News Briefs

+ Teen convicted, sentenced for tourists’ murders
Shawn Tyson, the teen charged with the murders of James Cooper, 25, and James Kouzaris, 24, was found guilty March 28 and sentenced to life in prison. Both men were British citizens and were staying at the Whitney Beach condominium that Cooper’s parents were renting. Both were shot and killed April 16, after going out in downtown Sarasota and wandering into Newtown.

+ Fernandez says goodbye after 16 years
Town planner Steve Schield spoke at Monday’s Town Commission meeting about John Fernandez, who worked as a private contractor in Tampa and as the Holmes Beach building official before beginning his 16 years with the town.

“We’re going to mostly miss John for his experience,” Schield said.

Schield laid out just how much experience Fernandez has built by the numbers: Schield holds state building license 1,789; Fernandez’s building-inspector license is 5, and his building official license is No. 4.

The chronology of the license numbers led Mayor Jim Brown to ask Fernandez: “You didn’t invent the building code, did you?”

+ Umbrella House, Plymouth Harbor make AIA list
The Umbrella House on Westway Drive in Lido Shores and Plymouth Harbor on John Ringling Boulevad are included on the American Institute of Architects-Florida “Favorite Florida Buildings” list. The list was created in honor of the chapter’s 100th anniversary and includes 109 Florida buildings. Vote for your favorite building at aiafla.org by April 6.

+ Meeting audio for P&Z boards now posted online
Longboat Key Town Manager David Bullock instructed the town’s Planning, Zoning & Building staff in a March 28 memorandum to place audio files of Planning & Zoning Board, Zoning Board of Adjustment and Code Enforcement Board meetings on the town’s website, longboatkey.org. Previously, only Longboat Key Town Commission and pension board meeting audio files were available online.

+ April 4 last day for telecommunications survey
The last day to complete a 14-question wireless-communications study is Wednesday, April 4. The survey seeks information about which cell-service providers survey takers use and what their experience has been with coverage and service on the island and is part of TE Connectivity’s wireless-communications study of the island. The survey is available at longboatkey.org.

+ Correction
Sylvia and Harvey Levine were misidentified in the Winding Oaks Pool Party event held March 26.

Meetings & agendas
• Telecommunications open house forum meetings — 3 to 7 p.m. with presentations on the hour Wednesday, April 4
• Code Enforcement Board Meeting — 10 a.m. Monday, April 9
• Goals & Objectives Workshop — 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 11
• Planning & Zoning Board Regular Meeting — 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 17
• Town Commission Regular Workshop — 2 p.m. Thursday, April 19