In a further bid in its campaign to dispel the “Myth of the Starving Artist,” Ringling College of Art and Design has teamed up with John Korff of the Sarasota Half Music Marathon to introduce the first ever Sarasota Hunger Games. From Apr. 11 to Apr. 12 select students from the various departments within the college will be pitted in a campus-wide no-holds-barred fight to the death in the name of arts education awareness. The winner will receive full scholarships for up to two years and a $50 gift certificate to Michael's, while all runner-ups receive custom headstones to be determined from the college’s upcoming “Etched In Stone” design competition.

“Just like in art, there are no rules,” declared Ringling College President Dr. Larry Thompson, suspended above the student body in a Giger-esque bodysuit of fire and leather. “Well, almost none.” With traditional weapons banned, students will be forced to rely on their ingenuity, crafting deadly weapons from common artistic implements. Students are also forbidden from crying until the competition, and the cameras, leave.

“You’d expect the sculpture students to be the real threat, but that’s not the case,” said sophomore illustration major Sarika Bhupalam, melting the bristles of her paintbrush into something resembling a prison shiv. “It’s the computer animation people you’ve got to watch out for. They do crazy things in there.”

Five students from each of the college’s 13 departments were chosen by lottery yesterday evening to dismember their classmates for the glory of their chosen field. Winners such as Bhupalam will be exempt from classes through the end of the competition and given free access to an obstacle course and fitness regimen designed by Korff, drawing from his experience both in Sarasota and in New York, where he founded the New York City Triathlon.

“I wasn’t quite sure what they were talking about when I signed up; I thought they were kidding until they showed me the funding,” said Korff, who reports he has not slept or eaten since. “But I’m honored, I guess? Anything that gets the kids up and moving and gets their blood pumping.”

“Or flowing,” quipped Thompson, cackling into the sky before pausing to lay a fatherly hand on the shoulder of a crying lottery winner. “May the arts be ever in your favor.”

Winners and their respective odds for survival can be found at the Sarasota Hunger Games website. All bets are final, with proceeds going to the new Student Life building planned for 2016.  

Realize Bradenton officials and Bradenton community leaders celebrated last night with the announcement that Realize Bradenton’s community initiative, “ReuseReCONNECT,” has been named among the winners of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Knight Cities Challenge. Out of over 7,000 initiatives proposed from 26 cities across the country, Realize Bradenton’s initiative was one of only 32 selected for funding from the Knight Foundation, which challenged community leaders to create innovative solutions to foster community engagement and economic development.

The ReuseReCONNECT initiative strives to better utilize existing outdoor and vacant spaces as opportunities for community dialogue and civic engagement. Through a series of ‘Pop-Ups for a Purpose’ events set throughout downtown, key designer and creative associate for Realize Bradenton, Morgan Bettes, hopes to foster a new level of engagement among millennials and bring disparate voices into shared conversation for new economic opportunities. The initiative will receive $90,140 in funding from the Knight Foundation.

“We believe that Downtown is everybody’s neighborhood,” said Realize Bradenton executive director Johnette Isham, reminding the crowd that the younger demographic will soon be 75% of the workforce. “We’re going to rock Bradenton; we are laser-focused on economic development and how to attract the younger generation.” 

This Sunday is Easter and if you have yet to make Brunch Reservations I have three excellent recommendations. The outstanding Mozaic Restaurant in downtown Sarasota is offering a 3 course menu for $39 featuring delectable options such as Lemongrass-Scented Lobster and New Zealand Mussels Bisque and Home-Cured Faroe Islands Salmon Gravlox. The Mozaic presents one of my favorite Savor Sarasota menus every year, so I have no doubt that this will be a meal to remember. The, always superb, Polo Grill and Bar in Lakewood Ranch will be presenting a more traditional brunch offering for $39.95 that will include enough dazzling stations and options to make traditional feel exceptionally special, the Seafood Bar alone will be a thing of joy featuring treats like Chilled Prince Edward Island Mussels with Champagne Vinaigrette and Applewood Smoked Trout with Horseradish. There will also be several Chef Manned Stations as well as various hot and cold stations. The Table Creekside and Lounge is serving an a la carte menu featuring their unique global take on Brunch with large portions of artfully presented and incomparably delicious items such as the Land Benedict (pictured above) or the King Crab Biscuits and Gravy. The Table will also be serving their acclaimed dinner menu and, arguably, the best craft cocktails in Sarasota – bacon-infused Bloody Mary, anyone? 

Sarasota and Manatee County hosted the Modern Pentathlon World Cup #1 this past February and the Sarasota Bradenton Modern Pentathlon Organizing Committee reports roughly 13,500 guests attended World Cup #1 events and estimates roughly 20% of those attending traveled from outside of the region. According to Visit Sarasota County, the event infused over $5.7 million into the local economy and is a significant increase from last June’s 9,000 spectators, 150 international visitors, and $2 million in economic impact.  

Sarasota Bradenton Modern Pentathlon

Sarasota restaurateur Michael Klauber takes a page out of the comics for his latest themed restaurant on Bee Ridge, Klauberin' Time. With a menu featuring favorites such as the Cosmic Ray Cosmopolitan, surprises like the fiery Flame On French Fries and reliably pliant and invisible staff setting the mood, it's another fantastic addition for the Klauber name. 

Klauberin' Time

Bringing with him more than three decades of contracting experience, Alan C. Miller recently joined the staff of the Venice-based construction company, J.E. Charlotte Construction Corp. as the firm’s new vice president of operations. Prior to joining, Miller was instrumental in plotting growth and management strategy at a general contracting firm in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. In his new role, Miller will manage all J.E. Charlotte Construction Corp. projects and assist with pre-construction planning, allowing company President and CEO Jeff Charlotte to concentrate on business development. 

J.E. Charlotte Construction Corp.

Sarasota Memorial Nursing and Rehab Center ranked among U.S. News’ “Best Nursing Homes” in 2015. The report highlights the top nursing homes in every state and nearly 100 major metropolitan areas, covering almost 16,000 nursing homes nationwide. To create the list, U.S. News drew on data from Nursing Home Compare, a program run by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the federal agency that sets and enforces standards for nursing homes, and awarded a "Best Nursing Homes" designation to facilities that earned the agency's highest overall rating of five stars.  

Sarasota Memorial Hospital