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SRQ DAILY Aug 19, 2014

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"Voters will will choose who most closely represents their values and who they have met personally, and I know that's me because I've knocked on about 10,000 or 12,000 doors."

- Richard DeNapoli, Florida House District 74 candidate.
 

[Politics]  Heated House Race Burns Toward Finish Line
Jacob Ogles, jacob.ogles@srqme.com

One of Southwest Florida's nastiest political campaigns effectively draws to a close in a week when voters choose the Republican nominee for Florida House of Representatives District 74. Orthopedic surgeon Julio Gonzalez and former Florida Real Estate Commissioner Richard DeNapoli have duked it out for months in a campaign marked by angry attack ads and outside funding.

DeNapoli said he has been disheartened by some of the more personal attacks, including ones about his military service and frequent characterization of him as a Charlie Crist Republican (Crist, a former Republican governor, is running for governor this year as a Democrat). "I'm not taking it personally but I think it's wrong to go there," he said. "Go and attack me on verifiable things. The things I have said about my opponent are based on things he's done or that he has written about," DeNapoli said.

Gonzalez meanwhile has been frustrated by suggestions his work on health care reform on behalf of physicians was being characterized as support for Democrats like U.S. Debbie Wasserman-Shultz, D-Pembroke Pines and Democratic National Committee Chair. "I have been surprised by the intensity of the smears and the willingness of my opponent and those supporting him to stray away from reality and into whatever fiction they want to create," he said.

For his part, DeNapoli said his military training ended early when he was injured during officer training, and he found it wrong he had to defend getting hurt. A televised ad from the Better Florida Fund said DeNapoli was "trying to trick voters he served as a U.S. Marine." "To make fun of someone for volunteering and getting injured in training is not right," said DeNapoli, adding he never tried to talk up his service record as more than it was. As for the Crist attacks, he said when he was working with the Broward County Republican Executive Committee he helped Crist only until Crist left the Republican Party.

As for Gonzalez, he has been irritated that work he did lobbying members of Congress on both sides of the aisle has been treated as some type of pro-ObamaCare work. He worked with groups that donated money across both sides of the aisle and worked with the offices of every member of Congress representing Florida, including Wasserman-Shultz. Much of that included fighting against Democratic programs included in the Affordable Care Act. "The complete denigration of the efforts I made to try and advocate for the health care system, things that were done in a positive and selfless manner, it takes what has been nearly a decade of work in some areas and makes it something completely opposite," he said.

In the end, both candidates feel confident going into the Aug. 26 primary and will work up until the last minute to get out their own support. Gonzalez was greeting voters at early voting spots in Venice on Monday while DeNapoli was knocking on voters' doors. Gonzalez hopes strong turnout will win the day for his campaign, and DeNapoli believes his personal interactions with voters would turn out well.

Floride House District 74 encompasses most of south Sarasota County. Tuesday's primary is only open to Republican voters. The winner will proceed to a general election against two write-in candidates. 

[Recognition]  MTI Instructor Wins International Award

Marina Proskurina, digital design instructor at Manatee Technical Institute, has earned two Merit Awards from the 2014 International Professional Photographers Association competition for one of her images, “Kaleidoscope.” This image was selected for the distinct honor of inclusion in the 2014 International Loan Collection Book. Proskurina also won three Merit Awards from the 2014 Florida State Competition for the same image plus two others, “Renaissance Reflection” and “Scrapbook of Life.”   

Manatee Technical Institute

[Expansion]  Real Fitness Introduces Real Barbell

Real Fitness Sarasota announced the launch of their new facility, Real Barbell, a hardcore, raw, strength-and-conditioning gym for athletes looking to take their performance to the next level. With a focus on bench press, deadlifts and squats, trainers at Real Barbell will assess, challenge, train, and push an athlete’s performance. Members can take advantage of the open-gym format, or follow a broad-and-basic programming schedule recommended by a trainer. Real Barbell is located in the Real Fitness Sarasota facility on S. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota and managed by strength and conditioning specialist Kipp Newton. 

Real Fitness Sarasota

[Recognition]  Local Architects Win Praise from AIA

Small Sarasota firm Sweet Sparkman Architects received big recognition from the Florida/Caribbean Association of the American Institute of Architects for three projects on July 19 in Miami.  The Honor Award of Excellence for New Work was received for Beach Pavilions in Sarasota County; the Merit Award of Excellence for Renovations was received for Strandhus -a residential project on Lido Key; and the Honor Award for Theoretical Research Designs was received for Sweet Sparkman’s exhibit at the Venice Biennale in Italy entitled Origins

Sweet Sparkman Architects

[From Sue Land]  Disappointment in Ramirez Coverage

While I am glad that your publication covered the vicious, sophmoric attack mailer sent by Mr. [Alan] Maio, it would have been appropriate for your article to include the fact that Ms. [Lourdes] Ramirez has an MBA and had a long career in the private corporate sector before retiring and opening the Isles of Avalon shop, which she operated for only a few years.  You should also have mentioned that Mr. Maio's early career was owner/manager of The Frosted Mug hot dog and rootbeer stand.  Your readers and voters deserve to know the whole truth, not just the latest gossip.

Sue Lang, Venice, regarding the article "Political Attacks Go From Hot to Medium" in the Aug. 14 edition of SRQ Daily 



[Congratulations]  You & SRQ
,

SRQ Homes Cover Feature (Nov 2013) wins 2 American Institute of Architects (AIA) awards! Congratulations to Halflants + Pichette, a modern design-build practice located in Sarasota, FL on receiving 2 State of Florida AIA awards in Miami, FL for design in both the built and unbuilt categories. With over 300 applications sent in for state recognition this year, Halflants + Pichette was the only firm to win multiple AIA awards in residential design. Further, Michael Halflants, a principal at Halflants + Pichette, has been invited to speak at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Colorado 2014 Practice and Design Conference in October. 
 Michael will be speaking on the subject of Design + Build Architecture firms. With Halflants + Pichette holding both architecture and construction licenses, the firm has had the opportunity to offer design and construction services on select projects. 

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SRQ DAILY is produced by SRQ | The Magazine. Note: The views and opinions expressed in the Saturday Perspectives Edition and in the Letters department of SRQ DAILY are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by SRQ Media. Senior Editor Jacob Ogles edits the Saturday Perspective Edition, Letters and Guest Contributor columns.In the CocoTele department, SRQ DAILY is providing excerpts from news releases as a public service. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SRQ DAILY. The views expressed by individuals are their own and their appearance in this section does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. For rates on SRQ DAILY banner advertising and sponsored content opportunities, please contact Ashley Ryan Cannon at 941-365-7702 x211 or via email

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