East County Observer 4.28.22

EAST COUNTY

Observer

Lakewood Ranch’s weekly newspaper since 1998

YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

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PAGE 26 FREE • THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

VOLUME 24, NO. 24

YOUR TOWN

Debris an obstacle for area cyclists Some local cyclists say construction debris has left bike lanes unsafe. SEE PAGE 3

SKY HIGH FINALE Liz Ramos

It’s SMART to thank volunteers Heritage Harbour’s Sue Collaud has been going to Sarasota Manatee Association for Riding Therapy every Saturday morning to clean the stables since she started volunteering for the nonprofit in 2017.

She also helps with riding lessons on Wednesday evenings.

“This is my happy place,” Collaud said. “It’s so peaceful out here. I love horses. I love the kids I get to work with.”

Her dedication, along with dozens of others like Country Club East’s Terri Arnold (shown above with Collaud), was recognized April 23 as SMART held an appreciation celebration for its volunteers.

Both Collaud and Arnold are proud of the work SMART has done as the organization celebrates its 35th anniversary.

“It’s amazing,” Collaud said.

“There’s a lot of good, kind, thoughtful people who volunteer here.”

Jay Heater

Everly and Isla Binnie race forward to make their kite take flight while their mom, Jessica Binnie, gives the kite a lift from behind. The kites were part of a Children’s Cancer Center fundraiser at the Sarasota Polo Club April 24, the final day of the polo season.

Children’s cancer fundraiser part of polo season’s closing day on Ranch. SEE PAGE 25 Ian Swaby

Getting an angle on his artwork A love of fishing as he grew up in Pensacola eventually drove David Womack to another hobby.

Womack, who grew up driving boats instead of cars, said he decided to combine his love of fishing with a newfound love of painting. After a move to Lakewood Ranch, he began to become more serious with his painting. On April 23-24, he was selling his paintings of fish at the Lakewood Ranch Arts and Crafts Festival at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch.

Womack said his process is to use a GoPro to document the fish he catches in their natural environment, before painting them based on the photographs. Since he has been fishing lately in the Braden River and local ponds, his paintings often are of snook and largemouth bass.

“It’s pretty exciting,” he said of his hobby. “It brings me places like (the craft festival).”

Time not lost on students Liz Ramos

Brooke Pater and Allessia Ukmar, now high school seniors, look at their yearbook from when they graduated in the same fifth grade class at Braden River Elementary School.

Despite loss of their time capsule, former Braden River Elementary classmates enjoy a reunion. SEE PAGE 8

A+E Curtain call for dancer.

PAGE 13

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

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Higher than ever The median home price in the Sarasota-Manatee area is at a record high, but data show that stabilization of prices might be underway.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

Under normal circumstances, spring home sales data in the SarasotaManatee counties region would register a noticeable upward trend.

These aren’t ordinary times, though, and some local real estate agents agree that regardless of the season, the region will remain for now a seller’s market.

A record threshold for the median price, though, could be short-lived, as data in the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee March 2022 housing report suggest the possible beginning of stabilization.

For the first time, the median sale price for single-family homes in the North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton MSA is $500,000, a year-overyear increase of 29% from March 2021. For condos, the median price in Sarasota increased by 27.7% to $370,000, and Manatee prices jumped by 30.8% to $320,539.

“I think that we’re more seasonless than we’ve ever been,” said Kim Ogilvie of Michael Saunders & Co. “I have buyers just waiting in the wings, and even though they may have gone home for the season, they’re willing to jump on a plane and at a moment’s notice be here to look at property and make offers.”

Not only were prices up in March, but so was activity over the previous month. Closed sales for single family and attached homes increased by 29.8% at 2,350 sales, compared with 1,811 sales in February. Compared with March 2021, though, closings decreased by 29%.

There were fewer single-family home sales in March 2022 compared with the same month last year, as single-family sales decreased by 20.2% to 724 in Manatee County, and Sarasota County sales decreased by 26.5% to 859. In the condo market,

closed sales also decreased yearover-year, down by 39.9% to 298 in Manatee and down by 36.4% to 469 in Sarasota.

Fueled by pandemic-induced sales volume, 2021 was by no means a normal year, either. Even as the COVID-19 impact has waned, Florida and the Gulf Coast remain among the country’s hottest relocation destinations.

“If I were buying, I’d feel more comfortable buying in an area like Sarasota that has so much going for it as a destination,” said Roger Pettingell of Coldwell Banker, who specializes in Sarasota and Longboat Key. “There’s no reason why there won’t be a strong buyer pool continuing, so even if the market slows nationally, this area has always been one of the last to go down and one of the first to come up in and around recessionary times.

“And now with the proven migration that we’re seeing from the Northeast, Midwest and even California, it isn’t just people coming in to get a second home,” he said. “It’s people coming to set up a homestead to make this their home base. That’s a big ship to turn. I don’t see how that turns quickly.”

STABILIZATION OR MARKET CORRECTION?

Like Sarasota-Manatee, closed sales were down statewide in March, according to Florida Realtors’ latest data. Rising mortgage rates, increased home prices and a shortfall of supply contributed to fewer closed sales than a year ago.

Last month, closed sales of existing single-family homes statewide totaled 30,793, down 6.2% yearover-year, while condo-townhouse sales totaled 14,631, down 11.4% from March 2021.

Also like the local market, statewide the median sales price for single-family and condo-townhouse

eh War

LAKEWOOD RANCH AREA n $500,000: A two-bedroom, two-bath home in River Club South, built in 1999 with 1,956 square feet of living space. It sold for $340,000 in 2019. n $500,900: A three-bedroom, two-bath condominium at Miramar Lagoons at Lakewood Ranch, built in 2014 with 1,616 square feet of living space. It sold for $355,000 in 2021. n $550,000: A three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath home in Harmony at Lakewood Ranch, built in 2019 with 1,784 square feet of living space. It sold for $361,000 in 2019.

Jay Heater

This house at 9928 Royal Lytham Ave. in River Club South sold for $500,000 this month. Built in 1999, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,956 square feet of living area. It sold for $340,000 in 2019.

existing homes was higher. In March, the median price for single-family was $396,558, up 21.3% from the previous year. Last month’s statewide median price for condo-townhouse units was $308,000, up 27.3% over the prior year.

Although pricing continued to climb both locally and statewide in March, Ogilvie said she sees signs of stabilization.

“The single-family home market is showing signs of new listings, and the downtown condo market is as busy as ever,” she said. “The singlefamily home days on market seems to be rising. The market is slowing just a little bit on those, but downtown condos are still on fire. We are seeing new listings come on that are outpacing sales, so hopefully the inventory will start leveling off, and this market would begin to stabilize.”

The perception of stabilization

will naturally add more inventory as sellers seek to cash in at the peak, accelerating the leveling of prices.

Although she has begun to see price reductions on some listings recently — in part possibly due to unrealistic sellers’ expectations — Ogilvie said she doesn’t anticipate a wholesale retreat in home prices anytime soon, even as mortgage interest rates and inventories rise.

Whether the Sarasota-Manatee market is dip-proof remains to be seen, but recent data suggest the greatest level of stability in some three years.

According to RASM, the number of properties added to the local market in March increased yearover-year by 4.2% for single-family homes, but decreased by 2.4% for condos. Compared with February 2022, condo new listings increased by 18.2%, and single-family new listings increased by 28.5%.

At the end of March, there were 1,594 active listings combined in both counties, a 14% decrease from March 2021. Compared with February 2022, active inventory for both counties combined increased by 23.9%. Unsold inventory was at a three-week supply for single-family homes and condos, up from February’s report of just more than two weeks for single-family and condos combined.

“In Sarasota County, inventory for single-family homes shows the first positive year-over-year increase since June of 2019,’’ said RASM President Tony Veldkamp. “We’ll be watching to see if this is another initial sign of the market beginning to stabilize.”

Pettingell cited rising interest rates as a potential leveling factor in the market’s median price range.

When a market correction does reach Sarasota-Manatee, which Pettingell said is inevitable, investment buyers might feel it the most. Those purchasing homes as a primary residence are more likely to successfully ride the home value wave over the long term, particularly in that median price range.

“Anyone who doesn’t recognize that markets don’t keep going straight up are in for a rude awakening,” Pettingell said. “The real estate market is just like the stock market or any other buying-and-selling market out there. But if you’re looking for a place to live, as opposed to something that you want to flip in a year, that’s a whole different matter.

If you need a home for your family to live in, in the long run real estate is a great investment; if you’re coming into the market in that 500-ish price range, you have to apply that threeto five-year outlook.”

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

JUST A BUMP IN THE ROAD? Cyclists search for ways to keep the roads free of debris as area’s rapid growth continues.

Photos by Ian Swaby

IAN SWABY

Cyclists with the Village Idiots round the turn at the east end of University Parkway during a weekly Wednesday evening ride.

STAFF WRITER

R

iding along about 20 mph on his bicycle, Rich Weinstock felt a jolt and then was helpless as his body plunged toward Lorraine Road.

The force of the June 2021 crash near Mainsail Lane shattered his helmet, left him with road rash across the right side of his body and destroyed his $11,000 bicycle.

Weinstock later learned he had hit construction-related road debris.

Although he was injured, Weinstock’s love of cycling overcame the knowledge that the constant construction in the Lakewood Ranch area has created what he considers a dangerous situation for cyclists on the roads.

“It’s a lifestyle,” said Weinstock, who is on the board of directors of the Village Idiots Cycling Club. “It’s the way we socialize; it’s the way we stay healthy; it’s the way we compete with each other.”

He and his fiancee, Andrea Sacchetti, who came to the area in early 2020 because of its biking opportunities, both became interested in moving to Lakewood Ranch while living in New Jersey and began following the Facebook page for the Village Idiots Cycling Club.

“We liked the club, and so we said, ‘Hey, let’s buy a house here.’ And we did,” he said.

DOWN GOES A RIDER

It wasn’t long after Weinstock’s crash that another club member had an accident. Crossing Creek’s Rick Hardesty went down on Bourneside Boulevard in Lakewood Ranch just north of State Road 70.

“I just heard ‘boom!’” said Weinstock, who was riding with Hardesty.

“It was such a hard hit.”

Hardesty said he hit a chunk of aggregate rock, and the impact snapped his handlebar.

“Half his handlebar separated from the bike,” Weinstock said. “I was able to see him with only air under him, and his hand going out the other way (to break his fall).”

Hardesty broke his clavicle and three ribs, while also receiving road rash. After the accident, he said his wife doesn’t want him to ride with the club anymore.

Weinstock said he has seen more road debris from the constant construction.

“We’re not talking about sticks; we’re not talking about stones,” he said. “We’re talking about construction material, landscape, rocks, aggregate.”

The club’s routes cover major roads in Lakewood Ranch and include University Parkway, Lorraine Road, Lakewood Ranch Boulevard and The Master’s Avenue.

Bill Spitler, Florida chapter coordinator for the First Responders Cycling Club, said his club encounters similar debris on a constant basis in the Lakewood Ranch area.

“There’s debris everywhere in the bike lanes, whether you’re in Sarasota or Manatee County,” he said, “With all of the growth, trucks are losing material from their loads, and two-by-four pieces of concrete are (everywhere).”

While Spitler said he has seen several flat tires lately from road debris, he witnessed a serious crash six months ago when a rider fell after a palm frond got stuck in the cycle’s tire. The rider suffered eight broken ribs and a concussion.

Village Idiots members continue to have problems on the roadway.

and that it is not as safe to ride on sidewalks or trails meant for pedestrian traffic.

RIDERS NEED AWARENESS

Rick Hardesty broke his clavicle and three ribs after striking a chunk of aggregate rock on Bourneside Boulevard.

Two weeks after her incident on The Masters Avenue, Andrea Sacchetti is still bandaged.

CYCLISTS HITTING THE PAVEMENT SUNDAY, JUNE 27, 2021 RICH WEINSTOCK Weinstock hit a chunk of asphalt in the bike lane on Lorraine Road while southbound just south of Mainsail Lane.

He hit the curb head first and experienced road rash on his right side, destroyed his BMC bike, and broke his helmet.

Rich Weinstock belongs to the board of directors of the Village Idiots bike Club.

On April 6, Sacchetti was riding westbound between Players Drive and Ravelston Boulevard in Lakewood Ranch when she hit debris in the roadway.

“I remember seeing an object flying toward me,” Sacchetti said.

“The rider in front of me hit it with his tire, probably on the edge, then it flew into my tire and knocked my bike down instantly. I was going like 20 mph, so I hit hard. I was down in an instant before I could even react.”

She said the object turned out to be a piece of lumber.

Sacchetti received a huge bruise on her hip, as well as deep lacerations to her knee and elbow. She said another rider approaching behind her, Alex Korotkevich, separated his AC joint.

COUNTY QUICK TO RESPOND

Club President Dawn Zielinski, a resident of Greyhawk Landing, said the previous week she had picked up a large piece of metal on Lorraine Road. In this area she found corner bead (used in drywall construction) multiple times in the past, and on another occasion, an entire carton of long nails.

“Nobody hit them, fortunately,” she said. “In the bike lane, we can see it and go around it.”

She said after contacting the county, the Department of Public Works collected the items with a giant magnet. Zielinski complimented the county’s willingness to take action.

“Thank goodness Manatee County is really awesome,” she said. “When you let them know something is there, they take care of it right away.

So, kudos to our county that when they know about something, they do it quickly.”

Nonetheless, Zielinski still hopes for a solution to the debris being present in the first place.

“Corner beading doesn’t just get on the street and into the bike lane by itself,” she said. “Obviously, it got there in some way.”

MONDAY, JUNE 28, 2021 RICK HARDESTY Hardesty hit a chunk of aggregate rock (stone fill and cement) on Bourneside Boulevard, just north of State Road 70.

He broke his clavicle and three ribs, received road rash, snapped his handlebars upon impact, and totaled his bike.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022 ANDREA SACCHETTI AND ALEX KOROTKEVICH Sacchetti struck a piece of lumber sent into the air by another rider while westbound on The Masters Avenue between Players Drive and Ravelston Boulevard.

She flew over the handlebars, then was struck by Alex Korotkevich, who broke his shoulder.

She received a huge bruise and deep knee and elbow lacerations.

MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2022 MALGORZATA BORYSIEWICZ Borysiewicz struck a piece of Belgium block obscured by the rising sun on Rangeland Parkway east of Post Boulevard.

She was thrown onto the grass and received lacerations that are healing.

Zielinski said there are ways cyclists can prevent crashes due to material in the roadway. She said her experience has taught her valuable lessons.

As president of the club, Zielinski helps club members look out for one other, calling out objects in the roadway. She will often stop her group to remove objects for the 50 or 70 people in the groups behind her.

She said some cyclists have decided the roads are too dangerous and have given up biking. She said for the club members, who ride at speeds of about 20 mph, the road is the only realistic option for a place to ride,

Tom Leonhardt of the Sarasota Manatee Bicycle Club, which rides at a slower pace in general than the Village Idiots, said rider awareness could solve many of the problems.

“You get stones and sticks and gravel out there,” he said. “And it’s probably more prevalent in the construction zones than it is in others.

But it’s one thing we emphasize on all of our rides, and we have 30-plus rides a week: If you see something, you holler out, so people don’t inadvertently hit it and go down.

“It’s not a crisis-type thing. Every three or four weeks, somebody goes down and gets bumps and bruises.

Once in a while they’ll break something. You just have to pay attention. It’s just the way it is when you’re bicycling.”

Spitler, however, said he would like to see the roadways be cleaned more often.

“In the city of Sarasota or downtown Bradenton, I’m sure they use the street sweeper,” he said. “But you don’t see a street sweeper out on the roads outside of those areas.

The bike lanes just don’t get swept like they should.”

Chad Butzow, director of Public Works for Manatee County, said there is no county program specifically for the systematic maintenance of bike lanes. Instead, when it comes to roads, the county looks first and foremost at vehicle safety.

However, he said the department is aware of some cyclists’ issues and deploys staff to investigate all reports from citizens and remove whatever debris is found.

He said 3-1-1 calls should be placed to report objects large enough to be easily visible from a vehicle. However, he stressed that cyclists, in addition to motorists, should make these calls because in many cases, due to their vantage point, motorists can still overlook objects of this nature.

Butzow said the county aims to sweep major curbed roads at a rate faster than once a month but does not sweep uncurbed roads. Sweepers, which use brooms to push against curbs to collect the material, can damage grass when a curb is not present.

Bill Logan, information outreach manager for Manatee County government, said the option of an enhancement to the current sweeping program to include uncurbed roads with paved shoulders is being reviewed.

Even with the recent incidents taken into account, many members of the Village Idiots Cycling Club are determined to keep pedaling forward. Zielinski said one reason she hopes a solution can be found is the issue does not concern only cyclists, but motorists as well.

“On my way to the ride last night in my car, I ran over a two-by-four in the middle of Lakewood Ranch,” she said. “It’s not just affecting cyclists, except we are the ones getting injured. You’re not going to hurt yourself in a car necessarily, but you could get tire damage and need to get your tires replaced. It affects everybody that drives in the community.”

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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Greg Bartoli stands by the sign that directs golfers to one of two 18-hole putting courses at PopStroke Sarasota.

