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SRQ DAILY Jun 16, 2022

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"What is satisfying about being a leader is not the leading in and of itself, but rather the work you do and the change that comes from it. I think the best leaders are those without a desire to lead, but a desire to improve their community."

- Natalie C., Senior, 11th grade student at Out of Door Academy
 

[Politics]  McFarland to Face Reich in District 73
Jacob Ogles, jacob.ogles@srqme.com

State Rep. Fiona McFarland, R-Sarasota, will see a challenge this year from Sarasota High teacher Derek Reich, a Democrat.

The freshman lawmaker welcomed the chance to defend her record over her first term in the Florida House.

“Giving the voters a choice every two years of who represents them in Tallahassee keeps elected officials responsible to our districts and is critical to a healthy democracy,” McFarland said. “I’ve spent my first term working hard for the people of Sarasota and am looking forward to re-earning my position at the ballot box in November.”

Reich, a Sarasota County native, came to the race with a starkly different assessment of the work of McFarland and of the Legislature as a whole. He in particularly questioned a House plan, which ultimately did not pass, that would have withheld $12 million from Sarasota County Schools as retribution for enforcing a mask mandate for part of the school year. 

“I just couldn’t believe a Representative regardless of party would not do the bare minimum, which is to go fight for your community,” he said.

He also criticized McFarland for failing to address an affordable housing crisis, counter to campaign promises made when she first ran in 2020.

McFarland, for her part, counts among accomplishment successfully fighting for a number of projects over two years. She also spent much of this year working to make sure there was full funding for community-based care providers in the state, including the Safe Children Coalition serving this judicial circuit.

The once-a-decade redistricting process means the district, now House District 73, bears a significantly different shape than it did two years ago. The district now covers the entirety of the city and spans south to Venice west of Interstate-75. 

The seat has one of the greatest partisan divides in Florida. Republican Donald Trump won the district under the lines but with just 49.7% of the vote to Democrat Joe Biden’s 49.34%. Similarly, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis won the district in 2018 with 49.93% of the vote while Democrat Andrew Gillum took 49% of the vote.

McFarland has raised about $129,824 for the race in her official campaign account, while Reich hasn’t reported any fundraising to date.

Neither candidate faces a primary opponent as of now. The deadline for qualification is at noon on Friday. 

[Outdoor Adventure]  Unwind with Key Sailing
Dylan Campbell, dylan@srqme.com

In today’s modern age, technology is at our fingertips. Worlds of information can be accessed through our phones, connecting us with spaces we've never been to and people we’ve never spoken with. That advancement in technology has also become prevalent in our transportation - automobiles have turned into moving computers and motor boats have become more and more like automobiles on the water.

So how can Sarasotans unplug and unwind while still enjoying the natural beauty the area has to offer? By booking a private charter with Key Sailing, the long-time local sailing outfit. Key Sailing’s private charters start at $200 per hour, can seat up to 12 guests, and offer 2,3, and 4 hour charters.

"Our most popular outing is our 3-hour tour - that seems to be perfect for most people’s budgets and allows us to get out a little further into the Sarasota Bay. We sail immediately out of the slip and then you’re there - you just ride the wind. Most of the time that’s in the Sarasota Bay, but it can be towards the edge of the Gulf - people sometimes assume the better sailing is from the gulf but that’s not always the case - you can see all seven barrier islands from the Bay,” says Sarasota native Jan Solomon, who runs Key Sailing with her husband Tim.

Each charter, no matter what the length, is customized for the passengers as much as possible.

“We’re very conscious that for every single guest, it’s not just a boat ride for them. Many have been saving up, or they haven’t seen their grandchildren, or they haven’t had a date night without kids. This is a big deal for them to do - it’s something they look forward to, so we make sure to look forward to it ourselves,” attests Jan.

Key Sailing, 2 Marina Plaza, Slip E-19, Sarasota, 941-346-7245, siestakeysailing@gmail.com. 

