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FREE•• THURSDAY, THURSDAY, JUNE JUNE 5, 5, 2014 2014 FREE
SEASON SPECIAL ER’S THE OBSERV
Look inside for your guide to this summer’s arts and social events.
Volunteers prepare for Olympic-level athletic competition. PAGE 3A
OUR TOWN
Photo courtesy of Cliff Roles
+ Ronson does double duty Longboat Key resident Harold Ronson, right, was a veteran on a mission to honor the war dead on Memorial Day. To that end, he made two presentations of beautifully framed posters featuring the famous image of the flag raising at Iwo Jima nearly 70 years ago. The first was to Dr. Joseph Mendels, left, board president of Jewish Family and Children’s Service at its Tribute to Veterans luncheon at Michael’s On East. Ronson went from there to make the same gift to Robert Carter, president and CEO of Senior Friendship Centers.
Courtesy photo
Assistant Sarasota County Administrator Lee Ann Lowery with Fire Chief Mike Tobias
+ Final salute The Sarasota County Fire Department honored Fire Chief Mike Tobias May 29, outside the Sarasota County Administration Building. Community leaders wished Tobias well at the farewell/ retirement ceremony, which included a color guard and final salute by the county Fire Department and Emergency Services personnel. Tobias served as Sarasota County Fire Chief for 35 years and was honored throughout the week for his years of service.
DIVERSIONS
UMMER 2014 SOCIETY | S E ARTS AND GUIDE TO TH
laughing matters
New black box theater to open downtown. INSIDE
mowing pains
by David Conway | News Editor
by David Conway | News Editor
COMEDY CENTRAL McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre owner Les McCurdy says despite the pain of moving his business, he made the right choice. Now it’s time to let the laughs begin.
David Conway
City staff may be charged with maintaining medians and other grassy spaces for several weeks.
City mowing contractor cuts service
F
or Les McCurdy, the worst part of moving his business is almost over — though a lot of work remains before he reaches that point. To prepare for next week’s opening of the new location of McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre and Humor Institute, the owner had to wrangle with city regulations and construction issues. There’s still a list of jobs to tackle: painting the building, putting up a sign and installing phones, lights, speakers and monitors. It’s a headache endemic to opening a new business anywhere, but that provides little solace to McCurdy with the June 11 opening day drawing nearer. “Without a doubt, no matter how meticulous you are in your planning, there will be issues,” McCurdy said. “There always are.” And, yet, about a month from now, he’s confident that headache will have been worth it. For McCurdy, the new location offers an opportunity that the old theater on Sarasota’s North Trail did not. “Growth,” McCurdy said. “In one word, growth.” In opening the new theater, located at 1923 Ringling Blvd., McCurdy believes he’s found a new world less than three miles from the previous location. He’s been seeking to move from a strip mall in North Sarasota for nearly two years now, but had been eying potential buildings along Fruitville Road or University
Following service issues, the city may now be on its own when it comes to turf maintenance.
Les and Pam McCurdy Mallory Gnaegy
IF YOU GO McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre pre-grand opening charity fundraiser What: The fundraiser will benefit the American Cancer Society. Entertainment includes performances by local musicians and Black Diamond Burlesque. Where: McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd. When: 6 to 9 p.m. Monday, June 9 Cost: $50. Tickets are available at mccurdyscomedy.com
9
JUNE
Parkway to better serve the Bradenton population the business draws. Instead, the downtown location presented an opportunity he couldn’t resist. The building, formerly occupied by Shaner’s Pizzeria, has
been vacant since last year. Property owner Mark Kauffman said he’s been trying to recruit McCurdy’s as a tenant for a decade, calling the business an important asset for the entire area. “I think it’s very significant — both for the building and downtown — to have him there,” Kauffman said. “We didn’t want to lose him within the confines of the city.” Based on the feedback from his clientele, McCurdy thinks he’s made the right choice. “People have said, ‘It couldn’t have been a more perfect location,’” McCurdy said. “And it couldn’t have been.”
Settling in
McCurdy has already teamed up with his neighbors. He’s serving as the president of the recently formed East End Association, which represents businesses near the eastern end of Main Street. Together, they want to establish that side of downtown as a more vibrant entertainment dis-
SEE MCCURDY’S / 12A
If the grass in the city’s medians starts to look overgrown in the next few weeks, it may be because it’s forced to maintain its greens without the assistance of its mowing contractor. That contractor, Championship Landscape Maintenance Professionals, notified the city that it intended to terminate its service agreement with the city May 29. This posed a problem for the city — in part, city spokeswoman Jan Thornburg said, because the company didn’t have the contractual authority to do so. On May 19, the city contacted Championship to issue a 30-day notice for the company to address some performance issues. Thornburg said that the city’s Code Compliance Division had seen a lack of service on lots it asked Championship to maintain, and a lack of communication with the mowing company in general. In response, the group notified the city that it was disinterested in continuing its services — a move the city is handling as a breach of contract. “They said, ‘We’re just not going to do it anymore,’” Thornburg said. The letter from Championship President and CEO John Fideli II says the company has been unable to get in contact with the city and unable to get paid in a timely manner. “With that being said, Championship, LLC has been put in a financial struggle,” Fideli wrote. “We cannot
SEE MOWING / 12A
INDEX Opinion.................8A Classifieds ........ 10B
Cops Corner....... 13A Crossword............ 9B
Permits................ 7B Real Estate.......... 6B
Sports................ 16A Weather............... 9B
Vol. 44, No. 45 | Four sections YourObserver.com