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Avid golfer Greg Bartoli lined up an 8-foot putt on the PopStroke Sarasota course he has opened in partnership with Tiger Woods.

Stepping up to the ball, it was apparent Bartoli has spent much of

120 South Tuttle Ave Sarasota, FL 34237

his life on a golf course. His smooth stroke rolled the ball in a direct line with the hole.

But just before the ball reached the hole, it veered slightly to the right.

Bartoli retrieved the ball and returned to his spot, where he repeated his stroke. Again, the ball burned the right edge of the cup.

It was evident that even scratch golfers would have to be on their game to ace this challenging, 36-hole course, which opened to the public April 28. Bartoli went back to his spot a third time and buried the putt.

If the third time is, indeed, the

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

RIGHT ON COURSE

What: Opening of PopStroke Sarasota When: Noon, April 28 Where: 195 University Town Center Drive, Sarasota Owners: Tiger Woods (TGR Ventures) and Greg Bartoli General manager: Jason Weathers Description: A 36-hole putting complex complete with restaurant, bar areas, game areas (foosball, ping pong, cornhole), children’s playground, big screen monitors for sports Menu: Includes steaks, burgers, chicken, seafood, craft beers, wine, signature cocktails, ice cream Cost for golf: $25 for an all-day pass to the putting complex Hours: 9 a.m. to midnight daily Designed by: TGR Design Builder: Stevens Construction Information: PopStroke.com Did you know?: PopStroke Sarasota is the third PopStroke property and the first to feature a two-story layout with a rooftop bar and private event space

charm, PopStroke Sarasota, located on the east side of University Town Center Mall, will be a huge hit in the region. It is the third opening for Bartoli and Woods’ PopStroke venture.

The first one opened in 2019 in Port St. Lucie and was followed by another in Fort Myers. So what tips were picked up as they headed into the third venue?

Bartoli said the first venture utilized some golf simulators that they ultimately decided weren’t a good fit.

Also, the Sarasota location will be the first two-story building for PopStroke and feature a top-floor event space where they will host the over21 crowd on a regular basis, or where they can entertain groups or host functions. Bartoli said live music could be part of the equation.

Three days before PopStroke was set to open to the public, Bartoli stood on the top floor and overlooked his creation.

While most stories about ownership will list Woods and quite likely

The artificial greens, turf and sand traps make for a dramatic setting.

PopStroke’s Tammy Hutchison reacts to a putt that just missed the cup at the new Sarasota location that opened April 28.

ignore Bartoli, it was his vision in 2018 that led to the quickly expanding chain, which has a fourth PopStroke set to open in Orlando in May.

In 2019, Bartoli took his vision to Woods’ TGR Ventures staff and Woods immediately embraced the concept. TGR Design worked out the specifics of the courses and the various restaurant and entertainment arms, and they quickly forged ahead.

“Everything you see here is a vision I created in 2018,” Bartoli said, looking out at the course. “But Tiger brings golf to the universe. He is a great partner who can expose new and different people to golf.”

Although Bartoli said Woods won’t be in Sarasota this week for the opening, the golfing legend plans to visit the Sarasota location in the near future. He said Woods is engaged with the concept.

While some supply chain shortages and construction delays delivered the area’s PopStroke a couple of months later than expected, the finished product is a work of commercial art. The deep greens of the greens are dotted with white, artificial bunkers. All the turf and greens are synthetic surfaces filled with sand. The bunkers were designed to be rather flat, so the players can putt out of them.

The 36 holes are divided into two 18-hole courses. One course is

wheelchair accessible and features less elevation changes for beginners, while the other 18-hole course has more dips and turns for the experienced golfer. The holes are of various lengths, with the longest putt about 100 feet.

The greens will measure 12-1/2 on the Stimpmeter, a device used to measure green speed on the PGA Tour. The fastest greens on the PGA Tour often measure 12 and above.

“There is something out there for everyone,” Bartoli said. “There will be people out there with a Scotty Cameron putter, and then there will be people out there who will be experiencing golf for the first time. This is progressive, where golf is headed in the future.”

PopStroke was built to entertain, and guests might not want to play golf but rather just enjoy a good meal and a cold drink. Or perhaps they want to challenge themselves to a game of cornhole, foosball or ping pong. A secure children’s playground is a feature as well.

For those who get a bit warm playing golf, an ice cream shop is also available.

PopStroke was courted by Benderson Development, which made the

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THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

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putting complex/restaurant/sports bar the first entertainment piece of its mixed-use plan for the 60-acre East District at UTC, which will soon include office space, hotels, restaurants and multifamily housing.

In August, when PopStroke held a groundbreaking, Benderson Executive Director of National Leasing Brett Burgher said more restaurants and entertainment options would be announced for the district in six months, but that announcement remains pending. Bergher said in August that more businesses would be open in the East District in 18 to 24 months.

PopStroke will be a neighbor of the Mote Science Education Aquarium, where construction is expected to take another two years.

“This is a great community, and the sports facilities here are incredible,” Bartoli said. “This is perfect for us. There will be millions of visitors to the mall, and the aquarium will be a great fit. Everything Benderson (Development) has done here has been impressive.”

Bartoli ventured into the miniature golf world 10 years ago by opening a course where he lives in Jupiter, which also is home to Woods. He said he saw children, young people on dates and seniors all on the course at the same time. He eventually thought he could go in a different direction.

“You can bring an 8-year-old kid to PopStroke to introduce him or her to the game,” he said. “If the kid can navigate this golf course, these skills will transfer. You defnitely can bring a kid out here to learn how to putt.”

Bartoli said his favorite spot at PopStroke Sarasota could well be the upstairs level, where he can look over the grounds. And what does he hope to see after the doors open for the first time?

“I think seeing people detach from their iPhones and reengaging with their friends and family,” he said.

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t was one day before first bell at Gene Witt Elementary School when Principal David Marshall was called by a student who said he was going to be late because he was eating breakfast.

As for why he was late trying to get through breakfast, well, Marshall still laughs as he tells the story.

“He said, ‘My orange juice is frozen, and I can’t drink it,’” Marshall said.

It was another teachable moment for Marshall, who has spent the last 39 years as an educator.

“Get your fork or spoon and do the best you can,” Marshall remembered telling the student. “But you can’t be late to class.”

Marshall said it’s the little things his students have said over the years that make him laugh and keep him looking forward to the next day.

Those special moments are dwindling, though, as Marshall will retire at the end of the school year.

His teachers and staff members understand time is short, and since Halloween they have been decorating his office and putting his face on various obects.

He’s seen himself on Mount Rushmore, as a leprechaun, as cupid and most recently, at the center of multiple flowers. The flowers will remain on the wall through April.

“I guarantee nobody looks at me as being cupid or being on Mount Rushmore or being on a flower,” Marshall said with a laugh. “The experience is the most important thing, both per-

DAVID MARSHALL Residence: Bradenton Age: 62 School: Gene Witt Elementary School Title: Principal Previous schools: Miller Elementary, Abel Florine J. Abel Elementary, Palma Sola Elementary, Blackburn Elementary and Anna Maria Elementary Favorite moment of the school year: The beginning, when it’s exciting to meet new students and their families, and schools are back to life after a summer of quiet, empty hallways

sonally with my staff as well as with the kids.”

Most importantly, Marshall said the children are why he has dedicated 39 years of his life to the students at six elementary schools from Anna Maria Island to east Bradenton.

“Kids are happy; kids are enthusiastic,” Marshall said. “There is a yearning for learning at every school, whether it’s a Title I school or not. I see similarities in all children.”

Before his long educational career began at the School District of Manatee County, Marshall already was familiar with the district. He was born and raised for most of his childhood in Manatee County.

He attended Prine Elementary School, Bayshore Middle School and Bayshore High School.

“I’ve just always been in Manatee County,” Marshall said. “It’s not something I ever really thought about leaving. My wife was here. I have three children who are all products of Manatee County schools. I was just bred to be Manatee County.”

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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David Marshall, principal of Gene Witt Elementary, will miss seeing and hearing the funny little things his students do every day when he retires at the end of the school year.

Marshall’s wife, Beth Marshall, also has a career in the School District of Manatee County, where she serves as the assistant principal at Samoset Elementary School.

“Beth is very much an educator like I am, but better than I am,” Marshall said with a chuckle.

Being in Manatee County and a variety of schools for so long has made it difficult for Marshall to go out into the community without being recognized by a colleague, current or former student, former classmate or a student he coached in football and baseball at Bayshore High School when he was teaching at Miller Elementary.

“You run into people everywhere you go,” Marshall said. “When my children were young, they would always say, ‘Dad, don’t stop and talk with someone.’ But every time you get some place, it’s either a student or someone I went to school with.”

After news of his retirement spread, people started posting on his Facebook page, including former student athletes. They still call him “coach.”

“Building relationships is the most important part of your job,” Marshall said. “Letting people know you care about them, letting them know you’re there for them in bad times as well as the good. All of us have had personal conflict with sickness and death, but we also rejoice with weddings and babies being born. I love that I live in a place where I can go and talk with people from the past or they remember a project we did.”

With only a month left before retirement, Marshall looks forward to the big moments left for his students, whether it’s a field trip to the plan-

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Marshall said the last day of school will be bittersweet.

“It’s going to be hard to think that in August, you’re not going to go to school,” Marshall said as tears filled his eyes.

While students and teachers return to school, Marshall will be at his Bradenton home, where he has lived for the past 34 years, working on a honey-do list from his wife and taking time for his hobbies, like golfing, working outside and fishing.

He’ll also spend time visiting his children, Melanie, Nolan and Matthew.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

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

Courtesy photo

Audrey Quale, a retired Braden River Elementary School teacher, helps high school seniors and her former students Conor Reilly, Jacob Jackson and Zechariah Johnston try to find the time capsule they buried together in fifth grade.

Hole in the plan Former fifth grade classmates can’t find time capsule they buried at Braden River Elementary.

LIZ RAMOS STAFF WRITER

R

etired teacher Audrey Quale went to Braden River Elementary School April 20 to literally dig up

the past.

With shovel in hand, Quale began digging just outside her former classroom to unearth a time capsule her fifth grade class buried at the end of the 2014-2015 school year. Quale had planned a special celebration to open the capsule April 22 at the school.

After hours of digging, Quale had nothing to show for the effort except some holes.

“I’m going to owe them sod,” Quale said as she looked at a pile of dirt.

She did find the stone marking where the time capsule was buried, but the time capsule was nowhere to be found underneath that stone.

Brooke Pater, now a senior at Lakewood Ranch High School and a student in Quale’s fifth grade class in 2014-2015, joined Quale on April 21 as they tried to find the capsule. Even Pater’s mother, Lorraine Pater, lent a hand digging.

Lorraine Pater called Hayley Rio, the former principal who was working in 2014-2015, to see if she remembered where the capsule was buried. Rio did not know.

When 10 students from her 201415 fifth grade class reunited April 22, Quale was empty-handed.

“Now it’s Braden River Elementary urban legend,” Quale said.

While disappointed, the students were just as excited to talk about their memories, as well as the unknown fate of the capsule.

“The time capsule was just an excuse to get together, so it’s OK if it actually is still in the ground,” Quale said.

In 2015, the students in the “Q-Crew,” the name Quale bestowed on her class, knew they wanted to gather again in the future, but they didn’t know how. Quale decided the time capsule would be the last assignment she gave her students before they graduated and moved onto middle school.

None of the students could remember what they put in the time capsule.

Frank Petrone, now a senior at Parrish Community High School, thought he might have put a drawing of Thumper Jr., the bunny the class saved after finding it injured alongside the school during a science project, in the time capsule. “(Thumper Jr.) had a big influence on class because he was our class pet for a couple of weeks,” Petrone said.

He also thought he might have put a puck in the capsule because of his love of ice hockey.

But it looks like they might never know.

Even if they didn’t have the capsule, Quale was all smiles as she visited with the students who had spent 180 days together in her class.

Petrone said it was weird being back at his elementary school with his former classmates. He hadn’t been to the school since he graduated

Executive Editor and COO / Kat Hughes, KHughes@YourObserver.com Managing Editor / Jay Heater, JHeater@YourObserver.com Sports Editor / Ryan Kohn, RKohn@YourObserver.com Staff Writers / Liz Ramos, LRamos@YourObserver.com; Ian Swaby, ISwaby@YourObserver.com Digital & Engagement Editor / Kaelyn Adix, KAdix@YourObserver.com Copy Editor / Shawn Candela, SCandela@YourObserver.com Editorial Designers / Melissa Leduc, MLeduc@YourObserver.com; José Valle, JValle@YourObserver.com A+E Editor / Spencer Fordin, SFordin@YourObserver.com Black Tie Editor / Harry Sayer, HSayer@YourObserver.com Director of Advertising / Jill Raleigh, JRaleigh@YourObserver.com Sales Manager / Penny Nowicki, PNowicki@YourObserver.com Regional Digital Director / Kathleen O’Hara, KOHara@YourObserver.com Senior Advertising Executive / Laura Ritter, LRitter@YourObserver.com Advertising Executives / Richeal Bair, RBair@YourObserver.com; Beth Jacobson, BJacobson@YourObserver.com; Jennifer Kane, JKane@YourObserver.com; Honesty Mantkowski, HMantkowski@YourObserver. com; Toni Perren, TPerren@YourObserver. com; Brenda White, BWhite@ YourObserver.com Classified Advertising Sales Executive / Lexi Huelsman, LHuelsman@ YourObserver.com Sales Operations Manager / Susan Leedom, SLeedom@YourObserver.com Sales Coordinator / Account Manager Lori Downey, LDowney@YourObserver.com Digital Fulfillment Specialist / Emma Burke, EBurke@YourObserver.com Tributes Coordinator / Kristen Boothroyd, Tributes@YourObserver.com Director of Marketing / Robin Lankton, RLankton@YourObserver.com

Photos by Liz Ramos

“Having taught for as long as I have, I can tell you there is an almost undefinable spark you can sometimes feel in a class.

I’ve only felt it a handful of times.”

— Audrey Quale

from fifth grade.

“The halls seem so much smaller,” Petrone said. “I get it’s been seven years, but still. I recognize everything. I knew exactly where to go. It’s just very nostalgic.”

As students looked at photos from their fifth grade years, the memories started coming back.

Allessia Ukmar, now a senior at Cardinal Mooney High School, remembered having a sleepover at Sea World as a fifth grade field trip.

Quale’s class stayed in the room outside the beluga whales’ tank.

Petrone remembered his days as a safety patroller, creating friendships with his fellow patrollers. He loved going to Universal’s Islands of

Adventure in Orlando with all of the safety patrollers.

“It’s like working a job, you make a bond with somebody quickly,” Petrone said. “I remember it was the whole day we spent (at Islands of Adventure). I’ll never forget it. It was kind of sad, too, because it was our last field trip at that age.”

Pater recalled studying for weeks for the spelling bee. On the day of the bee, she was eliminated in the first round. Her word was “photograph.”

“I studied so hard for that, and I lost with my first word,” said Pater, still disappointed.

Jair Geraci, now a senior at Parrish Community High, remembers spending his days after school playing wall ball with Petrone and his other friends.

Most of all, every student and Quale remembered how tightknit the students were in the “Q-Crew.”

“Having taught for as long as I have, I can tell you there is an almost undefinable spark you can sometimes feel in a class,” Quale said. “I’ve only felt it a handful of times. All the days aren’t perfect, but you’re building a love of learning and respect for each other and respect for setting goals for the future. They all had that.”

Above: Students from Audrey Quale’s fifth grade class at Braden River Elementary School reunite with their classmates and teacher outside Quale’s old classroom.

Left: Clara Kaiser, now a Braden River High School senior, hugs her fifth grade teacher, Audrey Quale. They haven’t seen each other in seven years.

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SIDE OF RANCH

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

9

JAY HEATER

Big changes for Lakewood Ranch Community Fund I “I’ve always had a passion for giving back to the community. This position is fulfilling our family’s mission.”

— Nicole Ryskamp

Photos by Jay Heater

Nicole Ryskamp takes over as president of the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund June 1.

John Clarke founded the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund in 2000 with the thought that any thriving community needs to redistribute some wealth to the betterment of the community as a whole. By the nature of Clarke’s connections, the fund was driven by developers and builders, and those who served them.

Fink had the foresight to understand that the landscape has changed — literally. While developers and builders continue to dominate the farer reaches of Lakewood Ranch, much of the community has

been formed. Fink’s idea was that the area’s residents would become more involved with the fund so the reliance on builders would be lessened.

Unfortunately, the pandemic was a tough time to go door-to-door shaking hands. But Fink has offered a new mindset.

Ryskamp, therefore, is taking over at an exciting time for the fund.

Along with dedicating funds to pay a full-time employee, she said the board is moving toward a bigger schedule of events. Five years ago, The Lakewood Ranch Community

Fund Gala was the social event of the year in the area. But, once again, the gala was fueled by developers and builders buying entire tables at the event to bring in money to the fund.

As years passed, fewer of those tables sold, and board members were concerned the gala would become more of a financial burden than a generator. The price of a ticket to the gala was high, so some board members worried the general public was being shut out. The gala died three years ago.

For an organization that doesn’t have many events, losing the gala was a problem.

Ryskamp isn’t saying the gala will return, but she said the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund is planning more events in the coming year.

It’s going to be more work, but the residents are going to become more familiar with what the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund does.