Photo courtesy of Key Sailing

For more information click here

[Children's Book Review]  Fiction Book Review: Havoc in the Hammock! by Kelly Russel Jacques, Illustrated by Liz and Kate Pope
Dylan.Campbell. Dylan@srqme.com

Havoc in the Hammock! is a sweet, if a bit silly, tale about a tired tortoise that just can’t catch a break. The children’s book is rife with wonderfully alliterative characters - six limber lizards, seven prickly porcupines, and nine rowdy rabbits, to name a few - all of which pile into the hammock, disrupting the tortoise’s nap.

The story shines not by providing overarching, subtextual metaphors, but through the pacing of its writing. By emphasizing the number of new animals that jump into hammock - “one tired tortoise, two scheming spiders, three crazy crickets” in sequential order, the story creates a fun, playful learning experience for young readers still learning how to count. The fact that every “paragraph” or stanza rhymes is just the cherry on top.

The story’s illustrations add a whimsical touch to the story as well. While every animal is roughly realistic in scale to one another, their faces are personified with easily digestible emotional cues.

Publication Date: March 15,2022 by Reycraft Books, New York, ISBN: 1478875283, Ages: 3-7. 

[Recognition Given]  Outstanding Youth Leadership in Our Community: Natalie C.

Our community is filled with many incredible young people doing such amazing things. For the next several weeks, we will be featuring some of these young people in our Thursday Family & Education edition. The students we are highlighting have been chosen for this year’s SRQ Magazine’s top youth leaders based on their values, determination and outstanding achievements in different aspects of their lives in and out of school.

Natalie C., an 11th grade student at Out of Door Academy began volunteering at the Fab Lab for summer camp support in 2020. When the opportunity arose to be at the front of the class and develop and teach her own hands-on STEAM classes, she took it and joined the SPEC (Student Projects & Education Committee). Since 2021, she has developed and led over 10 classes and camps. She also mentors junior instructors so they can build experience and confidence to lead their own classes. Natalie is incredibly passionate about girls in STEAM and is helping develop outreach programming to expose more underserved girls to the possibilities within science, technology, engineering, art and math. Natalie also serves on the RC Car Executive Committee where she helps plan all aspects of the Fab Lab's annual remote control car competition for K-12 students. In summer 2022, Natalie will be elevating her leadership role and serving as a summer intern, helping facilitate and manage several Fab Lab programs.

We asked Natalie what inspires her to be a leader.

"I love bringing out the best in people," she said. "Leading a team allows me to identify people’s strengths and help them reach their full potential. Honestly though, I don’t think about trying to be a leader amongst my peers very often. What’s satisfying about being a leader isn’t the leading in and of itself, but rather the work you do and the change that comes from it. I think the best leaders are those without a desire to lead, but a desire to improve their community."  

Pictured: Natalie C., 11th grade student at Out of Door Academy. Photo by Wyatt Kostygan.

[Fundraising Event]  Tugging at the Heartstrings for Ukraine

Renowned Sarasota Opera principal harpist Giuseppina Ciarla will perform Sunday, June 26, 5:00 p.m. at Temple Sinai in a special concert, “Hope from the Harp,” to benefit Ukrainian
refugees. Monies raised will support medical aid and relief efforts for Ukrainians by Emergency USA, a non-profit organization providing free medical care to victims of war and poverty. Giuseppina Ciarla will perform songs from her recently released critically acclaimed international album, “A Ticket Home.” The concert will feature Ciarla singing and playing the harp - a true rarity. Elie Rubinstein, Executive Director of Emergency USA, will speak about the organization he represents and how it is making a direct impact on the lives of Ukrainians in crisis. Emergency has launched Politruck, its largest mobile outpatient clinic. The mobile bus is in Moldova, a country that neighbors Ukraine’s southwest border. It is estimated that there are currently over 450,000 refugees in Moldova alone. Via the Politruck, the medical staff offers free, high-quality healthcare assistance to thousands of people, including women, children and the elderly. Temple Sinai’s Spiritual Leader Chazzan Cliff Abramson says this concert is an example of a value central to Judaism. The concert will be held at Temple Sinai, 4631 S. Lockwood Ridge Rd. (enter from Proctor Road) and on livestream. Admission will be by donation (suggested $36/adult or $18/student. All donations are tax deductible. To register and for more information, visit www.hopefromtheharp.org. 100% of the donations go directly to Emergency USA (emergencyusa.org). 

