SRQ DAILY Oct 7, 2019
Monday Business Edition
"Certainly we will be looking at what we are presenting to the City Commission, including additional enhancements based on what we learned."
After three days of public hearings before Sarasota’s Planning Board, executives at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens left with a narrowly-approved recommendation of approval for its master site plan.
Now, President and CEO Jennifer Rominiecki prepares for the big show, a hearing in front of Sarasota City Commissioners on Oct. 28. She said between now and then, the plan for the 15-acre site will continue to evolve.
“We received valuable input from the Planning Board and from the public hearing process that took place,” Rominiecki said. “Certainly we will be looking at what we are presenting to the City Commission, including additional enhancements based on what we learned.”
She can’t offer specific details yet; the team at Selby Gardens has barely had time to regroup since last week’s hearing that ran until midnight Wednesday.
Changes in coming weeks likely won’t slice down that tall structure, though, which Rominiecki said will allow Selby Gardens to park more visitors on less acreage, hopefully increasing visitation and revenue while expanding greenspace at the botanical gardens.
Notably, the three days of hearings included testimony from Hudson Crossings representatives interested in reaching a consensus on certain elements of the design. Attorney Robert Lincoln suggested at a hearing last month that a successful plan for Selby Gardens was better than the land being sold to a private developer for commercial use.
The long, public process for the master plan has at least generated publicity for the vision at Selby Gardens. Rominiecki said 5,200 citizens have now signed petitions favoring the project, even as many immediate neighbors voice deep concerns about a parking garage and restaurant fronting U.S. 41.
Rominiecki stressed that the structure, called a Sky Garage by Selby, will have solar arrays and greenery to make Selby Gardens the first energy net-positive botanical gardens campus anywhere. Stormwater improvements will also provide benefits beyond the gardens.
“We will make Sarasota an international model for environmental sustainability,” she said. “Some of these points get lost when everyone focuses on certain aspects to this project.”
Likewise, Rominiecki hopes in coming weeks more realize the plans boost the walkable garden space by 50 percent, including nearly 50,000 square feet of park area being made accessible to the public without an admissions ticket. 
Rendering from Selby Gardens animatic.
Partners for Green Places, a cross-sector partnership made up of foundations such as the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation, the Gulf Coast Community Foundation and the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, city and county governments such Sarasota County Sustainability and City of Sarasota Sustainability, nonprofit organizations and businesses will launch a community-wide initiative towards a greener future this coming Monday, October 14th, 2019.
Partners for Green Places is a community-wide movement and grant program to inspire organizations and businesses to engage, connect, and forge a commitment toward energy efficiency and sustainability. The goal of the program is to use energy assessments coupled with energy and water efficiency projects to reduce operational costs for human services and environmental nonprofits. The savings experienced by the nonprofits from implementing the energy and water upgrades can then be used to further their core missions. Organizations who applied for the program will be notified of award decisions this month. Assessments will be done for approximately 12 nonprofits in Sarasota County that have either environmental or human services focused missions. Implementation projects will be funded through a matching grant process.
Communters who live or work in the Greater Sarasota area are invited to grab their bikes and helmets, pump up their tires and join fellow bicyclists at Payne Park at 7:30am on Friday, November 1st to enjoy a scenic loop through Downtown Sarasota. The Florida Department of Transportation's Commute Connector program is partnering with the City of Sarasota, Sarasota County and Sarasota-Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to host the event which is part of Mobility Week, an annual initiative taking place from October 25 to November 1, 2019 to celebrate activities that promote transportation choices and safety.
Sarasota Military Academy, a local public charter school, has released a list of celebrity guests and industry experts scheduled to present during the annual “Inspire Project” curriculum, a program created by Sarasota Military Academy (SMA) Outreach Director Todd Brown, Ph.D.
The Inspire Project, which focuses on the topics of Health, Equality, and Earth, includes the “Operation Outbreak,” a program that has received international attention as Dr. Brown was invited to present at global conferences including the 2019 Global IB Conference held in New Orleans and the 2019 Shekou SDG’s Education Conference in Shekou, and Shanghai, China.
This year, the Inspire Project has been expanded to include both the SMA high school and SMA Prep middle school campuses. One of the notable speakers includes “Operation Outbreak” supporter and Time Magazine's Person of the Year and Most Influential People in the World, Dr. Pardis Sabeti. While many of the speakers appear in person, several guests participate in the program through video chats, allowing cadets and staff to interact in real-time with talented speakers across the globe.
Project Health speakers include Sebastian Junger, a #1 New York Times Bestselling author and an award-winning journalist, contributing editor and a special correspondent at ABC News; Aarti Sequeira, former news (CNN) and documentary (HBO’s “Sand and Sorrow”) producer turned Food Network, host and cookbook author; Jordan Reeves, inventor and creator of “Project Unicorn” who pitched the idea to “Shark Tank” investors during an appearance on The Rachael Ray Show in 2017; Lauren Findley, YouTube star, fitness competitor and model; and Dr. Raf Ratinam, a medical illustrator from Australia, creator of 2D/3D illustrations/animations for surgeons.