Already the organization’s website has been redesigned with the volunteered help of Grapevine Communications. Check it out at LWRFund.org. It’s going to have up-to-date news and easy ways for people to get involved, whether that means becoming a volunteer or by donating money.

In 2021, the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund received its own 501(c)(3) exemption, after spending 20 years as part of the Manatee Community Foundation. It’s a

whole new world, and Ryskamp will be steering the ship. The fund has sent $1.4 million back into the community in all its years combined, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it tops that amount in the next decade.

Ryskamp said the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund has aligned with the Lakewood Ranch Information Center on Lakewood Main Street so that people coming into the community for the first time will be introduced to the fund as they look at homes. It’s another great step forward.

It’s a big job for her, but Ryskamp said she is up to it.

“I’ve always had a passion for giving back to the community,” she said. “This position is fulfilling our family’s mission.”

Ryskamp and her husband, Patrick, live in River Club and have two boys in 19-year-old Cade, and 17-year-old Cole. The couple wants their boys to see them work to give back to the community in the hopes the boys follow that path as well.

Now it’s almost time to get to work.

“It nice that people are going back to live events,” Ryskamp said “When we invite people to things, they want to say yes.

“We want to reach the families, and host family friendly events. And I want to give a lot of credit to David (Fink). I would like to continue with his vision and enhance it.”

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

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’m sure Nicole Ryskamp, a Realtor and a real estate attorney with Michael Saunders, was worried about filling the shoes of David Fink as she becomes president of the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund on June 1.

Of course, now she knows the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund has hired someone to hold the shoehorn.

In this case, that person will be full-time Executive Director Adrienne Bookhamer, who represents a philosophy switch by the board.

Bookhamer becomes the fund’s first paid employee May 2.

Those who know Fink must be wondering what he could have accomplished during his two-year term if he had such a person dedicating every day to the fund and nothing else. He always has been a ball of energy whatever the community cause, but he was working with an entirely volunteer force through two years of a pandemic. It doesn’t seem fair.

While Lakewood Ranch Community Fund presidents are now being cut to a one-year term, Ryskamp will be the first to have a full-time employee running day-to-day operations and, boy, does she appreciate it.

“Everybody has been coming to the board meetings with their ideas, but then they go back to their paying jobs,” she said. “We have a person now who will manage events, communications and marketing.

This is huge for us.”

It is huge for the community.

I always felt the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund has been somewhat of a sleeping giant. A small group of dedicated volunteers have worked to collect funds and redistribute them to nonprofits in the community. The effort of these folks has been nothing short of amazing.

Former SMR President and CEO

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

Dumping the data Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance and Sarasota IT firm SouthTech cohost an annual event to dispose of electronic waste.

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

For SouthTech, the Data Dump event in Lakewood Ranch came as a result of a literal cleanup.

The Sarasota IT firm began helping its clients recycle electronic waste six years ago, but the response was so enthusiastic that the used equipment took over SouthTech’s office.

So SouthTech paired with the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance to begin Data Dump in 2019, and after a break due to the pandemic, the event returned on Earth Day (April 22) in a parking lot near Lakewood Ranch Town Hall. The event allowed the public to dump 11,905 pounds of electronic waste free of charge.

Alliance Vice President Dan Sidler was surprised by how many residents need to safely get rid of electronic clutter.

“We reached a lot of residents, which was surprising for us,” Sidler said. “We normally communicate with the business community, but I think this partnership (with SouthTech) helped create a strong turnout of residents.”

When the event, which also involved Quicksilver Recycling Services, began at 9 a.m., people already were waiting. Greenbrook’s Jerry Lashower was disposing of a desktop computer and two laptop computers, which he said he had set aside for five years after they declined in function.

“I’ve been wondering how to get rid of them safely,” he said. “So when I got the notice about this, I jumped all over it.”

Lashower watched intently as a combination of workers drilled

DATA DUMP ITEMS Items Accepted n LCD monitors n Computers n Keyboards n Cables n Printers n Laptops n Tablets n Phones

and pried with screwdrivers to tear open the computers to remove the hard drives. The drives were then punched through with an industrial drill press.

By 9:30 a.m., a pallet of electronics approximately 3 feet in diameter was piled high with electronics and wrapped in plastic for disposal.

Many more followed.

toxins, such as lead, are removed from the electronics because these would otherwise leech into the ground and enter aquifers, bringing the toxins into the environment.

REMOVAL OF INFORMATION

Jim Lawler, vice president of Quicksilver Recycling Services, said that landfills in many areas, including Manatee County’s at Lena Road, have a location that will accept electronics, but they do not destroy the data beforehand. The Data Dump gave residents with security concerns a chance to dispose of their devices.

Lawler said the drill press is the most-effective method for rendering a hard drive unusable. He explained that while it is possible to use software to wipe data and then resell the drive, punching a hole prevents any possibility of error.

The removal of the hard disk in front of the owner is intended to offer total safety.

The data-storing component of a hard drive, the platter, is much smaller than the drive itself and typically made of aluminum, glass or ceramic substrate.

“That part of the drive is brittle,” he said. “When it’s pressed, it just shatters like glass.”

He pointed out the numerous fragments lying in the basin of the drill press.

Lawler said that with decreasing hard drive prices, this disposal method now offers the best combination of safety and efficiency.

Once the data has been destroyed, the electronics will be sent to the Quicksilver facility in Tampa, where they will be further disassembled and the parts separated by type, including steel, circuit boards, cables, wire, plastics, copper-bearing material, and more.

Items Not Accepted n Televisions n Batteries n CRT monitors

Photos by Ian Swaby

Above: Haciendus King wraps a pallet of safeto-recycle electronics.

Right: Dan Sidler, vice president of the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance, and Jim Lawler, vice president of Quicksilver, stand in front of a truckload of electronics.

LARGE AMOUNT RECYCLED

If the electronics contain newer components, they might be repurposed, reused or resold, though according to Lawler, about 95% of all material is recycled.

Materials for recycling are shipped to metal refining facilities, with the closest such facility being Reldan Metals in Pennsylvania. These facilities use acid-based chemical products to smelt down the material, separating out the metals through their differing weights.

He said this process is beneficial

to the environment for multiple reasons. One is that it allows precious metals contained in circuit boards and other components, including gold, palladium and platinum, to be recycled. After separation by the chemicals, these metals can be incorporated into jewelry and any other items that use them. This process is known as urban mining.

“There’s a lot less energy involved in mining precious metals through electronic recycling than there is in actually mining gold,” said Lawler.

He said the event also ensures that

STRICT STANDARDS

He also emphasized that the recycling process follows strict environmental standards; the firms that perform these tasks are regulated by state environmental laws, in addition to being audited by independent companies such as R2 Corporation and e-Steward. “It’s a very regulated business,” he said.

Although the majority of residents attended earlier in the morning, a fairly steady flow of visitors continued as the event stretched on to 1 p.m.

Karen Ostrosky, a resident of the Lakewood Ranch Country Club, said that her husband, who recently died, left behind a wide range of electronics he had collected. She had been unable to find anyone who would take one laptop he owned.

“It would have taken me a while to get in there and figure out how to wipe the data,” Ostrosky said. “Even with software, it’s difficult to erase everything. So I figured the manual way is best.”

Indigo resident Mick Chianese brought in a large desktop PC. “It’s just good that somebody knows how to do that,” he said, “We didn’t really know what to do. We wanted to make sure whatever information we had on it was gone.”

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THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

Tea time with mama bear

TRIBUTES Dr. Gerald Derstine 1928-2022

At Bearadise Ranch in Myakka, you actually can mess with mama bear.

Dr. Gerald Derstine, 93, of Bradenton, Florida, passed away on Feb. 12, 2022. Serving more than 70 years in fulltime ministry, he was the founder in 1968 of Christian Retreat Conference Center in East Manatee county, and president of Gospel Crusade, Inc., a non-profit worldwide missions organization.

MANAGING EDITOR

wide. He established numerous churches, including The Tabernacle in Sarasota, authored many books over the years and has left a legacy that will continue to impact millions worldwide.

In his personal life, Gerald involved his family in the ministry from an early age, instilling in them a passion to serve the Lord through their own gifts and callings.

He always loved music, and played the accordion, piano and organ by ear. But preaching the Word was his joy—and, to the delight of his audiences, he usually found a way to sneak a song into his sermon.

Born in Souderton, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 13, 1928, Gerald is preceded in death by his parents, Willis and Naomi Derstine, and two brothers, Durrell and Willis. Gerald’s late wife of 67 years, Beulah, went to be with the Lord in 2016. He is survived by his wife, Shirley

At 26, Carroll the European brown bear, Bearadise Ranch’s celebrity resident, has taken up a new hobby.

Painting.

As such, Bearadise Ranch owner Monica Welde will let Carroll, who once starred in a Toyota commercial, demonstrate “paw painting” to those who attend the “Teddy Bear Tea Party” May 7 at Bearadise Ranch in Myakka City.

The event will allow the public to watch the nine bears in a natural habitat while Welde delivers information about the bears. Besides the “paw painting” demonstration, those who attend will be treated to a tea party that includes lunch and dessert. Welde has arranged for some “surprise animal guests” to visit the event, and kids can enjoy bear cookie decorating.

“I try to come up with different things to attract people who haven’t been here,” Welde said. “I thought a tea party would be cute. Little kids love tea parties.”

Of the nine bears on the ranch, six are European brown bears, one is a grizzly and two are Syrian brown bears. Five are females and four are males. Carroll is the only mother.

Welde, who took over responsibility for the ranch’s operation after her husband, Johnny, died in 2017, said she has cut way down on summer travel for the bears, so she needs to find ways to generate funds at the ranch. It is the first time she is hosting a Mother’s Day tea party, and she has added a summer kids’ camp for the first time that runs June 6-10.

This is Welde’s 23rd year at Bearadise Ranch.

(Nafziger); four children, Joanne Curphey (Bill), Phil Derstine (Jannette), Tim Derstine (Beverly), Steve Derstine (Brynn), 14 grandchildren; Jenifer Derstine, Tanya Gervais (Josh), Cori Edwards (Brian), Lauren Derstine, Amy Johnson (Justin), Michelle Derstine, Michael Derstine, Steven Derstine, Kiersten Hunter (Chris), Charles Hellier V, Stephanie Derstine, Christopher Derstine (Amelia), Avery Derstine, Rylan Derstine; and 12 great-grandchildren. He also is survived

by Shirley’s children; Tyler Nafziger, Tony Nafziger (Sandra), Todd Nafziger (Renae) and April Shallo (John); 13 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life was held Mar. 27th at Christian Retreat, Bradenton, FL. Interment will be at the Strawberry Lake Mennonite Church, Ogema, MN, where he began his ministry.

File photo

Carroll the bear will be doing a paw painting demonstration during the Teddy Bear Tea Party May 7 at Bearadise Ranch in Myakka City.

IT BEARS NOTICE

Upcoming events at Bearadise Ranch: TEDDY BEAR TEA PARTY When: 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. May 7 Where: Bearadise Ranch, 6908 245th St. E., Myakka City Cost: $30 for adults; $15 for children 17 and under; free for those 4 and under (lunch included) More information or tickets: Email BigBearPines10@aol.com or call 322-2462 Description: The event to honor mothers includes bear viewing while they swim and play in a natural habitat, informative talks, a tea party and lunch (finger sandwiches, pigs in a blanket, fruit, pastries and desserts, tea, coffee and juice), a paw painting demonstration by Carroll the bear, bear cookie decorating, special animal guests KAMP KODIAK AT BEARADISE RANCH When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 6-10 Where: Bearadise Ranch, 6908 245th St. E., Myakka City Cost: $300 per child or $75 per child per day Ages: 7-11 More information or reservations: Email BigBearPines10@aol.com or call 322-2462 Description: Kids learn about bears through fun activities. A picnic lunch is served each day; kids stay busy with arts and crafts, outdoor activities and games, and special animal guests

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He also was founder and director of Strawberry Lake Christian Retreat in Minnesota, North Country Christian Retreat in New York, and the Institute of Ministry in Bradenton. As director of Israel Affairs International, he established many churches and promoted peace throughout the Middle East.

Gerald was a pioneer in the Charismatic Renewal following an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on his Mennonite congregation in 1955. His autobiography, “Following the Fire,” gives his account of the supernatural revival in Minnesota that changed the course of his life and catapulted him into a global ministry. He was noted for his balanced teaching on the Holy Spirit and the Kingdom of God. In addition to his Bible teaching programs on CBN, he was featured on many Christian television stations world-

JAY HEATER

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APRIL 28, 2022

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

Marcelo Gomes and Victoria Hulland in Sir Frederick Ashton’s “Apparitions”

Victoria Hulland and Ricardo Graziano in Sir Frederick Ashton’s “Enigma Variations”

Ricardo Graziano and Victoria Hulland in Sir David Bintley’s “A Comedy of Errors”

LAST DANCE SPENCER FORDIN A+E EDITOR

T

here are two images of Victoria Hulland that will remain emblazoned in Margaret Barbieri’s

mind.

In one, she’s a young ingenue standing out from dozens of other dancers at an audition, and in another, she’s a mother rehearsing for Victoria Hulland and Marcelo Gomes in Sir Frederick Ashton’s “Varii Capricci”

her final performance in front of her 2-year-old daughter.

That first memory occurred 15 years ago, and the second one happened last week.

SEE LAST DANCE, PAGE 14

Victoria Hulland and Ricardo Rhodes in Sir Peter Wright’s “Giselle”

Photos courtesy of Frank Atura

Danielle Brown, Victoria Hulland and Richard House

Victoria Hulland in Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s “Elite Syncopations”

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

Last dance FROM PAGE 13

In between, Hulland became a principal dancer and the perfect embodiment of what Barbieri was looking for in a leading lady, and now it’s become hard for her to imagine staging her ballets with anyone else in the role. Barbieri and Hulland recently joined the Observer on a conference call to discuss “Serendipitous Movement,” the final Sarasota Ballet event of the season, and Barbieri was effusive in her praise.

Hulland might be retiring at the close of the season, but she’ll always be close to Barbieri’s heart.

“Many dancers have done them, and there will be many more who will do them. But I have to say I’m going to always have your picture in my brain when I see these ballets,” Barbieri told Hulland.

“As a mother, I totally understand.

But as an assistant director, I never want her to leave.”

Hulland’s retirement marks the end of an era for Sarasota Ballet, an era that began right when Iain Webb and Barbieri were getting ready to take over the organization.

Barbieri recalls staging an audition in New York, where they received a much bigger turnout than they expected.

Hulland was still a trainee at the Boston Ballet at the time, but she immediately stood out.

Barbieri says she can’t quite put her finger on what “star quality” means, but Hulland had it from the beginning.

“There’s something in there you see,” she says. “I have said in the past that I can walk into a room and see them warming up, and I can tell you who I’m going to like. It’s the way they’re warming up. The way they’re working. Their determination. I already know who I should be looking at even before they’ve done one step. When there’s 100 in a room, you’re less likely to spot that talent straight away. But you do hone in on people and see their potential.

“It’s funny because Iain always says, ‘Who are you looking at?’ Then I give him my numbers; he gives me his, and they’re identical.”

Webb and Barbieri didn’t just hire Hulland from that audition.

They also hired Ricardo Rhodes, who had been Hulland’s friend and fellow trainee at Boston Ballet.

Danielle Brown and Amy Wood were also hired from that audition, and that quartet spent more than a decade with the company.

With Hulland retiring, only Brown and Rhodes will remain as dancers next season.

“I’m so blessed and fortunate that I came upon Sarasota Ballet and that they brought me into their company,” says Hulland. “I felt like I fit here, and it became my family. I was happy to stay for 15 years.”

“You feel blessed, but we feel blessed,” says Barbieri. “There were a lot of people there; we didn’t expect so many people. And I remember at one point, I couldn’t see the wood from the trees. But we did hone in on you and the other three dancers. And you all had a very special quality. I don’t think we thought then that you had the special qualities that would be perfect for the Ashton ballets and the Balanchines and everything else, but we saw something very special.

There was a radiance. There was a look. There was the way you danced and how much you loved it. You could see that. Iain and I instantly at the same time said, ‘We’ve got to have that girl.’”

ROOTS IN DANCE

Hulland, for her part, says she had an inauspicious beginning in ballet.

Her parents first enrolled her in ballet when she was 2 years old, and she spent the whole class crying.

She tried again when she was 4, and ballet really clicked for her. Prior to that point, she had tried tap and jazz and many other forms of dance.

But Hulland credits her teacher, Nicole Nasto, for really stoking her appreciation for the craft that became her career.

“She was just wonderful. She was so good to me,” says Hulland.

“Instead of saying, ‘Do these steps,’ she would explain why we did them.

I really liked the knowledge behind it, not just doing it but knowing why I’m doing it and what I should be thinking about with the technique. Ballet became more of a mental thing for me than just a physical thing. That’s when I really fell in love with it.”

Soon after falling in love, she rapidly found that she might have a

IF YOU GO

SERENDIPITOUS MOVEMENT When: 7:30 p.m., April 29; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., April 30 Where: Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. Tickets: $35-$105 Info: SarasotaBallet.org

future in it.

Hulland started seriously training at age 12 and says she moved away from home to study ballet full time at age 17.

