SRQ DAILY Jan 17, 2022
Monday Business Edition
"We have to do everything we can from regulation perspective to remove regulations and do other things in the sector, Floridians are paying more and more every year out of their pockets for insurance."
Insurance rate relief will be the top priority for multiple lawmakers in the Session this year. State Rep. Tommy Gregory, R-Sarasota, said it’s his top concern. He’s working on legislation with Sen. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, on legislation that could slow hikes in cost in the region and the state.
“We have to do everything we can from regulation perspective to remove regulations and do other things in the sector,” said Gregory. “Floridians are paying more and more every year out of their pockets for insurance. We all know because we get those property insurance bills and those auto insurance bills that we have to do something to address those raising prices and increasing premiums.”
He’s working on a deregulation bill with Boyd that could go into a number of areas. “It's about removing some of the unnecessary over regulation,” he said. “I'm a fan of anything we can do in this sector to give people choices. If you remove those regulations, you do give the consumer choices. Whether that choice is to buy insurance that covers for replacement value of a roof or the actual cash value, for example, which is one of the concepts that that he's been working on. We are also working on a good idea to give that consumer choice and then they can decide, do they want to have more insurance at a higher premium or less insurance at a lower premium.”
He acknowledged insurance is a complex arena, but it’s one that will both improve the business environment in Florida and directly help consumers by leaving more dollars in their wallets.
Another priority for the state lawmaker will be cutting whatever taxes he can. Florida TaxWatch has identified numerous rate hikes that could come to Florida, including an increase in corporate taxes. There’s also an issue involving depreciation schedules for commercial buildings.
Gregory said he will look for ways across policy arenas to cut taxes in ways that benefit consumers in the short and long-term.
Besides pocketbook matters, Gregory also has filed a bill that would require the National Anthem to be played before sporting events.
“having national symbols of unity, whether that's the flag or national anthem, recognizing the strengths in our country, I think would go a long way towards unity,” he said. 
Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties will honor 6 outstanding Club members at the annual Steak & Burger, Youth of the Year Celebration on Friday, February 4, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. at the Lee Wetherington Boys & Girls Club. Club members who compete for the Youth of the Year title embody the values of leadership service, academic service and healthy lifestyles. This premier recognition program of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America celebrates the extraordinary achievements of Club members. Candidates compete at the local Club, state and regional levels before attending the national celebration.
Last month 347,268 passengers traveled through the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, compared to 119,114 passengers in December 2020. This represents an increase of 191.5% and is the highest passenger month in the history of the airport. Passengers traveling through the airport in calendar year 2021 totaled 3,163,543. This is a 155.7% increase over 2020 and is a 57% increase over the previous calendar year record of 2,010,304 passengers. For 2022, the trend of record growth is expected to continue. For the first four months of 2022 there are approximately two million airline seats available for purchase which is a 42% increase over 2021. Yesterday, the airport welcomed a new airline, Avelo, with nonstop service to New Haven, Connecticut; and in March, Allegiant will begin new nonstop service to Akron-Canton, Ohio and Appleton, Wisconsin. With the addition of Avelo and these new routes, SRQ now has 11 airlines serving 53 nonstop destinations.
Multiple projects were completed last year to accommodate the airport’s rapid growth: a major expansion of the screening checkpoint area; three new 100,000-gallon jet fuel storage tanks; expansion of the long-term parking lot; and the addition of remote parking lots. In 2022, plans include breaking ground on a new ground transportation facility; improved and expanded concessions; and a new ground level terminal which will provide at least five additional gates for aircraft arrivals and departures.
“It is exciting to see the record breaking numbers and the projected growth for 2022. As the airport and community continue to grow, we are committed to providing the infrastructure, amenities, and superior level of service our customers deserve,” said Rick Piccolo, President, CEO of the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.
