East County Observer 5.21.26

EAST COUNTY

Our future leaders

Observer

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Lakewood Ranch’s weekly newspaper since 1998

YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

VOLUME 27, NO. 41

YOUR TOWN

Main Street townhome project underway

Original planning for the site began in 2006. Twenty years later, it is becoming a reality.

SEE PAGE 3A

Courtesy image

A touch of comfort

Local children who have to go to the Sarasota Memorial ER at Lakewood Ranch will receive more than medical care, thanks to The Lake Club Women’s Giving Circle.

They’ll receive a toy, too.

The giving circle members dropped off nearly 500 “comfort toys” to the ER this month.

The toys are meant to ease fear and provide a distraction to children during their visits.

Children account for approximately 10% of the ER’s patients, so about seven children are seen in the ER each day.

Natalia and Yara Alokeh (above) are not patients, but as the daughters of medical professionals, Dr. Yael and Jennifer Alokeh (a giving circle member), they were happy to help deliver toys.

Firm grip on the future Six-hundred-and-three students receive their diplomas from Lakewood Ranch High. SEE PAGE 8A

Madison Bierl

Lighting the Path

Kisha Sizemore and Toni McLeroy (above), employees in the dental department at State College of Florida, were among the medical professionals to gather at Grove in Lakewood Ranch on May 12 for the Lighting the Path Healthcare Luncheon.

In its inaugural event, the State College of Florida Foundation brought together heathcare professionals, community members and partners who are making a difference.

State College of Florida offers programs in dental hygiene, nursing, occupational therapy and more.

“It’s not just about the education,” said Tommy Gregory, president of the State College of Florida. “It is the legacy and the impact they’re going to have on this entire community.”

Madison Bierl

Sophia Wiley is congratulated after receiving her Lakewood Ranch High School diploma May 18 at LECOM Park.

Can students shoulder the responsibility?

School board members discuss whether bare shoulders should violate students’ dress code.

SEE PAGE 2A

Read the Observer anytime, anywhere on our free app! Visit YourObserver.com/app-offer or use the QR code below

Daniella Vallarta, a junior at Lakewood Ranch High School, is passionate about self expression through fashion.

She finds the dress code to be limiting, especially in the Florida heat.

Courtesy image

A+E

Fiddler from afar.

INSIDE

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

Skin deep into dress codes

DRESS CODE

After the May 5 school board discussion, it was stated members will review the policy once again, get feedback from principles and reconsider the possibility of allowing sleeveless shirts with new guidelines.

They will revisit the dress code at a future board meeting.

The following is the existing dress code with possible changes pending following the May 5 workshop:

The Manatee County School Board and community members debate what the dress code should be and whether school uniforms are an option.

MADISON BIERL STAFF WRITER

A

s the bell rings, announcing the end of the school day, Daniella Vallarta, a junior at Lakewood Ranch High School, heads for the door.

As she heads home in the afternoon heat, she sheds layers of clothing that are required because of the school’s dress code.

“I’m mostly upset about the no shoulders rule because it gets so hot in Florida,” Vallarta said.

Vallarta said she has plenty of friends from out of state who are baffled by how conservative Florida’s dress code can be for students.

Discussion of the School District of Manatee County dress code took place at the school board meeting May 5, for it is one of the areas of potential changes in the student’s code of conduct.

School Board member Heather Felton said the dress code has been a longtime irritant for her because there is a double standard when it comes to what teachers can wear versus the rules for students.

To emphasize her point, she took off her blazer during the meeting to reveal a sleeveless shirt that she could wear as an educator, but students cannot.

“This is not fair to say that a shoulder is inappropriate,” Felton said. “If somebody has a problem with my shoulders and they feel it is inappropriate in a sexual way, they need to grow up.”

School Board Vice Chair Richard Tatem said he understands the concern, but he wouldn’t change the dress code.

“You have better judgment as an adult, as a teacher,” Tatem said.

“Students coming in are not going to have that same judgment that you would have.”

Felton said she has dealt with broken down air conditioning systems and has worked as a teacher in Florida’s heat and humidity.

Francesca Bisordi, a junior at Lakewood Ranch High, is a member of the wrestling team. She said most of her teammates change into shorts and tank tops, or singlets, for wrestling.

“Considering the fact that we go to an outdoor school in the Florida heat and humidity, it’s such an unnecessary burden to have to worry about covering up most of our skin during school atop all of the other pressures we have to deal with,” Bisordi said.

The district also is considering the ban of blankets on campus. Students have carried a blanket at times to deal with the chill from air conditioning.

“Often, I’ll wear clothes for a hot environment, then I need a blanket for the freezing cold gym,” Bisordi said. “It’s not fair to be so strict that it affects our comfort so much.”

Felton and Cindy Spray, the school board chair, both said it is important to consider different heights and body types when outlining the rules for the dress code. They said the same article of clothing could look different based on those characteristics.

School Board member Chad Choate said he would not want to be the judge of what is appropriate.

“I want to make it as easy as possible for our staff to function throughout the day,” Choate said.

“We already have to deal with so much stuff, and this dress code is pretty simple.”

“If the language was changed, it would have to say absolutely no spaghetti straps and absolutely no tank tops are allowed,” Spray said.

“However, a sleeveless shirt or cap sleeve could be. I don’t think teachers would have to go out and start measuring. It’s a simple rule: Use your four fingers, and if it covers your

Courtesy image

School Board Member Heather Felton took off her blazer during the May 5 workshop to show her sleeveless shirt is appropriate for students in the Florida heat.

shoulders, that’s allowed.”

Wrenn Pevzner-Downer, a freshman at Lakewood Ranch High School, said the dress code could be more lenient for everyone. She said it is enforced inconsistently.

“A lot of girls get dress-coded quickly for things like a small amount of midriff showing, while boys can sag their pants all day and usually nothing happens to them,” PevznerDowner said.

Anthony Sizemore, a freshman at Braden River High, said the dress code is fair for students who are both male and female. He said students who are found to violate dress codes are often trying to follow trends they see on TikTok. “I feel it (the dress code) keeps us, as minors, safe and can also lead to less distractions in the classroom,” Sizemore said.

Lincoln Lis, a junior who plays football at Braden River High, said the dress code hasn’t been a popular topic of conversation when he is interacting with his peers. He agrees with the current dress code because it prepares students for their futures.

Mindy Pevzner, Wrenn’s mother, said she would prefer the students

wear school uniforms.

“I know my teen and I differ in opinion on this one, and that’s OK,” Pevzner said. “However, if uniforms were in place, the inconsistent enforcement would be a moot point.”

Rennie Finck, a math teacher at Lakewood Ranch, said students often wear clothes “much more suited for home and the gym,” including leggings, slippers and pajama pants.

She said those items are normal and accepted attire at this point.

She said school uniforms, for both teachers and students, could solve a lot of the problems in this regard.

“Our dress code is clear and wellintentioned, but when it isn’t able to be consistently enforced for various reasons, it stops being a rule and sets a precedent that other guidelines might be ignored,” Finck said.

Before LRHS, Vallarta attended Lake Pointe Academy, a charter school in Clermont, with strict uniforms. The students wore collared shirts in either blue, white or green with dress pants or skirts in either black, navy or khaki. She was glad to start expressing herself through clothing and has made over half of her friends through her fashion

■ All shirts and blouses must cover the midriff, back, sides and all undergarments including bra straps at all times. All shirts, tops and dresses shall have sleeves and cover the shoulders. Added: Tops must extend below the waistband at all times. Clothing may not expose the midriff; no skin should be visible at the waist or abdomen.

■ New to the dress code: Any jewelry or accessories that pose a safety risk may be required to be removed at the discretion of the principal or staff members if concerns arise.

■ New to the dress code: Blanket type items are not permitted to be on school grounds.

To see the dress code for the 2025-26 school year, visit Code of Student Conduct.

choices.

“Fashion is part of interacting at schools; it really is,” Spray said.

“They talk about their shirt or their pants or their earrings or their necklace and all that kind of stuff. Guys talk about different shoes.”

Vallarta doesn’t want uniforms.

She wants an opportunity to express herself while also being comfortable in the Florida heat.

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YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

Lakeshore Townhomes project fashionably late to Rodeo Drive Frank Dagostino bought the property in 2020 and vows to see the project through to the end.

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

C

onstruction around Lakewood Ranch is an ordinary sight, but to see construction on Rodeo

Drive between The Fish Hole Miniature Golf and Michael Saunders and Co. is extraordinary.

At least it is extraordinary considering the parcel’s history.

Plans for the parcel along Lake Uihlein have undergone countless revisions, and it took nearly 20 years to move beyond site work and to begin vertical construction.

Only the name, Lakeshore, has remained the same. The project that was originally designed as the Lakeshore at Lakewood Ranch condominium complex in 2006 is now being built as Lakeshore Townhomes.

Frank Dagostino, CEO and founder of Largo-based Dag Bros. Development LLC, bought the property and plans in 2020, and is the developer who will see the project through the finish line.

He bought the package to build condos, but an error discovered by a surveyor changed the plan to townhomes.

Long before Dagostino bought the property, land on the outer edges of the parcel was purchased to be used for the project. However, the paperwork wasn’t filed properly, so those pieces didn’t become part of the whole.

Dagostino decided not to pursue title challenges and later decided it would be easier to change his plans.

In lieu of purchasing additional land, Dagostino’s contractor suggested scaling the project down from condos to townhomes.

The project broke ground in November.

Construction is being split into two phases. The west side of the project is Phase I, and the east side is Phase II. Each phase is projected to take 18 months at the most to complete.

Adam Myara, the real estate agent who’s been marketing Lakeshore since Dagostino took over, has a contract on one unit that is actively under construction, and the other unit in that particular building will be the model. He’s backing off presales this time around until construction on the units begins.

‘SHE CRIED’

In addition to the name, the other prevailing theme across every iteration of Lakeshore was custom luxu-

“Development projects of this size and complexity almost always evolve over time, and this one certainly required us to adapt more than expected.”

— Frank Dagostino, CEO and founder of Dag Bros. Development LLC

ry — penthouses, concierge service, $25,000 optional locked cabanas and fully customizable units.

Myara secured pre-sale contracts on the original condos. The owners spent hours with the interior designer choosing colors and materials.

Myara got to know one owner, a former New York City executive who lived and worked in the city during the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. She was ready to retire, leave her highrise in New York and split her time between Lakewood Ranch and Paris.

She had customized the condo to include special-order appliances from Germany and a climate-controlled purse room, which would have required the installation of a dehumidifier to prevent mold, mildew and any damage to the purses.

Moisture can warp leather.

It was a bad day at work for Myara in 2023 when he had to tell her that after all that planning, her retirement retreat would not be built.

“She cried,” he said. “I felt bad for all the people that I had to cancel contracts with. They were all looking forward to living here and making that place their home.”

Dagostino was just as disappointed.

He said the delay reset the project’s timeline by nearly three years and the changes resulted in well over $1.5 million in additional expenses on architecture, engineering, revised site work and redesigned utilities.

Even after construction started, the project hit another snag. A code change in November required fire suppression in the building with only two units. The code used to require fire suppression in a building with three or more units.

The newly installed drywall and freshly packed insulation had to be torn from the beams.

“In hindsight, while the project has definitely had its ups and downs, I still believe in the location and the overall vision for the development,” Dagostino said. “Development projects of this size and complexity almost always evolve over time, and this one certainly required us to adapt more than expected.”

Luxury remains a key element of the project. All the materials are high-end, and upgrades are available.

The approach to construction has been tailored, too. Dagostino is taking his time. He described the current market as not bad, but all over the place.

Even though the financing has been secured, Dagostino said Phase II will start when Phase I is completely closed out and the bank is paid back.

He spoke about the condos and the townhomes as two completely separate projects, noting that the condo project was a three-year “revamp.”

The townhomes aren’t delayed; they’re on track.

TIMELINE

The East County Observer has been following the Lakeshore development since 2015 when the project underwent its first revamp. Reporting from four different reporters — Pam Eubanks, Jay Heater, Ian Swaby and Lesley Dwyer — contributed to this 20-year timeline.

Realtor John Swart and Larry Pearce, managing partner of Realco, were eager in 2007 to begin sales at The Lakeshore, a 44unit luxury condo project slated for the Lakewood Ranch Main Street area.

File photo

Photos by Lesley Dwyer

Realtor Adam Myara stands on a rooftop terrace at Lakeshore Townhomes.

The project is under construction on Rodeo Drive behind Main Street at Lakewood Ranch.

Each townhome features a two-car garage and a rooftop terrace.

Courtesy image

The rooftop terrace can be upgraded with an outdoor kitchen, rooftop trellis, canvas shade or rolling louvers.

LAKESHORE TOWNHOMES 10755 Rodeo Drive. Visit LakeshoreOnMain.com.

■ 1.32-acre parcel ■ 36 townhomes ■ Three stories, including a two-car garage and rooftop terrace ■ $699,999 starting price

■ 2006: The Lofts opened on Main Street at Lakewood Ranch. Realco and Casto, two development firms, partnered to develop the 20-unit condo complex located above the businesses on Main Street. The two firms continued the partnership and started planning The Lakeshore at Lakewood Ranch — 44 luxury, Mediterranean-style condos in the current location along Rodeo Drive.

■ 2007: Building permits were issued for the condos, and the underground site work was completed.

■ 2008: The market crashed, and the project was put on hold.

