News Briefs

+ Hub two weeks away from re-opening
Because of the smoke damage resulting from an early-morning fire Feb. 1, The Hub Baja Grill on Ocean Boulevard is still about two weeks away from re-opening, owner Chris Brown said this week.

The fire marshal who investigated the incident reported the fire was caused by malfunctioning cooler in the kitchen, Sarasota County Assistant Fire Chief John Elwood said.

“The important thing is that nobody got hurt,” Brown said. “Just the smoke damage and everything else was brutal.”

The fire was confined to the kitchen. The Fire Department received the call at 1:20 a.m. Feb. 1, and firefighters were on the scene in less than five minutes. It took them only a minute to put out the flames, he said; they had everything under control in about 15 minutes.

Elwood also said firefighters were able to keep the flames from spreading to a vacant, upstairs apartment.
Still, Elwood concurred with Brown that the smoke damage was extensive.

“It’s coming along,” Brown said Monday of the reconstruction process. “We’re starting to see progress … everybody’s working very, very hard.”

+ Public comments sought on new Gulf Gate Library 
Members of the public are invited to contribute ideas for the design of a new Gulf Gate Library during a community session from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, at St. Andrew United Church of Christ, 6908 Beneva Road, Sarasota. 

The open house-style of meeting will be hosted by Sarasota County staff, including Program Manager Carolyn Eastwood, Project Manager Coleman Knott and Gulf Gate Library Manager Jim Mitchell. Representatives from the architectural firm of Harvard Jolly Inc., the group handling the design, will join them.

“This meeting is about the community and the opportunity for us to listen to those who use the library,” said Libraries General Manager Sarabeth Kalajian in a news release.

Comments and ideas about the types of library services people want will comprise the first step in designing the building. Kalajian said. Among those services are access to books and media, computer resources, programming and meeting space.  

The new library will be built on the site of the existing building, at 7112 Curtiss Ave. The new library will be a two-story facility with about 22,000 square feet. 

For more information, contact the Sarasota County Call Center at 861-5000.

+ County libraries seeking feedback from customers 
The Sarasota County Library System staff is conducting a “Voice of the Customer” survey this week, the third year in a row it has undertaken such a project.

The survey will conclude Feb. 18.

More than 2.4 million people annually visit the county’s nine libraries, in addition to using virtual services and other online resources, according to a county news release.

Survey forms are available in each of the Sarasota County libraries as well as online at www.sclibs.net. 
For more information, contact the county call center at 861-5000.

Meetings & agendas
• Sarasota County Planning Commission — 6:30 p.m. Feb. 16, R.L. Anderson Center, Commission Chambers, 4000 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice.
• Sarasota County School Board — 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 21, monthly work session, 1960/1980 Landings Blvd., Sarasota; 3 to 4 p.m., regular meeting, 1980 Landings Blvd., Sarasota.
• Sarasota County Commission — 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 21 and Feb. 22, Administration Center, Commission Chambers, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota.
• County Commission Budget Workshop — 9 a.m. Feb. 23, Administration Center, Third Floor Think Tank, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota.