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SRQ DAILY Jul 16, 2015

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"The goal was to have as much of the company as possible under one roof and get a cross-pollination of ideas. That way if someone at Monster Jam thinks of something that may not work for Monster Jam but would be perfect for the circus, we can do that."

- Stephen Payne, Feld Entertainment
 

[Development]  Monster Job Creation
Jacob Ogles, jacob.ogles@srqme.com

A few more monster trucks and supercross vehicles could be roaming the streets of Southwest Florida soon. Feld Entertainment announced it will move its Motor Sports Division—including Monster Jam, Arenacross and Supercross—to its Manatee County corporate headquarters. 

In addition to bringing more raucous edge to the region’s growing sports character, the move, expected to create at least 200 jobs over the next five years, was heralded by Gov. Rick Scott as an exciting economic opportunity. “This great news is on top of their recent move of their global headquarters to Florida from Virginia in 2013,” Scott said in a statement. “We look forward to Feld Entertainment’s continued success in Florida.”

Stephen Payne, vice president of communications for Feld, said this move largely completes a consolidation of non-touring divisions for the company that was envisioned when the company built its Ellenton campus, which already houses parts of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus, Disney on Ice and Disney Live. A Monster Jam garage already operates here. “The goal was to have as much of the company as possible under one roof and get a cross-pollination of ideas. That way if someone at Monster Jam thinks of something that may not work for Monster Jam but would be perfect for the circus, we can do that.” 

Feld already employs 408 people in its Southwest Florida facilities. That total puts the company two years ahead of a hiring schedule promised when it accepted local and state tax incentives to move to the area, according to Sharon Hillstrom, president and CEO of the Bradenton Area Economic Development Corporation. “As a global brand, Feld’s continued expansion here further validates the Bradenton area’s viability as a location for businesses with international scope,” Hillstrom said.

It also means further public commitment betting on the company’s success. Feld Entertainment qualified for county and state performance-based incentives totaling $2 million. The State of Florida has committed to a Qualified Targeted Industry Tax Refund of $1,120,000, while Manatee County Government approved up to $880,000. To earn the incentives, the company must add 200 new jobs over the next five years; Payne said the moving of operations out of its current division headquarters in Aurora, Illinois will be phased over the next few years. The average wage of jobs created must be twice the average wage in Manatee County, or $72,000. Payne also said the move will likely reuqire an expansion of facilities. 

[Museum]  40 Years in Appalachia
Philip Lederer, Phil.Lederer@srqme.com

The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art continues its Art of Our Time initiative with Appalachia USA, an exhibition from photographer Builder Levy, as he explores the Appalachian coal industry and its impacts on the people and environment with a photographic series more than 40 years in the making. Through 50 black and white photographs, taken from 1968-2009, mostly in West Virginia and Kentucky, Appalachia USA chronicles a complicated history, one of progress, of subjugation, of social change and social upheaval, boom and bust, where somebody’s getting rich while miners remain caught between food on the table and the fight for safer working conditions.

“Levy’s photographs bring to life a group of people who have often been marginalized and stereotyped in the media,” said Christopher Jones, assistant curator of exhibitions at The Ringling. “This exhibition displays the artist’s dedication to documenting the region and the community, and to capture the changing story of Appalachia and its people.”

A series of aerial photographs reveals the broader picture, the geography that serves as much a character in this drama as the miner. In one photograph, a mining camp skinned in corrugated aluminum and raised on stilted beams juts from the surrounding woodland, an outpost or foothold amidst the green. Continuing down the line, the outpost is a stronghold, with gravel pours and wide dirt tracks criss-crossing barren hillside. It’s a story of intrusion, culminating with a birds-eye view of a refuse impoundment, a manmade reservoir for mining waste byproducts.

The remaining majority of the exhibit, however, is dedicated to the people themselves, mostly miners, but also family members and activists, as Levy even scrambles down the shafts for intimate and candid shots of the men at work, where it’s all smoky caverns and low ceilings, with sooted faces wrestling heavy machinery. In Morning Shift, it’s an assemblage of boyish miners looking too young to shave, while Waiting and Whittling affords a glimpse of the men at rest, seated around tires and assorted equipment, cracking jokes and biding time.

Another wall stands dedicated to portraiture, with Levy bringing his subjects front and center. On one end, Nimrod Workman hangs enshrined, a miner from West Virginia who fought in the Battle of Blair Mountain. A few frames down, Andrew Kosto stares down the camera, his face caught in stark relief beneath a battered miner’s helmet, roughly a year before his death, crushed by falling slate.

The exhibit continues and Levy’s camera ceaselessly captures this separate world where children in sundresses pick their way through quarry rocks and fallen piling, where activists and industry collide. Appalachia USA is currently on display in The Ringling Museum until Sept. 13. 

Pictured: "Prepare to Meet God, Williamson, Mingo County, West Virginia. Photo by: Builder Levy.

[Exec Moves]  Halbreich Joins Sarasota Memorial

General Surgeon Steven Halbreich, MD, has joined the general surgery practice of Sarasota Memorial’s First Physicians Group. Halbreich is a board certified general surgeon who has practiced in Sarasota since 2003. Prior to joining Sarasota Memorial’s FPG group, he spent the past 12 years with Vascular and Surgery Associates, with privileges at Sarasota Memorial and other area hospitals. His practice specializes in minimally invasive laparoscopic, robotic and traditional surgical treatments for diseases and conditions of the abdomen, breast and soft tissues. 

Sarasota Memorial Hospital

[Recognition]  Super Lawyers Recognize Syprett Meshad

Super Lawyers has once again recognized attorneys from the Sarasota law firm of Syprett Meshad. In its most recent rankings, the organization, which rates attorneys nationwide through independent research, as well as peer nominations and evaluations, named Syprett Meshad President Michael L. Resnick to its Florida Super Lawyers list for the ninth consecutive year, and included Managing Partner Nancy E. Cason in its “Rising Star” list for the fourth straight year. Only 5 percent of lawyers in the state are selected for the Super Lawyer honor. Less than 2.5 percent are selected for the Rising Star distinction. 

Syprett Meshad

[Expansion]  MindSpa Adds Tapping

Certified Life Coach Darlene Coleman, CLC, EFT will teach Tapping techniques at MindSpa as a new offering for the business. Tapping is a technique associated with Emotional Freedom Technique, manipulating acupressure points while incorporating positive affirmations. Tapping introduces kinetic energy onto specific meridians on the head and chest while focusing on a specific problem or issue. EFT is a form of psychological acupressure that can help relieve stress, anxiety, depression and fear. It can also help alleviate physical pain. 

MindSpa Integrative Wellness Center

[Dog's Best Friend]  Digital Doggie Stress
Gregg Flowers

Your dog's normal temperature is 101 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit, so any temperature over 104 degrees means he’s in trouble and requires attention right now. If, because you haven’t followed some common sense precautions, it gets to 106 degrees, this constitutes a dire emergency and damage at the cellular level begins, as well as potentially irreversible damage to his brain, GI tract and kidneys. Additionally, at this temperature, heatstroke is imminent. If your dog's temperature gets to 109 degrees, he will have a heatstroke, period. Some of the things you might witness if your dog is in heat distress are: dizziness or disorientation, vigorous panting, dark red, tacky gums, thick saliva, lying down and unwilling (or unable) to get up, collapse and loss of consciousness. Once the signs of a heatstroke are detected, there is precious little time before serious damage or death can occur. 

First, move your dog out of the heat right now. Shade will work, but air conditioning or a fan is better. Begin lowering his temperature with cool water. You can put wet rags or washcloths on his foot pads and around his head, but replace them frequently as they warm up. Avoid covering him with wet towels, because that will actually trap heat. Offer him cool water, but don't force water into his mouth. And don't let your dog drink excessive amounts at one time. Call the vet and let them know you're heading their way. Do not use ice or ice water. This can actually cause his internal temperature to rise further. When his body temperature reaches 103.9 degrees, stop cooling him. At this point, his body should continue cooling on its own.

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

 

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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