■ 2014: Realco’s managing partner, Larry Pearce, bought out Casto and hired Gary Hoyt as the architect and John Swart as the project manager. Swart was Lakeshore’s original project manager and served as the former president of Lakewood Ranch Commercial Realty. Pearce and Swart changed the buildings’ design aesthetic from Mediterranean to Parisian. The starting price of a penthouse was anticipated at over $1.5 million.

■ 2015: Pearce was diagnosed with cancer and decided to sell the plans and property as a package.

■ 2016: The Bullard Group, a development firm based in Clearwater, bought the package. The firm tweaked the plans to include larger master suites, expanded terraces and other design changes. The number of units dropped from 44 to 40.

■ 2017: The Bullard Group listed the package on Realtor.com for $2.6 million.

■ 2020: Frank Dagostino bought the package.

■ 2021: The plans were revised again. Dagostino reduced the number of units from 40 to 32 to ensure ample parking. Additional amenities were added into the plans, such as concierge service and a rooftop Tiki bar.

■ 2022: Prospective residents reserved pre-sale units. Prices ranged from $960,500 to $2.1 million.

■ 2023: The site was being prepared for construction and units were sold when a surveyor discovered that the proposed buildings were encroaching on common areas. Although Pearce had purchased those common areas, he didn’t follow through with the proper approvals.

■ 2024: Dagostino applied for permits on a new townhome project with 36 units.

■ 2025: Lakeshore Townhomes broke ground in November.

■ 2026: The first townhome was put under contract. The model is anticipated to open in July. The units along Rodeo Drive start at $699,999, and the waterfront units start at $899,999. Myara is hoping to host a grand opening in July.

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YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

Lack of representation won’t delay District 1 development LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

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rom committees to judges, Gov. Ron DeSantis has made a slew of appointments over the past three months. However, the governor has left one key seat in Manatee County empty, that of the late Carol Ann Felts.

Felts was the District 1 commissioner who died at her home in Myakka City on Feb. 24. DeSantis declared the seat vacant March 24 and ordered flags be flown at halfstaff at the state capitol in Tallahassee and throughout Manatee County April 18, the day of her public memorial service.

Three months later, Felts’ seat in the commission chambers is still marked by a black sash and a bouquet of flowers. Citizens in her district remain without representation on the Manatee County Commission.

On May 14, Planning Commissioner Bruce Stamm attempted to make a motion to compensate for that lack of representation. “(Residents) don’t have a sitting district commissioner, and therefore, it’s not fair to hear those cases today,” Stamm said. “There is case law, and so I’ll move to continue these items until such time as we have a district commissioner in District 1.”

The case law was presented by Glen Gibellina, a candidate for District 4 at the meeting. He cited the “due process argument (procedural fairness) in Florida” and Jennings v.

Dade County.

“The case of Jennings v. Dade County emphasizes that the hearing must be ‘fair and impartial,’” Gibellina wrote into the record via online public comments. “You can argue that a hearing regarding a massive project like Parrish Lakes, which fundamentally changes the landscape of District 1, cannot be ‘fair’ when the seat specifically designated to represent that geography is vacant.”

Jennings v. Dade involved ex parte communication with commissioners, rather than a lack of representation.

Parrish Lakes was originally approved in 2017. The request was to increase the number of residential units from 3,401 to 3,778. But Stamm was requesting a motion for continuance on all upcoming applications in District 1.

Assistant County Attorney Sarah Shank noted that due to Senate Bill 180, which prevents local governments from being “more restrictive or burdensome” on development, that commissioners were unable to

Lesley Dwyer

Planning Commissioner Bruce Stamm says residents in District 1 are being denied due process because of a lack of representation.

IVY RUN

One hearing was continued during the May 14 planning commission on the request of the applicant. Ivy Run, a proposed development near Rye Road and Waterline Road, will be presented during the June 11 meeting instead.

The request by KB Home Tampa LLC is to rezone eight parcels from general agriculture to planned development residential. If approved, the rezone would make way for 131 single-family homes on about 52 acres. Attorney Caleb Grimes submitted a letter prior to the meeting that explained the reasons for the continuance: “We have been made aware of a resident’s concern with being afforded due process because of the availability of certain information and reports. We do not want, in any way, to deny any resident full due process,” the letter read. “In addition, it appears that many in the public are not aware that this developer is proposing that they reconstruct the intersection of Waterline Road and Rye Road to make it far safer, while also installing traffic lights.”

impose any type of moratorium.

County Attorney Pamela D’Agostino added four points as to why Stamm’s motion should not be made: ■ The action deprives applicants of procedural due process rights by delaying consideration of their application without a lawful basis to support the delay.

■ It would violate statutory deadlines and procedural requirements imposed by Florida law for the processing and review of development applications.

■ It conflicts with the county’s own land development code and adopted procedural regulations governing hearing schedules, application review timelines and processing requirements.

■ It would be construed as imposing a more restrictive and burdensome review procedure in violation of Senate Bill 180 and related provisions of Florida law.

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YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

5A

Foundation for Dreams unveils campus renovations Manatee County gave the Foundation for Dreams a 10year lease for $10, but the campus needed an overhaul.

LESLEY DWYER

DREAM OAKS CAMP

STAFF WRITER

D

reams will be coming true in East County this summer.

The Foundation for Dreams is gearing up to host its Dream Oaks Camp on a newly revamped 62-acre campus next to Rye Preserve.

While not every dream for the campus has been fulfilled yet, at least 30 campers a week will be using the campus to swim, play and craft throughout the summer.

Dream Oaks Camp serves children ages 7-17 with special needs. Dream Oaks will remain the foundation’s primary focus, but thanks to a partnership with Manatee County, the foundation’s scope is already being expanded.

The county leased the property to the Foundation for Dreams for $10 for 10 years with an option to renew.

The bigger campus and autonomy will allow the foundation to grow.

In the past, the foundation had to work its camps around the Southwest Florida Boy Scouts’ schedule because camps were held on Boy Scout property at Camp Flying Eagle off of Upper Manatee River Road.

The campus hosted its first two camps over the past month and both were outside the foundation’s traditional scope. Foundation for Dreams partnered with the Kiwanis Club to host a Key Leader camp for high school students and All Children’s Hospital to host a camp for patients.

“My goal is if you serve kids, we want to collaborate with you,” Executive Director Elena Cassella said.

The foundation held a reception May 14 for local nonprofits, leaders and donors that included guided tours of the campus. Caregivers of

Dream Oaks Camp is the Foundation for Dream’s main program. The camp serves children ages 7-17 with special needs that include, but are not limited to, autism spectrum disorders, intellectual and learning disabilities, developmental delays and sensory processing disorders.

Campers build skills while having fun horseback riding, swimming, cooking, crafting and eating s’mores by the campfire. Day and overnight camps are offered. A few spots are still available for this summer. Visit FoundationForDreams.org or call 746-5659.

Photos by Lesley Dwyer

A new fire pit area awaits campers, along with the playground that was moved from Camp Flying Eagle, where camps used to be held.

children with special needs who are interested in summer camp can call to request a tour. There are still a few spots available.

Over the past two years, the campus has been completely overhauled.

It was also hit by a hurricane in between. Hurricane Milton in 2024 blew over a massive number of trees and caused roof damage to some of the buildings.

Since then, the pool was replaced, five buildings were renovated, the pavement was resurfaced, sidewalks were installed and the playground from the old campus was moved piece by piece.

Yet, there’s still more work to be done. A cabin is still under construction, and Cassella estimates it will take another $1 million and up to three years to fulfill every “vision”

more activities to the program, such as a ride on the county’s new ferry, the Manatee Belle.

Horseback riding remains a mainstay outdoor activity. But with the addition of a learning center, which is ready to go, canoeing can be replaced with indoor activities like science experiments and art projects.

The learning center could also be used for adult day programming. When Cassella was handed the keys in August 2024, she said another need in the community had been identified — programming for individuals with special needs ages 18-30.

Jamey Keefer’s son, Lucas, attended his last Dream Oaks Camp last summer because he’s turning 18.

Keefer said he loved the camp, and so did she because it also serves as a respite for parents. She had been a longtime advocate for the foundation because of her personal experience, but she took that enthusiasm one step further in September.

Keefer gave up her job of 22 years with Edward Jones to become the foundation’s community advocate.

She said she couldn’t be happier with the career move.

Jamey Keefer, the community advocate for Foundation for Dreams, has a picture of her children, Lucas and Hannah, in her office. Lucas Keefer attended camp last summer, but will be too old for the program this summer.

for the campus, which includes an outdoor kitchen and a shaded, resurfaced basketball court.

The foundation raised $1.5 million for renovations, and Manatee County donated $1 million to get the campus in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

As is, the campus can still serve children as it did at its prior location at Camp Flying Eagle. The only activity that won’t be offered immediately is canoeing because that will now require a shuttle bus.

Cassella said a bus is at the top of the priority list because it could add

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YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

Exquisite crafted Be Bold,jewelry Be Brilliant, A Tradition of Beauty, Where Fine Art with precious perfection Be Beautiful A Legacy of Trust Becomes Forever

Lakewood Ranch lawyer transitions to judge Hillary Ellis will fill a seat in Manatee County Court created by Senate Bill 2508.

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akewood Ranch’s Hillary Ellis, 40, always wanted to be an attorney.

“If you go back to my eighth grade yearbook, it asks what you want to be when you grow up and it says ‘attorney,’” Ellis said. “I always liked the arguments of the law and watching Court TV, seeing trials happen live. It was always very interesting to me.”

As Ellis moved through her career as a lawyer for the Department of Children and Families, as an assistant state attorney and then as a private practice attorney, she began to set her sights on becoming a judge.

On April 24, Gov. Ron DeSantis made 12 judicial appointments, including Ellis, who was appointed to the Manatee County Court.

The Manatee County Court handles cases such as traffic violations and misdemeanor crimes.

Half of the appointments, including Ellis’ appointment, were made because of Senate Bill 2508. The bill, which went into effect July 1, 2025, increased the number of county, circuit and Sixth District Court of Appeal judges by 39.

Manatee County was one of 12 counties to be assigned one more judge.

The bill was enacted to account for population growth and increased filings.

As a former assistant state attorney who was assigned to Manatee County, Ellis understands a heavy caseload. She spent about six years in that role.

“The prosecutors and public defenders work so incredibly hard, just the unbelievable volume they’re dealing with,” she said. “That has a lot to do with preparing someone to be a judge because, as a judge, you’re dealing with thousands of cases.”

Something less obvious that pre-

Lesley Dwyer

Judge Hillary Ellis is a new addition to the Manatee County Court.

TWO MORE APPOINTMENTS In addition to the Manatee County Court, Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed two new judges to the 12th Judicial Circuit Court, which serves Manatee, Sarasota and DeSoto counties.

Bradenton’s Andrea Johnson will fill the vacancy left

by Judge Lon Arend, and Port Charlotte’s Guy Flowers will fill another vacancy created by the enactment of Senate Bill 2508.

pared Ellis for her new role was playing softball. Although she earned her degree from Florida State University, Ellis started out at Florida Gulf Coast University on an athletic scholarship.

She noted that it takes an “astronomical amount of work” to play any kind of sport on a collegiate level.

On the field, Ellis was competitive. In life, having to balance practices, games, classes and homework developed her work ethic.

Although Ellis grew up in Fort Myers, her career brought her to Sarasota out of law school at Faulkner University. She moved to Lakewood Ranch in 2018.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

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 Publisher / Lori Ruth, LRuth@YourObserver.com Executive Editor and COO / Kat Wingert, KWingert@YourObserver.com

Photos by Madison Bierl

On May 18 at LECOM Park, 603 seniors from Lakewood Ranch High School complete high school and receive their diplomas.

A HIGH DEGREE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT At LECOM Park, 603 graduates from Lakewood Ranch High School each had their moment to shine.

MADISON BIERL STAFF WRITER

W

alking up to the podium on May 19 at LECOM Park, Madison Goodwin felt a little nervous.

But while delivering her speech as a graduate of Lakewood Ranch High School, she said a wave of calm and accomplishment took over as she reflected on the past four years of her life.

“When we look back years from now, I don’t think most of us will remember every high score or assignment,” Goodwin said. “We will remember the teachers who believed in us when we didn’t believe in ourselves, the friends who sat beside us during hard moments and the classmates who loved hearing us laugh during stressful days.”

The Lakewood Ranch High School commencement ceremony for the class of 2026 took place May 18 at LECOM Park with 603 seniors receiving their diplomas.

Jack Crosbie, who served as the Bravo Company Commander in the Lakewood Ranch High JROTC and who has been accepted into the United States Air Force Academy, said he is eager for the next chapter.

“It was such a relief finally being able to move on from the home-

Kuwain Claxton and Ka’Mya Dunbar ordered custom stoles for graduation day, which include pictures of themselves.

Layla Benshoff and Madelyn Boyd celebrate after the conclusion of the Lakewood Ranch High School graduation ceremony at LECOM Park.

Richard Tatem, vice chair of the school board and a veteran, congratulates Jack Crosbie on graduating and being accepted into the United States Air Force Academy.

work, tight daily schedule and stress, but it was also so sad realizing that we have to move on,” Crosbie said.

Savanna Chumbley, president of Girls in White Coats at Lakewood Ranch High, said she was both excited and nervous to graduate. She is eager to forge her own path.

“This is such a huge milestone in my life, and I am just so grateful for the opportunities that Lakewood Ranch High School has given me,” Chumbley said. “I will look back on the friendships I have built and that got me through hard times, but I am also looking forward toward college.”

