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SRQ DAILY May 14, 2015

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"We're building some great credibility in the music world."

- Turner Moore, Harvey Milk Festival
 

[Festival]  Harvey Milk Festival Arrives
Philip Lederer, Phil.Lederer@srqme.com

The 6th Annual Harvey Milk Festival kicks off tonight at Burns Court Cinema with a screening of the film Tiger Orange, ushering in three days of film, music and visual art celebrating the artistic achievements and endeavours of the LGBT community in Sarasota/Bradenton and beyond. In addition to tonight’s screening, this year’s festival includes a special curated show at Equality Gallery opening on Friday, showcasing area LGBT artists, and the always-popular closing concert in Five Points Park, bringing 10 bands and solo artists to the stage for near nine hours of community celebration.

Begun six years ago by local organizer, Shannon Fortner, and named for the San Francisco city leader who became the first openly gay person to hold public office in California, the festival continues to expand, according to Harvey Milk Festival vice president Turner Moore, which includes renewed focus on film, a later development for the festival.

“It adds a different arts component to the event in recognizing what other LGBT people are doing out there in the entertainment world,” said Moore, who joined the festival in its second year. “Every year, notable LGBT films come out and it made sense to include them.” Tiger Orange, which tells the story of two gay brothers reconnecting in their hometown after a long estrangement, won the Grand Jury Award for Best Actor at the latest Outfest Film Festival in Los Angeles. Local writer Anthony Paull will play host while comedian Blake McIntyre delivers a set before the film.

The festival continues the following night on the third floor of The Hub, where curators Amanda Nicole and Natalya Swanson will unveil the 2015 Equality exhibit, bringing work from local, regional and national artists together for a fleeting show from 7pm-11pm. Local musicians Lesa Silvermore and Sandi Grecco are also slated to perform.

The revelry culminates Sunday afternoon at Five Points Park, where ten bands and a handful of speakers, including Fortner and keynote speaker Ken Shelin, will perform a series of sets from 2:30pm to midnight. Attendees will recognize local favorites such as Jami Gee and MeteorEYES, as well as national headlining acts like Bright Light Bright Light, the Welsh performer previously touring his debut album with greats like Elton John. In this arena especially, the festival is gaining national and international traction, says Moore. “This year, for the first time, promoters and booking agents are contacting us,” said Moore. “We’re building some great credibility in the music world.”

But, of course, the festival isn’t just fun for fun’s sake, and that’s important to Moore. “It’s a great way for the general public to be made aware of the LGBT equality struggles,” said Moore, citing Florida as the last state to lift bans on adoptions by gay couples and the state’s recent lift on the ban on gay marriage. “Incrementally, we’re making a lot of progress. Florida is an incredibly diverse state and equality issues affect all of us.”

The Harvey Milk Festival begins tonight at Burns Court Cinema with a screening of Tiger Orange. Tickets cost $10. The 2015 Equality exhibit opens 7pm, May 14, at The Hub and is free to attend. Saturday’s concert in Five Points Park is also free to attend and begins at 2:30pm.  

Pictured: Bright Light Bright Light. Courtesy of: Harvey Milk Festival

[Politics]  Sarasota Shifts From Campaigning to Governance
Jacob Ogles, jacob.ogles@srqme.com

When a Sarasota city election this week resulted in upsets for two incumbents appointed in November, there was speculation immediately about the long-term impacts at Sarasota City Hall. But while people had different thoughts on what forces led to the change election, all agreed it was a bit early to guess how Commissioners-elect Liz Alpert and Shelli Freeland Eddie would govern.

The newly-elected officials themselves seemed to suggest it was early to speculate. Eddie stressed she won't be sworn in until Friday and has not even recieved her first agenda book detailing isses for the board to handle. "One of the things I said at the beginning was that I wanted to repair relations with county commissioners as best as I can," she said. "I'm anxious to get in there and speak with people."

Casey Colburn, chairman of the Downtown Sarasota Alliance, viewed the election as a critical moment when the “political bosses” who rose to prominence in a similar ouster of incumbents in 2007 came into power. But he did not consider the new commissioners’ victory to be a win for other forces such as business or development. “It’s not about the traditional stuff,” he said. He hopes a change means certain topics, like moving elections to November, will be entertained. But he noted neither Alpert nor Eddie comes into their positions with huge loyalties to any camp in city politics.