Project Equality speakers include Christopher Sean, an Asian-American actor appearing on CBS’s Hawaii Five-O and the recent award-winning, Star Wars Resistance; Sonia Purnell, a journalist and bestselling author and Christina Unkel, the FOX Women’s World Cup rules analyst, and one of only three FIFA-license female referees representing the United States Soccer Federation. Project Earth speakers include Kate Brooks, an award-winning photographer with work featured around the world for human rights campaigns; Les Stroud, Canadian Screen Award-winning producer, creator, and star of the hit TV series Survivorman; Dr. Margaret D. Lowman, Ph.D. a.k.a. “Canopy Meg,” an American biologist, educator, ecologist, writer, editor, and public speaker and Dr. Tracy Fanara, an engineer and staff scientist at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium.
Sarasota-based Cruise Car has won a contract to provide a fleet of 23 eight-passenger vehicles to the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley campuses in Edinburg and Brownsville, Texas. UT was looking for eight-passenger vehicles to shuttle students around each campus. Eight passengers is the maximum allowed in this class of low-speed vehicle— which is U.S. Department of Transportation-certified to travel on roads with speed limits of less than 35 mph. The standard market configuration is six forward facing seats and two rear facing seas. But UT also wanted to maximize student safely, and people in the two rear-facing seats tend to be more vulnerable in rear-end collisions. Due to Cruise Car's modular vehicle design, the company was able to create a new model where all eight passenger seats are front-facing. This arrangement won Cruise Car the contract. The company is now going to add this configuration to its line of standard models.
Debra Lichter, Broker/Owner of Sarasota Beach-to-Bay Real Estate, has been awarded Realtor Emeritus status, which honors a Realtor who has been a member of the Nation al Association of Realtors (NAR) for 40 years and who has served at the state, national or local level. The awards was presented at the 2019 annual membership meeting of the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee (RASM). Lichter has served as 2018 Chair and 2017 Vice-Chair of the RASM Realtor-Attorney Joint Committee (RAJC), which is composed of eight RASM Realtors and eight Sarasota-Manatee real estate attorneys. She has served three terms on the Public Information Committee, which she co-founded in 2006 and charied in 2006 and 2007. She was appointed to a three-year term as a non-attorney member of the Bar Association Grievance Committee for the 12th Circuit. Her efforts on behalf of the industry and board have earned her the Realtor Association President's Award in 2007.
Center for Architecture Sarasota opens its fifth season at the McCulloch Pavilion with its new Solo Architecture Series. The first exhibit of the series features the Sarasota firm of Halflants + Pichette. The opening reception is September 12 from 5:30pm until 7:30pm. Light hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be served. Information and registration is available at the CFAS website.
McCulloch Pavilion, 265 South Orange Ave., Sarasota.
In partnership with the School District of Sarasota County interior design students at Ringling College of Art and Design worked with teachers and students to re-design six classrooms. The goal of the project was to improve student literacy through a new innovative classroom design. Using evidence based design principles, creativity, and interior design knowledge, junior students produced unique solutions for three of Sarasota’s high schools; Booker High School, Riverview High School, and Venice High School. The exhibit is a culmination of this initiative, currently in the implementation stage by the district through support of the Barancik Foundation.
Richard and Barbara Basch Gallery in the Larry R. Thompson Academic Center, 2700 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota
The 14th Main Stage Season will kick off with four performances, October 10-13, 2019, titled "Voices – Rising Choreographers," at which the local audience gets to see future choreographers of contemporary dance as they are just blossoming. This show presents rising choreographers who were selected by adjudication from SCD's Summer Intensive Program. The group is a combination of company members and guests invited to expand and set their work for the main stage. This idea of fostering choreographic voices is beginning to draw more and more attention to SCD's performances.
Jane B. Cook Theatre, FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trl, Sarasota, FL 34243
One of the premier Indian Classical dance ensembles performing today, Nrityagram is more than a dance company. Founded as a village devoted to dance and the preservation of the Odissi classical dance tradition, the all-female ensemble’s daily life of intensive training and meditation brings to the stage compelling captivating performances that are at once sensual and lyrical. Daśavatār brings together brilliant dance traditions with shared ancient roots, accompanied by a live original score. The performances will take place on Friday and Saturday evening at 7:30pm, and tickets are required.
Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, FL 34243
DreamLarge Weekends is a program designed to educate and inspire tomorrow’s generation about community issues and philanthropy, empowering their imagination to create innovative solutions and make our community a brighter place. This hands-on, weekend-long program invites students and mentors to work together towards a goal of figuring out creative, unique, and collaborative solutions to community challenges. Over the course of the weekend, students will have spent time creatively exploring a real-world issue, honed in to a single solution, prototyped their plan to create social impact, and pitched their ideas to a panel of local community leaders.
