News Briefs

+ State funds sought for beach renourishment
Sarasota County Administrator Randall Reid received approval Sept. 11 from the County Commission to apply for $5.5 million from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for Turtle Beach sand restoration.

South Siesta Key is designated as an area of critical erosion by the state, according to a memo from Reid to commissioners. It is eligible for 50% state funding from the Beach Erosion Control budget for the state’s 2013-2014 fiscal year. Revenues collected from tourist-development taxes, fees charged on short-term room rentals, will provide the remaining $6 million needed for the project, according to the 2013 fiscal year budget.

Tropical Storm Debby caused roughly $5 million in erosion damage to Turtle Beach in late June, according to Sarasota County coastal engineer Weiqi Lin. The beach was last renourished in 2007.

+ Lead emerges in bronze statue theft
Siesta Key resident Ron Flynn recently identified one of the two bronze crane statues stolen from his front yard Sept. 5, at Suncoast Metals, a Sarasota-based scrap metal recycler.

Flynn said in an email exchange with Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office deputy Doug Glaser and detective Anthony Colonna that a local contractor recognized the unusual statues from a recent news article. But, when investigators followed the tip, only one of the cranes was left at Suncoast Metals.

The unknown suspect, or suspects, cut the two statues from their bases behind shrubs in Flynn’s yard. Detectives told Flynn that it was unfortunate the statues hadn’t been engraved, which would have to helped positively identify the cranes. 

Meetings & Agendas
• Siesta Isles Association meeting — 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20, St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, 5394 Midnight Pass Road, Siesta Key

• Sarasota County Commission final budget hearing — 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 24, Administration Building, commission chamber, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota

• Sarasota County Commission meeting — 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25, Administration Building, commission chamber, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota

• Sarasota County Commission meeting — 9 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 26, Administration Building, commission chamber, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota

• Tourism Development Council meeting — 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 27, Administration Building, commission chamber, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota