Landings Eagle - January 2023

It’s Landings Election Time

By Cali Lampton, LMA Nominating Committee Chair

The Landings Management Association Board of Directors election will be held on February 2nd at the annual membership meeting.

After the annual membership meeting is adjourned, the board meeting is opened by the outgoing president until an executive committee is elected. We have five open positions and currently have seven residents interested in running. A person can be nominated from the floor during the membership meeting.

Association presidents vote on behalf

of their membership. They have as many votes as the number of people in their association times the number of open positions. So, if there are five open positions and the association has 30 residents, the president of that association has 150 votes to distribute among those candidates they want to serve. The election is by plurality vote. The candidates with the highest numbers of votes are elected.

On January 9th at 4 p.m. we will have a casual and friendly meeting at the school board building, with the LMA Board

of Directors and the presidents of the associations, where they can meet the candidates. Candidates will be asked to give introductory comments and there will be an opportunity for presidents to ask questions of the candidates following the individual presentations

All residents of The Landings should be encouraged to read the bios of all of the candidates in this issue of the Eagle on page 6 and share their thoughts and preferences with their association president.

Free College Rings in New Year

By Irv Kushner

The Landing Free College is about to embark on its ninth season. As before, there is no homework and no tuition. There are no term papers, no grades, no credits either. Sessions will be held at the Lakeside Clubhouse on Thursdays at 2:30 p.m., January through March. Here is the schedule of professors (speakers) through February.

Jan 5th: Irv Kushner will kick the season off by telling us about Two Gun Cohen; a Chinese General. Learn how a poor Jewish juvenile delinquent from the slums of the East End of London became a General in the Chinese army.

JANUARY

Jan 12th: John Bruno, Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Psychiatry at The Ohio State University, gave us a terrific talk about Parkinson’s disease last year. This year, his topic will be The Neuroscience of Depression and Anxiety: Two Sides of The Same Coin. A lot of us are at least a little bit familiar with this topic.

Jan 19th: Dr. Michael P. Crosby, President and CEO of the Mote Marine Laboratory and Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr. Beth Brady will present Sea Change. Hear about Mote’s research and its exciting future. Mote SEA, planned for Nathan Benderson Park, is projected to inspire 700,000 visitors from the Sarasota-Manatee region and around the world each year with incredible displays of marine life, interactive technology, and windows into Mote’s amazing science. A wine & cheese reception will immediately follow. The reception is sponsored by the Feathermans & Smiths.

Jan 26th: Sandra Cacic, one of our tennis pro’s will let us in on What goes on behind the scene in professional tennis? Sandra played for many years on the WTA tour, reaching a ranking of 39th in the world in

1992. She’ll be introduced by her colleague Adrian “Mo” Moghina who’ll say a few words about tennis at The Landings with Jen Fiers, (head pro).

FEBRUARY

February 2nd: Mayson Brooks will present “Holy Donkeys, I’m over 60!”, a guide to help you make the most of the remaining years of your life. Written by Landings resident Mayson Brooks in a fun and entertaining style, it’s 13 (short) chapters with 16 suggestions of things you can do today. “The sands of time are quickly slipping down the hourglass of life. Tempus Fugit, so Carpe Diem”. And some of us are at least a little bit familiar with this topic, also.

February 9th: Jay Handelman, art editor and theater critic of the Sarasota Herald Tribune, will present Six Degrees of John Ringling, which traces the history of the arts in Sarasota, beginning from when the Ringling Circus moved here in the 1920s. Don’t miss this one.

February 16th: Bonnie Goodman, of The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, will tell us about that institution. It is “the most exciting museum on Florida’s Gulf Coast”, featuring The Planetarium, the Parker Manatee Rehabilitation Habitat, the Mosaic Backyard Universe and a constantly changing lineup of temporary exhibitions.

February 23rd: Virginia Shearer, the executive director of the Sarasota Art Museum, will tell us about the museum. Established in the old Sarasota High School building, it is a contemporary art museum committed to providing inclusive experiences for all audiences. There are regular exhibits, and programs include family art sessions, jazz Thursdays, and talks by curators and artists.

The forthcoming lineup for March looks equally impressive.

Holiday events again shine bright

Architectural

Henry

Both the annual holiday dance in the Lakeside Room (above, coverage on pages 16, 17) and the annual efforts of the Landings Holiday Charitable Foundation (below, coverage on page 18) made many hearts feel warm this year. (photo above taken by Rick Waller, photo below taken by Kim Cooper)

Candidate bios on page 6

Greene Lee

Drachman Gray

Lyons Ramberger Schmidt

Cruise with the kayakers

A Happy New Year to all neighbors, new and old. I will use this opportunity to give a snapshot of what the board and community have accomplished in the last year and provide a glimpse of what I believe is on the horizon.

Please take note that the Landings Management Association Board is a group of volunteers who all have given of their time and energy over the course of the last year. Without their effort, this neighborhood would cease to be the welcoming place we are lucky enough to call home.

The second year of my term and election to the presidency began in February 2022. Since then, committees have been added to address specific needs. The Governance Advisory Committee was formed to review governing documents and make recommendations regarding updates. The Kayak Committee was formed to be independent of the Nature Trail Committee.

Technology and Website Committees, closely related, were formed to address the need to streamline data and technology tools. The Landings Property Management Needs Committee was formed to facilitate improved management. A Directors’ Manual was unearthed at Argus that contained a 2013 reserve study, a 2018 five-year plan and rules and regulations. Both the manual and the plan are the foundation for on-going review and planning. Procedures have been developed to standardize some activities. More are needed.

After working with the Landscape Committee, and the engineering consultant, the Roads Committee was prepared to begin the restoration process. In June, the Committee received one bid for the road restoration project. A single bid does not qualify as meeting the governing requirements for awarding the project. Therefore, the project was suspended until Jan 2023.

The Landings weathered the hurricanes, literally, without major damage. We were fortunate to have been able to clear our roads for safety and convenience, remove debris and return the roads to passable condition without delay. The Nature Trail was also cleared within days, kayaks were akimbo but in place and helping hands were evident all around. Thank you to all those who contributed to the effort, supported each other and showed great patience during the difficult time following the storm.

The Landings Management Association Property Management Needs Committee became more focused when the property manager at Argus left the

company. It became evident that Argus was not devoting necessary resources to transition our needs to a new property manager. This failure was one of many that we experienced and upon which the decision was made to seek a different property management company. After the Needs Committee evaluated property management companies, including Argus, two companies stood out as being able to provide the level of service we defined. As a group of volunteers, the board recognizes that we need the support and expertise of property managers to deliver resources when necessary, interpret statutes and guide the executive function that the board anticipates providing. The goal was to move the culture from board volunteers to professionals in both the day-to-day operations and in response to more emergent events.

Pinnacle Community Association Management became the property management company of record on November 1. Not the ideal time of year to make the transition considering budgets, but necessary. Harvey Greller, Treasurer, has accommodated the transition and is working with Pinnacle to facilitate the software and banking processes the Finance Committee seeks.

The board hosted a first ever Town Hall to present the proposed budget for 2023. After board discussion, members were invited to ask questions and make comments. The budget was approved as presented with the recommendation that the Safety and Security Committee engage a

firm to conduct a security study of our neighborhood. It was apparent that the perception of security is a function of the stakeholder defining their need. Therefore, defining security relative to the outside environs is well suite to the expertise of an outside firm.

The underfunded road reserve has been addressed. After a Town Hall meeting to share the rationale for the road reserve special assessment and answer questions about the amount and the process the board voted to levy a $5000 special assessment, payable as $3500 by Feb 15 and $1500 by April 1.

Looking ahead to 2023 is both a challenge and rewarding. The work that has been done in the last year will be evident. The challenge to restore our roads, will test the patience of us all. That said, the product will improve pedestrian safety and drainage, improve values and appearance of our neighborhood. The underlying benefit is the longerterm investment that will reduce maintenance and cost of future work.

The election in February has attracted 7 candidates. Candidates will have an opportunity on Jan 9 to present themselves and respond to questions from Association Presidents.

(Votes are cast by the Presidents as “Voting Delegates” on behalf of their Association. Therefore, it is important for members to share their preferences for board candidates with their Association Presidents to elect the board members you believe will best represent your interests.)

LMA Pres. Elida Ramberger began the meeting by announcing the following during the president’s report:

• The minutes of the November LMA Meeting were presented. Concerns were raised about the wording and cost of a security survey. After discussion and a few corrections, the remaining minutes were approved, and the security survey issues would be reviewed and brought to the next meeting.

• The Town Hall Meeting resulted in the submitted budget being approved. The budget was distributed prior to the vote and the budget vote passed.

