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SRQ DAILY Dec 29, 2018

"We need people who can think creatively, imagine new possibilities and create whole new worlds of innovation that never existed before."

- Larry Thompson, Ringling College of Art and Design
 

[The Detail]  Saving Lido Pavilion
Cathy Antunes, cathycantunes@gmail.com

It’s been over one year since the City Commission approved a sweetheart deal to lease Lido Pavilion to Gavin Meshad, a local developer, and Troy Syprett, owner of the Daiquiri Deck. But the deal cannot move forward unless the City Commission approves a Major Conditional Use zoning change and the Site Plan. The hearing to determine Lido’s future—whether our park will become a destination bar and restaurant—is scheduled for January 14 at 1:30pm.

Lido Pavilion used to be maintained by Sarasota County. The County was forced to participate in maintaining City Parks due to a lawsuit in the 1970s. City taxpayers pay both County and City taxes, and the courts agreed City residents weren’t getting their fair share of services in exchange for our tax dollars. The County was forced to provide services, and the settlement included City park maintenance.

In 2007, knowing the parks settlement agreement would be expiring soon, City voters approved setting aside $1.25 million to upgrade Lido Pavilion. Those dollars continue to sit in City coffers. They must be used as the voters directed, and not for any other purpose. This is more than enough money to make simple upgrades that are FEMA compliant. FEMA has reviewed the proposal submitted by the applicants and determined their plans are not compliant. Bottom line: the City has enough money to upgrade the bathrooms and improve the facility. We don’t need a private partner to upgrade the pavilion and keep Lido family friendly.

The applicants, Mr. Syprett and Mr. Meshad, want to put a 33-seat bar and deck with standing room for 70 between the pool and proposed restaurant area. That’s larger than any bar on Main Street or St. Armand’s Circle (Smokin’ Joes Pub has 29 seats). Just 50 yards from the beach, walking by the bar would be necessary for many beachgoers looking to use Lido’s only public beach restrooms. Would you want your teenaged daughter, in her swimsuit, to have to navigate her way through the bar area to use the bathroom? What’s to stop a 21 year-old from buying a beer, taking it to the beach and giving it to a minor?

Lido Beach Pavilion is the City’s third most popular park. Bayfront Park is first, then St. Armand’s Circle Park. The Pavilion is frequented by 48 percent of City residents. It’s our beach This proposal would make it harder for residents to enjoy our park. FDOT says parking on Lido is already tight: a 540-space deficit on the key. The applicants are planning a $243,000 annual marketing budget and $84,000 a year for live entertainment. Clearly they plan to attract many more people than the current beachgoers. Adding 54 spots to the 308 space public lot won’t begin to absorb the increased demand. Public beach parking will be squeezed into oblivion.

Over 4,300 people have signed a petition to oppose these changes. Join us. Urge the City Commission to deny the proposed changes. Let’s keep our park. 

[Higher Education]  Creativity Can't Be Programmed
Dr. Larry Thompson, lthompso@ringling.edu

Last month, I opened the door to a public conversation with you, our reader, on why Ringling College of Art and Design matters, to you, to our community, to the world. Of course it matters to me—it’s been my passion, livelihood and daily existence for the past two decades. But this conversation—and this column, the second in an ongoing series that will appear monthly over the next few months—is focused on the first reason that Ringling College matters: Creativity cannot be programmed or automated.

Creativity is part of what makes us uniquely human. Our ability to invent, to innovate, to make beauty, is an inherently human characteristic. But, why will it matter so much in the future? The left-brain skills emphasized so strongly in both education and industry during the last two eras (the Industrial and the Technology Ages) are programmable and can be automated.

Don’t get me wrong. We have made great advances thanks to the prominence of those left-brain skills—analysis, logic, numeracy. The focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math of the last two eras has served us well. Technologies that seemed impossible a generation ago are now commonplace: a computer you can wear on your wrist; cars that run on electricity; artificial limbs made on a printer. But while we will still need these left-brain skills, they will not be enough because any routine, repeatable work can be executed using Artificial Intelligence.

