East County Observer 11.25.21

EAST COUNTY

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FREE • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25 , 2021

VOLUME 24, NO. 2

YOUR TOWN

Growth expands east Commission OKs exception to Future Development Boundary. PAGE 3

Lori Ruth

Restaurant owner’s support noted by vets Lakewood Ranch’s John Breiner, who owns Wolves Head Pizza & Wings, has long been known as a business owner who supports the community’s charitable events.

One of his favorite events has been the Tribute to Heroes parade, an annual event to honor veterans at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch. Breiner and Gene Sweeney cofounded the event in 2009.

Breiner also supports other causes that benefit veterans.

His support of veterans was noted on Veterans Day Nov. 11 as Edwin Robinson (above with Breiner), the chair of the Manatee County Veterans Council, presented Breiner with an award as the council’s “Civilian of the Year.”

The event was held at Veterans Park in Bradenton.

A GRAND FINALE No trophies, but local high school bands produce sweet final performance.

SEE PAGE 8 Liz Ramos

Braden River High’s Lily Vasquez and Krysten Collins twirl their flags in unison at the state marching band championships in Ocala.

We want to hear from you Life is full of roses — and thorns — that we experience every day. And in the Observer’s new column, Rants & Raves, we want to hear about both. But we need your help.

This column will be an open, anonymous community hub where you can share what’s going great and also what you think is not so great. Want to give someone a shoutout for helping you change a tire in the rain? That would be a rave.

Unhappy about the new traffic pattern to accommodate a roundabout in progress? That would be a rant — and probably a popular one at that.

There are two ways to submit your rant or rave. The first is to leave a message with whatever you want to say on our voicemail at 366-3468, ext.

798. The second is to email us at RantsAndRaves@YourObserver.com.

Call or email to help get us started. We can’t wait to hear what you have to say.

A+E

Stuffed on Thanksgiving Tweaks produce stuffing that will be gobbled up.

SEE PAGE 12

Bone up on realistic art.

INSIDE Liz Ramos

Greg Campbell, the executive chef and director of operations at Grove, doesn’t use exact measurements when making his stuffing but instead uses his eyes to judge the proper amount needed.

2

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2021

|

Studio 70 highlights library expansion WHAT IS A MAKERSPACE?

The 4,250-square-foot expansion of the Braden River Library includes a makerspace along with meeting areas and study rooms.

SCOTT LOCKWOOD

IF YOU GO

STAFF WRITER

BRADEN RIVER LIBRARY Where: 4915 53rd Ave. E., Bradenton Ready to go: A 4,250-squarefoot expansion includes the Studio 70 makerspace, four new study rooms, a 30-seat conference room, ADA-compliant restrooms, reading space and a staff office. The library’s air conditioning system was also renovated to go along with new paint, lighting and carpet throughout the facility.

Cost: $1.9 million

W

hen Manatee County Commissioner Vanessa Baugh was first elected into office in 2012, one of the first things she heard from the community was that an expansion was needed at the Braden River Library.

Construction began in December 2020 on a 4,250-square-foot expansion project that included more rooms and meeting space. Baugh was on hand Nov. 17 when the ribbon was cut to officially open the new addition. The library, at 4915 53rd Ave. E., is the busiest library in the Manatee County Library system and the closest library to the Lakewood Ranch area until the new Lakewood Ranch library is built. “(The Braden River Library staff members) have done a tremendous job in focusing and helping the community with the services they need for this library,” Baugh said. “A library is not just a room to go into where books are. It’s almost like a community center.”

The highlight of the expansion is the makerspace that is known as Studio 70. It features 3D printers that cut “sculptures” out of plastic, sewing machines, a button maker and a machine that cuts vinyl. Molly Saunders, the teen librarian who will oversee Studio 70, said that there is also technology for robotics and STEM programming.

Studio 70 has drop-in hours three times a week for different age groups. Saunders said the room will have open hours to allow people to use the machinery and learn about the new technology.

“I’d like our motto to be a creative, technology community,” Saunders said. “This is about people getting to come together and learn new things

T

Scott Lockwood

Manatee County Commissioner Vanessa Baugh and Friends of the Braden River Library President Judy Mullen cut the ribbon to officially open the new 4,250-square-foot expansion to the Braden River Library on Nov. 17.

in the library.”

Braden River Library Branch Manager Cathy Laird said different projects will be offered each week.

“We’re doing a sewing project to start with,” she said. “So if someone was interested in using a sewing machine for their own project or wanting to learn how to use the machine, we could teach them. And that’s just one example of many, many things that we’re doing in that space.”

A 30-seat meeting room equipped with a large-screen display, whiteboards and an attached warming kitchen was added adjacent to the makerspace. There are four study rooms and a two-person staff office to provide guidance on how to use Studio 70. There are also two new restrooms compliant to Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines.

Laird said the library previously had only one study room and that arguments would almost break out over its use. Within minutes of the new section’s opening, two of the four new rooms were in use.

The new conference room gives the library the ability to host multiple groups and functions at the same

time. Laird said book sales would be held in the conference rooms, allowing other areas of the library to stay open.

Other components of the project included a renovated air conditioning system, a reconstructed parking lot and landscaping with mature palm trees.

“This was all so needed,” Laird said. “We have new lighting, new carpet, new paint, new air conditioning — all of this is desperately needed. So we’re just thrilled.”

The Friends of the Braden River Library donated $60,000 to replace the carpet in the facility and create a seamless tie-in to the expansion.

Friends of Braden River Library President Judy Mullen, who along with Baugh cut the ribbon to open the addition, said the end result of the project came from a lot of work and book sales.

“It makes me so happy,” Mullen said. “To see this after all of that is just heartwarming.”

Mullen said the reaction to the renovations from members of the community have been overwhelmingly positive.

“People feel they belong here,” she said. “This is their library. They have ownership of this library. I heard people talking about going to different public libraries, and we’re all different. But people see this as their library, their home place they can go and be safe, go for knowledge and go for fun.”

Baugh said the project came in under budget at a cost of just more than $1.9 million.

“It’s (worth) so much more than $1.9 million,” Baugh said. “It’s something we needed here.”

Baugh said the expansion at Braden River Library is a sign of things to come. Construction on the new library in Lakewood Ranch is expected to break ground in December.

“It goes to show we do have the need for a library farther out east,” she said. “Then we’ll have a library on the island, we’ll have the central library in downtown Bradenton, we’ll have this one and then one in Lakewood Ranch. We’ll be covered extremely well, and I’m excited. I can’t wait for it to happen.”

F R I D A Y

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A new makerspace room, which has been named Studio 70, is at the heart of the Braden River Library expansion. It features 3D printers, sewing machines, robotics, heat press, a Cricut vinyl cutting machine and more that will allow users to make their own projects and take advantage of available technology.

Studio 70 will have special hours for teens, adults and seniors, as well as an open session for all ages. Adult/ senior hours are 10 a.m. to noon Wednesdays; for teens are 4-7 p.m.

Thursdays. The Saturday session is open for all ages from 9 a.m. to noon. Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2021

Commissioners approved an amendment that will allow development east of the Future Development Area Boundary line.

275 SCOTT LOCKWOOD STAFF WRITER

D

uring their land use meeting Nov. 18, Manatee County commissioners unanimously approved an amendment that will allow development beyond the county’s Future Development Area Boundary line under limited circumstances.

The amendment was initially proposed in April, when it passed by a 4-3 margin for transmittal to the state. Caleb Grimes, an attorney representing LWR Communities and landowner Jay Taylor, said Lakewood Ranch is approaching its build-out but still has a lot of infrastructure that would allow future residential development.

“Frankly, it seems a shame to let that go to waste,” Grimes said, noting the infrastructure is in place to support more development.

Commissioners had been concerned about “leapfrogging,” meaning a developer could continuously purchase smaller plots of land outside the Future Development Boundary, which was established in 1989 and moved a handful of times over the years before it reached its current location in 2006. It is designed to limit urban sprawl and preserve agriculture as the primary land use east of the line through 2040, according to the county’s Comprehensive Plan.

In East County, the line is located at Bourneside Boulevard from University Parkway north to State Road 64. It veers slightly westward north of S.R. 64 until it reaches the county’s northern border.

Grimes said any development plans would be an extension of current development in the northeast corner of Lakewood Ranch.

“We’re saying where we have a development in place of a suburban type nature, that’s where you might want to extend,” he said.

Commissioner Carol Whitmore said she supported the measure because the property is already hooked into Lakewood Ranch’s infrastructure. Moving the boundary line would have forced Manatee County to extend and pay for infrastructure to the new line.

“This amendment creates no risk to the public at large,” Commissioner Misty Servia said. “It’s not going to interfere with anything else, and it’s not going to burn any of the other taxpayers in Manatee County. This is smart and sustainable growth, and that’s why I’m going to support it.”

Any future movement of the boundary would be considered an amendment to Manatee County’s Comprehensive Plan. Commissioner George Kruse, who along with fellow commissioners Vanessa Baugh and James Satcher voted against the transmittal of the amendment in April, said that Thursday’s vote did not impact the line.

“This is the first step of a multistep process,” Kruse said “There’s no shovel going into the ground yet. Somebody can come back, run through the process for a comp plan to get it changed potentially, too. There’s a couple of other steps to make sure they’re not swooping in there and putting in a five-story apartment complex or a Walmart.

There’s a number of checks and balances you’d see before a shovel hits the ground. I’d be shocked if you saw a person living in a house in there three to five years from now.”

Residents in the area were strongly opposed to the expansion, with many saying they moved east to get away from development. East County resident Elizabeth Arnold brought in a petition that she said had nearly 3,000 signatures from residents against the amendment.

“Exactly how is this compatible with a rural environment?” Arnold said. “It looks like Lakewood Ranch Main Street will be heading for County Road 675 and beyond.”

Myakka City resident Kathleen Strong said she liked Lakewood Ranch but wanted to keep the development from edging eastward.

“We do not just wish to keep the country country. We wish to make the country more country,” Strong said. “I’m a country mouse. I like

75

301

41

Future Development Area Boundary

Exception to development boundary

64

70

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AREA BOUNDARY

The star marks an area that has been granted an exception to the Future Development Area Boundary by the Manatee County Commission.

THEY SAID IT “There is very little room for the status quo in Manatee County. You have a very conservative, pro-capitalism, profree market group up here governing Manatee County. And as long as that continues, then we’re going to grow.

You can either be Manatee County, or you can be Flint, Michigan. Those are your choices. And I would prefer to be Manatee County every time.”

— Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge

Scott Lockwood

Myakka resident Carol Felts and landowner Jay Taylor talk after Thursday’s meeting. Felts was one of several who spoke out against an amendment that will allow development on land that Taylor owns adjacent to Lakewood Ranch.

CURRENT BOUNDARIES Types of development allowed east and west of the Manatee Future Development Area Boundary line: EAST n Less than 0.2 dwelling units per gross acre n Small commercial development supporting the agricultural community n Limited development associated with mining operations, farm worker housing, residences in Myakka City, cluster development to protect open space or agricultural operations.

WEST n Residential development ranging from one to six dwelling units per gross acre n Complementary groupings of residential, commercial, office, industrial and other developments n Commercial development located at nodes, which means it must be located on at least one collector road, which is a road that connects local roads to high-capacity roads that carry longer-distance traffic.

being 20 miles from the nearest shopping area.”

Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge borrowed a line from legendary college football coach Lou Holtz while making the motion to approve the amendment, saying the status

quo is paper thin and that a community is either growing or dying.

“There is very little room for the status quo in Manatee County,” he said. “You have a very conservative, pro-capitalism, pro-free market group up here governing Manatee County. And as long as that continues, then we’re going to grow. You can either be Manatee County, or you can be Flint, Michigan. Those are your choices. And I would prefer to be Manatee County every time.”

Baugh, who represents the Lakewood Ranch and the Myakka City area, said that she proudly stands by the Myakka City lifestyle because it mirrors what she grew up with in Virginia. She went on to say that growth is happening everywhere in Florida and that the commission has to be fair to everyone.

“Manatee County is open for business,” Baugh said. “We’re not going to have a moratorium on growth in this county. It’s not going to happen. We want people to come here.

We want people to open businesses.

We want people to come here and be successful.”

Seconds after the unanimous vote for approval, Baugh asked Grimes and Taylor, a tomato farmer who said he has owned the land adjacent to Schroeder-Manatee Ranch since the late 1980s, to work with citizens around the land before they bring back any future development plans to the commission. No plans were announced during or after the meeting.

“I think this is a wise way to give us a relief valve in certain areas, with certain specific attributes that the market is demanding,” Taylor said.

“Manatee County is open for business.

We’re not going to have a moratorium on growth in this county. It’s not going to happen. We want people to come here.

We want people to open businesses.

We want people to come here and be successful.”

— Commissioner Vanessa Baugh

“All we did was put the framework in that says, hypothetically, something could be built there. This opens the dialogue and doesn’t guarantee anything will be built. There’s a couple of other steps to make sure they’re not swooping in there and putting in a five-story apartment complex or a Walmart. There’s a number of checks and balances you’d see before a shovel hits the ground. I’d be shocked if you saw a person living in a house in there three to five years from now.”

— Commissioner George Kruse

“We do not just wish to keep the country (rural area) country. We wish to make the country more country. I’m a country mouse. I like being 20 miles from the nearest shopping area.”

— Myakka City resident Kathleen Strong

3

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2021

DENTAL IMPLANTS

Time to choose School district will no longer provide transportation for school-choice students.

by Dental Implant Specialists IMPLANT TEETH IN A DAY

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ALL ON 4 BRIDGES

STAFF WRITER

U

nlike past years, families who participate in school choice in the School District of Manatee County will not be able to depend on the district to transport their children to school.

Don Sauer, the director of the district’s Office of Student Demographics, Projects and Assignment, said due to the shortage of bus drivers, the district has decided not to provide transportation for choice students starting with the 2022-23 school year, except for special programs.

Students who are using school choice to attend Palmetto High School for its Cambridge Assessment International Education program or Southeast High School or Louise R. Johnson K-8 School of International Studies for their international baccalaureate programs could have access to transportation through the district as long as the parents can get students to hubs that the transportation department will create.

Sauer said once enrollment for school choice, which runs Dec. 1-31, is complete, the transportation department will find places for families to drop off their students, and buses will pick them up to take them to school.

Sauer said the decision to not provide transportation might impact the number of families who choose to participate in school choice.

“You have to weigh out the difference of not having bus drivers, triple routes, not getting kids home on time versus offering courtesy riding to allow parents to change schools,” Sauer said. “Some decisions had to be made, and I think that’s the out-

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come of it.”

Besides the change in transportation, Sauer said families can expect school-choice enrollment to continue as usual.

Several East County schools are open for school choice, but a few are closed, including B.D. Gullett, Gilbert W. McNeal and Robert E. Willis elementary schools; Dr. Mona Jain

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n School choice allows families to choose to attend a school that is not their zoned school without providing a reason as to why they want to change schools. n Hardship is when families want to choose a school after school choice open enrollment finishes. Families will need to provide an explanation for the desire to change.

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Alyssa Mihai is excited to be a kindergartner at Braden River Elementary School where her brother, Ayden, is a first grader.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

Courtesy photo

Above: Eli Bailey, a third grader at Myakka City Elementary School, practices math on a computer.

Left: Payton Gee and Alexa Dziubek, eighth graders at R. Dan Nolan Middle School, take a look at a cadaver using the Anatomage Table.

SCHOOL CHOICE AVAILABILITY The Manatee County School District cuts off the option for school choice when an elementary school is at 90% capacity and dependent on population trends for middle and high schools. Here are where the schools in East County stand: Enrollment as of Nov. 1

Capacity

School choice status

William H. Bashaw Elementary

677

770

Open

Braden River Elementary

551

647

Open

Freedom Elementary B.D. Gullett Elementary

598

746

Open

1,287

927

Closed

Gilbert W. McNeal Elementary

685

752

Closed

Myakka City Elementary

315

397

Open

Tara Elementary

578

701

Open

Robert E. Willis Elementary

787

818

Closed

Gene Witt Elementary

668

842

Open

Braden River Middle

914

1,086

Open

Carlos E. Haile Middle Dr. Mona Jain Middle R. Dan Nolan Middle Braden River High Lakewood Ranch High

Middle School; and Lakewood Ranch High School.

“A lot of families are wanting those East County schools, but that’s

777

889

Open

1,057

1,128

Closed

772

924

Open

1,737

1,860

Open

2,396

1,818

Closed

where our highest growth is,” Sauer said. “Until that charter school gets built out there and the K-8 gets built, it’s limited.”

Southwest Charter Foundation, a nonprofit that runs eight charter schools across the state including Manatee Charter School, is part-

5

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2021

nering with Charter Schools USA in hopes of opening Lakewood Ranch Charter Academy next year.

The school district also has included the construction of a K-8 school on a 40-acre site a quartermile east of Uihlein Road and south of Academic Avenue in Lakewood Ranch. Construction on the elementary portion of the school could be done in 2022-23.

Sauer said the district closes an elementary school for school choice once the school reaches 90% of its capacity. Although Gullett, McNeal and Willis elementary schools have had additions built on the campuses in the past few years, most recently a six-classroom addition at Willis Elementary that increased the school’s capacity from 720 to 818 students last year, the schools are either near capacity or over capacity. Gullett Elementary School is over capacity by 360 students.

When it comes to middle and high schools, the district looks at trends in population growth and will allow schools to reach up to 95% capacity until it is closed for school choice.

Lakewood Ranch High School is closed due to the school being 578 students over capacity.

Although Braden River High School sits at 93% capacity, the school remains open for school choice.

All East County middle schools will be open for school choice except Dr. Mona Jain Middle School, which opened in August 2019.

“Mona Jain is kind of unique in that they had room for a lot of choice and hardship, and people took advantage of it,” Sauer said.

“Then you had that explosion of growth between Lorraine Road and Lakewood Ranch Boulevard, and they filled up with people that are in their attendance zone.”

Although the district won’t be hosting its Showcase of Schools, where families are able to see what different schools within the county have to offer, Sauer said families can work with individual schools to set up tours and answer questions. Sauer said individual schools also can host their own open houses.

OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR 2022-23 When: Dec. 1- 31 Where: FOCUS portal Information: Contact the Office of Student Assignment by calling 708-4971 or emailing StudentAssignment @ManateeSchools. net.

Details: Open enrollment is the only time families can request that their student attend a different public school without reason. Approval of applications is subject to class size allocation capacities, and transportation is subject to availability.

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It has been a true joy serving you! Have a wonderful holiday with your family and loved ones!

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2021 ADVERTORIAL

Braden River JROTC wins state title The Pirates earn a 13th state championship in the Raiders competition.

LIZ RAMOS STAFF WRITER

W

hen the Braden River High junior ROTC Raiders team was competing in the rope bridge challenge at the state competition Nov. 13, they ran into some trouble.

Brett Brustad, a senior battalion commander, was trying to tie a rope in a knot around the tree behind a clip, but the clip was wrapped around the tree in a way that made it impossible. The team had to quickly take down the rope bridge and start again.

“I had a feeling we were probably not going to place for this event, and we might just lose states because of it,” Brustad said.

At the awards ceremony following the competition at Camp Flaming Arrows in Lake Wales, the team was surprised to hear Braden River called out as the state champion.

“We were all still in shock,” said Nathan Walmsley, a sophomore and platoon leader.

Walmsley and Reece Miller, a senior company commander, were so excited about their victory that they broke the trophy.

Winning this year’s state competition marked the 13th state title for the school’s JROTC Raiders program.

“What made this championship rewarding was five out of the 12 kids were freshmen,” said Command Sergeant Major Matt Collis, the leader of the Raiders team. “They stepped up to fill the older kids’ shoes.”

The team was feeling the pressure to get another state title as the Braden River High JROTC Raiders team has a legacy of winning. Collis said the team now has won 13 out of the 16 state competitions in which it

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It feels like it was just yesterday that we were giving you some helpful tips on how to stay cool through the summer heat. Well, we blinked, and here we are preparing for the holidays.

That was fast.

First up … Thanksgiving! While the list of things to set, mash and cook may be checked, if you’re hosting guests this turkey day here in Florida, there are some steps you’ll want to take to ensure everyone is comfortable while filling up with all the fixings.

You’ll be thankful you did.

It doesn’t matter how tasty your turkey may be. If your guests are sweating from sitting in your hot house, they won’t enjoy a bite. That’s why paying a little extra attention to your HVAC system before the big day can make your holiday happy and comfy for everyone. Here’s how: Change it.

It is always important to change your cooling system’s air filter.

If you have not replaced it recently, do so prior to turkey time to ensure your guests are receiving quality air and your system works efficiently.

Exhaust it.

All that turkey day cooking is sure to heat up your home – you need to let some of this hot air out before it spreads throughout the home. Be sure to turn the exhaust fan on, since that will help get rid of that classic stovetop heat and steam, making way for the cool air of your A/C. Don’t blast it.

On its own, having a big group of people in your home can

make temps rise. Add in that hot oven and cooktop, and your place can get pretty toasty. Blasting your A/C to quickly cool the situation could cause your system to give out – making things even worse. A few hours before your guests arrive, drop the temperature down 2 to 3 degrees more than normal. When your guests fill your home, it will be a comfortable temperature and the heat from cooking won’t be as noticeable.

Tune it.

If it’s been a while and you really want your home to keep its cool through Thanksgiving, schedule a quick HVAC tune-up with a trusted, professional technician.

A simple, thorough inspection includes a thermostat check, airflow checks, duct inspection, capacitor testing, safety control tests, compressor operation check and many more assessments that can uncover any potential issues and avoid a major breakdown over the holidays.

RAIDERS STATE TITLE To earn the state title, Braden River had to place well in five tasks: n 5K cross-country run over rugged terrain n Obstacle course: They started on the beach of a lake and crawled through dirt and sand. They also had to do bear crawls, jump through tires, carry watering cans and more. n Tire flip: The team was split into two groups. The first group would flip the 500-pound tire 100 yards to the other team, who would then flip the tire back to the start. n Rope bridge: Competitors tie the rope around one tree followed by a teammate tying a rope around a second tree so all team members can get across the rope and take down the rope as fast as possible. n Litter: Team members complete a 1-mile run while wearing 45-pound backpacks and carrying a simulated 80-pound casualty on a stretcher.

has participated.

Brustad said continuing the team’s winning streak means they haven’t let anyone down.

“It shows that our hard work paid off,” Brustad said. “Golden Corral tastes better when we win.”

It’s tradition for the team to go to Golden Corral after the state competition.

Israel Clark, a freshman cadet, said there was pressure on the younger team members to live up to the team’s legacy.

“It was hard at first because there’s all these expectations, and you don’t want to let the team down, and you don’t want to fail,” Clark said. “As we

The Badger Bottom Line The last thing you need to worry about during Thanksgiving is whether your home can keep its cool for your guests. By taking some steps to prepare, you can have your HVAC up to the task with no troubles – and everything will be just gravy. If your unit needs to be replaced, now is the right time with our New A/C Guarantee.

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YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2021

Beauty is our Business Liz Ramos

HOW THEY PLACED Overall: First place Litter: First place Obstacle course: First place Tire flip: First place Rope bridge: Third place 5K run: Third place

went on, we became more like family, and we would’ve been OK with whatever place we got.”

Nathan Voner, a junior platoon sergeant, said knowing Braden River’s reputation makes them work harder.

The team said becoming state champions takes dedication, hard work, determination and not cutting corners.

“They go above and beyond doing what beasts do,” Collis said. “Everybody wants to be a beast, but not everybody wants to put in the work to become a beast.”