• The highlight of the Town Hall Meeting was the opinion that the addition of an additional security officer was unnecessary by numerous residents. Thus, the Security Committee will hire an outside firm to do a security study to ascertain the most suitable security for the Landings community. All recommendations will be reviewed by the board.

• The Town Hall Meeting devoted to the roads reserve and roads restoration project included a detailed description of the project by the engineer from Stantec Consulting Service, Inc. The board’s responsibility to maintain the financial health of the community includes assessing adequate funds for reserves that are intended to pay for future needs. Unfortunately, the roads reserve is underfunded. Using a formula that included many factors, the board determined $3.5 million as the assessment target.

TREASURER’S REPORT

Treasurer, Harvey Greller reported an October deficit of $82,000 due to

Hurricane Ian cleanup costs of $91,000. The yearto-date deficit is currently $110,000. There are still additional hurricane cleanup expenses projected to total nearly $200,000. The Landings Homeowners Association gave the LMA $55,000 to help with cleanup expenses from their emergency reserves. If not for these expenses, there would have been a surplus of $60,000 going into November. The board plans to look at accumulating reserve funds in the future for hurricane cleanup.

COMMUNICATIONS

Communications Chair, John Schmidt reported the committee’s priority over the last three months has been to facilitate a better experience for those attending LMA Meetings in person or on Zoom. Approximately 160 people attended a recent meeting in person and on zoom. The result gave the board better communications and greater transparency. LMA Pres. Elida Ramberger noted the importance of clear, two-way communication for board members to vote on important issues. Expenses for use of the School Board facility for meetings are coming out of the communications budget.

ENVIRONMENTAL

Committee chair, Maralyn Kaufman-David, Ph.D. reported she hopes the landscaping project for the composting area will be completed soon. She expects to get the composting project underway in January. Future plans include connecting with the Nature Trail Committee to discuss planting some butterfly bushes somewhere along the trail.

LAKES/DRAINAGE

Committee chair, Jeff Smith reported there were no major maintenance or fountain issues in any lakes.

A vital drainage ditch that runs through the Cloisters and the Tree Houses, which funnels water from three of the lakes, needed maintenance. Four or five trees had fallen into the ditch, one of which was blocking water flow. A crew worked for four days

removing six tons of pepper trees and debris at a cost of $9,000 resulting in a good clean ditch. This expense had no adverse impact on the Lakes and Drainage budget.

In addition, work on the erosion mitigation capital projects has restarted.

MAINTENANCE

Maintenance Committee chair, Judy Greene, reported

• 98% of the sign issues caused by Hurricane Ian have been corrected.

• Insulation, drywall, and painting will be done at the North Gatehouse soon.

NATURE TRAIL/KYAKS

Allison Taylor reported the No Trespassing sign on the Nature Trail was damaged by the hurricane and needs to be replaced. The storm also caused damage to the trail and now needs grooming.

Kayakers mentioned the size of the stones on the Nature Trail makes it difficult to walk, ride a bike or pull a kayak to the Gazebo.

Jacqueline Massari reported the 72 kayak rack spaces will be re-rented. Currently fourteen people are on a wait list.

She asked the Board to consider the following:

• Aending a contract for residents to sign annually with the rack rental invoice.

• Consider installing another kayak rack.

• She noted her committee is looking at options for a better/safer launch location. A permit would be needed from the county.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE

Chair, Cali Lampton reported there are five openings and six residents have agreed to run for an open position.

GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE

Parliamentarian Sue Camins reported the committee has a new Chair; Amy Drachman. After months of preparation, the drafted Rules and Regulations were provided in the board packet for review and discussion at a future meeting.

ROADS

Committee Chairman, Elida Ramberger reported the Town Hall Meeting resulted in a good expression of ideas, concerns, and suggestions. Drainage and pedestrian safety issues as well as the rational for restoring the roads at this point were discussed. She stated, “It was very rewarding to see so many people participating in the process.”

SAFETY AND SECURITY

Chairman Michael Knupp reported after hearing the feedback from residents at the Town Hall Meeting

Continued on p. 31

LMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Elida Ramberger President

Jeff Smith Vice President

Harvey Greller Treasurer

Harry Moser Secretar y Sue Camins Director

Joan Koplin Director Director Cali Lampton

Paul Weiner Neil Goldman Director

Director

Heather Hamilton

Proper ty Manager

Pinnacle Management Company

LMA COMMITTEE CHAIRS:

Finance Harvey Greller

Communications Joan Koplin

The Eagle Norman Olshansky

Environmental Maralyn Kaufman

Governing Docs Sue Camins

Review

Hazardous Waste Harvey Greller

Lakes & Drainage Jeff Smith

Landscaping Paul Weiner

LMA Property Mgr Harvey Camins

Needs Comm

Maintenance Judy Greene

Nature Trail & David Osborn & Kayaks Allison Taylor

Nominating Cali Lampton

Parliamentarian Sue Camins

Roads Elida Ramberger

Safety & Security Mike Knupp

Social/Community Vacant Events

Technolog y John McFetridge

Website Designer Eddie Goldstein

Happiness is...Fresh

What a great time of the year to enjoy the beauty of fresh. A fresh year. A fresh start. Fresh, fantastic food. Fresh food? Oh, yes.

The owners of Simon’s Coffee House and Eatery, Jerry and Jill Williams, know all about fresh food. Simon’s caters to vegan, vegetarian, and omnivore palates with fresh, delicious options like the Mediterranean Tofu Plate ( Tofu, mushrooms, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes sauteed in basil pesto, with toast ) and the Big Ben

Skillet ( Banger sausage, onions, mushrooms, and home fries sauteed and topped with cheddar cheese and scrambled eggs ). Hungry for breakfast or lunch yet?

Simon’s Coffee House is located at 5900 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota in the DeSear’s Plaza. Open Monday through Saturday from 8-3 and Sundays from 9-3. Check out Simon’s full menu on their website, www.simonstogo.com or connect with them on Facebook or Instagram for their specials.

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editorial content is subject to editing to conform to our style, and is copyrighted 2020

Landings

but is independently edited and reported by Landings residents. The Landings Eagle is published by 27th State

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To access each issue of The Landings Eagle, please go to: www.islandvp.com. Simply scroll down to The Eagle image and click on it for the current issue. If you would like to view past issues, click on the text, “TO VIEW PAST ISSUES OF The Landings EAGLE, CLICK HERE”That will bring you to a list of the back issues going back to July 2013. For anything earlier you will need to go to the website: www.landingseagle.com

Simon’s

Social Activities Ramping up

By Paige Packman, Social Chair

The LRC Social Committee is excited to launch several new social activities for the coming season! We want to appeal to a wider range of interests across our diverse membership.

Card Games

Ray and Linda Lee are starting a 9-week bridge class series on Mondays from 2-4 PM for players with some bridge experience. Betty Greenspan is back with her mahjongg learning group, also on Mondays from 1-3 PM. And let’s not forget Ron Pierce’s Wednesday 6 PM poker group!

Sport Fan Gatherings

For the more sports-minded, we are going to try out sports TV socials at the club, with college football and NFC/AFC Championship games scheduled for January, along with Australian Open late round matches. Depending on turnout, they will be held in either Lakeside Room or Poolside Room on our new 75” HD television. (Note - this new TV will only be used for pre-scheduled events, LRC photo gallery and committee & board meeting presentations).

Several pre-COVID sports events have returned, including:

• Super Bowl Party on February 12th

• LRC Baseball Outing and picnic lunch on March 26th to see Baltimore Orioles vs Philadelphia Phillies. Signups beginning midJanuary. Thanks to Karl Maggard for organizing this event!

Finally, January events not to be missed are line dancing with Marc on January 3rd and the chili cookoff on January 18th! Plus, our monthly kayak and bike outings. For details on how to signup, please see Landings Happenings Look Ahead below. Most events are limited to LRC members only. No excuse for being bored at the Landings!

Just Follow that Line ...

By Carolyn Friday, LRC Social Committee

The LRC recently launched a new line dance class series, led by Landings’ own two-stepping dance aficionado, Marc Mitchell. Marc is a native of Montreal and spends many months with us, residing at Eagles’ Point Circle. This season he is generously offering three line-dance classes to his neighbors. Such is his passion for dancing, he is providing the lessons free of charge for LRC members.

Never line-danced before? This class is for you. Don’t have a partner? None is needed; we dance in lines.

Not a fan of country music? Marc teaches steps that can be danced to a range of music from hip- hop to Frank Sinatra. Line

dancing is now so popular it has grown into modern line dancing picking up steps from the Rhumba, the Cha-Cha, the Charleston, and many more.