Ringling College of Art + Design Academic Center, 2700 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34234
Join CONA - Sarasota County Council of Neighborhood Associations when Lee Hayes Byron, the director of the Sarasota County-University of Florida/IFAS extension and sustainability, Stevie Freeman-Montes, the sustainability manager for the city of Sarasota, and Darcy Young, the director of planning and communications for the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program discuss current planning by our local governments regarding adaptation to sea level and climate change. They will lead the discussion among a panel of municipal representatives. Bring questions to submit for discussion. Following a traditional half-hour networking opportunity, the meeting will open with brief neighborhood updates about their issues.
Firehouse Station, 2070 Waldemere Street, Sarasota
The Sun Coast Jaguar Club 34th Annual Concours d’Elegance presented by Wilde Jaguar Sarasota will be presented on St. Armands Circle. Registration for the event begins at 8 am, with judging completed by 3 pm. The public is invited to attend the showcase, free of charge. Sanctioned by Jaguar Clubs of North America, the Sun Coast Jaguar Club Concours d’Elegance attracts the finest Jaguar automobiles from across the U.S., including vintage antiques, current classics, future models and competition-modified prototypes. Vehicles are judged and awarded in a variety of classes, and all Jaguar owners are encouraged to register. The event also features a display of the latest and state-of-the-art Jaguar models. Special recognitions and club winners will be announced on the Concours lawn after judging concludes. Official JCNA trophies will be presented at 6 pm during the awards dinner and silent auction, accommodated by the Holiday Inn Sarasota-Lido Beach. Specifically, silent auction proceeds will benefit Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, helping care for Manny, a rescued Jaguar.
St. Armands Circle
Join Second Chance Last Opportunity, the crisis intervention and life-skills training organization, as they honor Arlene Sweeting, the co-founder of WSLR 96.5 Community Radio and the Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center, and Duhane Lindo, a reporter for the WWSB ABC7 News Team in Sarasota. The 24th Annual “Share The Light” Luncheon event will recognize the many contributions of these individuals. “We want all our clients to cultivate and reach their full potential,” says CEO and founder of Second Chance, April Glasco. “Sweeting and Lindo are outstanding examples of commitment and achievement.” Tickets for the luncheon are $65 and can be purchased online or by calling 941-360-8660. Sponsorship opportunities are also available.
Michael's on East, 1212 S East Avenue, Sarasota, FL
Buoys and ghouls of all ages are invited to dress up in costume for a Night of Fish, Fun & Fright to enjoy spooky activities throughout Mote Aquarium. Unearth shark teeth in “Coffin Creek" and feast on deep sea delights in the “Diner of the Dead." Don’t miss Mote’s signature underwater pumpkin carving in spooktacular shark habitats. Pricing, additional information, and a link to purchase your tickets will be posted closer to the event on Mote's Fish, Fun & Fright website page.
Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, 1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota, FL 34236
Famed in particular for his speed and a tendency to create images overflowing with colorful characters, Jack Davis was one of the founding members of Mad Magazine's "Usual Gang of Idiots." He supplied covers for Tim and TV Guide, designed numerous album covers and movie posters, and, over his 60-year career, became one of the most in-demand caricaturists and cartoonists in the world. This exhibition attempts to show Davis' range by bringing together a selection of his original work that demonstrates his breadth of subjects and his skills as an artist. This body of work focuses on American popular culture, diving deeper into his career than the sports and caricature work for which he is best known. Opening Reception, Friday, October 18, 5-8pm. Evening Panel Discussion, Thursday, November 14, 6-8pm.
Lois and David Stulberg Gallery in the Richard and Barbara Basch Visual Arts Center, 2700 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota
How do you go from creative spark to creative business? An interactive multimedia exhibition and event series, Artists Minding Their Business takes us on the evolution from making art to making a living. Ringling’s Business of Art & Design Department and founder of Culture Hustlers, Lucas Spivey (BFA/MBA) have curated the Willis Smith Gallery into a visual showcase of the entrepreneurial journey. Inside interactive installations, visiting founders and creative entrepreneurs swap inspiring stories and provide visitors with practical advice. Opening Reception, Friday, October 18, 6-8pm.
Willis Smith Construction Inc. Gallery in the Larry R. Thompson Academic Center, 2700 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota
Join SRQ Magazine and its family magazine RocketKids for an evening with representatives from local private and charter schools in Sarasota and Manatee Counties in a panel discussion about how each school prepares their students for success. With the future workforce continuing to evolve rapidly, we ask local schools how they are creating programs that will prepare our students. We will also discuss the increasing importance of teaching social emotional literacy (SEL) and the role of schools in engaging with students in fostering these skills. Schools include: The Out-of-Door Academy, NewGate School, Sarasota Christian School, Island Village Montessori School, St. Martha's Catholic School and The Pinnacle Academy. Free admission. Lightbites, beer and wine will be served. RSVP at srqmag.com/moed.
SRQ Studios, 331 S. Pineapple Avenue, Sarasota
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