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Madison Goodwin speaks about her fond memories from Lakewood Ranch High, which include teachers who believed in her and laughing with her classmates.

Savanna Chumbley, president of Girls in White Coats, says graduating is a huge milestone in her life, and she is grateful for all the opportunities Lakewood Ranch High School has given her.

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SIDE OF RANCH

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

JAY HEATER

Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Michelson Fleurant places a rose on a plaque at the Manatee County Law Enforcement Memorial Service on May 14 in Bradenton.

Law enforcement officers’ calling demands attention

T

hey say time heals all, but perhaps it shouldn’t.

During the Manatee County Law Enforcement Memorial Service on May 14 in front of the Manatee County Courthouse, Sheriff Rick Wells told the assembled crowd that these aren’t “just names” on the 10 plaques that grace the Law Enforcement Memorial.

Anyone who could see Karen Clark, wife of Deputy Douglas Clark, who died Aug. 25, 2021 in the line of duty, understood Wells’ comment. Clark quietly sobbed as various officers from different law enforcement agencies carried a single rose to each plaque during the roll call for those who died in the line of duty.

Karen Clark tried to hold her emotions as she was escorted by an officer to her husband’s plaque. You can be sure that everyone in attendance was sharing in her pain. If we only could take some of it away ...

And in that moment, you could understand not only Karen Clark’s anguish, but the anguish felt by

every family of every law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty in the last 10 years, or the last 100, whether here or anywhere else in this nation.

It is a pain we should carry with us, or at least visit from time to time. These aren’t just names.

Palmetto Mayor Dan West addressed the crowd, saying “Law enforcement officers leave home each day not knowing if they will see their loved ones at the end of the day.”

The fallen are testament to this fact. They paid what is called the ultimate sacrifice.

“Our responsibility is to keep their memory alive,” West said.

“These are great American heroes.

We are here to honor the brave men and women of law enforcement.”

Hopefully, feeling some of that pain ourselves will prompt us to support our law enforcement officers, and will lead us to supply them with the needed support that helps them do their job.

It can be a thankless, danger-

Sheriff Rick Wells visits with Karen Clark following the Manatee County Law Enforcement Memorial Service on May 14.

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ous and infinitely frustrating job.

And, myself, I never have understood how we get so many men and women to do it.

Douglas Clark was one who did and who loved it. Karen Clark said she knew her husband was a hero, long before he died.

“These guys give up a lot,” Karen Clark said of law enforcement officers. “But it’s not a job ... It’s a calling.”

Thank goodness for that calling.

The May 14 service was a solemn reminder the calling doesn’t always end well. It is something the officers themselves accept.

“This is very important,” Karen Clark said of the ceremony, even though it subjects her to more emotional torment. “Perhaps it’s more important for the officers themselves. This is a brotherhood.”

Karen Clark admitted the ceremony can tear open emotional wounds. And yet, there is a comfort for her to know that all these law enforcement officers come to honor her husband.

She also hopes the public realizes the value in each and every officer.

“The public needs them,” she said of the law enforcement officers.

“And I think the public shows respect for them, for the most part.”

The public also should know that danger doesn’t always come in the form of some Hollywood movie shootout, or during a high-speed pursuit or from trying to save a child who swam out into a rip current.

Douglas Clark, who served with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office for 13 years and had previously served with the Hardee Correctional Institution, died from complications as a result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.

Thousands of law enforcement officers throughout the country put themselves in danger because they continued to work, which meant interacting with members of the community who didn’t believe in being self-quarantined, even after they had the illness.

Douglas Clark didn’t survive that interaction.

After her husband died, Karen Clark continued to receive support from members of local law enforcement, not for weeks or months, but for years.

“They are right there,” she said. “I

see them. They have been very close.”

After the memorial ceremony, you could see how close. It was hugs all around from members of the different agencies.

“It’s very tender,” she said of her emotions.

Those ragged emotions of the day, however, had been stored away after the service, and it was all smiles.

She continued the visits long after the ceremony, which was presented by the Fraternal Order of Police.

A release by the Fraternal Order of Police said the tribute works because “every law enforcement officer in the county gives a piece of his or her heart to this particular ceremony.”

Don’t they deserve a piece of our heart as well?

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

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

ELECTION 2026

“(The comprehensive plan) is a key element to land use. As somebody who wants to make sure that we’re all protected, I feel like I need to read it and understand it. It’s really important.”

— Elizabeth Arnold

ARNOLD THE ACTIVIST

File photo

The late Commissioner Carol Ann Felts and Elizabeth Arnold were featured in a 2021 edition of the East County Observer for their efforts to preserve the Future Area Development Boundary.

Parrish resident goes from activist to candidate As a citizen, Elizabeth Arnold rallied beside the late commissioner Carol Ann Felts. Now, she’s stepping into the race to fill the vacant commission seat.

Elizabeth Arnold is transitioning from citizen activist to commissioner candidate. She’s running for the District 1 seat.

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

I

n March 2021, an article in the East County Observer featured two residents fighting to keep the Future Area Development Boundary in place — District 1 commissioner Carol Ann Felts and Parrish’s Elizabeth Arnold.

Arnold had no prior political aspirations, but after Felts died in February, Arnold decided to enter the race to take Felts’ place in District 1.

“I’m not running to build a political career,” Arnold said. “I’m running because I believe the county needs leadership willing to put residents first, to ask hard questions and to make sure growth is responsible and sustainable, rather than simply approving everything put before the board.”

Lesley Dwyer

Arnold, 73, said she has the experience to step into the role of Manatee County commissioner.

She worked for the city of St. Petersburg for seven years. During the late 1990s, St. Petersburg was one of the first municipalities in Florida to automate its garbage collection. Arnold went on to work for the Florida Power Corp. (now Duke Energy) for almost 23 years, which gave her experience in another area of focus for Manatee County lately — efficiencies.

Arnold pre-pays her utility bill and can’t help notice that she still gets a paper bill each month even

when she’s carrying a negative balance.

“At Florida Power, we recognized that was expensive,” Arnold said. “I look at that kind of stuff. There are so many cost savings.”

Arnold also shows up to commission meetings and stays informed.

Even though it “could put her to sleep at night,” she reads the comprehensive plan because she hears so many developers use the plan’s contents as a reason their development should be approved or why they’ll sue if their development isn’t approved. “(The comprehensive plan) is a

See all our election coverage online at YourObserver.com/ News/Elections.

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key element to land use,” Arnold said. “As somebody who wants to make sure that we’re all protected, I feel like I need to read it and understand it. It’s really important.”

Something else Arnold deems important is that citizens want somebody who is “going to listen to them and treat them with dignity and respect.” She said Felts had that ability.

Quality of life in East County and other rural parts of Manatee County is at the top of Arnold’s list of priorities. When she first moved from Pinellas County around 1990, she and her husband, Larry, chose Myakka City for its rural setting.

She said Pinellas is “packed with people and houses.” The couple wanted to raise their children, Kaitlyn and Nicholas (now grown) in a different environment.

The Arnolds still own 10 acres in Myakka, but they now live in Parrish on five acres, where their daughter is only two miles away.

Felts was sometimes referred to as the “mayor of Myakka.” Arnold said she’s got a foot in each area, and both Myakka and Parrish residents often feel overlooked.

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If you’ve ever watched a Manatee County commission meeting, you might have seen or heard Elizabeth Arnold already because she regularly attends or calls into the meetings. The Future Development Area Boundary, stormwater fees, canopy roads, wetland protections, construction dust and phosphate mining are just some of the causes she’s spoken up about.

Arnold is vying for the Republican nomination during the Aug. 18 primary election against candidates Andrew Cottrell, Anthony Drake, John Dunn, Michael Harrison, Adam Johnson, Mark Stanoch and Leland Taylor.

“I heard somebody say that they considered Parrish the redheaded stepchild because promises are always made, but then they’re not fulfilled,” Arnold said. “For example, Parrish was promised the park (Hidden Harbor Park), and (Manatee County) did build Phase I, but it hasn’t built Phase II. I think Parrish residents are feeling like there’s been massive development, but not a lot of attention to them.”

Arnold pointed to the land use agendas in support of that feeling because the majority of the development proposals are in District 1.

“Parrish is having some pretty significant growing pains right now,” Arnold said. “Things could slow down to give District 1 a break because it’s pretty overwhelming. People are a little burnt out.

The growth is outpacing their patience.”

Given the overwhelming development, Arnold would like to see the agendas come out sooner so residents have more time to prepare and present their case to commissioners. She said it’s hard enough to only have five minutes (the maximum time a citizen is allowed to speak at a land use meeting) to present a case, let alone just a week to prepare.

Arnold wants to see items that eventually will make their way onto an agenda posted much earlier. She said it could be labeled a “draft agenda” with the understanding that some items will come and go, but it would give residents more time to read through all the information that comes with a development proposal.

A recent proposal for 733 singlefamily homes off Mulholland Road came with 15 attachments on the agenda. The staff report contained 26 pages. The environmental report contained 47 pages, and the traffic study contained 148 pages.

In total, there were over 400 pages of information submitted with that one request. She said having more time to digest the material would be helpful.

Arnold also likes the idea of an ombudsman to investigate citizen complaints and resolve issues. She contends that “the right person could make a tremendous difference” and provide transparency.

“The United States Constitution protects citizens, and so does the county government — it’s supposed to,” Arnold said. “We need to start exploring how we do a better job of protecting citizens.”

To learn more about Arnold, visit VoteLizArnold.com.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

UMR expansion gets real Owner Ryan Moore is excited by the possibilities that expansion brings to his sports complex.

JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR

W

hen it comes to the expansion of his UMR Sports complex on Upper Manatee River Road, Ryan Moore has been excited. For a long, long time he has been excited.

Now, he said he is beyond the excited stage.

“It finally is becoming real,” he said. “It’s go time.”

The complex opened in 2023 with four sand volleyball courts, six pickleball courts and an indoor batting cage facility with three “tunnels” for both baseball and softball.

While it was a nice introduction into the market, it wasn’t what he had dreamed about when he told his father, Duane Moore, he was going to transform 52 acres of the former family dairy farm into a sports complex.

The major steps toward his dream are about to take place.

Construction on the second phase of his complex begins in July or August when the UMR Sports’ “multistay units” are built with a finish date of August or September 2027. Four buildings will host 232 units that will be occupied by those who will be participating in events at UMR Sports or who will be staying even longer. That could include those who will be playing in the Professional Softball League that will be based out of UMR Sports, including the Florida Vibe team Moore currently owns.

The Vibe currently play home games at State College of Florida in Bradenton, but will switch to UMR Sports campus when the stadium field is built. Those who want to check out a game can catch the Vibe on the streaming All Women’s Sports Network.

The stadium field, which will seat 2,000 and another 500 on an outfield berm, is part of Phase 3, which kicks

UMR EXPANSION What: UMR Sports complex is expanding Where: 151 Upper Manatee River Road How big is the site: 52 acres What is being added: 232 multistay units that will host those participating or interested in UMR events; a five-plex of baseball and softball fields that will include a stadium field that will seat up to 2,500 people; an all-purpose field (all artificial turf); an adult baseball field; a pickleball barn; an 18-hole miniature golf course Another feature: UMR Sports will be the host field for the Florida Vibe professional softball team and the site might eventually host an entire professional women’s softball league More information: UMRSports.com.

off construction Oct. 1. That phase includes a five-plex that includes the stadium field and then four other softball/Under 12 baseball fields (210 feet down the lines and 220 feet to center), an adult soccer/lacrosse allpurpose field, and an adult baseball field. All the five-plex fields will have artificial turf.

Phase 3 is expected to be finished by next spring, with a Memorial Day weekend 2027 grand opening planned.

The fourth phase is expected to begin construction in late spring 2027, with a finish date approximately four months later. It will include a pickleball barn and an 18-hole miniature golf course.

Most of the expansion items were part of Moore’s vision back in 2021

Courtesy images

A rendering of the 12U baseball/softball fields five-plex that will be built at UMR Sports complex in East County.

when he first announced the project.

He said the permitting of the facility lengthened the process of getting everything built.

While Moore expects to host community leagues in the various sports, he said the demand for travel ball leagues is huge in the region, so he expects his calendar to fill up fast when the fields are ready.

“This should be a tourism dream,” he said of the facility. “I love Manatee County. It was where I was born and raised. I want to bring people here to our beautiful facility.”

Elliott Falcione of Manatee County’s Convention and Visitors Bureau agrees with Moore that it will be a destination.

“We love to see it,” Falcione said of quality sports facilities that will attract visitors to the area. “Sports tourism creates $400 million of economic impact each year in Manatee County.”

Falcione said UMR Sports is strategically located, as well.

“We need to continue to build assets out east,” he said, noting that

the county tries to support private ventures such as UMR Sports.

Moore said his facility could host 50 teams in a weekend event once the five-plex is built.

More amenities, such as the miniature golf course, are meant to provide entertainment for those between games.

His current staff is made up of his wife, Chandra Moore, who teaches pickleball; his son, Collin Moore, who handles baseball instruction, his daughter-in-law, Danielle Moore, who is the softball pitching instructor. He said he is about to hire a new employee who will handle social media duties.

Moore also noted that Manatee County is in the process of extending Port Harbour Parkway across Upper Manatee River Road and along the north side of the UMR Sports campus.

Those visiting will be able to enter the facility either from entrances on Port Harbour Parkway or by Gates Creek Road, to avoid the traffic on Upper Manatee River Road.

Ryan Moore can’t wait until many of his facilities are ready in summer 2027.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

IT’S READ EVERYWHERE

TRIBUTES Richard Frank Wokoun 1956-2026

Headed on a trip? Snap a photo of you on vacation holding your Observer, then submit your photo at YourObserver.com/ ItsReadEverywhere for a chance to win.

Richard Frank Wokoun, age 69, of Lakewood Ranch, Florida, passed away on April 26, 2026.

Rick was born on September 30, 1956, in Lincoln, Nebraska, to Jinsie Scott Bingham and the late Richard Bingham and the late Dr. William Frank Wokoun.

He grew up in Greencastle, Indiana, where he was a varsity athlete, drummer, and class leader. Rick remained deeply connected to Greencastle through family and friends throughout his life.

He graduated from Indiana University Bloomington in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Business and later earned an MBA in Finance from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business.

Rick’s career began at American Fletcher National Bank, now part of Chase, in Indianapolis, where he met Linda Keyser Wokoun. They were married on May 2, 1981, and were blessed with three sons: Daniel, David, and Nathan. As a banker, Rick served customers throughout the Midwest, West Coast and Central America before concluding his career serving the banking needs of his local community at Barrington Bank & Trust in Barrington, Illinois. Community service was a keystone of Rick’s life, serving in leadership roles and fundraising with Chicago area youth football

programs. During this time, he served as a trustee for the Village of South Barrington and carried on a family tradition as a third-generation Rotarian, serving the Rotary Club of Barrington as president. Rick continued his commitment to community service in retirement, volunteering at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center for 12 years.

Above all his professional and community achievements, Rick was most proud of his family. Those who will cherish his memory include his wife, Linda Wokoun; his three sons, Daniel Frank Wokoun (daughter-in-law Katie Wokoun and granddaughter Addison Jinsie

Wokoun), David Alexander Wokoun (daughter-in-law Krysta Harmon), and Nathan Richard Wokoun (daughter-in-law Megan Wokoun and grandsons Nicholas Richard Wokoun and Liam Graham Wokoun). Rick is also survived by his mother, Jinsie Scott Bingham, and his brother, Douglas Scott Wokoun.

SERVICE: Services will be held in Greencastle, Indiana, at the Inn at DePauw on June 27, 2026, from 2-4 pm. and on November 7, 2026, from 2-4pm, at home, in Lakewood Ranch, Florida Online condolences may be expressed at www.brownandsonsfuneral.com.

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ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

A fiddler finds his roof After a musical family escapes war in Ukraine, two brothers land at Asolo Repertory Theatre.

MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

I

n Africa, they say it takes a village to raise a child. And it took a village of sorts to transport

Andrii Padkovskyi out of war-torn Ukraine to a roof in the mythical village of Anatevka in Asolo Repertory Theatre’s production of “Fiddler on the Roof.”

Since arriving in Sarasota County in 2022 with the help of a family friend, violinist Andrii, 16, and his brother, clarinetist Yurii Padkovskyi, 21, have been embraced by the musical community spanning the Tamiami Trail from Sarasota to Venice. That’s how the brothers both ended up on stage in Asolo Rep’s “Fiddler.”

To breathe new life into the Broadway musical based on the Yiddish tales of Sholem Aleichem, Asolo Rep Producing Artistic Director Peter Rothstein decided to cast actors who are also musicians. On opening night, Rothstein told the audience that he auditioned about 1,000 performers, both locally and in New York City, to find the 26 members of his cast.

Andrii Padkovskyi got the titular role. He’s playing on the roof as the musical’s protagonist, Tevye the Milkman (Jeremy Radin), ponders the existential and societal threats to his Jewish family in 1905 Russia.

Yurii plays clarinet with the ensemble cast.

The Padkovskyi brothers’ journey to the stage of FSU Center for the Performing Arts, where “Fiddler” is playing, began in February 2022. As Russia invaded Ukraine, Andrii and his mom piled into their car and left their home in the city of Lviv. Traffic was backed up for miles, and it took the family nearly two days to travel the 40 miles to the Polish border, says Yurii, who acts as the spokesman for the family.

At this time, Yurii and his older brother, Sasha, a pianist, were studying in the Czech Republic. They later reunited with the rest of the family in Poland. “People were scared and wanted to leave because Lviv is near a military base and they thought it would be bombed,” explains Yurii.

“So people were heading to Poland in cars, on bicycles, even walking with their things. Sasha and I had a safe place for them. We waited for them to come, but it was really long.”

Of the family, Yurii is the most fluent in English. He translated answers to a reporter’s questions during a recent interview in the Observer’s offices. He is quite protective of his younger virtuoso brother.

Photo courtesy of Adrian Van Stee

The Padkovskyi brothers and their mother were able to find their way to Florida through the help of a former neighbor in Ukraine who was then living in Port Charlotte. The woman’s son used to play with the brothers and take music lessons with them in Lviv, says their mother, Tamara Doroshenko.

After the family settled in Venice, they started attending the Venice Presbyterian Church. The church’s music director, Donna Smith, steered violinist Andrii to Marcus Ratzenboeck, concertmaster of The Venice Symphony, who also plays violin with Sarasota Orchestra.

The Venice-Sarasota music network had started to kick in. Ratzenboeck brought Andrii to the attention of Lena Kampis. A violinist and violist on hiatus from the Sarasota Orchestra, Kampis is the co-founder and executive director of the Sarasota Music Conservatory.

The nonprofit conservatory helps train promising young musicians and prepare for competitions. Winners of the conservatory’s competitions get to play side by side with performers in organizations such as the Perlman Music Program Suncoast and The Pops Orchestra.

SETTING THE ORIGIN STORY STRAIGHT

Success has many fathers, so it’s no surprise that everyone wants credit for helping to discover Andrii Padkovskyi. Kampis wants to get the

IF YOU GO

‘FIDDLER ON THE ROOF’ When: Runs through May 24 Where: at FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail Tickets: $37-$99 Info: Visit AsoloRep.org.

origin story straight.

“We discovered him (Andrii) at our yearly concerto competition in November 2024,” she says. “Marcus is my friend and colleague and we were discussing the Sarasota Music Conservatory Competition. He said, ‘I have this new student you should look at.’”

Along with one other winner, Andrii was given the opportunity to perform with The Pops Orchestra, which plays regularly at Riverview Performing Arts Center and SCF/ Neel Auditorium in Bradenton. It was at The Pops that the future “Fiddler on the Roof” came to the attention of Asolo Rep’s Rothstein, says Robyn Bell, artistic and managing director of The Pops, a community orchestra.

“For our March 2025 concert, ‘Love It Like a Local,’ we featured nine local performers and partnered with the Sarasota Music Conservatory to present the first- and secondplace winners of their November 2024 concerto competition. Andrii had come in second place for that

Monica Gagnier

Andrii Padkovskyi, his mother, Tamara Doroshenko, Yurii Padkovskyi and Yurii’s partner, Valeriia Dulyba, pose in front of a fountain on Main Street in Sarasota.

competition, so he performed his piece with us, which was the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto,” Bell said.

Another performer at that fateful Pops concert was Asolo’s senior props manager, Frank J. Paul, who is also a talented vocalist. “Peter (Rothstein) came to our concert at Riverview Performing Arts Center to watch Frank perform. That’s where he discovered Andrii, who performed on the second half of the program,” Bell says. “About a week later, Peter reached out to me for Andrii’s contact information.”

When Andrii connected with Rothstein and others from Asolo Rep, he told them about his clarinetplaying brother. That’s how Yurii won the chance to audition for the musical.

For two relatively recent arrivals to the U.S., being thrust into long hours of rehearsal with professional Asolo Rep players was both exhilarating and confusing.

“People talk about how it’s hard to sing and dance at the same time, but it’s also very hard to play your instrument while moving,” Yurii says. “It’s like being in a marching band but without the music in front of you.”

What smoothed the transition from classical music lessons to life on an Actors Equity stage was the patriarchal presence of Radin, who plays Tevye. “He really brought the cast together. He’s funny and he tells jokes, just like his character,” Yurii says as Andrii nods with his sweet but inscrutable smile.

What is it about Andrii that has inspired so much support for him in Sarasota and Venice? According to Kampis, part of it is his family’s dramatic escape from war in Ukraine and finding a safe home in Florida.

But that’s only part. It’s Andrii’s shy, unassuming manner, coupled with outsized talent, that makes people open their hearts, she says.

“He’s got a violin personality,” Kampis says. “He’s tall and very obviously at ease on the instrument.

He’s a musician at heart. Of course, when people learn he came from Ukraine, it’s very endearing. People like a story, but there’s something more. There’s a soul to Andrii’s playing. You can’t teach that. But you can work with it to help it come out.”

That’s what the musical village in Sarasota County has been doing.

Andrii Padkovskyi plays the fiddler in Asolo Repertory Theatre’s production of “Fiddler on the Roof.”

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

THIS WEEK THURSDAY

ART OPENING 5 p.m. at Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami Trail Free Visit ArtSarasota.org Celebrate the opening of the latest exhibitions at Art Center Sarasota, where admission is free and works are for sale. The exhibitions include “Anja Palombo: Composed,” “Designing the Cultural Coast” (cocurated by Marty Hylton),“Cat Tesla: Living by the Water” and “Medium Mutiny,” juried by Ed Swan Jr. Complimentary valet parking available.

Runs through July 31.

LEAVING ON A JET PLANE’ 7 p.m. at Florida Studio Theatre’s Goldstein Cabaret, 1239 N. Palm Ave. $42 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

Created by Aaron Gundy, “Leaving on a Jet Plane” features an acoustic trio who take you on a flight to the

feel-good era of folk music in the late 1960s and 1970s. Among the singer/songwriters whose works are featured in this upbeat show are Simon & Garfunkel, Cat Stevens, Crosby, Stills & Nash and the Lovin’ Spoonful. To quote the Spoonful, this show “didn’t have to be so nice;” we would have loved it anyway.

‘MARIE AND ROSETTA’ 7:30 p.m. at FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail $65-$71 Visit AsoloRep.org.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe earned the nickname “the godmother of rock ’n’ roll” for transforming gospel music with her fierce guitar playing. She also influenced the music of Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Johnny Cash and Jimi Hendrix. Asolo Repertory Theatre’s latest production captures the first rehearsal between Tharpe (Maiesha McQueen) and one of her acolytes, Marie Knight (Alexis J. Roston), on the eve of their first tour. Directed by E. Faye Butler. Runs through May 31.

DON’T MISS ‘MUSIC FOR NEW BODIES’ Got a hankering for a modern, cutting-edge opera? “Music for New Bodies” is just the ticket for you. A co-production of contemporary classical music group ensembleNew SRQ and Artist Series Concerts, “Music for New Bodies” is making its Sarasota premiere after being presented in a handful of cities, including Houston, New York, Seattle and Aspen, Colorado. The opera was inspired by the poetry of Jorie Graham and the writings of environmentalist Rachel Carson. Its creators, Matthew Aucoin and Peter Sellars, are coming to Sarasota to participate in the culmination of ensembleNewSRQ’s 10th anniversary season and Artist Series’ Concerts’ 30th.

IF YOU GO When: 7:30 p.m. Friday Where: Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. Tickets: $50 Info: Visit EnSRQ.org.

‘CONFEDERATES’ 7:30 p.m. at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N. Orange Ave. $41 adults; $16 students 25 and younger and active military Visit WestcoastBlackTheatre.org.

Past and present collide as two stories of Black women fighting oppression unfold centuries apart in “Confederates,” Dominique Morisseau’s time-travel drama produced

by Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe in its Howard Millman black box theater. Runs through May 24.

SATURDAY ‘PIPPI LONGSTOCKING — THE MUSICAL’ 2 p.m. at Tree Free Productions, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail $25 Visit TreeFortProductionsProjects. com.

Tree Fort Productions founder Katherine Michelle Tanner creates her own musical inspired by Pippi Longstocking, the headstrong young heroine with red hair created by Swedish author Astrid Lindgren in the 1940s. Since her debut in print, Pippi has gone on to become a star of TV and movies around the world.

This show features members of Tree Fort’s Youth Production Company.

Photo by Salvatore Piccolo

OUR PICK

‘BLOCKBUSTED’ What’s the best entertainment bargain in town? No, it’s not a movie ticket ($15.99 at the Regal Hollywood 11). It’s not Netflix ($19.99 month for standard service). It’s the Saturday night performances of Florida Studio Theatre Improv, which top out at $18 a ticket. You’ll laugh so hard you cry at these ever-changing improv programs. “Blockbusted” takes audiences back to the days of the video store as fearless improvisers face off against each other in sketches powered by audience suggestions. It’s the perfect date night for young and old. Runs through May 30.

IF YOU GO When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday Where: Florida Studio Theatre’s Bowne’s Lab, 1265 First St. Tickets: $18 Info: Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

SUNDAY ‘SOMETHING BORROWED, SOMETHING NEW’ 11 a.m. at the Sarasota Art Museum campus of Ringling College, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail $20 Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org.

“Something Borrowed, Something New” features major modern artists such as Louise Bourgeois, Chuck Close, David Hockney, Yoko Ono, Kara Walker and Ai Weiwei. Their works have been loaned by private collectors in Southwest Florida to SAM for the show, which runs from through Sept. 27.

