Newsletter 32

#1 AGAIN!: Siesta Public Beach was named the No. 1 beach in the nation on TripAdvisor.com’s 2015 “Travelers’ Choice Awards”, adding one more accolade to the many that the strip of sand has collected over the years. It’s been four years since Dr. Stephen Leatherman, a scientist with Florida International University – he’s perhaps better known as “Dr. Beach” – named Siesta Beach the No. 1 beach destination in America. Since then, Siesta has accumulated various top-beach awards, but nothing has topped Dr. Beach’s promotion. Twenty-five beaches were included on the recent “Best of America” list. Click here to read more: Siesta snags yet another #1 rank

OUR OWN ECONOMIC XPRIZE?: It’s a model that sparked a boom in private space travel. The Gulf Coast Community Foundation is creating a new competitive grant that will award up to $500,000 to “grow our region into the premier venue for developing a marine-science economy in the southeastern US.” The idea was partly inspired by the renowned XPRIZE competition that helped launched the space tourism industry. Click here to read more, courtesy of Sarasota Herald Tribune: Economic X Prize

NEW TOURISM HIGH MARKS: As Sarasota County enjoyed record occupancy rates in 2014, recent data released showed that nearly 100 million tourists flocked to Florida. It was the fourth consecutive year that Florida set a visitation record. Visit Florida, the state’s tourism agency, said that 11.5 million overseas visitors came to Florida, while there were 3.8 million Canadians in 2014, record highs and increases 2.6% and 2.4 % respectively. Domestic trips to Florida rose by 4.2%, while Floridians took 20.2 million in-state pleasure trips. There’s more on this story here: Florida sets new record for visitors

RINGLING AT THE OSCARS: When it comes to Ringling College of Art and Design graduate reunions, it might not be a bad idea to start scheduling them around The Academy Awards. Twenty-one Ringling College graduates contributed to two of this year’s Oscar winning films, including Patrick Osborne, who conceived and directed the 2015 Best Animated Short Film “Feast”. The other 20 Ringling alums were part of an animation team that created the Best Animated Feature Film winner, “Big Hero 6”. Follow the jump for more: And the Oscar goes to ….

GOLF’S NOW A GATOR’S GAME: I bet John Peterson wouldn’t mess with this alligator! An insanely large alligator was photographed at the Myakka Pines Golf Club in Englewood. Members Dick Huber and Bill Susie took pictures of the alligator lumbering across hole No. 7 on the blue course, one of three courses at the 27-hole course. The picture has gone viral. Click here to see for yourself: Watch out for that gator!!