Miller said each member has to be mentally tough to go through the challenges.

“You’re not allowed to say, ‘I can’t,’” Miller said.

Throughout the season, some team members struggled with motivation and perseverance, especially after a year of trying to train and compete during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Brustad recalled a day where he hadn’t slept much the night before,

Courtesy photo

was stressed about school and simply didn’t want to go to JROTC training after school.

“I was like: ‘I can’t do this anymore. It’s so hard,’” Brustad said.

He went to practice, and it wasn’t long before he felt wide awake and energized. He spent all day thinking practice would be more difficult than the reality.

For Brustad and Miller, ending their final Raiders season as state champions means they left their mark on the program.

Younger members are ready to continue on the program’s legacy next year.

Rachel Walmsley, a freshman and cadet, wants to be a four-time state champion by the time she graduates from Braden River.

Above: Members of the Braden River High School JROTC Raiders team compete in the obstacle course at the state competition.

Top: Team members celebrate their success at the state competition.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2021

Braden River’s Cailyn Stephens performs during the Florida Marching Band Championships.

Bittersweet

march

EAST COUNTY

“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.”

Friedrich Hayek

“Road to Serfdom,” 1944 Publisher and President / Emily Walsh, EWalsh@YourObserver.com Associate Publisher —East County Observer / Lori Ruth, LRuth@YourObserver.com

Photos by Liz Ramos

Local bands fall short of the awards but are proud of their state championship performances.

Left: The Lakewood Ranch High School Marching Mustangs placed seventh in the Florida Marching Band Championships semifinals.

Below: Braden River’s Chance Boeglin puts everything he has into his performance.

LIZ RAMOS STAFF WRITER

J

onathan Pavone, a Braden River High School freshman, played the last note of his finals performance at the Florida Marching Band Championships — and it was as loud as he could play the baritone horn.

Pavone then waited to find out where the three-time defending state champion Pirates finished in the 3A class finals.

“I don’t even care what we get,” Pavone said. “At this point, I just know I’m satisfied with how far we’ve gone.”

The Marching Band of Pirates were disappointed when it was announced the band placed eighth in the finals, but the program performed well despite the adversity of the past year.

Last year, the Florida Marching Band Championships was canceled due to the pandemic, and this year Braden River changed its band director to Cliff Dawson.

Even so, they were beaming with pride as they finished their performance of “Renewal” in the Nov. 21 finals at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala. Dawson said it was their best performance of the season.

“I couldn’t have asked any more of the kids today,” Dawson said. “The first run was fantastic. The second run was even better. I’m so proud of the kids. I wanted them to first just make it (to the finals), and then after that, it’s just for fun.

“I wanted them to enjoy the moment and not even worry about what place (they finished).”

The Lakewood Ranch High School Marching Mustangs also ended their

Logan Ranke performs with the Braden River High School Marching Band of Pirates.

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Lakewood Ranch High’s Ahmad Alhallaq finishes his solo.

season with some disappointment after coming in seventh in semifinals, one place shy of qualifying for the six-team 4A finals.

“Sometimes that’s the hardest spot to finish because then you start thinking what if this one section went a little better, would we have gained the extra points to make the finals?” said John Schindler, the first-year director of the Marching Mustangs.

Schindler said that in retrospect, every member of the band did their absolute best.

Eli Johnson, a Lakewood Ranch senior, was disappointed the band didn’t advance to the finals but was pleased overall.

“I’m proud of my performance,” Johnson said. “The performance meant more to me than the placement.”

In its first season, Parrish Community High School’s Pride of Parrish Marching Band competed at the 2A state championship Nov. 20, but the band did not qualify for the finals, after finishing 11th in the semifinals.

Although all three bands didn’t place as well as they had hoped, they were happy to have been able to compete after not being able to do so last year due to the pandemic.

“It’s a sense of relief because all of our hard work is finally paying off,” said Gracie Scutti, a junior in the Braden River band.

“We finally get to reflect on everything and have a moment to think about what we’ve done this season and how proud we can all be of each other.”

Schindler said he is proud of his students’ work.

TOOT THEIR HORN

Lakewood Ranch High’s Angel Frazzoni and Cayman Corscadden bring Dorothy and the Scarecrow to life.

“Being my first year, it can be trying at times because you’re coming in after a great director like Mr. (Ron) Lambert,” Schindler said. “The kids can sometimes look at you and say, ‘Oh, well, you’re not that person.’ But they did a great job buying in what my vision was and working hard. I have no complaints with how the kids handled themselves this year with the director change. They overcome a lot to get where we are.”

Some band members said it was a bittersweet ending to the season.

“Being out there and being able to perform this show, which happens to be about growth and rebirth, it just feels like a dream,” Braden River senior Hazel Landers said. “I feel very much like this chapter has come to an end in the best possible way.”

“I was so proud of everyone,” said Maya Lander, a senior and drum major for Lakewood Ranch. “I felt like it was a good last performance.”

Local high school finishes at the Florida Marching Band Championships: n Braden River High School placed eighth in the finals of the 3A division. n Lakewood Ranch High School placed seventh in the semifinals of the 4A division. n Parrish Community High School placed 11th in the semifinals of the 2A division.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

SIDE OF RANCH

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2021

9

JAY HEATER

Crafters sew together new arts group

E

ver since the first houses were sold in Lakewood Ranch around the turn of the century, many amenities were built in the area to enrich the lives of the residents.

Parks, restaurants, gyms, shopping and more all followed the legion of new residents.

The one area that has lagged has been the arts. When it comes to the arts, Lakewood Ranch’s claim to fame is that it is close to Sarasota.

The Players Centre for Performing Arts announced it was building a $26.5 million theater complex in Waterside Place, and such a project would immediately fill that huge gap in arts venues if it comes to fruition. The Players CEO William Skaggs said ground will be broken in spring 2023, but until that shovel goes in the ground, local residents are bound to remain skeptical.

Another project that would help fill an arts void would be an amphitheater at the new Premier Park.

Manatee County has plenty of land, and with a relatively minimal investment of funds, such a facility could be up and running in the near future. Unfortunately, the county appears to be uncommitted to such a project, failing to add it to its budget. With the current reluctance to address the issue, the East County area has limited venues to host musical or theatrical attractions.

Sarasota Polo Club Owner James Miller began plans to host various types of entertainment on his polo fields in 2019, but COVID-19 hit, and that effort has been delayed.

The blooming Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble opens a new season with a Thanksgiving concert at 2 p.m. Nov. 28 at Peace Presbyterian Church, 12705 E. State Road 64.

(See Arts + Entertainment, Page 6.)

The ensemble is likely to outgrow that venue, but it does give the musicians a chance to introduce themselves to the community.

Photos by Jay Heater

Panther Ridge’s Ann Schuknecht says she became a quilter because she loves the warm feel of fabric.

Panther Ridge’s Rick Schuknecht is a woodworker who would like to start a new arts association.

Besides musical and theatrical acts having trouble finding venues, the same can be said of painters, sculptors and crafters. The lack of proper venues, however, does not mean local artists are completely stifled — just challenged.

Main Street at Lakewood Ranch did have an art gallery, but the concession business closed in 2019 after a short run.

Local artists and art lovers have turned to occasional shows, such as the Fall Art Show and Sale that was hosted Nov. 20 at Lakewood Ranch Town Hall. But those are few and far between.

Panther Ridge’s Rick Schuknecht has seen the scarcity of opportunities for local artists to display their work, so he is attempting to build support for an arts association in his own community.

“In past places we’ve lived (Santa

Fe, New Mexico, and Grand Rapids, Michigan,) my wife, (Ann), and I participated in annual local arts and craft association studio tours,” Schuknecht said. “We thought we could try to start one of those in Panther Ridge in 2020, but we put it off due to the pandemic.”

That effort will begin again at 10 a.m. Dec. 4 at Schuknecht’s home, 22704 Night Heron Way in Panther Ridge.

Although Schuknecht said he is starting small with just three artists (including his wife and stained glass artist Jody Nolan), he is hoping his neighbors come by and join what he hopes will become the Panther Ridge Arts and Crafts Association.

He then sees a studio tour where art lovers would get a map of the different homes involved to visit with a listing of the type of crafts showcased at each stop.

Those interested in joining the new arts association can call Rick Schuknecht at 505-670-2604.

Whether or not you want to join a new arts organization, you will love seeing the artwork.

Nolan moved here from Jamestown, Rhode Island, in 2014 and began looking for a hobby that would take her out of her comfort zone.

She took a stained glass course at Suncoast Technical College in 2018 from instructor Robert Obering.

She loved it so much that she took six courses and workshops over the next 18 months.

Her guest room in her Panther Ranch home turned into a studio.

“I liked seeing the end result,” she said. “I don’t think I have a good imagination, but I like following patterns.”

Although her stained glass birthstone angels are a go-to item for craft sales, her bigger projects, such as a gray heron that took her 16 hours to finish, are most impressive.

Ann Schuknecht does silver jewelry and stained glass, but her specialty is quilting. She said she started making quilts in 1975 because she “just loved the warm feel of fabric, which just says love.”

She also crafts for American Quilts, which donates quilts to soldiers who have been injured.

She said she always has made clothes for herself and her children — and her children’s dolls.

Although she can’t make the money back for the time invested, she once sold a quilt for $1,200.

Rick Schuknecht is a woodworker who began the hobby in 1986 after “putzing around in the workshop” of his grandfather Art Brackett.

The Navy veteran now has a workshop behind his home where he works on crafts and furniture.

“I like the idea that you can take a piece of wood, and you can work it into something,” he said. “It’s just the satisfaction of making something that looks nice.”

Whether it’s the grassroots effort of neighborhood crafters, the search for a permanent venue by volunteer musicians or the dream of a multimillion theater complex by a long-established group, the effort is building to give Lakewood Ranch a bigger presence in the art world.

The more local residents support those efforts, the faster the Lakewood Ranch area will add another superlative to its already impressive reputation.

Jay Heater is the managing editor for the East County Observer. Contact him at JHeater@ YourObserver.com.

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available, COVID-19 cases on a downward trend and outdoor activities resuming in Florida, the CDD 2 board decided to reopen the discussion about allowing food trucks into district common areas.

Board member Jerry Twiggs raised an issue about how the food trucks could affect traffic, including the possibility of blocking emergency vehicle access. The board decided food truck parking could be sorted through the approval process and traffic shouldn’t be disturbed.

Board Chair Peter Bokach said he would be in favor of a single food truck at an event and not “a parade of food trucks.” He went on to say that a food truck wouldn’t violate any antisolicitation rules because the food trucks are different than anyone else wanting to come into a community to solicit business.

Food trucks will have their licenses checked and will have communities named on the food truck’s liability insurance.

Steve Zielinski, the interim executive director of Lakewood Ranch Inter-District Authority, said he will use the points brought up in the discussion to craft a set of rules regarding a singular food truck to be allowed into communities for events.

The CDD 2 board would then review requests and a final vote will be taken at a meeting in the near future.

“We don’t want a caravan of food trucks,” he said. “It’s a singular kind of event. So I’m going to have to craft that to acknowledge what the board wanted to see. And that basically is to allow the food truck parked on the street, delivering the products to a group of people in the common area.”

Zielinski said other neighborhoods outside of Edgewater might like to have food trucks allowed in as well.

“It might go from nobody else asking for it in any other neighborhoods within CDD 2 to suddenly everybody wants to say they want

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them,” he said. “What’s interesting about Edgewater Village is they have a lot of areas where they have common areas that are able to handle things like that. But if you go into, say CDD 5, there’s no areas where they really can be. So that’s why it looks a little different.”

In other action, CDDs 2, 5, and 6 held a joint workshop regarding gate access to Lakewood Ranch Country Club on Nov. 18. The main point of contention between the three boards — as well as most of the audience that filled every seat inside Lakewood Ranch Town Hall — was the access gate on Balmoral Woods Avenue and Lakewood Ranch Boulevard. The three CDDs share expenses to the five gates to Lakewood Ranch Country Club, but the Balmoral gate rests inside CDD 6.

CDD 6 Chairman James Rogoze suggested a traffic study on the gate, which often backs up traffic onto Lakewood Ranch Boulevard during morning hours. That gate also is open to visitors from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. each day, whereas the other manned gate on Legacy Boulevard allows 24-hour access to visitors.

The three other gates to Lakewood Ranch Country Club grant access to homeowners with transmitters attached to their vehicles.

The hours on the Balmoral gate are controlled by CDD 6. Briar Creek resident Mike Miller led a large contingent of the audience who agreed on making access among the gates equal for the entire community.

“We should not have policies that give preferred access or restricted access or one CDD rule versus another,” he said. “Since the roads are public, and all access in and out is videotaped, the gate should be manned during the same hours as the Legacy gate and simply be open anytime. There are some other ongoing gate issues, such as allowing visiting vehicles to exit from the several unmanned gates. I think there would be support for that by some owners. … But again, the CDDs really haven’t engaged the homeowners on those kinds of issues.”

Rogoze said that the CDD 6 board will add the issue of the Balmoral gate hours to its December agenda for further discussion.

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2021

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Oysters, crab, cranberries and more give stuffing a little flair.

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ast County’s Rebecca Blitz remembered the first time she ate her family’s dressing on Thanksgiving.

She was 4 years old, sitting at the family feast in Louisiana. She picked up her fork and grabbed a small portion of dressing.

She was disgusted.

Blitz, who was born and raised in Louisiana, wasn’t sure what it was, but a gooey glob was dangling from her fork. All she could think was “yuck.”

Her family’s New Orleans oyster dressing is a Thanksgiving tradition passed down for generations. As a child, Blitz didn’t care much for the Cajun-style stuffing, but as the years have passed, and she started to make the recipe for her own family, she’s grown an appreciation and love for oysters and the Louisiana dressing.

Blitz is preparing to make her family recipe once again this year but with a twist. She likes to add crab meat or shrimp to her stuffing.

“You have to like seafood, but it doesn’t taste fishy,” she said.

Greyhawk Landing’s Sheila Bianco also has made changes to a family recipe that was passed down from her grandmother Josephine Grande to her mother, Antonia Grande, and on to her.

Growing up, Bianco remembered always having a traditional stuffing but with giblets mixed in. It was the norm for her family, so when she married Domenic Bianco and made the recipe for his family on Thanksgiving, she was surprised to find they wouldn’t eat it.

After that first Thanksgiving together, Bianco made changes to her recipe. Rather than giblets, she added bacon and cranberries.

“Everybody loves bacon,” she said.

Courtesy photo

The new recipe was a hit.

She said the stuffing that’s cooked inside the turkey is everyone’s favorite. She calls it “gold” because the juices enhance the flavor, making it even more delicious than when it’s prepared in a dish.

Some families like to stick with a classic stuffing of bread, celery, onions, turkey stock, sage, butter, salt and pepper.

Greg Campbell, the executive chef and director of operations at Grove, has become a master at making traditional stuffing. He’s prepared stuffing for the restaurant for the past 16 years. He’s feeding 5,400 people on Thanksgiving.

“This is traditional grandma’s stuffing,” Campbell said. “We do everything from scratch.”

Campbell recommends preparing the stuffing the day before Thanksgiving to allow turkey stock to saturate the ingredients.

“It helps to solidify it a little bit,” he said. “Also, when you put it in the oven, it allows it to bake evenly.”

When making his stuffing, Campbell doesn’t depend on exact measurements but rather uses his eyes to judge the proper amount.

Campbell said a common mistake people make is adding too much tur-

Thanksgiving dinner for GreyHawk Landing’s Sheila Bianco always features her gold stuffing, which includes bacon and cranberries.

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Explore Life on The R anch & Spend the Happiest Season with Us! FOR KIDS FROM 1 TO 92 (AND UP!) There’s no better feeling than home, especially around the holidays. But we’re not talking about a house. Home is a feeling. And at Lakewood Ranch, we celebrate that feeling. Our annual traditions are simply a part of life for us and for the families who cherish them.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

key stock. If the bread starts falling apart, there’s too much liquid, so add more bread.

“It is not willy nilly,” Campbell said. “It is taking your time. You can’t take the liquid out, but you can always put it in.”

Campbell remembered when he first started doing Thanksgiving dinner at Pier 22 in downtown Bradenton and someone else made the stuffing.

“We literally had to squeeze out the liquid (from the bread),” Campbell said. “It was like a sponge. It was terrible. We decided that nobody else touches the stuffing.”

On Thanksgiving, Campbell said to bake the stuffing in a separate dish from the turkey to ensure the stuffing is cooked all the way through to avoid chances of food poisoning.

TRY OUT THESE RECIPES NEW ORLEANS OYSTER DRESSING Ingredients: n 1 ½ pounds turkey/chicken giblets n 3 loaves stale French bread, about 9 ounces each, torn n Oil n 1 pint oysters, chopped if large, and their liquid n 1 to 1 ½ cups finely chopped onions n 1/3 cup chopped green onions n 1 ½ cups chopped celery n 1/3 cup green pepper n 3 tablespoons minced parsley n Salt and freshly ground pepper n 2 eggs, beaten Directions: n In a saucepan, cover the giblets with water, and boil until tender.

Save the boiling liquid. n Put the cooked giblets through a meat grinder or process in a food processor until minced. n Combine the giblet broth and oyster liquid in a large bowl and soak the French bread in it. n In a large skillet, saute the onions in oil. When brown, add green onions and celery. Add bell pepper, then add the ground giblets followed by the chopped oysters; squeeze the excess liquid from the bread. Add the bread to the other ingredients, along with the parsley, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and quickly stir in the eggs. n Stuff in 12-pound turkey, or bake in large, greased casserole dish at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

MAMA B’S GOLD RECIPE Ingredients: n 3 pounds thick-cut maple smoked bacon n 8 cups organic celery, cut in quarter-inch pieces n 4 cups Vidalia onions, chopped n 2 to 4 sticks of organic butter n 3 32-oz. containers of organic chicken or vegetable stock n 4 cups organic dried cranberries n Poultry seasoning n Salt and pepper n 3 bags Pepperidge Farms Country Style Seasoned Cubed Stuffing

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2021

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DON’T HIDE YOUR LEGS!

Directions: n Cut bacon into ¼- to ½-inch pieces, and fry in large frying pan until crispy. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon, and drain on a thick layer of paper towels. Drain residual fat from frying pan. n Using the same frying pan, place chopped onion in a layer, with the celery on top. n Cut sticks of butter into thirds, lengthwise. Place butter on top of celery. Add poultry seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. n Cover and saute over medium heat. Let simmer for 5 minutes, and then start to turn mixture to combine. Cook until celery and onions are cloudy/clear not milky white, about 15 minutes. Add cranberries and bacon, cover and set aside. n In the stock pot: Mix together one bag of bread cubes and half of onion mixture. Add a second bag of bread cubes and the remainder of the mixture. Mix well. Slowly add 32 oz. of organic chicken stock, mixing as you pour. Add a second 32 oz. of stock, making sure that you do not put so much that the bread cubes break down and become mushy.

(This will ensure the stuffing will fully cook but not expand too much in the bird.) You may need part of a third container of the stock to get this just right. Stuffing that will not fit in your bird can be cooked separately. n Use aluminum foil to cover stuffing at the ends of the bird before trussing so that stuffing stays in the bird.

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Puerto Rican stuffing Ingredients: n 3-4 green plantains n A few pieces of pork rinds n 3 garlic cloves n Olive oil Directions: Cut the plantains into pieces and fry them well. Dry them on paper towels and mash them.

Mash the pork rinds and garlic.

Combine the plantains, pork rinds and garlic, and mix in oil so the mixture is soft. Stuff the mixture in the turkey and cook.

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Traditional stuffing Ingredients: n Butter n Pieces of bread, toasted n Turkey stock n Celery n Onions n Parsley, sage, salt and pepper Directions (measurements done by sight): In a large skillet, melt the butter; add onion and celery; and season with salt, pepper and sage.

Once the onions and celery are a little brown, add turkey stock. Put the toasted bread pieces in a bowl, pour on the onion and celery mixture; mix them together. Add salt, sage, parsley and more turkey stock little by little; mix until all the bread is saturated and you can’t hear the sound of the bread hitting against the bowl. Leave the stuffing in the refrigerator overnight. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2021

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LIFESTYLE RX

14

“Habits are as much a curse as a benefit.”

KRISTINE NICKEL

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H

ere we go, rolling into the holiday season with its exacerbation of merriment accompanied by perhaps less than positive habits. We could make a list, though it’s safe to say that you might well be ticking off those habits in your mind right now. Before you get bummed out, let’s take a look at how can we mitigate unhealthy habits and replace them with habits better suited to a better mindset.

Call it a jump-start on Jan. 1.

This is certainly not an original idea. The past few years have seen a plethora of books and articles focusing on the topic of habits. In fact, one such book, James Clear’s “Atomic Habits,” is squarely in the upper echelon of bestsellers right now. That follows in the tracks of “Tiny Habits: The Small Changes the Change Everything,” “Make Your Bed” and “The Power of Habit.”

All of these tomes indicate that habits — how we create them, possibly break them and hopefully replace them — are a major field of study. The science of habit formation is big stuff I discovered while attempting to synthesize all of the latest and greatest into a simple guide for the rest of us.

As I’ve learned, rodents have been involved. It seems that those little guys have shown us time and again that there is a three-step process in forming a habit. Our brains receive a cue that reminds us of a routine that produces a reward. It’s a simple

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loop — cue, routine, reward.

Now, although all of the aforementioned scientists have a different way of describing this process, it’s basically this. Think, for instance, of driving down any street in practically any town, anywhere, and we see the golden arches. Immediately, that visual cue says “french fries.” The routine of pulling into the drive-thru will produce a particularly toothsome reward. It really doesn’t matter if we’re hungry. We know that those salty, fatty fries will bring a pleasurable reward.

This is a simple example. It could be something much more or less complicated.

LET’S START WITH THE LESS

Former Navy Seal Admiral William McRaven’s bestseller “Make Your Bed” adds the element of willpower into the equation. It’s no surprise, considering the title, that he posits that starting the day with a simple action — making your bed — becomes the keystone habit creating a domino effect for the rest of the day. The visual and kinetic cue of making the bed kicks off many tasks that become routines, which brings about a productive and positive day — the reward.

The term “keystone” is used frequently in Charles Duhigg’s “The Power of Habit.” Broadly defined, a keystone habit is a base habit from which other habits flow — positive or negative. The example of making your bed is a keystone habit that, as described by McRaven, will be extremely positive. If, on the other hand, you wake up late every morn-

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EAT. SLEEP.

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2021

15

CRUISE. REPEAT. P BY STO AND E RIV TEST DA Y! D O T

— Dr. Steve Kopecky

ing, rushing through the morning must-do’s building stress, that’s a series of keystone habits that more than not will set up a day of stress and inefficiency.

Eliminating those habits you define as “bad” takes some thought and determination, sometimes known as willpower but better thought of as powerful motivation.

As with many things, the brain is driving the train here. We have a little part of our brain called the habenula. It does several things, but for our purposes, it’s the little voice that says, “You tried that once, and you failed.” In other words, its shapes behavior based on past failures and disappointments.

How do we counteract this? In a report issued by the Mayo Clinic, authored by Dr. Steve Kopecky, he suggests this: “It’s much better to register tiny successes than big failures in our path toward change.”

Kopecky goes on to suggest, as does James Clear in his book, that successful change begins with understanding the “whys”: Why do we

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BREAKING BAD

want to lose weight or stop smoking or yelling at our kids?

You need to be really clear about how that aligns with your value system. Getting clear about your motivation is the agreed-upon most important factor in changing habits. Your motivation will drive all of the small but significant changes that become habits over time. And our brains like small. They like things that become routine of habits because it conserves energy for the bigger things we must figure out every day.