[Air Travel]  SRQ Passenger Growth Increases for May 2022

In May 332,431 passengers traveled through the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, an increase of 43,880 over May 2021. Passengers traveling through the airport year-to-date totaled 1,803,944 compared to 1,146,782 year-to-date for 2021, an increase of 57%. Both Southwest and United Airlines showed year- to- date increases of 100% or more compared to the first five months of 2021. “We continue to see growth as we come into our summer months at SRQ. However, rising fuel prices and pilot and personnel shortages with the airlines nationwide continue so some schedule cutbacks are expected. Therefore, it is recommended you book your travel early to assure you get your desired destinations,” stated Rick Piccolo, President, CEO of the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport. 



[SOON]  PERFORMANCE: Florida Studio Theatre: Laughing Matters , February 9 – June 19, Varies.

Laughing Matters, FST’s hit musical sketch comedy show, is back for round six! And this time, nothing and no one is safe from a good-spirited roast. From never-ending Sarasota construction and the perpetual hunt for downtown parking to Mother Nature’s increasingly wild mood swings and our endless quest to stay young, Laughing Matters delivers fast-paced comedy inspired by the culture and politics of today. Laughing Matters, by head writer Rebecca Hopkins with contributing writers Kevin Allen, Sarah Durham, Stephan deGhelder, and Jim Prosser, will play beginning February 9, 2022 through June 19, 2022 in FST's Court Cabaret.

[SOON]  PERFORMANCE: The Players Centre Returns to Summer Programing with RABBIT HOLE , June 8 – June 19

The Players Centre for Performing Arts presents the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning play Rabbit Hole at Studio 1130 located in the Crossings at Siesta Key mall (3501 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34239) June 8-19, 2022. Becca and Howie Corbett have a picture-perfect family life in the suburbs of New York until a random, tragic accident takes the life of their four-year old son. Soon after, Becca’s younger, irresponsible sister, Izzy, announces that she is pregnant. As Becca and Howie grow apart, Becca’s mother, Nat, badgers Becca about her grieving process, and Jason, the young driver who killed their son, continually shows up to ask forgiveness, the group is on a bumpy road to healing with no road map in sight. Rabbit Hole delves into the complexity of a family navigating deep grief and learning what it means to live a fruitful life when things fall apart. 

[SOON]  SEMINAR: The Florida Center for Early Childhood: Mind Matters Symposium , June 22, 9am-3pm

Join The Florida Center for Early Childhood for a full-day, virtual course on understanding and supporting early childhood brain development and mental health on Wednesday, June 22 from 9am to 3pm. Learn to identify brain differences, their implications, and strategies to address them.

[SOON]  GALLERY: Women Contemporary Artists Members Spring Exhibition , June 3 – June 24

The Women Contemporary Artists Members Spring Exhibition 2022 will take place at Ringling College of Art & Design Lois and David Stuhlberg Gallery, 1188 MLK Way, from June 3 – 24, 2022. The exhibition is open to active WCA members who may submit two entries only, $30 for one entry and $35 for two entries. Art specs are 2D - 36” x 36” max, mid-sized and smaller works preferred. All media. Diptych and Triptychs allowed, but must fit into size requirements and sold as one painting. 3D work 72” x 20” max. Pedestals are available. If accepted into the show, be prepared to sit for one sitting in the gallery, if needed, from 9-12 or 12-3 on Monday through Friday for the length of the show. You can do this with a friend. Awards are $600 for 1st, $400 for 2nd, $300 for 3rd, and 5 Merit Awards $100 each. Receiving on Tuesday, May 24 between 10 AM and 2 PM and Jurying on Tuesday, May the 24th at 3 PM.

