council, says it is the church’s ability to adapt that has enabled it to endure throughout the years.

1891 — Methodist Episcopal Church South (First Church’s original name) is established.

1893 — First United Methodist Church is built at Five Points Corner.

1911 — First Church moves to present location at 104 S. Pineapple Ave. 1924 — One of the area’s first pipe organs is installed at First Church.

Courtesy photo

The church’s first building, located at the corner of Pineapple Avenue and Main Street, closely resembled a barn.

“The church has grown with Sarasota,” says Warner. “The church is important to the downtown’s urban livability.”

In honor of its anniversary, the church will begin in April a $1.4 million renewal plan, which will include remodeling of the sanctuary and its Pineapple Avenue and Mira Mar Court entrances and the addition of a prayer garden. McClellan says the changes, which will include increased worship space, updated lighting and handicap accessibility, will make the church more welcoming and identifiable to the community.

“It’s about having an understanding that the church building may stand still, but the congregation can’t,” says McClellan. “We may have a long history, but we don’t rest on that.”

1953 — Services are held in the city auditorium due to overcrowding of the church’s sanctuary.

1955 — A new sanctuary, where worship services are conducted today, is dedicated.

1970 — The Education Center, now called the Family Life Center, is built.

1976 — The first annual Pineapple Antiques Show and Sale is held.

1990 — The Early Care day-care center opens.

1991 — First Church celebrates its centennial anniversary.

Protecting our natural environment for future generations

LISA

LANNON soil & water science

53334

“For three generations my family has worked in Florida Phosphate—my father, his father and now me. And, I hope my kids will too. I study the natural balance between the water and land. I’m proud that we recycle 95 percent of the water we use and plant nearly a million trees each year. It’s a good way of life, with respect for the land. You might just say it’s a family tradition.”

the sarasota Observer THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

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3A

civic duty

Who will be mayor?

The job of mayor in Sarasota is generally rotated among the most-experienced city commissioners, but with three new commissioners about to take office, a newly elected member could be appointed.

By Robin Roy | City Editor

When three new city commissioners are sworn into office in May, they will make the City Commission the least-experienced council in recent history.

It has been an unofficial tradition that the current vice mayor be appointed mayor the following year. Tradition also holds that the mayor be one of the more experienced commissioners.

But this year, the two elder statesmen of the commission, Commissioners Suzanne Atwell and Terry Turner, are in the middle of their first term and will only have two more years in office than the three brand-new commissioners taking their seats in the commission chambers May 13.

When Paul Caragiulo, Shannon Snyder and the winner of the runoff between Willie Shaw and Linda Holland are sworn in, it will mark the first time since 1985 that three new commissioners have been elected.

However, that year the other two commissioners had a combined 15 years in office.

So, who has the best chance of becoming mayor?

According to the sitting commissioners and commissioners-elect, it will probably be one of the two with the most experience.

“I think a sitting commissioner is more likely,” said Commissioner-elect Shannon Snyder. “That’s just tradition.”

SEE MAYOR / PAGE 7A

Atwell

?

Turner

Caragiulo

Snyder

Shaw

Holland

IMPROVEMENT PLAN

Siesta Key Beach to get facelift Sarasota County is planning a multimillion-dollar upgrade to the features at Siesta Key Beach park. the cars entering and those exiting,” said Curtis Smith, the county’s project manThe premier tourist attraction in Sara- ager. sota will soon be getting a $12 million In an early concept plan, the county upgrade, and residents will get their first considered creating a grand entryway look at a modified plan this with a roundabout. Although week. the entryway features will be If you go Of several major improveenhanced, the roundabout ments planned at Siesta Key What: Siesta Key has been eliminated, said Beach, perhaps none are Beach improvements Smith, because it could have more important than the ad- workshop created traffic backups and dition of about 100 new park- When: 5 to 7 p.m. would have eliminated some ing spaces. parking spaces.

Thursday, March 24 The public beach currentCurrently, as drivers enter ly has 822 parking spaces, Where: St. Boniface the park they are greeted by which is not enough to stop Episcopal Church, the sight of the public-service the daily, in-season car carou- 5615 Midnight Pass building. That will be demolsel that sees drivers making Road ished, so beachgoers will see loop after loop in the parking the beach as they approach. lot until they find an empty space.

A new building with a concession area, Another parking-lot feature will be restrooms and the sheriff ’s and lifeguard designated pedestrian pathways to get stations will be built a little further east from the lot to the beach. and will be perpendicular to the beach, The way the parking lot is laid out instead of parallel, so the views of the now has beachgoers walking in between sand and water will not be blocked. parked cars to get to Siesta’s sand.

The existing small concession stand to The lot will also have new trees and the east of the main one will be demolother landscaping designed to beautify ished and moved closer to the beach. It and shade the area. will also house new restrooms.

The county will create a fourth entry/ “It’s one of the things we’re most exexit and make the other three one-way cited about,” said Smith. “It will be a new entries/exits all two-way driveways. experience at the beach.”

“It will create more balance between As for actual beach features, a 15-footBy Robin Roy | City Editor

Robin Roy

To allow beachgoers a view of the beach as they enter the park, the public-service building that currently stands inside the Siesta Key Beach entrance will be demolished, and a new building will be placed further east. wide esplanade will run the entire length of the park. Both walkers and bicyclists will be able to use it.

The tennis courts will remain where they are, with some additional landscaping around them.

Construction is expected to begin in

January 2013 and end in March 2015.

Because some of the work will occur during the height of tourist season, the county is planning construction in the least populated areas of the park during peak season and the most populated areas in off-season.

4A

the sarasota Observer THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

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INBRIEF + SMH honors two of its employees with awards Sarasota Memorial Hospital has given out its two most prestigious employee awards.

Of the 3,500-member workforce, physical therapist Mark Moore was named the “EXCEL Employee of the Year.” His co-workers describe Moore as a dedicated and compassionate employee, who “loves what he does and Moore believes in working to create miracles.”

Moore broke the record for the most nominations ever submitted for the award.

Pamela Ramhofer, director of clinical-information systems, was named Sarasota Ramhofer Memorial’s “Leader of the

+ New EPA standards could cost the city millions

Year.”

Ramhofer oversees the both the clinical and business-information systems and is known as an excellent communicator, role model and mentor, who has “successfully bridged the worlds of information systems and clinical care.”

+ Pedestrians ignore Five Points crosswalks Commissioner Suzanne Atwell asked that the city do something about the fact that many people are walking through the Five Points roundabout instead of using its crosswalks.

“I continue to run into people abusing the roundabout walking through it,” she said.

Atwell requested barriers or signs be placed at the roundabout to direct pedestrians to the crosswalks.

The city commissioned a study on Five Points pedestrians, and it was due to be complete this month.

Its findings will dictate what kind of action the city will take to encourage crosswalk use.

The City Commission has adopted a resolution opposing new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines that could cost the city millions of dollars.

Scheduled to take effect in 15 months are new and much stricter EPA waterquality guidelines.

The new federal criteria comes in response to a lawsuit that claimed the state’s current water-quality standards don’t meet the guidelines in the Clean Water Act. If the program goes into effect as planned, all of Florida municipalities could be responsible for costly modifications to their current programs.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has estimated that it could cost municipalities more than $21 billion.

The Florida League of Cities adopted the same resolution and urged all municipalities to adopt it as well.

Meetings & agendas  Bird Key Improvement Association — 3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 24, Bird Key Yacht Club, 301 Bird Key Drive, Sarasota  Criminal Justice Commission — Noon Friday, March 25, County Administration Center, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota  County Commission — 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 29, County Administration Center, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota  Charter Review Committee — 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, City Hall, 1565 First St., Sarasota  County Commission — 9 a.m.

Wednesday, March 30, County Administration Center, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota

LBK - 2010 - K

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “We’re getting tied up in our underwear worrying about enforcement.” John Hartman, parks advisory board member, on a park smoking ban.

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5A

edible treats

Urban Sarasota gardens cultivate interest Junior League’s Simply Sarasota Kitchen Festival kicks off March 30 and runs through April 2. Encompassing everything from cooking and kitchen design to gardening and entertaining, the

Urban Garden Tour will show you what’s possible locally with edible gardening.

Guests can explore the trend of urban gardening by visiting three gardens, including I Grow My

If you go

I Grow My Own Veggies

Junior League’s Simply Sarasota Kitchen Festival

One of the reasons Vincent Dessberg started his 3,000-square-foot rooftop hydroponic farm, where about 6,000 plants are growing, was to have fun.

Info: Call 953-5600

As a master gardener coordinator with the Orange Blossom Community Garden, Gail Harvey has helped create a garden that feeds families and educates people on what they can grow at their homes.

Michelle Silva’s aquaponic farm integrates aquaculture (fish farming) and hydroponics (growing fruits and vegetables in a soil-less medium) into one system.

Photos by Loren Mayo

STRAWBERRIES. Dessberg

planted 500 strawberry plants, and 450 are still growing. Strawberries are easy-to-grow and perfect for his newest snack combo: strawberries and cilantro.

NASTURTIUMS. With their bright pop of orange and yellow, nasturtiums — which initially have a sweet, perfume-like taste before a spicy bite — make a great addition to any salad.

BEETS. Dessberg plants beet seeds in coconut husk, a more sustainable way of growing them than in peat moss. He loves thinly slicing the beets, marinating them with orange juice and lightly sautéing them.

BASIL. Harvey says there’s nothing better than fresh herbs, whether they’re a topping for pizza margherita or used to make fresh basil pesto.

WHEATGRASS. A self-proclaimed “smoothie addict,” Silva likes to mix it up between wheatgrass, spinach and collard greens, then adds in blueberries, strawberries or bananas.

Samuel Ramage. The youngest

gardener in the community garden is quickly learning. Samuel’s brother and sister, Christopher and Chloe, are teaching him about harvesting tomatoes.

SOAPS. Herbs aren’t just harvested for food — Silva also makes and sells soaps in varieties such as wheatgrass and lavender; peppermint and thyme; and sweet orange and ginger.

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The Urban Garden Tour runs from 1 to 5 p.m. March 30.

Own Veggies, a rooftop garden; Orange Blossom Community Garden, a working community garden; and Passion for Produce, an aquaponic farm.

— Loren Mayo

6A

OPINION

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THE SARASOTA OBSERVER THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 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.”

Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944 Publisher/Executive Editor / Lisa Walsh, lwalsh@yourobserver.com Associate Publisher-Multimedia / Emily Walsh Parry, ewalsh@yourobserver.com Editor-Editorial Pages / Rod Thomson, rthomson@yourobserver.com Managing Editor / Jessica Luck, jluck@ yourobserver.com Assistant Managing Editor/Design / Nancy Schwartz, nschwartz@ yourobserver.com City Editor / Robin Roy, rroy@ yourobserver.com Community Editor / Loren Mayo, lmayo@yourobserver.com Black Tie Editor / Stephanie Hannum, shannum@yourobserver.com Social Editor / Molly Schechter, mschechter@yourobserver.com Arts & Entertainment Editor / Heidi Kurpiela, hkurpiela@yourobserver.com Staff Writer / Maria Amodio, mamodio@ yourobserver.com Staff Photographer / Rachel O’Hara, rohara@yourobserver.com Director of Advertising /Jill Raleigh, jraleigh@yourobserver.com Advertising Executives / Tracy Bender, tbender@yourobserver.com; Louise Lewis, llewis@yourobserver.com; Suzanne Munroe, smunroe@yourobserver.com; Kathleen O’Hara, kohara@yourobserver. com; Laura Ritter, lritter@yourobserver. com; Lori Ruth, lruth@yourobserver.com; Kenji Trujillo, ktrujillo@yourobserver.com; Maria Witty, mwitty@yourobserver.com Account Manager / Victoria Baga, vbaga@yourobserver.com Multimedia Production Manager / Caleb Stanton, cstanton@yourobserver. com Classified Advertising Supervisor / Pam Cooper, pcooper@yourobserver.com Classified Advertising Sales Executive / Maureen Hird, mhird@yourobserver.com Advertising-Production Operations Manager / Kathy Payne, kpayne@ yourobserver.com Advertising-Production Coordinator / Brooke Schultheis, bschultheis@ yourobserver.com Advertising Graphic Designers / Monica DiMattei, mdimattei@yourobserver.com; Shawna Polana, spolana@yourobserver. com; Marjorie Holloway, mholloway@ yourobserver.com; Luis Trujillo, ltrujillo@ yourobserver.com Chief Financial Officer / Laura Keisacker, lkeisacker@yourobserver.com Accounting Manager / Lori Downey, ldowney@yourobserver.com Accounting Assistant / Kathy Klein, kklein@yourobserver.com Administrative-Circulation Assistant / Donna Condon, dcondon@yourobserver. com

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Stop cross-county enticements

Sarasota County has $1.1 million suddenly available to used as economic incentives to lure companies here.

That’s mixed news, at best.

The money is available because the County Commission rescinded three incentive grants it had given to companies planning to move their businesses here.

The companies were either not moving forward or had changed their plans.

Sometimes companies’ plans are changed for them.

For instance, it’s all too easy to remember Arthur Andersen’s huge Sarasota County data center, which handled the now-defunct accounting firm’s 80,000 employees worldwide. At its peak, the Arthur Andersen unit employed 1,000 people in Sarasota and was the crowning achievement of economic development.

Sarasota County leaders boasted mightily about nabbing that high-tech prize — until the parent company was undone by involvement in the WorldCom and Enron scandals. All that is left of that is the name of the street, Arthur Andersen Parkway. Some of the jobs stayed with Jackson-Hewitt. Many are gone.

We are reminded of that danger with the three recent rescissions.

The first grant rescinded was for $250,000 to Success Group International, a St. Louis firm that planned to move to Sarasota County and create at least 30 jobs. The company went through a restructuring and decided to stay put.

The other two rescinded grants are disturbing even in the lose-lose game of taxpayer giveaways to corporations.

The first was a $650,000 grant to Winslow Marine Products Corp., which was going to relocate its company to Sarasota County from DeSoto County and create 175 jobs. The company never moved forward with a relocation.

And the final rescinded grant was for $200,000 to Creonix, LLC, to move across the line from Manatee County to Sarasota County and create 105 jobs. Creonix changed its plans also.

Last year, at least three Manatee companies — MyUs.com, RND Automation and Engineering and Sunovia Energy Technologies — were lured across the line to Sarasota County with public incentives. In fact, Sunovia was coming

back after moving from Sarasota to Manatee. And last year, Manatee lured Mustange Vacuum Systems from Sarasota with grants and state money.

There is something certifiably insane about public policy that actively calls for Sarasota County to offer tax money to private companies to move south from Manatee County while Manatee County offers its tax money to lure Sarasota County companies to move north across University Parkway.

It’s poor public policy to be giving away taxpayer money to private companies.

If we are determined to do this, it is bad enough giving tax money to companies from DeSoto County and Tampa Bay. But Manatee County?

Sarasota and Bradenton are one metro area. There is no net community gain in these relocations. They provide an avenue for EDCs to claim successes and local governments to boast about added tax base and jobs at the expense of a neighbor.

Seriously, can somebody please pick up a phone and say, “We won’t lure your companies if you don’t lure ours.” It’s not even a long-distance call.

our view: tallahassee

Political pension punt If leadership is best conducted by example, a key Florida Senate committee on pensions is conducting downright pathetic leadership and having real trouble being serious about the state’s long-term financial woes.

