This week in history 7.2.15

July 5, 1990 
Above: Suncoast Offshore Races 1990

July 5, 2001

A friendly reminder of the sea turtle nesting season came from a letter to the editor resident Virginia Fleming wrote, titled, "Chairs obstruct sea turtles." It stated, "I'm writing with concerns about Siesta Beach and the chairs left on the beach by Sarasota Surf and Raquet. ... " Fleming goes on to mention the hazard the abandoned chairs posed for sea turtles during nesting season. Fleming also provided photos of the chairs that were at the surf's edge and spread out across the beach. 

July 6, 1995

Does anyone else remember the Siesta Village topiaries? Plants shaped like dolphins and pelicans adorned businesses throughout Siesta Village. In 1994 the Siesta Key Association shelled out $4,800 to topiary sculptor Robert Phillimore to install the pieces and maintain them. His responsibilities included trimming but not watering the plants. As a result, some of the pieces started browning or became overgrown. Former SKA President Bill Loyd was quoted for the story as saying, "The topiaries are taking longer to catch on than we thought. Some don't look like dolphins at all."