SRQ DAILY Mar 13, 2018
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"But clearly where I set myself apart is my intimate knowledge on health care."
With the state legislative session barely in the rearview, state Rep. Julio Gonzalez, R-Venice, turned his focus anew on his next political ambition. Gonzalez on Monday evening official kicked off his campaign for Congress in District 17. The move came days after he gave a speech in the state House saying goodbye to colleagues there.
Now he’s hoping to set himself apart from a growing list of politicians looking to succeed U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney. “All of the candidates I am sure have a great love for their country,” Gonzalez says. “But clearly where I set myself apart is my intimate knowledge on health care.” Indeed, in addition to writing books on health care and lobbying federal lawmakers, he’s also a doctor in private practice at Orthopedic Center of Venice.
From running that practice with one other physician, he knows the impact of health care legislation on healthcare providers, from the Affordable Care Act to the regulatory environment put in place by Congress regarding Medicare and Medicaid. “We’ve been able to painfully avoid merging or being absorbed by bigger entities, but have had to change our modern specifically on how to do business based on things we’ve had to implement on no choice of our own,” he says. That’s involved expensive computer upgrades that had nothing to do with quality of care, he says, and the hiring of additional personnel, increasing inefficiency to adhere to new regulations.
Gonzalez, if elected, would be the rare member of Congress holding both a medical degree and a law degree. He earned the second at the same time he ran for state House the first time in 2014, and he focused on constitutional law. He’d like to bring both areas of knowledge into play in Washington.
Over two terms in the Florida House of Representatives, Gonzalez developed a reputation as cordial and ardently conservative. Gonzalez, for example, recently joined Democrats in voting against a gun and school safety bill backed by House leadership and just signed into law by the governor, but did so because he considered portions like a restriction on gun purchases by anyone under the age of 21 to be an unnecessary infringement on the rights of adults. He supports a Guardian program allowing more school personnel to be armed, which he says will deter some shooters from opening fire on campus because they won’t know who could shoot them down.
Gonzalez in 2014 won an expensive and highly contentious Republican primary but has coasted to election to two terms in the Senate in a Republican-leaning district. His ambitions for higher office, incidentally, mean his District 74 seat will open up four years sooner than expected. But as he enters the Congressional fray, he once again may be in a difficult primary.
While Rooney’s District 17 leans heavily Republican, it also stretches over nine counties. So far, state Sen. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, already announced his candidacy for the district. Charlotte County Republican William Akins had already intended to challenge Rooney before the congressman announced his retirement, and John Sawyer, a conservationist who previously challenged Rooney, has also filed to run in the Republican primary. Democrats April Freeman of Cape Coral and William Pollard of Avon Park have also filed. And other high-profile Republicans are reportedly considering a run as well. How will Gonzalez introduce himself to voters throughout the district, most of whom never have seen his name on the ballot? “I’m doing a lot of driving,” he says.
The Florida Republican primary is scheduled for Aug. 30. The mid-term general election is scheduled for Nov. 6. 
Photo: State Rep. Julio Gonzalez, R-Venice, speaks on the Florida House floor.
Mandeville Beer Garden celebrates its Three Year Anniversary Party this Saturday, March 17th. Third time's the charm—the popular neighborhood spot for gathering and beveraging will be hosting a gamut of craft beer choices from Tampa Bay's Cigar City Brewing. Cigar City is set to come down and take over the “BEER HERE” wall with 30 taps of their most sought after beers. Whether you get down with a fruity sour, a hoppy IPA or a sweet Porter, there's sure to be a style for every taste palate.
Grab your family, friends and dog for some fun outdoor activities—corn hole tossing, ping pong balling, dancing in the garden and imbibing galore. Throughout the day's festivities, Mandeville will be handing out free gear from Cigar City and, to cap off of the special annual shindig, the cake tradition from past years will commence. Owner, Rebekah Mandeville will be cutting cake at 7:30pm to share celebratory slices with patrons and partiers alike. Local band, Shades of Ginger will be rocking out the upbeat live tunes from 8pm–11pm. Come eat, drink and be merry for this beloved community watering-hole (because beering-hole sounds too weird to say). For a full list of the Cigar City beers available for purchase and consumption, visit the link below. PROST!
Mandeville Beer Garden, 428 North Lemon Ave., Sarasota, 941-954-8688.
