LONGBOAT
SEASON SPRING 2020
Observer Longboat Key’s weekly newspaper since 1978
Y R TS A N D S O C I E T G U I D E TO T H E A T H E O B S E R V E R ’S
INSIDE
MUSIC DANCE K TIE ART THEATER BLAC
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 42, NO. 29
FREE
YOUR TOWN
Nat Kaemmerer
Harold Ronson, Michael Garey and Milton Harr
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020
GOING NOWHERE FAST Heading to the airport? Pack patience and extra time no matter which direction you choose. SEE PAGE 3A
In a letter to Sarasota’s mayor, Longboat Mayor George Spoll asks for roundabout relief. SEE PAGE 5A
Sarasota could do something about this mess but hasn’t. Fire the boss, we say. SEE PAGE 8A
Iwo Jima vets dine on 75th anniversary On Feb. 19, 75 years after the historic battle, Iwo Jima veterans Harold Ronson and Milton Harr sat down for a nice lunch with their significant others. Ronson was just turning 18 when he went to battle, and Harr was 19 in 1945. Michael Garey, owner of the Lazy Lobster, hosted the two men for lunch on the anniversary of Iwo Jima, as he has done every year since 2013. Garey had a table set up for the two men and American flags to celebrate the occasion.
Nat Kaemmerer
Atop the Ringling Bridge, on the way to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, is hardly a solitary experience.
Courtesy photo
Hunter is 7.
Happy birthday, Hunter!
Supplying sounds to savor Chamber’s concert series kicks off Saturday. SEE PAGE 6A
Hunter the service dog celebrated his 7th birthday with town staff and his “mom,” Longboat Key Fire Rescue Department Deputy Chief Sandi Drake. Hunter, a certified service dog, has become the town’s unofficial mascot through his work in the community, including as a therapy dog for first responders. On Feb. 19, Drake and town staff showered Hunter with treats and gifts at a small party at Town Hall.
Courtesy photo
The Billy Rice Band will perform in the first Savor the Sounds concert on Saturday.
A+E Entering Dalí’s dream. INSIDE