Neighborhood activist Gretchen Serrie, who had supported incumbents Eileen Normile and Stan Zimmerman in the race, said the biggest issue moving forward may be regaining collegiality after a bruising election. “There are a lot of raw and hurt feelings,” she said, “and they will have to work hard not to continue animosity.” She said she was unsure what direction commissioners will go in terms of city policy from here, but was most concerned that the commission work together on policy matters. “I don’t want a dysfunctional commission.”

The new commissioners will be sworn in during a special meeting on Friday at noon at City Hall. Mayor Willie Shaw will make a State of the City address, and Normile and Zimmerman are expected to make remarks before Alpert and Eddie are sworn in. A new mayor and vice mayor will be selected at the meeting after new commissioners take office. 

[Recognition]  FST Receives Support From Selby Foundation

Florida Studio Theatre has received a $100,000 contribution from the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation, to assist with the renovation of the historic Keating Theatre’s terrace and restrooms, as part of the $1.3 million project: The Palm Avenue Project. This capital effort encompasses extensive renovations to the historic Keating Theatre, Goldstein Cabaret, and Sudakoff Theatre Wing, readying the theatre for its next growth phase. 

Florida Studio Theatre

[Opening]  County Opens Landfill

County commissioners and staff celebrated the opening of the new Landfill Gas to Energy Facility. The clean-energy facility, a joint project between the county and Landfill Energy Systems Florida, began operating in February on the grounds of the Central County Solid Waste Disposal Complex in Nokomis. Tuesday's ribbon-cutting ceremony was the first chance for officials and the general public to see the plant in action. 

Sarasota County

[Dog's Best Friend]  Continuing Leash Training
Gregg Flowers

Last time I mentioned the basics of leash work for a puppy-centered on disallowing him to lead, keeping him moving and not letting him put his nose on the ground. This protocol re-stimulates a primal, wolf like awareness he already carries in his subconscious. For us it's a "walk.” For him, it's something else. He comes to see it as "patrolling his territory with his leader,” and it's one of the most important aspects of him deferring to your rank, because in his head, whoever leads on the leash is the leader. The reason we don't let him put his nose on the ground but rather, insist he only sniffs the air as we walk, is because we don't want to encourage "tracking.” We're "patrolling.” 

When he's allowed you to lead him a bit, you can select a place to release him to lead you around for a minute, sniff and perhaps mark a bush or something, then he falls back in, and we're back on patrol. When you've spent a few weeks executing the above parameters of the walk with your puppy, allowing him to sort of meander from side to side, start gently insisting he stay on your left. The left hand side is traditionally the rule, although it's the dog owner's prerogative. 

Use some sort of slip collar at this juncture. A so called "choke chain" is the right idea in terms of the proper tool for initial "heel" training, but I have an aversion to the term "choke chain,” because if you're choking your dog with it, you're not using it correctly. It's designed to give a quick bump on the leash, then release. Additionally, the chain version of a "correction collar,” because of its weight, has a tendency to slip down to the strongest part of a dog's neck. The best idea is to find a lightweight version and keep it adjusted up very high on Max's neck. The way show dogs wear them.

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 

[Forty Carrots Family Center]  What's Happening Here?

It looks like I am playing, but I am practicing social skills with my peers. When I am able to role play and learn about the experiences of others, I build my independence, empathy and imagination. I learn about responsibility and sense of community. Together we are learning that there is more to the world than what we know and experience, and that we are able to accomplish great things by working together. Every opportunity I have to explore dramatic play helps me learn how to interact with others and about different roles in society. I may find early on that certain roles feel more natural to me and grow up to be a firefighter, teacher, parent or veterinarian. Every opportunity I have to explore and discover helps shape my sense of self. 

The early childhood education programs provided by Forty Carrots Family Center are designed to provide children with the skills they need start off on the right foot. Experiencing the world through exploration and play encourages healthy brain development, critical social skills and responsible behavior. By providing opportunities for children to play alongside their parents through programs like Partners in Play, Forty Carrots nurtures the whole family for a lifetime of learning and positive relationships.

For more information about the programs and early childhood learning opportunities at Forty Carrots, contact Preschool Director, Rebecca Lockwood.

Forty Carrots Family Center is a 2015 SRQ Story Project partner and the featured non-profit organization this May. To learn more about the numerous education and outreach programs provided by Forty Carrots, visit them online at FortyCarrots.org or call (941) 365-7716.  

SRQ Media Group

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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