SIESTA KEY
Observer Formerly the Pelican Press
1925-2016: Gen. Heiser
PAGE 11A
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 46, NO. 48
FREE
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THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
Southside Spirit
A historical home gets a glamorous makeover. SEE PAGE 1B
Anna Brugmann
A weather-worn roadblock sits at the intersection of Beach Road and Columbus Boulevard, blocking thru-traffic to the northern portion of Beach Road.
Amanda Morales
The recently restored Hawthorne Street home of Henry and Susanne Rodriguez offers a glimpse into Sarasota circa the 1920s.
YOUR TOWN
File photo
2015’s winning photo – Wendy Pittman and her new friend enjoy the East County Observer at the busiest square in Africa, Jemaa el-Fnaa Market in Marrakesh, Morocco.
Traveling this summer? Take us for the ride Where will we travel in our 2016 “It’s Read Everywhere” contest? Take a picture of yourself on vacation with your Observer, and you could win a smile makeover courtesy of Dr. Jill Morris. Winners will be announced in the fall. Email submissions to msasser@ yourobserver.com.
TURTLE TRACKS
BOBBY JONES’ GREENS PROBLEM
Resident files legal action over Beach Road A Siesta Key resident has filed a legal complaint against the county for giving up a restricted portion of the roadway. ANNA BRUGMANN STAFF WRITER
Less than a century ago, properties along the northern-most portion of Siesta Key’s Beach Road weren’t considered beachfront homes. They were a block away, separated from the gulf by a row of residential lots. But today, it’s hard to distinguish Beach Road from the beach itself. Thru-traffic has not been allowed on the road since 1993. More than two decades later, the asphalt juts out, half covered in sand.
The deteriorating course has put staff in a rough spot as the city seeks to dip into an earmarked fund to pay for new greens at Bobby Jones.
SEE BEACH PAGE 6A
A+E
SEE PAGE 3A
Urbanite Theatre secures stability offstage. INSIDE
AS OF JUNE 18 TOTAL NESTS: 2016 2015 Lido Beach 45 38 Siesta Key 139 199 Casey Key 664 513 TOTAL FALSE CRAWLS: 2016 2015 Lido Beach 49 62 Siesta Key 139 213 Casey Key 1,001 440 Source: Mote Marine Laboratory David Conway