This is a problem, especially now, because pension promises for public employees are coming due from the pockets of all of us who do not have such pensions.

Those promises are extracting $3 billion annually from taxpayers and contributing to the state’s weakening financial condition. Plus, taxpayer support will likely increase in coming years without serious reform.

Here’s the way it works right now, and it is sweet indeed if you are a government worker and not just a government funder: Most government employees are covered under a traditional pension plan that guarantees their benefits after retirement indefinitely. Of course, this option has gone the way of the dinosaurs in the private sector, where most employees use a 401(k) plan to which they contribute.

Public employees, in contrast, can retire with full benefits after 30 years and are guaranteed a 3% annual increase in their pension payments. Further, they contribute nothing to their pensions. Zero.

Public employees in most states still have pensions, as politics is politics everywhere. But Florida TaxWatch reports that public employees in other states must contribute an average of 5% of their salaries to their pensions.

So reasonably enough, Gov. Rick Scott proposed that public employees covered by the Florida Retirement System — which includes non-state employees such as teachers, police and firefighters — contribute 5% as they do in other states.

That part of his proposal would save about $1 billion per year.

Scott also proposed putting new employees into 401(k) plans and limiting cost-of-living increases to the rate of inflation. That would save hundreds of millions more.

From the hysterical responses to this common-sense proposal, you’d think he had required every family to give up its first born.

So the Republican-dominated Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee played raw

politics. It approved a bill that would require teachers, police, firefighters and other employees who earn more than $40,000 annually to pay into the pension plan only up to 2% of their salary. (Those under $40,000 would pay nothing.) Those who make more than $75,000 plus all

DEMERIT PAY There is ever more handwringing in Tallahassee whenever the status quo is challenged. That is doubly so for government workers and their increasingly powerful unions.

So when the Legislature passed requirements for performance-based pay for teachers, the reaction was predictable. The media dutifully reported a public “outcry” as though someone was horribly wronged. Democrats howled to please their union financial backers.

Now the latest twist is to charge that the bill requiring exceptionally good teachers to get more money is an “unfunded mandate,” which is something indeed Tallahassee has been known to do — legislate costly requirements on local jurisdictions but not provide funding.

Manatee County Schools Superintendent Tim McGonegal, a supporter of merit pay, said the plan would cost money, and the Legislature approved no money for it. OK. Here is a suggestion that will make some people’s skin crawl but is perfectly reasonable: Take more money from the worst teachers.

If you can identify the best teachers for merit pay, then indentify the worst ones for de-merit pay and simply shift the funds. Unions make it impossible to get rid of bad teachers, but perhaps they can be persuaded to leave by other means. Students are performance based. Why not teachers?

Of course, the unions would howl, but let them.

If teachers are really the most important people in society, then we should make sure we have and keep the best and dump the worst. Otherwise, the claim is a sham.

elected officials, would pay up to 4% of their salary toward their pension. No one would pay the 5% other states do.

Further, these pension contributions would only last as long as the Florida Retirement System runs a deficit.

If the fund runs a surplus, then the contributions would stop, reverting to the sweetness of zero.

This may be considered a step forward, but it’s a tiny, completely political step, done without any knowledge of how much money would actually be saved.

Yes, senators just reduced percentages and changed rules arbitrarily for political cover. One tip-off of the worthlessness of the “reforms” in this bill is the head of the state police union called the bill “pretty nice” — compared to his description of Scott’s proposal as “pretty ugly.”

When a public-sector union calls reforms pretty nice, you just know the politicians have punted the overall public good again. That is disturbingly irresponsible, mirroring similarly actions in Washington, D.C., where politicians keep punting the necessary decisions down the road for personal political gain.

This must stop.

Scott had proposed realistic changes to the pension system that would have cost state employees more but also would have moved them closer to the entire private sector, which ultimately is paying for this plan. Completely reasonable, and therefore apparently completely objectionable to the political class.

Here’s a fine example from Sen. Mike Fasano, a New Port Richey Republican: “Unlike the governor, this bill does not balance the budget on the backs of state workers,” Fasano said, sounding every bit like your typical, demagoguing classwarfare Democrat.

Even more telling, when an amendment was proposed to reduce the rate at which politicians accrue their pension benefits to the same level as police and firefighters, the committee voted “nay.” Remember, legislators are only part-time employees.

This cannot keep up. We encourage more fortitude to do the right thing in the full Senate and House. Lawmakers should institute real and lasting change we can afford, closer to what the governor proposed. Try thinking of all of all Floridians, not just government employees.

the sarasota Observer THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

NeWS

www.YourObserver.com

butt out

Parks smoking ban moves forward Acting on a request from the City Commission to discuss prohibiting smoking in Selby Five Points Park, the Parks Advisory Board went one step further and recommended the city institute a ban in all city parks.

By Robin Roy | City Editor

File photo

Initially discussed as a prohibition in Selby Five Points Park, city attorneys said it would be difficult to ban smoking in just one park, so the city's Parks Advisory Board recommended banning it in all city parks.

BENCH REMOVAL The Parks Advisory Board also recommended to the City Commission that the remaining six benches in Selby Five Points Park be removed.

The removal would be for a six-month test period.

During that time the city would study the effects that the lack of benches would have on the park’s users.

Five Points Park benches are frequent hangout spots for the homeless.

“When I see people walking through the park (and I) watch how the benches are used, it’s a disgrace,” said board member Elsie Souza. “Nobody else is able to use those benches.

It gives the city a black eye.”

Since the current council/ manager form of government was adopted in 1945, only four times has a new commissioner become mayor in his first year.

The first time was that first meeting, when all the commissioners were new, and 1957 was the last time it occurred. ties.”

The District 2 commissionerelect was quick to point out, though, that he does not want to be mayor this year.

Caragiulo believes Atwell has the best chance of appointment.

“She’s got experience, and I’ve heard some political chatter about it in the past week,” he said.

Of the potential incoming commissioners, Holland believes Snyder or Caragiulo would be best suited for the position of mayor, because of their extensive time serving on city advisory boards.

“It’s important the (mayor) can conduct the meetings properly, knowing the role of the chairman, even if (that knowledge) comes from other boards,” she said.

If she wins the runoff, Holland said she does not want to be named mayor.

“Even with as much experience as I have (on advisory boards), I would feel less comfort presiding over the commission until I served a little longer,” she said.

Shaw could not be reached for comment.

All speculation will end May 13, when Caragiulo, Snyder and the winner of the District 1 runoff are sworn in, and the new commission votes for mayor.

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may take a few years, but people will learn they can’t smoke in parks.”

The county already prohibits smoking on public beaches, and it does not allow its employees to smoke on any of its campuses, including libraries.

Some have mistakenly believed that the library ban extends to all citizens, but the ban is only for county workers.

People who smoke outside the Selby Public Library, across the street from Five Points Park, will be given cards that explain the county’s smoking policy, but smokers will not be asked to leave or ticketed for lighting up outside the library.

The bottom line for the advisory board — it wanted to send a message to the public.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for the board to say, ‘We value the health of our citizens,’” said member Jennifer Tucker.

Turner agrees.

“The job of commissioner is much more complicated than most people realize,” he said.

“The mayor should be the person with the most experience.”

That does not mean, however, that Turner is necessarily seeking the job.

“It’s not something I ever coveted, but I will feel an obligation to do it if the commission appoints me,” said Turner. “I ran for office, and the voters elected me to do a job.”

The at-large commissioner supported outgoing Commissioner Dick Clapp for re-election, because he wanted Clapp to be mayor.

“I thought he did a good job, and he had four years of experience,” Turner said.

Caragiulo narrowly defeated Clapp in District 2.

Atwell said she would welcome the appointment.

“It would be an honor to serve as mayor,” she said. “Commissioners with a couple of years under their belts may be better suited. I’ve built up a knowledge base, and I think I’m ready to lead as an upperclassman.”

Having a first-year commissioner be named mayor is not unheard of in Sarasota, but it is rare (see box).

Whenever a sitting commissioner has been passed over, said Snyder, there’s been a reason. And he doesn’t see any reason why either Atwell or Turner could not serve as mayor.

But none of the commissioners-elect believes that someone newly elected could not perform the job of mayor.

“I don’t see why I wouldn’t vote for someone new,” said Caragiulo. “I don’t think experience is as important as leadership quali-

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The city of Sarasota took the first step toward imposing a smoking ban in all of its parks.

Its Parks Advisory Board voted unanimously March 17 to prohibit smokers from lighting up in all city parks.

“I don’t understand why smoking is allowed in any public facility in 2011,” said board member Elsie Souza.

After hearing complaints of increasingly aggressive panhandlers in Selby Five Points Park, the City Commission asked the advisory board to consider the ban.

Advisory board members felt they couldn’t just impose a smoking ban in that one park and wanted it applied to all city parks.

Not all members immediately agreed with the ban.

“I may be as anti-smoking as anyone, but I’m concerned about people’s rights,” said board Chairwoman Kathryn Marquis.

Another member was concerned about enforcement.

“We have a lot of ordinances that aren’t enforced,” said Suzy Hagglund. “I’d hate to see another ordinance created and not be enforced.”

Others said enforcement was not the advisory board’s concern.

“It took a long time for people to make a habit of wearing seatbelts or using child-safety seats,” said member Millie Small. “It

MAYOR / FROM PAGE 3A

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LAB / FROM PAGE 1A

“Get at what the net benefit would be,” says Vasey.

proposed.

Three of the eight members of the Productivity Committee who examined Jackson Laboratory’s plan for Collier County agreed to speak to the Gulf Coast Business Review about the questions Sarasota decision makers should now be asking. (Others could not be reached or declined to speak publicly.)

Follow the dollars

Focus on the returns

When Jackson Laboratory announced plans to locate in Collier County last year, much of the discussion focused on creating an institute for personalized medicine.

Using genetic research, scientists hope to tailor medical remedies based on a person’s genetic makeup. It’s an exciting field that promises cures one day for complex diseases.

But members of the Productivity Committee say many people were distracted by the promise of groundbreaking genetic research instead of measuring the return on a $260 million taxpayer investment. “It’s not about genetics,” Harrison says. “It’s about return on investment.”

Members of the Productivity Committee say they couldn’t validate the promise of more than 11,000 jobs and $10 billion in economic impact over a 20-year period.

“It required a willing suspension of disbelief,” says Swaja.

“One of the problems we had down here is that people got excited about the medical possibilities of Jackson Lab, when the real issue is, if you’re going to spend (taxpayer money), it has to be to create an economic engine and really bring jobs here,” says Janet Vasey, a member of the committee and former financial analyst with the Department of the Army. Vasey wrote the report on Jackson Laboratory to the Collier County Commission on behalf of the committee.

Besides job creation, the committee noted that Jackson Laboratory’s business plan didn’t include other milestones such as grants, donations, patents and licensing agreements.

In addition, the committee challenged the assumptions made by project’s consultants, the Washington Economics Group, which measured the potential return on the county’s $130 million at 2.6% by 2032, based on net sales tax and net operating revenues. “I’m happy to consider the multipliers, but if it’s not really going to give you the payback, then it’s not worth doing,” says Vasey.

What’s the net benefit?

Sarasota should consider the lost-opportunity cost of funding the Jackson Laboratory, members of the Collier committee suggest.

Spending millions of taxpayer dollars on Jackson Laboratory means that money wouldn’t be available for other equally beneficial purposes. For example, Swaja suggests the taxpayer subsidies might have been better spent helping existing entrepreneurs in Naples grow their businesses.

And the nonprofit fundraising by Jackson Laboratory might take away money from other worthy nonprofit organizations in the community. “There’s only a finite amount of money that’s going to be donated in the county,” Swaja says.

In the end, taxpayers might be better off keeping the money and spending it in the community themselves. That would create a different but significant economic impact too, committee members wrote.

“Who is going to benefit from Jackson Lab?” Swaja asks.

For example, Swaja wondered why Jackson Laboratory needed millions of dollars for new buildings. In the early days at Xerox, scientists worked out of existing buildings with reasonable rents. “We worked in labs above toy shops, old houses,” Swaja says. “We didn’t have all this fancy stuff to get started.”

Swaja described Jackson Laboratory’s proposed buildings at Ave Maria in eastern Collier as palatial. “Why can’t we use all the empty buildings?” he wondered. “I saw the architectural plans for Ave Maria, and I was taken aback.”

Vasey says landowners and others who benefit should have contributed more money to the project. For example, Barron Collier Co. contributed the land for Jackson Laboratory, but the value of the land wasn’t deducted from the county’s contribution. “In Sarasota, who else is contributing?” she asks.

Committee members wondered how Jackson Laboratory would invest taxpayer money before putting it to use, noting that the nonprofit’s endowment had lost money in the recession.

State subsidies

Although legislators had approved funding the Jackson Laboratory project with $130 million, it was conditioned upon federal funding that was eventually trimmed.

What’s more, the Legislature only promised to fund the first $50 million of the project with no guarantees for the rest of the money. And negotiations with state economic development agencies were shrouded in secrecy and complicated by the uncertainty of Scott’s election.

“What happens if no more money comes from the state?” Vasey says. “Nobody ever knew anything, and it was hard to plan.”

If only part of the money for the project came through, committee members worried that local taxpayers would be on the hook for more than $130 million. “We’re a small community, and we were being asked to come up with $130 million. That’s a lot of money,” Vasey says.

Where’s the support?

Committee members wondered why Jackson Laboratory had selected eastern Collier County for its new location.

Apart from the new Catholic University of Ave Maria, Swaja and others wondered why Jackson Laboratory wasn’t locating instead near a research university or teaching hospital. While the University of South Florida had expressed interest in partnering with Jackson Laboratory, it wasn’t certain that USF could fund such an effort.

“We didn’t have the homegrown things to make it successful,” Vasey says.

What’s more, it wasn’t clear to committee members how Jackson Laboratory was going to attract genetic scientists to eastern Collier County. “There are a lot of powerhouses ahead of Jackson Lab in that field,” Swaja says. “There’s a lot of competition for this kind of work today. What’s their competence in this area? Who are they going to hire? Where are they going to get these people?”

In their report, members concluded the Jackson Laboratory effort was fraught with risk because of unanswered questions. “There were lots of things missing,” says Swaja.

Bangor Daily News/Bridget Brown

The Jackson Laboratory campus in Bar Harbor, Maine. Jackson Lab proposes to create a similar facility in Sarasota after it withdrew its plans to build in Collier County last year.

the sarasota Observer THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

Nancy DeNike

Charles Hewett, executive vice president and chief operating officer of The Jackson Laboratory, stands at the proposed site of research lab in eastern Collier County last summer before the institute abandoned the project at the end of 2010.

Jackson Lab may have to wait until next year Jackson Lab’s quest for $100 million in state funds faces several challenges — including having no business plan for its Sarasota County endeavor yet available to share with key legislators.

It’s also getting late in the game, according to a key Senate committee chairman and a House subcommittee chairman whose districts could be the Jackson’s new location.

That’s because Jackson Lab must start over in its request for funds after withdrawing its 2010 application.

That application put in motion an initial $50 million worth of state funds as part of a $130 million state incentive package. Now, Jackson’s back at the starting line.

Without a business plan to show what taxpayers would receive for their investment, legislators from the region that stands to benefit most are questioning the Jackson’s strategy.

“What we want is return on our investment,” explains Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, chairwoman of the commerce and tourism committee. Her committee looks at economic development incentives in the budget so she’s a key player, and one who’s far from on board.