Neal Communities, a southwest Florida premier homebuilder, recently broke ground on a new amenity center at Grand Palm, its master-planned community in Venice. The 7,227-square-foot Grand Palm Social Club will boast first-class amenities, including a 3,400-square-foot resort-style pool, separate spa area with a Jacuzzi, game room and a large gathering room with an open café kitchen. With more than 2,300 square feet of outdoor space, the amenity center’s large lanai will feature wraparound verandas, shade structures, a covered tiki pavilion, palm trees and an island sand pit with hammocks. Grand Palm homeowners also have access to a state-of-the-art fitness facility and large, resort-style pool with a water slide and miles of walking and bicycle trails with bike racks. There are two dog parks, a children’s splash park and basketball, bocce ball, pickleball, foursquare, tennis and volleyball courts. Some of Neal Communities’ most popular and diverse home collections, ranging from 1,434 to 3,346 square feet, are available at Grand Palm. Homebuyers can choose from architectural styles, such as neo-classical, Mediterranean, island, British West Indies and French country. Grand Palm is the largest neighborhood Neal Communities has created in its more than 40 years of building, with plans for 1,999 homes at completion. The Grand Palm Social Club is slated to open in 2019.
The Florida Center for Early Childhood, a local nonprofit serving children and their families in Sarasota, Charlotte, Manatee and DeSoto/Hardee counties, received a $5,000 grant from the Harold C. and Jacqueline F. Bladel Foundation to help provide developmental therapies to children from birth to eight years of age. The grant will be used to provide therapy sessions, as well as purchase equipment and materials that will help children with sensory integration challenges. The multidisciplinary team of licensed speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists, and certified infant-toddler developmental specialist (ITDS), work together, and alongside mental health and educational colleagues to provide services to children with developmental delays, as well as established diagnoses that include Autism Spectrum Disorder, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, and Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity. For more than 35 years, The Florida Center for Early Childhood has been serving the community’s children and families. Today, The Florida Center for Early Childhood is a nationally accredited, community-based agency that provides early childhood education, developmental therapies, mental health therapy, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders diagnostic and intervention services, training, and home-based child abuse prevention services.
The ninth annual event will feature films that "explore, record, and celebrate Jewish life and experience" from both the past and present. Films vary in genres from exciting fast-paced features to more serious and somber films. Enjoy great cinema for only $15.
Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee, 580 McIntosh Rd., Sarasota
In this musical, audiences will get an in-depth look at the legendary musical performer Billie Holiday and one of her final performances. Listen to beloved classics in this riveting portrait of one of the greatest jazz vocalists of this time.
Westcoast Black Theatre , 1646 10th Way, Sarasota
This exhibition celebrates the ten-year anniversary of Impractical Labor in Service of the Speculative Arts (ILSSA), a social engaged art project founded in 2008 to investigate labor, time, and what we value. A selection from the first ten years of the project will be featured, and ILSSA co-founder Emily Larned will be in-residence in the gallery for the first two weeks of the show.
Ringling College of Art and Design Gallery, 2700 N. Tamiami Trl., Sarasota
Roe takes the viewer inside the personal and public battles of the two women at the heart of the landmark Supreme Court case, Roe v. Wade. Recreating the case itself, with the help of actual audio recording from the justices of the time Loomer gives nuanced and surprisingly humorous life to both sides of the contentious debate.
Asolo Repertory Theatre, 5555 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota
There are many aspects to building a new art museum, but the most visible, of course is the curatorial program. In addition to the 15,000 sq ft of dedicated exhibition space, there are numerous Curatorial Zones on the Museum Campus where visitors will experience and engage with art. Join us for a presentation and interactive discussion about the formation of our communities' new art museum.
The Works, 891 South Tamiami Tr., Sarasota.
The Resonant Rogues is the songwriting soul child of partners Sparrow and Keith Smith. Since meeting in 2012, they have dedicated their lives to crafting and sharing their music with the world, touring extensively across the US and Europe. The Resonant Rogues are difficult to define, but easy to enjoy.
Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center, 525 Kumquat Ct., Sarasota.
Shakespeare's comedy brings together a group of star-crossed lovers, an inept band of actors led by the pompous Nick Bottom, and the king and queen of the fairies and their impish henchman Puck, who creates romantic and comic havoc for all.
Venice Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave W., Venice
Mike Solomon's exhibition "Native Shore" focuses on the artist's return to his native shore and hometown of Sarasota after 40 years of living away. His work is inspired by Sarasota's shoreline. The resplendent light of the neotropics radiates from the paintings and editions, drawing viewers into vibrant aqueous colors and translucent depths, the rhythmic rise and fall of the horizon.
Alfstad& Contemporary, 1419 5th St., Sarasota.
Though best known for his Sarasota houses and monumental concrete institutional buildings, beginning in 1965 Paul Rudolph designed many innovative, NYC residences with fantastic qualities that have received little attention. Always experimenting and fascinated by lighting, Rudolph achieved otherworldly effects using elements scavenged from the city’s restaurant and manufacturing supply stores along Canal Street. Inspired by New York, Rudolph successfully transformed himself at mid-career in the 1960s into an interior architect who could transport himself and his clients into other dimensions using just mirrors and plexiglass. This lecture will be given by Timothy M. Rohan, an associate professor in the Department of the History of Art and Architecture at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Ringling College of Art and Design, Larry R. Thompson Academic Center Auditorium, 2363 Old Bradenton Rd., Sarasota.
