LONGBOAT
Observer Longboat Key’s weekly newspaper since 1978
A colorful legacy.
PAGE 12
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 42, NO. 46
FREE
YOUR TOWN
•
THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 2020
Matter of priorities Town questions focus of Sarasota’s traffic master plan. PAGE 3
RAISING SPIRITS Courtesy photo
Regina Gurland
Happy birthday, Regina Longtime Longboat Key artist and resident Regina Gurland celebrated 103 years June 23. Gurland was honored by friends at an outdoor pool party near her longtime Sleepy Lagoon neighborhood, where she has lived since 1976. Other longtime residents might recognize Gurland’s name from her ceramic artwork. Her long life has caught the attention of others. The Mayo Clinic Health Letter featured her in 2018, when she was 101. She’s still the life of the party at 103.
Fill them in
Two things to remember at the beach: Reapply sunscreen every two hours, and leave the sand as you found it. The latter is a simple way to help Longboat’s nesting turtles. The former? Well, we care. Unfilled holes, even skinny ones from umbrellas, are pitfalls awaiting tiny turtles. Hatchlings will start to emerge soon. Members of the Longboat Key Turtle Watch ask beachgoers to spend a few moments to fill in any holes or dug up areas on the beach.
Turtle Tracks LONGBOAT June 14-20 2020 Nests 124 False Crawls 179
2019 183 133
Total as of April 19 2020 2019 Nests 617 750 False Crawls 620 824 Source: Mote Marine Laboratory
In lieu of annual parade, town makes July Fourth video. PAGE 15 Nat Kaemmerer
Lynn Larson, Nancy Rozance and Susan Phillips take part in the flag-raising video production.
Town still on alert for COVID-19 Rising numbers around the area have leaders’ attention. SEE PAGE 6
Play ball!
(again) Park’s rec facility draws a following with reopening. SEE PAGE 2 Mark Bergin
Bob Gordon prepares to receive a serve while playing pickleball at Bayfront Park on Monday.