Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/129431
Sarasota News Leader May 10, 2013 Page 24 White. "I have been threatened and cursed. and frightens them," said Hollar. "I call police, I have drug deals in front of my shop. It's but they say he's not breaking any laws. He's enough." mentally deranged and very frightening." "These are people that have chosen this life- Ritz sees Ian every day. "He's not a character style. They're really begging and making a to us. He's detrimental to our business. We mess," said Wendy Getchel. "Customers don't don't like him there." feel safe." But the ugliest story came from across the "Last Friday, I had to close at 4 [p.m.] instead street from City Hall itself. Nancy McElmeil of 5 because a big fight broke out. They're al- bought a building on Second Street in 2004 most inside my store, and intimidate my cus- and has been working on it ever since. "We tomers," said Melanie Denicourt. "I feel bad realized very quickly the side of our building for those people, but we're at a point we can't was a toilet. We've been cleaning it up since afford it. It needs to stop." then," she said. "It's been bad, but not as bad as last year." Ernie Ritz with the Gator Bar and Stacy Holler with Patrick's restaurant fingered one individ- Human feces and urine have become a daily ual named Ian. "He glares at my customers part of her life. "We have to clean it up be- The City of Sarasota has removed a homeless encampment on Florida Avenue. Photo by Norman Schimmel