To succeed in a future of AI, in the Creative Age, we will need to cultivate our right-brain skills—creativity, imagination, thinking holistically and intuitive thinking. All human beings are born with the ability to think creatively, to think in a different way from our peers, to approach challenges from unique perspectives. But in our emphasis on STEM and left-brain thinking, we have allowed our right-brain skills to atrophy. We created an educational system designed to prioritize efficiency over creativity, standardization over imagination. As education funding decreased, some schools chose to eliminate the subjects that foster right-brain thinking, programs like the visual arts, music, dance and theater. Students were taught there was one right answer to any question, one right way to solve a problem.

Again, this system served us well, helping to improve the way we travel, communicate, compute. However, it is advances in technology that are diminishing the importance of the left-brain skill set. AI can compute; it can find efficiencies; it can improve current systems.

In this reality of AI, in the new Creative Age, we need people who can use these technologies and tools in innovative, novel ways. More importantly, we need people who can think creatively, imagine new possibilities and create whole new worlds of innovation that never existed before. We will need people who can do more than find the one “right answer” to a problem. After all, we have efficient automated machines now that can do that.

What we need now are people who know how to use human insight to imagine multiple applications of new technologies to solve problems and improve society. That’s why I believe we no longer need more multiple choice tests with only one right answer. We need tests with multiple answers to bring out the creative thinking of individuals. That’s the new test of smartness for the Creative Age.

To flourish in the Creative Age—as individuals, as businesses, as communities, as a society—will require a new emphasis on right-brain skills. We need to combine those left-brain thinking skills with a fully developed right-brain skill set. That means we have to institute programs and an educational system that strengthen and value right-brain skills.

Let’s teach people to strengthen right-brain skills—imaginations, creativity, innovation. Solving tomorrow’s problems will require the talents of people who can use automation and technology creatively. Those who know how to use the creative and imaginative skills of the right brain in combination with the logic and analytic skills of the left brain are the people who will thrive and succeed. They will be the leaders in the future Creative Age.

So, what we are doing at Ringling College of Art and Design is exactly that—teaching students to combine left-brain and right-brain thinking to find multiple answers to problems, to apply technology in novel ways, to innovate and to make beauty. And that’s reason No. 1 why Ringling College matters.

Dr. Larry R. Thompson is the president of Ringling College of Art and Design. 

[City]  Reflections on 2018: A Remarkable Year
Tom Barwin, Thomas.Barwin@sarasotagov.com

As the sun sets on 2018, it is already clear it was a phenomenal year for Sarasota.

At the top of the wow list for 2018 was the public’s overwhelming support to finance the extension of the Legacy Trail bike path from Venice and Northport to downtown Sarasota. When completed, the expanded trail will soon become a major economic and quality of life improvement for the entire county.

As noteworthy, was the creation and adoption of a new master plan for the Sarasota Bayfront. Phase 1 of the project will begin to transform the largest parking lot in the city, into a beautiful blue-green oasis with something special for everyone.

And finally, in the top three achievements for 2018 was the City, County and Gulf Coast Community Foundations joint effort to prepare an Affordable Housing Action Plan to bring more permanent, affordable housing into reality.

There were many other very positive achievements in our communities in 2018 but the three I’ve highlighted are noteworthy because they all required trust and cooperation across geographical, political and economic lines. As importantly, they will strengthen the fabric of our entire community.

We will have other complex challenges to deal with in the year ahead, like red tide and homelessness, but if we have re-learned one thing from 2018, it is when people of good will work together to tackle challenges, virtually any problem or opportunity can be addressed effectively.

As we prepare for a new year, I’m confident Sarasotans will continue to aspire for an even brighter future for all. The achievements of 2018 provide a great lesson for 2019 and beyond.

On behalf of Mayor Liz Alpert, Vice Mayor Jen Ahearn-Koch, and Commissioners Willie Charles Shaw, Shelli Freeland Eddie and Hagen Brody, we thank everyone involved in making 2018 the bold and incredible year it has been. We wish all Sarasotans safe travels.

Please feel free to email me at Thomas.barwin@sarasotafl.gov.

Tom Barwin is Sarasota City Manager. 

Rendering: The Bay.