Marc’s first class on December 13th was well attended, with 30 enthusiastic dancers following the instructor’s moves to favorites tunes from Chubby Checker to Anne Murray. Don’t miss out on the fun!

Sign up in the Clubhouse for Marc’s next class on January 3rd from 5:30-7:30 pm. Marc will be back in April for the final session this season. If you can’t wait to get started, check out the videos on his website, dancewithmarc.com.

Amy Drachman

I have lived in The Landings since 2020 with my two teenage sons. We moved here from a nearby neighborhood where we had lived for five years after relocating from the Boston area. I am currently serving as Chair of LMA’s Governance Advisory Committee.

My professional background is in the legal field as an employment lawyer. I have been volunteering as an Emeritus Lawyer with Manasota Legal Aid since moving to Sarasota. My board experience includes serving as the financial secretary of my synagogue and on the board of a nonprofit domestic violence prevention organization.

Leslie W. Gray

I grew up in Lakewood, New York on Chautauqua Lake and went off to college at Florida Institute of Technology located in Melbourne, Florida. I received a degree in flight technology which led to my career as a commercial pilot.

After college I built up hours doing charter flights and instructing. I then started at FEDEX flying the Falcon, B727, DC-10 and B777. Most of my flying was international and some of the trips were around the world. I retired from FEDEX after 40 years of employment due to the mandatory FAA retirement age of 65.

My sister and her husband spend a couple of months staying at my home during the winter. As my neighbors can attest to, I have three barking miniature schnauzers named Molly, Skyler, and Piper.

I spend a lot of time at the tennis courts here and was into boating but that ended during hurricane Ian as my boat sank at the end of my dock.

I love living in The Landings and feel it is important to get involved in the community to assist in keeping it one of the choice locations in Sarasota.

Judy Greene

Coming from the Chicago area, The Landings was an easy choice.

Love the foliage, winding roads, and diversity of so many different types of living styles.

As a 28-year resident of the Landings, I have served on the boards of LRC, LMA, and I currently serve on the

Meet the Candidates

Election is Feb. 2

LHA board.

Presently, I chair the maintenance committee and I’m a member of the security committee.

I will enjoy being involved on the decisions that make this one of the most desirable communities in Sarasota.

When not volunteering in our community I am a full-time realtor with Michael Saunders & company.

Ray Lee

I grew up in the U.K. and after earning my first degree in chemistry at Cambridge, I moved to Canada in 1969 to take up a post-doctoral research position at the University of Toronto.

Three years later I got into book publishing and spent most of the next 22 years as president of Macmillan Publishing’s Canadian company.

After Macmillan was sold to Paramount in 1994, I eventually left the corporate world, and in 1996, I founded my own company, Master Point Press. MPP specialized in books on the game of bridge and became the largest company in the world in this market. It was sold in 2020 to a French conglomerate, 52 Entertainment, and eighteen months later I was able to officially retire.

I have served as president of both the Canadian Book Publishers Council and the Canadian Bridge Federation, and I was captain of a Canadian team in the Bridge World Championships in Istanbul in 2004.

I have been a homeowner in The Landings since 2011 and served as treasurer and then President of Landings South VII from 2013 to 2020, when Linda and I moved to a unit in Lakeview. I have also been a board member of my condominium association in Toronto.

Linda and I recently celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary. We have two children and five grandchildren. My interests include bridge, chess, online gaming, crossword puzzles, tennis, and soccer.

Now, in retirement, I have the time and energy to do more than just play tennis. I believe that with my business management and financial background, as well my experience working on condominium boards, I can make a useful contribution to the LMA as a board member at a time where it faces some major decisions, ones that will affect us all. It’s important that we get these decisions right, and I think I can help make that happen.

Amy Lyons

I moved to Sarasota from Dayton, Ohio in 1978 with my parents and siblings. We moved here so I could have the best place to further my tennis career.

I trained at the Bollettieri Tennis Academy. I graduated from Riverview High School in 1983. I immediately started my tennis career as a professional tennis player. I played on the WTA tour for seven years and reached a top 50 in the world singles ranking.

After my tennis career, I became a licensed realtor here in Sarasota. I sold real estate until I married my husband Rob Lyons in 1990 and we lived in The Landings.

We have four grown sons, Shaun 38 an attorney, Robby 32, a schoolteacher, Danny 30, a professional engineer, and Kevin 28, a financial advisor.

We lived in The Landings from 1990-2001 until the boy’s sports took us all over Florida and it was easier to be near I-75. After the youngest graduated high school, we sold the house and moved back into The Landings in 2011.

We have lived in single family homes, Villas at Eagles Point, and currently in Eagles Point Circle. The Landings is truly paradise. The beauty of nature, the water, and the peaceful feel is what we love.The Racquet Club has the best tennis courts in town. It takes a lot of work and communication to keep The Landings what it is. I would love to serve on the LMA Board.

Elida Ramberger

It’s been two short years since I was honored by being elected president of the board. During my first year, I became chair for the roads committee and served on both the website and signage committees.

What became apparent was that the Landings Management Association (LMA) is a group of dedicated volunteers who have generously given of their time and energy. It also became apparent that these steadfast volunteers lacked the support of a property management company.

At the end of year one, I was elected President of LMA. It was difficult to shift focus from committee work to assisting

committees with the tasks they have taken on. Due to noone volunteering to chair the roads committee, I remained in that role.

Both roles have demands on time and energy, but both are more than I believe I can do well. Therefore, I hope to be elected to the board for another term to serve as the roads committee chair.

The committee expects to continue the process of requesting bids to restore our roads, address drainage, and improve pedestrian safety. To date, the committee has hosted two town hall meetings (one with the engineer from Stantec who shared their analysis and recommendations), offered Zoom meetings to associations to further discuss pedestrian safety measures and island reconfiguration, posted PowerPoint presentation to the LMA website, and responded to all resident’s questions. The committee recognizes that the project is costly and that current residents are financially supporting it.

Prior boards had a plan in place to undertake restoration at intervals, which failed to occur. The last date in that interval is 2023. Therefore, the roads not restored in those intervals are now being planned for a single project according to engineering recommendations.

Quick recap of the bio I submitted for my first term include ownership of an S-Corp, Rutgers University ABD researcher in organizational behavior, and MSW in clinical social work. The business component served the clinical trial industry with the design, development, deployment, and hosting of software for data capture and management. Prior HOA experience was as President of an HOA in Osprey. During that term we improved the sense of community, increased homeowner participation and managed a class action lawsuit windfall that enabled us to address maintenance needs of our SWFWMD permitted retention system.

John Schmidt

My appointment to replace Joan Koplin on the LMA Board is concluding and I would like to continue to serve and the community and LMA.

My wife Cynthia and I have

been full-time residents in The Landings since October 2021. We purchased and renovated our home on Pine Harrier Circle in early 2020. We believe The Landings is a true gem of a community. We are hopeful that you will extend me the opportunity to help sustain and expand the livability, desirability, and value of The Landings, while building on the shoulders of the many positive contributions and volunteer work well conducted over the years.

I am a Florida native having grown up in Miami and spent many years in Atlanta before recently moving back to Florida. My education is in business with a master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in finance.

Professionally, I worked with one of the then Big 8 consulting firms, Peat, Marwick, Mitchell, and Co. (now KPMG Consulting), where I engaged in a broad-based practice focused on organization, planning, and operations management. I left the firm to realize my entrepreneurial inclinations and founded a boutique organizational consulting firm in 1987, Avastone Consulting, and served as CEO for over 30 years with a consultant and staff team of approximately 35.

My involvement with LMA began this year by joining, at first inception, the governance advisory committee, and after participating as an observer to the finance committee, was invited to join as a committee member there as well. As a board member, I have chaired the communications committee, where I placed primary attention on developing a workable solution for conduct of hybrid LMA Board meetings; those that incorporate a blend of on-site meeting room presence with functional Zoom interaction. I see multi-faceted and transparent communications as central to the community’s path forward and advocate conduct of a continuing pathway of regular, ongoing town hall meetings between the board and community-at-large.

My sense is the board and community need to anticipate coming scenarios, and stand prepared, rather than surprised, by realities that materialize.

BEST SEAFOOD RESTAURANT IN THE SARASOTA AREA BY FAR! FRESH, FLAVORFUL, PERFECTLY PREPARED FOOD. BE BACK NEXT YEAR!