The Women’s Resource Center (WRC) is partnering with Sarasota Memorial Hospital (SMH) to offer a free online information seminar focused on career laddering opportunities at the hospital, Wednesday, January 26, noon-1 p.m. Representatives from SMH will share details about entry-level jobs with starting wages in the $16-20 an hour range. The session is part of WRC’s Career Connections program that links women to quality jobs and funded training programs. Participants can attend by phone or computer and will be able to ask questions via a chatbox.
According to Lori Gentile, director of client services at WRC, the positions available include patient registration representative, environmental aide or technician, sterile processing assistant, patient care technician, linen assistant, multi-skilled technician, patent safety attendant, patient transporter and more. “Participants will also learn about the many paths available to move up and gain additional training and credentials that lead to higher paying jobs,” says Gentile. Speakers include Corey Tyle, a human resources consultant for SMH’s main campus, and Sherolyn Balon, a human resources consultant for SMH’s Venice campus, in addition to SMH frontline workers, Monserrat Carrizal-Martinez and Belinda Smith, both multi-skilled technicians, who will speak about their work and be available for questions.
Local community member Deanna Williams had enough on her plate. Her husband – who recently passed away – was under hospice care, and she, her daughter and 6-year-old granddaughter have disabilities. In the midst of her own struggles, she found the time to organize and is contributing her own money to support weekly dance classes for children, ages 6-12, who have disabilities. Williams’ granddaughter loves to dance and has developed some skills but Williams can’t afford to send her to any established local programs. She decided to try and offer free classes for children like her granddaughter. Williams engaged a volunteer instructor who is currently teaching ballet and ballroom dance. While she has been happy to cover most of the costs related to the class – including clothing, toys and dance items such as a balance beam and barre (both of which she found at area Goodwill stores) – she wasn’t confident she could take on room rentals as well. So she reached out to Margie Genter, vice president of mission services at Goodwill, with a heartfelt request for assistance. “I just want children to feel the healing power of the arts and give those who are suffering a chance,” Williams wrote. “The dance class will encourage them to have fellowship and enjoy moving their bodies
Genter worked with Williams to determine which day and time, and location, might work best for current and future participants. The first offering was on October 27, 2021. Currently, there are several children enjoying dance classes at Goodwill’s Honore location on Wednesday afternoons but more would be welcomed. “For more than two decades, Goodwill Manasota has been pleased to provide free community meeting places, to meet the needs of specific areas and the residents who live there,” said Genter. “As an employer of and advocate for individuals with disabilities, we know they don’t always have the same access to recreational activities like this one. We hope this program will grow and thrive as more community members learn about it!”
Taking part in a recent dance class at Goodwill’s Honore community room were (from l-r) Zuri Colaile-Romero, Peyton Jennings, instructor Sara Glass, Amayah Theodore and Eyva Theodore Courtesy photo/Goodwill Manasota
The Sarasota Concert Association kicks off its Great Performers Series with pianist Emanuel Ax performing an all-Chopin program in a one-night-only recital on Tuesday, February 1 in the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. Featuring works from the composer’s later period, when Chopin enjoyed one of his most productive periods, Emanuel Ax will present a varied program of nocturnes and mazurkas, as well as the composer’s Scherzo No. 4 and the Sonata No. 3. Winner of multiple Grammy Awards for his chamber music and solo recordings, Emanuel Ax regularly collaborates, performs, and records with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and he tours nationally and internationally in recital and with orchestras, including a recent Asian tour with the London Symphony, and a European Festival tour with the Vienna Philharmonic. Emanuel Ax’s solo recital appearances include performances in New York’s Carnegie Hall, as well as celebrated venues throughout the U.S.as well as in Europe and Asia.
BEAUTIFUL — THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL tells the inspiring true story of King’s remarkable rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history. Along the way, she made more than beautiful music, she wrote the soundtrack to a generation. Featuring a stunning array of beloved songs written by Gerry Goffin/Carole King and Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil, including “I Feel The Earth Move,” “One Fine Day,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “You’ve Got A Friend” and the title song, BEAUTIFUL has a book by Tony Award® nominee and Academy Award®-nominated writer Douglas McGrath, direction by Marc Bruni, choreography by Josh Prince, and took home two 2014 Tony Awards® and a 2015 Grammy® for Best Musical Theater Album. This show will take place on Tuesday, January 18 at 7:30pm and Wednesday, January 19 at 2pm.