But with a $4 billion state budget gap, there may be no state money to invest. Detert also sits on two education budget subcommittees feeling the pain, so economic development’s not her only priority.

“Jackson Lab would have to be viable without state funds,” says Detert. There is no money or appetite for this project this year. It is too late in the process.

The only way it could happen is if Gov. Scott made it his top priority,” she says.

So far, only Scott’s staff has met with Jackson Lab’s officials.

“If it happened this year, I’d be stunned,” adds Detert.

On the House side, Rep. Doug Holder, R-Sarasota, chairman of the Economic Development and Tourism Subcommittee, shares Detert’s concerns on the timing, though he says he would like to see it in Sarasota.

“In order for it to happen this year it would have to be a very, very heavy lift, and get some really special treatment that I don’t see coming down the pipeline this year,” says Holder. “It’s great for next year.”

Detert compares Jackson’s request to the Scripps Research Institute project she helped deliver with former Gov. Jeb Bush in 2003. “They’re not

Scripps,” she says, referring to the Jupiter-based biomedical research campus now with 350,000 square feet of facilities. “Scripps had a payback schedule.”

But to judge return on investment, legislators and Gov. Rick Scott need to see a business plan. And they’ve yet to see one according to Detert and Sen. President Pro-tempore Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton.

“If I were going to sit down with the governor, I would have every bullet available,” says Bennett. “They just don’t have that.”

A business plan provided to Hillsborough County didn’t convince its officials it was worth the investment, according to Hillsborough County Commission Chairman Al Higginbotham. Gene Gray, director of the county’s economic development department, says a public-record exemption keeps that plan private.

Charles Hewett, Jackson’s executive vice president, met with Scott’s staff March 14, in Tallahassee. Sarasota County Administrator Jim Ley and David Bullock, the deputy county administrator, were also in town to talk about Jackson Lab that day.

“Chuck Hewett came away saying the meeting was encouraging, but not conclusive,” says Barry Teater, Jackson Lab’s director of communications, a day after the meeting.

“We first have to see whether this project aligns with Gov. Scott’s vision for economic development before we can go forward,” says Teater, “and that’s what were working on right now with his staff. Until we know that, we can’t go any further.” Teater says additional meetings with the governor’s staff are planned to “… determine whether we can agree on a plan for moving forward.”

Bennett questions Jackson Lab’s political strategy. He says it’s not involving him and other key legislators with the clock ticking, and it also hasn’t put together a strategic lobbying team or economic advisers to help with the business plan.

Says Bennett, who supports the project in concept, but needs more information, says, “The problem is, I don’t know if they know what they’re doing.”

Bennett also isn’t shy about offering the Jackson Lab folks a little free advice: “You’d think they’d want to deal with the same senator who got them the $130 million last year.”

— Jay Brady

the sarasota Observer THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

NeWS

www.YourObserver.com

9A

CAUTION

ADULTS AT PLAY

By Loren Mayo | Community Editor

For as long as Vanda Bayliss can remember, every time she’s gotten near a bulldozer, her curiosity forced her to stand on her tiptoes and peek inside.

Maybe the driver accidentally left the keys behind, she hoped secretly.

Over the years, she’s become so fascinated that she’s even considered bribing workers to let her into the driver’s seat.

However, no mischievous acts were necessary for Bayliss to fulfill her bulldozing dreams thanks to a new — unique — East County business.

People at Play is a 21INFO acre, undeveloped heavy People at Play equipment ADDRESS: 6209 33rd playground St. E., Bradenton that offers packages for PHONE: 756-0886 adults to run WEBSITE: www.pplatbulldozers, explay.com cavators and skid steer loaders in a fun, construction-site environment.

And in January, Bayliss, 59, found her self behind the sticks of a CAT 315 track excavator — a Christmas gift from her son and daughter-in-law.

If you’ve ever wanted to take the controls of a bulldozer or excavator, one East County business can accommodate your heavy-duty dreams.

Spring-Break surprise

Business plan

Bennett Contracting owners Jason and Alisa Bennett devised the idea for People at Play in August 2007 after they invited a group of engineers for a cookout. One by one, they brought out the machines.

“They tried them out and had the best time of their lives,” Alisa Bennett said. “We knew we were totally onto something, but we didn’t have the right location.”

The Bennetts revisited the idea again in 2010 and finally opened at their site just east of U.S. 301 in the East County Dec. 1.

Alisa Bennett said the business’ goal is two-fold: Create a fun environment for customers and also show them how much talent it takes to work in construction.

“Most people say, ‘There’s construction in my way again,’” she said. “I want to bring a little respect to those guys working all day.”

People at Play offers three pack-

ing dirt in her own dirt pit, Bayliss anxiously awaited the subsequent part of her adventure: the timed obstacle course.

“When they told me I was going to bring the bucket down and give it a little swing to knock a tennis ball off of a construction cone without topping it over, I thought, ‘Yeah right!’”

Bayliss said. “But it was really surprising because it shows you how accurately and precisely you can move the bucket to do different tasks.”

Although she used the bucket to push a concrete pipe in a straight line like a champ, her biggest challenge was picking up the massive industrial tires.

“The bucket has sort of a snaggletooth on it, so you can pick the tires up and put them over a post,” Bayliss said. “That was the trickiest because it would get stuck on the post as you tried to drop them down. If I ever quit practicing law and take up driving one of these machines, I’ll have to be the pipe-mover,” Bayliss said.

Loren Mayo

Vanda Bayliss, 59, always dreamed of operating huge construction equipment. Her dream came true at People at Play in the East County. ages. The operator position includes time operating a CAT 315 steel track excavator; the foreman position is a half-day program that includes the operator program plus the opportunity to run a skid steer loader on an obstacle course; and the superintendent program includes a full day of Operator and Foreman programs as well as the CAT track type bulldozer.

The company also customizes events and team-building programs for corporate and social groups from six to 36 people.

and backward and side-to-side.

“I remember when my son was a toddler, and we would go to Arlington Park’s dirt pit,” Bayliss said. “They had an arm with a scooper and manual levers. He’d sit there for hours and scoop.”

After digging, scooping and dump-

When Mary Carnahan agreed to spend her vacation in Sarasota, her aunt, Virginia Carnahan, sprang for a fantastic surprise: a trip for two to People at Play.

The 22-year-old stepped right up into the excavator’s driver seat and began digging. But it wasn’t until she got to the obstacle course that she really began to shine.

“I’ve worked at Home Depot, and we’ve had fork lift wars to see who can put the pallet up faster,” Mary Carnahan said. “When my aunt told me what we were doing, my first thought was that she was joking. My second thought was that my dad is going to be jealous.”

After nearly perfecting the first four parts of the obstacle course, Carnahan put the excavator in park and got ready to bowl. Little did she know she’d give the bucket such a good swing that she’d be the first customer to split the bowling ball perfectly in half.

“Jason (Bennett, co-owner, People at Play) told me to ‘rear back and whack the hell out of it!’” Carnahan said. “That was absolutely my favorite part of the course — it was thrilling!”

Hard-hat grandma

Photos by Loren Mayo

Mary Carnahan, 22, split a bowling ball in half on the obstacle course.

Bayliss reported for work Jan. 22 as an operator at the People at Play job trailer. For the first time in her life, she punched in with a time card, strapped on a construction helmet and orange visibility vest and completed a safety briefing. Then, she was ready for the machinery.

“The first thing is getting into it,” Bayliss said. “That’s the only part that takes any strength or really seems tricky at all. Guys act like it’s such hard work, but it’s not physical. After that, you’re just sitting in a seat moving the gears. It takes coordination to do it the right way, but you can definitely start scooping dirt as a beginner.”

The excavator, which runs on tank tracks, works by using two joysticks.

Each has two functions — forward

Virginia Carnahan, 63, had a blast operating the heavy machinery at People at Play.

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the sarasota Observer THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

NeIGHBORHOOD

spring into fun

Springfest blooms in Palmer Ranch

By Rachel S. O’Hara | Staff Photographer

The fifth annual Sarasota Springfest Saturday, March 19 livened up Palmer Ranch. The festival included live entertainment, rows of booths featuring different organizations, food and a kids zone that included a SWAT team obstacle course, arts-and-crafts and a bounce house.

This year’s charity partner included the youth programs of the Sarasota County Sheriff ’s Office — PAL Sailor Circus, Pony PAL, Camp XRAYD and Streetwise Parenting.

Photos by Rachel S. O’Hara

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Julia Andrew, 6, Fiona Coffey, 9, and Myah Mattison, 6, enjoy their snow cones.

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Stephen Collison, of the Sarasota SWAT team, helps Coltrane Marcusky, 3.

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the sarasota Observer THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

NeIGHBORHOOD

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FUN FEST

Lindsay Bennett and Gabrielle Bennett

Photos by Loren Mayo

TBS observes Purim with children’s carnival

By Loren Mayo | Community Editor

Temple Beth Sholom held its annual Purim Carnival — featuring everything from a climbing wall to a dunk tank — Friday. Children engaged in exciting activities such as getting their faces painted, learning about Hissy, a Madagascar hissing cockroach, while aboard the Teva Learning Center’s traveling educational bus, and feasting on giant cones of cotton candy.

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Hannah and Maya Rudo listen to Hissy, a Madagascar hissing cockroach, which Jonathan Dubinsky holds.

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the sarasota Observer THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

NeIGHBORHOOD

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brews crew

green scene

Whole Foods St. Paddy’s brews fest draws smiles

By Loren Mayo | Community Editor

Whole Foods kicked off St. Patrick’s Day evening with its Spring Brews Fest. Guests partied outdoors while tasting various beers and pairing them with an array of cheeses and spreads.

Proceeds benefited the Whole Planet Foundation.

Michael Smith and Garrett Brantz

Lads and lassies party with some Irish flair

Photos by Loren Mayo

Kelly Cardin and Kira McDonald with Kim and Tim Jotham

By Loren Mayo | Community Editor

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STONEYBROOK GOLF & C.C. 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. oPEn housE sundAy 8735 Olde Hickory Ave #8202 $171,900 stunning viEws of 4th grEEn & fAirwAy from 1st floor 1661 sq. ft. 1st flr. end unit Abbey Veranda. Remodeled kitchen,sprawling tiled flrs,,dry bar, enclosed lanai, gorgeous furnishings, California Closets,mirrored 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 fantastic kitchen with granite and,new stainless steel appliances. Home has plantation shutters, spacious master-suite,built-ins, pool bath,hurricane shutters,heated 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 N ENDI walk-in closets, tropical setting, tiled lanai,Sheated ALE poolP+ spa. Full golf equity included, stable community, debt free, fabulous clubhouse. $335,000 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. $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. $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 Enjoy fABulous golf & wAtEr viEws from this well G maintained 2BD/2BA top floor ENDIN Condo on 3rd fairway. Beautifully furnishedE& decorated, tiled floors,cathedral ceilings,berber P L SA carpets,fresh paint,new appliances,enclosed lanai. Golf Equity incl. $177,900 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. oPEn housE sAturdAy 8869 MacGregor Lane $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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Decked out in green boas, headbands, beads and even mohawks, the third annual St. Paddy’s Day Block Party March 17, at Shamrock Pub, was a rockin’ good time for all.

Guests enjoyed sampling Irish beers, listening to live music (including bagpipes), watching Irish dancers and noshing on Libby’s Café + Bar’s Guinness bratwursts.

Photos by Loren Mayo The party benefited the Sarasota Julio Castillo and Victor Marticorena with Family YMCA Youth Shelter.

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Jennifer Guttieri, Rebecca Cioci, Peter Gustafson, Lauren Lockliear, Kaci Martin and Patrick Karrroll

the sarasota Observer THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

NeIGHBORHOOD

www.YourObserver.com

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purim party

WALK THIS WAY

Walk MS Sarasota raises awareness and money

By Rachel S. O’Hara | Staff Photographer

Walk MS Sarasota, which was dedicated this year to Jeanne Welborn, attracted more than 350 participants for the 2K walk Saturday, March 19, starting at J.D. Hamel Park. There were 28 teams involved in the walk, and many of the groups were walking in honor of or along with friends and family members who have MS. Jenni Kessock, a participant who was recently diagnosed with MS, said that she was doing the walk because she wants “to do everything while I can … I want to help because I may not be able to someday and may need their services.”

The organization projected that they would raise $60,000 from the walk. The money will fund muscular sclerosis research and go to local programs for people with MS.

Tori Fuchs, 2 1/2, plays in the sand.

Temple Emanu-El celebrates Purim with festive carnival

By Rachel S. O’Hara | Staff Photographer

Temple Emanu-El celebrated Purim with a carnival Sunday, March 20. The

Right: Walk ambassador William Thompson joins the other walks setting out from J.D. Hamel Park.

Photos by Rachel S. O’Hara

Photos by Rachel S. O’Hara

Andrea Paver, Pam “Pee Wee” Paver, Randa Paver, Darla Power and Diana Paver walked as Team Pee Wee.

Emma Diner, 11, and Riley Silver, 6, slide down the bounce slide.

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annual carnival included games, food, bounce houses and crafts. The money that was raised through game ticket sales and food sales benefited the temple’s school.

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Giana Biscegila, 7, customized her T-shirt for team Tropicana.

Laura Kramer and her son, Mason, 2

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the sarasota Observer THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

NeIGHBORHOOD

www.YourObserver.com

apple of their eye

FAITHFUL FRIENDS

Woman’s Exchange honors its volunteers at luncheon

By Loren Mayo | Community Editor

As a token of appreciation to its more than 170 volunteers who give their time and support to the Woman’s Exchange, the organization held its annual luncheon in their honor Tuesday, March 22, at Michael’s On East.

The fiesta-themed occasion featured the Sarasota Senior Theater and music by Michael Edlestein.

Photos by Loren Mayo

Cindy Kaiser, executive director of the Education Foundation of Sarasota County, Sarasota County 2011-2012 Teacher of the Year Melissa Owens and Patti Brustad, program coordinator

Teacher of the Year winner announced

Tahja Tahja, Jim Goldman, Suzanne Raymond and Catalin Mihai

By Loren Mayo | Community Editor

Lexi, Jennifer, Madison and Jeffrey Kahler.

Jeffrey Kahler, Suncoast Polytechnical High School, was a finalist for Teacher of the Year.

Melissa “Missy” Owens had no idea a school bus would pull up to Bay Haven School of Basics-Plus, where she has been a teacher since 1984, to surprise her as a finalist for Teacher of the Year in front of the entire school.

And Wednesday, March 23, Owens received another surprise at the annual Sarasota County Teacher of the Year luncheon — she had won. She immediately embraced her father, Kenneth Fake, while family, fellow teachers and friends stood to applaud her.

“Bay Haven has a wonderful team,” Owens said. “(I’m thankful) for the opportunity to grow and become a leader at our school.”

Photos by Loren Mayo

Carol Trettau, Kathy Effley, Linda Green and Leslie Cobin

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SCHOOLS

AROUND THE WORLD

Cultures collide at International Fair

By Loren Mayo | Community Editor

Julie Rohr Academy middleschool students researched different countries for their school’s International Fair, held Friday, March 18. Students prepared food dishes

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www.YourObserver.com

native to their chosen countries, played music and displayed poster boards of interesting facts. A few students even attended the event in costume. Parents and the rest of the student body were invited to view the projects.

Eilif Sorenson brought bagpipes for his display on Scotland.

Photos by Loren Mayo

Eileen Scarfe and Jasmine Felton chose Japan as their country for the International Fair.

