Why the world comes to Sarasota
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Two Outstanding SKA Board Members Retire By Diana Colson Two Board Members of the Siesta Key Association retired March 1st after years of exceptional service. Peter van Roekens served on the board for a total of 12 years. He specialized in all things having to do with Big Pass. He was also instrumental in handling many smaller, more localized issues, such as getting the lighted bollards installed in the Village. Ron Flynn is a well known Sarasota realtor. At SKA he has served as a quiet force behind the scenes, and a specialist in meticulous research. The work of both of these dedicated men has helped maintain a high quality of life on our treasured Siesta Key. Peter van Roekens and his wife Nancy first came to Siesta Key in 1979. They loved the place so much that they purchased a vacation
condominium. Both grew up in the Northeast. Peter graduated from Temple University and also attended Boston University. He raced his Alfa Romeo Giulietta sports car in New Jersey and Maryland, and was elected to Mensa in 1975. Nancy attended Delaware University, Columbia, and BU, where she received her Master’s Degree. She became a Reading Specialist who worked with Gifted as well as Learning Disabled children in grades K-6. In his early career, Peter founded and ran two service companies in Pennsylvania, where they were married. The couple was soon blessed with one son and one daughter. The family moved to Massachusetts when Peter became a Director of Multivendor Systems
Engineering at Digital Equipment Corporation, a major American company in the computer industry. While at Digital, Peter co-developed a hardware patent with two others. In the 90’s, he became Vice President at Compaq Computer, which at the time was the nation’s largest supplier of PC systems. In 2000—after they both retired and the children were launched— the van Roekens became full-time Siesta Key residents. Today they are the proud grandparents of triplets who are almost 14, and also of a granddaughter who is a freshman at Brown and the recipient of two scholarships. Peter is a past President of Siesta Key Association and has also served as Vice President and Secretary. Continued on page 18
Third Time a Charm for Stickney Point/Midnight Pass Intersection?
Commentary:
By Robert Frederickson
In the early 90’s there was a proposal to take sand from Big Pass for Venice. There was overwhelming opposition by residents including a lawsuit by Siesta Key Association to block the permitting by DEP. It is no wonder that this project was not approved. Then the City of Sarasota decided to dredge Big Pass in 1998 but backed off based on outcry from citizens. But they have come back again! You might have expected that their
Recent changes to the rules of the road at the Stickney Point/ Midnight Pass Road intersection demonstrate that if nothing else, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) takes complaints from the public seriously. An electronic sign like the one shown Hopefully, by the time you here at I-75/Fruitville Road interchange read this, the third plan in as will soon replace the current static sign many months should be in place at Midnight Pass and Stickney Point to address pedestrian safety intersection. issues at the busy intersection. to complaints about drivers failing The latest changes will attempt to yield the right-of-way under a to lessen the severity of traffic red signal to pedestrians attempting backups – sometimes stretching all to cross Midnight Pass or Stickney the way to the mainland – that were Point. exacerbated in recent weeks when “Our traffic operations office signs went up prohibiting turns on received complaints about drivers red in all instances for westbound making the turns even when traffic approaching the key from the pedestrians were trying to cross,” mainland, not just when pedestrians said FDOT’s Lauren Hatchell, a are present, which had been the case public information officer with the previously. agency in a recent phone interview. The signs restricting the turns Continued on page 28 went up in mid February in response
and Osprey every day during the school year. The rest of the time she’s there, she brightens peoples day with her contagious smile and friendly wave. Born and raised in Sarasota, Emma related, “When I was a little girl, I always wanted to be a crossing guard.” By Trebor Britt.
BEHIND THE SMILE After 22 years working for the school board as a main dish cook at Fruitville elementary school, crossing guard Emma Henry, is still contributing to the lives of Sarasotans. She safely helps children cross the intersection of Siesta Drive
The Plans to Dredge Big Pass
By Peter van Roekens
current plan which is based on material gathered in 2002 and updated in 2004 would have had a more recent update. You also might think that this latest plan to dredge Big Pass would have had a public review by now. Neither has happened so far. The Corps claims the current plan is based on the Inlet Management Plan (IMP) that was done in 2008. Commentary continued on page 21.
Fighting slum and blight after the slum is gone By Stan Zimmerman Let’s say you live in a nice house with a comfortable income. But your neighbor next door lives in a slum, hand-to-mouth. You get an idea. You give your neighbor some money every month, no strings attached, if he’ll use it to fix up his slummy house. At some point, the neighbor’s house isn’t a slum anymore, and property values for both homes are
improving. Who after all would want to live next to your neighbor’s slum? But once he’s fixed it up, what if he wants the money to keep coming, and he’s using it for groceries and beer? Multiply this rough analogy until the payments approach onehalf billion dollars and you’ll start to understand the big picture of a Sarasota policy issue that will play
out in the coming months. It pits the City of Sarasota against the County of Sarasota, with implications that will linger over the next three decades. The stakes are high, the details are intricate and like all who-getswhat decisions, it will play out on the field of politics. Continued on page 33
Abel’s Ice Cream at Village Walk Fundraiser Village Walk of Sarasota, located in Palmer Ranch, held its 3rd Annual Food Fundraiser for the Hope in a Back Pack charity. Bill Abel donated and served Abel’s Ice Cream to the participants. The event was a success again this year according to founder Sharon Lee Leber. Abel’s Ice Cream continues to give back to the Sarasota community by donating their time and premium ice cream for various fundraisers since they opened three years ago this month. Bill and Norma Abel greatly appreciate the Siesta Key, Palmer Ranch, other local area residents and tourist for their support and loyalty as customers. The Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce and other local business neighbors have played a key role in their success, the Abel’s say. Unique flavors such as Elephant Ears (Vanilla ice cream swirled
with peanut butter weave & chocolate chips), Bear Claw (Dark intense chocolate ice cream with thick caramel weave & chocolate covered cashews) and Snickelicious ( Candy bar flavored ice cream with snickers candy bar pieces & thick caramel weave) continue to bring local and tourists back regularly. The Abel’s look forward in continuing to serve their nationally award winning brand of ice cream in the future. They are located between New Balance Shoe and Stonewood Grill at 1886 Stickney Point Road 941-921-5700. Visit their web site for directions, www.abelsicecream.com.
Sharon Lee Leber, Master of Ceremony and Founder of Hope in a Back Pack with Bill Abel.
Abel’s Ice Cream 1886 Stickney Point Road - 941-921-5700 Between New Balance & Stonewood Grill
LOCAL MAPS & INFORMATION See Page 17