Here are a couple suggestions for consideration. Remember: Getting square with our values is what creates motivation: n Stick to a routine. Consistency creates a huge amount of positive effects. It makes our habenula happy. n Practice gratitude. You might be thinking, what does that have to do with habits? Well, it might be the most important habit of all.

Practicing gratitude helps us to love our own life and not long for others things. Practicing gratitude is a big habit that leads to a peaceful mind.

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motivation. Good things will happen if you keep shooting.”

— Lakewood Ranch High School’s Andres Junge SEE PAGE 18

HIGH

SPORTS

“Just keep shooting. Keep playing hard. That’s my

BIG LOSSES

5

1

Lakewood Ranch High sophomore girls soccer player Sophie Lemus scored two goals Nov. 16 in the Mustangs’ 4-0 home win over Manatee High.

Braden River High’s football team will lose the following 18 seniors: n Colin Boyd, kicker n Samuel Brooks, defensive back/wide receiver n Alex Colas, offensive guard n Noah Cummings, defensive back n Evan Dangler, linebacker n JD Delesline, defensive back n Albert Dowling, nose guard n Ofa Matelau, offensive tackle n Zamarion Mays, defensive end n Justice McDaniel, running back n Nehemiah Jenkins, running back/ defensive back n Mason Johnson, offensive guard n Bryan Kearse, wide receiver/ quarterback n Andrew Nordland, safety n Tyler Ricker, defensive end n Aaron Tijerina, defensive back n Dawson Thompson, safety n Thomas Urrutia-Bravo, punter

Sophomore running back Trayvon Pinder stepped into the lineup because of injury in 2021 and rushed for 1,155 yards.

Tough finish After Braden River was eliminated

by Tampa Jesuit, the Pirates look toward the future.

RYAN KOHN SPORTS REPORTER

2

Former Braden River High running back Deshaun Fenwick, a sophomore at Oregon State, had six carries for 50 yards Nov. 13 in the Beavers’ 35-14 home win over Stanford. Fenwick also had two catches for 14 yards.

3

Lakewood Ranch High junior girls golfer Lauren Hosier finished tied for 20th (79-78—157) at the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 3A state tournament, held Nov. 16-17 at Mission Inn Resort & Club in Howey-in-the-Hills. The Mustangs girls finished 13th as a team.

4

Saint Stephen’s Episcopal senior girls basketball player Jamie Springstead, a Lakewood Ranch resident, scored 19 points Nov. 17 in the Falcons’ 67-40 win over Sarasota High.

5

Lew Wrenn (41 points) won the Men’s Golf Association individual Stableford event held Nov. 17 at University Park Country Club.

HIGH HOPES FOR MUSTANGS PAGE 17

After the Braden River High football team’s 49-9 road loss to Tampa Jesuit on Nov. 18 to be eliminated from the 6A playoffs, Pirates Head Coach Curt Bradley and Offensive Coordinator Eric Sanders sat in the locker room late into the night, wondering if there was anything they could have done differently, a strategic decision or play call that could have changed the tide of the game.

Probably not.

Jesuit (11-0) jumped on the Pirates (9-2) from the onset, scoring 28 points in the first quarter in what Bradley described as a blitzkrieg.

After that, the team was playing for pride.

Despite another successful season, one where Bradley said the team learned a lot about perseverance and overcoming obstacles, the Pirates went out on a sour note.

The public school Pirates just couldn’t match up with the private school Tigers, who have six upperclassmen with NCAA Division I offers or commitments and even more underclassmen who soon will.

They are ranked No. 13 out of all teams in the nation by MaxPreps.

Bradley and the Pirates will have to get past the Pirates in the future if they hope to win a state title. Bradley said that eventually, it could come down to the number of Braden River’s reserve players, who can step into the lineup and produce a minimal drop in results.

“The biggest difference between good teams and great teams is depth,” Bradley said. “Every team has injuries. Deep teams can overcome those things without having to change so much of who they are. We have to get more depth in this program. We have to do a good job of scouring the halls and finding everyone who is willing and able to play, and then we have to develop them.”

The game against Jesuit likely would have been closer if the Pirates weren’t missing so many injured players. Injuries turned the Pirates into a ground-and-pound team in 2021.

In past years — and in the first two games of this year — Braden River had a balanced offense. The passing game was especially important

Photos by Ryan Kohn

Braden River Head Coach Curt Bradley says the Pirates need to improve their depth to compete at the highest level.

against elite opponents. Sanders has put multiple Pirates quarterbacks into the college ranks in recent seasons, including Shawqi Itriash (Rice University), Bryan Gagg (East Carolina) and Jacob Huesman (Appalachian State).

This year, though, an injury to starting sophomore quarterback Nick Trier in the second game meant senior wide receiver Bryan Kearse had to step under center, taking away a key receiving option in the process.

The situation meant that Sanders had to tailor the team’s offense to what Kearse did well, which included a lot of quarterback runs and rollout passes.

It also meant the Pirates had to lean on running backs Trayvon Pin-

der, a sophomore, and Nehemiah Jenkins, a senior, who themselves were filling in for injured senior Justice McDaniel. The duo did an admirable job, rushing for 1,839 combined yards and 20 touchdowns, but the change in offensive philosophy became a hindrance against the top teams in Class 6A. In the Pirates’ two losses, to Jesuit and Sumner High, the Pirates scored just 19 combined points, and that includes a touchdown on the final play of the Jesuit game when things were out of reach.

The depth that the Pirates want to develop will likely not arrive in one offseason, especially because Braden River will have to replace 18 seniors, many of them key contributors including Kearse, Jenkins, nose guard Albert Dowling, linebacker Evan Dangler and safeties Andrew Nordland and Dawson Thompson.

Bradley said he was proud of what these players accomplished.

“These guys knew what the expectations of the program were,” Bradley said of his seniors. “They knew what it means to put in work in the offseason. This is a four-year group.

They have seen transfers become a big thing in high school football.

They have seen guys come in, and they have seen guys go. But this core group of seniors stuck together.

“I think it means a lot to them to be where we were this year. To be sitting here (with) nine wins and in the second round of the playoffs, that’s meaningful. These seniors put their stamp on this program.”

Plenty of talent returns to the Pirates, including Trier, who completed 24 of 38 passes for 337 yards and four touchdowns with zero interceptions through two games before an ankle injury ended his season. He will be paired with Pinder, who had a breakout season of 1,155 yards and 13 touchdowns after senior Justice McDaniel went down. Sophomore receiver Anthony Campbell and junior tight end/receiver Craivontae Koonce both made big plays at various points in 2021 that have coaches excited about their potential.

On defense, junior linebacker Aidan Dangler will return after racking up 114 total tackles (11 tackles for loss) and four interceptions, as will junior linebacker Tanner Wolfe, who had 104 total tackles (four tackles for loss), three forced fumbles and two sacks.

Both sophomore wide receiver Anthony Campbell and sophomore quarterback Nick Trier will return for the Pirates in 2022.

YourObserver.com

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PROSE AND KOHN

17

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2021

|

RYAN KOHN

New coach keeps Mustangs on track W hen I heard longtime Lakewood Ranch High boys basketball Coach Jeremy Schiller was leaving his position to coach the varsity team at IMG Academy, my mind immediately turned to his replacement.

Who would it be? Who would be able to replicate his on-court success while maintaining the program’s unique culture? It’s not an easy ask of anyone, even though there are plenty of good coaches in the area.

In an ironic twist, the school turned to the man Schiller replaced at Lakewood Ranch a decade ago: Chris Kawcak.

Kawcak coached the Mustangs from the 2008-2009 season through the 2010-2011 season before moving to Memphis, Tennessee. The year prior to Kawcak’s arrival Lakewood Ranch won six games. It wasn’t an easy turnaround. The Mustangs won just two and five games in Kawcak’s first two seasons. In his third and final season, though, the team won 20 games and reached the regional tournament. Then Schiller took over and continued the rebuild that Kawcak began, leading the team to a 174-98 record over the past decade, including two trips to the state semifinals and one trip to the state championship game.

Kawcak continued coaching with various travel teams after he left. He moved back to the Lakewood Ranch area in the summer of 2020 and took an assistant coaching position at Bradenton Christian, where he helped the Panthers to a 20-4 record. When Schiller announced he was leaving for IMG Academy, the school approached Kawcak about coming back to the school.

For Kawcak, that was a no-brainer.

“It’s the best place to coach in Manatee County from a public school standpoint,” Kawcak said.

“It’s a great program with great kids.

Photos by Ryan Kohn

Lakewood Ranch seniors Andres Junge and Jay’den Clarke-Jones get advice from Head Coach Chris Kawcak, who takes over the program from Jeremy Schiller.

You walk into the school office, and you see all these academic awards.

We have some smart kids. You marry athletics with that intelligence, and you can do a lot of damage.”

If one game is any indication of how this season will go — a preseason game, yes, but a competitive one against a solid Sumner team — it appears the Mustangs will be fine.

Lakewood Ranch beat Sumner High 73-63 at home Nov. 18. Two of the team’s seniors led the way in shooting guard Andres Junge, who scored 29 points, and point guard Jay’den Clarke-Jones, who scored 17.

That should be expected. Junge and Clarke-Jones have improved every year at Lakewood Ranch and now look like potential stars.

What I didn’t expect was for the Mustangs to look like nothing had changed. Under Schiller, the program was notorious for playing stingy defense and forcing

opponents into turnovers, which allowed Lakewood Ranch to score in transition. Against Sumner, the Mustangs used the same formula to get the win.

They played with aggression, going after every loose ball and attempting to tip away every Sumner pass. Senior wing Kellen Gooch and junior guard Kevin Everhart, who is also a running back on the football team, were particularly tough. Even though Sumner has a 6-foot-11 forward in senior Christian Henley, the Stingrays couldn’t do much in the post, either. The team’s vigorous defense led to easy transition points, including a dunk from Junge that fueled the raucous Lakewood Ranch student section.

According to Kawcak, that’s exactly how he expects the team to play throughout the year.

“We are going to run, yeah,” Kawcak said. “We are going to push

Lakewood Ranch senior Kellen Gooch hits a layup against Sumner High.

Gooch and other Mustangs will be tasked with playing aggressive defense for Coach Chris Kawcak.

the ball and play aggressive defense.

We want to be as up-tempo as possible.”

Kawcak said he thinks of basketball games in four-minute spurts of offense. Every four minutes, the Mustangs want to score 10 points, which comes out to 80 points in a game. At the same time, the Mustangs want to hold opponents to five points every four minutes, which translates to 40 points per game. Those are not targets the team is going to hit often, of course, because the game flow often dictates how much or how little teams score. It’s hard to beat any team

by 40 points. But it’s something to shoot for, and the Mustangs almost hit their offensive goal against Sumner despite rotating more than they will in the regular season.

Kawcak’s players appear to be on board with their new coach. Junge said the players are feeling as good as ever heading into the season and that the difference between Schiller and Kawcak is minimal — at least in terms of their on-court philosophy.

“Coach Kawcak is a bit more relaxed,” Junge said with a sly smile.

“Coach Schiller was more intense. I like both styles. It’s fun to switch it up sometimes.”

Expectations haven’t changed.

Junge said the Mustangs still expect to be state championship contenders with the talent they have. Based on what I saw Nov. 18, I don’t think those dreams are out of reach.

Kawcak said the team can be great, too, as long as the players want it bad enough.

“It’s kind of up to them,” Kawcak said. “They have to decide what they want to be. I think we certainly have the talent and the depth and the key players to go where we want to go. It’s going to be about our commitment. We have to understand that every possession matters and becomes more and more important the closer we get to districts. And then once we’re in the regional and state playoffs, one possession can be the difference in moving on or not.

“I’ll say this to everyone: ‘We are going to be fun to watch. So come grab a seat and enjoy the show.’”

Ryan Kohn is the sports writer for the East County Observer. Contact him at RKohn@ YourObserver.com.

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2021

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

PLAY THE BEST!

Andres Junge Andres Junge is a senior on the Lakewood Ranch High boys basketball team. Junge, whose coaches and teammates call him Dre, scored 29 points in the Mustangs’ 73-63 home preseason win against Sumner High.

When did you start playing basketball?

I started when I was in seventh grade. I started playing football, but I broke my arm playing that, and I realized I was getting taller, so I switched to basketball. I lived in Dacula, Georgia, at the time. I moved to Lakewood Ranch about a year later.

What is the appeal to you?

It’s all about the team for me. I’ve been lucky to have great teammates. We hang out off the court basically every day, either getting food or shooting hoops by ourselves.

What is your best skill?

(Three-point) shooting, absolutely.

It’s always been something I have been able to do consistently. It comes naturally. I probably put up close to 200 shots a day to practice it.

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I have been working on my ballhandling to limit turnovers and get by defenders.

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care about as a team, and I think we have the players to do it.

What is your favorite food?

This is the toughest question so far. I eat a lot of food. I’ll go with lasagna.

What is your favorite recent TV show?

“The Walking Dead.”

What is your favorite subject?

English. It’s always been the easiest subject for me.

Which superpower would you pick?

I would pick flying so I could go wherever I wanted.

What is the best advice you have received?

Just keep shooting. Keep playing hard. That’s my motivation. Good things will happen if you keep shooting.

Finish this sentence: “Andres Junge is …”

Friendly. I get along with pretty much everyone I meet.

What is your favorite memory?

Last year in the district tournament, we were playing North Port High at home. It was close the whole game.

Toward the end of the fourth quarter, we were losing, but we went on a run and won (45-42). That was such a fun game.

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We want to win the state tournament. That’s the only thing we

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NOVEMBER 25, 2021

Classifieds 27 Games 26 Real Estate 23 Weather 26

YOUR NEIGHBORS DANDY SANDIES W

Photos by Jay Heater

Ron Trytek of Sarasota Polo Club and Karen Medford of Sirius Day Spa compare their Sandies awards.

ith more than 300 people packing the ballroom at Grove on Nov. 19 for the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance’s Sandies Awards, Alicia Chalmers faced the crowd smiling, right on cue.

Chalmers, of the Manatee Community Foundation, had just received the Ray of Sunshine award.

“Sometimes it can be hard to be a ray of sunshine,” she said. “But sometimes it’s great to know you are making other people’s day great.”

Besides making Chalmers’ day great with a Sandies award, eight other LWRBA members had a similar good day.

Sarasota Polo Club’s Ron Trytek, who won the Networking King award, admitted he works well behind the scenes, but not in front of a crowd.

“I wanted to win, but I didn’t want to give a speech,” said Trytek, who gave the audience several polo facts instead of talking about himself.

Allison Imre Perkowski, who took home the Bull by the Horns award, said it’s easy to win awards when you have an exceptional team behind you, such as her team at Grapevine Communications or her fellow alliance members.

Most of the winners were somewhat shocked.

“I definitely didn’t see this coming,” said Michelle Olivo, who won the Best Rancher award. Olivo, of Current Technologies, had previously been nominated for Networking Queen, an award that went to Sirius Day Spa’s Karen Medford.

Other winners were Lorri Kidder of Carr, Riggs and Ingram, for Above and Beyond; Heater Koester of Manatee Technical College for Rising Star; Abigail Kahl of United Way Suncoast for Young Professional of the Year; and John Holz, of Plunkett Raysich Architects, as Volunteer of the Year.

— JAY HEATER

Left: Michelle Olivo of Current Technologies celebrates her Best Rancher award.

Below: Allison Imre Perkowski has a little fun with her Bull by the Horns award.

Lorri Kidder of Carr, Riggs and Ingram was presented her Above and Beyond award by Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore.

368067-1

Above: David Sessions of Willis Smith presents Alicia Chalmers of the Manatee Community Foundation the Ray of Sunshine award.

Right: More than 300 people packed the ballroom at Grove for the Sandies awards.

20

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2021

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2021

BRADENTON 8499 Lindrick Lane 6 Beds 8/4 Baths 15,223 Sq. Ft. Stacy Haas 941-587-4359 A4475594 $10,850,000

SARASOTA The Ritz-Carlton Tower Residences, 902 4 Beds 4 Baths 3,751 Sq. Ft. Joan Dickinson & Beth Afflebach 941-914-0496 A4499039 $3,450,000

SARASOTA 225 Little Pond Lane 5 Beds 4 Baths 3,200 Sq. Ft. Stacy Hanan 941-266-0529 A4517313 $2,900,000

SARASOTA 650 Golden Gate Point 502 2 Beds 2/1 Baths 1,949 Sq. Ft. Douglas Parks 941-400-9087 A4515165 $1,775,000

SARASOTA 3501 Founders Club Drive 3 Beds 3 Baths 2,836 Sq. Ft. Richard Hearn 941-313-1591 A4497661 $1,700,000

HOLMES BEACH 4003 5th Avenue 3 Beds 3 Baths 2,200 Sq. Ft. Stacy Haas 941-587-4359 A4514159 $1,650,000

BRADENTON 1523 1st Avenue W 4 Beds 3 Baths 3,500 Sq. Ft. Fran DeDona & Pam Goodwin 941-812-5023 A4505327 $999,750

BRADENTON 12503 Natureview Circle 5 Beds 4 Baths 4,053 Sq. Ft. Chris Baylis 941-735-4713 A4516676 $925,000

PALMETTO 610 16th Avenue E 2 Beds 2/1 Baths 1,957 Sq. Ft. Rachelle Golden 941-538-8998 A4514336 $899,000

PARRISH 3911 Twin Rivers Trail 4 Beds 3/1 Baths 3,557 Sq. Ft. Cheryl Roberts 941-266-1450 A4510445 $865,000

SARASOTA 1518 Bel Air Star Parkway 4 Beds 4/1 Baths 3,475 Sq. Ft. Cheryl Roberts 941-266-1450 A4506654 $835,000

SARASOTA 755 S Palm Avenue 306 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,421 Sq. Ft. Felix Power 941-586-8958 A4516200 $799,000

ST PETE 400 4th Avenue S 601 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,260 Sq. Ft. Cheryl Roberts & Cathy Palmer 941-266-1450 A4517124 $749,900

BRADENTON 5228 Bentgrass Way 3 Beds 3 Baths 2,460 Sq. Ft. Victoria Turner 662-614-2783 A4517006 $615,000

BRADENTON 2316 Starwood Court 3 Beds 3 Baths 2,995 Sq. Ft. Jamie Van Vliet & Christopher Van Vliet 941-993-8996 A4516659 $599,999

PALMETTO 8907 Amen Corner Place 4 Beds 3 Baths 2,864 Sq. Ft. Diane Fogo Harter 941-445-2431 A4515781 $595,000

BRADENTON 5127 97th Street E 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,871 Sq. Ft. Debbie Judge & Jennifer Horvat, LLC 941-544-6054 A4516368 $585,000

BRADENTON 1311 Water Oak Way N 3 Beds 3 Baths 2,978 Sq. Ft. Kathy Valente & Gregory Zies, LLC 941-685-6767 A4514981 $499,000

BRADENTON 5820 2nd Avenue Drive NW 4 Beds 2 Baths 2,149 Sq. Ft. Judy LaValliere & Megg Faillace 941-504-3792 A4512792 $448,000

SARASOTA 2028 Bougainvillea Street 2 Beds 1 Baths 1,000 Sq. Ft. Barbara May 404-822-9264 A4516776 $400,000

BRADENTON 7407 16th Avenue W 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,540 Sq. Ft. Erica Thomas 941-799-9365 A4516021 $365,000

BRADENTON 101 22nd Street Court E 3 Beds 2 Baths 1,484 Sq. Ft. Patty Brooks 941-545-1194 A4513003 $350,000

SARASOTA 5301 Mahogany Run Avenue 1011 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,684 Sq. Ft. Anja Deichmann 941-284-7987 A4511724 $295,000

BRADENTON 2506 14th Avenue W 2 Beds 1 Baths 1,170 Sq. Ft. Joanne Jenkins & Jill Kawecki 941-228-7878 A4517339 $250,000

SARASOTA 155 Oak Hill Drive 3 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,024 Sq. Ft. Thomas Cristello 941-586-0061 A4515526 $249,900

SARASOTA 1335 Second Street PH 5 Beds 5/2 Baths 5,883 Sq. Ft. Jonathan Abrams 941-232-2868 A4516602 $6,450,000

MYAKKA CITY 3005 233rd Street E 4 Beds 3/2 Baths 4,164 Sq. Ft. Chris Baylis 941-735-4713 A4510152 $5,800,000

BRADENTON 8415 Broadstone Court 4 Beds 4/1 Baths 5,189 Sq. Ft. Stacy Haas 941-587-4359 A4515827 $4,395,000

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22

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

RESEARCH EDITOR

A

home in Tidewater Preserve topped all transactions in this week’s real estate. Christopher and Maria Hodge, of Myakka City, sold their home at 5510 Tidewater Preserve Blvd. to Neil and Phyllis Friedland, of Bradenton, for $1.33 million.

Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, three-and-ahalf baths and 3,945 square feet of living area. It sold for $875,000 in 2020.

COUNTRY CLUB

James Turner IV, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the home at 7004 Brier Creek Court to Joseph and Laura Grassia, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1.25 million. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,534 square feet of living area.

It sold for $700,000 in 2009.

TIDEWATER PRESERVE

Timothy and Candace Anderson, of Woodstock, Georgia, sold their home at 5602 Tidewater Preserve Blvd. to James Hughes and Cheryl PaxtonHughes, of Pittsburgh, for $1.25 million. Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,441 square feet of living area. It sold for $575,000 in 2018.

ROSEDALE ADDITION

William Steve Hendrix and Christine Caputo Hendrix, trustees, of Lakewood Ranch, sold the home at 4703 Tobermory Way to Scott Joseph MacDonald and Janna Lee MacDonald, of Bradenton, for $885,000. Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,641 square feet of living area. It sold for $600,000 in 2019.

MALLORY PARK

Sonny and Tammie Bebout, of Bradenton, sold their home at 11519 Golden Bay Place to Ryan Hamilton and Jennifer Weigandt, of Beverly, Massachusetts, for $875,000.

Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 3,874 square feet of living area. It sold for $525,000 in 2017.

MARINER ESTATES

Gary Neumann and Darla Stiles sold their home at 5107 Tidewater Preserve Blvd. to Marcia and Patrick Boyle, of Bradenton, for $830,000.

Built in 2012, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,249 square feet of living area. It sold for $395,000 in 2013.

POMELLO PARK

Delmar and Jeanne Clark, of Palmetto, sold their home at 7108 229th St. E. to William Snow, trustee, of Bradenton, for $805,000.

Built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,789 square feet of living area.

LAKEWOOD NATIONAL

Linda and Maher Kamel, of Sarasota, sold their home at 16816 Bwana Place to Michael Harold Edlin, of Louisville, Kentucky, for $725,000.

Built in 2019, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,019 square feet of living area. It sold for $495,000 in 2019.

PRESERVE AT PANTHER RIDGE

Sethu and Aley Karyat, of Naples, sold their home at 22105 Deer Pointe Crossing to Abaco Ltd. LLC for $700,000. Built in 2001, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,909 square feet of living area.

It sold for $340,000 in 2013.

SAVANNA

Mark and Sharon Jasper, of Park City, Utah, sold their home at 13418 Saw Palm Creek Trail to Diane Zgaljic, of Lakewood Ranch, for $699,900. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 2,239 square feet of living area. It sold for $370,000 in 2020.

23

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

NOV. 8-12

GREENBROOK

Scott and Janet McKernan, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 6711 Quillback Lane to Robert and Christiann Neiman, of Coppell, Texas, for $690,000. Built in 2007, it has three bedrooms, twoand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,410 square feet of living area. It sold for $357,500 in 2019.