“This is a small family run restaurant and the owners are onsite there. The owners and staff are friendly and welcoming. The service is great, but the food is phenomenal ! We had the blackened grouper, crab cakes and fish stew. It was seasoned and prepared perfectly! We found it because we were looking a place to eat after a movie, and if we hadn’t looked for reviews on TripAdvisor we would never have found it. It’s in a small plaza in the back corner and does not stand out. It was 45 minutes from where we were staying but it was so good we had to go back again. Each of the last 3 years we have stayed for 2 months on longboat key and this was the best seafood restaurant we’ve been to, hands down! It was nice to meet the owner who it turns out was from the town next to us in Connecticut. You must try it, but I would recommend reservations at dinner time as it’s a small place.”

The Landings Artists Art Show is Back

By Marie-Louise McHugh

Dotti Gleniewicz, fabric and bead art

Isabel Becker, fabric art

Bob Manteiga, photography/ video

Betty Greenspan, silk floral art

Allison Small, fabric art

Linda Stewart, watercolor

Michael Cohen, photography

Rick Waller, photography

Lynn Wayne, tapestry

Debra Mitchell, watercolor

Garry Bowan, painting

Anne Parsons, photography

Karen Gundesheimer, sculpture

Dianne Verrinder, painting

Roxanne Thomas, painting

Barbara Rothman, origami/ Demo from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Marie-Louise McHugh, painting

Come meet these wonderful artists and enjoy the show.

The latest news about the Thursday Morning Art Studio at the Racquet Club is very positive. So far, 14 artists are participating regularly and are enjoying creating art, discussing their work and appreciating the opportunity to have a place to work.

There is going to be a group art show of their work at the end of March. Exact date and time to be announced later.

Day Tripping: Bradenton’s Robinson Preserve a dog-friendly delight

By Betty Greenspan

The idea was to write a column about visiting the city of Bradenton for the day but it would prove to be way too long. Bradenton, including Lakewood Ranch is big. What was I thinking?

Then I thought exploring West Bradenton would be fun but that was not feasible either. There is so much to see in West Bradenton: The Red Barn, a 40-acre flea market ideal for bargain hunters, the downtown area with its beautiful Manatee River Walk, and the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature.

The nearby Village of the Arts is a vibrant art community home to galleries and restaurants in colorful bungalows that could be fun to explore.

At the Art Center Manatee, there are any number of art classes to choose from, not to mention the beautiful galleries and gift shop, a fun day trip for sure!

Further west is the Palma Sola Botanical Park, Robinson Preserve and Cortez Fishing Village. Wait, what about IMG Academy?

Okay, so those must be covered another time. For now, I focus on one of my favorite dog friendly places, the Robinson Preserve. The out-of-town visitors will love it as well!

The Robinson Preserve, includes 637 acres of coastal marsh and mangrove habitat. An easy climb up the 40ft tall wooden observation tower brings you to a 360-degree view of four counties and five bodies of water including Tampa Bay and the Sunshine Bridge.

Bike or walk the 2.5 miles of paved trail, run on the unique rubberized trail, or explore more than 5 miles of shell and coastal trails.

For paddlers, the 2.5 miles of

protected waterways present a chance to navigate through mangrove tunnels and marshes. We saw lots of kayakers with their dogs having fun on the water and we were sorry we did not bring our kayak. There is an easy launch near the parking lot, and they rent kayaks as well.

Great birdwatching and at times you can view ibis, roseate spoonbills, wood storks, white pelicans, and bald eagles. We saw a family of wood storks and ibis playing in the marsh and tried to snap a few photos without scaring them away. We also saw people fishing which is allowed from the bridges.

There are two parking lots. One is near the north entrance where you can easily walk to the observation tower and visit the Valentine House which also serves as the visitor center. Be sure to visit this beautiful Victorian home with its rich history and changing exhibits.

The second lot is at the corner of 9th Ave NW and 99th Street NW where The Mosaic Center for Nature, Exploration, Science and Technology or NEST, as it’s referred to, is located. It’s a one-of-akind site that sits high in the preserve and resembles a tree house built from pine and cypress wood located at the new Robinson Preserve Expansion.

The NEST is a gorgeous multipurpose space. Climb on the two-story playground through ropes, tunnels, and slides. You can even rent the beautiful multi-level treehouse facility for parties.

Please check times when this facility is open. The north entrance and preserve are open daily.

Take lots of suntan lotion as there is not much shade in many of the areas.

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Above left and clockwise: Beautiful marshes and the Intracoastal Waterway invite bird watching and kayaking; a 40-foot-tall wooden observation tower offers 360--degree views of the region; the Victorian home is one of the many delights at the preserve.

First Landings Kayak Group Social

By Jackie Massari, LMA Kayak Chair

The first organizational meeting of The Landings Kayak Group was held on December 4th. It was well-attended, with about 30 enthusiastic kayakers who are eager to work to improve the kayaking experience for Landings’ residents. Action committees have been formed to resolve issues related to improving the launch site and finding additional space for storage racks. If you would like to join these efforts, contact me (jackiemassari@yahoo. com).

The major issue needing immediate resolution is the use of kayak berths by individuals who have not rented the berths. This problem has burgeoned over the spring/summer months when renters removed their kayaks for a variety of reasons and interlopers then put their kayak in a space that was unoccupied at that moment. These kayaks must be removed so that those paying for a berth can use it. The Kayak Committee does not want to have to remove kayaks that do not belong there, leaving them unsecured on the ground.

Other meeting topics included:

1. Annual payment ($100) will be billed by Pinnacle; an annual contract will be included, which needs to be signed and returned with payment. Nonpayment will result in removal of kayak.

2. Developing smaller groups of informal kayakers, perhaps including one for beginners.

3. TeamReach app will be the major mode of communication for the kayakers- download the app, find our group, Landings Kayaking Sarasota, and enter Group Code LKS.

4. There is currently a berth waitlist of about 15 people, some of whom want a second spot. There appears to be low turnover of the 72 spots we currently have.

Kayaking appears to have become a very popular asset to Landings’ residents: If you build it they will come! Hopefully, we can work together to continue moving kayak endeavors in a positive direction. See you on the water!

Delightful December Kayak Outing

By Paige Packman, LRC Social Chair

What a delightful kayak excursion we had on Saturday, December 3rd, led by John McFetridge! A big thanks to John for making these excursions possible! We had a dozen kayaks with 16 people paddling. It was a picture-perfect day with comfortable temps, no wind and little boat traffic. Thankfully red tide wasn’t an issue on intercoastal waterway.

We wandered through peaceful lakes and tunnels of The Landings mangroves, before making a short crossing of the intercoastal to explore the languid back canals and lovely homes on Siesta Key.

Next kayak excursion is scheduled for Saturday, January 21st at 10 a.m. when we will paddle in a quiet inlet near Turtle Beach and lunch afterwards nearby. Watch for event signup on TeamReach. Kayaks will be available for rental. You must sign up for this event ahead of time, so we can arrange for kayak rentals and make lunch reservations nearby.

You are also welcome to bring your own kayak. To more fun paddling adventures!

SALADS

Turtles Salad … $19

Turtles Deluxe Salad … $15

Caesar Salad … $17

With grilled shrimp or chicken Kale Salad … $19

SANDWICHES

Grouper Sandwich … $19

Salmon BLT … $18

Mahi Mahi Sandwich … $18

Chicken Sandwich … $12

Cheeseburger … $12 Vegan Burger … $12

ENTREES

Stuffed Shrimp … $21

Potato Crusted Haddock … $19

Coconut Crusted Mahi Mahi … $19

Gulf of Mexico Grouper … $22

Salmon … $21

Sea Scallops … $22

Shrimp and Seafood Au Gratin … $15

Fisherman Platter … $30

Baby Back Ribs … $22

Orange Pecan Chicken … $15

Filet Mignon … $22

Filet Mignon & Stuffed Shrimp … $31

Filet Mignon & Maine Lobster Tail … $48

Stuffed Shrimp & Maine Lobster Tail … $40

Twin Maine Lobster Tails … $53

FRIED SEAFOOD PLATTERS

Coconut Shrimp … $20

Large Gulf Shrimp … $18

Fish & Chips … $17

Fried Combo … $25

PASTA & BOWLS

Shrimp & Crab Scampi … $23

Salmon Pasta … $19

Chicken & Shrimp Curry … $19

Sweet ‘n Spicy Chicken & Shrimp … $21

Pasta Primavera … $14

DESSERTS

Turtle Pie … $7

Key Lime Pie … $7

Sample Platter … $10

Ice Cream Bar … $5

Tennis Tournament Recap

The Landings Racquet Club was once again the host to the 2022 USTA National Senior and Super Senior Father/Son Clay Court Championships. As always, the event was a great success, and players and spectators had a great time.

Below and to the right are the photos of the winners and runner’s up for each of the three categories as well as a few action shots taken by one of our Landings photographers, Rick Waller.

Super Senior Winners and Davies Cup Trophy Winners Jim and Clint Bowles

Ultra-Senior Runners-up David and Robert Weber

Ultra-Senior Winners and Davies Cup Trophy Winners Mike and Andrew Stewart

Senior Winners and Davies Cup Trophy winners Jeff and Scott Rodgers

Senior Runners-up Peter and Cody Freischlag

Super Senior Runners-up Howard and Kyle Berman

Happy New Year!

By the time you are reading this, we will have survived the holiday season and a festive New Years Eve. In fact, so much time may have passed that some of you may have already given up on some of your New Year’s resolutions! Oh well, there is always next year. I hope everyone had a chance to enjoy the club’s holiday party – which was a smashing success. I have to again thank our social committee for putting on a grand party but also for the wide range

of activities they have slated for the new year. And not only social, we’re ramping up our fitness classes (yoga, circuit training, core stregthening) in addition to more tennis social events.

Our volunteers are just fantastic; giving their time and energy to make our club better. I truly hope you are taking advantage of some of the superb offerings we have set up for the new year.

On the pro tours, both men and women are “down under” in Australia. The men and women

Manager’s Report

Happy New Year!

By Kevin Lechlitner

I trust everyone had a safe, happy & healthy holiday season. As a reminder, the Landings Racquet Club Annual Meeting and election will take place Monday, January 16th at 7:00 p.m. in the Lakeside Clubhouse. You should have received the annual meeting packet in the mail a few days ago. Please sign and return the proxy to the Club at your earliest convenience. We need a third of the membership present in person or by proxy to establish a quorum so the meeting can take place. Contact me by phone or email at LRCTennis@hotmail. com if you haven’t received your mailing or have questions about it.

All members are invited to be present at the Annual Meeting in person or by proxy. As a reminder, the board doesn’t make day-to-day operational decisions

Happy New Year!

I know that one of your new year resolutions is to become a better tennis player. Here is my advice to get you started on getting to the next level.

Obviously to have more chances for success everyone needs to get more consistent and make less errors on the court. Craig O’Shannessy is the leading point and strategy analyst in our sport. He points out that on both the men and women pro tours approximately 70% of the points end in errors and about 30% of the points end in winners.

Obviously, these are the best players

start out in Adelaide, then hop over to Auckland, New Zealand and finally spend the last two weeks of January in Melbourne at the Australian Open. The Aussie Open is also known as the “Happy Open” and one of the advantages is you can walk to the tennis complex from your hotel in downtown Melbourne. It’s a very fun tournament with great access to watch the best players in the world close up with a lot of entertainment across the complex. As you will have seen in your

snail mail mailbox, we’re having an election for the Board of Directors at the club. We have four candidates running to fill three open positions, so, I hope you take the time to vote. The board serves an important function for the club, so it’s important you make your desires known by electing those people who best reflect your hopes for the club.

The Landings Racquet Club – tell only your best friends.

at this meeting. If you have a concern or an idea, please share that with me or attend the regular board meeting on the third Monday of the month.

You should have received an invoice for the LRC annual assessment near the end of November. The annual fee for the Racquet Club for 2022 is $1,750. It is a $200 increase over last year’s assessment. Thank you to those that have already given me a check. If you haven’t submitted your payment, please keep in mind that it is due January 1, 2023. Late fees and interest will be charged February 1st on any unpaid assessments. I would like to see everyone avoid that if possible.

By Adrian “Mo” Moghina

in the world making lots and lots of errors. He also says that those statistics are basically the same at all levels of the game. That’s because almost every shot has various degrees of pressure to it.

There are unforced errors and forced errors. Basically, an unforced error is making a mistake when you are balanced and completely in control while trying to hit an easy ball. A forced error is when the opponent hits a ball that is difficult to control because

Some exercise classes are up and running again. Magdalena de Poel is leading a Core Strengthening and Stretching class on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:15 – 9:15 a.m. She is also teaching two yoga classes: a Vinyasa Flow Yoga class on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. and a gentle Yin Yoga class on Fridays at 11:30 a.m. Sandy Bellino is still teaching her Aqua Zumba class on Tuesday and Thursdays at 11:30 a.m.

The Landings Free College is scheduled to start their weekly lecture series on Thursdays at 2:30 p.m. beginning January 5th. Based on previous seasons, I’m sure Irv Kushner

and Ralph Ricapito have another interesting group of people on their lineup this season. The weekly topics will be advertised in the email that I normally send out every Friday along with other events at the Club. If you would like to be added to my email list, please contact me in the Pro Shop or via email at LRCTennis@hotmail.com.

Thank you to our Social Chair Paige Packman and her team of volunteers for their outstanding work in putting together the Holiday Dinner Dance. Although I didn’t attend the party, I heard a lot of positive comments. The social program is as strong as it has ever been.

Keep your eyes open for more social activities on the calendar in the coming months.

your balance.

As you improve your technique, timing, and footwork, you need to focus on making more shots in the court by aiming at bigger targets. That basically means not to aim near the lines. But you also need to work on forcing your opponents to miss.

Craig says that there are eight basic ways to force an error: 1) Just be more consistent than your opponent, 2) by having good directional control to the left and right of the court, 3) by having good depth control by hitting deep and short with drop shots, 4) by hitting low or high balls out of your opponent’s strike zone, 5) by putting spin on the ball to make it more difficult to time. 6)

by hitting with more or less power to frustrate the opponent, 7) by your court position which can make your opponent go for lower percentage shots, and 8) by taking away their time to prepare to hit a shot. That’s a great reason to get better at volleying near the net. Craig also says that the number one way to make the opponent miss is to hit the ball deep (closer to the baseline than service line).

Our next social round robin and pro exhibition will be on January 20th from 2-5 p.m. In the round robin we will play regular doubles as well as triples. Sign up at the pro shop.

See you on the courts!

News from the Court

Holiday Magic at the LRC! By

The Lakeside Room sparkled as 100 merry makers gathered for the LRC Annual Holiday Party in early December. Partygoers declared it the best one ever!

A delicious buffet was provided by Steven Seig’s Quick-Step Catering. DJ

Karolina Lira brought her lively rock and roll tunes, and photographer Rick Waller snapped smiling portraits in front of the Christmas Tree and Chanukah menorah.

It was a balmy evening on the screened porch where icicles and fairy lights lit the crowded

Carolyn Friday, LRC Social Committee

dance floor. Happy revelers danced the night away and reluctantly headed home only when DJ Karolina packed up.

The successful event was organized by Jill Eisner, Carolyn Friday, and Paige Packman.

The festive décor was thanks

to volunteers Betty Greenspan, Fern Vaughn, Nancy Friedberg, and Ron Pierce. Helen Bella and Jill Eisner trimmed the beautiful tree.

Over the buffet table, Allison Small hung her one-of-a-kind gold ball creation, cementing an LRC holiday tradition.

Also,a big shoutout to Kevin Lechlitner and Wayne Trotter, who hung the lights and laid the dance floor.

Let’s not forget LRC’s staffer, Brett, who covered party cleanup and takedown.

Photos by Rick Waller.

Changing Children’s Lives During the Holidays

Take a minute to enjoy how our community has changed the lives of these children and their families! We were able to serve 74 more children this year because of the generosity of our community, the retailers we support, and our places of worship that all gave of their time, talent, and money … each to their ability.

This year was different due to Hurricane Ian. We have families from Sunshine Kids, Golisano’s Hospital,

Valerie’s House, and Hannah’s House that have been wiped out … everything gone.

Janet from Sunshine Kids shared this: “Thank you again for all of your wonderful donations. I am leaving the office now, had our first family pick up their gifts, they had tears and were so appreciative.”

The pizza party fund raiser brought new faces to the foundation as did the involvement from St Martha’s middle

schoolers who greeted and waved, passed out hot chocolate and Jockey bears, and were the muscle for loading gifts into the family’s cars on Sunday during the “drive-thru” party.

Sunday was a success with families gathering and 47 children enjoying the stations, making wreaths, ornaments, and having their faces painted, then visiting with our own Mrs. Claus, Santa and his favorite dog, Santa Archie.

While the kids enjoyed the

entertainment, the parents enjoyed a meal with adult conversation about treatments, relapses and palliative care. The Foundation continues to grow and would welcome your involvement as a volunteer, donor, shopper or adopter!

Please visit the website for details: landingsholidaycharitablefoundation. org.

