News Briefs

+ Pair charged in Key child-neglect case
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office arrested two adults March 3 after they allegedly spent the day drinking and their actions ended up putting two children at risk.

Deputies were called to 108 Beach Road at 5:20 p.m. Saturday by someone who said he had seen a man passed out in a vehicle that was running, with a small child as a passenger in a car seat, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The driver, William Lemacks, 35, of 653 Lake Pansy Drive, Winter Haven, told deputies he did not know how the child got into the vehicle or where the 2-year-old girl’s mother was.

The child was sweating and crying, but medical personnel said she was unharmed, according to the report.
Deputies determined a possible home address for the mother, identified as Quinn Gallo, 33, of 1185 Gantt Ave., Sarasota, and found a 10-year-old child home alone. The boy said his mother and sister had left about 10:30 a.m. that day with a man he didn’t know, according to the report.

Detectives located Gallo near Beach Access 5 at 6:20 p.m. The Department of Children and Families placed the children with the father of the 2-year-old, the Sheriff’s Office reported Monday.

A deputy who separately was investigating a theft Saturday at the Siesta Key Oyster Bar, in Siesta Village, determined Gallo and several other adults had left the restaurant without paying a bill in excess of $200; the bill included 23 alcoholic drinks, according to the Sheriff’s Office report.

Quinn was charged with Child Neglect, while Lemacks was charged with Driving Under the Influence with a passenger under 18 in the vehicle.

+ Limited seats open for Civics 101 class 
Civics 101, the Sarasota County Government program that provides insights into how the county operates, still has a few seats available for the session beginning March 15.

Up to 25 people can participate in the free class, which includes several tours of county operations. Classes will be held from 9 a.m. to noon every Thursday for nine weeks.

“Civics 101 is a great way to learn not only about how your local government works, but also about the people who are on the job every day, doing their best for our community,” said Sarasota County Neighborhood Services Manager Jane Grogg in a news release.

The upcoming session will be the first held during the daytime.

“We wanted to give business professionals the opportunity to learn more about how to navigate the county processes, with the potential for business expansion,” said Grogg.

The class is beneficial to new residents learning about the community, business owners navigating county regulations and long-time residents curious about local government, a county news release says.

Applications and the nine-week schedule are available on the county’s website, www.scgov.net. Click on “Neighborhood University” under “Neighborhood Services” in the County A-Z list.

Meetings & agendas
• Sarasota County Traffic Advisory Council — 2 to 4 p.m. March 12, Administration Center, Commission Chambers, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota.
• Sarasota County School Board Workshop — 10 a.m. to noon March 13, at 1980 Landings Blvd., Sarasota. The session will feature a presentation by MGT, the firm that has undertaken a study of the district’s finances.
• Sarasota County Commission — 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 13, R.L. Anderson Center, Commission Chambers, 4000 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 14, Administration Center, Commission Chambers, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota.