Sarasota Circus Soars – and Sings

Sarasota Circus Soars – and Sings

by | Feb 17, 2019 | Travel

Sarasota Circus Soars – and Sings

By Kai Rambow

 

The sound reminds you of the best surround sound music system in a theater – except it is live.  This is one of two great experiences at the Sarasota Circus.

 

Circus Sarasota’s Rich Traditions

This circus has everything you remember except for performances with animals.  Astonishing body contortions, amazing skills and comic relief in between acts.  It is a rich, traditional experience not to be missed.

Performers have intriguing backgrounds, beyond their biographies.  Here’s a sampling:  Ringmaster Joseph Bauer was impressively dressed when I interviewed him.   This, it turned out, was his “casual” dress.  “No one gets to see what I wear in the ring until I step into the ring,” asserted this enthusiastic performer.

 

 

Bauer first performed at age six in Osaka, Japan.  His parents came to America to perform with the Ringling Brothers.  Their sway pole act took them all over the world.  “We were in Japan for three months. My parents said, ‘You can’t just stand around.’  I started with my one trick of doing a handstand on my dad’s outstretched arm.  Then I started doing my own acts, including a motorcycle on a high wire.  I would always watch and admire the ringmasters.  You have to have a commanding presence – and you don’t have to be flipping around in the air.”

Bauer would introduce the ringmaster and ended up becoming one when he needed to fill in one day.  “I’ve been doing it ever since.  I’m glad the guy didn’t show up.”  Bauer has loved being the ringmaster for 30 years.

AJ Silver, from the Bronx, started as a professional trick rider.  “As a boy, I had dreams of running away with the circus,” – and he did.  “After college, I found mentors, trained and became a professional rodeo performer.”  Opportunities opened for Silver to perform in circuses and he has now performed all over the world.  “I do a western act and pay tribute to the cowboy.”  Silver has performed in many rodeos in Florida, but 2018 was his first performance in Sarasota.  “I love show business, and you can’t get more show business than the circus.”

 

 

Cirque des Voix

The name is French, meaning Circus of the Voices.  One hundred choral performers and an orchestra provide live accompaniment for circus performers.  The surround sound effect is powerful.

The first performer, from Brazil, contorted his body into the shape of a pretzel, or close enough.  The speed of his body changes made this impressive act seem like it was on steroids.  The last performer was Kurt Wallenda of the famous Wallenda family performing a high wire act.

 

 

Recommendations

Circus Sarasota presents a wonderful family opportunity to experience a rich American tradition.  Cirque des Voix is a new way to experience the circus.  Both have top performers with renowned international reputations.  Note:  Performances vary each year.  The examples here may not be performing in this year’s circuses.

 

 

Tips for a Great Trip

Comfort: This is under the “big top.”  It is a large tent.  If the weather is warm, expect it to be warm in the tent. Air conditioning, introduced last year, helps a little.

Directions: Circus Sarasota is right beside University Town Center shopping mall in Sarasota.  Tickets range from $15 to $55; parking is $5.

Tickets:  Can be purchased online and picked up 30 minutes before each show.

After Show Treat:  Close by is C’est la Vie, a French bakery at 8527 Cooper Creek Blvd. (941) 355-2323.

 

Sarasota Circus

February 15 – March 10

Cirque des Voix

March 22 – March 24

941.355.9805

www.circusarts.org

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A Capacity Crowd for Area Golf Cart Study    

A Capacity Crowd for Area Golf Cart Study    

by | Feb 12, 2019 | Features

A Capacity Crowd for Area Golf Cart Study

By Diane M. Loeffler

 

More than 1200 people crowded into Community Hall on January 30 for the Golf Cart Mobility Study meeting. Some sat or stood in the main hall, others were in adjacent rooms where they might not be able to see everything, but they were able to hear the proceedings. Since it is important to abide by fire safety maximums, hundreds more had to be turned away. The sheer numbers of people in attendance made it clear that golf carts are important in our area. The next meeting on the topic will be in April.

The consulting firm of Kimley-Horn is preparing a proposal for Hillsborough County. Clarence Eng was the primary presenter at the January meeting. He says, “The project’s goals are to improve safety, enhance mobility, connect residents and local businesses and to establish priorities.” During the presentation, the speakers discussed Florida Statute 316.212, the 1984 and 1987 County resolutions for golf cart use, and The Greater Sun City Center Golf Cart Driver Handbook.