A year later, she was dancing at the Boston Ballet as a trainee alongside Rhodes when she attended the fateful audition that ultimately brought her to Sarasota.

Which is where she’s been ever since.

Hulland says that while the future is the great unknown, she’s not planning on becoming a totally different person in retirement.

“Everybody’s like, ‘Are you going to go skiing now?’” she jokes. “I’m still too scared to go skiing.”

The thoughts of retirement first began to pop into her head when her daughter Thea was born.

But then came the COVID pandemic, which forced her to reevaluate. Hulland says that she’s so happy she had a chance to have a normal season, but she knows beyond any doubt that it’s time to move on.

“I’ve been thinking about it kind of all year to make sure I was sure about the decision,” she says. “I’ve been doing it my whole life. If not professionally, working toward becoming a professional. It’s a big change.

“If you’re going to be a professional ballet dancer, you have to be so dedicated. It takes so much time and energy and passion. And not just physically. Mentally, too. And emotionally. Because you put your whole self into it. I’ve actually been thinking about that a lot lately because I’m getting closer to the end; I think it’s going to be a challenge figuring out how to function as not a ballet dancer. I think I’ll still want to take ballet classes to keep in shape. It’s all I’ve really known as an adult.”

THE NEXT CHAPTER

Hulland says she’d like to take some

You Served.

time off to concentrate on being a mother, but ultimately she would like to contribute her knowledge to the next generation.

Barbieri, who made the same transition decades ago, can relate.

Barbieri says she had some fanciful ideas about what she wanted to do in retirement before she decided she wanted to stay around ballet.

“I had this idea where we’d get a house in the country,” she says. “I was going to grow my own vegetables and have a restaurant so I could use all those vegetables. And then I was going to have an antique shop. I was combining all my hobbies into one.

I was going to have this place where all my friends would come for lunch and dinner and to buy their antiques.

But when it came time to the actual crunch, I realized I had absolutely nil experience in this and I’d better do something that I knew about.”

The final program of Hulland’s career is part of her full circle.

She performed in Elite Syncopations — the final act of the “Serendipitous Movement” program — during her first season with Sarasota Ballet. She was a member of the corps de ballet then, but now she’s a leading lady for the final time.

And so there she was, just last week, touched by her final rehearsals with Rhodes, with whom she’s spent her entire career.

And there was her daughter, just days ago, watching as she danced.

“I’m dancing with my friend and partner for many years,” she says.

“We didn’t even start dancing yet.

The music started playing, and I was tearing up. This has been such a huge part of my life and so many amazing memories. My best friends. That’s why I keep saying the company has become my family. I’m going to miss the dancing and the performing, but I’m going to miss the people so much.”

For Barbieri, looking on, it was an out-of-body experience.

Here she was, watching her dancers prepare, and she couldn’t take her eyes off of Hulland’s daughter.

Barbieri just wanted to savor the moment; she wanted it to last forever, and she doesn’t want to ever let go of the affection she has for Hulland.

“I get a bit tearful when I talk about this; yesterday Victoria brought in her daughter to watch, and that was so adorable,” she says.

Courtesy photo

Macarena Gimenez and Maximilliano Iglesias

NEW DANCERS ON TAP FOR SARASOTA BALLET’S NEXT SEASON

It’s a changing of the toes for the Sarasota Ballet.

Principal Victoria Hulland might be retiring at the end of the season, but the organization announced last week that it will dance on capable legs next season.

The Sarasota Ballet announced that it will hire Macarena Gimenez and Maximilliano Iglesias from Argentina’s Estable del Teatro Colón prior to next season.

Gimenez began her career in Argentina in 2004 and also trained in Germany. She joined the Teatro Colón Ballet in 2012 and became a soloist in 2017.

She was elevated to principal the following year, and she’s toured the world as a member of the company.

Iglesias began his training at age 10, when he won a scholarship to study at the Julio Bocca Foundation in Buenos Aires. He was hired by the Teatro Colón Ballet in 2010, and he became a soloist in 2017 and a principal the following year.

Hulland, who joined the Sarasota Ballet for the 2007-08 season, will retire at the conclusion of this one.

She’s part of a trend in ballet, which has lost several dancers in recent years.

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15

Punchlines that don’t punch down The hard work of penning a musical sketch comedy show takes longer than you might imagine.

IF YOU GO

‘LAUGHING MATTERS, VARIANT 6: PARANOIA ON PARADE’ When: Runs through June 12 Where: Court Cabaret, 1265 First St. Tickets: $34-$39 Info: FloridaStudioTheatre.org

SPENCER FORDIN A+E EDITOR

wedge several funny people into the same room, that’s when the show really begins to take shape. Durham says that the team aimed to have its first draft done by Thanksgiving and had a rehearsal draft done at some point in December.

The cast doesn’t arrive until January, when the team is still shaping the show. Durham estimated that as many as 16 songs got cut from the final version.

Why does it work that way?

Because the world changes, and so do the things that make people laugh.

“We have new segments throughout, but there was a joke about the Russia-Ukraine situation,” says Durham . “At the time we wrote it, it was still just conversations. Then, when it actually went into turmoil, we were like, ‘We should redo that line.’

And that was a week or two after having opened. We took that joke in a completely different direction.

When we started writing this show, we had ideas like, ‘COVID’s finally gone away.’ And then we’re getting a little farther along and we were like, ‘COVID’s not going anywhere.’

Those things had to be rewritten months before we got into rehearsal.”

Hopkins noted that it is rare for things to change once the show begins; she says another line about audience members needing masks needed to be edited because the theater’s mask policy changed.

But this isn’t an improv show, and Hopkins wants it to run as written.

“It’s not encapsulating this week,” she says. “It’s encapsulating this time period. We want it to have a life.

It’s a full-fledged production. It has sets, and it has costumes. It’s not the kind of sketch thing where we’re just throwing things up.”

Sometimes events change and make things less funny, and sometimes the world changes so a line isn’t factually correct.

But often times, says Allen, the script will change because a line doesn’t resonate with the cast.

“Once you get the cast in the room, the cast responds to the material differently, and the way they interpret it may not exactly match what you’re looking for,” he says. “We may have

Photos courtesy of Florida Studio Theatre

Above: FST writers Rebecca Hopkins, Jim Prosser, Sarah Durham and Kevin Allen know how to find the funny.

Left: Nick Anastasia, Jenna Cormey and Richie McCall — along with William Selby, not pictured — are tasked with converting the script into laughs.

something that’s a banger in concept that we think is hilarious, and the cast doesn’t really connect to it. ... That’s where you as a writer have to check your ego at the door.

“We’re creating something for this community and really challenging them in a lot of ways.”

Some topics in Sarasota are easier than others to extract comedy from.

You don’t have to worry about political implications when you’re joking about traffic or snowbird season.

But how do the writers address political humor without making people upset in the process?

They do it by looking for the universal thing we can all accept and understand. They aren’t looking to pit citizen against citizen by picking

at their political ideologies in public.

“They make fun of what we all agree on,” says Hopkins of sketches needling Gov. Ron DeSantis and President Joe Biden. “It’s not so much about the individual policies as much as it’s about the personalities that are behind those policies.

“It’s a little bit of a trick because no matter what side of the aisle you’re on, in the DeSantis piece and the Biden piece, you can interpret it to be on your side. ... I’ve had multiple people tell me that DeSantis should use the song as his campaign song.”

Allen, who wrote the DeSantis song, loves the dichotomy in people’s reactions.

“I’ve had people that are proDeSantis come up to me and say, ‘I

love what you did with that song,’” he says. “And people who are totally against him who are like, ‘I love how you guys went after him with that piece.’ That’s one of the really cool moments I’ve had as a writer.”

After all the months and all the meetings to put the script together, what’s it like waiting to see how the jokes land? For Durham, it’s still nerve-wracking. She says that the writers stood on the balcony watching the audience at the first full dress rehearsal, and immediately they could tell where certain tables lined up due to their body language.

“I still get nervous every time seeing if my jokes are going to land,” she says. “We call them ‘civilian audiences’ early in the process. We know what’s landing and what’s not landing. But a joke can land so well one night, and the next night it doesn’t land. ...Someone told me once: ‘Anybody can make somebody sad.

Anybody can make somebody angry.

But to actually make someone laugh is the hardest thing to do.’”

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Y

ou might think that a musical sketch comedy show is written by the seat of its pants.

You’d be wrong.

The writing staff of Florida Studio Theatre’s “Laughing Matters” series labors for a year to gather comedic material, sharpen it and make sure it doesn’t play favorites.

They want as many laughs as possible, but they also want balance.

The last thing a comedic writing team wants is to take easy shots at targets that might alienate members of the audience. At the same time, they want you to laugh, even if it means laughing at yourself.

That’s one of the most difficult lines to walk in a time of political polarization, but head writer Rebecca Hopkins says that challenge is really the whole point of the show.

“We really came back to this show because we see the divisiveness,” she says. “It was a big challenge to make sure we didn’t feed into that, that we did something to bring the community together and remind people that you like your neighbor. We can all laugh about this stuff, and that’s probably going to be the way we’ll find our way through it. Everybody thinks things have never been as bad as they are now, but people have been saying that forever.”

Hopkins, the managing director of FST, has been milking laughs out of current events forever. The last version of “Laughing Matters, Variant 5,” played in 2016. That means Hopkins and her writers are charged with taking the world of the past few years, framing it in a Sarasota-centric light and mining it for laughs.

“We really started at the end of the summer,” says Hopkins. “It stops and starts because we’re producing so many things here at the theater. This time last year, I committed to doing it and started thinking about it. In the summer, Sarah (Durham) and I first started working on it together.

Then Jim Prosser got involved. Kevin (Allen) came in early in the process.

And it kind of goes along for a while.”

The show, which began in February, takes a whole NASCAR pit crew to write. Hopkins, Prosser, Durham and Allen had their roles, as did Stephan deGhelder, Tony Hendricks and Nick Santa Maria. And when you

16

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

SUNDAY

THIS WEEK

A TRIBUTE TO BARBRA 7:30 p.m. at Jervey Theatre, 140 W. Tampa Ave., Venice $38 Visit VeniceTheatre.org.

Memories. They light the corners of your mind. Sharon Owens is going to jog your subconscious as she takes you through the best of Barbra Streisand all in the course of a couple hours. Runs through Monday.

LAUGHING MATTERS 3 and 8 p.m. at John C. Court Cabaret, 1265 First. St. $36 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

The hit musical sketch comedy show is back for its sixth edition, and the performers have a lot of topical humor to share with Sarasota residents and guests alike. The show is inspired by the culture and politics of today’s world and takes on broad targets in the interest of making the largest amount of people laugh.

MONDAY

OUR PICK

CUBAN PROJECT: HISTORIAS It’s a story Leymis Bolaños Wilmott has been waiting her entire life to tell. Bolaños Wilmott, the artistic director of Sarasota Contemporary Dance, is taking on the weighty topics of immigration and family memory in Cuban Project: Historias. The dancer and choreographer is interpreting the tales of her parents and countless other Cuban-Americans who emigrated to the United States as part of Operacion Pedro Pan in the 1960s.

IF YOU GO When: 7 p.m. April 28, 29 and 30; 2 p.m. May 1 Where: FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail Tickets: $10-$45 Info: SarasotaContemporaryDance.org.

Virtuoso pianist Antonio Chen Guang will tickle the ivories at 7 p.m. Saturday at State College of Florida.

FRIDAY

‘ANDARES (PATHWAYS)’ BY MAKUYEIKA COLLECTIVE TEATRAL 7:30 p.m. at Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Road $25-$35 Visit Ringling.org.

‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST JR.’ 7 p.m. at Studio 1130, Crossings at Siesta Key, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail $15 Visit ThePlayers.org.

Settle in for a dramatic work in the Spanish language. The Ringling welcomes the Makuyeika Collective Teatral, which is dedicated to presenting original works inspired by the narratives of Mexico’s indigenous people, for a play that shines a spotlight on life in the country’s most-remote areas. Runs through Saturday.

‘TITANIC: THE MUSICAL’ 7:30 p.m. at Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Ave. W. $30-$38 ManateePerformingArtsCenter.org.

Antonio Chen Guang has won several awards, including the Scriabin Prize and the Rome Prize, and was named winner in the first Olga Kern International Piano Competition.

The talented pianist will be the first act in State College of Florida’s Pianopalooza series in April and May.

Support the actors of tomorrow as The Players Kids Next Gen presents “Beauty and the Beast Jr.” The talented young performers will hit all the notes in the beloved classic.

If you can’t make the Friday performance, there are also showings at 2 and 7 p.m. on Saturday.

Icebergs are on the house. This unlikely hit centered around one of the 20th century’s most deadly disasters and won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Sink or swim with passengers from all levels of the Titanic’s stratified society. Runs through May 8.

www.manasotaonline.com

1734 South Tamiami Trail Venice, FL 34293 941.493.7441

SATURDAY ANTONIO CHEN GUANG, PIANO 7 p.m. at State College of Florida Recital Hall, 5840 26th St. W., Bradenton $40 Visit ArtistSeriesConcerts.org.

4551 N. Washington Blvd.

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You’ll need to download an app before you go, but once you arrive, you’ll be treated to an exhibition of contemporary artworks created with augmented reality. Several modern masters, including Ai Weiwei and Refik Anadol, have pieces in the exhibition. Seeing the Invisible has been ongoing since last September but has only a few months left before it wraps up in August.

TUESDAY IMAGES OF DANCE 7 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. $25-$45; children $10 Visit SarasotaBallet.org.

The Sarasota Ballet Studio Company and the Margaret Barbieri Conservatory are teaming up to stage their annual celebration of dance. Music from Mozart and Vivaldi, among others, will serve as the backdrop, and choreography

by Arcadian Broad, Richard House, Emelia Perkins and Lindsay Fischer will provide the structure.

THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA MCBRIDE 3 and 8 p.m. at Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First. St. $36 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org Elvis has entered the building. Come on down for this play about a struggling Elvis impersonator who learns he might have to expand his horizons to continue in show business.

Runs through May 22.

PETE SEEGER: THE POWER OF SONG 7 p.m. at Fogartyville, 525 Kumquat Court $10-$12 Visit WSLR.org/Fogartyville Celebrate the late Pete Seeger’s birthday with musician Robert Killian and a screening of a documentary

2510 1st Street West Bradenton, FL 34208 941.748.4679

OUR SHOWROOMS ARE OPEN Special Financing Available

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THURSDAY

SEEING THE INVISIBLE 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Selby Gardens Historic Spanish Point, 337 N. Tamiami Trail, Osprey Free with museum admission Visit Selby.org

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

17

DOWNTOWN SARASOTA

DON’T MISS

SERENDIPITOUS MOVEMENT The Sarasota Ballet closes out its season with Serendipitous Movement, which will feature programs set to the music of Haydn, Tchaikovsky and Scott Joplin.

The show will also feature the final performances of longtime principal dancer Victoria Hulland, who joined the company in 2007 and will retire at the close of the season.

The first ballet of the evening, “Serenade,” is choreographed by the late, great George Balanchine.

The second ballet, “The Letter V,” marks the first time that the Sarasota Ballet has performed a Mark Morris choreography number. And the final ballet on the bill, “Elite Syncopations,” is a Kenneth MacMillan routine that hasn’t been performed locally since Hulland’s first season with the company.

IF YOU GO When: 7:30 p.m. April 29; 2 and 7:30 p.m. April 30 Where: Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. Tickets: $35-$115 Info: SarasotaBallet.org

humorous and heartfelt, all centered on park benches, bus stops and the like. The play is directed by Rebecca Holahan. Runs through May 5.

WEDNESDAY

Boz Skaggs is coming to town for one night only. Skaggs was an early member of the Steve Miller Band, and he’s been touring and releasing music as a solo act for five decades.

The gifted guitarist shines on rock, jazz and blues music, and his mostrecent album, “Out of the Blues,” was released in 2018.

‘MURDER AT THE JUICE JOINT’ PRESENTED BY DRAMATURE Florida Cultural Group 5 p.m. at Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Ave., Bradenton $12 Visit ManateePerformingArtsCenter. org.

It’s another whodunit, but this one is based in the Prohibition era of the Roaring Twenties. Can you solve the mystery before the final curtain? Let your imagination be judge and jury.

And you won’t just be part of the audience; you’ll be part of the show.

Audience members are strongly encouraged to wear a costume.

PINKY’S PLAYERS PRESENT ‘GREAT STORIES WELL PLAYED ON A BENCH’ 7:30 p.m. at Jervey Theatre, 140 W. Tampa Ave., Venice $20 Visit VeniceTheatre.org.

The bench is the conceit here, and the cast of this variety show will take you through stories alternately

Friday, May 6th from 5-8pm

BOZ SKAGGS 8 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 7777 N. Tamiami Trail $52-$87 Visit VanWezel.org.

COME FOR SOME GREAT ENTERTAINMENT! Merchants will be staying open to welcome you with refreshments. Plus FIRE THROWERS, STILT WALKERS, CARICATURE ARTIST, and as always LIVE MUSIC THROUGHOUT!

WBTT NEW PLAYWRIGHT SERIES 7:30 p.m. at Donelly Theatre, 1012 N. Orange Ave. $47, $20 student or active military Visit WestcoastBlackTheatre.org.

