No one questions Manatee County's schools have seen many changes in the past four years. But a crucial School Board contest on Tuesday could determine whether there is a shift in tone in the immediate future. 

Incumbent Julie Aranibar, who won election four years ago on a platform of reform, is challenged on Tuesday by Mary Cantrell, former director of Manatee Technical Institute. The election for Manatee County School Board District 1 is open to all Manatee County voters.

The school district in Aranibar's first term saw a change in administration with the departure of Superintendent Tim McGonegal and the hiring of Superintendent Rick Mills. It also has seen intense scrutiny from the state, which threatened to take over the finances for the district, and significant turnover in high-level personnel. Aranibar said major change was absolutely necessary to address issues, and voters shouldn't change course now.

"I was willing to run in tough times to get things sorted out, and I am running again to continue the process," she said. She noted Manatee's state rankings have moved from 47th position among 67 school districts up to 37th position. The goal now should be continuing on a course of stable improvement.

Cantrell notes that the entire district was not in dire straights, and that in 18 years working at MTI she oversaw an evolution from an institution with a poor reputation to one now considered a jewel for Manatee County. "It's now a nationally known institution," she said. 

The focus of the School Board now, Cantrell said, should be on making a positive work environment for educators. Discord and constant incivility on the School Board has led to a difficult work environment within to teach, she said. "We need to see more respect shown between the School Board and people at the dais." Preserving competetive salaries for teachers and hearing the concerns of educators will improve the district in numerous ways, she said.

Aranibar said she is worried groundwork has already been layed, should there be a change in School Board make-up, to force Mills out as superintendent, and that would create chaos. "To put the district back in a tailspin would be very detrimental," she said. "We are just now operating with a balanced budget and a proper fund reserve." She also noted that the district in the past got into a rush to build and put too much focus on making new classrooms instead of supporting education in existing ones. 

Cantrell said she isn't running to fire anyone. "Enough people have been fired," she said. She also said Mills has been working under direction of the existing board, and she expects he would operate differently if the School Board was giving different direction. But she did note that some administration leaders for the county have been snapped up by other successful districts, and she doesn't want to continue seeing talented leaders lost to the competition.  

Intergalactic hostilities commence tonight at the South Florida Museum with a one-night-only production of the classic War of the Worlds in the Bishop Planetarium. Recreating the radio production that shot Orson Welles to fame is Dylan Jones and his new company Little Grey Hat Productions, named for Jones’ trademark cranial accessory, and they’re promising their own spin on the old favorite.

Formed earlier this year, Little Grey Hat is Jones’ attempt to create something new in the regional theater scene. “Mobile Theater” he calls it, because Little Grey Hat has no home, venturing from stage to stage with its shows. “Niche Theater” he calls it, aiming to fill in the gaps left in a field dominated by musical and classic theater. Instead of competing with the Asolo or Manatee Players, Jones is looking for that thing–that form, style or story-yet to be represented.

“When you’re in an area like this, you have to start wondering how you stand out. What are these places doing and what aren’t they doing?” said Jones. “I started Little Grey Hat because I wasn’t seeing a lot of the shows I wanted to see.”

What distinguishes this production from previous productions of War of the Worlds is that although the entirety of the original broadcast will be performed, it will be interspersed with a meta-narrative, written by Jones, following events inside the studio as the actors realize the impact of their performance.

And taking full advantage of the planetarium’s resources, Little Grey Hat’s production incorporates not only radio and stage theater, but also animation and projection, as outside events and thematic touches play across the planetarium screen. The planetarium’s new state-of-the-art Bose sound system will also be put to work as events unfold to a “mind-bending” finale.

A participatory show, the audience gets to join in the fun, yelling, cheering and screaming with the actors. 

“This is the most interesting show I’ve ever done because it mixes so many types of media,” said actor Matthew Quick, a graduate of Manatee School for the Arts and Florida School of the Arts and one of six actors in the show. “When I heard about it, I thought ‘I definitely want to be part of this.’”

As for Jones, he’s excited for the show but also for the prospect of performing in a planetarium, with all the challenges and boons that provides.

“The fact that you can do theater in here is something that not many people have realized,” said Jones. “This was very much an experiment to see what I could do with the space and how far I could go.”

War of the Worlds shows tonight at 7:30pm in the Bishop Planetarium. Tickets are $20 while seats last.

The night also marks the opening of the new traveling exhibit from The Smithsonian Institution, The Evolving Universe, from 5:30-7pm. Showcasing the wonders of our universe, the exhibit explores the farthest and most beautiful corners of space through photographs from multiple space telescopes, including the Hubble. The exhibit will be on display in the South Florida Museum until Jan. 4. 