Clarence Eng says they looked at communities that were the most comparable to our area in their use of golf carts. In Florida, these were The Villages, Dunedin, Stuart and Leesburg. They also looked at Peachtree, Georgia and Coachella Valley, California.

According to Kimley-Horn’s study, 33,026 vehicles travel on State Route 674 each day; 10,400 on North Pebble Beach; 12,147 on 19th Avenue N.E.; 14,600 on U.S. 301 and 8,722 on Cypress Village Boulevard. For each of these areas, the consulting firm listed ways to improve these areas for golf carts, bicyclists and pedestrians.

The study is looking into the pedestrian sidewalk network, golf cart designated roads and golf cart crossings along SR 674 and US 301.

The purpose of the meeting was to build on the information already received from an online survey that was available from December 14, 2018 until January 8, 2019. Survey takers reported that 41% of the time their primary travel mode was a personal car, 56% of the time it was a golf cart and 3% of the time it was another mode (walk, bike, transit, etc.). The secondary travel mode was personal car 50%, golf cart 37% and other 13%.

Most primary trips are for shopping (44%) and recreation (30%). More than half of the survey takers use their carts for primary trips 4 to 7 days a week and 62% of the trips are taken between noon and 4 p.m. Most secondary trips are for shopping and social purposes between noon and 4 p.m.

Most survey takers agree or strongly agree that they feel safe traveling on local roads and crossing state roads, there are safe accessibility options to destinations, and there are enough golf cart facilities to use in Sun City Center. When asked about feeling safe on Cypress Village Boulevard and / or 19th Avenue NE and for adequate bicycle facilities, the results were mixed.

Kimley-Horn plans to draft mobility concepts this March, hold a second community workshop in April, complete the final mobility concept in May and have the report done in July. Specific dates have not yet been set. Be sure to subscribe to updates at www.newsofscc.com.

 

Public Comments

Attendee concerns fit into three general categories: safety, mobility, and connectivity. Specific suggestions in each category included:

Safety — Enforcement of the road rules for cars and carts, enforcement of speed limits for cars and carts, path resurfacing, clarification of signage along all paths and sidewalks, additional street and path lighting, golf cart registration, and golf cart safety instruction class.

Mobility — Extended golf cart operation hours with proper equipment, improved signal timing for golf carts at crossings, improved bicycle facilities, connections to existing transit, and improved and additional crossings on SR-674.

Connectivity — Preference for multi-use paths; path expansion along the north and south side of SR-674; and access to restaurants, offices, and retail on both sides of SR-674.

When asked for golf cart path alternatives and improvements, responses were split: 31% advocated for improved crossings, 33% for multi-use paths, 23% for wider sidewalks, and 13% for a reduced speed limit.

For more information, contact Manuel Santos by email “SantosM@HillsboroughCounty.Org” or phone 813.307.1921.

 

Photo by John Wakeman

A Memorial for Our Veterans

A Memorial for Our Veterans

by | Feb 9, 2019 | News

A Memorial for Our Veterans

By Diane M. Loeffler

 

On Thursday, January 10, the Veterans Memorial was dedicated in deeply moving ceremonies held in Community Hall and at the site of the memorial. The program began with the SCC United Methodist Church Choir singing a prelude written by Senator Orrin Hatch. Master of Ceremonies Benny Blackshire, LTC US Army (Ret.), spoke of those who served and thanked Walter Cawein. Blackshire says, “Cawein was the leader and the driving force” in building this memorial.

Reverend Julian Graham, LTC US Army (Retired) sang in the choir, gave the invocation and, later, the benediction. Walt Cawein, Lt Col US Air Force (Ret.), thanked all veterans, families of veterans and our gold, silver and blue star families. He also thanked those who donated around $136,000 to the memorial. He says he is grateful for each and every donation “ranging from $40,000, contributed by Dallas and Norma Tuthill, to the three dollars I was given by a little girl, probably someone’s granddaughter.”

Cawein thanked his committee. He says, “I couldn’t have worked with a better group of folks.” He also expressed his gratitude to Lyn Reitz, the staff of the Sun City Center Community Association, Mark Johnson, Bright View, ProCrete, Kim Livingston, The News of Sun City Center, The Observer, Sun Radio (96.3), Bertha Wagner, and Jane Trefen. When her husband, Michael, tragically died, Trefen asked that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the memorial.

Cawein introduced Keynote Speaker, Mike Davis, Col. US Marine Corps (Ret.). Cawein says, “Davis logged 3,700 flight hours as a helicopter pilot and also flew Air Force One during the presidencies of Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan.”

