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SRQ DAILY Apr 28, 2016

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"I have played a lot of rogues, kind of rough and tough and all that kind of stuff, but I like very much the opportunity to play a hopefully likable guy."

- Burt Reynolds, acting legend
 

-
[Sports]  Pentathlon Arrives in Sarasota
Jacob Ogles, jacob.ogles@srqme.com

For some Olympians competing this summer in Rio, Sarasota will almost certainly be a source of memories. The last opportunity for athletes competing in the Modern Pentathlon to qualify for the Olympics will be next week at the World Cup Final, to be held May 5–8 at Nathan Benderson Park. “It will be such an extraordinary experience to enjoy these moments with these athletes,” said Katherine Harris, chairman of the local organizing committee for the event. “We have shown what Sarasota can do.” 

Athletes from more than 28 nations are expected to come to the area for the event. Sarasota beat out other international locales like Rome, Cairo and Budapest in the bid to host the competition. This event, the third pentathlon competition hosted at the University Park venue, will attract members of the US Olympic Committee, including Chairman Larry Probst and CEO Scott Blackmun, as well as a number of dignitaries from the International Olympic Committee. 

The pentathlon itself, while not the highest profile event at the Olympics, boasts a strong reputation within the athletic world. A five-discipline event showcasing abilities in fencing, shooting, swimming, riding and cross-country running, the sport has been an Olympic event since 1912. “In the Olympic jewel box, it’s a shiny diamond,” said Liston Bochette, an Olympian who helped attract the event to the region. “This is a group of highly skilled athletes. This is not a dumb man’s sport.” Bochette credited Harris’ reputation as a former congresswoman and Florida secretary of state with securing the event here. 

Paul Blackketter, president of the Suncoast Aquatic Nature Center Associates, said this event confirmed Benderson Park is now “part of the Olympic family,” but organizers stressed that hosting an Olympic-level event here meant bringing more than just a solid sporting venue. Athletes will be able to attend a special concert and officials connected to the event have held community engagement events as well. The press kickoff on Wednesday, held at the Gillespie Park Reading Room, involved Bochette and fellow Olympian Agnese Butler speaking with area children. Logos for the event were designed by students at Ringling College of Art and Design. And of course, the event will bring millions in tourist spending; the past two Pentathlon events had an estimated economic impact of about $10 million. 

[Film]  Reynolds Among Cast at Southeastern Guide Dogs
Jacob Ogles, jacob.ogles@srqme.com

Burt Reynolds just violated an old Hollywood proverb. He confessed to it during a break from filming the film production And Then There Was Light. 

“You’re not supposed to work with horses, animals or children,” he said. “That’s all I’m working with. They are all terrific, and they are stealing everything.” Whether or not he can stop every scene from being stolen, Reynolds certainly grabbed attention as he walked into a press conference at Southeastern Guide Dogs on Wednesday morning. Wearing tinted shades and the uniform of an animal trainer working at the Palmetto facility, the Hollywood legend proved that while he may not have as much swagger as during his Smokey and the Bandit days, he still knows how to charm a crowd.

The film, written and directed by Terra Ceia filmmaker Castille Landon, tells the story of a girl who begins to go blind after an accident and ends up working with both a guide dog and a small show pony trained by Reynolds’ character. The film, also starring Amy Smart (Road Trip) and Liam McIntyre (Spartacus), will be shot entirely within a three-mile area of the nonprofit’s campus.

McIntyre said he expects audiences to find plenty to relate to in the film. He plays the girl’s father, a character dealing both with the traumatic event in his family and with outside professional failures. “It is nice to be part of saying something important,” he said. Smart said her part will stretch her professionally as an actress as she plays the mother to the girl learning her way through the slow deterioration of vision. “I’ve never experienced that sort of loss before,” said Smart, who has quickly learned what she can about vision loss the same way a parent would binge on information should a similar tragedy strike home.

Of course, Southeastern Guide Dogs as an organization enjoys the attention as well. In addition to potential proceeds, the film will prominently showcase the Manatee County organization both in the content of and marketing. A character played by A.J. Michalka (Super 8) is directly based on Suzy Wilburn, Southeastern Guide Dogs’ director of Admissions and Graduate Services. And real trainers will consult the production on the reality of guide dog training. 

Photos by Wyatt Kostygan. Above: Guide dog Connor rests at Southeastern Guide Dogs. Top: Burt Reynolds, right, speaks at a panel with "And Then There Was Light" co-star Amy Smart.

[Daily Shop]  Spotlight on Tie-Dye
Aviel Kanter

It's everywhere: in snaps from Coachella on your Instagram feed, on the backs of celebrities (Kate Bosworth, Alessandra Ambrosio) and garnering attention on the Fashion Week runways. There's no doubt about it—tie-dye is making a comeback. And not the rainbow-colored, dazed-and-confused designs of the '70s, but rather an elevated, refined form of the technique. Designers are now artfully combining layers of vibrant indigos and colored dyes, adding a modern touch by using eco-friendly materials and lush fabrics ranging from silk to denim. 

The trend has trickled down from the streets of New York and the coast of California to Sarasota, at First Street's newest boutique, Scout and Molly's. The fledgling outpost of the larger franchise carries designers like Gypsy 05 and MarYsol, which are ripe with swirling, indigo-dyed patterns.  

Pictured: MarYsol straw hat, Lush stone necklace, Gypsy 05 scarf and maxi dress.

Scout and Molly's, 1413 First Street, Sarasota, 941-955-2170

[Exec Moves]  Sprinkle, Wilson Earn Principal Posts

Superintendent Lori White named new leaders for Sarasota Middle School and Laurel Nokomis School. Roy Sprinkle, the school district’s current director of human resources, will be the principal of Sarasota Middle. Raymond Wilson, an assistant principal at Heron Creek Middle School in North Port, will become principal of Laurel Nokomis. Both appointments will be effective Monday. 

Sarasota County Schools

[Recognition]  Sarasota PD Volunteers Honored

Florida Governor Rick Scott and Volunteer Florida awarded the Sarasota Police Department Volunteer Ambassadors with the Champion of Service Award during a Florida Cabinet meeting this week. The award is the only statewide volunteer recognition award and is given to volunteers and organizations who go above and beyond in service to their community. There are 70 Sarasota Police volunteer ambassadors in the City of Sarasota. In the month of March, they gave an all-time department record of 1,809 hours of service.   

Sarasota Police Department

[Real Estate]  JRB Buys Venice Space

JRB Company, an investment vehicle based in Venice, purchased a 6,750-square-foot industrial space on Sand Pine Boulevard in Venice. Ivan Gould of RE/MAX Alliance Group represented the seller, Michael Kay. Terry Purdy of Merritt Realty represented the buyer. 

RE/MAX Alliance Group

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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