SARASOTA
Observer YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 12, NO. 2
FREE
YOUR TOWN
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Chagall exhibit set for Selby in 2017. PAGE 10A
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015
MARCHING ORDERS The 2015 holiday parade was organizer Paul Thorpe’s last. With no apparent successor, what does the future hold for the event?
The 2015 Downtown Sarasota Holiday Parade shines with seasonal spirit. SEE PAGE 1B
SEE PAGE 4A Jack Short
Florida snowman makes Siesta appearance Floridians are dreaming of a white Christmas — one with the powdery white sand of Siesta Key. This lady, whom we'll call Sandy the sandwoman, was found near the red lifeguard stand Saturday afternoon on Siesta Key Public Beach. Her buttons were made of shells, her arms were branches, and yes, that's a baby carrot for a nose. Sandy basked in the sun, but we're certain her cousin, Frosty the snowman, would have melted in Florida’s winter temperatures.
Amanda Morales
Parade marshal and organizer Paul Thorpe rides along with his wife, JoAnn Thorpe, in the 20th annual Downtown Sarasota Holiday Parade.
Courtesy
Football fans gang up to collect toys Every Sunday from noon to nighttime, a group of 52 residents gather at Village Walk in Palmer Ranch. The neighbors, who call themselves Our Gang Football bonded over their love of football several years ago. Last year, Tony and Tinker Britton asked attendees to bring a toy to donate to Toys for Tots. They did that and more. This year, the group repeated its efforts and collected 216 toys and 35 bicycles. Diane Yarrington is a regular at Our Gang Football gatherings. “All of our children are grown up, so we don’t have little kids to buy gifts for now, so this was a special time,” Yarrington said.
City focuses on energizing parks The city wants to embrace a more proactive philosophy for managing its parks. Constrained by budget limitations for years, how can staff create more recreation opportunities?
DAVID CONWAY NEWS EDITOR
Forget bringing back benches. The city is embarking on an even more ambitious quest to inject activity into Five Points Park. Officials don’t know much about the scope of changes at this point. City Manager Tom Barwin is interested in experimenting, though, and during the past six months, he’s spoken openly about his desire to create more energy in the downtown public space. On Monday, the City Commission authorized Barwin and staff to engage in that experimentation at their discretion. Barwin said he would begin consulting with residents and businesses regarding potential changes, at which point the city will try out ways of activating the park. It likely means benches will return to Five Points, nearly five years after the commission
David Conway
City Manger Tom Barwin supports increased parks activity.
SEE ACTIVE LIVING PAGE 3A
A+E Pops Orchestra combines music, theater. INSIDE
BLACK
TIE
An evening at the Moulin Rouge INSIDE