MONDAY

TUESDAY

ANCIENT ART FROM CYPRUS AND THE MEDITERRANEAN 10 a.m. at The John and Mable Ringling Art Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Road Free with $30 admission; Mondays free Visit Ringling.org.

ALEXANDER CALDER: THE NATURE OF MOVEMENT 10 a.m. at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 1534 Mound St. $28 Visit Selby.org.

In 1928, circus magnate John Ringling moved beyond collecting Baroque paintings with a major acquisition of more than 2,000 pieces of Cypriot art at the Anderson Galleries in New York, where the Metropolitan Museum was selling parts of its ancient art collection. For the first time, Ringling’s treasures have a permanent home in Gallery 12 after a decadelong project.

In this year’s Jean & Alfred Goldstein Exhibition Series, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is showcasing artist Alexander Calder and his abstract moving sculptures, dubbed “mobiles.” Calder’s interest in suspension provides a provocative pairing with Selby’s collection of epiphytes, or air plants. Runs through May 31.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

The Observer’s

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YOUR NEIGHBORS

Photos by Madison Bierl

Ivan Richards of Truist Bank, Joe Flores of Edward Jones and Veronica Thames of the Manatee Community Foundation capture a moment at the YLA Next Gen Awards on May 13.

Brittany Lamont and Nicole Hackel congratulate Jacob Kinsel of the Manatee Community Foundation as he is announced as the winner of the “Next Gen” award at University Park Country Club on May 13.

Leading the community to the next generation The Young Business Alliance honors Jacob Kinsel with the ‘Next Gen’ award.

I

t used to be that Jacob Kinsel cared way too much about receiving awards or recognition.

He felt recognition was a way to measure himself against the people around him, but he eventually learned to let that go.

Now, Kinsel just concentrates on giving back to his community through his role as director of finance and operations with the Manatee Community Foundation and his dedication toward mentoring students. The gratitude for his services is a different kind of award.

On May 13 at the University Park Country Club, the Young Leaders Alliance honored Kinsel with the “Next Gen” award, its top award for service to the community.

The Young Leaders Alliance is a program of the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance for members ages 21-40.

Kinsel was admittedly left “speechless” when his name was announced. He told the audience that he has learned to “hike your

Felipe Rojas, head of marketing at Sarasota Paradise, says he is immensely honored to be acknowledged as the winner of the “Connecting Champion” award.

town hike and race your own race.”

But he said he still shoots for the stars.

“Some seasons, you will get to exceed your own goals,” he said.

Kinsel said he was filled with gratitude.

Six awards were announced during the “Next Gen” event with three finalists in each category.

Olivia Garcia won “Community Impact,” Felipe Rojas won “Con-

Bailee Corona, Ashley Cole and Jesslynne Quakkelaar were finalists for the “YLA Member of the Year” award and Quakkelaar took home the win.

necting Champion,” Tre Alexandrea won “Emerging Leader,” Kaitlyn Perez won “Entrepreneurship,” Jesslynne Quakkelaar won “YLA Member of the Year” and Kinsel won “Next Gen.” Brittany Lamont, president and CEO of the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance, said young professionals are the driving force in the community.

“Each of you should be incredibly proud for what you’ve accomplished so far,” Lamont said to the finalists. “I have no doubt this is only the beginning of the recognition you will receive in your career.”

Nicole Hackel, chair of the Young Leaders Alliance, said YLA has brought together a community of people who genuinely want to see each other succeed.

“These awards are not just about accomplishments on paper,” Hackel said. “They’re about recognizing the people who show up, who pour into others, who lead with passion and who are shaping the future of our community.”

— MADISON BIERL

Kaitlyn Perez, who accepts the “Entrepreneurship” award for Kaitlyn Perez Communications, says you have to be willing to go on a roller coaster of uncertainty to run your own business.

Tre Alexandrea, chief operations officer of Aginto and head basketball coach at Bayshore High School, is joined by his father Gregory Alexandrea at the YLA Next Gen Awards where he won the “Emerging Leader” award.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

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COMMUNITY THURSDAY, MAY 21 THROUGH SUNDAY, MAY 24

LIVE MUSIC AT JIGGS LANDING Runs from 5-8 p.m. each day at Jiggs Landing, 6106 63rd St. E., Bradenton. The live music lineup includes Steve Arvey (Thursday), Frayed Knot (Friday), Doug Deming (Saturday) and Mike Davis (Sunday). Visit JiggsLanding.com for more information.

FRIDAY, MAY 22

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS Begins at 6 p.m. at 1560 Lakefront Drive, Waterside Place. The free Sights and Sounds art series continues at Waterside Place with Rise Above Performing Arts, which was formed to provide youths in the region with unique, advanced opportunities and instruction in the performing arts with a true community theater. There is limited seating, so feel free to bring lawn chairs. For more information, go to WatersidePlace.com.

SATURDAY, MAY 23

MUSIC AT THE PLAZA Runs from 6-9 p.m. at Waterside Place, 1561 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch. Singer-songwriter Doug Burns entertains those strolling the streets of Waterside Place.

For more information, go to WatersidePlace.com.

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SATURDAY, MAY 23 AND SUNDAY, MAY 24

MUSIC AT THE LODGE Runs 6-9 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday at Linger Lodge, 7205 85th St. Court E., Bradenton.

Linger Lodge’s live music schedule includes Sheree Cade on Saturday and Barcode on Sunday.

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BEST BET MONDAY, MAY 25

MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT Begins at 5 p.m. at the Sarasota National Cemetery, 9810 State Road 72, Sarasota. The Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Joe Martinez, presents “Memorial Day — In Their Memory.” The patriotic and free public observance will feature the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard and guest speakers, including Kendra Simpkins Walsh, founder and CEO of Operation Warrior Resolution.

The program will include music such as “Semper Fidelis,” “God of Our Fathers,” “Hymn to the Fallen,” “Armed Forces Salute,” and “The Stars and Stripes Forever.” A special performance of “Amazing Grace” will be conducted by guest conductor Owen Bradley. “This concert is one of the most meaningful performances of our season,” Martinez said.

“It is an opportunity for our community to come together in reflection and gratitude, honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.”

For more information, go to LWRWindEnsemble.org.

which is 2025 was selected as the nation’s best Farmers Market, runs year-round every Sunday. Vendors offer seafood, eggs, meats, dairy products, pastas, bakery goods, jams and pickles, among other items. Go to MyLWR.com for more information.

YOGA IN THE PARK Runs 9-10 a.m. at Waterside Park, 7301 Island Cove Terrace. Start the morning off with gentle yoga with lake views. Go to MyLWR.com for more information.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 27

RANCH NITE WEDNESDAYS Runs from 6-9 p.m. at 1560 Lakefront Drive in Waterside Place. Join the crowd at Waterside Place enjoying the food trucks and live music or playing in the cornhole league during the final Ranch Nite Wednesdays of the season. Weekly programming is offered in Gateway Park. The event will resume in October. No outside food or beverage are allowed. Visit MyLWR.com.

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YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

3B

Where Sisterhood’s funds go ...

F

rom foster care, to helping people who are coming out of incarceration, to creating culinary classes to assist with those with memory loss, local nonprofits work to meet the myriad of community needs.

On May 11 at Gold Coast Eagle Distributing, 23 of those nonprofits came to Gold Coast Eagle Distributing to showcase their commitment during Sisterhood for Good’s annual Grant Expo.

Harbor58 mentor Annie Wilson called the event a positive and collaborative opportunity. She said it renews her hope and inspires her to see so many people with a “generous spirit” who are willing to help those in need.

Angela Massaro-Fain, Sisterhood for Good founder and president, said 129 grant applications were received from area nonprofits his year. From those, 20 names were randomly drawn to participate in the expo, while an additional three were drawn to provide speakers for the event.

“This event allows the nonprofits to showcase what their organization does for the community and how, if they receive a grant from Sisterhood, the money will be used,” Massaro-Fain said.

Jodi Allen, a member of Sisterhood for Good since 2017, said she loves hearing from the nonprofits as each has a personal story. She always surprised by the number of new nonprofits.

“Meeting the agencies and hearing about their programs gives me the background I need when I’m voting on who receives our grants,” Allen said. “I wish we could provide funds to all of them.

— MADISON BIERL

Liz Brookins, who serves as co-chair for the grants committee for Sisterhood for Good alongside Valerie Walrin, shares that over 57,790 lives have been impacted by their grants over the past 15 years.

Photos by Madison Bierl

Holiday House SRQ’s Megan Micale, executive director, and Sepi Ackerman, co-founder and executive president, say a grant would allow for 350 Title I students to receive school uniforms, shoes and a holiday experience.

Lindsey Ryan, founder of nonprofit Miracle Minis, provides equine therapy to disabled and able-bodied children and adults.

Becky Reese and Elyse Gordon, board members at Aphasia Community Center, say a grant from Sisterhood for Good could help run a food and nutrition program for people living with aphasia. Aphasia is a language disorder that impairs a person’s ability to speak and understand, which commonly occurs suddenly after a stroke.

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LOCAL CLUB SPOTLIGHT

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

Nevriye Yesil, founder of the Lakewood Ranch Happiness Circle, is glad to share her wisdom with friends and strangers alike, including Lisa Lieberman-Wang.

Find your happy place The newly formed club is led by Nevriye Yesil, who has a master’s degree in happiness studies. It is meant to help members embrace what life has to offer every day.

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n the verge of death from complications from COVID-19 — including double pneumonia, cytokine storm, and a heart attack — Yardley Wang wasn’t thinking about the people who made him miserable or how much money was in the bank.

He was thinking about the people he loved, and the people who made him happy.

Five years later, Wang and his wife, Lisa Lieberman-Wang, are grateful he survived and that they have more time together. Lieberman-Wang said many people hold on to past trauma and experiences. She said not everybody has tools and resources at their

THE HAPPINESS CIRCLE Future topics for the Lakewood Ranch Happiness Circle include “The Power of Letting Go and Forgiveness,” “Relationships” and “Energy.” The meetings will be monthly at different locations around Lakewood Ranch.

For more information or to join, visit HappinessLWR.com.

disposal to make a change.

Because of their experiences, along with a friendship with Nevriye Yesil, they joined a newly formed club — The Lakewood Ranch Happiness Circle.

Led by Yesil, the goal is to meet monthly and create a space for community members to bond, to feel lighter about their lives, and to put effort into whatever brings them happiness.

“Nev is bringing people a different understanding and skill set

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YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

5B

NEVRIYE YESIL

■ Founder of the Happiness Leadership Institute and Lakewood Ranch Happiness Circle ■ Holds a master’s in Happiness Studies and studied under Harvard professor Dr. Tal Ben‑Shahar ■ International speaker and author ■ Host of the Sprinkle Happiness podcast

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and vulnerable sharing their emotions and goals. She felt there was no pressure and the members invite anyone interested to join, or even to just observe.

“Somehow you feel drawn in to participate,” Martinez said. “Even if you’re a little apprehensive, you can just try it out. It’s a very warm and inviting atmosphere.”

Wang is Yesil’s pickleball coach, and he said she is always looking for the light at the end of the tunnel.

“Even in learning, she’s always smiling and always happy,” Wang said. “When people are learning things, they get frustrated, but there’s no frustration with her.”

Scott Smith, Yesil’s fiance, said it has been a privilege to see her start the local group. He said she is like a pebble in the water that has a ripple effect. He said it is her destiny to help others find and embrace happiness in their lives.

“It seems to me that so much unhappiness in life has to do with focusing on something in the past or fearing something that’s going to happen in the future,” Smith said.

“Where happiness seems to be living is in the intersection of presence meets gratitude.”

Lieberman-Wang said finding happiness is about choosing a path and then putting yourself in proximity of the people for support.

“If it’s being happy, then stay around people who are happy,” Lieberman-Wang said.

Lisa Lieber‑ man-Wang and Yardley Wang are grateful for each day, and they surround themselves with people who feel the same way.

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to live their best lives right now,” Lieberman-Wang said. “They don’t have to spend years in shame, blame and therapy, or anything else — they can literally have what they want right now.”

Yesil, who has a master’s in happiness studies, doesn’t do lectures. She instead shares her wisdom through natural conversation.

“Whether it’s gratitude practice or mindfulness, taking care of the body, or eating healthy, it’s all part of the whole being,” Yesil said. “That’s what I do — I hit on all different areas of happiness, not just on the physical. It is mental. There’s the relational, there’s the emotional. They all are part of the whole being.”

Yesil said the purpose of the group is to encourage members to not rush through life.

“It’s actually about slowing down, savoring the moment, and enjoying the things you’re doing,” Yesil said.

“Often, we think about the tomorrow and the yesterday, so the beauty of the now gets lost.”

Vivian Martinez, who met Yesil through playing pickleball, attended the first meeting of the Lakewood Ranch Happiness Circle. She said she is often rushing around, trying to find a good work-life balance. She said she is a caregiver to everyone and sometimes lets her own needs slip through the cracks.

At the meeting, she created a vision board to visualize her goals.

Key items for her to work on included being more present with family and focusing more on herself. She described this year as her “year of me.”

Martinez said everybody who attended the meeting was open

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YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

Waterlefe clock is second to none A Verdin Co. signature clock was dedicated to one of the community’s founders — the late Walt Eppard.

JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR

W

hen the Waterlefe Golf Club revealed its new “signature” clock, a small plaque attached to the front of the clock noted that it was dedicated to the late Walt Eppard, a longtime resident who played an integral role in shaping the Waterlefe community.

