bserver O LONGBOAT
You. Your neighbors. Your neighborhood.
Thursday, JUNE 28, 2012
DIVERSIONS
Spirit of America
BUSINESS
LLSA Chamber announces annual award winners. PAGE 16A
OUR TOWN
The Venice Theatre’s Kristofer Geddie stirs the melting pot. INSIDE
America
Beautiful
THE
SPECIAL SECTION INSIDE
nag of nature
by Robin Hartill | City Editor
Debby Downer
Tropical Storm Debby was an unwelcome guest but appears to have spared the Key major damages. Photo courtesy of Mary Lou Johnson
Charlie, the Weimaraner
+ Dog finds a nice home On Memorial Day weekend, Bill and Mary Lou Johnson’s daughter and sonin-law fell in love — with a dog. Andrew and Randi Mackintosh went to Shop and Share at Lilly Pulitzer, an event benefiting the Big Dog Ranch Rescue, in Wellington. They played with a purebred Weimaraner, named Charlie, and decided to adopt him. He is adapting well to his new life. The Johnsons’ other daughter, Erica, adopted a shar-pei mix the year before. Both grand-dogs visit Longboat Key regularly.
+ Welfonder secures book contract Longboat Key resident and USA Today bestselling author Sue-Ellen Welfonder signed a new four-book contract with Grand Central Publishing/GCP (former Time Warner Books). This historical romance novel series will be written and produced within 30 months. In addition, a related e-novella to promote the new series will be launched prior to the first title’s release. For more information, visit welfonder. com.
Photos by Mallory Gnaegy
The Longbeach Village neighborhood saw flooding in the streets beginning Sunday. Tropical Storm Debby flooded Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant & Pub once on Sunday, twice on Monday and again Tuesday morning. She was like an unruly guest who just kept coming back. In her fury she even destroyed wine-and-beer coolers and tore about 20 boards from the restaurant’s dock. “We had about a foot of water in the restaurant,” said Anthony Cucci, manager of Mar Vista. “We had water, seaweed, fish.”
Cucci said Tuesday afternoon that he hoped to reopen for dinner that night. In terms of her wrath, Debby has been lenient. She brought tropical-storm strength winds but most of her damages were fairly mild. According to Town Manager David Bullock, high tide was a major issue because it hit at the same time that flooding peaked. But the slow-moving Debby still wasn’t done with the Key on Tuesday afternoon.
age-old question
At press time, a National Weather Service tropical storm warning and flood warning remained in effect. Forecasts called for a 70% chance of rain Wednesday, which would make for the fifth consecutive day of showers. More than 100 FPL customers on the Key were without power on Tuesday. Many streets in the Village and other low-lying areas remained flooded, with waters receding
SEE DEBBY / PAGE 2A
A tree at the Longboat Key Club and Resort was damaged due to winds from the storm.
by Robin Hartill | City Editor
Firefighters contribute pension proposal Turtle tracks Week of June 17 through June 23
Nests...............................74 False crawls.....................68 2012 2011 Nests
341
140
False crawls 233
106
Firefighters say they’re willing to accept changes that could reduce their pension benefits but will reject any 401(a) plan. Imagine this: You’re trapped on the ninth floor of a high-rise condominium that’s on fire. Elevators aren’t working, but you know that a firefighter is climbing the stairs, ready to carry you to safety.
Now, imagine this: That firefighter is 65 years old. Currently, that’s unlikely to happen because firefighters usually retire in their 50s. But firefighters told town officials during Friday, June 22 contract negotiations that it could be a real consequence of
freezing their pension plan and transitioning them to definedcontribution 401(a) plans, as proposed in May by Town Manager David Bullock. They said that they would have to work longer in a high-risk job to get them to the age at which they
could collect Social Security and Medicare benefits. “Do you want firefighters out here at 65 years of age?” asked firefighter/paramedic Keith Tanner, who serves as the Longboat Key Fire Rescue District vice president. Tanner told the town that firefighters aren’t willing to accept the
SEE FIREFIGHTER / PAGE 9A
INDEX Bridge Bites....... 27A Briefs....................4A
Classifieds ........ 29A Cops Corner..........9A
Crossword.......... 28A Opinion.................8A
Real Estate........ 25A Weather............. 28A
Vol. 34, No. 49 | Three sections YourObserver.com