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REPAVING PROJECT
Long road ahead By Jane Bartnett
Terra Ray, Sarasota County’s Siesta Key resurfacing project manager, addressed the Siesta Key Association’s June meeting and outlined the details regarding what is to come with the $11.36 million, 37.18-lane-mile residential roadway resurfacing program. Work began in May. The plan is for resurfacing to start in early August at Higel Avenue near the Out-ofDoor Academy and continue southward on the Key in the months to come. Officials expect the project to be completed in January. “The Sarasota County Penny Surtax is funding our project,” said Ray. The streets that were selected for resurfacing were chosen by the Sarasota County Public Works Department. The majority of Siesta Key residential neighborhood roads that will be resurfaced are clustered on the northern end of the island between Ocean Boulevard and Midnight Pass Road. Many radiate from, or intersect with, Higel Avenue. Ray told the group that North Shell Road, Roberts Point Road and Roberts Point Circle, on the northern end of the island, are scheduled to be resurfaced when other work is done. Roads in the southern end of the island slated for resurfacing are limited to Point of Rocks Road and Point of Rocks Circle, Crescent Street and Dee Place. The majority of Beach Road, beginning at Midnight Pass Road, will also be resurfaced. Ray reported that the most heavily trafficked section of Beach Road that lies in front of Siesta Beach will receive an extra structural base. Continued on page 18
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past and present. On a recent warm summer evening, a red and orange glow created a brilliant backdrop for the white sand and the pier. As Bundy readied the music that filled the air, hundreds of local residents, tourists, and those who have come from near and far to pay tribute to a loved one who served their country, gathered. After welcoming everyone, Bundy explained the military tradition of lowering the flag at sunset. The crowd quieted as Continued on page 20
Marcello Sciacca (left) with Wayne Bundy after the two joined together to fold the flag at the nightly ceremony at Patriots Pier. (Photo by Jane Bartnett)
Our fireworks: a loud and proud history By Ned Steele
I
t started with a war. Each July 4, thousands gather on Siesta Beach to gasp in delight as 7,500 shells light up the night sky in glorious bursts of color. And well they should: the annual fireworks display is one of the year’s top feelgood moments on the island. Watching from the beach, it’s too exciting to stop and think about the hard work, the meaning and the history behind it all. So, let’s do it here and now. Siesta Key’s fireworks date back 33 years, to 1991. At the time, the closest Fourth of July
Page 8 Governor approves Midnight Pass funding
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pyrotechnics were on the Sarasota bayfront. Operation Desert Storm, the first Gulf War, had ended earlier in the year. Veterans were still streaming home as summer approached. “Patriotism was at an all-time high,” recalled Cheryl Duley, who then operated a family hardware store in the Village and joined the committee that would stage Siesta Key’s show. “We had the veterans coming back and we wanted to do something to honor them and the country.”
Guitarist Thorson Moore continues to entertain
Continued on page 25
A “push the plunger” winner puts the Siesta Beach fireworks in motion. (photo courtesy of Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce)
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Archwell offers seniors a happy & healthy life
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or Wayne Bundy, the daily flag ceremony at Siesta Key’s Patriots Pier has special significance. Each morning as the sun rises and each evening as the sun begins to set, Bundy prepares to honor those who have served or are currently serving in the armed forces. The son of a Navy veteran and grandson of an Air Force veteran who served in World War II, the daily ritual is his way of recognizing their contributions and that of all members of the military
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Wayne Bundy proudly takes the lead in Patriots Pier ceremony By Jane Bartnett
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IN OUR SECON
ar PAGE V3 • Music Calend usiness • Village Map/b V8, V9 listings PAGES Beach Map/ • Crescent PAGE V10 business listings PAGE V13 Shops •Gulf Gate
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