News Briefs

+ Sarasota think tank partners with Georgia Tech
The Institute for the Ages, a nonprofit that studies how to connect businesses with seniors, has formed a partnership with Georgia Tech to help bring aging-care products to market.

The partnership, according to a release, also includes InnovateLTC, a Louisville, Ky.-based business accelerator that helps deliver products and services to the aging population.

“In doing this partnership, InnovateLTC becomes a new business development partner for us, and Georgia Tech becomes a new professional research partner,” Institute for the Ages President Tom Esselman said.

All three organizations will pool their resources to develop a database of individuals over 50 who provide feedback to companies on new products, services and technologies for their demographic.

+ One defendant remains in city Sunshine lawsuit
The City Commission agreed to fund Commissioner Susan Chapman’s legal fees in a Government-in-the-Sunshine Law suit through Dec. 2, the date of the next commission meeting.

Chapman is the last remaining defendant in a lawsuit that also named Commissioner Suzanne Atwell and the city as defendants. The other two defendants have both settled with the plaintiff.

According to City Attorney Robert Fournier, the city will pay $17,000 in legal fees to Citizens for Sunshine as part of its settlement. Through the settlement, the city admits to violating the Sunshine Law, and that a meeting attended by Chapman, Atwell and City Manager Tom Barwin regarding homelessness issues should have been publicly noticed.

Chapman and Atwell both maintain they didn’t personally violate the Sunshine Law. The commission will decide at the next meeting whether to continue to pay for Chapman’s defense going forward.

+ Pine View ranks among nation’s best, again
Pine View is continuing its “tradition of excellence.” The Osprey school, which draws students from throughout Sarasota County, came in No. 17 in a Newsweek ranking of the country’s best high schools.

The rankings determined which high schools best prepared their graduates for college by comprising such metrics as graduation rate, college acceptance rate, standardized test scores, and the percentage of students enrolled in advanced college-preparatory courses.

Pine View was founded in 1969 and has 2,210 students and 121 full-time teachers.

Meetings & agendas
Downtown Improvement District Strategic Planning Workshop — 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 26, SRQ Media Studio, City Hall, 1565 First St., Sarasota.

Dr. Richard Marbut will present his report on homelessness in Sarasota County at two Sarasota County Commission events Monday, Nov. 25:

• 9 a.m., Venice Community Center, 326 S. Nokomis Ave., Venice.

• 2 p.m., Sarasota County Administration Center, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota.