bserver O SARASOTA
You. Your neighbors. Your neighborhood.
Suncoast Super Boat Grand Prix fans are revved up for festival. PAGE 18A.
OUR TOWN
DIVERSIONS
Spirit of America
IN FOCUS
The Venice Theatre’s Kristofer Geddie stirs the melting pot. INSIDE
America
Beautiful
THE
SPECIAL SECTION INSIDE
‘do you srq?’
Thursday, JUNE 28, 2012
by Kurt Schultheis | City Editor
SRQ unveils marketing campaign Sarasota-Bradenton International’s goal is to reduce airport ‘leakage’ 3.8% annually over the next five years.
Courtesy photo
Sonia Pressman Fuentes presents Caitlin Gish and Kaley deLeon with copies of her memoirs.
+ Booker Middle School students take flight
Do You SRQ? If you don’t, Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport President Fred Piccolo is determined to make sure that you — and the company you work for — start. And, at the very least, airport officials want you to start price
checking local airfares before automatically booking a flight at Tampa International Airport or other competing airports. At a press conference Wednesday, June 27, at the Powel Crosley Mansion across the street from the airport, Piccolo officially re-
leased the “Do You SRQ?” marketing campaign and initiatives for reducing what the airport industry terms as “leakage” to other airports. Airport statistics show more than 1 million local passengers leak to Tampa International Air-
Three eighth-grade Booker Middle School students recently won first place in their division at the Florida State History Fair, held in Tallahassee. Camille Armington, Kaley deLeon and Caitlin Gish were recognized for creating a website called, “Amelia Earhart: Aviator for Women’s Rights.” The website explores Earhart’s life and feminist values. The group of students was the first team from Sarasota to take first place in the fair, and their achievements caught the attention of feminist activist Sonia Pressman Fuentes, who visited Booker to present them with a copy of her memoir.
SEE AIRPORT / PAGE 2A
Reid seeks honest procurement director County Administrator Randall Reid backed his zero-tolerance ethics policy with the county procurement official’s resignation.
+ Janson fulfills Olympic dream Lacy Janson is one of the most decorated pole-vaulters in U.S. history and now the Sarasota native can add Olympian to her list of accolades. Janson, a 2001 graduate of Cardinal Mooney High School, captured the final spot on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team June 24, clearing 14 feet, 9 inches to finish third at the U.S. track and field trials at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. Janson will make her Olympic debut in the women’s pole vault qualifier Aug. 4; the final is Aug. 6. “To say it was emotional would be an understatement,” said John Raleigh, who coached Janson for two years at Cardinal Mooney. “It’s any coach’s dream. Lacy was a great combination of a great athlete and a very hard worker, who is willing to do whatever it takes to be successful.”
port; a quarter-million passengers leak to Southwest International Airport, in Fort Myers, and a little more than 125,000 people leak to Orlando International Airport — every year. Piccolo hopes that more than 1,000 local businesses and nonprofit companies sign a pledge
BIBLE BUDDIES Nick Friedman
Zoey and Emma take a break from snack time during the first day of First United Methodist Church’s Vacation Bible School. Students learned Biblical stories and played games on the first day. For more photos, see page 15A.
Sarasota County Administrator Randall Reid enjoys his job. That’s good for him, because overseeing 2,000 employees and hundreds of government facilities leaves little time to think of anyReid thing else. In fact, Reid finds it difficult to say what he does for leisure. “I can make up some pretty good-sounding answers,” he said, “but I’m probably thinking about work.” That dedication is a good thing for Sarasota County, as well. In the middle of Reid preparing his first county budget, Sarasota County Procurement Official Mark Thiele resigned and Tropical Storm Debby forced Reid to declare a local state of emergency. That’s some half-year celebration for the 57-year-old Ohio native, who left the same position in Alachua County after 12 years, to take over a county reeling from a procurement scandal. “Sarasota is a premier county,” Reid said. “And, one of my goals coming in was to remind people we’re
Scouts’ Honor Sarasota County Administrator Randall Reid taps into his history as a Boy Scout in his decision-making, as well as, the ethical standards he set for county workers. He rattled off, with gusto, the 12 values of Scout Law in an interview with the Sarasota Observer: from trustworthy to reverent. And having a Scout at the head of a county government during hurricane season means preparedness is the mantra this summer. “It was a kids’ game that I carried on through adulthood,” he said. a premier county.” That began with an ethical overhaul of the organization in which Reid sent government staff a twopage set of guidelines to ethical work habits and procedures. The main points: honesty and transparency are sacred.
SEE REID / PAGE 2A
INDEX Briefs.................... 4A Classifieds..........26A
Cops Corner.......... 9A Crossword...........25A
Opinion................. 8A Real Estate.........22A
Sports.................24A Vol. 8, No. 34 | Three sections Weather..............25A YourObserver.com