Mike Solomon's exhibition "Native Shore" focuses on the artist's return to his native shore and hometown of Sarasota after 40 years of living away. His work is inspired by Sarasota's shoreline. The resplendent light of the neotropics radiates from the paintings and editions, drawing viewers into vibrant aqueous colors and translucent depths, the rhythmic rise and fall of the horizon. Show runs March 15 – April 14.
Alfstad& Contemporary, 1419 5th St., Sarasota.
The Price is a 1968 play by Arthur Miller. It is about family dynamics, the price of furniture and the price of one's decisions. The play premired on Broadway in 1968 and has been revived on Broadway four times since.
The Players Centre of Performing Arts, 838 North Tamiami Tr., Sarasota.
No piece of classical music may be better at taking our imagination on a breathtaking journey toward outer space than Holst's The Planets. Performances at the Van Wezel will include projections of NASA images that make this experience a feast for the eyes as well as the ears. Roger Zare's Lift-Off is a celebration of human space exploration.With a sound that some have described as out-of-this-world, soprano Pureum Jo will join Sarasota Orchestra to sing a variety of Mozart's best and most beautiful concert arias.
Van Wezel, 777 North Tamiami Tr., Sarasota.
Experience these timeless and melodic selections including Die Fledermaus Overture from the operetta by Johann Strauss, Dvorakʼs iconic and influential New World Symphony, and Samuel Barberʼs Violin Concerto featuring recording artist and violin soloist, Irina Muresanu.
Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave., Venice.
Open to youth 8-13 years of age. Come and learn about horticulture producation and research. Participants will go on a laboratory and greenhouse tour, visit a Manatee County plant nursery and talk with researchers and people with various careers in agriculture. This will be an outdoor event so wear closed toed shoes and bring sunscreen. Admission fee will cover activities and group transportation.
Manatee County Agriculture and Extension Services Office, 1303 17th St. West, Palmetto.
Consider the kaleidoscope of color: rainbows and Rubik’s Cube, Easter eggs and cherry Kool-Aid, the Green Flash, a four-leaf clover and swimming pool blue. Imagine a rainbow as groovy as tie-dye or as fun as Fruit of the Loom. Roll out your red watermelon or scatter like Skittles or come as a Sarasota sunset. Save the date for the 2018 Avant-Garde annual scholarship fundraiser to benefit the vibrant Ringling College palette-the students.
Ringling College of Art and Design , 2700 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34234
Join Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast for Live, Laugh, Love Extravaganza. Guests will be able to shop at a variety of vendors selling their wares and enjoy a delicious lunch. Guest speaker Dr. Karen Holbrook, Regional Chancellor at USF Sarasota-Manatee will speak on embracing the concept of women in education, women as mentors, and women as entrepreneurs. Guests will also be treated to a fashion show featuring Bigs and their Littles modeling fashions by Panache & Tommy Bahama.
Ritz-Carlton Sarasota , 111 Ritz Carlton Dr Sarasota, FL 34236
Acclaimed pianist and winner of four Telly Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Entertainment Richard Glazier takes the audience down memory lane with a concert dedicated to some of Broadway’s most famous tunes to make the jump to cinema. Bringing in medleys from West Side Story and My Fair Lady, Glazier shares origin stories and backstage tidbits alongside rare film clips.
Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota
The famous works of Salvador Dali are coming to Sarasota. The Argillet collection is on exhibition and available for acquisition. The exhibition will also allow for opportunities to meet Madame Christine Argillet, daughter of Dali's publisher, Pierre Argillet.
Chasen Galleries of Sarasota, 1830 South Osprey Ave., Suite 102, Sarasota.
Cole Quest and The City Pickers are a group of New York City musicians connected by friendship and a love of bluegrass. Cole Quest, grandson of the folk icon Woody Guthrie, has brought together a collection of eclectic pickers who have gained recognition on the local scene. Performing both Quest's original tunes as well as traditional favorites. The 502s are a raucous indie folk group formed by three cousins from Central Florida. The 502s have taken their swaggering blend of Americana across the coast including Okeechobee Music Festival and Communion Records' NYC showcase. Their album is a heartfelt invitation to good old-fashioned fun.
Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center, 525 Kumquat Ct., Sarasota.
The Silver Foxes are a troupe of professionally directed, volunteer performers who have been bringing entertainment to the area for nearly 26 years. Their annual MainStage production evokes Carol Burnett-style variety shows with singing, dancing, and hilarious sketch comedy.
Venice Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave W., Venice,
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