On

& Sunday,

While Classical composers have often wowed us with large-scale symphonies, masses, and Requiems, they have also demonstrated their mastery in a matter of only minutes. Experience these choral miniature masterpieces – all 8 minutes or less – as Maestro Caulkins leads an interactive exploration of these miniature masterpieces. Spanning nearly 450 years, these works from the Renaissance to today will be not only performed but discussed in an entertaining and informative way throughout the program.

“Because of their short length you rarely hear but one or two of these selections in a program,” said Maestro Caulkins. “We came up with the idea to showcase these small gems and celebrate how much craftsmanship goes

into creating a masterpiece that spans a mere matter of minutes. To do that, requires a directness of musical language, composition conciseness, and something that captures the spirit of the listener. These pieces do all of that and are among choral music’s greatest treasures.”

Contemporary classics like Morten Lauridsen’s O Magnum Mysterium will be performed and contrasted with a setting of the same text in a timeless work by Spanish Renaissance composer Tomas Luis de Victoria. Another work by contemporary Latvian composer Eriks Esenvalds takes an ethereal poem by Sara Teasdale and sets it for 8-part choir and wine glasses tuned by partially filling them with water. The playing of these wine glasses adds to the mystery. Players wet their fingers and run it around the rim of the glass creating a halo of sound unlike any other.

The program rounds out with two spirituals

arranged by Moses Hogan, who died tragically at the young age of 45 in 2003. In that short span he became the world’s greatest arranger of spirituals. His settings transformed spirituals into a highly regarded artform. His arrangements of My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord and The Battle of Jericho are among his finest, and true masterpieces.

The performances will take place: Saturday, January 21, 4:00 PM at Church of the Palms, Sarasota

Sunday, January 22, 5:00 PM at St. Boniface Episcopal Church, Siesta Key Tickets are $35-$45. For tickets, go to keychorale.org or call the box office at 941-552-8768.

Saturday

January 21 – 22, Key Chorale’s Chamber Singers, professional harpist Anna Kate Mackle, pianist Stephen Fancher, and the Sarasota Music Conservatory String Quartet, will present a concert of miniature masterpieces – all 8 minutes or less – pint-sized pieces that pack a punch.

Photos by Kim Cooper and Bob Manteiga.

Bike Outing Scheduled

Join Landings neighbors and friends for a group bike outing to Myakka State Park on Saturday, January 7 th . Meet at the LRC Parking Lot at 9:30 a.m. We will caravan from the Landings to Myakka Park. Admission is $6 per vehicle. (If the park is still closed due to the hurricane, we will caravan to the Legacy Trail beginning in Venice, going south.). If you can take additional riders

in your car or have an extra bike rack, please let us know. There are a few people who want to ride with us but do not have a way to transport their bikes. For those interested, we will go for a group lunch (Dutch treat) following our ride. This is a casual ride for cyclists of all levels. For more information contact Norman Olshansky, nfpconsultingresources@gmail.com.

Play, learn, and relax with meaningful relationships in a secure, supportive community

To schedule a tour and to learn more, please call us at 941.966.5611

Visit our website.

BAYVILLAGE.ORG

Triple Tennis Mixer = Fun, Fun, Fun

It was another successful triple tennis mixer on December 2nd. George Ulrich worked with Neil Goldman to make up teams of four members each. A big shout out to our volunteer feeders: John Fournier, Tommy George, Jeff Fifield, and George Ulrich. Many players continued having fun at the BYOB social. The triple mixers will be a monthly event. Join us at our next triples social mixer on January 6th. Sign up at the pro shop.

Recently, a Florida Department of Transportation-approved road project for Midnight Pass Road in the middle of tourist season commenced on Siesta Key’s main drag. There was no public notice by the county – which oversees the road -- of the initiative, according to Bob Luckner of the Siesta Key Association during his group’s Dec. 1 meeting.

Nonetheless, as of Dec. 4, island residents began dealing with a projected 250 days of work that will include temporary lane closures of one to one-and-a-half lanes. They will be monitored for alternating traffic flow by flagmen.

Luckner learned of the $3.6 million project through his connection to FDOT officials, he said. He also said he didn’t believe that part of the Key needed repaving – pointing

to parts of Beach Road being in more need -- but the project is on the books. Message boards notifying residents of the project did not appear, near the public beach, until late November.

The repaving project will likely push the start of the approved roundabout project at the intersection of Midnight Pass Road and Beach Road back to December of 2023 at the earliest, Luckner added. The resurfacing was originally slated to take place in conjunction with the roundabout project, but the county has since taken over that massive roundabout initiative.

The 1.635 miles of repaving work will take place between the Midnight Pass Road and Stickney Point Road intersection and Shadow Lawn Way, which intersects with Midnight Pass Road at the entrance to the

Siesta Isles neighborhood. It will involve mostly resurfacing, but will also feature the smoothing of sidewalks, the widening of shoulders and turn lanes, and possibly some drainage-related work near the flood-prone area near the former site of the Wells Fargo bank at 5810 Midnight Pass Rd., Luckner said.

AJAX Paving Industries of Venice will do the work.

“Not only will tourist season make this difficult on residents, but consider the idea of the sand being hauled to Turtle Beach (at the south end, see related story on Page 1) and the possibility of the new hotels beginning construction -- depending on the outcome of lawsuits -- and you’ve got most of the island” in potential gridlock, Luckner added.

Fishing at the Gazebo

You may find reds along with big trout concentrated in potholes, along the edges of bars or tailing on shallow grass flats on negative low tides this month. This is a good month for catch and release snook action around lighted docks in the Intracoastal Waterway. Some lights will also have trout and reds making it possible to get a dock “slam.

There may also be some action in the coastal gulf with tripletail, depending on conditions.

Spotted seatrout has reopened to harvest in southwest Florida with a three-fish-per-person bag limit and a six-fish boat limit. Trout must be from 15 to 19 inches with one allowed per vessel over 19 inches. I feel that it’s important to protect these larger trout, which are usually female breeders.

Snook remains closed to harvest in the Charlotte Harbor area.

Full regulations and details can be viewed at myfwc.com.

Catch-and-release snook fishing around lighted docks at night can be good in December and January, unless it gets too cool. I won’t target snook following a strong cold front or if the water temperature dips below 60 degrees. Since they may be stressed at that time.

However, it can be very good under normal conditions. Larger baitfish will thin out and snook will gorge themselves on glass minnows and small shrimp in the ICW at night. I like docks that have a good tidal flow and deep water under them. Fly anglers should do well with sink tip fly lines and small white flies, like my Grassett Snook Minnow. Shrimp Gurglers on floating lines may work well when snook

are chasing shrimp in the lights. Fish peak tidal flows for the fastest action.

You may find reds in potholes or along the edges of flats and bars when the tide is low. They may also tail on shallow grass flats of lower Tampa Bay or Gasparilla Sound on negative low tides. Lightly weighted flies, like my Grassett Flats Minnow, will work well in that situation. Weed guards are also important when targeting reds on shallow grass. Spoon flies are another good choice when hunting for reds although you may need to add a small (#10) black barrel swivel ahead of your bite tippet to prevent twist in your leader depending on the style of spoon fly you use -- some will wobble while others may spin if stripped fast.

You may also find reds around docks this month. Use a sink tip fly line and a weighted fly to get your fly into the strike zone for reds. You may find big trout in skinny water this month in many of the same areas where you find reds. The same flies and techniques that I use for reds will also work for trout in the same areas.

You should also find trout on deep grass flats this month along with blues, Spanish mackerel, flounder or pompano. Blues and mackerel will sometimes feed on the surface in the bay, so bird activity may give their presence away.

Pompano may skip when you drift or run past them and when that happens, circle back upwind and drift through the area casting ahead of your drift. Flounder prefer a mix of sand and grass, particularly in potholes or on the edges of bars. Fly anglers should score with sink tip fly lines and weighted flies, like Ultra Hair Clousers or my Grassett Deep Flats Bunny

fly, which behaves like a jig with a shad tail.

I tie Ultra Hair Clousers on long shank hooks, leaving a portion of the hook shank exposed, when toothy fish are around. I like the shallow flats of the south shore of Tampa Bay and Gasparilla Sound for reds and trout and deep grass flats that are close to passes, on points and along sand bars for trout, blues, flounder and pompano this time of year.

There should still be some action in the coastal gulf with Spanish mackerel, blues, false albacore and tripletail. Look for terns either diving or hovering low over the surface of the water to find albies, blues and mackerel feeding just below the surface.

Once you’ve found them, cast glass minnow fly patterns, poppers or Crease flies to them. Fly poppers may draw fish to the surface, especially over structure.