Presented by Downtown SRQ Enrichment Association DestinationDowntownSarasota.com @DestinationDowntownSarasota

It’s the world premiere of two oneact plays — “From Birmingham to Broadway” and “Float Like a Butterfly” — at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe. “From Birmingham to Broadway,” by Tarra Connor Jones, centers on the talent and drive of Nell Carter, and the second, written by Nate and Michael Jacobs, is based on the tumultuous life of Muhammad Ali. The pair of plays will be in preview performances until May 8, then continue as regular shows until May 29.

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centered on the folk giant’s life and times. The venerable rabble-rouser passed away at the age of 94 in 2014, but the causes he fought for and believed in are still topical in contemporary society. Seeger won a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and a National Medal of Arts from the National Endowment of the Arts.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

Above: Event chairs Bob and Cathy Bray with Gabrielle and Ethan Bray Right: Brent Greeno and Gana Gilkey Photos by Harry Sayer

Above: Development Director Mary Jo Heider and President Dr. Sara Grivetti Left: Kameron Hodgens and Robyn Faucy

CAUSE 4 HOPE GALA Saturday, April 23, at Michael’s On East | Benefiting Neuro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson’s

N

euro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson’s signature gala returned to Michael’s On East on April 23.

The annual Cause 4 Hope gala brought an air of elegance and goodwill to Michael’s On East, where hundreds of supporters met to support the nonprofit’s education and support programs for people with Parkinson’s, their families and caregivers.

The program started with emcee Bill Menish welcoming board Chair Brad Bryan, who thanked attendees and sponsors. He then passed

off to event chairs Cathy and Bob Bray. The live auction followed, where guests bid on a number of gifts, including a three-hour cruise on a Gold Eagle yacht, a trip to Ireland and more. Guests also heard from Neuro Challenge CEO Dr. Sara Grivetti.

The night featured keynote speaker Kirk Gibson, a renowned Major League Baseball player.

Gibson was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2015 and has since raised awareness and funding for research into the disease.

Above: Bryan Mayer, Kylie Menish and emcee Bill Menish Left: Nathan Seepaulsing and Nicole Peet Right: Jeremy and Alysha Shelby

—HARRY SAYER

941-306-1202 ArtistSeriesConcerts.org

Stars on the Rise Building on our Legacy

ANTONIO CHEN GUANG, piano

Saturday, April 30 • 7:00 pm • State College of Florida Recital Hall “A pianist of outstanding talent, with a very fine musical sense and extraordinary technical capacity.” – Paul Badura-Skoda

YING LI, piano

Thursday, May 5 • 4:00 pm • Church of the Palms Twenty-three-year-old phenom Ying Li is joined by Daniel Jordan, violin; Matthew Albert, violin; Rachel Halvorson, viola; Natalie Helm, cello; and John Miller, double bass.

VIENESS PIANO DUO

Sunday, May 8 • 3:00 pm • State College of Florida Recital Hall An electric, captivating performance covering a wide range of repertoire

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SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2022 | 11:30 AM

This project is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture (Section 286.25, Florida Statutes).

ON THE AVIVA CAMPUS

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Sunday, May 22 • 3:00 pm • Historic Asolo Theater Bandoneón-piano duo Ben & Winnie, along with tango superstars Fernanda Ghi and Silvio Grand, present the romance and drama of tango.

For sponsorship opportunities and tickets, please contact Monica Caldwell: 941-724-8804 or mcaldwell@avivaseniorlife.org

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

Left: Renee Biehl and Elly Garner Below: Vicky Herman, Karen Joseph and Karen Quick

19

Left: Chef Jamil Pineda prepares the food and drink.

Below: Doug Gowens, Jana Marie Gowens, Paige and Brennan McCarthy

Photos by Harry Sayer

Above: CEO Andria Bilan and event Chairwoman Traci Smullen Below: Board Chair Ed Scharf

Interactive Dinner Tuesday, April 19, at Michael’s On East | Benefiting Josh Provides

T

he JoshProvides nonprofit made a meal out of its Interactive Dinner at Michael’s On East on April 19.

The fourth-annual Interactive Dinner gathered hundreds of supporters of the nonprofit, which assists those living with epilepsy and seizure disorders as well as their families.

The night’s program featured a lively and involved dinner led by Michael’s On East staff that had the crowd cooking up dishes for their tables throughout the evening.

— HARRY SAYER Meme, Chase and Jeff Signore

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

SHOP + SARASOTA ART MUSEUM PRESENTS

Corinthian Society Dinner Wednesday, April 20, at Michael’s On East | Benefiting Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation

T

he Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation (SMHF) paid tribute to its top supporters with its Corinthian Society Dinner on April 20.

The annual dinner returned after nearly two years away with more than 300 of the health nonprofit’s members and donors meeting at Michael’s On East. The Corinthian Society comprises the people who have donated more than $25,000

puzzlelicious April 29 - May 1

to the SMHF. Board of trustees Chair Deb Kabinoff and Northern Trust market leader Paul Hudson gave the opening welcome before SMH President and CEO David Verinder and SMHF President Mason Ayers gave updates on the hospital and foundation, respectively.

A number of trustees, honorees, patrons and Legacy Society members were then given awards.

—HARRY SAYER

Puzzle your heart out Photo: Ryan Gamma

Photo: Matt Holler

Photos by Harry Sayer

Carol Brualdi, Rebecca Thompkins, Les Brualdi and William Thompkins

Photo: Rich Schineller

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

21

3 May 2022 Sarasota Opera House

Board of trustees Chair Deb Kabinoff starts off the program.

Featuring The Sarasota Ballet Studio Company & The Margaret Barbieri Conservatory

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Above: Northern Trust market leader Paul Hudson addresses the crowd.

Left: Michelle and Frank Morgan

Box Office 941.359.0099 SarasotaBallet.org

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APRIL 28, 2022

— Braden River High’s Nick Trier SEE PAGE 24

HIGH

SPORTS

“For me, it’s all about competing. It comes down to who puts in the most work and who really wants it more. That drives me.”

5

1

The Out-of-Door Academy junior boys track and field athlete Tyler Beck won the pole vault (12 feet, 3.75 inches) at the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 1A District 11 meet held April 21 in St. Petersburg.

RUN FOR HONOR

GOING THE EXTRA MILE

Nels Matson will run from San Francisco to New York City in the name of late Navy SEAL Chris Campbell.

RYAN KOHN SPORTS EDITOR

N

2

The Out-of-Door Academy senior girls lacrosse player Aubrey Robbins had four goals and five assists April 19 in the Thunder’s 18-5 home win against Barron Collier High in the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 1A regional quarterfinals.

3

Lakewood Ranch High senior baseball pitcher Mason Wozniak threw a complete game, allowing one earned run (two total runs) on six hits with three strikeouts, April 21 in the Mustangs’ 9-2 road win against Braden River High.

4

George Allen and Karen Allen (62) won the Champions Division of the Couples’ Last Laugh event (two-person team scramble) held April 24 at Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club’s King’s Dunes course.

5

Dan Mroczenski sank a hole-in-one April 16 on the No. 7 hole on Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club’s King’s Dunes course.

Mroczenski used an 8-iron on the 140-yard hole.

HERE’S THE PITCH PAGE 23

Photos by Ryan Kohn

els Matson would not be doing this without a reason.

He never does.

Back in 2013, Matson ran from Bradenton to Washington, D.C., to raise money for medical supplies and surgeries for children in Cambodia. It was a cause that meant a lot to him. It had to be. Matson, at the time a substitute teacher and wrestling coach at Lakewood Ranch High, loves athletics but was not going to run 1,200 miles just for fun.

It was grueling, Matson said, and harder than he anticipated. But he said it was worth the physical discomfort to raise money for the cause.

That distance seems paltry compared to what Matson, an East County resident, is planning this summer.

Starting Aug. 29, Matson will attempt to break the world record for the fastest cross-country run, from San Francisco City Hall to New York City Hall. The record (42 days, six hours and 30 minutes) for such a run was set by ultramarathon runner Pete Kostelnick in 2016. To break the mark, Matson will need to run approximately 75 miles a day.

Saying that out loud might sound ridiculous, but Matson believes it can be done. His training regimen is strong, and his cause is stronger.

On Aug. 6, 2011, Navy SEAL Chris Campbell died in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan. He was 36 years old.

After he died, his family discovered a note attached to his will that stated that his final wish was for 100,000 people to donate to the Wounded Warrior Project in his honor. The amount of the donations didn’t matter. It was about people coming together to support the country’s veterans. Matson used to work with Campbell’s sister, Cindy Campbell, at an accounting firm and heard about Chris Campbell’s story from her in June 2019.

The story never left his mind, and Campbell’s wish remains unfulfilled.

More than a decade since Campbell’s death, approximately 30,000 people have donated to the Wounded Warrior Project in his name. That leaves approximately 70,000 to go. Matson wanted to help reach that number any way he could.

He ruminated on the best way to help, and realized that the best way might be by using his body. That’s when the idea of the cross-country run was born. In December 2020, Matson emailed Cindy Campbell, asking her what she thought of the

idea. She was on board. From there, Matson, Campbell and the rest of the team, which includes Matson’s wife, Denise Pizzo-Matson, got to work planning the run, both the trek itself and the journey leading up to it.

That journey includes promotional workouts designed to spread the word and get donations, like the one held April 22-23 at Sarasota’s F45 Training gym.

On both days, Matson arrived at the gym around 5 a.m. and hopped on a treadmill. He kept running for 14 hours, only pausing to use the bathroom. Snacks and drinks were consumed on the go. The gym held free exercise classes on both days, an incentive for locals to be a part of what Matson is doing and, hopefully, make a donation.

“People keep asking if they can buy me a beer,” Matson said. “I’m like, ‘I’d rather have you spend that $5 on a donation.’”

Matson said he held the event at F45 because the gym has supported the cause from the beginning. F45’s training also focuses on 30-60 second intervals of different exercises instead of having designated arm days, leg days, etc. That idea — ignoring the bigger picture to concentrate on right now —is something that Matson will be doing on his run, focusing on the next day or even the next mile instead of the whole journey. Training in a place with that mindset has helped him prepare mentally, Matson said.

Pizzo-Matson said she is used to her husband bringing her crazy ideas like the 2013 run. She’s always supportive, she said, because she knows he’s doing it for a good reason.

That makes the idea — and any stress it puts on her own life — worth it. This run is no different.

“The story (of Chris Campbell) hit me as an American,” PizzoMatson said. “We have to do something about this.”

To prepare for the run, Matson said he has been throwing himself into as many odd situations as he can, since the biggest obstacle he will face on his journey is the unknown. Anything could go wrong at any time, Matson said. He and his body have to be ready when it does. His practice for this includes competing in the Florida SkyDive Ultra, an annual marathon in Clewiston that tasks people with jumping out of an airplane, then running 100 miles.

All of his decisions will be made with speed in mind. That is why Matson’s crew will be driving an RV along-

n Nels Matson is running to honor Navy SEAL Chris Campbell, who died in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan Aug. 6, 2011. n Campbell’s last wish was for 100,000 people to donate to the Wounded Warrior Project, a charity that helps veterans and service members who incurred a physical or mental injury, illness, or wound while serving in the military on or after Sept. 11, 2001. n As of April 23, approximately 30,000 people had donated to the Wounded Warrior Project in Campbell’s name since his death. n To donate to the Wounded Warrior Project, visit WoundedWarriorProject.org or ProjectCampbellsCall.com

side him, carrying clothes and supplies and serving as a place to sleep.

Pizzo-Matson said her husband will need to consume between 10,000 and 14,000 calories a day during the trek to make sure he has the energy to complete it. Much of that will come in the form of shakes, which are easy to consume while moving and can be packed with plenty of nutrients.

Matson’s crew has started a website, Project Campbell’s Call, that outlines both the cause and Matson’s run. It also has a blog written and updated by Cindy Campbell, containing myriad thoughts on her brother and why it matters that his wish be fulfilled.

“I’m just a messenger,” Matson said. “I’m a part of something much bigger.”

Above: An F45 training class poses with Nels Matson (left) after the class’s workout April 22 in Sarasota.

The class came to work out with Matson as he completed his 14-hour treadmill run as part of his training to break the crosscountry record.

Below: Nels Matson runs 14 straight hours on a treadmill at Sarasota’s F45 gym April 22 as part of his training for a potential world-record run in August.

YourObserver.com

PROSE AND KOHN

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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23

THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

RYAN KOHN

Mustangs’ new pitch: Dodge ball in for the kill. That’s why we always talk about, you know, ‘Don’t give them anything. Stay icy. Nothing affects you. Don’t get too high or too low.’ Ella has been able to do that. It’s a rare quality in a sophomore. She has been impressive.”

Dodge said she feels no ill effects from her back injury, and Goelz said the coaching staff is constantly checking with her to make sure she does not feel overworked. Goelz also has placed special restrictions on Dodge, like a “no diving while fielding” rule.

Goelz’s favorite thing about Dodge is her ability to consistently throw strikes. She has racked up 134 strikeouts this year and walked just nine batters.

“That is special,” Goelz said.

He’s right. Over the years, I’ve seen too many pitchers have meltdowns after cruising to start the game. All it takes is one string of mistakes, or a string of bad luck, to get pitchers thrown off their game.

After watching Dodge, I know why Goelz is confident in the team’s ability to win with her pitching.

She showed off her bulldog mentality April 19 in the team’s 7-2 home win over Fort Myers High.

Two Fort Myers batters reached base in the top of the first on softly hit balls that found holes in the Mustangs’ defense. Even though there were two outs, having a runner in scoring position that early in a game can rattle some pitchers — not Dodge.

She struck out the next hitter to get out of the jam and was tested again only in the third inning when two defensive misplays by the Mustangs — a missed ball in the outfield that was ruled a hit and a grounder to shortstop that bounced off Addyson Bruneman’s glove for an error — led to two runs. Neither was charged to Dodge. She went four innings and racked up eight strike-

outs. Once the Mustangs established a commanding lead, Coiner came in to finish off the game.

It helps, of course, that the Mustangs still have a world-class offense. Lakewood Ranch, which returned eight players to its lineup, is averaging just over nine runs per game. Five of the team’s lineup regulars are hitting over .400, including junior outfielder Cassidy McLellan, the Florida commit who continues to put up eye-popping numbers: a .557 average, nine doubles, three triples, two home runs, 27 RBIs and 20 steals.

Dodge said pitching behind such an offense makes it easy to forget about mistakes.

“Even if we give up a run, I know we’re going to get it back,” she said.

That has been true in all but two games, both against the same opponent. Lakewood Ranch (18-2) dropped back-to-back games to Lake Brantley High (16-4) in March, the first an 11-0 laugher on the road and the second a 5-3 defeat at home. There’s no sugarcoating the first game. The Mustangs did just about everything wrong. It was the team’s worst defeat since Goelz took over the program. Goelz was not as mad about the second game, though, calling it a learning experience for both his hitters and pitchers. In both games, the Mustangs faced Patriots senior Hannah Marien, a Stetson commit Goelz called one of the best pitchers in the state. The team gained data from getting to face her twice, Goelz said, things the team will use if they see her again, which would be in the Class 7A state championship game.

It seems a healthy bet. Lakewood Ranch, ranked 13th nationally by MaxPreps, is still the top-ranked team in Florida despite the two losses. Lake Brantley is fifth in the state but second in Class 7A. How would a third game between the two

Jay Heater

Sophomore Ella Dodge has become the Lakewood Ranch High softball team’s ace this season after missing her freshman season with a back injury.

teams go? It’s hard to say. Despite Lake Brantley’s past dominance, the Patriots have also dropped double the amount of games the Mustangs have, and to worse teams. Marien is a tough pitcher, but the Mustangs have one of those, too – one that in her first real season of varsity softball keeps getting better. Goelz said Dodge’s pitch location has improved dramatically over the last few weeks. She’s getting softer contact off the bat as a result.

If the teams do meet again, I know Lakewood Ranch and its sophomore ace feel confident in

their ability to handle it.

“We just want to keep this going,” Dodge said. “I think we have found ‘the feel.’ We’re playing loose and we’re playing well.”

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

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W

hat’s scarier than the 2021 Lakewood Ranch softball team?

The same basic roster with a pitcher who never gets rattled.

Sophomore pitcher Ella Dodge has become the Lakewood Ranch High softball team’s workhorse despite missing the 2021 season due to a broken bone in her back, suffered as a result of overwork from frequent travel team play.

Despite the injury and recovery time — Dodge started pitching regularly again during the 2021 summer — Dodge was confident that she would enter the 2022 season with a chance to be the team’s No. 1 pitcher.

Even though the Mustangs went 30-2 and won the state title last season, pitching was a question mark throughout the postseason thanks to injuries and up-and-down results on the mound. The team’s offense was so good it didn’t matter. Ella Coiner, now a senior, started and won the state title game, but Coiner has said she feels more comfortable as a position player who occasionally helps on the hill rather than an everyday pitcher.

Both have contributed so far, as has junior Peyton Knight, but Dodge is viewed as the No. 1 starter.

Pitching 88 2/3 innings as of April 22, Dodge has a 1.34 ERA against a slate of the toughest teams in the state. Facing the best has become common on Lakewood Ranch’s schedule under Coach T.J. Goelz.