Keegan Strype, who featured Mongolia, delighted students and Julie Rohr McHugh, herself, with dumplings.

Joey Lynn brought pretzels and chocolate to help showcase Germany.

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SLICE OF THE CITY

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

MARTINA COPPENRATH

>> Continued from Page 1A

+ SHS grads donate back to school Bob Angers says he and his fellow classmates from Sarasota High School’s class of ’46 are “old as dirt,” but if you’re thinking it was an easy task getting the bunch to pose for this recent photo — when they donated $1,000 to SHS’s scholarship fund — think again. We had to shush the chatty ones, get the attention of a woman who was looking longingly into her high school sweetheart’s eyes and even ask the momentary flirting to stop long enough to snap a photo.

Five years ago, Martina Coppenrath could barely run around the block, let alone run half marathons and full marathons. Coppenrath was determined to enjoy running and started training using the Galloway program. Although she was able to do the long runs, she was not having fun. Then, two years ago, she found that running barefoot made the experience a lot more enjoyable.

Coppenrath runs seven-to-nine miles barefoot at least three times a week and can usually be spotted running across the Ringling Causeway, though she is up for running on almost any surface. Her most recent challenge was competing in the Disney Princess Women’s Half Marathon, in Orlando, which she ran barefoot.

Loren Mayo

Bob Angers, along with his fellow Sarasota High classmates, presents a $1,000 check to Buff Betz.

How did you start running barefoot?

One day I was lifting weights in the gym, and I didn’t have my sneakers on, but I had a lot of energy and I wanted to do a little run. So, I got on the treadmill in just my bare feet, and it worked out great. I was like, “Oh, boy, this is easy.” I did that for a couple of months, and then I decided to try it outside. That became my barefoot running career.

+ Earl’s 95th birthday arrives right on schedule Lynn Earl is a lady who follows a routine.

Every Saturday for the past several years, Earl and her husband, Dallas, have enjoyed Saturday lunch at the New Dynasty Restaurant, in Sarasota. They always arrive exactly at 1:20 p.m.

For her 95th birthday celebration, there were no other options — New Dynasty it was.

Dora Walters Promptly at 1:20 p.m. March 12, 21 children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews arrived.

When the cake came out with candles in the shape of a “9” and “5,” she joked, “Can’t we switch and make it ‘5’ and ‘9?’”

the sarasota Observer THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

NeWS • SPORTS

www.YourObserver.com

Rachel S. O’Hara

are a kid. When you have sneakers on, you land on your heel because of all the cushioning from the sneaker. That’s where a lot of the injuries happen. When you run barefoot, you land on your whole foot, which takes the impact off of your body.

Now, to run with sneakers is just not even an option. The only way I can run is barefoot.

— Rachel S. O’Hara

Have you had any injuries running barefoot?

I have been running barefoot for about two years, and I have to say I have had no injuries whatsoever running barefoot.

I had more injuries when I was wearing sneakers. I think it is because the way you land in bare feet, it’s more like when you

Courtesy photo

+ All through the town

What do you get when you invert a school bus and stack it on top of another school bus? The Topsy-Turvy Teva Bus, of course! The traveling Jewish environmental curriculum rolled into Sarasota Sunday to celebrate Purim at Temple Beth Sholom. The bus, created by Jonathan Dubinksy, runs on a recycled veggie-oil fuel system.

See Coppenrath run barefoot and read the rest of her interview online. www.YourObserver.com

Do you know someone who would make a great Athlete of the Week?

E-mail Rachel O’Hara at rohara@yourobserver.com.

YourObserver.com

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“Best Public/Semi Private Golf Course in Sarasota”

Features

Bobby Jones Golf Club is a 45 hole municipal facility named for the legendary Robert Tyre Jones, Jr., who personally dedicated the facility on Sunday, February 13, 1927.

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CORNER

March 14

In a china shop 11:47 a.m. — 1200 block of South Tamiami Trail. Petit Theft Shoplifting.

A woman entered a specialty store and took two items to the counter. Her credit card was declined, so she told the clerk she would leave and return with cash. After coming back and paying for the two items, she browsed through the store a little longer. As she tried to exit, she set off the anti-theft alarm. Two employees took the woman to the back room and said they wanted to know if she had anything in her purse. They found a scarf and two books that the woman did not purchase. The woman suddenly grabbed her purse and bolted for the back door.

She struggled with the employees and shoved one against the door and grabbed the other by the arm. A third employee joined the scuffle, and, together, they finally subdued the woman. She was later arrested.

March 15

Up close and personal 6:26 a.m. — 2700 block of Riverside Drive. Suspicious Person. Complainant called police to report a stranger, who was standing at the end of her driveway.

The stranger was wearing light-colored clothing and was carrying something.

He also was standing extremely still.

The complainant took a closer look at the stranger and told the officer on the phone that it was actually a garbage can and not a person.

Family ties 9:57 a.m. — 2000 block of South Shade Avenue. Family Dispute. A woman reported her mother and uncle have

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been harassing her for money they claim she owes them. The woman’s grandfather bought her a car, which she wrecked. She said she’s been making payments to her grandfather to reimburse him. She recently received a large insurance check for the crash she had. Her mother and uncle urged her to turn over the check to them, but she’s refusing. The woman has returned the car, however. An officer told the uncle it was a matter that had to be pursued in small-claims court.

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Son shined 10 a.m. — 700 block of Indian Beach Circle. Theft. A homeowner had more than $16,000 in jewelry stolen from her home. She first noticed a necklace missing in February, but she thought she may have misplaced it. But, during the next six weeks, several other pieces of jewelry began disappearing, one-by-one. She suspects her cleaning lady’s son is the culprit. About the time that the jewelry was swiped, the cleaning lady began taking her son to the victim’s house with her. The son has a history of drug use and theft convictions.

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One cool customer 12:45 p.m. — 1600 block of Main Street. Forgery. A man walked up to a bank teller and asked her if she would cash a check made out for $997. He gave her a Florida ID card, which matched his face and the name on the check. But the teller said the man appeared extremely nervous. He was actually shaking during the transaction. It became all too much for the man. He grabbed his ID and told the teller he would be back another time.

He left the check behind. Police are trying to track him down now.

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the sarasota Observer THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

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the sarasota Observer THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

NeWS

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REAL ESTATE

Hidden Harbor home sells for $2.6 million

By Adam Hughes | Research Editor

in 1971, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,240 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $52,000 in 1972.

The following residential realestate transactions took place between Feb. 18 and Feb. 25. A home in Hidden Harbor tops all real-estate transactions this week. Mary Roggio sold her home at 1260 Hidden Harbor Way to William and Carolyn Firth, of Sarasota, for $2.62 million. Built in 2000, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 4,144 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $3.75 million in 2008.

SIESTA KEY

Sarasota Beach

Patrick and Bernice Hebda, trustees, sold the home at 5408 Plaza De Las Palmas to Dolphin Lodge LLC for $500,000. Built in 1953, it has three bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 2,689 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $1.15 million in 2005.

Crescent Arms Rachel S. O’Hara

Solymar

N. Shell Rd. & Higel Ave. sold the home at 3910 Solymar Drive to Brian Colleran, trustee, Sarasota, for $2.3 million. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 4,183 square feet of living area.

Siesta’s Bayside Baypoint

James and Kristina Talkie, of Sarasota, sold their home at 841 Siesta Key Circle to William Wagner, trustee, for $2.15 million. Built in 2000, it has four bedrooms, five baths, a pool and 4,246 square feet of living area.

It previously sold for $2.72 million in 2007.

Royal Palm Harbor

William Wagner, trustee, and

This home at 1260 Hidden Harbor Way has four bedrooms, three-and-ahalf baths and 4,144 square feet of living area. It sold for $2.62 million.

Janice Wagner, of Sarasota, sold the home at 1275 Southport Drive to James Talkie, of Sarasota, for $1.4 million. Built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,378 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $2.9 million in 2007.

Harmony

Dockside Homes LLC sold the home at 318 Treasure Boat Way to Brian and Diana Laurenti, of Robbinsville, N.J., for $960,000. Built in 2010, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,086 square feet of living area.

Ocean Beach

Benjamin and Kara Cowley, of Sarasota, sold their home at 4431 Ocean Blvd. to Jeffrey Fine and Alana Coyle, of Sarasota, for $750,000. Built in 1952, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,552 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $225,000 in 2000.

Sarasota Surf and Racquet Club

J. Michael Mooney, of Waukesha, Wis., sold the Unit 108 condominium at 5924 Midnight Pass Road to Eric Pfaff, of Rocky River, Ohio, for $655,000. Built

Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. sold the Unit 105-N condominium at 6310 Midnight Pass Road to Charlene Goeglein, of Sarasota, for $340,000. Built in 1968, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 894 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $660,000 in 2004.

Peppertree Bay

John Gatti, of Louisville, Ky., sold his Unit 111A condominium at 1167 Peppertree Drive to Werner and Rosa Anders, of Sarasota, for $290,000. Built in 1974, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 975 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $103,000 in 1987.

of Sarasota, sold their home at 5033 Commonwealth Drive to Jeremy Slusher and Jennifer Rosenblum, Wellington, for $285,000. Built in 1972, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,350 square feet of living area.

It previously sold for $47,000 in 1977.

SARASOTA

Devonshire Lane

FRS Oak Devonshire LLC sold the home at 1709 Devonshire Lane to Volodymyr and Inna Bazilevych, of Sarasota, for $600,000. Built in 2008, it has four bedrooms, three-and-ahalf baths and 2,818 square feet of living area.

Harbor Acres

Vethana and Anolay Senenoi, of Sarasota, sold their home at 1347 Harbor Drive to Rocky and Christine Crittenden, of Bellaire, Texas, for $500,000.

Built in 1950, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,636 square feet of living area.

It previously sold for $725,000 in 2007.

Siesta Beach

Richard and Mylove Pallo,

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

The Kiwanis Club of South Sarasota

PANCAKE BREAKFAST FUNDRAISER to help local children!

Fresh New England LIVE Maine Lobster Seafood

SAT., MARCh. 26Th – 8:00am -11:30am EggS, SAUSAgE AND All yoU CAN EAT IhoP PANCAKES, CoFFEE AND oJ $5 PER PERSoN oR FREE IF yoU BUy $20 RAFFlE TICKETS!

(Take ‘em live or we’ll steam for you!)

for generously donating the pancake batter.

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7950 Tamiami Trail (n. of Sarasota Sq. Mall and across from The Fountains)

The Municipal Bond Market Overview and Potential Opportunities Date/Time:

Tuesday April 5th, 2011 at 11:45 a.m.

Location:

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Office One Sarasota Tower, Two North Tamiami Trail, Suite 1100

Guest Speaker: George Friedlander Managing Director, Chief Municipal Strategist Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. Hosted by:

Rebecca S. Bolletti Vice President, Financial Advisor Morgan Stanley Smith Barney

RSVP:

941-364-7406 or 800-237-9441, ext. 406 Toll-free.

Lunch will be served. Reservations are required and seating is limited.

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Two North Tamiami Trail, Suite 1100 Sarasota, FL 34236 rebecca.s.bolletti@mssb.com A Morgan Stanley Company

Interest in municipal bonds is generally exempt from federal income tax. However, some bonds may be subject to the alternative minimum tax (AMT).

Typically, state tax-exemption applies if securities are issued within one’s state of residence and, local tax-exemption typically applies if securities are issued within one’s city of residence.

The guest speakers are neither employees nor affiliated with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Opinions expressed by the guest speakers are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. Individuals should consult with their tax/legal advisors before making any tax/legal-related investment decisions as Morgan Stanley Smith Barney and its Financial Advisors do not provide tax/legal advice. © 2011 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC.

NY CS 6655363 03/11

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Bonds are affected by a number of risks, including fluctuations in interest rates, credit risk and prepayment risk. In general, as prevailing interest rates rise, fixed income securities prices will fall. Bonds face credit risk if a decline in an issuer’s credit rating, or creditworthiness, causes a bond’s price to decline. Finally, bonds can be subject to prepayment risk. When interest rates fall, an issuer may choose to borrow money at a lower interest rate, while paying off its previously issued bonds. As a consequence, underlying bonds will lose the interest payments from the investment and will be forced to reinvest in a market where prevailing interest rates are lower than when the initial investment was made. NOTE: High yield bonds are subject to additional risks such as increased risk of default and greater volatility because of the lower credit quality of the issues.

Florida’s Fresh Catch - Grouper, Snapper, Stone Crab, etc!

941-918 CLAW(2529) • 8780 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota 34238 www.lotsalobstersarasota.com

(next to SkyKing fireworks, just south of Sarasota Square Mall)

51963

Tuna, Cod, Haddock, Shrimp, Sword, Steamers, Mussels, Scallops & More

PRESByTERIAN ChURCh oF ThE CovENANT Thank you to

FRESH SEAFOOD MARKET

the sarasota Observer THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

RAINFALL

Wed., March 16 Thurs., March 17 Fri., March 18 Sat., March 19 Sun., March 20 Mon., March 21 Tues., March 22

WEATHER

Sarasota 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Month to date: 2011

1.54 in

2010 3.15 in.

Year-to-date:

2010 8.43 in.

2011 5.13 in

MOON PHASES

March 26 Last

April 3 New

April 11 First

April 18 Full

www.YourObserver.com

19A

WEEKLY WINNEr: PEACHY KEEN

TemperatureS

Temps.

Record Temps.

High Low High Low Wed., March 16 76 55 89 (1945) 36 (1932) Thurs., March 17 79 57 89 (2002) 34 (1916) Fri., March 18 80 58 87 (2000) 33 (1916) Sat., March 19 79 53 91 (1921) 40 (1985) Sun., March 20 87 57 90 (1921) 43 (1931) Mon., March 21 84 64 90 (1921) 38 (1971) Tues., March 22 75 56 89 (1923) 38 (1960) Average Gulf water temperature: 68

Brandon Surline submitted this sunset photo, taken at Big Pass on Siesta Key.

RED TIDE

Sunrise/sunset Sunrise 7:30 7:29 7:28 7:27 7:25 7:24 7:23

Sunset 7:43 7:44 7:44 7:45 7:45 7:46 7:46

Karenia brevis, the Florida red tide organism, was not detected alongshore or offshore Sarasota Friday, March 18, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute.

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

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Thurs., March 24 Fri., March 25 Sat., March 26 Sun., March 27 Mon., March 28 Tues., March 29 Wed., March 30

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

BE CALM by Penn Jenn

1 5 10 15 19 20 21 22 23 25 27 28 30 31 32 34 35 38 39 40 44 45 46 48 49 50 51 54 55 57 58 60 61 62

C R Y P T O G R A M S by Myles Mellor 1. L B L C S K M S ’ M W Y H D U L B H L N Y Y O Z G D C D O Z L S S K B F

XR

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LXYPS

GZLS

SZDR

ZLH

KB

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LUSZYPFZ HKTTDCDBS KB WLBR GLRM, SZDR XYSZ MKS TYC WLMSDCM. 2. W Y U C Y W X I Z T C Y A W Z A ’ Z Z W U Y : “ W U Y X P C B X I P A C C A J R Y T A J C B N W E E R E E U X R N R B .”

65 67 69 71

ACROSS Floor model Louvers It doesn’t give much of a hoot!

Chip off the old flock?

Colored part of the eye Off-limits Washing machine sound “Bye-bye,” in Bologna Become quiet “No problem” Ornamentation Sailing the ocean Click beetles, for example “Thanks, I already ___” Mythical goat-man Plant starters Russian spirit?

Flaky minerals Shady tree Containing nothing Instrument for the “Swan Lake” theme Give up territory “A ___ of Two Cities” Wound application Sawbuck Styles Cause partner Spaced-out org.?

Having a love of beauty UN fiscal agency That’s partner “Is it soup ___?”

Pine dripping Touches base, so to speak Confronts boldly “That’s a ___!” (film set cry) Kicks back Munro by another name

72 Like a sheep that’s dOwn been ripped off?

1 It’s something to 75 Breakfast nook sneeze at 77 Designated PG-13, 2 “Don’t you ___ e.g. quit?”

80 Fjord relative 3 Physical opening?

81 Arthurian lady 4 Grain patty 83 Bounder 5 One cubic meter 84 Vehicle with one 6 1955 Disney dog 7 Blood classification wheel letters 86 Approx. figures 8 Do a wrecker’s job 88 Run off the tracks 9 Musical 90 Cavern, in poetry composition 91 Inning ender 10 Deed holder 92 “Adam Bede” 11 Horse-halting word author George 12 Set ablaze 94 Pretentious 13 Admiration 95 Proposal platform?

14 Nautical pin 96 Extinct bird 15 Edinburgh 97 In again, after being newspaper (with out “The”) 98 Add highlights to, at 16 Gaelic Ireland a salon 17 Singer Vikki 99 One going downhill 18 Child’s Christmas fast wish 101 Proctor ___ 24 “___ smile be your (appliance maker) umbrella ...”

102 Turkish dignitaries 26 Walks in a shallow 104 Lemonade locale pool 105 “Can ___ least get 29 Some computer ready first?” consultants 106 Takeout cuisine 32 One place to find a 109 “In 25 words or ___ third wheel? ...”

110 Harmonious wholes 33 High cards 34 Icy precipitation 114 “Don’t rush!”

35 Election Day 116 Chills out participant 119 1 and 66, e.g.

36 Tipping the scales (Abbr.)

37 “No problem” 120 “This ___ for the 38 Battlefield doc record books” 39 Santa’s helper 121 Whac-___ (carnival 41 Acts like the Fonz game) 42 Couch potato’s 122 Catchall Latin focus citation 43 Poet William Butler 123 Pastoral expanses 45 Simple bed 124 Prefix with “space” 47 Firmly attached or “cafe” 50 Dennis, to Mr. 125 Sail-crossing spar Wilson 126 First king of Israel 52 When repeated, a

53 56 57 59 63 64 66 68 70 72 73 74 76 78 79 82 85 87 89 90 93 96 98 100 101 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 115 117 118

ballroom dance Facial twitches Take on workers Unlawful In short supply Took by the hand What a “swish” shot touches So-so Remain unsettled Knocked for a loop Not so tied up Glove fabric Become extinct (with “out”) Stage direction Escape detection of Betty Ford specialty Heavy-duty carts More than frustration Marathon aftermath Be in a different form?

Of the same family Pesci’s Oscarwinning co-star Reiterates Like formal attire Buckwheat concoctions Wind catcher Suffix with “real” or “ideal” Drainage system Map within a map PC key Intense emotion Scandinavian furniture superstore Unpartnered Wrinkled fruit Wee amount Biblical birthright forfeiter Hawk for money High tennis shot Guitar attachment “... neither the time ___ the place”

Last weeks Cryptograms 1. Travel can be exceedingly expensive, but everybody on earth does get several

fantastic free trips around the sun.

2. If you think you are a person of uncommon influence and authority, try ordering someone else’s pekingese around.

Thursday, March 24, 2011 Items Under $200 For Sale

Boat Slips For Rent/Sale

BICYCLE- MEN'S, Raleigh, 26”, 7 speed. $150. Vacuum cleaner, Electrolux older model $35. 941-377-2590

ELECTRIC OUTDOOR drive on lift.

24 ft length max. Deep water. South Longboat Key. Water/ electric. $295 per month, terms. Email: swetepi334@aol.com or 941-387-8129

CARDBOARD BOXES- For shipping.

18x18x28. I have 175 boxes. Sell for $1 each. 941-918-9171 COLEMAN GUEST Rest queen size blowup full height bed with pump. Like new. $99.00 941-894-6520 DIGITAL CAMERA- Kodak 9.2 mega pix.

Nearly New $50. HOMEDICS massagerchair/ back $45. 941-924-2431 KITCHEN CABINETS- IKEA White, stainless steel sink and faucet. Like new $200.

941-915-3980 LONGABERGER BASKETS: 1991 Darning 1991 Discover. $45 for both. 941-723-2515.

MICROWAVE: LARGE 1.4cu.ft. New in box, not used. Was $160. Now $98. 941346-3516.

PING PONG Table. Model GMT 115D-R. Like new. Folds, locks. Paid $250. Asking $150. 941-400-8437.

POSTAGE STAMP Collages (3) $10 each.

Ceramic planters (2) Beautiful $8. Egg Poacher $8. 941-952-1097 SLEEPER SOFA & Loveseat- Florida inspired, floral queen sleeper sofa and matching loveseat. $200. 941-544-8836

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

Terry, 941-349-8560.

Parlez-vous franÇais?

WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEARN FRENCH?

LBK MOORINGS; 45’ slip near bay for rent by owner. Good monthly or longer rates.

941-383-3103.

Boats 18/FT. 4 Winns Runabout 130HP Johnson.

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

Furnishings 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

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

FRENCH CLASSES at the

ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE DE SARASOTA Sarasota's premiere organization for teaching French language and culture Classes at all levels, beginner to advanced, with native teachers.

Weekdays, evenings, Saturdays.

Call us at 941-955-0700 or www.afsarasota.org Next session starts April 4th Open House 10am-Noon March 26th 200 S. Washington Blvd.

Towles Court Pavilion corner of Adams Lane & Washinton Blvd.

Storage

Help Wanted

STORAGE FACILITY Boat/ RV/ Trailer.

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

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

4 Easy Ways To Place your Classified ad Call 941-955-4888

Autos For Sale

Reserved Space

MERCEDES-BENZ 1986 560SL. Rare Teal Color Roadster, Tan Leather interior with sheepskin covers, 8cyl, 227HP, auto, ABS, PW, PS, Cruise, alarm, Allow Wheels, AM/FM/CD Drivers airbag, black convertible top with removable hardtop, 65,000 original miles, well maintained, Must See! Asking $16,900, 908-797-2837

Things To Do

Fax LP 941-362-4808 Reserved Space Email classified@yourobserver.com Online at

www.yourobserver.com/classifieds We gladly accept all major credit/debit cards.

Homemakers/ Companions CNA’S/ HHA’S 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.

THE OBSERVER LP # 39520

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

Condos/Apts. For Rent 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.

LONGBOAT KEY 2BR/2BA, on beach.

Available April 2011, 6 month minimum.

Excellent rate. 941-383-0895.

Condos For Sale SNOWBIRD CONDO in northern Michigan: 1000/sq.ft., 2BR/2BA, turnkey, just off I-75, golf mecca. $54,900. 941-722-4371.

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

Homes For Rent 5 ACRE 4/2 home in Myakka on Verna Bethany Rd. 3 separate pasture/ barn. Call 908-451-4566

LUXOR MHP $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 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

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.

This week’s crossword answers

Classified Ads Bring Results 941-955-4888

THE OBSERVER LP # 39513

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.

the sarasota Observer THE SARASOTA THURSDAY, MARCH 24,OBSERVER 2011

21A Classifieds 17A

CLASSIFIEDS

www.YourObserver.com

www.yourobserver.com

Thursday, March 24, 2011 Homes For Sale

Waterfront Property

Cleaning

Personal Services

OPEN SUN 12-3PM

BREATHTAKING WATERFRONT parcel.

Fully engineered, approved and ready for development of 7 SF homes and 5 boat dock on fabulous Palma Sola Bay. Or use all 3.9 acres for your own retreat. Will trade for waterfront Sarasota home or negotiate on sale. $1.8M Marcia Wood, Broker, marcia@marciawood.com 941-350-2285

BRAZILIAN CLEANING Service by Maria.

Residential/ Commercial.

Meticulous Cleaning. Excellent References. Free Estimates. Reliable. Lic./ Ins. 941-400-3342

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

6 OPEN HOUSES IN ONE NEIGHBORHOOD! ROSEDALE GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB Gated, golf, clubhouse, tennis, No CDD Fees. SR70, BRADENTON. STOP AT Rosedale Realty Office at 5415 87th St. E. for map. 941-751-9070 YOUR SOURCE FOR SARASOTA REAL ESTATE www.LarrySellsSarasota.com LARRY BRZOSTEK RE/MAX Alliance Group.

941-993-3125

Team Up Today With Classifieds 941-955-4888 Out-of-State Property FRANKLIN NORTH CAROLINA

 2BR House, 300’ of Beautiful Creek,

Mountains, park like setting, 1.25 +/- acres $250,000.  9½ +/- Acres, Million Dollar Views, several potential homesites, never before on market. $175,000  2000 sq. ft. Commercial Building on ½ Acre, 142’ major 4-lane Hwy. Frontage, paved parking, also 600 sq. ft antique log cabin with front porch, $325,000  5800 sq. ft. Commercial Building on 2/3 acre major Hwy, paved parking, AC Heat, Awesome Property with Super Income $575,000 Owner Financing on any or all above properties. Rick Sellers 828-349-1449

Vacation/Seasonal Rentals 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.

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

Make offer.

217-493-6216

Adult Care Services CNA- LICENSED with Experience. Available immediately.

Great references.

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

CARLA’S PROFESSIONAL HOUSECLEANING Only $20 per hour.

Honest, reliable and great references.

Call Carla 941-894-9262

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.

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

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

Insured. 941-504-7868.

Computer Services COMPUTER REPAIR, Installation and Training.

Fast and Reliable.

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

Flooring

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

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 ☺.

Auto Transport

Home Improvement/ Remodeling

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

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

SUNCOAST TRANSPORTER

Painting/Wallpapering

Long Distance Delivery.

“Snowbirds” I drive your car door to door!

One Inclusive price.

Mike 941-993-0236

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

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.

Personal & Business Bookkeeping Accounting/ Taxes 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 RESIDENTIAL/ COMMERCIAL. Roofs, Pool Areas, Driveways, Lanais, etc. When Quality Counts! 941-565-3935.

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

SOLD in The

EPOXYGARAGES.COM

Observer Classifieds

Free Estimates!

941-962-7100

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 Observer The Sarasota Observer The East County Observer

That’s over 70,000 in circulation and more than 140,000 readers!

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

The Observer You. Your Neighbors. Your Neighborhood.

Buy Now

Reserved Space LP Reserved Space

e l P

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.

S

M A

absolutely elegant home in silver oak.

Model perfect Biscayne floor plan by Bamboo Builders. One of best lots w/lake & Private Views. Over 3400 sq. ft. under air. 4 BD + den, 3 1/2 BA. Gourmet kitchen w/wood cabinets, granite counters, stainless appl. 3 car gar., large htd pool & spa w/outdoor kitchen. Built in 2001! $899,900. John Doe Real Estate.

John Doe

941-555-5555

22A Classifieds 18A www.YourObserver.com

CUSTOM WOODWORKING

LANDSCAPING & LAWN

Frank Beck Upholstery

-964 *65*,7; ;6 -050:/

Native Son Landscape Services, Inc. GO GREEN!

941-504-0903

552-5766

HANDYMAN

DOCKSIDE BOAT REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE

53393

SMS Mobile Marine Service *36 )LVKILQGHU ,QVWDOODWLRQ ‡ 2XWERDUGV , 2ªV ‡ ,QERDUGV Call for appointment ‡ 941-232-3523 CERTIFIED & INSURED

COMPUTER

No job is too small, We will do it all!

Servicing the Residental and Commercial Communities for over MENTION 25 Years THIS AD 10% OFF

941-256-2027

lyleshandymanservice@hotmail.com

MOVERS

359-1904

Affordable Expert

53901

We sell boxes!

U.S. DOT No. 1915800

MO V I N G

(OME -AINTENANCE 0ROGRAMS s Home Renovations 2OOM !DDITIONS s #USTOM #ONSTRUCTION

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

“Will move anything from a couch to a household�

LOCAL - LONG DISTANCE FREE ESTIMATES

Call: 941-746-5255

+ITCHENS s "ATHROOMS s 7INDOWS s $OORS s 3CREEN 2OOMS s &LOORING s 2OOlNG s 0AINT (OME /FlCES s $ESIGN "UILD s 'REEN #ONSTRUCTION s 3OLAR s -ETAL "UILDINGS s "ARNS 'ARAGES s ND &LOOR !DDITIONS s #OMMERCIAL s )NDUSTRIAL s #USTOM (OMES

) # # s $/4 &, -/6%23 )-

For Free in-home estimates and consulting

State Lic #CGC1507489

By Referral or Ad Only

Visit our website at: www.TLHillConstruction.com

Dave McCarthy

PAINTING

Paramount Painting Ltd.

Advertise your business in

Home Watch Services 54487

‘Peace of mind is priceless’

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24A

the sarasota Observer THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

www.YourObserver.com

Go Ahead. Make An Offer

Amid the mixed signals emanating from our nation’s economic recovery it was heartening to learn that last month’s consumer confidence index—as measured by The Conference Board—is at a three-year high.

That speaks well for the upturn, as its the average consumer—and not the pundits—who spends each day on the front lines of the economy making key purchase decisions based on their returning sense of financial empowerment. In February, consumers expressed their greatest optimism since early 2008.

This nationwide improvement in consumer sentiment is expressing itself quite forcefully within our own local housing market. Consumers are generally experiencing better economic times in their home markets—and more confidence in their own financial futures—which has translated into a dramatic uptick in closed and pending sales in Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte Counties. Are we not, after all, a melting pot of home buyers from all over the country—and therefore a reasonable reflection of their collective mood?

Much of this year’s increase in home sales, of course, has to do with prices that have been rolled back to values not seen in Southwest Florida since 2001. Still, if buyers weren’t feeling better about their economic prospects and more secure in their jobs they’d scarcely be buying properties at any price.

According to the latest Trendgraphix (March 2011), closed sales in Sarasota County for the first two months of 2011 were 7.4 % ahead of

the same time last year. Pendings were up too, by 14.5%. In Manatee County closed sales through February were up by 18.8%; with pendings up 25.5%. Further south, in Charlotte County, closed sales were up 14.9%; while pendings were up 20.7%.

If the government’s First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit hadn’t stoked something of an artificial buying boom in early 2010, we strongly suspect these early 2011 sales would be interpreted as evidence of a stronger recovery. Plus, the greatly improved level of year-to-date pendings portends a continuation of this strengthening trend in closed sales.

It goes without saying that we are especially proud of all the 550-plus agents from Michael Saunders & Company who work with buyers and sellers in branch offices from Bradenton to Boca Grande. Last year as a group they outperformed the market by 29% in unit volume and 21% in dollar volume.

To date in 2011 their performance is looking just as impressive. Perhaps more so. Thus far, they have improved on last year’s sales by 9.2 % in units and 2.2 % in volume. This was achieved even as the median sale price per unit is down by 1.6 % in Sarasota County, 17.9 % in Manatee County and 19.1 % in Charlotte County compared with last February.

Meanwhile sellers of properties priced above $1 million have reason to feel optimism as well. After four straight years of declining sales, the number of million-dollar properties sold last year across the country rose

in all 20 of the metro areas surveyed. With their stock portfolios largely recovered and their confidence restored, wealthy home buyers clearly took advantage of the most amazing values in high-end properties.

Sarasota County, which has the most $1 million-plus properties in our market area, saw 214 of them sold in 2010—an increase of 3.4 % over 2009. As with all price ranges, the most aggressively priced of these properties are typically what sold.

Here again, we express tremendous pride in our agents’ unparalleled ability to list, market and sell more of our area’s finest homes—by far. Of all transactions involving $1 million properties in Sarasota County over the past 12 months, Michael Saunders & Company accounted for a 40.8 % of all properties sold, more than next four companies combined; and 43.6 % of total dollar volume, equal to the next 12 companies combined..

(Source: Trendgraphix) Consistent with their dominance of the luxury market, our agents also brought buyers to $1 million-plus properties more often than the next five companies combined.

With many foreclosures stalled in the pipeline, prices may finally take a run at stability. The feeling nationally is that banks will attempt to minimize any further drops in price—and therefore losses to their balance sheets—by releasing foreclosures into the market at a more controlled pace. Nevertheless, if you’re of the belief that prices will continue to decline in the months ahead, why not find the property you’d most like to own. Then go ahead. Make an educated offer.

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Diversions

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

The Observer www . Y o u r Obse r v e r . c o m

thursday MARCH 24, 2011

NEWS MUSE by Heidi Kurpiela | A&E Editor

INSIDE

FILM: A preview of the Sarasota Film Festival / 7B

BLACK TIE THE SOCIAL OBSERVER

CAMERA READY: The Out-of-Door Academy’s Banyan Ball / 11B COVER: Senior

Friendship Centers’ “A Madcap Evening at the Circus” / 9B

Heidi Kurpiela

“I’ve always been fascinated by creating something three-dimensional from a bolt of fabric,” says Eric Cross, pictured here with the packing paper design he created for this year’s “iconcept” show.

Posh paperboy Artist Eric Cross grabbed local headlines for his tea-length contribution to this weekend’s ‘iconcept’ fashion show at Art Center Sarasota.

E

ric Cross is a pretty dapper dresser for a dumpster diver.

It’s hard to picture a 51-year-old with 30 years experience creating window displays for luxury clothing retailers rooting through

trash bins dressed in a flashy blue button-down shirt, pinstripe pants and shiny black shoes — his outfit on this particular Tuesday.

But it’s where he says he unearths his best materials.

CROSS CONTINUED ON PAGE 2B

Andi Munzer and Jan Feidelman

2B

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THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

COVER STORY

CROSS from 1B “You can repurpose so many things,” says Cross, who graduated from Ringling College of Art and Design in 1980 with a degree in graphic design and illustration.

“Even as a kid I liked picking through the garbage.”

Born in Chicago to a French mother and American father, Cross spent much of his childhood in Paris and Italy, where he liked to haunt the alleys outside his mother’s favorite boutiques.

European dumpsters were filled with all sorts of treasures.

A participating designer in this year’s “iconcept” fashion show at Art Center Sarasota, Cross is still pulling inspiration from the garbage.

In November, when he was still working as a visual manager at Saks Fifth Avenue, in Naples, he retrieved a heap of brown packing paper from the back stockroom.

He thought it would make a good evening dress, so he slit and stretched the paper, wove raffia through the front, connected the top with macramé and added a long brown train to the back of the skirt.

“I love the way the material laid,” he says.

“It reminded me of really heavy taffeta.”

He thought he had knocked out his “iconcept” project early, until he got a call from the Art Center asking if he’d be interested in creating another paper dress, this time out of newsprint — specifically, Ob-

DID YOU KNOW?

Eric Cross styled Beverly Hills’ Saks Fifth Avenue store in the Steve Martin film “Shopgirl.”  Cross has several paintings hanging in Ringling College’s Madeby Gallery.  Cross worked as a visual merchandiser for Marshall Field’s, in Chicago, where he met Karl Lagerfeld, Valentino and Paloma Picasso, among other couture designers.  Cross graduated from Bradenton’s Bayshore High School in 1977. 

Cross stitched his newsprint frock using Publix dental floss.

server newsprint.

Drawing inspiration from the fact that The Observer’s Associate Publisher-Multimedia Emily Walsh Parry is a former Sarasota Ballet dancer and her sister, Kate Walsh Honea, is a principal with the company, Cross decided to create a strapless tea-length dress with a pleated ballerina skirt.

To help bring out the red “O” that runs along the top of the bodice, Cross created a bolero jacket out of red pipe cleaners.

“Whoever models it should wear red shoes,” he says with the straightforward conviction of a perfectionist designer who has devoted more time to a project than he cares to admit. “High heels would look better than flats.”

Cross knows a thing or two about accessorizing. He spent 13 years dressing man-

nequins for Saks.

He left the store in January to work as the general manager of Home Resource, in the Rosemary District.

For more than two months he’s devoted nearly every night to pleating newspapers.

With only one week left until the runway show, Cross is ready to purge his Sarasota home of the foot-high stack of newspapers that has crowded his bedroom since January.

“I’ll be happy when it’s out of sight,” he says. “Even though it has been theraputic in a way. It’s like I get home and start threading and pleating, and my imagination just takes over.”

Cross isn’t the only “iconcept” artist pushing himself to create standout pieces for the popular runway show.

Now in its third year, the art-meets-fash-

IF YOU GO

The third annual “iconcept” event runs from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, March 25, at Art Center Sarasota. Hosted by comedian/actress Christine Alexander, the outrageous fashion show includes refreshments, pre-show entertainment and local craft vendors. For tickets, call 365-2032. ion spectacle has blossomed into one of the edgier must-attend fundraisers of the year.

Last year’s event, which included provocative costumes by more than two-dozen local artists, including Gale Fulton Ross, Carl Abbott and Ray Peper, drew such a crowd that organizers encouraged this year’s participants to push the envelope even further.

“They were told to go all-out,” says Art Center Development and Marketing Director Lisa Berger. “Every piece that hits the runway is going to have that ‘wow factor.’”

Last year’s event was hosted by looselipped RuPaul-worshipper Lorenzo Hubbard, whose penchant for sexual innuendo made the show’s blue-haired attendees hoot and holler like wild bachelorettes.

Which is precisely what Berger wants.

“It’s brought to so many new people to the Art Center who’ve never been here before,” she says. “People are starting to think we’re much cooler and hipper than they previously thought.”

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THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

>>

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3B

COLUMN

art scene HEARD

+ Dance magazine editor to visit Sarasota

by Heidi Kurpiela | A&E Editor

+ Puppet show has strings attached

Bob Switzer

Courtesy photo

+ Switzer blows his horn for banjo groupies Cynthia Sayer rocked the house last week with her ragtime-y, jazz-happy, four-string-plucking banjo concert at the Players Theatre.

The musician’s diverse set list included sing-along songs (Benny Goodman’s “Goody Goody”), old country tunes (Hank Williams’ “Half As Much”), unapologetic pro-marijuana anthems (Sidney Bechet’s “Viper Mad”) and classical orchestral compositions (Franz Liszt’s “Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2”).

Ever the crowd-pleaser, the banjoist, accompanied by Sarasota musicians Bob Switzer (on trumpet) and Mark Neuenschwander (on string bass), devoted most of her show’s second set to audience requests, ending on an encore performance of “Oh! Susanna.”

However, the stamina award of the night goes to out to Switzer, who despite being decades older than Sayer wailed on his horn like a young Miles Davis.

Not since the Muppets have puppets been so engaging.

How else do we explain the Hermitage Artist Retreat’s latest fellow, North Carolina puppeteer Hobey Ford.

Ford, a Kennedy Center teaching artist and toy inventor, is not your average street performer. The recipient of three Jim Henson Foundation grants, Ford is the two-time winner of puppetry’s highest honor — the Union Internationale de la Marionnette Citation of Excellence.

With credentials like that it’s no wonder he was the first puppeteer invited to stay at the Manasota Key retreat.

For just $5, Sarasota residents can catch Ford’s puppet presentation at 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 31, at the Historic Asolo Theater. To make a reservation, call 360-7399.

Hobey Ford

Courtesy photos

HOT exhibits

Dance fanatics will get a able to get a dancer like José chance to rub elbows next week Manuel Carreño to come with Wendy Perron, editor in down and do this festival. chief of Dance magaSarasota should zine. definitely cherish it.”

Perron, a former Perron, who dancer, chorograworks out of New pher and teacher, York City, says was invited to speak she’d love to get Tuesday, March 29, a chance to check at a Carreño Dance out the Sarasota Festival luncheon at Ballet while she’s Michael’s On East. in town. She says The editor will disshe’s familiar with cuss the popularity the company’s work, of “Black Swan” as especially its latest Photo by Steve Vacariello well as address the reputation for dancWendy Perron notion that ballet is ing revered works dying, as suggested by Jennifer

by British choreographers.

Homans’ recently published Hey, Wendy, if you’re still book, “Apollo’s Angels.” in town, the company will perform its tribute to George The visit marks Perron’s first Balanchine Friday, April 1 and appearance in Sarasota.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Saturday, April 2. she says. “I think it’s great that For tickets to the Perron Robert de Warren has been luncheon, call 776-0676.

Rubin Peacock at Allyn Gallup: More than

20 years have passed since Sarasota bronze artist Rubin Peacock exhibited his work at a hometown gallery. The sculptor, who’s been busy with out-of-town exhibitions and commissions, finally gives locals a taste of what he’s been up to with his latest exhibition, “Spirit Catchers: Forty Years of Bronze,” on display through April 2 at Allyn Gallup Contemporary Art. For more information, call 366-2454 or visit www.miramarart.com.

Susan Swartz at the SeaFair Mega Yacht:

+ Greenfield Prize awarded to NYC scribe It’s always exciting when famous playwrights take a break from Broadway rehearsals to swing by Sarasota to pick up some cash.

John Guare, who’s currently enjoying the Broadway revival of his John Guare “The House of Blue Leaves” starring Jennifer Jason Leigh, Edie Falco and Ben Stiller, is the recipient of this year’s $30,000 Greenfield

Prize.

Established in 2009 by longtime Sarasota residents Bob and Louise Greenfield, the prize enables an artist to create a work of art during a six-week residency at the Hermitage Artists Retreat.

Since its inception, the prize has been awarded to playwright Craig Lucas, composer Eve Beglarian and visual artist Sanford Biggers.

Guare will receive his bounty at a weekend-long celebration.

For a full schedule of events, visit www.greenfieldprize.org.

Think dolphins are the only sights to see via boat in Sarasota? Think again.

Abstract expressionist painter Susan Swartz’s onewoman show arrives this week in Sarasota aboard the SeaFair Mega Yacht, the world’s first mobile yacht art venue. The luxury line will be docked from March 24 to March 28, at Marina Jack, where it will showcase 25 of Swartz’s paintings. For more information, visit www.expoships.com.

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BACKSTAGE PASS by Heidi Kurpiela | A&E Editor

Material girl

CHOREOGRAPHY CUES

Jen King Elliot wasn’t the only one interpreting Sabrina Small’s artwork. Fuzión founder Leymis Bolaños Wilmott had to choreograph a dance piece that also evoked the Siamese twins in Small’s curious “Black Orpheus.”

Wilmott says to expect abstract, intertwined choreography that conjures up “the mixed emotions of being connected to someone.”

Jen King Elliot shares her journey from Ringling College, to Broadway’s ‘Contact,’ to this weekend’s fifth annual Fuzión dance concert.

Whatever you do, don’t call Jen King Elliot “a seamstress.”

“With all due respect to seamstresses of the past and present,” Elliot says, “what I do is so much more.”

To be clear, Elliot is not surly. Nor is she snooty.

A talkative 33-year-old, Elliot is just being honest. She is more than just a seamstress.

A former student at Ringling College of Art and Design, Elliot has been making clothes since she was 12, when her mother bought her a Tiny Tailor sewing machine off a television infomercial.

She began working on Broadway productions in 1999, shortly after transferring from Ringling College to the Fashion Institute of Technology, in New York City, where one fortuitous summer she met five-time Tony Award-winning costume designer William Ivey Long.

She had lunch plans with a friend, who happened to be working out of Long’s studio.

“I picked him up at the studio,” Elliot recalls. “And William Ivey Long introduced himself. I said, ‘You know, I make costumes, too. If you ever need help with anything … ’ It was a ha-ha, joke-y comment. I didn’t expect him to say, ‘Actually, I’m working on a new show and could use some help.’”

IF YOU GO

The show was Susan Stroman’s “Contact,” which would premiere that fall in Lincoln Center and later move to Broadway, where it would go on to win the 2000 Tony Award for “Best Musical.”

When Elliot signed on to help, Long tasked her with designing the mockup for the show’s famously skintight yellow dress.

Seventeen versions later, she came up with the final slinky cut that would adorn the original Girl in The Yellow Dress.

“It’s my 15-minute claim-to-fame,” Elliot says. “It was the most fun, most intense month of my life.”

Since then, Elliot has worked with Long on dozens of Broadway productions, including “Hairspray,” “The Boy From Oz,” “Sweet Charity,” “Little Shop of Horrors” and “Young Frankenstein.”

The work has kept her busy, but not so busy that she’s abandoned her ties to Sarasota.

Last year, she teamed up with local artist Sabrina Small and choreographer Leymis Bolaños Wilmott, founder of Fuzión Dance Artists, to create costumes for a dance number based on Small’s “Black Orpheus” — a painting that depicts two Siamese twins dressed in thigh-high boots, short pleated skirts and black gloves.

The performance is one of several artistic collaborations on the bill for this weekend’s Fuzión dance concert at the

Fuzión Dance Artists will perform its fifth Season Concert at 8 p.m. Friday, March 25, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, March 26 and 2 p.m.

Sunday, March 27, at the FSU Center for the Performing Arts. For tickets, call 359-0099, Ext. 101.

Courtesy photo

“I like to think of myself as a fairy godmother who can take an idea and turn it into something you’d want to wear,” Jen King Elliot says.

FSU Center for the Performing Arts.

The pieces, which will transform dancers Angela Rauter and Alyson Dolan into black tentacle-headed conjoined twins, are bound to hold audiences spellbound.

The designer spent all of December

and most of January in Sarasota working on the project with Small and Wilmott.

Using black treated materials from New York’s Garment District, Elliot created long capes and short skirts and added dashes of gold and silver sparkles; moody blues and deep purples brought out the mysteriously feminine, yet eerily militant vibe of Small’s “Black Orpheus.”

“The challenge with any collaboration,” says Elliot, “is communicating what’s in your head. You don’t just answer to your vision. You’ve got to take other people’s perspectives into consideration, which can be difficult because no one knows what’s going on in your brain better than you do.”

The project harkened back to a previous experience — her first big design assignment as a commercial illustration major at Ringling College.

“We were asked to create a piece of biographical clothing inspired by a classmate,” Elliot says. “So, I made this burgundy velvet corset with a big evil-queen collar. I put a Georgia O’Keefe painting on the collar, wrapped it around makeshift pattern paper, and my teacher was like, ‘OK, you’re operating on another level.’”

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BACKSTAGE PASS by Heidi Kurpiela | A&E Editor

Filmmaker comes home to premiere flick at SFF Former Sarasota resident Shaun Greenspan’s short film, ‘The Break Up,’ conjures up the drama of puppy love.

