This week in history 10.1.15

Sept. 30, 1999

Fancy felines

The situation was hairy or fluffy for the Fiesta Cat Fancier's Cat Show in the Sept. 30, 1999 issue of the Pelican Press. Felines of all shades, stripes and hair lengths competed in the show to take home the best of show prize. The show was licensed through the American Cat Fanciers Association. 

Another one bites the dust

Add the Bickel House to the list of demolished historical buildings in Sarasota. In 1999, Sarasota Mayor Mollie Cardamone made her opinions clear when the city passed on the opportunity to save the home located on the property slated for the Ritz-Carlton hotel. Cardamone scolded the Historic Preservation Board for "talking the talk, but not walking the walk."

Ritz-Carlton site owner Bob Buford made a promise to pay for relocating the home to anyone willing to take it. A list of four people willing to take it on had dwindled down to zero.

"So now we're back to square one. This is not the time I want to hear we don't have a plan. Nobody wants the Bickel House," said Brenda Patton, attorney for the Ritz project. In the end the Bickel, house was demolished in June 2000. 

Oct. 1, 1987
Let's play a game: Circle every issue highlighted in this political cartoon that is still on the community's plate of concerns.