More than her ERA, Dodge has impressed Goelz with her mental toughness. Goelz called Dodge a “bulldog on the mound” and praises her ability to shake off any mistakes she makes.

“Her teammates recognize that as well,” Goelz said. “They have fed off that. It’s different when you see a pitcher starting to crumble. When we’re on the other side and we see that, we smell blood. We’re going

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

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Nick Trier is a sophomore quarterback on the Braden River High football team. The 6-foot-3 Trier, who threw for 337 yards and four touchdowns in two games in 2021 before missing the rest of the season with a leg injury, received his first NCAA Division I offer from Alabama-Birmingham on April 9. Braden River started its spring football practice sessions April 25 and will play its spring game at 7 p.m. May 20 at home against Pinellas Park High.

When did you start playing football?

I started playing football at 3 years old. My dad (Steve Trier) played football for IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis).

He wanted me to try it young, and it turns out that I loved it.

What is the appeal to you?

For me, it’s all about competing. It comes down to who puts in the most work and who really wants it more.

That drives me. I try to get better every single day.

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What is your best skill?

My best skill is my accuracy. I feel like I can put the ball all over the field, wherever I want to put it. It is something I have worked at improving over the years.

What have you been working on this offseason?

I have been working on the mental side of my game. If I make a mistake, I have to move on to the next play.

It’s something I struggled with a bit last season. I have to be a better leader and a better teammate. As a quarterback, it’s 50% of the game

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What is your favorite memory?

In last year’s spring game against Weeki Wachee High, I threw my first varsity touchdown to (senior wide receiver) Bryan Kearse. That was a big moment for me. I actually threw my last touchdown of last season to Bryan, too. I’m going to miss throwing to him.

What was your reaction to the UAB offer?

I was shocked, honestly. It was a ‘wow’ moment, like all of my hard work was paying off and my dreams were coming true. It’s still crazy to me. UAB is a great school and definitely somewhere I could see myself playing someday.

What is your favorite food?

Spaghetti. That’s the Italian side of me. Any type of spaghetti is great. I love it all.

What is your favorite TV show?

‘The Office’ is definitely a favorite.

It’s still funny.

What are your hobbies?

I usually just hang out with my friends and play video games. I have been playing a lot of “NCAA Football 14.”

Which superpower would you pick?

I would want to be able to fly. It would be cool to go wherever I wanted but also to feel what flying feels like.

Finish this sentence: “Nick Trier is …” … Super competitive but also super goofy.

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and you have to make completions, but you have to be a team leader, too.

What is the best advice you have received?

Make every play count. That is something that Coach (Curt) Bradley’s dad (former Major League Baseball player Phil Bradley) told me as a freshman. You never know what can happen, so don’t take any plays for granted.

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If you would like to make a recommendation for the East County Observer’s Athlete of the Week feature, send it to Ryan Kohn at RKohn@ YourObserver.com.

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APRIL 28, 2022

YOUR NEIGHBORS THE FINAL CHUKKER A

s the season at the Sarasota Polo Club in Lakewood Ranch came to an end April 24, James Miller flashed a big smile and poured champagne over his head.

The happiness wasn’t because Miller and his wife, Misdee, had made it through another season with huge crowds and entertaining polo, but instead because Miller, who played for Hillcroft, was named the most valuable player of the season’s final tournament.

Miller scored six of Hillcroft’s goals in an 11-9 victory over Regent. The game wasn’t as close as the score, as Regent added two meaningless goals late.

Miller attracted top talent for the final, such as 6-goal rated player Felipe Viana of Regent, and 4-goal players Stuart Campbell (Regent), and Manuel Mazzocchi and Nachi Viana of Hillcroft.

“It was just a great way to end,” Miller said.

Photos by Jay Heater

— JAY HEATER

James Miller celebrates his six-goal performance in Hillcroft’s 11-9 victory over Regent in the Sarasota Polo Club’s season finale. Miller was named the tourney’s MVP. Above: Hillcroft’s Nachi Viana breaks free for a run down the field at the Sarasota Polo Club.

Left: Madeline Porter, Nick Policano and Taryn Kelley are volunteers with the Children’s Cancer Center of Tampa. They were selling kites at the Sarasota Polo Club to benefit the center.

Above: Hillcroft’s Kelly Beck greets fans before the season finale begins.

Right: Regent’s Stuart Campbell clears the ball from the boards on the sideline.

Both sidelines were packed as the Sarasota Polo Club closed its season.

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Regent’s Felipe Viana puts on the breaks to take a shot against Hillcroft at the Sarasota Polo Club.

26

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

Above: Kindergartner Emmett Johnson and his father, Dennis, wear Tiki masks for the photo booth at Spring Dance Luau.

Left: First graders Olivia Kumpf and Piper Miles follow along in the Hawaiian dance. “I liked the dance,” Olivia said. Piper said she learned the dance at Knights Academy’s before and after care program.

Aloha luau T

ara Elementary first graders Piper Miles and Olivia Kumpf followed along April 22 as kindergarten teacher Josephine Johnson led students in a Hawaiian dance.

Although the DJ had a technical glitch with the music, it didn’t stop dozens of students from singing along as they slowly moved their arms, matching Johnson’s every move.

“I liked the dance,” said Olivia, who had never done the dance before but quickly picked up the movement.

Tara Elementary School students and their families had fun spending time together in the school’s cafeteria for the Spring Dance Luau.

Olivia said she loved her bright yellow dress, the flower in her hair and the lei around her neck.

“I like it because it has an ocean theme, and I love the ocean,” she said.

Photos by Liz Ramos

Kindergarten teachers Josephine Johnson and Kelly Walker get ready to lead students in a Hawaiian dance.

— LIZ RAMOS

Assistant Principal Karen Chinault gets into the spirit of the luau by dressing in a Hawaiian shirt with Callie, the school’s therapy dog.

Above: Billy Dean and her daughters Grace, a first grader, and Harper, who is in pre-K, go all out for the luau by wearing leis and grass skirts.

Left: Kindergartners Charis Hogue and Vivianne Rissler show of their luau attire before eating dinner with their families.

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27

THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

Sounds of reggae

R

iver Walk’s Jeanne Miller and her husband, Jim, grabbed their folding chairs and chose a spot in the shade under a tree to listen to Jah Movement perform. “(Jah Movement) is one of the hardestworking reggae bands,” Jim Miller said.

The Millers have seen Jah Movement perform several times throughout the Sarasota area. They were thrilled to be able to see the band April 23 at the Concert in the Park at Greenbrook Adventure Park. “(The park) is a great venue location,” Jim Miller said. “Lakewood Ranch is starved for entertainment to a great extent. This has been here quite some time, and it’s been underutilized. It’s good to see music events here.”

Indigo’s Marilyn and Mike Tarasievich and Barb and Tom Venn saw Jah Movement perform at Waterside Place.

“They’re really good,” Marilyn Tarasievich said. “We had nothing to do today, and it’s a nice day to sit in the shade and listen to the music. We love it.”

— LIZ RAMOS

Photos by Liz Ramos

After moving to Lakewood Ranch in May, Kathy Clark hopes to meet some neighbors at the community concert.

Greenbrook’s Rick, Leila, Gabi and Bianca Romano stumbled upon Concert in the Park while looking online for activities. “This is awesome,” Leila Romano said.

River Walk’s Jeanne Miller and her husband, Jim, have seen Jah Movement perform several times.

Jah Movement’s Shantel Norman entertains the crowd at Greenbrook Adventure Park.

Ellenton’s Melissa Hollsten and Reginald Mullen enjoy their first time watching Jah Movement at the park.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

BRADENTON 5708 Inspiration Terrace 4 Beds 5/1 Baths 6,326 Sq. Ft. Fran DeDona & Pam Goodwin 941-812-5023 A4528037 $4,995,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH 20706 79th Avenue E 4 Beds 4/1 Baths 5,077 Sq. Ft. Chris Baylis 941-735-4713 A4531620 $3,650,000

BIRD KEY 628 N Owl Drive 3 Beds 2 Baths 2,534 Sq. Ft. Kathy Valente & Gregory Zies, LLC 941-685-6767 A4526783 $2,495,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH 12621 Deacons Place 4 Beds 5/1 Baths 4,317 Sq. Ft. Jackee Schulz 941-320-4991 A4531044 $2,450,000

ANNA MARIA 822 N Shore Drive 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,840 Sq. Ft. Ken Kavanaugh, Jr 941-799-1943 A4529310 $2,350,000

SARASOTA 3224 Signet Court 4 Beds 3/2 Baths 4,008 Sq. Ft. Linda Driggs & Sara Boudarga 941-374-2920 A4530120 $2,250,000

TERRA CEIA 109 Michiana Drive 2 Beds 2/1 Baths 1,818 Sq. Ft. Debbie Vogler 941-705-3328 A4527498 $2,100,000

BRADENTON 579 Fore Drive 3 Beds 2 Baths 2,401 Sq. Ft. Sandi Dietrich 941-704-0697 A4531096 $1,749,500

UNIVERSITY PARK 8171 Abingdon Court 2 Beds 2/2 Baths 2,609 Sq. Ft. Rachel Benderson 941-376-0218 A4525357 $1,650,000

SARASOTA 8149 Grande Shores Drive 3 Beds 2/1 Baths 3,214 Sq. Ft. Drew Russell 941-993-3739 A4529184 $1,495,000

BRADENTON 2112 51st Street W 4 Beds 3 Baths 3,805 Sq. Ft. Jodene Moneuse 941-302-4913 A4529879 $1,100,000

BRADENTON 4622 Balboa Park Loop 4 Beds 3 Baths 3,149 Sq. Ft. Tina Ciaccio 941-685-8420 A4532271 $944,000

SARASOTA 871 Cedarcrest Court 4 Beds 3 Baths 2,576 Sq. Ft. Victoria Beckham 941-544-6734 A4530932 $899,000

PORT CHARLOTTE 13710 Allamanda Circle 3 Beds 2 Baths 1,867 Sq. Ft. Sandi Dietrich 941-704-0697 A4530977 $799,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH 7331 Riviera Cove 3 Beds 2 Baths 1,926 Sq. Ft. Stacy Haas 941-587-4359 A4530060 $795,000

BRADENTON 6809 13th Avenue W 3 Beds 2 Baths 1,699 Sq. Ft. Cathy Palmer 941-920-2247 A4532435 $617,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH 7379 Divot Loop 3 Beds 2 Baths 1,748 Sq. Ft. Stuart Lawrence & Laura Lawrence 941-894-4001 A4531991 $599,000

BRADENTON 11523 Rolling Green Drive 3 Beds 2/1 Baths 1,807 Sq. Ft. Sandi Dietrich 941-704-0697 A4531465 $550,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH 4506 33rd Court E 3 Beds 3 Baths 2,261 Sq. Ft. Jill Berg 941-315-1199 A4531183 $500,000

BRADENTON 12338 Halfmoon Lake Terrace 3 Beds 2 Baths 1,744 Sq. Ft. Jamie Van Vliet & Christopher Van Vliet 941-993-8996 A4531443 $500,000

PARRISH 11203 77th Street E 4 Beds 3 Baths 2,655 Sq. Ft. Erica Thomas 941-799-9365 A4530113 $450,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH 2838 56th Avenue Circle E 3 Beds 2 Baths 1,542 Sq. Ft. Leah Secondo 941-545-4430 A4531565 $415,000

SARASOTA 5405 San Juan Drive Beth Ann Boyer 941-780-6606 A4509104 $285,000

BRADENTON 3174 Lake Bayshore Drive 318 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,144 Sq. Ft. Jennifer Jordan & Jeff Jordan 941-705-6615 A4529530 $234,900

SARASOTA 1167 39th Street 2 Beds 1 Baths 864 Sq. Ft. Jonnie Dwyer 941-812-6283 A4532045 $200,000

ANNA MARIA ISLAND 820 N Shore Drive 4 Beds 4/1 Baths 3,953 Sq. Ft. Kathy Harman 941-900-9828 A4524887 $4,350,000

SARASOTA 105 N Isle Drive 3 Beds 4/1 Baths 4,258 Sq. Ft. Phyllis Garfinkel 941-302-6400 A4530323 $3,950,000

ANNA MARIA ISLAND 112 Mangrove Avenue 4 Beds 3/1 Baths 3,577 Sq. Ft. Hannah Hillyard & George Myers 941-744-7358 A4502423 $3,949,000

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28

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

REAL ESTATE

Waterside Place home tops sales at $2 million

|

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

APRIL 11-15

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

A

home in Shoreview in Waterside Place led all transactions in this week’s real estate sales. Bryan Fleming and Maria Isabel Fleming, of Tampa, sold their home at 740 Sigsbee Loop to Francesco Paul D’Anna and Lori Lynn D’Anna, of Sarasota, for $2 million. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,185 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,062,600 in 2020.

RIVER CLUB SOUTH

WATERSIDE PLACE

Warren and Diana Kroeker, trustees, of Sarasota, sold the home at 7973 Grande Shores Drive to Rasa Madelis, trustees, of Naperville, Illinois, for $1.3 million. Built in 2019, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,486 square feet of living area. It sold for $648,000 in 2019.

COUNTRY CLUB

Joseph Romano and Lorie Tiernay Romano, of Weston, Connecticut, sold their home at 6549 The Masters Ave. to Hanna Kumar and Suresh Kumar, trustees, of Sarasota, for $1.2 million. Built in 2000, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,689 square feet of living area.

It sold for $475,000 in 2019.

Piotr and Jessica Kornacki, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 7238 Lake Forest Glen to Robert Lieberman and Peri Ann Aptaker, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1.05 million.

Built in 2008, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,674 square feet of living area. It sold for $550,000 in 2013.

RIVERDALE REVISED

Samantha Edge, Personal Representative, of Topanga, California, sold the home at 4627 Barracuda Drive to Connie Martsch McManis, trustee, of Burlington, Iowa, for sold $1.15 million. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, three-anda-half baths, a pool and 3,061 square feet of living area. It sold for $599,900 in 2015.

POMELLO PARK

U.S. Bank sold the home at 7616 213th St. E. to Franchesko’s LLC for $1,023,800. Built in 2000, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,573 square feet of living area.

It sold for $650,000 in 2005.

SERENITY CREEK

Mark and Amanda Bedell, of Bradenton, sold their home at 13035 Utopia Loop to Yasuyuki and Heidi Takagi, of Lewis Center, Ohio, for $990,000. Built in 2016, it has five bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 4,226 square feet of living area. It sold for $463,200 in 2016.

COUNTRY MEADOWS

Jeff and Alison Love, of Parrish, sold their home at 630 Country Meadows Way to John Batise and Barbara Coe, of Bradenton, for $950,000. Built in 2005, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,423 square feet of living area. It sold for $475,000 in 2016.

Judy Harles, trustee, of Bradenton, sold the home at 416 Country Meadows Way to Paul and Ellen Cervone, of Bradenton, for $829,000. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,015 square feet of living area. It sold for $470,000 in 2016.

Liz Ramos

This River Club South home at 10515 Firestone Drive sold for $1.49 million. It has four bedrooms, four baths and 3,420 square feet of living area.

Thomas Magnus and Zarrin Falasiri, of Bradenton, sold their home at 14709 Second Ave. Circle N.E. to Michael Berg and Tessa Newman, of Bradenton, for $779,000.

Built in 2007, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,538 square feet of living area. It sold for $349,000 in 2012.

BRADEN OAKS

ESPLANADE

HERITAGE HARBOUR

John and Valerie Wolf, of Sarasota, sold their home at 13227 Sorrento Way to Judith Catlin and Craig Michael Voorhees, of Bradenton, for $900,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,298 square feet of living area. It sold for $520,000 in 2018.

Daniel and Constance Borwick, of Bradenton, sold their home at 3005 65th St. E.,to Bryan and Savannah Smith, of St. Petersburg, for $760,000. Built in 1979, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 2,272 square feet of living area. It sold for $114,000 in 1987.

sold their home at 8207 River Preserve Drive to Christopher Putt, of Greenville, Michigan, for $740,000.

Built in 2011, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,297 square feet of living area. It sold for $400,000 in 2018.

SEE REAL ESTATE, PAGE 30

Christine Tirpak and Kathleen Diamond, of Wincester, Virginia,

In with the new

BROADMOOR PINES

John Freie and Susan Behuniak, of Sarasota, sold their home at 7909 Broadmoor Pines Blvd. to Richard and Monica Santana, of Sarasota, for $875,000. Built in 1985, it has four bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,914 square feet of living area.

It sold for $365,000 in 2013.

NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Longboat Key

MOTE RANCH

Richard and Josephine Endaya, trustees, of Hernando Beach, sold the home at 6128 Stillwater Court to John Ginty and Nicole Moon, of Bernardsville, New Jersey, for $860,000. Built in 1998, it has five bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,233 square feet of living area.

The Residences at the St. Regis | 941.213.3300 | From $2.4MM to $10.9MM | Call for appointment | SRResidencesLongboatKey.com NOW TAKING CONTRACTS

LAKEHOUSE COVE AT WATERSIDE

Daniel Beebe and Jennifer Brigham, of Sarasota, sold their home at 7999 Sandstar Way to Harry Kaiser and Soren Lowell of Jamesville, New York, for $781,000.Built in 2019, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 2,069 square feet of living area. It sold for $458,500 in 2019.