If you’ve only got five minutes to spare this film-festival season, check out Shaun Greenspan’s “The Break Up.” It’s adorable. Light. Quirky.

It’s got a catchy three-song soundtrack and a feel-good ending. It’s about a 9-year-old boy who breaks up with his girlfriend at a pizza parlor.

And, yes, it’s all of four minutes and 55 seconds long.

If it’s possible for a filmmaker to showcase his cinematic chops in such a brief window of time, Greenspan manages to do it with this short film, which will premiere next month at the Sarasota Film Festival.

The 32-year-old filmmaker, who moved with his family in 1992 to Sarasota, based the movie on his own childhood dating experience.

Like the movie’s charming protagonist, Greenspan took his first date to a pizza shop in the small Connecticut town he lived in until he was 13 years old.

He was in third grade. The girl’s name was Cori. He begged his dad — Sarasota dentist Dr. Richard Greenspan — to take him. His father agreed, but on one condition: He would have to chaperone.

“I barely remember it,”

IF YOU GO

Shaun Greenspan’s “The Break Up” will screen at noon Friday, April 15 and at 7 pm. Sunday, April 17, at Regal Cinemas Hollywood 20, in downtown Sarasota.

The Sarasota Film Festival runs April 7 to April 17. For more information on “The Break Up,” visit www.triforcepictures.com. For tickets to the festival, call 366-6200 or visit www.sarasotafilmfestival.com.

Greenspan says. “But I do know halfway through I asked my father to cut my pizza. When we drove home that night he told me I should probably wait to go out with girls until I can cut my own food.”

It seems Greenspan was always in a hurry to grow up.

He dropped out of Riverview High School his senior year and at the urging of his parents got his GED in 1997.

Shortly thereafter, he moved to Boston, where he admits he partied too hard and spent way too much money.

“I rebelled probably because I had things so nice,” Greenspan says. “I realize it now, that I was just stubborn. My father used to say, ‘If you put half as much energy into staying on track as you do getting off track, there’s nothing you won’t accomplish.’”

Greenspan took those words to heart.

He moved back into his parents’ quiet bayfront home, enrolled in Manatee Community College and at 22 transferred to Columbia College Hollywood, a Los Angeles-based film school.

“I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life until I took my first film class at MCC,” Greenspan says. “I realized I liked con-

necting with people. I like telling good stories, and I like working hands-on on an artistic project.

It’s something that’ll never get old that I can do for the rest of my life.”

Greenspan received his film degree in 2003. Since then he’s worked as a production assistant on “Six Feet Under,” “Nip/ Tuck,” “Mad Men,” “True Blood,” “Big Love” and the films, “Little Miss Sunshine and “Where the Wild Things Are.” In 2005, he co-founded Triforce Pictures with fellow film school graduate Edward James.

The company, which specializes in producing cost-effective content for films, music video and commercials, has netted an impressive client list, including rapper Snoop Dogg.

After 10 years away from home, Greenspan says it only

Heidi Kurpiela

“The point of filmmaking is to connect with the audience through storytelling,” Shaun Greenspan says. “You can have the best directing and the best acting, but if no one cares about the story, you’re done.” made sense to premiere “The Break Up” in Sarasota, while surrounded by family and friends.

“It’s a well-received film fest,” he says. “And I really wanted to make my parents proud.”

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THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

EDIBLES: Recipe and Reservation by Molly Schechter | Food Editor

Word of Mouth is Sarasota’s ‘Cheers’ “It’s my living room,” says Shannon Lugannani. “I’m here every night. It is like my home, and I want my guests to feel the same way.” Lugannani, 43, is talking about his restaurant, Word of Mouth, on Osprey.

Word of Mouth first appeared in these parts more than a decade ago on Clark Road. Today, there are three locations: Gulfgate, Cattlemen Road at Bee Ridge and downtown on Osprey.

Jeremy Adams owns two of the restaurants and 50% of the third; Lugannani owns the other 50% of the third restaurant. The brand is well-established as a breakfast-and-lunch place; the news is that downtown serves dinner, as well.

Not only is there dinner, there is a different special every day priced at only $9.99, including bread, soup or salad, plus starch and veggie as appropriate.

Tuesday it is prime rib, Wednesday is Italian, Thursday is brisket, Friday is filet mignon and Saturday is “chef ’s choice.” And there are always one or two additional dinner specialties in the $12 to $13 range.

Lugannani’s strategy with the $9.99 dinner is to have people discover the restaurant.

“If a single person goes to the store and buys the ingredients for the same dish, he can’t cook it for $10,” he says. “My goal is to for them to say, ‘Wow … Word of Mouth’s $10 dinner is as good or better than a $30 dinner other places.’”

Food-wise, Word of Mouth includes healthier alternatives. Lugannani claims “ours is the best fruit cup in town,” because he goes to the market (Detwiler’s Farm Market on South Packinghouse Road and Palmer Boulevard) daily to buy fruit, and the res-

WORD OF MOUTH DOWNTOWN

RECIPE

Flounder florentine

(This is Chef Stephen Wahle’s recipe for a single serving)

Address: 711 S. Osprey Ave., Sarasota Phone: 365-1800 Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Monday; 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.

Flounder Florentine Ingredients: Flour Old Bay seasoning 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons oil

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Dredge flounder in seasoned flour. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter over high heat until foam subsides, then quickly sauté fish on both sides.

Transfer to oven to finish cooking, approximately 10 minutes, or until cooked to desired degree of doneness.

Heat half-and-half. Work remaining tablespoon of butter and an equal amount of flour into a paste and whisk it into hot liquid in small bits until sauce achieves desired thickness. Season with Old Bay, salt and pepper.

Quickly sauté spinach in remaining tablespoon of oil, drain and add to sauce.

To plate: Place flounder on a bed of yellow rice and top with sauce.

Photos by Molly Schechter

Shannon Lugannani and chef Stephen A. Wahle Servers Dave O’Sullivan and Tamara Mason have been at Word of Mouth downtown since it opened three years ago. taurant makes it fresh every day. Their tuna salad is also house-made daily with tongol tuna, which has lower concentrations of mercury. There are lots of salads on the menu, and the restaurant does not have a deep fryer. Dressings, soups, muffins, scones and biscuits are made in-house. They do not serve day-old pastry; anything left at the end of the day is given to dinner customers.

The kitchen at Word of Mouth is run

5 ounces flounder filet 1/2 cup half-and-half Salt and pepper 1 1/4 cups baby spinach, loosely packed

by Stephen Wahle, a certified executive chef with the American Culinary Federation. The two key waitstaff have been working there since the restaurant opened three years ago. The space is generous, and it feels like Florida, with floor-to-ceiling windows and an attractive outside dining area. “Regulars” account for about 60% of the restaurant’s business. Although there’s no liquor, there is a nice selection of beer and well-priced wines (Malbec is $6 per glass, for example). And there’s a counter for those who want something on which to rest their elbows. Cheers!

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REVIEWS

Music

Film

>> Curtis

Film Festival

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better this time of year in Sarasota, the Sarasota Film Festival rolls into town. For 10 glorious days and nights, our little piece of paradise reels and rocks. With more than 100 filmmakers and actors attending this year, elbow-rubbing is a distinct possibility. With more than 180 narrative, documentary, feature and short films, we cinephiles are in for 10 days of movie nirvana.

Having attended all 13 festivals, I’m offering up some picks and tips for navigating this year’s SFF. Mandatory prerequisite: Acquire a film guide ASAP (available at the festival box office inside the lobby of Hollywood 20 or online). In it you will find dates, times and synopses for all of the films and events. My SFF must-see-and-do list is as follows.

ticket in town. The locale itself is as dreamy as it gets. The Ritz-Carlton Members Beach Club will host a gala fête replete with live music and casual cuisine. Does it get any better? But of course ... fireworks over the Gulf of Mexico.

Opening Night Film and Party

Geena Davis

The film, “Page One: A Year Inside The New York Times,” will be screened Friday, April 8, at the historic Sarasota Opera House. Director Andrew Rossi provides a look at what happens behind the scenes at the New York Times as he follows Media Desk reporters David Carr and Brian Stelter. Après film party at Michael’s On East is way past my bedtime but always a blast.

Night Under a Thousand Stars — Beach Edition

Speaking of parties, this one on Friday, April 15 looks like the hottest

Biggest Bang for Your Buck

Catch the “Shorts.” Narrative, documentary, animated, midnight and our own not-to-be-missed SRQ shorts take you so many places in so little time.

The Terry Porter Visionary Award

I was elated to learn that the festival will be honoring this amazing man whose passion for cinema was infectious. His groundbreaking Video Renaissance was the only place to obtain the greatest films ever made.

Before IMDB, Terry Porter was the guy to call with all your film queries.

He had all the answers and was always available. His love of movies fueled mine.

Best Tip ‘In Conversation With ... ’

Geena Davis (April 16) and Christopher Plummer (April 17) will open up about their careers and lives this year in one of my favorite SFF programs. Both actors also star in films being screened at the festival.

Christopher Plummer’s “Beginners” has been selected for the “Closing Night Film.” Geena Davis’ film is also part of the series “Through Women’s Eyes,” entitled, “Miss Representation.” Also scheduled is “Censorship and Cinema: The Legacy of the Hollywood Blacklist.” It will feature industry professionals discussing the topic.

Catch as many films as you possibly can which have a Q&A after the screening. To me, this is the very best a film festival has to offer. Having the opportunity to talk with the filmmakers and stars is extremely exhilarating. If you’re really lucky you might have a one-on-one after the Q&A (did I ever mention Jeremy Renner two years ago!).

Keep in mind when you support the Sarasota Film Festival (a non-profit arts organization) you’re supporting our community. I can’t think of a more exciting and rewarding way to do so. Any questions? Call the box office at 366-6200.

— Pam Nadon

Chamber Musicians

Joseph Silverstein, former concert master of the Boston Symphony, music director of the Utah Symphony and beloved master teacher and performer with the Sarasota Music Festival, opened this past Sunday’s concert by students and alumni of The Curtis Institute of Music at the Historic Asolo Theater by telling us that, according to U.S. News and World Report, Curtis is “the most selective school in the country.”

Curtis, which is in Philadelphia, takes only about 160 students. They’re all on scholarship. And, said Silverstein, “Curtis graduates occupy principal stands of just about every orchestra in the world,” and that includes Abraham Feder, who graduated from Curtis in 2008 and is the principal cellist of the Sarasota Orchestra.

There’s also a “Sarasota Friends of Curtis,” and they presented Feder with current Curtis students Michelle Cann, pianist; Sonora Slocum, flutist; and Zoe Martin-Doike, violinist/ violist, in a stunning concert that brought the audience to its feet for a well-deserved ovation.

These “students” are better than many of their men-

tors, playing with sophistication, understanding, style and technique to burn. They’re so good it’s scary.

The Weber G minor trio for flute, cello and piano started a little tentatively, but by the finale, Slocum, Feder and Cann were off and running with confidence and flair. Saint-Saens’ “Havanaise,” in the hands of Martin-Doike and Cann, was filled with youthful exuberance. And Slocum and Feder in the Villa-Lobos “Assobio a jato” (“The Jet Whistle”) were glowing.

Beethoven’s “Eyeglasses Duo” has a funnier name than the music itself, but Martin-Doike and Feder played it charmingly.

Dutillieux’ Sonatina for flute and piano with Slocum and Cann had all the French flair of a Poulenc piece turned sideways.

The grand finale was the gorgeous Mendelssohn D minor trio with MartinDoike, Feder and Cann zipping along at enthusiastic tempos that were fast but convincing in their beautiful articulation and energy.

If this is what the future holds in classical music, I wish I could live another century or two.

— June LeBell

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54577

8B

THE SOCIAL OBSERVER

Black Tie Paula Wasserman, Bob Harris and Allan and Sandy Weis

The Observer www.yourobserver.com

thursday MARCH 24, 2011

Above: Joel Feidelman and Bob Munzer Above left: Doris Kaplan and Linda Pollack

By STEPHANIE HANNUM | BLACK TIE EDITOR

Molly Schechter and Chairman Harold Ronson

Marx Brothers antics and circus surprises were in store for the more than 200 guests at Senior Friendship Centers’ “A Madcap Evening at the Circus” Tuesday, March 15.

Immediately upon arrival, guests were wooed with fun things to do and look at, such as a transformed circus-themed room, decorated by Jewel Ash; Ellian Rosaire and her beautiful horse, Anacacho; balloon fun by Josh Sizemore; henna tattoos by Sandy Young; and Gibraltar and his trainer (Billy Bob Steinberg and Elizabeth Flower).

The fun didn’t stop there,

though. The non-stop evening, chaired by Harold Ronson, provided entertainment from Chuck Sidlow and Sandy Kronenwetter, who performed a medley of Groucho’s famous songs; Rolla Bolla act by Axel Perez; Sarasota Opera’s Lindsay Ohse, Heath Huberg, Sarah Larsen and Maestro Kristen Kemp; and an appearance by “Lydia the Tattooed Lady” (Tahja). All that fun packed into just a few hours at the Senior Friendship Centers’ second annual event — can you imagine how much fun it will be next year?

Louise Minges and Arnold Duke

Special guest Anacacho and Ellian Rosaire

Photos by Stephanie Hannum

Bob Carter, Gibraltar and Elizabeth Flower Mike Bear, Dawn Van Lanen and Reagan Carr

Matt and Connie Brown

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THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

COLUMN

black tie tales

+ Black Tie Affair Orchid Ball 2011 ‘The Great Gatsby’ 6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 2 • Marie Selby Botanical Gardens • Tickets $250 • For reservations call 3665731 or cdwyer@selby.org

by Molly Schechter | Social Editor

+ Love …

Another Sarasota beauty is engaged.

Kelly Morrell will wed Burt Romanoff, an attorney at Norton Hammersly, before the year is out. Perhaps just barely before.

He popped the question March 12 at “Polo Under the Palms.” Kelly was on the event committee. He complimented how lovely the event was and said, “The only thing that would make this night better is if you would spend the rest of your life with me.”

And, then, he set off the fireworks he had brought to celebrate.

+ … and marriage

Stephanie Hannum

Kelly Morrell and Burt Romanoff at the Senior Friendship Center event on their first outing as an engaged couple

West Egg is coming to west of the trail for the 30th annual Orchid Ball – The Great Gatsby. Nick Carraway, Jay Gatsby, Daisy and Tom Buchanan are all expected. Chairwoman Kristiana Serbin and her committee are doing several special things in honor of that milestone. They have invited past chairs of the event to serve as honorary chairs of this one, and the list includes Carmen Baskind, Debbi Benedict, Beth Cannata, Ann Esworthy, Nora Johnson, Mary KenealyBarabetta, Cornelia Matson, Karin Parry Leerveld, Laura Peters, Cindy Peterson, Betty Sandhagen, Michael Saunders, Margarete van

+ Tidbits

Long time (as in 20 years) couple Fred Mackenzie and Nancy Lee invited 20-plus of their friends to celebrate Fred’s 85th birthday March 13, at Libby’s. Fred is an engaging speaker, and as he was recounting his (interesting) lives, plural, he mentioned oh-so-casually that he and Nancy were married when her family was all here for Molly Schechter a visit — in 2007. It took a minute before Not-so-newlywed Fred one of the guests said, “Wait a minute?

Mackenzie and Nancy Lee You’re married?” Indeed, they are. Congratulations and best wishes, however belated! Among the guests at the party: Carol and Frank von Allmen, Susan Brainerd and Alan Quinby, Betty York, Helen Kesler, and April Mast.