Before Cawein could leave the front of the auditorium, he was surprised with a special presentation and plaque from retired Commander Navy, Ed Socha. Socha is the oldest survivor of Pearl Harbor living in Sun City Center.

Davis’s rousing Keynote Speech reflected his patriotism and his appreciation for all of those who served. He says, “This land of ours is about service and sacrifice. The protected seldom do understand the sacrifice. It is my privilege to honor veterans who look beyond their own self interests.”

A medley of songs honoring each branch of the military was sung by the SCC United Methodist Church followed by Salvina Tannenholz singing God Bless the USA.

Outdoors, there was a ribbon cutting ceremony. The SCC United Methodist Church Choir sang The Star Spangled Banner and Salvina Tanneholz sang America the Beautiful. After Cawein’s closing remarks and Graham’s benediction, attendees walked around the new memorial taking photos of the statues, flags and engraved bricks.

The memorial is located in front of Community Hall, 1910 South Pebble Beach Boulevard and is open to everyone.

If you wish to purchase a brick to honor the service of a particular individual or to all who serve, you can continue to do so. You can go on line to charitablefoundationscc.org or mail your donation for a brick to SCC Charitable Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 6105, Sun City Center, FL 33571. Bricks measuring 4” x 8” with text only are $100; with text and military service clip art they are $115. The larger 8” x 8” bricks are $200 with text only and $215 with text and clip art. For more information, email “servingscc@charitablefoundationsccorg”.

 

Rotary Classic Car Show to Benefit Caregivers

Rotary Classic Car Show to Benefit Caregivers

by | Feb 5, 2019 | Features

Beautifully restored classic cars, antiques, street rods, and resto-mods will be on display at Freedom Plaza’s Golfview Terrace (819 Freedom Plaza Circle, SCC) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, February 17. Hosted by the Rotary Club of Sun City Center, the car show is a charity fundraiser to support local charities and students. Stop by Freedom Plaza to talk with classic car owners, meet classic car restoration experts, enjoy great music and hot food, and help us raise money for local caregivers and scholarships.

Classic car registration costs $10, which includes a food coupon worth $5. Public visitors are asked to make a $5 donation. Proceeds from donations, auctions, sponsorships, and the sale of food and beverages will benefit the SCC Samaritan’s Alzheimer’s Auxiliary, the Hillsborough Community College Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training scholarships, and the SCC Rotary Club’s student scholarship programs. To date, we have funded two CNA scholarships and support for one new client for the Samaritans.

Pulled pork sandwiches, burgers, hotdogs, chips, and beverages will be for sale, as well as a selection of Indian snacks prepared by the Rotary club’s members from India. Music from the 40s, 50s, and 60s is also on the menu, served up by local DJ Joey Ferrante. Tickets will be on sale for 50/50 raffles and auctions of items donated by local businesses, and tax-deductible donations will be gratefully accepted in cash or checks payable to the SCC Rotary Foundation.

We expect at least 100 classic cars will be on display, with many examples from the 1930s, 40s, 50s, and 60s. The Roamin’ Oldies, a local classic car club, will be featured as will cars from a classic car dealership in Ruskin. A classic car restoration company from Tampa will also be displaying some of their recent projects and available to talk about the craftsmanship of restoring old cars to their original glory. The Golf Cart Shop of Sun City will be displaying some of their vehicles, as will a new car dealership and an RV dealer.

Bring your appetite, your love of old cars, and your checkbook to Freedom Plaza on Sunday, February 17th and support our valued local caregivers! A rain date of March 3 is ready in case of bad weather. Updates will be available by calling 813.777.2971 or online at www.rotarycarshows.com/suncitycenterfl.

 

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SouthShore Poets Display at Library

SouthShore Poets Display at Library

by | Feb 4, 2019 | Features

The SouthShore Regional Library will unveil a special display of poetry during February, National Library Lovers Month. The library is coordinating with the Southshore Poets, a group of local educators and writers, to display poems relating to libraries or a particular library. Their display represents a celebration of libraries and their vital place in American culture. It can be viewed immediately upon entering the main room of the library.

The poets represented in the display have won awards at both state and national levels. They cordially invite the public to join in this February celebration of our libraries nationwide.

 

In the photo: The SouthShore Poets L to R: Suzanne Austin-Hill, Tomi Reneau, Carla Nankervis, Joe Birnbaum, John Foster, Marilyn Hayden, Mac Miller, Cheryl Licata, Dave Welsh (deceased).

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