Fla. man, 70, protests brown sand on white beach

[April 30, 2009]  SIESTA KEY, Fla. (AP) -- The beaches of Siesta Key in Sarasota are known for its white sand, and residents want to keep it that way. Jim Overbeck was arrested Tuesday on a misdemeanor trespassing charge while protesting a battle to spread a brownish sand on the beach. The 70-year-old threw himself on the sand.

Sarasota County wanted to spread loads of sand on the public access part of the beach to fill in a hole left after workers removed an old buried seawall.

The white sands of Miramar Beach and nearby Crescent Beach are two major reasons why Siesta Key is consistently honored as one of the beaches with the best sand.

The sand has a very high quartz content, which makes it so white and keeps it cool.

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Information from: Sarasota Herald-Tribune, http://www.herald-trib.com/

[Associated Press]

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