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regulations. Some are making 50 to 100 dol- lars a day. They enjoy it," she added. The losers are merchants cleaning human excrement from their doorsills every morn- ing up and down Main Street. Downtown Sarasota's reputation as a dining Mecca is dimming as wealthy patrons find rubbing shoulders with vagrants and the homeless to be more than that for which they bargained. The political pressures to find a solution immediately are growing profoundly. But solutions seem elusive. RISING TO THE OCCASION Ten elected individuals will sit at the dais on June 23. If they return to their bickering ways, trying to score points in a zero-sum game, they will only perpetuate — perhaps memorialize — the nightmare faced daily by downtown merchants, shoppers, diners and residents. The quality of life downtown is sinking into a swamp of panhandling, cheap souvenir selling and a madness of mentally unstable yelling. Downtown Sarasota is the county's economic engine. Posturing aside, if downtown becomes undesirable, North Port will dry up and blow away. And Sarasota County will soon follow. In the times that try men's souls, leaders arise. They point to a better future, knowing it has costs and risks. To settle for the status quo is not acceptable for them. On June 23, we can watch 10 elected leaders cope with a problem they should — by this time — understand. Who are the leaders? Who are the "blow- hards"? Who are the meek and mindless, and where can they hide? The potential for finger pointing is astronomically high. What about the potential for a diplomat to emerge, for one of the 10 to rise above the bickering and craft a course that will last more than a day, perhaps a month? Who will do their homework? For situations such as this, we elect leaders. Staff members are powerless in these circum- stances. They, too, need leadership. On June 23, will it emerge? % A FAITHFUL FRIEND By Harriet Cuthbert Contributing Writer COMMENTARY I recently lost a beloved "friend." The word is in quotes for a reason, which shall be revealed later in this article. When my friend and I were no longer together, I went through the famous four stages of grief that a knowledgeable psychiatrist defined many years ago. The first stage is "Denial." OMG, this can NOT be happening to me. I cannot live my daily routine without you. I need order in my life, and having the knowledge that you were here COMMENTARY COMMENTARY OPINION Sarasota News Leader June 20, 2014 Page 97