Looking for love?

I’m always looking for love … at least from cuddly canines and friendly felines. Oh, and owls, and birds, and snakes, and whatevuh. I guess I’m not too discriminating. I’d love to have a dog too, but with three cats, I have to draw the line. (more…)

All Faiths & The Postman — two of my favorite “things”

Tomorrow, Saturday, May 8, is the Letter Carriers Food Drive for All Faiths Food Bank. (more…)

Gecko love for Moms

I reported a while back that Gecko’s Grill & Pub had opened on Hillview, near the hospital. I was driving by there earlier today and saw a sign in their window that says, basically, that Moms eat for free on Mother’s Day, May 9. (Hey, does that apply to “cat Moms”???) (more…)

Sarasota County Commission hopefuls are thinking smart

Uber-reporter/newsman Stan Zimmerman commented on yesterday’s blog that in fact, another Sarasota County Commission hopeful — Nora Patterson –(Republican) had also foregone the pay-for-placement-on-the-ballot route and qualified to be on the ballot already by obtaining official petitions from registered Sarasota County voters. (more…)

Sarasota County Commission Hopeful Mimics Meek’s Mighty Moves

I was impressed when Florida Democrat Kendrick Meek became the first U.S. Senate candidate to qualify for the Florida ballot by petition. Instead of dropping ten large to buy his way onto the ballot, Meek got his name in the running the old fashioned way — by collecting over 140,000 signatures, which wasn’t exactly an easy thing to do. Kudos to Meek and he’s got my attention; let’s see if he can hold it.

Now, local architect Mark Smith, Republican, is throwing his hat into the ring for Sarasota County Commissioner and is attempting to match Meek’s mighty moves by collecting enough signatures (I think he needs 2,000 by May 14) from registered Sarasota County voters to get his name on the ballot. (more…)

MC Coolidge Best Blogger 2010 — Sarasota Magazine Readers’ Poll

Holy Cow! Back in early January I posted a short blog inviting readers to vote for me — if they felt like it — in Sarasota Magazine’s Annual “Best of” issue for 2010. Well, apparently, at least a few of you did just that because guess what? I won! (more…)

Sports Shake up at SNN 6 Local News?

Antawan Smith is leaving SNN 6 to head back up north … http://flnewscenter.com/?p=2076

Frailty, thy name is Economic Development?

Does it seem like everything being done under the Sarasota sun lately is being done in the name of worshiping at the altar of “economic development”?

The ubiquitous use of the phrase bugs me nearly as much as phrases like “Vote for the children,” or “Vote for family values.” I’ve got nothing against looking after children’s best interests, or having values that support families — albeit, for me, families come in all shapes, sizes and sexual orientations. And I largely support the idea of developing a strong platform for attracting and supporting diverse businesses and industries in our community.

But just as I disdain knee-jerk, emotionally based stances on political issues, I don’t think economic issues should be approached with the same stars-in-our-eyes approach that Sarasota has used for way too long to way too little end. Sure, some people got rich off the gold-rush pursuits of the past (think real estate bubble), but many more crashed and burned (think real estate bust).

As a city we seem hell-bent on “economic development” — thrashing about wild-eyed for whatever might get us back into our McMansion/Nadel dreamscape of yesteryear. Hot topic du jour is the concept that the film industry will get us there. (more…)

Sarasota Creative Loafing Loss is Florida’s Indie News Gain

Sheesh. I finally hit my groove with Creative Loafing editor Cooper Levey-Baker and now he’s leaving!! Yup, the boy-wonder who was playing with the big boys in Florida politics to get Obama elected … the literati who loves books and if I recall correctly had the chutzpah to travel to Italy to hunker down to write a year or two back … the guy who hired me and gave me a regular writing gig in print in this town when no one else would touch me … yup … that guy’s leaving Creative Loafing to go on to greener, more indie pastures.

Good luck, Coop — (damn you! )

EDITOR HIRED FOR THE FLORIDA INDEPENDENT

After an extensive statewide search, The American Independent News Network (AINN) is pleased to announce that it has appointed Cooper Levey-Baker to be the first editor of The Florida Independent.

“Cooper comes to The Florida Independent with a political news sensibility combined with a great understanding of Florida’s diverse landscape that will lend well to editing the newest site in The American Independent News Network,” said AINN President and CEO David Bennahum, “I am confident that Cooper will lead his team of reporters based across the state successfully toward our Network’s mission of impact journalism.”

“I am thrilled to take on this new challenge as editor for the brand new Florida Independent,” stated Levey-Baker. “I look forward to working with our reporters to grow this site from the ground up and tackling the difficult issues facing Floridians, maintaining the high standard of writing and investigative journalism for which The American Independent News Network is known.”

With half his life spent living in Sarasota, Fla., Levey-Baker has been the editor of city’s Creative Loafing, an alternative weekly newspaper, for the past year and half, previously serving as an events editor and reporter for the publication for five years. The Arts Council of Sarasota County recognized Levey-Baker for fiction writing in 2006, awarding him a John Ringling Fund Individual Artist Fellowship. In his spare time, Levey-Baker serves on the board of Forum Truth, a nonprofit organization that invites high-profile speakers to Sarasota to address the issues of the day. He is also a member of the steering committee of One Book Sarasota, a nonprofit effort aims to foster a love of reading in Sarasota County.

The Florida Independent will launch by June 1, 2010. The Knight Foundation awarded The Florida Independent project $352,000–the largest amount given–out of $4.3 million to 24 total other projects across the country. The projects represent the second-year winners of the Knight Community Information Challenge, a five-year, $24 million contest that helps community and place-based foundations find creative ways to use new media and technology to keep residents informed and engaged.

The American Independent News Network investigates and disseminates news that impacts public debate and advances the common good. To accomplish its mission, The American Independent News Network operates a nonprofit, nonpartisan network of online news sites: The Colorado Independent, The Iowa Independent, The Michigan Messenger, The Minnesota Independent, The New Mexico Independent, The Washington Independent and soon The Florida Independent.

Sarasota’s New Mayor!

Hey, I’m psyched to have Kelly Kirschner as Sarasota’s new mayor.

Kelly and SCOPE Exec Director Tim Dutton (photo courtesy of sarasotagov.com)

He seems like a bright, sincere, informed, and concerned city commissioner and I’ve got a feeling he’ll rock as Mayor. I know some of the stuff is just ceremonial, but I think someone like Kelly will be good for the city, its image, and its sense of well-being.

I was fortunate enough to have Kelly introduce me at my first book reading ever — when my book Sideways in Sarasota came out in 2008, he made the introduction to my reading event at Sarasota News & Books. I think he was Vice-Mayor back then … guess I’ll have to hurry up on my next book and hopefully have the same honor again while he’s Mayor … .

Good luck, Mr. Mayor!