SARASOTA
Observer YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 14, NO. 24
FREE
YOUR TOWN
Nia Gibbs’ winning design features bright colors and stone accents.
Top design Nia Gibbs from Ringling College of Art and Design won first place in the residential design category of Sherwin-Williams Student Design Challenge, an annual competition that recognizes excellence in interior design by future designers. Gibbs’ design featured an urban affordable housing unit. She will receive $2,500 and will be featured in an upcoming issue of SherwinWilliams’ STIR magazine. She took second place in last year’s competition.
Turtle Tracks Turtle nesting season is underway and the turtles are ready to lay. The season officially runs through Oct. 31 in southwest Florida. During nesting season, those whose homes face the beach should turn off outdoor lights at night. AS OF MAY 5 TOTAL NESTS: 2018 Lido Beach - Siesta Key - Casey Key 3
Volunteers survey seagrass. PAGE 3B •
THURSDAY, MAY 10, 2018
BIG APPROVAL FOR BIG PASS A judge rejected a challenge to a proposed Lido Key renourishment project. PAGE 3A
It’s in the bank A spectacle of sand sculptures covered Siesta Key Beach. SEE PAGE 1B
The Bay talks funding The bayfront planning group is targeting county property tax money to fund redevelopment.
2017 3 7
DAVID CONWAY DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR
It’s still unclear what will ultimately be built on a swath of cityowned bayfront land near the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall — or if the city will approve any bayfront redevelopment plan at all. Already, though, the independent group producing a master plan for the 53-acre tract has begun reaching out to officials to discuss possible financing strategies for a project that would likely cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
TOTAL FALSE CRAWLS: 2018 2017 Lido Beach - 1 Siesta Key - Casey Key 3 4 Source: Mote Marine Laboratory
Can you stop summer hunger? Here are the week’s donation totals for All Faiths Food Bank’s Campaign Against Summer Hunger, which runs through May 15. To donate, visit allfaithsfoodbank.org.
SEE BAYFRONT, PAGE 5A
A+E
Goal: $1.3 million matching challenge Amount raised to date: $1,118,808
Kayleigh Omang
“Cash Flow” won first place in the youth category at the 46th Annual Amateur Sand Sculpture Contest on Siesta Key Beach on May 5.
Timeless ‘Ragtime.’ INSIDE