SIESTA KEY
Observer YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 50, NO. 9
FREE
YOUR TOWN
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Eyes on the wind.
PAGE 23
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2019
New course, same worries Money concerns remain with 36-hole Bobby Jones plan. PAGE 5
Whitney Elfstrom
An uplifting sight downtown A towering crane, a closed road and a crowd of people looking skyward added up to something you don’t see downtown every day. Work to lift and remove the FirstSarasota church’s steeple occupied a lot of onlookers’ time Monday and Tuesday. The steeple, which was damaged in Hurricane Irma when its massive cross fell to the street, was gently lowered to a waiting truck. When it’s repaired and ready to be replaced, the process will likely repeat. City officials closed Main Street from Adelia Avenue to Pine Place for most of the two days, but traffic is flowing normally again.
Donor makes a gift of learning
Sarasota Military Academy received 20 new Dell desktop computers to replace the outdated models in its language arts classrooms, thanks to a benefactor. Freddie Figgers, the founder and CEO of Figgers Communications, donated the computers as part of the Figgers Foundations Back to School initiative. He was recognized for his contribution during the school’s morning formation Sept. 10. “Education is my passion, and education should be for everyone,” he said.
Does it work? After two months of paid parking, the reviews are mixed. PAGE 3
David Conway
Downtown paid-parking users have the option of curbside pay stations or a smartphone app. City officials are encouraged by the early response to paid parking, but some merchants say it has had a negative effect on business.
A library career in the books
Turtle Tracks AS OF SEPT. 7 TOTAL NESTS: 2019 2018 Lido Beach 98 123 Siesta Key 712 361 Casey Key 2,312 1,186 TOTAL FALSE CRAWLS: 2019 2018 Lido Beach 192 144 Siesta Key 1,158 327 Casey Key 2,985 1,431 Source: Mote Marine Laboratory
Brynn Mechem
At the Fruitville Library, various mailboxes offer information on Florida plant and animal life.
Reading garden is high on the list of Kalajian’s legacy. SEE PAGE 6
A+E
Art with a purpose INSIDE