The dedication was short and to the point — “In loving memory of Walt Eppard for his vision and dedication to Waterlefe Golf & River Club.”

Those passing the Verdin Co. timepiece have been stopping at the clock, which was dedicated in a ceremony in April, to take their photos in front of it.

That plaque, however, often goes unnoticed.

That is perfect, according to Renée Eppard, Walt Eppard’s wife, who purchased the clock for the community for reasons beyond a tribute to her late husband.

“This is something everybody

Photos by Jay Heater

The new Verdin Co. signature clock was unveiled at Waterside Golf Club in April.

here loves,” Renée Eppard said of the clock. “It is not about (Walt). He was most humble man, and it is a tiny plaque.

“I have lived here 25 years and Waterlefe is such a special place. I wanted (the clock) to be more for Waterlefe. If you want to shed any light on this, it should be about what a great community Waterlefe is. The people are nice and kind, and they all are very social.”

While those in the community have enjoyed the new clock, Waterlefe General Manager Steve Dietz said it also has become an important landmark for those who visit the course.

“It is a signature piece, and if you look at the PGA Tour stops, you will see similar clocks,” Dietz said. “They all have them. This clock says, ‘Hey, this is top notch.’”

While looking at different golf course communities, Renée Eppard came up with the idea in 2025 to buy a clock for Waterlefe. She talked to Dietz about her vision, and he gathered some options.

The eventual winner was the Verdin Co. of Cincinnati, which is known as the premier golf course clock maker in the country, designing timepieces that are known for withstanding extreme weather. The company has more than 180 years of experience crafting custom post and tower clocks.

Dietz said the hardest part of the entire process was picking out the clock’s location, which eventually landed at a spot where all the golfers would have to pass on the way to the 10th hole or the snack and beverage shop.

“Everybody has been happy with it,” Dietz said. “On behalf of Waterlefe, we are very grateful to have Mrs. Eppard donate this. And now, everybody has to pass it.”

Renée Eppard now enjoys watching golfers and community members

RIGHT TIME AT WATERLEFE

Renée Eppard and Waterlefe General Manager Steve Dietz stand at the new Verdin Co. clock dedicated to the community in honor of the late Walt Eppard, a longtime resident and one of the community’s founders.

stop at the clock.

“I see all these people getting their picture taken with the clock, which I wanted to be classy and not real ornate,” Renée Eppard said. “It’s about memories.”

She said the day the clock was dedicated was “the happiest day of my life,” although her emotions flowed a day earlier when she saw the clock for the first time.

“That’s when I cried,” she said.

What: Waterlefe adds a signature clock to its grounds in April.

Made by: The Verdin Co. About Verdin from its website: “The Verdin Company makes post clocks and tower clocks which serve as gathering places and focal points on golf courses and country clubs at some of America’s finest golf courses. The clocks are made in America and are known throughout the country for unique design, quality, reliability and craftsmanship.”

Founders: Two French immigrant brothers, Francis de Sales and Michael Verdin, moved to Cincinnati from France in 1835. They established a tower clock business in the famous Over-the-Rhine neighborhood in Cincinnati, and installed their first tower clock at Old St. Mary’s Church in 1842.

More information: Go to Verdin.com.

Walt Eppard was a developer who fell in love with the area, eventually moving to Waterlefe in January 2000. He died in March 2025.

A community newsletter noted that the Waterlefe land that first was seen in 1997 by Walter Eppard and his partner, Dave McNabb, was 622 acres. Walter Eppard founded the Florida Coast Development Co. with McNabb and purchased the property.

The partners drew up a layout of the building lots, golf course, marina and country club, while Kimberly-Horn generated the engineering drawings. The original name of the development was Wading Bird Golf and Country Club.

The project, however, was sold to WCI in 1999, except for a portion retained by Walter Eppard and McNabb that became The Shores, inside the Waterlefe community.

Part of the Waterlefe sale was that WCI had to retain the original layout done by Walter Eppard and McNabb.

“He just loved it here,” Renée Eppard said of her husband, whom she was with for 48 years.

The addition of the clock comes on the heels of a multimillion renovation to Waterlefe’s golf course and clubhouse facilities. The renovation includes “enhanced course conditions, upgraded amenities and newly reimagined clubhouse spaces designed to elevate the overall member experience.”

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6B

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

7B

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ORAL REPRESENTATIONS CANNOT BE RELIED UPON AS CORRECTLY STATING THE REPRESENTATIONS OF THE DEVELOPER. FOR CORRECT REPRESENTATIONS REFERENCE SHOULD BE MADE TO THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY SECTION 718.503, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO BE FURNISHED BY A DEVELOPER TO A BUYER OR LESSEE. ALL RENDERINGS AND PLANS ARE PROPOSED CONCEPTS SHOWN ONLY FOR MARKETING PURPOSES AND ARE BASED ON THE DEVELOPER’S CURRENT PRELIMINARY DEVELOPMENT PLAN. DEVELOPER RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY, REVISE OR WITHDRAW THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT PLAN IN DEVELOPER’S SOLE DISCRETION WITHOUT NOTICE. NOTHING HEREIN OR IN ANY OTHER COMMUNICATION SHALL BE DEEMED TO OBLIGATE THE DEVELOPER, OR ANY AFFILIATE OF DEVELOPER, TO CONSTRUCT THE PROJECT OR OFFER ANY OF THE PROJECT FOR SALE, AND NOTHING HEREIN SHALL BE DEEMED A GUARANTY OF ANY KIND. THIS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SALE OR SOLICITATION OF OFFERS TO BUY.

8B

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

THE CONCESSION 20906 Parkstone Terrace 4 Beds 5 Baths 6,486 Sq. Ft. Laura Naese 941.350.3657 A4674842 $6,950,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH 16903 Verona Place 4 Beds 3/2 Baths 3,084 Sq. Ft. Stacy Haas 941.587.4359 A4689005 $2,395,000

THE ISLES 8444 Cane Bay Court 4 Beds 6/1 Baths 4,255 Sq. Ft. Kathy Barrie 941.757.7872 A4681997 $2,100,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH COUNTRY CLUB 7527 Greystone Street 4 Beds 4 Baths 3,850 Sq. Ft. Victoria "Tori" Turner 662.614.2783 A4692043 $2,075,000

THE ISLES 8331 Redonda Loop 4 Beds 5/1 Baths 4,045 Sq. Ft. Kathy Barrie 941.757.7872 A4687844 $1,899,000

THE ISLES 8276 Redonda Loop 3 Beds 3/1 Baths 3,566 Sq. Ft. Kathy Barrie 941.757.7872 A4679617 $1,649,000

DOWNTOWN SARASOTA 111 S Pineapple Avenue #904 2 Beds 2/1 Baths 1,513 Sq. Ft. Lynn Morris & Kim Ogilvie 941.400.4526 A4689993 $1,260,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH COUNTRY CLUB 13911 Siena Loop 4 Beds 3/1 Baths 3,216 Sq. Ft. Deborah O'Mara 941.730.0777 A4678185 $1,180,000

EAST BRADENTON 14204 11th Terrace NE 3 Beds 2/1 Baths 3,402 Sq. Ft. Jennifer Linehan 941.266.7555 A4677988 $1,150,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH 6465 Watercrest Way #301 2 Beds 3 Baths 2,287 Sq. Ft. Deborah O'Mara 941.730.0777 A4683907 $995,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH 12129 Thornhill Court 3 Beds 2 Baths 2,011 Sq. Ft. Garry Neeves 941.667.0653 A4672799 $929,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH COUNTRY CLUB 7719 Latrobe Court 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,675 Sq. Ft. Deborah O'Mara 941.730.0777 A4680635 $895,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH 6414 Watercrest Way #302 3 Beds 3 Baths 2,482 Sq. Ft. Jody Shinn 941.705.5704 A4679069 $825,000

DEL WEBB LAKEWOOD RANCH 17226 Seaford Way 3 Beds 3 Baths 2,488 Sq. Ft. JJ Sutherland 941.412.6355 A4671625 $825,000

GREENBROOK VILLAGE 15005 Bowfin Terrace 5 Beds 3 Baths 2,756 Sq. Ft. Stacey Yencik & Nicole Ryskamp 941.363.1127 A4686591 $824,000

EDGEWATER 8412 Misty Morning Court 4 Beds 2 Baths 2,236 Sq. Ft. Ray Rausa 941.228.7614 A4689273 $799,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH 6527 Moorings Point Circle #101 3 Beds 2/1 Baths 1,983 Sq. Ft. Barbara A. Milian 941.504.0660 A4678335 $794,990

EDGEWATER 8428 Misty Morning Court 3 Beds 2/1 Baths 2,538 Sq. Ft. Mary Pihl & Laura Navratil 941.932.3065 A4685923 $775,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH COUNTRY CLUB EAST 7263 Belleisle Glen 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,988 Sq. Ft. Stacy Haas 941.587.4359 A4690053 $725,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH COUNTRY CLUB EAST 7538 Divot Loop #2D 3 Beds 2 Baths 2,376 Sq. Ft. Stuart Lawrence & Laura Lawrence 941.894.4001 A4676354 $719,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH 2006 Red Lake Run 3 Beds 3/1 Baths 2,325 Sq. Ft. Matt Eichel & Ralph Faillace 609.992.7077 A4679881 $699,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH COUNTRY CLUB 7715 Us Open Loop 3 Beds 2 Baths 1,667 Sq. Ft. Stuart Lawrence & Laura Lawrence 941.894.4001 A4684761 $629,000

RIVERWALK 7210 Switchgrass Trail 3 Beds 3 Baths 2,746 Sq. Ft. Mette Milland & Toni Schemmel 317.987.2450 A4690947 $620,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH 7702 Lake Vista Court #204 3 Beds 2/1 Baths 1,762 Sq. Ft. Chris Van Vliet & Jamie Van Vliet 941.993.7087 A4691558 $359,000

LAKEWOOD NATIONAL GOLF CLUB 16804 Vardon Terrace #107 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,142 Sq. Ft. Rachelle Golden & Peter Salefsky 941.538.8998 A4663842 $325,000

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YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

RESEARCH EDITOR

A

home in Lake Club topped the week’s sales at $1.65 million. Marsha Finkelstein, trustee, of Boynton Beach, sold the home at 8217 Pavia Way to Matthew France, of Bradenton, for $1.65 million.

Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,427 square feet of living area. It sold for $892,100 in 2021.

LAKEHOUSE COVE AT WATERSIDE

Douglas and Nancy Dolan, trustee, sold the home at 8119 Waterbend Trail to Robert Charles Sheldon and Azar Vassel Sheldon, of Sarasota, for $1,465,000. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,870 square feet of living area. It sold for $914,700 in 2020.

RIVERDALE REVISED

James and Jennifer Betz, of South Rockwood, Michigan, sold their home at 569 Mast Drive to Barbara Lee Clarke and Roland James Clarke, of Ontario, Canada, for $1,225,000. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,731 square feet of living area.

It sold for $800,000 in 2020.

Mustapha Manane and Saleha Hafiz, of Bradenton, sold their home at 3708 Fifth Ave. N.E. to Edward and Julie Panchak, of Cocoa Beach, for $670,000. Built in 2001, it has three bedrooms, two-andtwo half baths and 2,994 square feet of living area. It sold for $351,000 in 2011.

MILL CREEK

Araseli Stanley sold her home at 702 Woodview Way to Joseph and Pamela Slater, of Bradenton, for $1,111,000. Built in 1998, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,139 square feet of living area. It sold for $348,000 in 2016.

Ronald Glenn Pepka and Ronald Glenn Pepka, trustees, of Bradenton, sold the home at 14518 17th Ave. E. to Dustin Hoffman and Nicole Marie Hoffman, of Bradenton, for $765,000. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,286 square feet of living area. It sold for $380,000 in 2008.

Stephan and Teresa Zumsteg, trustees, of Lakewood Ranch, sold the home at 7965 Mainsail Lane to Black Dog Properties LLC for $1,299,000. Built in 2022, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,867 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.3 million in 2023.

PRESERVE AT PANTHER RIDGE

Gary and Doreen St. Laurent sold their home at 8109 Sandstar Way to Stephen and Laura Scott, of Sarasota, for $954,000. Built in 2022, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,272 square feet of living area. It sold for $970,000 in 2024.

Andrew Spielman, trustee, of Denver, sold the home at 8057 Tidal Pointe Way to Michael and Kathy Pinto, of Sarasota, for $780,000.

Built in 2021, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 2,427 square feet of living area. It sold for $812,000 in 2024.

Jessica Farrelly, of Lakewood Ranch, sold her home at 8242 Snowy Egret Place to Christian Lee Tamborino and Heather Leigh Tamborino, of Bradenton, for $1.08 million. Built in 2003, it has five bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,605 square feet of living area. It sold for $920,000 in 2022.

Scott Philip Federico and Regina Ann Federico, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their Unit 8 condominium at 1045 Fish Hook Cove to Bradford and Kendra Haessly, trustees, of Marshfield, Wisconsin, for $960,000. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, two-and-three-half baths, a pool and 3,240 square feet of living area. It sold for $799,000 in 2021.

WATERCOLOR PLACE

ESPLANADE

Steven and Victoria Sanborn, trustees, of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, sold the home at 915 Maritime Court to Malcolm and Laurel MacKenzie, of Bradenton, for $1,275,000. Built in 2003, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,266 square feet of living area.