[SCOOP]  SMH Recognized as Sarasota County's First Accredited Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI and Resuscitation

The American College of Cardiology awarded Sarasota Memorial full accreditation this month as a designated Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI and Resuscitation for demonstrated expertise in treating patients with chest pain.Sarasota Memorial is the first hospital in Sarasota County to receive the highest-level designation, which followed a rigorous onsite evaluation of the staff’s ability to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients who may be experiencing a heart attack or cardiac arrest. 

“This designation represents a systemwide commitment to reduce the mortality rate of heart patients with a unified and effective approach in treating patients with chest pain,” said Cardiologist James Fox, MD, on behalf of Sarasota Memorial’s Cardiology Department. “And it is a testament to the diligence and dedication of our entire cardiac care team, from EMS first responders to the physicians, clinicians and staff in our emergency care center, cardiac catheterization lab, cardiology, nursing, and diagnostic services.”  

[]  Orioles Name Brandon Hyde 20th Manager in Club History

The Orioles today announced that Brandon Hyde has been named the 20th manager in club history. This will mark Hyde’s first Major League managerial assignment. The Orioles will introduce Hyde during a press conference on Monday, December 17, at Oriole Park.
 
“After conducting an intensive search, I believe that we have found the ideal leader for the next era of Orioles baseball,” said Mike Elias, Orioles Executive Vice President and General Manager. “Brandon’s deep background in player development and Major League coaching, most recently helping to shape the Cubs into a World Champion, has thoroughly prepared him for this job and distinguished him throughout our interview process. I look forward to introducing him to our fans next week and to working together with him to build the next great Orioles team.”
 
Hyde, 45, begins his first Major League managerial role following 16 professional seasons in the coaching ranks and four professional seasons as a player. Hyde most recently served as the Chicago Cubs bench coach in 2018, his second season in this role (also in 2014). He also spent three seasons as the Cubs first base coach from 2015-17, and previously served as Chicago’s director of player development from August 2012 through the 2013 season, after joining the Cubs in December of 2011 as their minor league field coordinator. The Cubs qualified for the postseason four times during his tenure, including winning the franchise’s first World Series title in 108 years during the 2016 season. 

[SCOOP]  Goodwill Manasota Earns International Honors

Goodwill Manasota earned significant recognition during the Goodwill Industries International summer conference in Austin, Texas. The organization won the “Retail Excellence: Market Leadership by Share of Used Goods” award for having the highest market penetration of its donor market, and “Market Leadership by Donations” award for capitalizing on the highest proportion of its available used goods market. Goodwill Manasota has received the “Market Leadership by Share of Used Goods” for five years running; this was Goodwill’s fourth “Market Leadership by Donations” award. The organization is evaluated in the medium-sized agency category, which includes Goodwill agencies with revenues between $26.9 and $57.3 million, one of the largest categories. During the annual conference, Goodwill Industries International recognizes Goodwill agencies that have maximized revenues, capitalized on the highest proportion of the available used goods market, and been efficient in running their operations. Goodwill agencies turn donated goods into revenue; this revenue is used to strengthen the community by offering services and programs that assist people in all walks of life, whether they are trying to find employment, better themselves through education, or transition from military to civilian life. 

[SCOOP]  New Trolley Tours of Sarasota Running Daily

Visitors and residents alike now have an engaging and informative NEW attraction in which to experience Sarasota’s multi- layered past. Discover Sarasota Tours, which offers four different daily and nightly sightseeing tours aboard an air-conditioned trolley opened near downtown in October.

In addition to the City Sightseeing Tours, Happy Hour Sightseeing Tours, Circus Tours and the Ghost Tour of Sarasota, Discover Sarasota Tours also offers special monthly tours. These tours include: Public Art of Sarasota, Psychic Sundays and The Amish Experience. New specialty tours will be added in each month.

All tours depart from the DST Trolley Depot located in a cute 1930s cottage near downtown with a charming vintage gift shop. The 90-minute tours are led by trained tour guides most of whom have acting or entertainment backgrounds. Early daytime tours run at 10 AM, afternoon tours begin at 1 PM, happy hour tours begin at 5 PM and the ghost tour runs at 7:30 PM. Nighttime tours include complimentary beer or wine in the trolley cottage tiki bar. 

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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