John and Kelly Gillece, of Bradenton, sold their home at 13343 Purple Finch Circle to Robert and Amy Pace, of Bradenton, for $645,000.

Built in 2002, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,600 square feet of living area.

Ernest and Ardis Freedman, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 15210 Blue Fish Circle to Jon Lyons, trustee, of Escondido, California, for $440,000. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,073 square feet of living area.

Marvin and Barbara Guter, trustees, of Sarasota, sold the home at 15609 Butterfish Placeto Rynik Properties Saratoga Springs LLC for $435,000. Built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,081 square feet of living area. It sold for $381,700 in 2006.

GREYHAWK LANDING

JKSP LLC sold the home at 12814 Daisy Place to Michael and Carmen Penker, of Bradenton, for $620,000.

Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 3,886 square feet of living area. It sold for $357,000 in 2018.

DEL WEBB

Robert Smith and Tracey Lynne Stewart, of Delray Beach, sold their home at 17649 Northwood Place to Ernest and Elizabeth Baxendale, of Bradenton, for $600,000. Built in 2021, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,640 square feet of living area. It sold for $468,000 in March.

Courtesy photo

This Country Club home at 7004 Brier Creek Court sold for $1.25 million. It has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,534 square feet of living area.

2014, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,865 square feet of living area. It sold for $336,000 in 2016.

RIVER CLUB SOUTH

Jamie Morgan, of Des Moines, Iowa, sold his home at 9944 Royal Lytham Ave. to Howard and Amy Reissner, of Bradenton, for $522,500. Built in 1997, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,967 square feet of living area. It sold for $415,000 in 2020.

RIVERSIDE TIDEWATER PRESERVE

Mark and Mary Beth Poncin, of Palmetto, sold their Unit A condominium at 1242 Riverscape St. to Carey and Ellen Walter, of Bradenton, for $515,000. Built in 2015, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,748 square feet of living area. It sold for $285,000 in 2016.

CARLYLE AT THE VILLAGES OF PALM AIRE

Jill Wingerter Chin-You and Jennifer Lea Wingerter, of Pembroke Pines, sold their home at 6745 Carlyle Lane to Todd and Jennifer Scarpone, of Sarasota, for $500,000.

Built in 1999, it has four bedrooms, two baths and is 2,142 square feet. It sold for $330,000 in 2004.

Saundra and Martin Paris, of Tampa, sold their home at 6720 Cheswick St. to Karen Trent, of Sarasota, for $446,000. Built in 2000, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 2,023 square feet of living area. It sold for $205,600 in 2000.

WALKER’S ISLAND

John Waskom, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the Unit 5 condominium at 3518 Walker Island Road to Richard SEE REAL ESTATE, PAGE 24

ROSEDALE

Roger Lewis and Sheila Rhodes, of Fulton, Maryland, sold their home at 8717 54th Ave. E. to Deborah Sankey, of Bradenton, for $588,000.

Built in 1994, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,089 square feet of living area. It sold for $307,500 in 2013.

COUNTRY OAKS

Deborah Angelo O’Mara

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Eric and Jennifer Hottman, of Silver Creek, Georgia, sold their home at 4912 79th Ave. Plaza E. to Matthew and Bianca George, of Sarasota, for $585,000. Built in 1986, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,994 square feet of living area. It sold for $278,100 in 2015.

DESOTO LAKES

Deborah Cummings Buckland, Marsha Wagner and Caroline Cummings Pascoe, trustees, sold the home at 5304 Inverness Drive to Nina Alexandria Hromyk, Alejandro Hromyk and Alexander Ryan Hromyk, of Sarasota, for $574,500.

Built in 1983, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,696 square feet of living area. It sold for $195,000 in 1996.

James Glatz, of Kihei, Hawaii, sold his home at 4821 Palm Aire Drive to Manuel and Mayelin Rios, of Sarasota, for $515,000. Built in 1979, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,360 square feet of living area.

It sold for $395,000 in 2005.

LONGPOND AT MOTE RANCH

Marjorie Thrall-Moller, of Sarasota, sold the home at 6971 Superior St. Circle to Heather Killingbeck, of Los Angeles, for $562,000. Built in 1996, it has four bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,848 square feet of living area. It sold for $199,900 in 2010.

Armando and Martha Vilches, of Sarasota, sold their home at 6987 Superior St. Circle to Misty Lakes LLC for $481,000. Built in 1996, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,781 square feet of living area. It sold for $158,900 in 1996.

CENTRAL PARK

Scott and Susan Rowe, trustees, of Lakewood Ranch, sold the home at 12189 Longview Lake Circle to Curtis and Katherine Leonard, of Bradenton, for $536,000. Built in

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Sold more than 650 homes in Lakewood Ranch The local expertise you can trust and the passion to get the job done. Deborah O’Mara channels her local knowledge and enthusiasm into delivering meaningful and impactful results for here clientele.

• 8 Time Michael Saunders & Company’s Lakewood ranch office #1 Top Producer • New Construction – Buyer Specialist, MCSP • Certified Residential Specialist • Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist, Million Dollar Guild • Refined Negotiating Skills See me in action at www.DebsVideo.com ©Michael Saunders & Company, Licensed Real Estate Broker

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2021

REAL ESTATE

Tidewater Preserve home tops sales at $1.33 million

|

24

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2021

Real estate FROM PAGE 23

Scott Wheeler, of Columbus, Ohio, for $492,500. Built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,400 square feet of living area. It sold for $130,000 in 2013.

DEL TIERRA

Phuong Quang Bao Nguyen, of Bradenton, sold her home at 338 Grande Vista Blvd. to Zillow Homes Property Trust for $491,000. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,349 square feet of living area. It sold for $313,700 in 2018.

INDIGO

Frank Danella III sold his home at 3806 Azurite Way to James and Gail Githens, trustees, of Bradenton, for $479,000. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,766 square feet of living area. It sold for $360,100 in 2020.

BRADEN WOODS

Philip and Victoria Jones sold their home at 9011 61st Ave. Drive E. to Christina and Scott Quinto, of Bradenton, for $475,000. Built in 1987, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,482 square feet of living area. It sold for $170,000 in 2001.

RIVER POINT OF MANATEE

Michael and Robin Kruthaupt, of Bradenton, sold their home at 4107 Third Ave. E. to Randolph Sammie Clyburn, of Washington, D.C., for $459,900. Built in 2000, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,542 square feet of living area. It sold for $210,000 in 2003.

SYLVAN WOODS

Jonathan Small and Dawn Marie Small, of Sarasota, sold their home at 8427 Sylvan Woods Drive to Long Van Hoang and Oanh Thi Ngoc Nguyen, of Sarasota, for $445,000.

Built in 1995, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and is 1,680 square feet of living area. It sold for $95,000 in 1995.

354913-1

RIVER PLACE

sold the home at 6706 71st St. E. to Zillow Homes Property Trust for $433,400. Built in 2006, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,951 square feet of living area. It sold for $210,000 in 2014.

Zillow Homes Property Trust sold the home at 6962 74th St. Circle E. to Chaminda Weerappulige and Gayanthika Pathiranage, of Bradenton, for $402,000. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,089 square feet of living area. It sold for $388,000 in August.

EDGEWATER

Mary Edmunds, of Sun City Center, sold the home at 8427 Idlewood Court to Merime Durakovic, of River Vale, New Jersey, for $430,100.

Built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, two baths and is 2,091 square feet.

It sold for $193,600 in 1999.

MIRAMAR LAGOONS

Terry and Audrey Peterson, of Clear Lake, Iowa, sold their Unit 203 condominium at 8343 Miramar Way to Richard and Jane Cameron, trustees, of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, for $429,300. Built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,812 square feet of living area. It sold for $247,500 in 2015.

CREEKWOOD

Doris Kilgore, trustee, of Bradenton, sold the home at 4935 78th St. E. to Christopher Frank Mannino, of Sarasota, for $420,000. Built in 1996, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,786 square feet of living area.

TAILFEATHER WAY AT TARA

Ruth Bassani, of Sarasota, sold the home at 6638 Tailfeather Way to William Greggory Buffington and Diane Lynn Buffington, of Bradenton, for $415,000. Built in 2004, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,772 square feet of living area. It sold for $265,500 in 2004.

ONLINE See more transactions at YourObserver.com

Robert Tatar, trustee, of Bradenton,

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YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

SUNDAY, NOV. 28

WIND ENSEMBLE CONCERT Begins at 2 p.m. at Peace Presbyterian Church, 12705 E. State Road 64, Bradenton. The Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble presents a Thanksgiving concert. Tickets are $10 and available at the door. Selections include “American Overture for Band” by Joseph Jenkins, Second Suite in F by Gustav Holst, “Festive Overture” by Dmitri Shostakovich and selections from Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess.” For more information, go to LWRWindEnsemble.org.

THURSDAY, NOV. 25

FLORIDA TURKEY TROT Begins at 7:15 a.m. for the kids’ races and 8 a.m. for the 5K race at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota.

Fit2Run and Nathan Benderson Park co-host the Florida Turkey Trot. Runners will receive a race shirt, treats from Der Dutchman and bakery items from Publix, along with medals. Registration is $45. The fee is $25 for kids 12 and under. There is no race-day registration. Register at FloridaTurkeyTrot.com.

SATURDAY, NOV. 27 AND SUNDAY, NOV. 28

SARASOTA MEDIEVAL FAIR Runs each day from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Woods of Mallaranny, 29847 State Road 70 E., Myakka City. Visitors enjoy the medieval era through a wide range of family-friendly activities at the Sarasota Medieval Fair.

For more information, go to SarasotaMedievalFair.com.

SATURDAY, NOV. 27

Over Replacing or Refacing Our Professional Cabinet Reenishing System Revitalizes Your Cabinets While Offering ese Unique Advantages: • Very smooth appearance and touch • Excellent durability • Mar and scratch resistant • Non-yellowing • Low in VOC • Withstands substances typically found in kitchens and bathrooms • Excellent adhesion to wood, laminate and thermofoil surfaces • Available in any color match • Free in-home color consultation

Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota.

Nathan Benderson Park hosts Rec Day, which offers participants to try stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking, canoes, fishing and more. For more information, go to NathanBendersonPark.org.

SUNDAY, NOV. 28

THE MARKET AT LAKEWOOD RANCH Runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1561 Lakefront Drive, Waterside Place in Lakewood Ranch. The event will run every Sunday year-round.

Vendors will be offering seafood, eggs, meats, dairy products, pastas, bakery goods, jams and pickles, among other items. Other features are children’s activities and live music. For more information, go to MyLWR.com.

Free In-Home Estimates Call Today 941-412-7029

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 1

RANCH NITE WEDNESDAYS Runs from 6-9 p.m. at 1561 Lakefront Drive, Waterside Place in Lakewood Ranch. Ranch Nite Wednesdays is a free event that includes food trucks, live music, a market, an outdoor bar and a cornhole league. It runs every week through May. For more information, go to MyLWR.com.

WestsideReenishers.com

367962-1

REC DAY Runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851

25

& Save Up To 60%

File photo

COMMUNITY

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2021

Update Your Cabinets

YOUR CALENDAR

BEST BET

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As long as there is sun, as long as there is light.

Apr.: Lakewood Ranch: The future of development panel discussion

Selections from the Bring Gift and The Ringling Collection of Modern and Contemporary Art

May: Wine & Wisdom

ON VIEW NOV 21, 2021 – AUG 13, 2023

Aug.: Candidate Forum • Opportunities to connect with our journalists and give feedback

In 2020, The Ringling received a significant gift of art from Murray Bring and Kay Delaney Bring, in support of the modern and contemporary collection. This fall, the museum unveils an exhibition of selections from this gift in dialogue with rarely seen works from the collection.

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Paid for in part by Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax revenues. Support for this exhibition was provided by Gulf Coast Community Foundation and the John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art Endowment.

