SARASOTA
Observer
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YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 16, NO. 19
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YOUR TOWN
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THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2020
Governor settles it
City, county had differed on stay-at-home orders. PAGE 3
Back to school Photo courtesy Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium
Online learning gets started, but not without a safe parade. SEE PAGE 4
Bon voyage, Chipi!
Chipi the loggerhead sea turtle said goodbye to Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium and hello to the Gulf of Mexico last week. After stranding in October 2019 in Charlotte County, Chipi was taken to Mote for treatment of lethargy and neurologic issues most likely caused by exposure to red tide, a Mote news release said. Chipi was released after 149 days. Although Mote is temporarily closed to the public amid COVID-19, its Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital and many other programs are still functioning.
Brynn Mechem
Southside Elementary School principal Jennifer Nzeza cheers on teachers at a car parade Wednesday, the same day online learning kicked off.
Merchants looking for break
Nat Kaemmerer
Flora’s flowers
Fittingly, the “Flora” statue in St. Armands Circle has been bestowed with a crown of real flowers. By whom is unknown. But Flora, with carved flowers draped over her hands, is the only one sporting a new top. The statue is near the entrance of the Circle, if you’re coming from the mainland, and would be easy to miss when not walking around.
File photo
Activity on St. Armands Circle has significantly slowed during what would typically be the height of season, a cause for great concern among merchants in the area.
COVID-19 another hurdle for local business to clear. SEE PAGE 9
A+E Dodge the virus blues: Be a zombie. PAGE 19