Coastal Orthopedics Sports Medicine and Pain Management introduced a new orthopedic spine surgeon to the practice. Dr. Eric Sundberg will join the group beginning Nov. 1. Sundberg graduated summa cum laude from California State University, Long Beach. While an undergraduate, he served as team captain and most valuable player for the college’s nationally recognized extracurricular men’s soccer club. Sundberg then matriculated to Stanford University School of Medicine, where he completed medical school and was then accepted to stay at Stanford University for a five-year orthopedic surgery residency. Most recently, Sundberg completed his additional one-year fellowship at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago in orthopedic spine surgery. 

Coastal Orthopedics

Designing Women announced it has retained the services of consultant Karin Gustafson to provide guidance and a fresh perspective to an organization that is in the midst of a particularly busy period of growth and expansion. Gustafson joined the group in October and is slated to provide services over a three-month period, with her efforts primarily focused on facilitating a smooth leadership transition, evaluating a charitable gifts program, mentoring and enlisting board members, and advising on the development of new committees and strategies. 

Designing Women Boutique

Mattison’s Grille on the Green is the new concessionaire at Bobby Jones Golf Club offering breakfast and lunch items to golfers and non-golfers alike. Mattison’s Grille on the Green offers tasty breakfast and lunch options with an emphasis on swift service for those returning to the fairway.  The restaurant, including a full bar, is open to the public every day 6:30am-6pm. 

Bobby Jones Golf Club

Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight was honored by the Florida State University College of Criminology and Criminal Justice as a Distinguished Alumni. The College presented Sheriff Knight with the award at the Alumni and Friends of Criminology Hall of Fame Celebration in Tallahassee. 

Sarasota Sheriffs Department

Here comes the spookiest night of the year, but it'll be fine for Max and Fluffy if you exercise some prudence and common sense. Dogs naturally love sugar and are interested in all candy, but candy is bad news for a couple of reasons. Depending on the size of your dog, chocolate can literally be lethal, and artificial sweeteners commonly found in some candies and gum are often highly toxic. And Max will happily wolf down a handful of candies, but will not likely bother to unwrap them. (No thumbs.) So candy wrappers pose a big choke hazard, not to mention the possibility of upsetting his tummy or causing a gastrointestinal blockage. If you suspect Fluffy has ingested something toxic you can call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.  

If Max doesn't dig wearing a costume, give him a break and don't make him wear one. Some dogs really do love it, but for those who don't, it can cause undue stress. If you do dress him up, make sure the costume isn't annoying or unsafe. It should not constrict his movement or hearing or impede his ability to breathe or bark. And be sure to try it on before the big night. If he seems distressed, allergic or shows any kind of weird behavior, consider letting him go au naturale or donning a festive bandana.  When opening the door for trick-or-treaters, take care that Fluffy and Max don't have a chance to dart out. And make sure they have proper identification just in case. A collar with tags and/or a microchip can be a lifesaver. 

Finally, all but the most social dogs and cats should probably be kept in a separate room away from the front part of the house during peak trick-or-treating hours, as constant doorbell ringing and frenetic front door activity can be really stressful for many dogs.

A native of Louisiana, SRQ Daily Columnist Gregg Flowers owns Dog's Best Friend Dog Training Services here in Sarasota, where he "teaches dogs and trains people." Gregg became fascinated by our relationship with dogs as a boy in the '60s, and by 1985 had developed his own unique style of working with dogs and their humans 

The second annual Archtober Festival presented by Center for Architecture Sarasota comes to a close this week. The month long celebration of architecture and design presented the community with events meant to broaden the public’s awareness and appreciation of a range of relevant subjects. Over 400 people attended the kick-off, lectures, panel discussion, atelier talks and house tour. The interesting fact is that over 60 percent of the attendees were non-professionals demonstrating that our community is interested in the built environment. There are a growing number of similar organizations in cities across the country including New York, Miami, Dallas, Columbus and Charlotte. And, this is with good reason. As Winston Churchill famously stated, “We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.”

Interior renovation of the historic Scott Building, the future home of Center for Architecture Sarasota, began this week. This exciting milestone marks the beginning of the next chapter in the growth of an organization with a mission committed to connecting new audiences to the universal impact of architecture and design in our environment. The renovation will transform a commercial iconic building of the Sarasota School of Architecture into The Center, a destination for anyone with an interest in and appreciation for the built environment. A wide-range of offerings will present opportunities for the public to hear from leaders of various design disciplines, view exhibits on the built environment and engage in discussions germane to current affairs in our community.  Additionally, The Center will become a vehicle for young people to discover the design profession and network in a more casual atmosphere than the usual professional or academic setting. It will be a dynamic place, a classroom, a community forum, a destination where the appreciation of architecture, urban planning and design will undoubtedly be nurtured. 

This month we share ideas, insights and stories from the Center for Architecture Sarasota, an SRQ Story Project partner. 

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