Rebecca Salter (British, b. 1955), Untitled M13, 1997. Acrylic on canvas, 28 1/2 × 28 1/2 in.

Gift of Murray Bring and Kay Delaney Bring, 2020. 2020.12.22

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WEATHER

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2021

NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH

FORECAST THURSDAY, NOV. 25 High: 76 Low: 59 Chance of rain: 7%

FRIDAY, NOV. 26 High: 75 Low: 51 Chance of rain: 6%

SUNRISE / SUNSET

Sunrise Sunset

Thursday, Nov. 25 6:58a

5:35p

Friday, Nov. 26

6:59a

5:35p

Saturday, Nov. 27

7:00a

5:35p

Sunday, Nov. 28

7:01a

5:35p

Monday, Nov. 29

7:02a

5:35p

Tuesday, Nov. 30

7:02a

5:35p

Wednesday, Dec. 1

7:03a

5:35p

MOON PHASES

SATURDAY, NOV. 27 High: 69 Low: 54 Chance of rain: 2%

SUNDAY, NOV. 28 High: 73 Low: 56 Chance of rain: 9% Gordon Silver captured this monarch butterfly gathering nectar in Del Webb of Lakewood Ranch.

Dec. 18 Full

Dec. 26 Last

Jan. 2 New

Jan. 9 First

RAINFALL Monday, Nov. 15

0

Tuesday, Nov. 16

0

Wednesday, Nov. 17

0

Thursday, Nov. 18

0 0.1

Friday, Nov. 19 Saturday, Nov. 20

0

Sunday, Nov. 21

0

*Rainfall totals from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport

Submit your photos at YourObserver.com/Weather. All submissions will be entered for the 2021-22 Weather and Nature photo contest. In February 2022, you will vote for your favorite photo, and the submission with the most votes will win a $500 gift card.

YEAR TO DATE: 2021 45.79 in.

2020 55.28 in.

MONTH TO DATE: 2021 1.44 in.

2020 7.41 in.

MANASOTA FLOORING INC 941.493.7441 | www.manasotaonline.com

crossword

celebrity cipher

TEAM PLAY ... by Drew Schmenner. Edited by David Steinberg 109 Despise Miami’s NBA team?

112 “___ it strange?”

113 St. Louis attraction 114 Inserts 115 Back out from an agreement 116 Prof.’s degree, often 117 Airport safety org.

118 Liquid bought by the gallon 119 “Puff, puff, pass” player

DOWN

©2021 Universal Uclick

ACROSS

31 Recycling receptacle 32 Skin care brand 1 Baker’s mixture 34 Agree (with) 7 ___ de Janeiro 35 Cater for Calgary’s 10 TV brand NHL team?

13 Homer, to Bart 40 Very proper person 16 “Mad Men” quote?

42 Flaky mineral 17 Care for 43 Unchallenging 18 Red and Yellow 44 Gives the go-ahead expanses 45 Have Oklahoma City’s 19 Domesticate 20 Try to touch players on NBA team accompany you?

Dallas’ NHL team?

49 Connoisseur 23 Aware of, as a prank 51 Where a skier may sip 24 High society hot cocoa 25 Title for a duke 52 Approximately 26 Senator’s assistant 53 Lexicon that had no 27 Breaks into, virtually 28 Hollywood workplace single word of the year for 2020 (Abbr.)

29 First medium for 54 Internet jokes Jimmy Kimmel 55 Oldest younger

349247-1

941.748.4679 | Venice

brother?

56 Storyline’s progression 57 Chuckle in a text 58 Picnic pest 59 Not there?

60 Reimburse Buffalo’s NFL team?

65 Actor Moranis 69 Aspiring prof.’s test, maybe 71 Certain pig 72 “I’m in heaven!”

73 Palm with berries 74 Soulful Isaac 76 It acquired Netscape 77 Popular sheepskin boots 79 Garment of many lengths 80 2014 DuVernay film about 1965 marches

81 Mix up one of New York’s NFL teams?

84 Soybean ___ 85 Fertile, as soil 87 Each birthday candle 88 Love, in Venice 89 Stand up to Seattle’s WNBA team?

93 Creamy cheese 94 Uninvited party guest, perhaps 95 Throw softly 96 Former quarterback Drew 98 Slimy substance 101 Sight from an airplane window 103 Animal in a pride 105 Do perfectly 106 Least acceptable 108 Big winnings

1 Uncovers 2 “Hello” Grammy winner 3 Characteristic 4 Diplomat’s finesse 5 Grammy-winning rocker Melissa 6 WNBA official 7 Modernizes for earthquake safety, e.g.

8 How some TV shows are aired 9 Poem of praise 10 Do English homework, say 11 ‘80s toon whose tummy can beam light 12 Donkey 13 The Floss or the Twist 14 Run ___ (go wild) 15 Rooms for family game nights 17 “Star Trek: T.N.G.” counselor 18 Tour of duty 19 Princess’s headwear 21 Shoppe descriptor 22 Uttered 27 Pious guys 30 Help in a bad way?

31 Boyfriend for a belle 33 Uncertainties 34 Where to hang at the playground?

36 Reverberation 37 Listen to, as advice 38 ___ out (just manages) 39 Identifier for the IRS 40 Exploratory spacecraft 41 Bus passenger

42 Compassion 45 Meh 46 Jewish wedding dance 47 A pro gamer may coach one 48 Shop with cold cuts 50 President Biden’s transport-inspired nickname 54 Reduce to a pulp 56 Imitates 57 Segment of a journey 61 Avenger with a hammer 62 Greeting in Madrid 63 Ale alternative 64 Endure 66 More unwelcoming 67 ___ blanche 68 Hobbyist’s sets 70 Crash into from behind 74 One who will assume the throne 75 In every respect 76 Need a massage, perhaps 77 Lyft competitor 78 Rock groups with loud outfits 79 Type of chocolate 80 Bawl 81 Well-educated people 82 “Stay out of this,” briefly 83 Tortoise’s foe 86 “___ be my pleasure!”

90 Leap with a pole 91 Lethargic mammal 92 Loads and loads 93 Signifier of rank in martial arts 97 Clears (of) 98 “Color” of envy 99 Great Plains tribe 100 Weasel’s aquatic relative 101 Betting unit in poker 102 Mascara target 104 Machu Picchu builder 105 Zilch 107 “That’s terrible!”

109 Pet that scratches 110 Identify on Instagram 111 Store postings (Abbr.)

By Luis Campos Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

“YXUGFA BZ DXA CUE HK CBKA. ...

DXHZA EXH CHHR HGCW DH DXA VUZD HP DXA VPAZAGD UPA YAPDUBG DH SBZZ DXA KTDTPA.” – LHXG K. RAGGAMW “PM PDP WT UYNUMT EOYYWZI PO WE EUBOT U YDZI EWPO ED IOE ED EAO EDL, XJE U TADKE EWPO ED IOE ED EAO XDEEDP.”

– PWYOM FMKJT

“SW UXW UZZ ... MUXL YK LCW CPVUJ XUBW ... SW JWWE LY NW BYVMUTTAYJULW UJE DAHAJD UJE RAJE SALC YJW UJYLCWX.”

– RULCWXAJW CWADZ

Puzzle Three Clue: P equals U

941.355.8437 | Bradenton

Puzzle Two Clue B equals K

Sarasota

KITCHENS, BATHROOMS, BEDROOMS & MORE

Puzzle One Clue F equals G

HARDWOOD

© 2021 NEA, Inc.

sudoku Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.

©2021 Andrews McMeel Syndicate

11-25-21

Made for where you live. Here!

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2021

RED PAGES INFORMATION & RATES: 941-955-4888

Adult Care Services

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This week’s Crossword answers

Use the

RED PAGES to clean out your garage

CALL 941-955-4888

This week’s Celebrity Cipher answers Puzzle One Solution: “Change is the law of life. ... Those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future.”

John F. Kennedy Puzzle Two Solution: “My mom is always telling me it takes a long time to get to the top, but a short time to get to the bottom.”

Miley Cyrus Puzzle Three Solution: “We are all ... part of the human race ... we need to be compassionate and giving and kind with one another.”

Katherine Heigl

This week’s Sudoku answers

©2021 Universal Uclick

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©2021 NEA, Inc.

ADVERTISE YOUR MERCHANDISE with the total value of all items $200 or less in this section for FREE! Limit 1 ad per month,15 words or less. Price must be included next to each item. No commercial advertising.

Ad runs 2 consecutive weeks in 1 Observer.

Call 941-955-4888 Or Email ad to: classified@yourobserver.com (Please provide your name and address) Or Online at: www.yourobserver.com Or mail to: The Observer Group 1970 Main St. - 3rd Floor Sarasota, Fl 34236

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stuff

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Daily and weekly rentals available We also repair other Brands Open 10 to 5 daily except Sundays and holidays 12208 Cortez Road, Cortez, FL

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The East County Observer reserves the right to classify and edit copy, or to reject or cancel an advertisement at any time. Corrections after first insertion only. *All ads are subject to the approval of the Publisher. *It is the responsibility of the party placing any ad for publication in the East County Observer to meet all applicable legal requirements in connection with the ad such as compliance with towncodes in first obtaining an occupational license for business, permitted home occupation, or residential rental property.

real estate

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2021

Aluminum

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28

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

Landscaping & Lawn

Rescreening & Repairs

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2021

|

29

Screening

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INCLUDING SCREENS, TRACKS, MIRRORS & FANS

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STANDARD WINDOWS

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2021

Health Insurance Marketplace

Open Enrollment

Who is Eligible?

Anyone who does not have health insurance through a job, Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), or another source that provides qualifying health coverage, can access the Marketplace to get coverage.

How much does it cost?

What you pay for coverage depends on your expected household income for the year. You may qualify for a premium tax credit that lowers your monthly insurance bill, and for extra savings on out-of-pocket costs like deductibles and copayments.

When is Open Enrollment?

Open Enrollment for Health Insurance Marketplace plans runs from Nov. 1, 2021 through Jan. 15, 2022.

During that time, individuals can enroll in new healthcare plans or make changes to their current coverage.

The best way to ensure you have a 2022 plan that works for you, and includes all applicable savings, is to enroll or update your application by Dec. 15.

Enrollment or changes completed by Dec. 15 will go into effect Jan. 1, 2022.

The final deadline for 2022 coverage is Jan. 15, 2022.

WHICH PLANS ARE CONTRACTED WITH BOTH SARASOTA MEMORIAL AND FIRST PHYSICIANS GROUP? Sarasota Memorial, its urgent care and outpatient centers, and all of the First Physicians Group practices accept the following 2022 Health Insurance Marketplace Plans:



Aetna



Bright HealthCare



Florida Blue



Oscar Health

(including BlueSelect, myBlue, BlueCare and BlueOptions)

Note: Sarasota Memorial and FPG do not accept plans deemed short term or limited benefit, nor do we accept health sharing ministries or other health sharing arrangements.

Need Additional Help?

Covering Florida, an organization based at the University of South Florida, offers trained and certified Navigators to help consumers review the basics of health insurance, to explain federal subsidies for premiums and cost sharing, and to provide assistance in completing the online application. Services are offered at no charge to Florida consumers as the program is funded by a federal grant. Call 877-813-9115 or go to www.coveringflorida.org.

Healthcare.gov To Enroll or for More Information on the Health Insurance Marketplace can be found at www.healthcare.gov or by calling 1-800-318-2596. Representatives are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (except holidays).

TTY access: 1-855-889-4325.

For additional information about insurance plans accepted by Sarasota Memorial, go to www.smh.com/insurances.

For more information about insurance plans accepted by First Physicians Group, go to www.firstphysiciansgroup.com/insurance.

This information is not a solicitation and is not intended to persuade you to make any changes to your relationship with any health insurer under which you are currently enrolled. As SMH and FPG continue their tradition of excellence in caring for our community, we wanted to provide you the opportunity to make informed decisions about your health and well-being without influence, and that is why we are providing this.

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