+ … and an institution you can’t disparage

The Children’s Guardian Fund, a support organization for the Guardian ad Litem Program, hosted a luncheon to honor more than 200 of its volunteers Friday, March 11, at Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club. The volunteers are advocates for children in state custody. The fund provides monies to meet these kids’ needs from educational tutoring and summer camp to little-but-big things, like soccer cleats or a prom dress.

Antwerpen and Emily Walsh Parry. Because 30 years is the pearl anniversary, there will also be a special auction of pearl jewelry — from chocolate to freshwater — in addition to the usual silent-and-live auctions. Finally, Kate Walsh Honea is choreographing a piece that dancers from the Sarasota Ballet School will perform at the end of the evening.

Stephanie Hannum

Ivanka Trump Collection’s Courtney O’Neil and Queens Wreath’s Tina Little

A big night at the Asolo … The new Gulf Coast Community Foundation program called “10,000 Reasons to Give” adds $10,000 when a donor opens a fund or adds to an existing one in the amount of $100,000 or more.

It works. Foundation rep Scott Anderson presented a $110,000 check from an anonymous donor to Asolo Board President Susan Buck at the opening night dinner preceding “Las Meninas” March 18. Among those attending: Eric and Roberta Fliss, from Miami; he is managing director of the new South Miami-

drive at www.GulfCoastGives.org … Cucumbers, champagne and chandeliers … Tina Little and Queens Wreath Jewels hosted a tea with finger sandwiches and other treats to show the Ivanka Trump Jewelry collection March 17, at Shoogie Boogies, in Towles Court. The collection is available at The Met, on St. Armands Circle.

Molly Schechter

Eric and Roberta Fliss Dade Cultural Arts Center. “Las Meninas” will go to Fliss’ theater when it finishes here …

A big idea from GCCF … the new “Gulf Coast Gives” program makes it possible for anyone to donate any amount to projects posted on its website by non-profits.

It is working, too. Last week, an anonymous donor funded all the human services projects listed. (Now there are more, of course). Test

Molly Schechter

Scott Anderson and Susan Buck

Your hometown garden supercenter since 1953

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The Sea Fair, one of the largest private yachts in the world (238 ft) and worth over 40 million dollars is coming to Sarasota to benefit the Sarasota Open Foundation for this special event.

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

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11B

CAMERA READY

Banyan Ball ‘It Takes a Village’

The Out-of-Door Academy | Saturday, March 19 | The Out-of-Door Academy

Photos by Stephanie Hannum

Jeff and Jane Giacinti

Chairs Dan and Rhonda Deems and Mike and Cindy Von Waldner with Cindy and David Mahler

Malinda and Ken Laird with Angela Massaro-Fain

Rebecca Bizick, Lynn Morris and Terri Vitale Dave and Maureen Mason with Dawn and Mitchell Epstein

Kay and Marc Rasmussen with Tiffany Liashek

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12B >>

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THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

CAMERA READY

Photos by Stephanie Hannum

Lydia McIntire, guest speaker Sheryl WuDunn, Renee Hamad and Chairwoman Judith Skornicka Schwartzbaum

Marcella Schuyler and Ginny Combs

Honorary Chairwoman Joan Wood and Janice Zarro

Renaissance Luncheon

Women’s Resource Center of Sarasota County Monday, March 14 | The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota

Sydna San Giacomo, Judy Madigan, Kathy Van Horelbeke and Judith Collins

by

Dr. L.B. Wish and Aimee Cogan

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Asolo Rep’s artistic programs are paid for in part by Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax Revenues.

TWELVE ANGRY MEN CLOSES MARCH 26 BOEING BOEING NOW THRU APRIL 23 LAS MENINAS NOW THRU MAY 15

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

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13B

CAMERA READY

Mary and Tom Marryott

Photos by Molly Schechter

Meg and Felix Ferlise

Right: The Rev. Hubert Flanagan and The Rev. Fausto Stampiglia

Cardinal Mooney Dinner and Auction ‘Mardi Gras Madness’ Cardinal Moody High School | Saturday, March 19 Hyatt Regency Sarasota

Tom and Linda Whitacre, Sister Lucia Haas and Peggy and Steve Christie

Julie Klimer, Chairwoman Jennifer McDonald, Leanne Rothenbach and Lisa Sharpenter

Sarasota

SFF20 11

Film Festival

April 7-17, 2011 Community Partnerships The Secret World of Recovery Film, Panel & Expo Sunday, April 10 Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall

Through the Tunnel Reception, Screening & Discussion Thursday, April 14 Sarasota Opera House

Tickets On Sale Now! Box Office located inside Regal Hollywood 20 1993 Main Street, Sarasota. 941.366.6200

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Immerse Yourself

Jim and Linda Stallings with Diane and Tom Strutt Left: Student volunteers Logan LaFavr, Robert Rothenbach, Emily Deming and Payton Harris

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THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

CAMERA READY

S e A S O n

Leif Bjaland, Artistic Director

Observers 5” x 8” Mar 24, 2011 Pick up & Apr 7 with Lisa and David Wymer BillMar and 31 Eloise Lisch

A musical tribute to the master of suspense.

Photos by Stephanie Hannum

‘Black and White Starry Night’

Friday, April 15, 8:00 pm | Van Wezel

HOPE Family Services Friday, March 18 | Fête Ballroom

Alfred Hitchcock pioneered the psychological thriller genre of movies. In this innovative tribute, clips from many of his great movies are paired with the original scores, performed live by the Sarasota Orchestra. Footage and dialogue from To

Reed and Diana Giasson

Catch a Thief, Strangers on a Train, Dial M for Murder, and North by Northwest highlight a musical evening of suspense, excitement and thrills. Conducted by Andrew Lane.

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14B

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

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15B

Exciting Autumn Itineraries Now Feature New Lower Fares in Nearly Every Category!

Mervin and Diana Borntreger with Sara and Tony Kurtz

Photos by Stephanie Hannum

Photo courtesy of Crystal Cruises

There has never been a better time to experience the legendary service, elegant spaces, exceptional quality and abundant choices of the World’s Best cruise line.

SOLVE Maternity Homes Gala ‘Jewel in His Crown’ SOLVE Maternity Homes Saturday, March 19 | Fête Ballroom

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16B

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THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

CAMERA READY

Photos by Molly Schechter

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THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

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17B

CAMERA READY

Photos by Stephanie Hannum

Shannon and Robert Warren, India and Bruce Lesser and Steve Wilberding

Sarasota Film Festival Sponsor Kick-Off Party Dave Weiner and his mother, Sharyn 51393

Sarasota Film Festival Wednesday, March 16 | Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

Lacey Sigmon, Datev Gallagher and Brigitte Gallagher

Cristina Morara and Sonja Zant

UNDER THE BIG TOP A Celebration of 62 Years The Greatest “Little” Show on Earth Best Value in Family Entertainment

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Announcing one of our newest “Estheticians”, Nina Schlussel

Nina Schlussel has over 24 years of experience.

Nina is a licensed Esthetician and Hair Stylist who specializes in Permanent Make-up.

Her passion is eye brows. Trained at: The Suncoast Academy of CA, Hair Fashion Focus, Vidal Sassoon, Tony and Guy and Dermalogica. SPARCC’S member

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Paid for in part by Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax Revenues

18B

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Marie Selby Botanical Gardens 30th Annual Orchid Ball

■

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

FASHION by Stephanie Hannum | Black Tie Editor

guestfashioneditor MARGARET WISE

Philanthropist and chairwoman of the board for Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation, Margaret Wise sports classic clothing that carries her through events and meetings. As the cofounder of Designing Women Boutique, a charitable organization that supports arts and human services, Wise has a knack for fashion and sticks with what she likes.

The evening begins with hors d’oeuvres and cocktails at 6:30 pm followed by a sumptuous catered dinner, live and silent auctions and dancing under the stars to Deleon Orchestra.

JADE BY JASMINE DRESS

table sponsorships and tickets are available by calling 941-366-5731 ext 229 or via email at orchidball@selby.org The following sponsors have made commitments as of February 21, 2011

diamond

silver

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E.B. and I.L. Chrisman Foundation Katie and Tom Cornell gold Liebe and Billy Gamble Amicus Foundation Cornelia and Richard Matson Hazeltine Nurseries Allison and Tom Luzier Northern Trust Mercedes Medical The Observer Nora and Billy Johnson Serbin Printing/Mail It, LLC New Amsterdam Foundation Pam and Bibb Swain B.W. Saba Homes Margarete van Antwerpen Michael Saunders & Company Steve Wilberding and Teri Hansen The Windsor of Lakewood Ranch

benefactors

chair

committee

Kristiana Serbin

Victoria Baga Donna Jernigan Baker Sylvia Barber Beth Bobb Andrew Burchard, M.D. Katie Cornell Knickole Barger Curtis Randi Saba Donahue Trish Fitzgerald Liebe Gamble Ann Garberding Theresa Getzen Stephanie Hannum Mimi Hernandez Pauline Joerger Deb Knowles Stephanie Kost Meghan Foley Leiter Giovanna McGrath Alex Miller Brianne Oliva Sally Schule Britney Serbin Pam Swain Nikki Taylor Sheryl Vieira Sharyn Weiner

honorary chairs Carmen Baskind Debbi Benedict Beth Cannata Ann Esworthy Elizabeth Holman Nora Johnson Mary Kenealy- Barbetta Karin Parry Leereveld Cornelia Matson Laura Peters Cindy Peterson Betty Sandhagen Michael Saunders Margarete van Antwerpen Emily Walsh Parry Peggy Wood

Michael and Donna Jernigan Baker Jane and Marty Faust Ann and Larry Garberding Douglas Logan Peggy and Arthur Wood 811 s. palm avenue • sarasota, fl 34236 • 941-366-5731

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MARY FRANCES HANDBAG

“This is my fun bag to take out at night.”

NIKKI SEDACCA NECKLACE

Longboat Key Garden Club & Longboat Key Center for the Arts presents

“I got this dress at Designing Women Boutique and wear it to black-tie events. It’s so comfortable — if it’s not comfortable, I don’t wear it.”

FRENCH SOLE SHOES

“This is one of Nikki’s earlier pieces. It’s pearl with twin blistered pearl.

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“I get these in London — they are so great and mold to your feet. These flats are my casual, everyday shoes.”

“I think my style is eclectic. I buy what I like and generally gravitate toward color. I like more classic looks, but if I see something out of the ordinary that I like, I’m not afraid to wear it.”

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MALE FASHION SHOW Wednesday, April 13 5:30-8:30pm Longboat Key Center for the Arts 6860 Longboat Drive South, Longboat Key Join us for an evening of fashion, food and 2 complimentary drinks to support the Garden Club and the Center for the Arts.

Arts coverage

Ticket price: $50.

hEAdS AbOvE thE rESt!

MODELING THE BROOKS BROTHERS MODELS FOR THE BROOKS BROTHERSFASHIONS FASHION Bruce St. Denis – Town Manager Juan Florenza s – Director of Public Works Bob Siekmann – Town Commissioner Jack Black – LBK Businessman Phil Younger – Town Commissioner Phill Jim Brown – Town Commissioner Paul Dezzi – Fire Chief Al Hogle – Police Chief Tom Aposporos – President, Chamber of Commerce Ron Johnson – Former Former Town Town Mayor Commissioner and Mayorof Art and Design Dr. Larry Thompson, President of Ringling College Narrator: Matt Walsh, Editor/Publisher of “The Observer” Newpapers RESTAURANTS The Longboat Key Club, Mar Vista, The Sun House, Joe’s Sweets and Treats, Old Salty Dog, Dry Dock, Chart House, Lazy Lobster, Tango, Hilton Hotel, Terrace on the Circle, Lido Beach Resort

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Tickets will be sold at: The Longboat Observer, Exit Art at the Chart House, Longboat Key Center for the Arts, Longboat Key Garden Club –contact Barb Kerwin, 383-0772 or Susan Landau, 383-8030

Local News that’s

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

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19B

PIN COLLECTION

“All of these pins or broaches have been given to me as gifts; it’s something that caught on. If I wear something more plain, all I need to do is stick on a pin to add some color.”

DIANA E. KELLY SHOES

“Diana is from Sarasota, and I love supporting local designers.

These are great heels that are so comfortable.”

MOSCHINO DRESS AND JACKET

“I add the matching jacket when I feel like I need to be more ladylike. I wear this for business meetings.”

ORDELIA TOP

“I like to shop locally when I travel, and I got this on a girls trip, so it reminds me of a happy time. It’s a Carmel, Calif., designer, and I’ve continued to order from her.”

“I am really drawn to the color, and the belt is a great addition as well.”

a new dimension in fine jewelry

“I like high heels because I like to feel tall. These are a little funky but look great with pants or a skirt.”

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“I really like the way this gown fits as well as the way the tail kicks out at the bottom.”

VALENTINO DRESS

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AJC West Coast Florida 2011 human relations Award Dinner honoring

Gerri Aaron Sunday, April 3, 2011 Cocktails 6:00 p.m. Dinner 6:45 p.m.

Black tie optional Michael’s On East, Sarasota, Florida

Dinner ChAirS Teri A Hansen Betty Schoenbaum Dr. Larry Thompson For information contact AJC Regional Director, Brian Lipton at 941.365.4955 or liptonb@ajc.org

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20B

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THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2011

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$649,000 St. Armands Tower North Full Gulf views, Updated , Covered parking, Pool.

A3934614 Michelle Musto 809-3714

Reduced $29,500 $549,500 Siesta- Crystal Sands 2BR/2BA Turn-key furnished villa w/garage .Totally updated with granite kitchen & baths. 2wk rental. A3933606 Team Mitchell 586-1754 Reduced $10K $525,000 Siesta-Sara Sands Roomy home on 1/3 acre lot with 105 ft. of sea-walled canal frontage with dock. Wide waterway leads to Bay. A3938533 Kim Gilliland 809-5151 Just Listed $450,000 Versailles Completely remodeled!

2BR/2BA end unit, Bay views from balcony. LUBE Italian crafted kitchen cabinets, heart of downtown Sarasota.

A3940369 Rayman/Tan 504-9232

$1,290,000 Bird Key Canal home, Updated, dock, Easy access to Intercoastal A3940076 Lynn McDonald 302-0054 ced Redu

00 104,0

$1,525,000 Bay Isles , Longboat Key Over 200 ft. water frontage w/ deep sailboat water lot.

A3923466 Mark Huber 356-2435

$ ced Redu

$1,299,000 Beau Ciel Lux. Bayfront, Downtown, Private elevator, 24 hr. Concierge.

A3922970 Linda A. Page 504-0123

00 85,0 d $9

00

16,0 d $6

ce Redu

ce Redu

$3,000,000 Country Club Shores, Longboat Key $995,000 Tangerine Bay Club, Longboat Key Gorgeous Bay views, Owner financing, gated.

Gorgeous Penthouse, Turnkey furnished, 2 Terraces.

A3905758 Teri Sax 228-5578 A3923029 Michael Granston 504-8018

$1,149,000 Pierre, Longboat Key $3,379,000 Lido Beach Gulf, golf & city views both inside& out! 8th Floor unit.

Yachtsman’s paradise, 50 ft. dock, Luxury estate A3929184 Bruce & Jenine Meyer 266-8152 A3916241 Owner/agent Lisa Morris 544-3332

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

of Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc.

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