Downtown St. Petersburg

ROSEDALE ADDITION

M. Roger and Patsy Gasaway, trustees, of Lakewood Ranch, sold the home at 10508 Eastwood Drive to Daisy Judith Keith and Henry Hermann Zoller, of Lakewood Ranch, for $775,000. Built in 2014, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,686 square feet of living area. It sold for $440,800 in 2014.

400 Central | 727.209.7848 | From the $1MM’s | Call for appointment. | Residences400central.com 2 UNITS LEFT

Downtown Sarasota

MALLORY PARK

Kenneth and Maria Van Slyck, of Bradenton, sold their home at 11704 Mallory Park Ave. to Kyle and Amanda Hawkins, or Bradenton, for $773,000. Built in 2021, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 3,570 square feet of living area.

It sold for $469,200 in 2021.

Justin and Meriem Richardson, of Bradenton, sold their home at 11902 Seabrook Ave. to Kurt Calderone, of Bradenton, for $420,000.

Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,826 square feet of living area. It sold for $302,000 in 2017.

The Collection | 941.232.2868 | From the $2MM’s | Call for appointment. | thecollection1335.com

Sales galleries open and available for virtual or in-person presentations.

Virtual home tours | OnDemand local experts | Interactive site and floorplans

373583-1

TCMAX LLC sold the home at 10515 Firestone Drive to Cindy Koziatek, of Corning, New York, for $1.49 million. Built in 1999, it has four bedrooms, four baths and 3,420 square feet of living area. It sold for $835,000 in January.

MichaelSaunders.com/New-Homes | 844.591.4333 | Sarasota, Florida Prices as of February 2022.

Licensed Real Estate Broker

29

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

Real estate FROM PAGE 29

Gary Eugene Vincelette and Terri Vincelette, of Evansville, Indiana, sold their home at 178 Wandering Wetlands Circle to Thomas Case Jr. and Dawn Case, trustees, of Maumee, Ohio, for $610,000. Built in 2015, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,006 square feet of living area. It sold for $320,000 in 2015.

Peter and Jacqueline McCartney, of Suffolk, United Kingdom, sold their home at 415 River Enclave Court to Catherine and James Pfeifer, of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, for $600,000. Built in 2010, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,022 square feet of living area. It sold for $275,000 in 2010.

RIVA TRACE

Eric and Kelley Pogue, of Bradenton, sold their home at 8016 Rio Bella Place to Dawn Estlund, of Bradenton, for $725,000. Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,162 square feet of living area. It sold for $418,000 in 2019.

COUNTRY CREEK

Rodrigo Silva and Luana Brito Oliveira, of Bradenton, sold their home at 207 147th St. N.E. to Jeffrey Layhew and Vicki Lee Layhew, of Bradenton, for $710,000. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,243 square feet of living area. It sold for $345,000 in 2020.

MILL CREEK

Janis Lowell, trustee, of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, sold the home at 730 137th St. N.E. to Max Rago Henig and Suzanne Gerber, of Bradenton, for $700,000. Built in 1998, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,402 square feet of living area.

Jerry Johnson and Amy Elizabeth Johnson, of Wimauma, sold their home at 13720 18th Place E., to Abel Perez and Maria Del Rosario Pence, of Bradenton, for $620,000. Built in 2001, it has four bedrooms, two-anda-half baths, a pool and 2,338 square feet. It sold for $325,000 in 2014.

Monica Malley, trustee, of Bradenton, sold the home at 414 133rd St. E. to Thaer Hani Al Bishawi, of Bradenton, for $450,000. Built in 1990, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,855 square feet of living area.

BRADEN RIVER RANCHETTES

Amy Van Dell, of Palm Harbor, sold her home at 7319 36th Ave. E. to Robert Foy and Chelsea Floyd, of Bradenton, for $680,000. Built in 1977, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,528 square feet of living area. It sold for $320,000 in 2004.

EAGLE TRACE

Jennifer Avallone, of Exton, Pennsylvania, sold her home at 12335 Whisper Lake Drive to Helen Jing Jing Wang, of Newcastle, Washington, for $680,000. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, two-anda-half baths, a pool and 2,002 square feet of living area. It sold for $382,500 in 2017.

INDIGO

Pasco and Janice Depetrillo, of Bradenton, sold their home at 12632 Coastal Breeze Way to Heather Hall, of Bradenton, for $630,000. Built in 2019, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,766 square feet of living area. It sold for $360,000 in 2020.

CENTRAL PARK

Mark and Carol Beyer, of Indian Rocks Beach, sold their home at 11882 Forest Park Circle to David and Emily Traficante, of Bradenton, for $615,000. Built in 2012, it has four bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,514 square feet of living area. It sold for $310,100 in 2012.

Lemont Joyner and Suzan Lumpkin, of Elkridge, Maryland, sold their home at 12041 Longview Lake Circle to Joseph Frank Ostrowski and Beth Ostrowski, of Bradenton, for $605,000. Built in 2013, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,570 square feet of living area. It sold for $386,600 in 2013.

Jin Hui Yang sold the home at 12204 Longview Lake Circle to Donald and Amanda Mayo, of Bradenton, for $510,000. Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,865

square feet of living area. It sold for $262,400 in 2015.

Nathan and Amanda Blount sold their home at 5016 Newport News Circle to Donald and Donna Pucci, of Bradenton, for $410,000. Built in 2011, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,005 square feet of living area. It sold for $218,000 in 2018.

SUMMERFIELD

Terresa Laferriere, of Myakka City, sold her home at 11719 Soft Rush Terrace to Vanessa and Steven Taylor, of Lakewood Ranch, for $600,000. Built in 1998, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,161 square feet of living area.

It sold for $350,000 in 2018.

HARMONY

WATERCREST

David and Lucie Battey, of Alexandria, Minnesota, sold their Unit 302 condominium at 6482 Watercrest Way to Paul Onorato, of St. Petersburg, for $500,000. Built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,742 square feet of living area. It sold for $313,000 in 2020.

VERANDA AT LAKEWOOD NATIONAL

William and Sally Fitzpatrick, of Bradenton, sold their Unit 526 condominium at 5558 Palmer Circle to Jimmy and Claudia Barajas, of Brentwood, Tennessee, for $490,000. Built in 2018, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,462 square feet of living area. It sold for $245,000 in 2018.

Rex Carter, of Sarasota, sold his home at 11466 Rolling Green Drive to Stephen and Giovanna Prodger, of Bradenton, for $550,000. Built in 2019, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,784 square feet of living area. It sold for $361,600 in 2019.

SONOMA

COACH HOMES AT RIVER STRAND

BRADEN CROSSINGS

Kennedy and Jodi Esteban, of Bradenton, sold their Unit 8503 condominium at 7015 Grand Estuary Trail to James Padula and Pamela Bachman-Padula, of Oakton, Virginia, for $521,500. Built in 2014, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,108 square feet of living area. It sold for $287,500 in 2017.

Oriole Napa LLC sold the home at 5535 Napa Drive to George and Gina Latcheran, of Strongsville, Ohio, for $485,000. Built in 2007, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,121 square feet of living area.

It sold for $275,000 in 2015.

David and Kelly Tippy, of Cleveland, Tennessee, sold their home at 5508 47th Court E. to Roger and Zhanna Casciani, of Bradenton, for $480,000. Built in 1998, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,956 square feet of living area. It sold for $180,000 in 2012.

ASHLEY TRACE AT UNIVERSITY PLACE

Celeste Boucher-Krickl, of Bradenton, sold her home at 5517 61st St. E. to Opendoor Property Trust I for $505,300. Built in 1992, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,986 square feet of living area. It sold for $315,000 in 2018.

Lixiang Chen and Hongjian Li, of Coppell, Texas, sold their home at 7706 Charleston St. to Charlene Liu, trustee, of Lakewood Ranch, for $440,000. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,674 square feet of living area. It sold for $188,000 in 2008.

MIRAMAR LAGOONS

COTTAGES AT SAN LORENZO

RIVER LANDINGS BLUFFS

Elizabeth and George Harris, of Cashiers, North Carolina, sold their Unit 201 condominium at 8113 Miramar Way to Susan Frances Laforgia and John Lombardo, of Staten Island, New York, for $500,900.

Built in 2014, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,616 square feet. It sold for $355,000 in 2021.

SABAL HARBOUR

Breckenridge Property Fund 2016 LLC sold the home at 4509 Abacos Place to SFR Javelin LP for $430,500. Built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,836 square feet of living area. It sold for $355,000 in February.

TERRACE AT LAKEWOOD NATIONAL

Aaron Michael Dinerstein and Christine Marie Dinerstein, of Bradenton, sold their Unit 1212 condominium at 17724 Gawthrop Drive to Vesa Milin, of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, for $430,000. Built in 2020, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,142 square feet of living area. It sold for $199,000 in 2020.

Dennis and Ellen Maxwell, trustees, of Ave Maria, sold the Unit 843 condominium at 17510 Gawthrop Drive to Thomas and Paula Young, of Center Valley, Pennsylvania, for $425,000. Built in 2019, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,121 square feet of living area. It sold for $239,000 in 2021.

Raymond and Kimberly Whitaker sold their Unit 1123 condominium at to Scott and 17704 Gawthrop Drive Audrey Orren, of San Diego, for $410,000. Built in 2020, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,142 square feet of living area. It sold for $357,000 in 2021.

COACH HOMES AT CUDDY COVE

Terry Robert Wilkerson sold the Unit 203 condominium at 110 Red Fox Court to Juille and Lars Soderstrom, of Bradenton, for $414,900. Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,108 square feet of living area. It sold for $224,000 in 2015.

Mihel and Ashley Moore, of Apison, Tennessee, sold their home at 5033 San Palermo Drive to Opendoor Property J LLC for $438,700. Built in 2017, it has five bedrooms, three baths and 2,432 square feet of living area. It sold for $268,000 in 2017.

ONLINE See more transactions at YourObserver.com

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YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

FRIDAY, APRIL 29 THROUGH SUNDAY, MAY 1

SARASOTA CUP GIRLS SOCCER Begins at 8 a.m. at Premier Sports Campus, 5895 Post Blvd., Lakewood Ranch. The girls weekend of the 2022 Sarasota Cup, a youth soccer tournament, will see teams U9-U18 compete. Vendors will be on site selling soccer-related products. There are no parking or spectator fees. For more information or to register a team, visit SarasotaCup.com or call tournament director Ryan Morgan at 804-443-7207.

SATURDAY, APRIL 30

TEE UP FORE AUTISM Begins at 8 a.m. at Tara Golf and Country Club, 6602 Drewrys Bluff, Bradenton. Beyond the Spectrum hosts its third-annual Tee Up Fore Autism charity golf tournament. The golf tournament will include a day of golf, freebies, player contests, 50/50 raffles, silent auction, light breakfast and catered luncheon. Proceeds will go toward providing educational and therapeutic services to students at Beyond the Spectrum. To register as a player or sponsor, visit BeyondTheSpectrum.org/tee-upfore-autism. For more information, call 907-3443.

VINTAGE CAR SHOW Runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Water’s Edge of Bradenton, 2015 32nd Ave. W., Bradenton. Water’s Edge hosts the “Remember When” vintage car show, a free event that features classic cars, food, beverages, door prizes and free giveaways.

DJ Cadillac Jimmy will spin tunes

from the 1950s-1970s. Trophies will be awarded to winners in a variety of categories. For more information, call Elizabeth at 757-2304 or send an email to EVentrice@nationalchurchresidences.org. Vehicle registration is free.

BEST BET FRIDAY, MAY 6

MUSIC ON MAIN Runs from 6-9 p.m. at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch. Singer-songwriter Paul Founier is the headliner for the monthly Music on Main free concert and block party and will fill the air with rock, soul and R&B. A DJ also will be spinning top 100 hits.

The benefiting sponsor for May will be Meals on Wheels Plus. Food vendors, beer trucks, sponsor booths, and kids rides and activities highlight the event. For more information, go to MyLWR.com.

SUP AND RUN 5K Begins at 8 a.m. at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota. The SUP and Run 5K is a unique race as participants can elect to race in a 5K run, a 3.1K standup paddleboard race or both.

There is also a handcycle and wheelchair division. Registration varies by race type, though the wheelchair and handcycle division is free. The race is free for spectators. For more information visit PaddleSignup.com or NathanBendersonPark.org.

ZUMBA CLASS Begins at 10 a.m. at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota. The zumba class taught by instructor Yael Campbell meets at the base of the finish tower.

The workout, set to Latin music, combines all elements of fitness, including cardio, muscle conditioning, balance and flexibility. The class costs $5, due before the session begins. For more information, visit NathanBendersonPark.org or call 358-7275.

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

Nathan Benderson Park hosts Rec Day, which offers participants the chance to try standup paddleboarding, kayaking, canoes, fishing and

THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

File photo

more. Meet at the base of the finish tower. For more information, go to NathanBendersonPark.org. The fee is $10 per person or $5 for an adult who brings a child. The event is free for children 6 and younger. Fishing licenses are required for all participants who choose to fish.

SUNDAY, MAY 1

FARMERS MARKET Runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Lakefront Drive in Waterside Place at Lakewood Ranch. The Farmers Market at Lakewood Ranch will run yearround every Sunday. Vendors will be offering seafood, eggs, meats, dairy products, pastas, bakery goods, jams and pickles, among other items. Other features are children’s

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activities and live music. For more information, go to MyLWR.com.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 11

HEALTHY TEENS EVENT Begins at 5 p.m. at Manatee Technical College, 6305 S.R. 70 E., Bradenton. Healthy Teens Coalition of Manatee County and Neal Communities are hosting the Youth Health Awards 2022. Tickets are $25 and can be booked at bit.ly/HTYAC22.

Those attending are asked to book

by April 29. The event is to honor individuals and organizations protecting youth health and empowering youth to make healthy choices.

For more information, email HEY@ HealthyTeensManatee.com.

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WEATHER

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH

FORECAST THURSDAY, APRIL 28 High: 88 Low: 66 Chance of rain: 52%

FRIDAY, APRIL 29 High: 85 Low: 65 Chance of rain: 54%

SUNRISE / SUNSET Sunrise Sunset Thursday, April 28

6:53a

8:01p

Friday, April 29

6:52a

8:02p

Saturday, April 30

6:51a

8:02p

Sunday, May 1

6:50a

8:03p

Monday, May 2

6:49a

8:03p

Tuesday, May 3

6:49a

8:04p

Wednesday, May 4

6:48a

8:05p

MOON PHASES

SATURDAY, APRIL 30 High: 86 Low: 65 Chance of rain: 61%

SUNDAY, MAY 1 High: 85 Low: 66 Chance of rain: 39%

May 30 New

June 7 First

June 14 Full

June 20 Last

RAINFALL Monday, April 18

0

Tuesday, April 19

0

Wednesday, April 20

0

Thursday, April 21

0

Friday, April 22

0

Saturday, April 23

0

Sunday, April 24

0

Darlene Edelman took this photo while kayaking on the Braden River. *Rainfall totals from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport

Submit your photos at YourObserver.com/Weather. All submissions will be entered for the 2022-23 Weather and Nature photo contest. In February 2023, you will vote for your favorite photo, and the submission with the most votes will win a $500 gift card.

YEAR TO DATE: 2022 4.71 in.

2021 8.82 in.

MONTH TO DATE: 2022 1.05 in.

2021 4.09 in.

The Observer’s

Weather ENTER: &Nature

Sponsored by

YourObserver.com/contests KITCHEN | CABINETRY OUTDOOR PAVERS

379856-1

2022-23 PHOTO CONTEST

A REFLECTION OF NATURE’S BEAUTY

celebrity cipher

©2022 Universal Uclick

ACROSS 1 Speedy boy in “The Incredibles” 5 Bunny movements 9 Play part 12 “Get a ___!” (“Cool it!”)

16 Norway’s capital 17 Place to pin a rose 18 Get ready, briefly 20 Christmas song 21 “Where was my mistake?” (In this clue’s answer, note letters 7-10) 24 Overjoy 25 ‘80s drink that fizzled out 26 Light beer?

27 In any way 29 Tiny bit 30 “Just a moment!”

32 Info to analyze 34 Quaint, in a shoppe name 36 Holey footwear brand 39 It can be ascending or descending (... letters 9-13) 44 Crescent-shaped bag style 45 Like some straits 46 “Better ___ Saul” 47 Highest, on a diploma 48 “You can’t back out now!” (... letters 6-9) 52 Fall Out Boy genre 54 ___ trial (legal simulation) 55 “The Force Awakens” heroine 56 “___ House” (‘80s hit) 57 Tennis championships 60 Aug. appliances

62 Very beginning?

63 What’s turned on its head?

65 Regard 67 American Eagle line with an apt name 69 Boozy, citrusy drink brand (... letters 3-7) 73 Made simpler 74 Double-reed woodwind 75 Accumulate 76 “Mulan” invader 77 “___ a pity” 79 PC shortcut for making a hard copy 82 “Without further ___ ...”

83 Letter before chi 86 Ish 88 3 letters on a phone 90 Sailors’ songs (... letters 3-9)

93 Momma’s partner, perhaps 95 Region 98 Org. overseeing employers 99 Messy pile 100 Spanish nickname for the enchanting Puerto Rico (... letters 4-8) 103 Like clothes in a 99-Across, often 104 Skin soother 105 Dutch cheese 106 Slip-on shoe 109 Avatar on a Switch 111 Rush the quarterback 113 Letter after chi 115 Quinceaneras, e.g.

