Briefs

Officer, fire chief involved in crashes

Longboat Key Police Officer Dennis Silverio and Fire Rescue Chief Paul Dezzi were involved in separate crashes Feb. 18.

A driver rear-ended Silverio’s patrol vehicle while he was turning onto Gulf of Mexico Drive around the 4400 block. While Dezzi was en route to the scene to investigate, another driver rear-ended his vehicle.

Silverio was transported from the scene with minor injuries as a precaution, according to Longboat Key Police Chief Pete Cumming. Dezzi and the other two drivers were not injured. 

Traffic backed up mid-Key Wednesday afternoon as police and firefighter/paramedics responded.

Town website offers new traffic feature

The town’s website, longboatkey.org, now includes a “Current traffic map” on its homepage that allows users to view current traffic conditions on and around the Key.

Click on “Current traffic map,” on the left side of the page, which will direct you to Google’s mapping system, where current traffic conditions are displayed.

SMH to demolish urgent care building

Sarasota Memorial Hospital’s board of directors voted at its Feb. 17 meeting to demolish the 5,476-square-foot building at 500 John Ringling Blvd. on St. Armands Circle, where St. Armands Medical Center is currently located.

The property will become the location of SMH’s sixth urgent care center. The board approved the $3.6 million purchase of the property last December.

St. Armands Medical Center owner Dr. Edward Carlstrom, who also owned the 5,476-square-foot building on the property, plans to move his practice to Bahia Vista in Sarasota.

SMH plans to open the new satellite facility in December.

Town to hold public open house

The town will host a community open house from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 21, at the Longboat Key Public Safety Complex, 5490 Gulf of Mexico Drive. 

The public is invited to meet town staff and learn about each department. The event includes free document shredding, Sarasota County’s Mobile Medical Unit, Florida’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Initiative and more.