SARASOTA
Observer YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 16, NO. 8
FREE
YOUR TOWN
•
THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2020
Mote lands $20M
CLAIM TO FAME
Whitney Elfstrom
Learning Center honors donor
McKenzie Baird said her grandmother, Gail Baird, was an inspiration. Now the sophomore at Cardinal Mooney Catholic hopes the late philanthropist will inspire countless classmates in years to come with the unveiling of the Gail Baird Learning Center on campus Wednesday. The Baird Family Foundation donated $250,000 for the refurbished learning center. “My dad told me that people die twice,” Baird said. “Once for real and then once when the last person remembers your name. So now my grandma will never die because everyone will always remember her name, and she’ll be in my school forever.”
Saddling up while on patrol PAGE 1B
County Commission aims to cut tourism promotion budget. PAGE 3A
Four stellar acts join circus royalty. SEE PAGE 6B Courtesy rendering
Whitney Elfstrom
Mote Marine officials say the commitment of county money will help inspire private philanthropy.
Members of King Charles Troupe, a unicycle act from Brooklyn, unveil their Ring of Fame plaque at St. Armands Circle.
A+E Whitney Elfstrom
Battle of tastes
Sarasota bartenders cooked and mixed Jan. 13 to see who would win the Sarasota Bartender Chili Cook-Off and Cocktail Competition at Made Restaurant. Nearly a dozen bartenders competed for the title of best cocktail, best chili and best pairing of both. Rafael Melo (above) from Made won best chili, Austin Cox from Stottlemyer’s Smokehouse won best cocktail, and Micah Baier from Lemon Tree Kitchen with partner Jalaine Weller won best pairing of cocktail and chili.
Stating their case Residents want FDOT to keep Stickney Point. SEE PAGE 6A
Eric Garwood
Congestion builds at the intersection of U.S. 41 and Stickney Point Road.
Fantasy gets real. INSIDE