[SOON]  GALLERY: Ringling College Galleries + Exhibitions Opening Receptions June 10th , June 3 – June 24, 5pm-7pm

Ringling College Galleries + Exhibitions invites you to attend two opening receptions for: Petticoat Painters, exhibiting June 3 - June 24 in the Willis A. Smith Construction Inc. Gallery and Women Contemporary Artists, exhibiting June 3 - June 24 in the Lois + David Stulberg Gallery. Join us on June 10th, 5-7 pm for the opening reception in each gallery and meet the artists. Both galleries are on the Ringling College campus and are open M-F 9-3 pm. While you're on campus don't forget to stop by Valetta's exhibition in the Thompson Gallery. Valetta will be exhibiting June 3 - August 12.

[SOON]  SPORTS: 6th Annual Bob Rizi Memorial Golf Classic at The Meadows Country Club , June 24, 7:30am

The 6th Annual Bob Rizi Memorial Golf Classic will take place on Friday, June 24 at The Meadows Country Club course only. Player check-in and breakfast will be from 7:30am to 9am, with a shotgun start at 9am. $800 per foursome, which includes continental breakfast, tee sign, and lunch. The tournament is limited to 36 foursomes on a first come first served basis and two golf carts will be provided to each foursome. For more information and registration, visit suncoastsummerfest.org or call 941-706-3685.

[SOON]  GALLERY: Art Uptown Gallery: Moxie , June 25 – July 30
The July Gallery for Art Uptown will exhibit "MOXIE by Rita Rust." Rust's watercolor action portraits capture the feeling of joy that can be found even in the darkest times.
[SOON]  GRAB BAG: Farmers' Market at Lakewood Ranch , January 2 – December 25, 10am-2pm

The Farmers’ Market at Lakewood Ranch is home to more than 90 curated vendors of the region’s best food and flavors, located at Waterside Place in Lakewood Ranch. It takes place every Sunday from 10am to 2pm at Waterside Place. It’s your weekend destination for organic produce, meat, poultry, seafood, bread, pasta, juices and prepared foods. Stay up to date on vendors and events by visiting TheMarketLWR.com.

[SOON]  MUSIC: Sarasota Music Festival 2022: Basically Baroque , June 17, 7:30pm

The Basically Baroque Festival Friday will take place on Friday, June 17, 2022 at 7:30pm at Sarasota Opera House. The rhythms and textures that define Baroque music continue to inspire today’s composers, as evidenced in this delightfully diverse program. Accomplished jazz musician and new Festival faculty hornist Jeff Scott’s wind quintet, Startin’ Sumthin’, is a modern tribute to the energy of ragtime. The rich textures and vibrant colors of a 17th-century Venetian palazzo shine in Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw’s Stucco & Brocatelle. Two Baroque masterpieces anchor the second half of this program. Travel back three centuries for the energizing virtuosity and soaring melodies of J.S. Bach’s glorious Double Violin Concerto, featuring Grammy-nominated violinist Jennifer Frautschi and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra Concertmaster Margaret Batjer. The concert concludes with excerpts from Handel’s Water Music, written for performance as royal entertainment on the River Thames in 1717.

Sarasota Opera House

[SOON]  MUSIC: Sarasota Music Festival 2022: Mozart and Brahms , June 18, 7:30pm

The Mozart and Brahms Festival Saturday will take place on Saturday, June 18, 2022 at 7:30pm at Sarasota Opera House. The rapturous Second Sextet for Strings—Brahms’s musical farewell to a lost love—opens a program of music by composers who defined their eras. Margaret Batjer and Desmond Hoebig team up with four Festival fellows in Brahms’s exhilarating tour de force. “Entrée de Polymnie” is a brief, yet profoundly beautiful selection from French Baroque composer Jean-Philippe Rameau’s final opera Les Boréades. World-renowned pianist and Mozart scholar Robert Levin returns as soloist in Mozart’s darkly brooding Piano Concerto No. 24, the composer’s most richly scored work for piano and orchestra. Festival Music Director Jeffrey Kahane conducts the Festival Orchestra in this dramatic program.