Welcome to the opening night of The Murder at Haversham Manor, where things are quickly going from bad to utterly disastrous. With an unconscious leading lady, a corpse that can’t play dead, and actors who trip over everything (including their lines), everything that can go wrong does go wrong during this 1920s murder mystery play. Will these accident-prone performers beat the odds and make it to their final curtain call? Find out with this Olivier Award-winning comedy. The Play That Goes Wrong, by Henry Lewis, Johnathan Sayer, and Henry Shields, will play beginning January 19, 2022 through March 13, 2022 in FST's Gompertz Theatre.
In this long-running Off-Broadway hit musical revue, Broadway’s greatest musical legends meet Broadway’s greatest satirist in this hilarious, loving and endlessly entertaining tribute to some of the theatre’s greatest stars and songwriters. Single tickets available Sept. 1, 2021 ($26.50 preview/ $29.50 single/ $14 student). Subscriptions are available now. The show dates are Jan. 19-22, 25-29 at 7:30pm and Jan. 23, 29-30 at 2pm.
You’re never too old to learn, but what if you learn that the person you’ve been married to for 50 years is making you miserable? Bill and Nancy practically breathe in unison; they anticipate each other’s sighs, sneezes, and ends of sentences. But just as they settle into their new retirement home in Florida, Nancy wants out. As their two adult sons struggle to cope with the news, they’re forced to question everything they assumed about the people they thought they knew best. Sophisticated, funny, delightfully – and sometimes provocatively – honest, this new Broadway hit comedy takes an intimate look at the unpredictable and enduring nature of love. Contains mature themes and language. Recommended for age 16+. Grand Horizons will show January 19–April 1, 2022.
Karen Willey, Sarasota Audubon Climate Change Point Person will present “Let’s Talk Climate: It’s Easier Than You Think” on January 19 from 1:30pm to 2:30pm at the Nature Center, 999 Center Road. The majority of Americans know that climate change is happening, but since they are not talking about it, they don’t know they are among friends. Learn simple tools, metaphors and proven methods that will help you communicate climate change effortlessly.
CHAPLIN: The Musical will run from Thursday January 20 2022 to Sunday February 6 2022 at Stone Hall, 502 Third Avenue West, Bradenton. Approximate running time: 2 hours and 15 minutes. He came to America an unknown. He left amidst scandals and controversy. In between, Charlie Chaplin became one of the best-loved and most famous entertainers in the world. Chaplin provides a captivating close-up of the man who changed motion pictures forever. The musical dramatizes the making of Chaplin’s legendary films, including The Kid, The Circus, Modern Times and The Great Dictator as well as his turbulent childhood, frenzied love life and political beliefs. Featuring an original score by Christopher Curtis, including “Look at All the People,” “Just Another Day in Hollywood” and “This Man,” Chaplin tells the touching story of the man who makes the world laugh as his legendary screen persona, the Tramp, but struggles to find happiness in his own life.
Join us on January 20 at 11am for an update on The Bay Sarasota’s master plan. We’ll hear from The Bay Park Conservancy’s A.G. Lafley, founding CEO; Bill Waddill, chief implementation officer; and Veronica Brady, director of advancement. This program will be held at Bird Key Yacht Club. Reservations are due January 14. We have updated our Covid-19 health and safety policy to conform to government regulations. Masks are required at events. We strongly request that you be vaccinated if you attend an event. This is voluntary and on the honor system. Lunch Choice: Regular: California salad (mixed greens, raspberries, candied walnuts, granny smith apples, blue cheese crumbles) with salmon, chocolate lave cake for dessert, Vegetarian: Eggplant parmesan, chocolate lave cake for dessert.
Cooper Levey-Baker is a writer and journalist. His fiction has appeared in the Sierra Nevada Review and Burrow Press’s Fantastic Floridas series, and his journalism has won multiple awards from the Florida Magazine Association and the Florida Society of Professional Journalists. Dead Fish Wind, his first novel, is a bizarre coming-of-age story told in prose that is lyrical, gross, tragic, goofy, and tender. An Evening with Cooper Levey-Baker and Friends will take place on Thursday, January 20, at 7pm.
Human Movement: Exploring Human Migrations through Art will take place on Thursday, January 20 at the Museum of Art. Humans have always engaged in exchanges. Goods and ideas have travelled the world through trade, human immigration and migration, and the written word. Humanity is constantly on the move. Travel through The Ringling’s galleries to learn more about human movement through migration, trade, immigration, refugee-seeking and forced migration through art. Join us on the third Thursday of each month, for a special day designed just for homeschool families. Tickets are timed in order to avoid over-crowding; please check in at the Visitors Pavilion at the time noted on your ticket. Please note that this is a self-guiding program. Wristbands, a map, and a program packet with activities and information will be provided at check-in and families are invited to explore the museum at their own pace.
Experience this new, authorized symphonic tribute to the Fab Four featuring Grammy winner Jeff Tyzik's electrifying arrangements, based on the Beatles' original master recordings at Abbey Road on Friday, January 21 at 7:30pm at the Van Wezel and Saturday, January 22 at 2:30pm and 7:30pm at the Van Wezel. Revolution takes audiences on a magical musical journey through the hits that transformed popular music forever.
The time is 1959. The place is a seedy bar in Philadelphia. The audience is about to witness one of Billie Holiday’s final performances. Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill by Lanie Robertson will show from January 21 to February 20, 2022 at the Venice Theatre.
A Literary Feast: Ernest Hemingway & F. Scott Fitzgerald will run from Thursday January 13 2022 to Sunday January 23 2022 at Bradenton Kiwanis Theater, 502 Third Avenue West, Bradenton. Approximate running time: 2 hours. For their last production of the season, the Crosley Theater Company will focus on the two of the most famous American authors of the 20th century, Ernest Hemingway & F. Scott Fitzgerald. One never knows, The Old Man of the Sea may meet up with the Great Gatsby. Please join us for a feast of literary delights presented from a bygone era.
Schubert's bewitching "night music" leads to the joyous sunshine of Mendelssohn's most beloved work on Sunday, January 23 at 4pm at Holley Hall. Inspired by Goethe's The Beautiful Night. This program consists of Schubert Nocturne (for trio) and Mendelssohn Octet.
BERNADETTE PETERS, Broadway's brightest star, in an evening of song from the Broadway shows she's received accolades for, as well as from all her Grammy Award®-winning and nominated albums including standards, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Herman, among others. A glamorous evening as only Bernadette Peters can do. This show will take place on Sunday, January 23 at 7pm.
Broadway and TV star NORM LEWIS can currently be seen starring in the SAG, Critics Choice, and NAACP Image Award-nominated Netflix film “Da 5 Bloods” by Spike Lee and in the groundbreaking FX series, “Pose.” He was previously seen in the NBC television special, “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert!,” alongside John Legend, Sara Bareilles, and Alice Cooper. He recently appeared in the Broadway revival of “Once on This Island” and as Sweeney Todd in the Off-Broadway production of “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” at the Barrow Street Theatre, receiving the AUDELCO Award for his performance. In May of 2014, he made history as “The Phantom of the Opera’s” first African American Phantom on Broadway. An Evening with Norm Lewis will show on January 23 and 24, 2022 at the Venice Theatre.
German Cornejo’s TANGO FIRE encompasses and defines all that is Argentine Tango; dancing which sizzles with sensuality, accompanied by the unforgettable music of the great Tango masters including Piazzolla, Pugliese and Gardel. As one of the world’s most popular dance forms, this exhilarating show combines the rawness and sophistication, seductive and sultry side of Tango, evoking the intoxicating passion of late-night Buenos Aires. This show will take place on Monday, January 24 at 8pm.
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