SARASOTA
Observer
Capital-ized. PAGE 20
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 16, NO. 42
FREE
YOUR TOWN
•
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2020
Lift Station 87: What went wrong?
City leaders want to know how project ran so late and so far over initial estimates. SEE PAGE 3
Courtesy photo
International affairs
In August, a woman reached out to the Sarasota Police Department with an unusual inquiry: Why was a Sarasota police car in the Scottish Highlands? It turns out Sarasota officers hadn’t ventured overseas. In fact, despite appearances, the car never belonged to the Sarasota Police Department. The car’s owner is Caleb Keogh, a resident of South Shields, England, with an affinity for police cars. He liked the look of Sarasota cruisers, and it matched the make and model of a car he already owned. So a replica was born. Keogh, who has no other connection to Sarasota, says he’d like to visit someday.
Collectors hit the beach
Weekends have brought hundreds of tourists and visitors to Sarasota to enjoy the sun and sand for which our city is known. And something new: shells. Word among shell lovers is out. A byproduct of New Pass dredging and renourishment of Lido Beach, vast swaths of otherwise hardto-find seashells have been pumped on to the beach. Fans from around the state have descended on Lido Beach, sifting through the uncovered treasures.
David Conway
Lift Station 87 in Luke Wood Park has undergone a series of delays and revisions as the cost associated with the project has ballooned. Today, the structure is six months away from completion.
THE COST Initially budgeted at $9.6 million, the project today is estimated to cost more than $67 million.
THE TIME Original timeline called for Lift Station 87 to be operational in 2012. Today, it’s expected to open in March 2021.
Art sale locks in legacy
Turtle Tracks AS OF SEPT. 5 TOTAL NESTS: 2020 2019 Siesta Key 447 711 Lido Key 137 98 Casey Key 1,515 2,312 TOTAL FALSE CRAWLS: 2020 2019 Siesta Key 581 1,158 Lido Key 215 192 Casey Key 1,984 2,983 Source: Mote Marine Laboratory
Courtesy photo
After being diagnosed with Stage 3 pancreatic cancer, artist Shawn McLoughlin sold more than 160 pieces of art.
Popular Siesta Key painter wants fans to benefit from his work. SEE PAGE 17
THE FUTURE Once Lift Station 87 is working, it is expected to handle one-third of the city’s wastewater.
A+E
A different kind of show. SEE PAGE 26