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MAILED TO THE FOLLOWING NEIGHBORHOODS • Bayview • Cherokee Park • Harbor Acres • Hudson Bayou • Hyde Park • Oyster Bay • McClellan Park • Paradise Shores • Red Rock • San Remo • South Poinsettia • Southside Village
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JUNE 2013 | 941.349.0194 | ISLAND VISITOR PUBLISHING, LLC | www.SiestaSand.net | Complimentary
Another #1 for Siesta Key By Trebor Britt Siesta Key already received the #1 beach designation by Dr. Beach and it’s home to the restaurant that garnered the #1 spot for their Clam Chowder in the International Cook-off in New England. Now it can lay claim to another #1 – Siesta Key’s very own soda. One of the criteria Dr. Beach takes into consideration when determining his top 10 beach list is the quality of the water. That was one of the deciding factors for the owners of Captain Curt’s when they chose their premium soda. Story continued on page 14
A Martini May Save Your Life
By Trebor Britt
Siesta Key lifeguard, Robert Martini (28), has been standing duty overlooking beachgoers on the crystal waters of Florida for the past 11 years, seven of those years on Siesta Key. On any given day, you will find Martini on duty at the yellow lifeguard tower. Martini grew up in Georgia, about an hour outside Atlanta. His family eventually moved to Fort Lauderdale, where he first began serving the community as a lifeguard, and then moved to Bradenton to live with his grandmother. Story continued on page 10
No Government or Tax Dollars Used Here By Trebor Britt Kevin Cooper, Executive Director of the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce, acknowledges that preparation work for this year’s fireworks, is in full swing right now. “You’d be surprised that for a 25 to 30 minute fireworks display, we begin active work and planning three to four months in advance,” Cooper commented. “There are many permitting and payment issues and deadlines.” “Hosting the fireworks on Siesta Key began in the early 1990s as a way to celebrate the troops coming home from the first Gulf War. The event became such a big hit, the Chamber decided to make it an annual tradition,” he said. Expenses for the event go up every year. The $35,000 needed for the event is raised through business and residential donations, as well as a few fund raising events. The VIP party, hosted on the day of the fireworks, covers nearly 90% of the cost. Cooper said, “Many of our sponsors contribute every year. Businesses in the South village and here in the north village as well as condominium developments along Midnight Pass purchase VIP packages to help ensure the tradition continues. It really is the collective effort of many sponsors that leads to the success of this event.” “There is a misconception that the government funds fireworks or tax dollars are used. Not a single tax dollar, or any government funding is used to help pay for this event. The Chamber is happy to be at the helm and the logistics effort of Siesta Key’s fireworks,” Cooper said.
Photo by Trebor Britt
Story continued on page 16
Sarasota Housing Market Continues to Improve Even if you have avoided watching the news or reading the paper, by simply taking a stroll through your neighborhood or a drive down the street, you can tell that the Florida Real Estate Market is HOT. The rows of For Sale signs that lined the streets the past few years are gone. If there happens to be one or two still in your neighborhood, they most likely are accompanied by a “Pending” sign. The former housing eyesores with high grass and broken windows waiting to be foreclosed now shine with perfect landscaping and other loving touches by their new owners. Statistics will show that the once decimated Florida housing market is on the rise, and quickly. According to the most recent housing report presented by the
By Brian Tresidder
Florida Realtors®, the upward sales trend in the first quarter of 2013 continued to roll through April. This report shows an increase in the number of closed and pending sales, rising median prices, and a lower inventory of homes for sale. All of these signs point to the strong, continued improvement of the Florida Housing Market. While the number of sales has been steadily increasing, the number of new listings on the market continues to remain low. This correlation between supply and demand has created a frenzy among well priced new listings. “Buyers need to be prepared when considering a purchase.
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