Sarasota Opera House

[SOON]  MUSIC: Sarasota Music Festival 2022: Rising Stars Concert 2 , June 19, 2:30pm

The Rising Stars Concert – 2 will take place on Sunday, June 19, 2022 at 2:30pm at Holley Hall. Program: Mendelssohn I. Allegro vivace from Sextet in D Major; D’Rivera I. Alborado, II. Son and III. Vals Venezolano from Aires Tropicales; Beethoven I. Entrata and II. Menuetto from Serenade in D Major; Poulenc III. Finale from Sextet; Shostakovich Piano Trio No. 1 in C Minor; Dvorak II. Lento from Piano Quartet No. 2 in E-flat Major; and Tchaikovsky IV. Allegro vivace from Souvenir de Florence.

Holley Hall

[SOON]  MUSIC: Sarasota Music Festival 2022: Creative Voices , June 21, 7:30pm

Creative Voices will take place on Tuesday, June 21, 2022 at 7:30pm at Holley Hall. Caroline Shaw and Gabriel Kahane, two of today’s most sought after composers, come together for an evening of chamber music and song. The concert includes music from Let the Soil Play Its Simple Part, Shaw’s acclaimed collaboration with Sō Percussion, and excerpts from Kahane’s recent albums Magnificent Bird and Book of Travelers (hailed by Rolling Stone as “a stunning portrait of a singular moment in America”). The experience will showcase Shaw and Kahane in an intimate duo setting, as well as buttressed by a string quartet of Festival fellows. This concert promises a rich palette sonically and emotionally, and features an exploration of the role of the composer, including a Q&A segment.

Holley Hall

[SOON]  GRAB BAG: Bayfront Fireworks Spectacular at Marina Jack , July 4

Celebrate the July 4th holiday along the Sarasota bayfront by watching one of the best fireworks displays in Southwest Florida. This fireworks display over Sarasota Bay is organized by Suncoast Charities for Children in partnership with Marina Jack and produced by Pyrotecnico. Best viewing is from Bayfront Park near Marina Jack. For more information or to make your dinner reservation, contact Marina Jack at (941) 365-4232.

[SOON]  MUSIC: Sarasota Music Festival 2022: Mix and Mingle , June 24, 7:30pm

The Mix and Mingle Festival Friday will take place on Friday, June 24, 2022 at 7:30pm at Sarasota Opera House. Festival faculty and fellows share the stage in this program featuring works that intermingle wind and string instruments. Amy Beach’s brilliant Theme and Variations is an early 20th-century Romantic treasure from the first American woman to publish a symphony. Jean Françaix’s superbly crafted music is bracingly witty and always entertaining. His Dixtuor for 10 players brings together the rarely seen combination of wind and string quintets. Beethoven’s Septet was an immediate success at its premiere in 1800 and quickly became one of his most popular works. This luminous piece is scored for a mixed ensemble with a notably challenging violin part, taken on in this performance by faculty violinist Martin Beaver. 

Sarasota Opera House

[SOON]  MUSIC: Sarasota Music Festival 2022: Hidden Gems , June 16, 4:30pm

The Hidden Gems Artist Showcase will take place on Thursday, June 16, 2022 at 4:30pm at Holley Hall. Three new faculty artists appear on this program featuring gems by great masters. Shostakovich’s lyrical and witty sides are evident in his Five Pieces, brought to life by new faculty members Grigory Kalinovsky and Toyin Spellman-Diaz. Nadia Boulanger was perhaps the most important musical pedagogue of the 20th century. Her exquisite Three Pieces are a rarely performed treat. The program concludes with the expressive First Piano Quartet by Boulanger’s teacher, Gabriel Fauré, featuring new faculty violinist Jennifer Frautschi.

Holley Hall

SRQ Media Group

SRQ DAILY is produced by SRQ | The Magazine. Note: The views and opinions expressed in the Saturday Perspectives Edition and in the Letters department of SRQ DAILY are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by SRQ Media. Senior Editor Jacob Ogles edits the Saturday Perspective Edition, Letters and Guest Contributor columns.In the CocoTele department, SRQ DAILY is providing excerpts from news releases as a public service. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SRQ DAILY. The views expressed by individuals are their own and their appearance in this section does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. For rates on SRQ DAILY banner advertising and sponsored content opportunities, please contact Ashley Ryan Cannon at 941-365-7702 x211 or via email

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