You’ll need to add wire or heavy fluorocarbon to your leader when blues and mackerel are around. Look for tripletail around crab trap floats or channel markers. Once you’ve located a fish, work back into the wind or current with an electric trolling motor to get into casting range and cast a lightly weighted fly to them.

Weed guards are important to avoid hooking the crab trap lines.

There should be lots of options this month, although weather becomes more of a factor. When conditions are good, I like to fish the coastal gulf for tripletail or albies.

If you’re able to choose when to fish, fish ahead of fronts or on the strongest tides for the best action. Shallow-water action can be very good on low winter tides.

The Fish Whisperer with a yellow-tailed jack.

Florida Puffer

Mackerel Flounder

Scoolmaster

Scamp

King Mackerel

Gulf Flounder

Sailfish

Florida Puffer

Beverly with a sting ray Cameron with a yellow-tailed jack

Cameron with a mangrove snapper Laird with a sheepshead

Our extraordinary dogs transform lives. Beyond the Dark invites you to experience this transformation and connect with our mission. You’ll engage your senses while immersing into the challenges of people with vision loss and veterans with disabilities. You’ll meet graduates of our programs and hear their triumphant stories. You’ll witness our highly trained guide dogs and service dogs at work, and see the powerful difference they make. And you’ll come away with a greater connection to the human-dog teams who journey beyond the dark GuideDogs.org/Dark

Add More Bite to Your Pup’s 2023

The flip of the calendar offers all kinds of opportunities – opportunities to look back and note what worked or what didn’t, and opportunities to look forward and identify what needs to change.

So, you’ve got your own list—but what about one for your dog? What plans can you make and what habits can you form to improve their life in ways that will have them living happier, healthier, and longer?

Here are a few suggestions for resolutions that can add a little extra bite to your pup’s 2023 and beyond.

Schedule a Check Up

When was the last time you took your dog to see the vet? Just like humans, scheduling an annual physical can go a long way to improving your dog’s health. But when everything seems fine, it’s a habit that can be tough to form.

The thing is, there are health issues that may not be noticeable right away, issues that a trained expert can catch well before they become a problem. So, get your dog on the schedule to see your family vet for a check up on shots, medications, and for an analysis of their overall health. And make the call today –appointments are booking up fast!

Update Their Diet

Is your dog tired of the same ol’ same ol’? Maybe it’s time for a change. Not only can dietary adjustments pique their interest in what’s for dinner, but they could also improve their digestion, energy, and longevity.

We’ve often talked in this column about the importance of gut health. If your dog is dealing with digestive issues like diarrhea, gas, or bloating, it’s probably time to make a change. Even if they seem fine, you should ask yourself if they’re getting the right mix of foods designed to bolster gut health in a way that will not only curtail digestive issues, but also benefit their total physical well-being.

Put it on your list to explore foods, supplements, or even a broader dietary change that will deliver more of the good to your dog’s gut.

Pamper Them a Little

Listen, when you look good you feel good too. And just like humans, if your dog’s outside isn’t being cared for as much as their inside, that can have a negative effect both physically and mentally.

If you haven’t already, this year add regular grooming to your pup’s list. Now, we’re not saying you’ve got to send them to the spa once a quarter, but a regular shampoo, haircut, and some nail trimming makes a huge difference—even if it’s just at home. Invest the extra time to give your dog healthier fur, skin, and nails and they’ll thank you for it.

Take It Easy

While our dogs don’t have things like work or bills to worry about, they still need the right blend of play, socialization, and mental stimulation to enjoy life. Assuming you’re already incorporating regular walks or trips to the park to your pup’s agenda, look for ways to increase the frequency of or add some excitement to that quality time.

Maybe it’s something as simple as a new toy or booking regular play dates with neighborhood puppy pals – or maybe it’s a trip to somewhere new for both you and your best friend to get away and bond. There’s no shortage of opportunities for you and your dog to enjoy time together.

From mealtime to playtime and more, make a point to create a list of 2023 goals for your best friend to help them live a happier and healthier life.

About the Author: Kyle Baker, Senior Pet Food Nutritionist at DOGPerfect, has a passion for educating pet parents on the power of nutrition and how it can improve their pet’s lives with proper food, supplements, and treats. With over 17 years of industry experience, he has helped change the lives of thousands of pets.

Going to the Dogs

By Karen Snyder

Meet Henry.

At 8 weeks old, I was living the high life with my brother Rambo on Martha’s Vineyard during the COVID-19 pandemic.

My owner Catherine Urban, and her son and his wife, decided to get puppies. Good thinking.

In November of 2021 Catherine and I moved into The Landings right across the street from the Club House where treats from Kevin and Gary awaited me daily.

During moving day, I escaped through the open door but I’m no fool! I ran right to the club where Gary rescued me with, you guessed it, treats!

Walking in The Landings has been the best place for us to meet neighbors and other four legged furry friends. Catherine and I also love to go to the Gazebo where I can swim and to the Venice Dog Beach.

Sadly, Lauren my most loved human friend, who also gave me bacon flavored treats, passed away recently. I miss her so much!!!

Catherine I are the best team! We love our furry friends like Larry, Griff, Roscoe, Toni, Percy, and Hyacinth!

Vineyard! Landings! I guess this 2-and-a-half-year-old Mini Doodle is living the life of Riley! Better: The life of Henry.

Wags and Cheers to all in 2023!

Text Karen at 941-855-0347 for your photo shoot.

Henry is a fan of the dog beach in Venice

The Photo Shop: Architectural Photography

Photographs of buildings, structures, and forms fall under the generic category of “architectural photography.” While usually featured in architectural magazines or used for marketing or real estate purposes, these kinds of photos have been incorporated in the repertoire of many of today’s photographers, and “architectural photography” has become an art form unto itself.

There are a variety of classifications within the genre. Listed below are some of these:

The Hero Shot

In advertising, the hero shot is intended to give the intended buyer or developer of a building or structure an overview of what the project is all about. The objective here is to create an image that is at the same time practical, informative, and aesthetically pleasing.

The Exterior Shot

The most common architectural photo is the exterior shot. Exteriors are in many ways like hero shots, but they tend to focus much more on the details. It is not only the design of the structure that is important, but the context in which that structure is situated. Elements, such as people, automobiles, landscape, or other geographical features take on a certain significance.

The Interior Shot

Interior shots are usually the most challenging photos because they depend so much on other elements such as layout and design as well as lighting. A good interior

shot should always look natural, not staged.

Aerial Architectural Photography

Aerial shots are intended primarily to show how a building or structure stands out within the context of its environment. While these photos are often shot from a variety of different angles, the primary perspective is from above. Recently photographers have been using drones to capture these images.

Architectural Vignette Photos

Architectural vignettes offer a closer or more intimate look at the interior or exterior of a structure, drawing the eye to the details. This type of photography is used a lot by realtors for marketing purposes.

Wide-angle lenses are especially effective in architectural photography because they allow for a unique, yet often distorted, image of a structure, which can be both creative and aesthetically pleasing at the same time.

This month’s column of The Photo Shop features the works of five Landings photographers: Heidi Anderson, Robert Manteiga, Cathy Winkler, Rick Waller, and Eddie Goldstein. We hope you enjoy them.

The February issue will feature the photographic work of a professional architectural photographer who lives right here in The Landings, Joel Gross.

Our March issue will be dedicated to “seascapes,” and other “water” images. So, if you have any photographs that meet these criteria, please send them to me at roberto@ uri.edu.

By Bob Manteiga

Landings Directory

New owner(s) in The Landings: Peter Max Buehler & Liza Buehler-Konradt, 1303 Landings Drive.

For current owner information, use the online resident directory on the Landings website: www.thelandingsofsarasota. com/login as their source for current directory listings and Landings information. Directory information is updated on the site no less often than weekly and changes are made to other Landing information when available. A directory, downloadable as a PDF file, dated November 2021 is also available on the LMA home page. If you want current information, use the website’s online directory!

I encourage every resident to check their online directory listing for accuracy. Additions, changes, or corrections to the online

By Dee Ricapito

As the new year begins, let’s not forget about one of the greatest gifts we receive from others: FRIENDSHIP!

Maybe, it comes from our family, classmates, or next-door neighbors, healthy relationships are the gifts that keep on giving. Our friends are there in good times and bad. They give us something to laugh about, a pick-me-up after a bad day, and someone on the other end of the phone who listens when we need to talk. Even when they’re just

directory may be requested by filling out the change form on the online Residents Directory page or by e-mail to: landings.directory@ gmail.com.

listening it helps with stress, or increases our happiness and even help us manage our grief.

Dr. C. Gelvin, MD Internal Medicine, wrote: “They even help us extend our lives — and studies suggest that cultivating good friendships has the same impact on our longevity as quitting smoking.”

