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Sarasota County wants overgrown cemetery cleaned up

<p>A father and son a working on maintenance of Sarasota Memorial Park, but the cemetery management says the issue is being resoled. WTSP photo</p>

Sarasota, Florida -- Sarasota County has given the owners of a well-known cemetery until the end of the week to bring it up to code or expect a notice of violation.

Kevin Angell and his son Chris say the neglect is a sign of disrespect for the buried at Sarasota Memorial Park, 5833 S. Tamiami Trail, and their families.

The father and son along with other volunteers cranked up the mower Monday morning to cut grass and weeds as high as two feet.

They noticed the overgrown lawn Memorial Day weekend. They complained to the property manager and County Code Enforcement, and took to social media. When nothing got done Kevin and Chris got to work.

Chris says it’s the best way to spend his 12th birthday. “Felt like the right thing to do if no one else is going to do it. Some of these are vets who died trying to save our world,” says Chris.

“I have friends here I would expect to have at the minimum part time or full time staff regularly groom the lawn here keeping the grass cut, trees trimmed garbage empty,” says Kevin. He adds, “My message to the owner: Get involved. It’s time to take a trip down here survey the property make sure this doesn’t happen again.

A father and son a working on maintenance of Sarasota Memorial Park, but the cemetery management says the issue is being resoled. WTSP photo

A woman with the cemetery asked everyone to leave for liability reasons. When 10News WTSP asked why the cemetery had not been kept up, she said the staff quit and someone was on the way to handle it.

Besides veterans, among the famous people reportedly buried at Sarasota Memorial Park include NFL coach and player Bud Carson of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Major League Player Henry “Heinie” Manush of the Detroit Tigers, and others in the circus and entertainment business.

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