It sold for $663,500 in 2003.

DEL WEBB

James Minkel and Yunjung Yang, of Lakewood Ranch, sold the home at 7327 Summerland Cove to Joshua and Heidi Levy, of Bradenton, for $1.27 million. Built in 2022, it has

ROSEDALE ADDITION

Richard Theodore Buttery and Jessica Buttery, of Bradenton, sold their home at 4410 Baltry Court to Todd Allen, of South Lyon, Michigan, for $850,000. Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, four-anda-half baths, a pool and 3,336 square feet of living area. It sold for $699,000 in 2021.

EMERALD LANDING AT WATERSIDE

Weekley Homes LLC sold the home at 1618 Springwell Lane to Carrie Lynn Nogueira Bonaroti, of Sarasota, for $785,000. Built in 2025, it has three bedrooms, three-and-ahalf baths and 2,276 square feet of living area.

LAKEWOOD NATIONAL GOLF CLUB

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THE SOUND AT WATERLEFE

MONTEREY

WATERLEFE GOLF AND RIVER CLUB

2,239 square feet of living area. It sold for $685,100 in 2023.

Barry Michael Sherr and Jenny Deborah Sherr, of The Villages, sold their home at 610 Moorings Way to Lauretta and Thomas Fitzpatrick, of Christiana, Tennessee, for $970,000. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,533 square feet of living area. It sold for $517,000 in 2018.

Marc and Madalyn Pirchmoser, of Ooltewah, Tennessee, sold their home at 10030 Degas Terrace to Justin Adam Miano and Elizabeth Ann Miano, of Bradenton, for $960,000. Built in 2024, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,041 square feet of living area. It sold for $925,100 in 2024.

Deyanira and Raymond Ackerman, trustees, of Weston, sold the home at 2508 Waterfront Circle to Richard and Karey Gray, of Pittsford, New York, for $1,425,000. Built in 2025, it has five bedrooms, fiveand-a-half baths and 4,695 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.4 million in 2025.

Courtesy image

This Lake Club home at 8217 Pavia Way sold for $1.65 million. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,427 square feet of living area.

THE MOORINGS AT EDGEWATER

TIB Construction Inc. sold the home at 8033 Fairhaven Glen to Diana Ferrara, trustee, of Palatine, Illinois, for $1,435,500. Built in 1992, it has three bedrooms, twoand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,561 square feet of living area. It sold for $850,000 in 2025.

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three bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,883 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,171,000 in 2022.

Stewart and Cynthia Robertson, of Montgomery, Alabama, sold their home at 8278 Grande Shores Drive to Mark and Yonhee Gordon, of Itasca, Illinois, for $1.45 million.

Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,135 square feet of living area. It sold for $667,100 in 2020.

Carrie Nogueira Bonaroti, of Sarasota, sold her home at 8048 Waterbend Trail to Eric and Judy Fox, of Sarasota, for $1,275,000. Built in 2023 it has three bedrooms, twoand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,452 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,153,900 in 2023.

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

Prabhu and Sailaja Parimi sold their home at 4622 Benito Court to Abraham and Kathrine Mitias, of Charleston, West Virginia, for $950,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 3,116 square feet of living area. It sold for $690,900 in 2018.

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Angela Brindisi Jackson and Richard Gordon Jackson, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 4922 Sparkling Sean Lane to John Kretlow and Karen Kretlow, trustees, of Corolla, North Carolina, for $930,000. Built in 2022, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,647 square feet of living area. It sold for $795,100 in 2022.

Keith and Ruth Johnson, trustees, of Crivitz, Wisconsin, sold the home at 15351 Serene Shores Loop to Stephen and Mary Beth Turso, of New Hope, Pennsylvania, for $710,000. Built in 2023, it has four bedrooms, two baths, a pool and

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Lake Club home tops sales at $1.65 million

9B

YourObserver.com

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Sherrill Hawk Sokol, trustee, of Bradenton, sold the home at 7825 Wilton Crescent Circle to Ronald Phillip White, of Sarasota, for $700,000. Built in 1995, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,556 square feet of living area. It sold for $345,000 in 2003.

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Jane Sibenac, trustee, and Joseph Sibenac sold the home at 7134 Whitemarsh Circle to Rachel Senchenkova, of Lakewood Ranch, for $685,000. Built in 2002, it has

Virginia Ann East, of Nokomis, sold her home at 4618 Arbor Gate Drive to Christian Roeder and Chelsea Roeder, of Bradenton, for $660,000. Built in 2015, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 3,548 square feet of living area.

It sold for $640,000 in 2025.

Cara Kreke, of Bradenton, sold the home at 4516 Arbor Gate Drive to Larry Stark, trustee, of Bradenton, for $645,000. Built in 2015, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 2,912 square feet of living area. It sold for $336,400 in 2015.

HERITAGE HARBOUR

Alan and Francine Sukoneck, trustees, of Bradenton, sold the home at 7109 Quiet Creek Drive to Gary Stang, trustee, of Clearwater, Minnesota, for $630,000. Built in 2013, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,272 square feet of living area. It sold for $276,900 in 2013.

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Cynthia and Terry Byce, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 14361 Stirling Drive to Arden and Thomas Pennington, of Lakewood Ranch, for $680,000. Built in 2013, it has three bedrooms, two-anda-half baths, a pool and 2,176 square feet of living area. It sold for $475,000 in 2016.

Daniel and Shauna Shea, of Grand Island, New York, sold their home at 7606 Partridge St. Circle to Claudia Losada and Trevor Anthony Losada, of Bradenton, for $700,000. Built in 1998, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,764 square feet of living area. It sold for $400,000 in 2003.

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Tyler Jason Hahne and Britnee Hahne, of Duette, sold their home at 3121 Tolmino Court to Jane and Theodore Smith, of Landrum, South Carolina, for $680,000. Built in 2023, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,678 square feet of living area. It sold for $577,000 in 2023.

Elsa and Heriberto Nunez, of Englewood, sold their home at 13065 Bliss Loop to Purchasing Fund 2023-2 LLC for $760,000.

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11B

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

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MAY 21, 2026

SPORTS

“Over the summer, I just worked on my form a bunch — that’s the key thing for clean and jerk and snatch.”

— Lakewood Ranch High’s Reece McCabe SEE PAGE 14B

Vaulting to BREAK new heights FAST

The Out-of-Door Academy’s Zoe Buller, a regional and district champion for pole vaulting, carries on her family’s legacy.

JACK NELSON SPORTS REPORTER

Jack Nelson

Sarasota Paradise forward Jonathan Bolanos (right) evades a defender.

The Paradise dropped seven of eight games from April 4 through May 13.

T

he Sarasota Paradise lost to Sporting Jax 2-0 at Premier Sports Campus May 13 in USL Cup play. The result did not count toward the Paradise’s record in USL League One, since Sporting Jax competes in a higher league — USL Championship. Regardless, it marked the team’s seventh loss in an eight-game stretch, which also featured a USL Cup defeat April 22 against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The Paradise (2-6-1) are in 14th place, as of May 15, in their 17-team league and their only two victories have come against Portland Hearts of Pine (2-2-4) and Corpus Christi FC (0-4-3). Next, the Paradise will visit Spokane Velocity FC at 7 p.m. May 24. ... Jonathan Zanders-Nelson was named the new Braden River girls basketball coach May 15. He replaces Scott Woolam, who, since taking over during the 2022-23 season, accumulated a 53-50 record.

The Pirates finished 18-11 under Woolam’s watch this past season and reached the FHSAA Class 5A-Region 3 semifinals.

Zanders-Nelson previously served as the Dunedin junior varsity boys basketball coach and was the head assistant for Parrish Community boys basketball from August 2022 to April 2025. ... Grant McCray, who graduated from Lakewood Ranch High in 2019, has been playing with the Sacramento River Cats — Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. As of May 14, he owns a .190 batting average with 17 RBIs and three home runs this season. ... Trey Jones, senior first baseman for The Out-of-Door Academy baseball team, committed to Eckerd College on May 8. ODA went 8-12 this season and lost to Cardinal Mooney in the 2A-11 district championship. The Division II Tritons are 32-16 this season, as of May 15.

TOTAL REVERSAL PAGE 13B

T

he sensation of running forward with the pole in her hands, preparing to soar over a bar, is something Zoe Buller has grown to love.

Even more, it’s become her athletic addiction.

An affinity for pole vaulting is in her blood. Her parents, Russ Buller II and Dana Ellis, both felt it years before their daughter did.

Now retired from the sport, they’ve since inspired their daughter to carry on the family legacy.

“I just want to be like my mom and dad,” said Zoe Buller. “I want to be an Olympic pole vaulter (like her mom).”

That desire went on display this past track and field season. The Outof-Door Academy seventh grader, competing at the varsity level for the first time, won the FHSAA Class 1A-Region 3 and Class 1A-District 11 titles for girls pole vault on May 1 and April 21, respectively.

The Longboat Key resident qualified for the 1A state championship at Jacksonville’s Hodges Stadium, where on May 6, she placed eighth with a mark of 2.85 meters — enough to earn a medal.

Among the 15 individual events at the statewide meet, 10.8% of medals were awarded to middle schoolers. Only six were in seventh grade or earlier, including Buller.

“It was a bit harder for a seventh grader to do,” said the 13-year-old. “I learned about how to not be stressed and be confident in yourself, trying to reach that level.”

Her path to pole vaulting mirrors her mother’s.

Before starting the sport as a sixth grader, Zoe Buller was a Level 7 gymnast in the “optional” segment of USA Gymnastics’ Women’s Development Program. That meant her skills were advanced enough to the point where she started to build her own routine for competitions.

Ellis — born in Kitchener, Ontario — was a gymnast for the Canadian National Team from 1990-97. She later took up pole vaulting, and eventually became the 2004 and 2005 national champion at the Canadian Track and Field Championships.

The highlight of her career, though, was a sixth-place finish in the women’s pole

Jack Nelson

Zoe Buller began pole vaulting as a sixth grader. One year later, she’s a regional and district champion, ultimately placing eighth at the FHSAA Class 1A track and field state championship.

Image courtesy of Cal Davidson-Turner

Zoe Buller improved her vault from 8 feet, 6.25 inches at the beginning of her seventh grade season to 9 feet, 4.25 inches by the end.

ODA PRIDE Before the FHSAA Class 1ADistrict 11 track and field meet April 21, Zoe Buller dyed a streak of her hair blue, representing The Out-of-Door Academy’s primary color.

She won her first district title with it, and went on to win her first regional title, too. She rocked the blue streak once more at the state championship, bringing home an eighthplace medal.

As of May 13, that hair dye still hadn’t washed out. Her mother, Dana Ellis, jokes that it’s permanent, Buller said.

vault at the 2004 Athens Olympics, representing Team Canada.

Russ Buller II was her coach at those Games. Over two decades later, he offers tutelage to his daughter as an assistant for ODA middle school track and field.

Cal Davidson-Turner, the team’s coach, saw that father-daughter connection produce an individual season which featured no shortage of success.

“As soon as I started working with Zoe, she was a rock star,” Davidson-Turner said.

“There’s a level of maturity that she’s shown. As the season went on, and she continued to jump higher and higher and better and better, you could see that confidence come out.”

Competing for LSU track and field from 1996-2000, Russ Buller II became — and still remains — one of the most decorated pole vaulters in program history.

He wa s crowned the 2000 NCAA indoor and outdoor m e n ’s pole vault champion, and as a Tiger, also collected six SEC titles.

In 2017, he was inducted into

“When I moved to ODA, I was inspired by its sports teams. A lot of people (here) have improved over the years and I just wanted to feel that.”

— Zoe Buller

the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame.

The sport took him to great heights, just like it did for Ellis. Professionally, he was the 2006 national outdoor champion in men’s pole vault at the USA Track and Field Championships, and served as an alternate for Team USA at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Having grown up with highprofile athletes as her parents, Zoe Buller’s childhood began in Newport Beach, California, before the family moved to Florida six years ago.

“When I moved to ODA, I was inspired by its sports teams,” Buller said. “A lot of people (here) have improved over the years, and I just wanted to feel that.”

She posted a mark of 2.60 meters in her first meet this season. At the state championship, she had improved to 2.85 meters.

The seventh grader made a major change to her technique at her father’s advice. Instead of having “bendy arms” when she plants the pole into the ground, she now keeps her arms straight, allowing herself to vault even higher.

Buller placed second at the ODA Thunder Classic on April 1, first at the George Steinbrenner Invitational on April 4 and second at the Sarasota County Championships on April 10 in the lead-up to the FHSAA postseason.

“Athletes are getting younger and they’re faster at a younger age, but what she did, you just don’t see that often at this level,” DavidsonTurner said. “That’s something to celebrate.”

The Olympics — sports’ ultimate stage — is Buller’s dream. She envisions a future where she goes for gold with the world watching.

Her next steps will be working on “getting upside down” and turning her body before she gets over the bar.

Those improvements will allow her to soar even higher.

For now, Buller will focus on finishing seventh grade, with the start of her high school career more than a year away.

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

NELSON’S NOGGIN

JACK NELSON

Unbelievable?

“C

hallenging” would be an understatement. Perhaps “rough” is more fitting.

Whatever the word, it’s unlikely to convey just how badly 2025 went for Braden River High softball. The team finished 4-19.

An injury to then-junior ace Kaydence Evans stripped the Pirates of the pitching they needed to contend, or even compete. Losses piled up accordingly.

This season, though, has offered something dramatically different.

