“What exactly is a 'forensic engineer?'” asks one of the high schoolers gathered around the cafeteria table, her eyebrow raised sardonically. Not twenty minutes ago, Dan Barshinger answered that very same question from another student; but it still raises a chuckle. After all, the title sounds awfully arcane. His father just retired as a lieutenant with the Sarasota Sheriff's department last year, and, in a way, Barshinger is following in his footsteps: he's a mechanical detective. When disaster strikes and big machines fail, companies call Barshinger to find out where things went sideways. When Barshinger went to the University of Central Florida for engineering, he wanted to design cars and trucks for Ford or General Motors—but he already thought Orlando was too cold, so he figured Detroit might actually do him in. “I thought I was going to design trucks," he says. "Life loves to throw you a curve ball.” When he had the chance to move back home and work for a consulting firm named Kimley Horn, he jumped at the chance.

The high schoolers gathered around him are absolutely enthralled with his tales of industrial destruction. They learn that truck axles can turn bright blue when they spontaneously melt on the highway. What happens when the Gravitron ride malfunctions at the fair? Barshinger starts to demonstrates with a hand gesture. Time is called before he has had the chance to tell the tale of  giant rock tumbler gone dangerously out of control. The students are disappointed, but they'll soon immerse themselves in another story, another interesting character, another window into the future. They had no idea that engineers did so many different things.

The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce and Sarasota Couny Schools hosted the fifth annual Experience Engineering Luncheon this past Friday. Every year, the Sarasota Chamber snags engineers from companies all over Sarasota and recruits students from their science and technology classrooms to convene at Suncoast Technical College—“the heart of engineering in Sarasota,” according to Sarasota County Career and Technical Program Specialist Kyle Holbrook—for a day of round table discussions. The groups cycle to a new table every fifteen minutes, and every fifteen minutes a new group of students introduces themselves to Barshinger. Does he know anything about marine engineering? What school has the best environmental engineering program? Barshinger makes incisive recommendations and hands out his contact info all morning long. He guides wave after wave of juniors and seniors who are already feeling the crush of impending college application deadlines and final exams that aren't going to study for themselves. They're thankful for the tips, and Barshinger, in turn, is happy to meet the next generation of recruits.  

As South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham spoke to a crowd at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota he said the Statesman of the Year Dinner was “unlike any dinner I have been to before.” The Republican leader came to town as a guest of the Republican Party of Sarasota, where he helped sell out the ballroom for the hotel.

He shared the story of growing up poor at his father’s bar and taking care of his family when his parents died unexpectedly. As he shared a stage with U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, who grew up the child of a single mother, he characterized his tale as a capitalist moral.

“Only in America can this stuff happen,” he said of the chance to rise from poverty to a position of political power.

His parents created a work ethic that has taken him to the United States Senate, Graham said. “My mom and dad woke up every morning and went to work, and if they didn’t open up the store they didn’t get paid,” he said. He also learned the value of well-humored conversation and friendly service, skills that have also served him well in politics.

Graham delivered some political jokes and zingers. He called Bernie Sanders “the most honest guy in the Senate; he really does believe this c*!p!" 

And he joked about getting off to a “rocky start” with President Donald Trump, the leader of his own party. “But I found common ground,” Graham said. “I’ve come to like him and he likes him.”

Beyond a speech that floated between between affable promotion of conservatism and aggressive derision of socialism, he also characterized Democrats’ efforts in 2020 as going beyond hatred of Trump, something he said was proven by the treatment of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

Graham’s comments drew alternating laughter and applause from the room, where virtually every Republican official in the region was in attendance. U.S. Reps. Vern Buchanan and Greg Steube both gave speeches, as did state Sen. Joe Gruters. Developers Pat Neal and Carlos Beruff also held the mic at points. The dinner was the first such event with acting chair Jack Brill at the helm of the Republican Party of Sarasota.

The Statesman of the Year honor has become quite a draw for major speakers to come the region. Banners at the dinner listed former winners, including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, former Vice President Dick Cheney, Scott, and two-time winner Trump, who won the honor twice before his election to the White House. 

Photo by Jacob Ogles: Lindsey Graham speaks to Sarasota Republican leaders at the 2019 Statesman of the Year dinner.

Monday's City Commission meeting will include an opportunity to fund the Public Art Committee's proposal to document Sarasota's public art collection. If authorized by the City Commission, this project would empower GS Resources LLC to research and identify pertinent information about each artwork in the Public Art Collection, including both city-owned and developer-owned; provide a historical timeline; include professional photography of each of the artworks; provide informative videos of up to 12 artworks and interviews with the artists and city officials; and provide a flat bound book of the artwork. 

Personal Estate Liquidations, a 501 non-profit and PEL consignments, its affiliated company run estates sales, awarded a $12,700 grant to Coastal Behavioral Healthcare’s Compass Center. “Our Compass Center is a 120 day dual diagnosis (substance abuse/mental health disorders) treatment center for boys and girls ages 13-17.  The majority of our clients are survivors of sexual abuse, abuse, rape, incest, human trafficking, domestic violence and neglect. Often this is the first time they have had 3 meals a day and a safe place to sleep.”  said Marlene M Hauck, Director of Development at Coastal. 

Low-fare carrier Frontier Airlines today launched its new nonstop service from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) to Trenton-Mercer Airport (TTN) Friday, November 15. To celebrate this new low-cost service, Frontier is offering fares as low as $29*, which are available now at FlyFrontier.com. The intro fare of $29 is applicable on Mondays and Wednesdays for travel. “We’re excited to grow again in Sarasota with the only non-stop flights to Trenton,” said Daniel Shurz, Senior Vice President of Commercial for Frontier Airlines. “Frontier now has four non-stop destinations from SRQ. We appreciate the overwhelmingly positive response from customers to our service in Sarasota.” This new service between Trenton and Sarasota/Bradenton will provide visitors and the local community convenient, nonstop, low-cost service to New Jersey’s capital city, and easy access to the major population centers of Philadelphia and New York City.” said Rick Piccolo, President.  

Sarasota attorney Amanda King, a partner with the law firm of Syprett Meshad, has been certified by the Florida Supreme Court as a Family Mediator.  Certified Family Mediators provide alternative dispute resolution options, with a focus on recognizing the emotional and practical needs of spouses, parents, and children. Ms. King, who is also a Guardian ad Litem in the Family Law Division of Florida's 12th Judicial Circuit Court program, focuses her practice on litigation, uncontested divorce, parenting plan agreements, mediation, and collaborative family law. She is admitted to practice law in both Florida and California. Under Florida law, families are free to use mediators to help resolve conflicts, disputes, and other family matters.  Florida is considered a national leader in alternative dispute resolution and maintains one of the most comprehensive court-connected mediation programs in the country.  Family Mediator Certification requires successful completion of a family mediation training program approved by the Supreme Court, background screening, and practical experience gained through observation of and co-mediating in numerous mediation cases. Ms. King joined Syprett Meshad in 2010 and was made a partner in 2017. She is a member of the Sarasota County Bar Association and has twice served twice as chair of the association's Family Law Section. She earned her Juris Doctorate in 2007 from Tulane University School of Law in Louisiana, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Religion, both from the University of Florida. The law firm of Syprett Meshad, with offices located at 1900 Ringling Boulevard in Sarasota, has been serving the greater Sarasota community for over 50 years.  The Firm's attorneys provide legal representation in the practice areas of real estate transactions and litigation, personal injury, family law, commercial litigation, criminal defense, estate planning and probate administration and litigation.  To learn more, visit smrl.com, or call 941-365-7171.