Maybe our social circles help us live longer, so let’s make the NEW YEAR a healthy one and give our friends a hug!

Kids Corner

By Heidi Bodor

Riley

Shaeffer, 5 years old, primary class at New Gate School

Do you have any pets? A dog named Mayzie

Do you have any brothers or sisters? One brother, Mason, 3 1/2 years old

Do you play an Instrument? Harmonica What do you like most about The Landings? Trick or treating

Favorites:

Ice cream: Superhero

School subject: Playground time Book: Mermaid Tales

Color: Pink and purple

Movie: Frozen and Encanto

Sport: Soccer and swimming

Song: Any Disney song

Favorite Food: Strawberries and cake

Least favorite food: Tomatoes Holiday: Christmas

What is your favorite part of the day? Afternoon

Favorite thing to do on weekends: Family Day at the skating rink

If you could live in a house shaped like anything, what would it be? Like a circle

If you were invisible for a day, what would you do? I’d eat candy all day

What makes you happy when you are sad? Eating candy

What do you like doing in your spare time? I like riding bikes. If you could throw a parade in The Landings, what kind would you have? A unicorn parade

If you were a box of cereal, what kind of cereal would you be and why? Fruit Loops because I like the colors. They are like a rainbow.

If you could do something like your mom, what would you want to be able to do? Roller-skate and work

If you could wake up tomorrow with a superpower, what superpower would you want to have? The ability to freeze people

Favorite thing on Earth: Rainbows because I like the colors

What do you want to be when you grow up? An artist What is something you are thankful for? Mommy

If you were president for a day, what would you do? No haircuts!

Favorite part of being a kid: Having candy What do you wish for people for the 2023? Respect and peace

Landings Volunteers Who Work For You: Judy Greene

If you have lived in The Landings for more than a month,

probably know about Judy Greene.

A 28-year Landings resident, in a home on Peregrine Point Drive, Judy is best currently known for her leadership on the board of the Homeowners Association, and member of the LMA security committee, where she led the installation process for the new gate stickers.

She is also the current chair of the LMA maintenance committee. If you know anything about real estate in The Landings, you will know about Judy and her business partner, Tara, who are with Michael Saunders & Company and regularly advertise in the Eagle.

Judy grew up in Indianapolis and then moved to Wheaton, Illinois, outside of Chicago, where she lived in a farmhouse. While there, she owned and operated several Hallmark stores. She also sold merchandise to other Hallmark stores throughout the region.

She has two sons in the Chicago area and a daughter in Boston. Her great smile got even bigger when she spoke about her nine grandchildren.

Judy was visiting a friend in Sarasota and quickly fell in love with the area. She decided to move to Florida she explored the area with a realtor. The Landings was the first place she saw and after looking at several other places she knew that The Landings would be a good place to

relocate. She fell in love with The Landings, it’s trees, plantings, location near downtown, and a shopping center with grocery store nearby.

Over 28 years she has been an active community volunteer where she previously served on the LMA and LRC Boards. For many years she has also been on the LHA Board.

If you’ve been to any of these Landings events, you can thank Judy and Tara for their sponsorships: LRC Breakfasts, Landoliers Concert, Landings Learning Group, Father Son Tournament, Landings Free College, and ice cream socials.

When asked what she sees as the biggest challenges facing the community she said: “Security and security software are a big challenge. Finding adequate personnel to man the front gate and input data into our security software has

been difficult. Turnover, low pay, low unemployment and difficulty finding personnel have been a challenge for our security vendor. We also are faced with aging infrastructure requiring additional funding for lakes, deteriorating walls, drainage, roads, etc. Not having sidewalks has been both a challenge but also a unique aspect of our community.”

When asked what draws her clients to want to move to The Landings, she said, “Our overall acreage, natural setting, variety of housing and condo styles are major attractions as is the LRC, its pool, tennis courts, and fitness center. The nature trail, being by the water, our security, and most important, all of the friendly people and fun activities are top attractions for prospective buyers. Also, we have a great newspaper, the Eagle.”

She was also asked what was something about which she is especially proud, she said, “I took in a senior in high school when her father passed away. She had no one else. She was an honor student and received the Jenkins Scholarship (full ride) the following spring to USF in Tampa. It was an experience having a teenager in the house again. She is now in her sophomore year and is an honor student. The Jenkins Scholarship is from Publix so when we shop there, we should think of the good they do. Without that scholarship, she would have had a difficult time going to college.”

While Judy said she has no plans to retire, she does enjoy (in the little free time she has) the cultural life in our community and participating in a local book club.

When asked what else she wanted to say, she simply said: “I wouldn’t live anywhere else.”,

Judy Greene

he asked that the addition of a roving security person be dropped from the budget.

The committee requested a proposal for an overall safety and security analysis for The Landings. Once the committee has an opportunity to fully review the study, they will bring recommendations to the board. Moving forward, the guards have been notified to start keeping a record of every security issue reported to them.

A board member expressed concern that The Landings may have any streetlights with surveillance or camera capability’s. Knupp replied he was not aware of any such capabilities with lights in the community.

Knupp also reported excellent feedback from residents regarding the secure and successful Halloween event.

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES COMMITTEE

Board Secretary, Harry Moser reported the committee is working on a definitive list of contact information for board members, committee names, and chairpersons.

SPECIAL ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE

LMA Pres. Elida Ramberger reported notification for the board to levy a special assessment for $5,000 has been

distributed. Legal documents stipulate unit owners are entitled to 60 days in which to pay the special assessment.

A few other alternate payment schedules have been thoroughly discussed leading up to this meeting. Stantec plans to solicit bids at the beginning of January and ending at the end of February.

LMA potentially could select a contractor and sign a contract at the beginning of March.

Contractors submitting bids could stipulate their contract expires in 30 days. Once the Special Assessment is voted on, the Board could stipulate it is due in 60 days (i.e., February 8th). Stantec expects the work

to take 3-4 months once the contract is signed and initial payment is made. A second Special Assessment may be needed depending on the price of the contract selected. The second Special Assessment would be due 60 days after a vote of the Board. If a second assessment is needed it would be levied mid-March due in mid-May.

Residents are free to make whatever arrangements needed to pay the Special Assessment(s). The same payment rules which apply to late payments of the annual assessment also apply to Special Assessments.

A substantial discussion

occurred about the payment schedule, fairness, sensitivity and the burden placed on recent home owners because a road reserve was not maintained for the years leading up to this point. The vote to levy the Special Assessment will be taken on Dec 8th. The LMA Attorney will be present to ensure all rules, regulations and statutes are followed.

GREENFIELD AWARD

LMA Pres. Elida Ramberger moved that LMA bestow the Greenfield Award to Mike Knupp. She said, “He is known as the man who responds day or night and

has voluntarily shared his expertise as an environmental and engineering consultant, land and water conservation expert and organizational management expert. He currently serves as chair of the Security Committee, a member of the Roads Committee, and the Lakes and Drainage Committee, as well as other key positions.”

He humbly accepted the honor while mentioning all who volunteered their time and expertise in helping the community. In particular, Knupp mentioned the contributions of longtime resident, Jack Jost. The motion passed unanimously.

Kitchen

Ladies Recipe Corner

Complied by Dee Ricapito

Margo Cestar, a Father/Son Tournament Ambassador, submitted her famous Napa Salad recipe which is an annual hit with the players.

MARGO’S NAPA SALAD

Ingredients:

1 Head Napa Cabbage - sliced 2 bunches green onions- chopped

Toppings:

1 package sliced almonds

1/2 cup sesame seeds

2 pkg. Ramen Noodles crushed (Any flavor discard flavor pack)

3 Tbsp. Butter

Dressing:

1/4 cup White Vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup peanut oil

3 Tbsp. Soy sauce

Directions:

Brown topping ingredients, cool. Bring dressing ingredients to a boil for 1 minute, cool.

Combine cabbage, onions, dressing, topping and toss. Serves 8-10 people.

Just For Laughs

Compiled by Dee Ricapito

I tried to catch a fog — I Mist

Q. Do you know when it rains money?

A. When there’s “Change” in the weather.

Q. Is there anything worse than raining cats & dogs?

A. Hailing Taxis.

Q. Why does it never rain two nights in a row?

A. Because there’s a day between.

Q. What is a Mexican weather report?

A. Chili today and hot tamale.

Did you know?

They may look all light and fluffy, but the reality is that clouds are heavy. The average cumulus cloud, which is that nice, white fluffy kind you see on a sunny day, weighs an incredible 1.1 million pounds!

Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s learning to dance in the rain.