Bradenton Beach voters on Tuesday elected to recall Mayor Bill Shearon six months before the end of his term. In a separate vote, they elected Jack Clarke, former vice mayor, to fill out the rest of Shearon’s term. A special election drew 759 voters, representing a 47.17 percent turnout in the tiny barrier island municipality.

Ultimately, 182 voters (50.84 percent) voted in favor of recalling Shearon, with 174 voters (48.6 percent) voting against the move, according to unofficial final results. Shearon and Clarke were the only candidates on a separate question about who would fill out the term in the event of a recall. In that election, Clark took 185 votes (51.68 percent) to Shearon’s 172 votes (48.04 percent). That marks an eight-vote margin in favor of the recall. When Shearon was elected in 2013, he beat incumbent John Shaughnessy by seven votes.

Shearon and Clarke were at odds at City Hall pretty much from the moment the mayor took office, with Clarke in September submitting a list of grievances while alleging Shearon was eroding trust in the local government. That had come after Shearon fired a city clerk months after her hire. Shearon was later accused of violating the Sunshine Law in communications with other elected officials. 

The fish in the tanks at Mote Aquarium are hardly the only ones upon which researchers at Mote Marine Laboratory place their attention. At a community event this week in Tampa, Mote officials focused on the launch of its Fisheries Conservation and Enhancement Initiative, a $6-million drive focused on the fish populations in Sarasota Bay. 

“We work closely with the local fishing community, and feel strongly about a partnership with folks who make their living on the water,” said Dr. Michael Crosby, Mote president and CEO. He notes that saltwater fishing has a $7-billion economic impact each year on the Florida economy, and said it was crucial scientists stay involved in finding the best ways to ensure that industry is a sustainable one. “We’ll be very focused on getting a better handle on essential fish habitats here,” he said. 

The $6-million initiative is being largely financed by Barney and Carol Barnett, Crosby said. The couple committed $3 million and challenged the community to raise the other half of the funding. Crosby said the the effort will focus on certain populations of fish, primarily snook but also mullet and other species. All of it goes to making sure a balance is achieved so that fish populations thrive and enough are in the water in plentiful enough numbers to keep fishermen busy. 

There are many distinct advantages to living in a community replete with artists, artisans, and artistes, and one of the most enjoyable is discovering the hidden talents of the servers, cashiers and bartenders that we encounter on a daily basis. There’s Robert, a bartender at Selva Grill that makes and bottles his own, compulsively edible, hot sauce. There’s Jamie, a barista at Pastry Art (responsible for the whimsical coffee pictured above) who is also a fantastic musician; Joseph, a bartender at Tavern on Main who’s a prolific painter; and Kara, a manager at O’Leary’s Tiki Bar who is also a talented personal chef. Next time you go out to dinner, or for cocktails, think about the person who’s waiting on you – there’s a lot more to them than meets the eye. After all, before they were famous, Brad Pitt used to stand outside El Pollo Loco dressed in a chicken suit, Madonna put in time at Dunkin’ Donuts and Langston Hughes worked as a busboy.  

Sarasota Superintendent Lori White appointed new principals for Fruitville, Lakeview and Tatum Ridge Elementary Schools, pending approval of the Sarasota County School Board. The appointments include Steven French, Lisa Wheatley and Barry Dunn, and will be effective July 1. Eric Jackson, the previous principal of Tatum Ridge, has been named the next principal of Riverview High School.  

Sarasota County Schools

Leonard Nagel joined Caldwell Trust Company as senior vice president and chief technology officer. Nagel will work to expand the company’s information technology department. Previously, Nagel served as senior vice president of technology and services for six years, as well as vice president of support services for ten years at Suncoast Solutions. 

Caldwell Trust Company