119 “It’s the Hard-Knock Life” musical 121 Genre-spanning per-

58 Name camouflaged in “chameleon” 59 View 61 Spice up 63 Bro’s sibling, perhaps 64 First of the Five W’s 66 UFC sport 68 Streets (Abbr.)

69 Described patronizingly 70 “Modern Family” channel DOWN 71 Decay 1 Word above this clue 72 Nebraska city near Iowa 2 Tennis great Arthur 73 They’re spent in Berlin 3 Dressed BBQ side 76 Arizona tribe 4 Ski lodge drink 78 Presidential emblem 5 Underworld deity 80 Singer Bridges or politi6 Nail lacquer maker cian Panetta 7 Spa treatments for “little 81 Former incarnations piggies” 83 Santa Monica ___ 8 Food for pigs 84 What humidity intensi9 Tax mo. fies 10 Zagreb’s land 85 Car game for kids 11 Octopus part 87 Gem that can change 12 Actress Gadot color 13 Film with too many four- 89 Game show winner’s letter words, say vacation 14 Tiny bit 91 Command to a fly 15 Begged 92 Craved, with “for” 17 Common speech filler 94 Sun-dried bricks 19 Tiger Woods’ org.

96 Where to do the Griddy 20 They take big bows dance 22 Mafia leaders 97 Obama health law 23 Enjoy a shallow pool (Abbr.)

28 “Ha ha,” in a text 101 That’s a moray!

31 Oklahoma city 102 Rock concert boxes 33 Rainbow’s shape 103 XING animal 35 Instrument to beat 107 Natural hairstyles 36 Blacken 108 Italian automaker 37 Took the bus 109 ___ of honor speech 38 Follow orders 110 Excited about 40 Coarse corn product 112 “Gross!”

41 ___ mater 114 Pepsi or Coke 42 Role scrapped by the 116 One of the Jackson 5 Oscars from 2019-21 117 On the topic of 43 Tool for an autumn 118 Walk of Fame symbol chore 120 Texter’s “I’d say ...”

45 Has the nerve 122 Jamaican genre 49 Photo pendant 123 ___Pen 50 “Yep, that happened” 51 Chutes’ counterparts 53 Anthem sung in Toronto

“YAGJI BXNNGYDA GJ R YGI ZGDT GM R PFGVLAN JXMAHGKA SBRJ HXGJI RJ XYMVFNA ZGDT RJH TRLGJI JX TXJAW.” – NAJAA CADDOAIAN

“J NKU’C IBYJBZB CTPC CPMJUS HPVB KE XKRV TKROB PUN HTJYNVBU JO BUKRST EKV P DKAPU. XKR NKU’C EBBY HKAGYBCB.”

– FKPU HTBU

“RDB OXZSM ... GRZXRG LTXJSMC RDB ATABMR VTN CBR NE SM RDB ATXMSMC ... KTBG MTR GRTE NMRSU VTN CBR SMRT RDB TYYSPB.” – XTOBXR YXTGR © 2022 NEA, Inc.

Puzzle Three Clue: L equals W

former, or a theme hint 124 Things 125 Twist in a hose 126 Train stop 127 Jazzy James 128 Former flightless bird 129 Royal pain?

130 Garage sale caveat 131 Word after “side” or “sliding”

By Luis Campos Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present.

Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

Puzzle Two Clue: I equals B

THE MASKED SINGER by Stephanie Fox, Hayden Giller and Drew Schmenner. Edited by David Steinberg

Puzzle One Clue: C equals Z

crossword

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

©2022 Andrews McMeel Syndicate

4-28-22

Made for where you live. Here!

INFORMATION & RATES: 941-955-4888

Homes for Sale

DEADLINES: Classifieds - Monday at Noon

3BR/3.5BA PANTHER Ridge on 9 acres nr LWR. Gated Custom Home with 2 lakes, lg lanai with tropical pool, Koi Pond, 4C garage, 30x40 workshop/barn, circular drive with fountain, $2,330,000.

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Bright Realty/Abbott/Kasper MLS A4526534

redpages@yourobserver.com • yourobserver.com/redpages Service Directory - Friday at 3PM • PAYMENT: Cash, Check or Credit Card 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 Notice: All real estate advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis..

LONGBOAT KEY Incredible views Private boat dock Owner/agent $650,000 The Lake Club LWR 4 bed 4.5 bath Pool/Spa Dazzling with upgrades 2.5 Million

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Cleaning BRAZILIAN CLEANING Service

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This week’s Crossword answers

RED PAGES RED PAGES RED PAGES CALL TODAY CALL TODAY 941-955-4888 CALL TODAY 941-955-4888 941-955-4888 Cleaning

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This week’s Celebrity Cipher answers Puzzle One Solution: “Being horrible in a big film is a quicker nosedive than doing an obscure film and making no money.”

Renee Zellweger Puzzle Two Solution: “I don’t believe that taking care of your house and children is enough for a woman. You don’t feel complete.”

Joan Chen Puzzle Three Solution: “The brain ... starts working the moment you get up in the morning ... does not stop until you get into the office.”

Robert Frost

This week’s Sudoku answers

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941-251-7916, Ext 1

You’re only cheating yourself.

Items Under $200

Beach’ N Rides Electric Bike Shop eBike Sales and Rentals Ride easy on an eBike with as much exercise or assistance as you want. Leave traffic and parking problems behind!

13 models available.

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

peekers’ place

stuff

Sporting Goods

home services

RED PAGES

The The The CRYSTAL CRYSTAL CRYSTAL CLEAR CLEAR CLEAR choice! choice! choice!

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Aluminum

Concrete

Health

CRACK REPAIR

GET YOUR LIFE BACK!

SIDEWALKS • DRIVEWAYS #1 in IR REPA Crack 5% 9 EPLACE Don’t R Concrete d of Goo only 5% when cked! is cra

“Specializing inin6” Gutters” “Specializing 6” Seamless Seamless Gutters” Dustin Yoder

Dustin Owner Yoder/ Operator

379535

941.650.9790 941.650.9790 YoderAluminum.com

381029

Owner /Insured Operator Insured

YoderAluminum.com

Do You Have Neck or Low Back Pain?

Do You Want To Avoid Surgery?

BUZ CORP D/B/A

CONCRETE FUSION

Give Us a Call - We Can Help

FREE CONSULTATION 941.358.2224 Recognized Among the Best Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Physicians in America

Call Bobby • FREE Estimates 319-693-8800 or 941-374-7670

Auto Service

Board Certified in the specialty of non-surgical spinal decompression

Doors

SELL YOUR CAR!

Sliding Glass Door Repair

DR. DAVID CIFRA, DC

“FIX IT - DON’T REPLACE”

www.SarasotaDiscCenter.com DrCifra@SarasotaDiscCenter.com

University Health Park 2415 University Parkway Bldg. 3, Suite 216 Sarasota, FL 34243

FAST • EASY • SAFE

941.270.4400

New Deluxe Rollers Will Make Your Doors Roll Better Than Ever Call Mark 928-2263 proslidingglassdoorrepair.com

5-Star Rated

381025

HoHoBuysCars.com Beauty

The Only Thing You Have To Lose ... Is The Pain!!

Home Services 379537

WE COME TO YOU

Furniture Repair

SERVING YOU IN THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME

Are You Having Dryer Difficulties?

• Dryer hot but clothes still wet after (1) drying cycle?

• Dryer gets hot to the touch or doesn’t heat up at all?

Patio Furniture Repairs.com

Take a simple test to see if your vent is clogged. Unhook your dryer vent & compare drying time.

Residential

941-504-0903

FREE PICKUP / DELIVERY • FREE ONSITE QUOTES

AMANDA

4630 5TH ST W BRADENTON

“IF IT DOESN’T TIC, TOC TO ME.”

Owner Ron Willard . 941-277-3818 . archservllc@gmail.com

Kitchen/Bath Remodeling

Custom Granite Services, llc

YOUR BUSINESS Advertise as low as $85 per week.

Computer Pegatronics Computer Instruction and Repair It’s Easier Than You Think!

941-400-4912

GRAB BARS COMPLETE INSTALLATION PACKAGE

$

235

$ 235

INCLUDES 2 MOEN STAINLESS STEEL ANTI SLIP CONCEALED SCREW GRAB BARS (16” & 24”)

Call to reserve your ad space: 941-955-4888 YourObserver.com/RedPages

941-735-3362

941.966.0333

Doors

LIFETIME GUARANTEE • LICENSED • BONDED • INSURED COVERAGE AREA: LAKEWOOD RANCH TO S. VENICE

GLENN KROECKER

954-1878 (cell) 780-3346 379538

Window Repairs • Sliding Glass Door Repairs Sliding Glass Door Deadbolts

Cleaned - Regrouted - Caulked - Sealed

381032

FREE IN-HOM ESTIMATEE S

Licensed & Insured

SHOWER & BATH MAKEOVERS

Call us today! 941.628.8579 www.ezslider.com

DRGRABBARS.COM

THE GRAB BAR GUY

DON’T let your PATIO DOORS be a DRAG or your WINDOWS be a PANE!!

379536

CJ COOLEY OWNER/OPERATOR CALL BEFOREYOU YOU FALL CALL BEFORE FALL

Learn Computer Basics Phones/Tablet Help Apple & Microsoft Problems Solved On-Site and Off Much More! Call Today!

Pegatronics.com

CustomGraniteServicesLLC@gmail.com

379543

380637

941-773-0875 • 941-932-5505

Don Christo, Sr., Horologist

379533

Servicing LWR, Parrish and NE Bradenton

GROW

CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT

379542

IRRIGATION (941) 725-8100 REPAIR edsrainmakerirrigation@gmail.com MAINTENANCE Insured

381031 375249

30+years ✔ ConcreteExperience repair, tear-outs ✔ Pressure cleaning, mobile homes, cleaning Concrete Repairs, Sidewalks, Patios and gutters Driveways ✔ Sidewalks, patios, and driveways ✔ All forms of yard maintePressure Cleaning • Painting Interior/Exterior nance and Tree work ✔ Painting interior, exterior Yard Maintenance and Tree Work Insured/Free Estimates ✔ Insured/Free Estimates

Christo’s Clock Repair

Hardware Repair Virus / Malware Cleanup Software & Printer Install New Computer Setups New Purchase Consults Seniors & Beginners

30+ YEARS EXPERIENCE No Money Down Reliable On Time Every Time

SERVICES, LLC

Clock Repair

Commercial

ED’S RAIN MAKER IRRIGATION

Handyman ARCHIMEDES

941-705-5468 Irrigation

380107

380070

Furniture Sales & Repairs Cushions • Slings • Re-powdercoating

424-333-0713 | rockstarmobilehair@gmail.com www.rockstarmobilehairsalon.com

379116

|

380121

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

379554 364556

34

Call John 941.377.2940

Free Estimates • Sarasota Resident Since 1974

www.showerandbathsarasota.com

CREATE BUZZ!

Advertise your business in the Red Pages. Call 941-955-4888

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

Landscaping & Lawn

Rescreening & Repairs

Building & Roofing Contractor

Design • Garden Beds Landscape • Courtyards Clean-Up • Makeovers Weeds • Trimming

• Aluminum, Vinyl, & Wood Soffit & Fascia Repair & Installation • Roofing Repair & Installation • Metal Roofing & Tile Roof Repair Specialists

Allison J. Abizaid, M.A.

Personal Gardening Services | Designer 380120

Eldridge Re-Screen

381033

Licensed

Personal Services

“No Job Too Small”

Insured

379546

380574

941-270-1561 • Pool Cage Restoration • Rescreening Specialists • Specialty Screens • Paint • Doors and more!

Satisfaction guarantee Satisfaction Guarantee Pool cage Restoration/ Rescreening specialists Manufacture and Workmanship Warranties

941-345-5264

specialty screens / screw replacement / paint

Manufacture and workmanship Warranties

Bisson Roofing Inc. (941) 345-5264

941-CLEAN IT 2 5 3 - 2 6 4 8 FREE INSTANT ESTIMATES when you Call RICK for SCHEDULING

379539

Owner Supervises Every Job

$100 COUPON

$100 COUPON

SHOP LOCAL. SUPPORT LOCAL. YourObserver.com/RedPages

www.bissonroofing.com

NEED HELP?

Find local business and service professionals in the Observer Red Pages.

YourObserver.com/RedPages

HEROES found here.

Relax. You’ve got better things to do.

Find a professional here in the Red Pages.

RED PAGES Made for where you live. Here!

Call 941-955-4888 or visit YourObserver.com/redpages

25

ows

140

$

INCLUDING SCREENS, TRACKS, MIRRORS & FANS

941 - 748 - 7400 RC0067420 • Lic. & Ins.

Lic./Ins.

& Pressure C Window lean t e s ing as Sunrise Wi n w o n k Sun y l nd er

STANDARD WINDOWS

379545

House Washing, Roofs, Screen Cages, Pavers, Driveways and Walkways.

Res./Com.

UP TO

Specializing in Reroofs and Repairs FREE Estimates • 30 Years Experience

$100 COUPON

$100 COUPON $100 COUPON

PRESSURE WASHING

$100 COUPON $100 COUPON

WE ARE THE SOFT WASH PRESSURE WASHING PROS

$100 COUPON

Windows

Form Serving Longboat Key Since 2005

Doors and more!

Roofing

Power Washing

380636

Complete Interior & Exterior Painting

Homes - Driveways - Sidewalks - Tile & Shingle Roofs - Pool Cages & Decks

SPECIAL 00 5

$

senior citizen discount. www.sunsetwindowcleaningsrq.com

Purified water window cleaning available!!

Call Tibor for FREE ESTIMATES | 941- 284 - 5880

379548

UNIQUE PAINTING & PRESSURE WASHING SERVICES FREE ESTIMATES - Call Joel, Owner 30 Years Exp. Cell 619-405-7650 Home/Office 941-758-4840

Screening

379541

379544

Painting

941-626-3194

Licensed & Insured CCC - 058059 CBC - 1253936

380575

941.400.0431

gbyallison@yahoo.com gardensbyallison.com

SOFT WASH

35

Kenneth Fuhlman Inc.

No Job is too Small!

$100 COUPON

THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

Roofing

GARDENS BY ALLISON

$100 COUPON

|

36

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

Local Expert Since 1983 Global Reach Since 1744 When a home is marketed by Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, it is presented to highly qualified clientele worldwide through exclusive channels and relationships. Our network spans 79 countries, making us a truly global brand.

1 ,0 0 0

79

2 5,0 0 0

$204 BILLION

O F F I C ES WO R L DW I D E

C O U N T R I ES & T E R R I TO R I ES

SA L ES ASSO C I AT ES

A N N UA L SA L ES ( US D )

THE CHOICE WHEN SELLING YOUR HOME

L I ST W I T H U STO DAY.C O M

ENGLEWOOD 7108 Trout Lane Amee Sams & Beth Sargent

SARASOTA 3736 Meridale Road Joel Schemmel

12018 Thornhill Court Leigh Simons

4313 Highland Oaks Circle Fernando Viteri

STONEYBROOK COUNTRY CLUB $714,500 941.993.7279

SARASOTA $1,500,000 941.587.6660

123 Confidential Street Thomas Netzel & Sandy Gillette

$1,250,000 941.539.0633

$795,000 941.400.7676

SARASOTA 8075 36th Street Circle East Liz Snyder

NEWBURN VILLAGE 1373 Daryl Drive Kevin Milner

6051 Brown Lane Tom Hedge Jr. & Robyn Sadlo

$2,000,000 41.539.3287

SARASOTA $810,000 941.224.4515

8963 Whitemarsh Avenue Ken Ipox

6677 Mandarin Road Kevin Milner

SARASOTA $12,000,000 941.587.4894

LAKEWOOD RANCH

WILDWOOD ACRES $5,499,999 941.447.1466

SILVER OAK $650,000 727.424.6444

COUNTRY MEADOWS $450,000 41.539.3287

5140 Country Meadows Boulevard Megan George

5308 Hunt Club Way Vittoria Rutigliano

$2,375,000 941.962.5867

WILLOW LINKS | MEADOWS

$419,900 941.726.1998

5181 Willow Links #28 Jaci Krawtschenko & Jennifer Garrabrant

$324,900 941.284.3789

View a rea list ings

7 RESIDENCES

Located in Sarasota’s lively Rosemary District, Collage on Fifth encompasses seven luxury condominiums. Priced from $1,350,000, these unique residences offer a contemporary oasis just moments from the city’s cultural center.

1469 5th Street, Sarasota, FL 34236 | 941.920.1500 Sotheby’s International Realty® and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered service marks used with permission. Each office is independently owned and operated. Equal Housing Opportunity. Property information herein is derived from various sources including, but not limited to, county records and multiple listing services, and may include approximations. All information is deemed accurate. Source: MLS.

WORTH MORE

SARASOTA - DOWNTOWN | 941.364.4000

VENICE | 941.412.3323

LAKEWOOD RANCH | 941.907.9541

Contact us for a confidential consultation PremierSothebysRealty.com LONGBOAT KEY | 941.383.2500

RENTALS | 941.203.3433

370666-1

your home has never been