It hasn’t even ended, and already, it ranks as a renaissance.

Braden River is bound for the FHSAA Class 5A state semifinals, having ousted Gulf Coast 2-1 on May 14 to hoist the 5A-3 regional trophy. It will face Niceville (23-7) at 10 a.m. May 22 in Longwood’s Boombah Soldiers Creek Park.

One of the all-time turnarounds

Eva Martinez’s double against Gulf Coast drove in Braden River’s second and deciding run in the 5A-3 regional championship. She’s hit .383 this season with 13 RBIs.

13B

continues. The Pirates — now district champions and regional champions — pushed their record to 23-3 with the 18th victory in their last 19 contests, and are two shy of securing their first state title.

At this time last year, such an opportunity would’ve been impossible to believe.

“That’s a strong word — believe,” said coach Keith Jans. “That’s what I teach every day. A team that believes in itself is a dangerous team.”

There isn’t an abundance of history for the program on the statewide stage, but this will be its third appearance in the state semifinals.

Braden River made the regional tournament for the first time in 2007 following the school’s opening for the 2005-06 academic year.

Entering this season, it hadn’t reached a regional final since 2017, amounting to nearly a decade of shortcomings.

When the Pirates last reached the state semifinals in 2016, they competed in Class 7A. Not once have they played for a state championship.

That might change soon.

“I’m so blessed to have such an amazing group of girls to have my back this season,” Evans said. “It’s just an amazing experience to be able to take my last ride with these girls, and to be able to go this far.”

It takes talent to fuel a season-toseason turnaround of this magnitude. Braden River has plenty of it, starting with the only senior on its roster — Evans.

She had to watch from the dugout in 2025 as opposing batters feasted on her team’s poor pitching. The Pirates allowed 11.5 runs per game and gave up 15 or more on 11 occasions.

This season, Evans owns a 1.32 ERA with 124 strikeouts en route to a 16-3 record. Her accuracy has been elite, walking only nine of 423 batters faced — a mere 2.1%.

Cady Jones (left), Sarai Castro (center) and Kaydence Evans (right) celebrate Braden River High softball’s first state semifinals berth since 2016.

The Pirates are now two wins away from their first state title.

Photos by Jack Nelson

Braden River has held opponents to no more than one run in 16 games, thanks to her ever-reliable arm. That’s the difference an ace makes.

“In the past, even her freshman and sophomore year, we were lacking players sometimes,” Jans said.

“To actually (have) a team right now that we have a bench to go to and that backs her up and supports her, I’m so happy for her. She deserves every bit of this.”

Her return has largely kept opponents off the basepaths.

The arrival of a stellar freshman class, meanwhile, has given her the defensive and offensive support she needs.

For this season, the Pirates welcomed seven freshmen. Those newcomers now constitute five of their top seven hitters and half of the roster.

Center fielder/left fielder Sarai Castro has hit .500 — the best batting average among them — while infielder/pitcher Cady Jones boasts a team-high 32 RBIs. Shortstop

Evelyn Paul’s 41 runs are also more than any teammate.

Braden River has scored an average of 10 runs per game, making life difficult on pitchers throughout its district and region.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a team in Southwest Florida that relies on more freshmen, and still, the Pirates haven’t suffered from inexperience.

These aren’t a bunch of girls who just recently picked up the sport.

They’ve grown up through the travel ball ranks, building their skill sets years before playing at the high school level.

“Even though the age gap is such a big age gap, these girls have so much experience,” Evans said. “(People) don’t even realize it.”

After Braden River’s victory over Gulf Coast, the team gathered for photos by the outfield scoreboard.

Jans stepped aside once his players disbanded and, for a moment or two, lingered in center field.

The third-year coach couldn’t wipe the smile off his face. He’s

MEMORIAL DAY SALES EVENT

been at the helm of a turnaround many would deem unbelievable, precisely because it is.

Jans believed this was possible.

“Believe” is the relentless mantra he coaches.

“I know it sounds like a broken record, but it’s the fight in these players and the belief they have in each other and themselves. They’re never out of a game,” Jans said. “No matter what.”

Braden River has followed an all-too forgettable season with one which is entirely memorable, and it’s not over yet.

For now, “triumphant” feels like the right descriptor.

Jack Nelson is the sports reporter for the East County and Sarasota/Siesta Key Observers. Contact him at JNelson@ YourObserver.com.

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WAS $4,199

NOW 2,699

$

FREE DELIVERY & HAUL AWAY!

26 cu. ft. Smart CounterDepth MAX™ French Door Refrigerator (LRYXC2606S)

RANGE

RANGE

WAS $1,649

WAS $2,599

NOW $ 1,699 30” Front Control Induction Range with Stone-Baked Pizza (GCFI3070BF)

NOW $ 287

NOW $ WAS 1,449 1,049

NOW $ 979

WASHER/DRYER $

EACH

EACH

FREE DELIVERY & HAUL AWAY ON THE PAIR! 5.0 cu. ft. Mega Capacity Smart Front Load Washer (WM5800HVA) 7.4 cu. ft. Ultra Large Capacity Smart Front Load Electric Dryer (DLEX5800V)

GE® ENERGY STAR® 30” Slide-In Electric Convection Range (GRS600AVFS)

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3756 Bee Ridge Rd. | Sarasota | 941.927.4900 | Mon-Fri 9-6 | Sat 9-5 | Sun 11-4 1210 E. Venice Avenue | Venice | 941.484.9030 | Mon-Fri 9-6 | Sat 9-5 | Sun Closed 1019 Tamiami Trail | Port Charlotte | 941.249.4992 | Mon-Fri 9-5:30 | Sat 9-5 | Sun Closed

460894-1

We carry a wide variety of High-End & Mid-Range Kitchen, Laundry & Outdoor Appliances with the latest technology & hottest designs.

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

BUSY BEE TUTORING Tutoring Grades K-College General Education & Special Needs

SWIMMING LESSONS

A School Of Fish Today!

“Smart” JoinWethe are open for private and group t Gif r lessons at home, community pools, a e Y All g and the Lincoln and G.T. Bray Lon

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WHERE GREAT GOLF MEETS GOOD COMPANY

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

14B

Reece McCabe Lakewood Ranch High didn’t place as a team at the FHSAA Class 3A boys weightlifting state championship, but Reece McCabe brought home some personal hardware.

Competing in the 119-pound weight class, the senior placed sixth for both Traditional and Olympic style May 7 at Lakeland’s RP Funding Center. He lifted 195 pounds in the bench press, 185 in the clean and jerk and 145 in the snatch. McCabe is the East County Athlete of the Week.

How was your experience at the state championship?

I thought my performance was good. I took away what else I need to work on. In the beginning, I got my nerves out and then after that, I performed how I wanted to.

Which of the three weightlifting events is your favorite and why?

The snatch. Last year, when I first started, I was never really good at it.

But when I picked it up and learned it, it was really fun.

Our semi-private course offers flexible golf memberships with priority tee times, preferred access, and a lively social calendar, while still welcoming the public for tee times and dining.

How were you a better lifter this season than last season?

Over the summer, I just worked on my form a bunch — that’s the key thing for clean and jerk and snatch.

Getting that form down helped my lifts improve a lot.

Enjoy our newly refreshed Sunset Grille, open to the public, featuring delicious food, daily specials, happy hour, and scenic golf course views.

When and why did you start weightlifting?

My friend Carl, he helped me.

Sophomore year, he would be doing it at the gym and then last year, he finally got me into it.

Whether you’re here to play, dine, or unwind, it’s a place built for connection and everyday enjoyment.

Ask about golf membership opportunities and schedule a private tour today.

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

fishing spots around here, so you have to go pretty far down to the beach, like Robinson Preserve.

If you could go anywhere for a dream vacation, where would you go and why?

Hawaii. It’s close to the ocean, and maybe I could learn how to surf.

If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Steak. You can’t go wrong with a good steak.

If you could have any superpower, what would you choose and why?

Super strength. With weightlifting, it makes sense. Just don’t tell everyone and they’ll be like, “Woah, he’s really strong.”

What music helps you get in the zone during practice or before a lift?

During practice, our coach (Andrew Shackelford) plays his playlist, and then during the meets, I like to listen to my own stuff. I have a few playlists — some rap, some older stuff like Nirvana.

Finish this sentence.

Reece McCabe is ...

Determined.

Where are you going to college, and what will you be studying?

I’m going to Florida Gulf Coast University, and will be studying finance.

462639-1

What piece of advice have you always carried with you?

No matter how hard something is, just keep going.

What’s a fun fact about you not many people know?

I like to fish. There aren’t any good

For membership information or to book a tee time call us at 941.718.4848 or email waterlefegolfclub@waterlefefl.com

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YourObserver.com

15B

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

THURSDAY, MAY 21

Sunrise Sunset

High: 92 Low: 73 Chance of rain: 24%

FRIDAY, MAY 22 High: 92 Low: 75 Chance of rain: 40%

Thursday, May 21

6:38a

8:14p

Friday, May 22

6:37a

8:15p

Saturday, May 23

6:37a

8:15p

Sunday, May 24

6:36a

8:16p

Monday, May 25

6:36a

8:16p

Tuesday, May 26

6:36a

8:17p

Wednesday, May 27

6:35a

8:18p

WEATHER

NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH

SUNRISE / SUNSET

FORECAST

MOON PHASES

SATURDAY, MAY 23 High: 93 Low: 74 Chance of rain: 49%

May 23 First

May 31 Full

June 8 Last

June 14 New

RAINFALL

SUNDAY, MAY 24 High: 93 Low: 75 Chance of rain: 59%

Monday, May 11

0

Tuesday, May 12

0

Wednesday, May 13

0

Thursday, May 14

Gordon Silver took this photo of a Christmas cactus bloom in Del Webb at Lakewood Ranch.

0.08

Friday, May 15

0

Saturday, May 16

0

Sunday, May 17

0

*Rainfall totals from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport

Submit your photos at YourObserver.com/Contests. All submissions will be entered in the 2026-27 Weather and Nature photo contest. In February 2027, you will vote for your favorite photo, and the submission with the most votes will win a $500 gift card.

YEAR TO DATE: 2026 9.20 in.

2025 7.55 in.

MONTH TO DATE: 2026 1.96 in.

2025 1.68 in.

We have all of your luxury flooring needs carpet | hardwood | tile | stone | pavers | and more

Daily crossword puzzles available at YourObserver.com/crossword

PARDON MY FRENCH by Will Pfadenhauer, edited by Jared Goudsmit 60 “Inferno” author 61 Like watery coffee 63 Take the L 65 “Pick me! Pick me!” on them?

68 It may be hard to swallow DOWN 69 Berry from a palm 1 Exchange 70 Kraken liquors 2 Grizzlies’ feet 71 Maine-to-Florida highway 3 “Well, hello!”

73 D.C. MLBer 4 Also 75 Trumpets’ relatives 5 Vacay without a group 78 Jogging pace 6 ___ out (fall asleep) 80 Slalom, biathlon, etc.

7 ___-cold beer 83 Animal that flies by night 8 Church seat 84 The “A” of IPA 9 Prosecutor’s field 86 Recede like the tide 10 Musician Yoko 88 Altar vows 11 Ringlets of hair 89 Org. with Messi 12 Wakes 13 ___-ace (queer identity) 90 President after Roosevelt 14 “Exactly correct!”

93 Bit of trickery 15 Very calm 94 Totally agreeing (with) 18 Narrow cut 96 Many moons ___ 20 Still asleep 97 Stone-into-water sound 21 Actress Thompson 98 Sad Snack’s music genre 23 Consumed 99 Big success 24 AOC or FDR 100 ___’s razor (philosophi29 Golf club option for a cal rule) long bunker shot 101 IT overseer 31 Point of view on life 102 On the ___ (free) 32 Forensic analysis site, ©2026 Universal Uclick 103 Person who makes a for short 101 Ice Bucket Challenge 64 Snakes in South America 37 Make a guarantee ACROSS goal 33 Female chickens letters 66 Pond buildup 40 Glimpsed 1 Glimpses 108 Exchange 34 Surname hidden in 104 Prefix for “metric” or 67 Big fuss 41 School support org.

6 Plastic bag brand 109 _ver-_he-_ounter “cure-all” “cache” 68 Sport with wall runs 42 AQI-monitoring org.

12 Taxis 110 Cupid’s Greek equiva35 Verb suffix 105 Tartan garment 72 Olympic great Jesse 43 Offering a positive 16 “Whoopee!” lent 36 Tavern 106 Cared for a purr-fect pet 74 Made into law recommendation, or a hint 17 Titan overlooking the 111 Mojito fruits 37 Lhasa ___ 107 Portrayal of a Bond 76 Hosp. area to the inserted word in Trevi Fountain 115 ___ mortal 38 “No ___ thing as a free villain receives rave reviews?

77 Two-toed mammal 95-Across 19 Get situated 116 Confirmation ___ lunch” 112 Includes on an email 79 Autumn tool 49 Spot for dandruff 22 “Aladdin” song, or a 117 Genre for Billy Joel 39 Huge fan 113 Secure, like a boat 81 Aptly named parent shampoo hint to the inserted word in 118 “Fire” insects 44 Apple Maps tech 114 Type of dish in a lab company of WWE 50 Text before “thx” 121-Across 120 Apple Maps guess, for 45 Signs off on 115 Lobster ___ and cheese 82 Insult comedy event at 25 Actress/activist Marilyn 51 Joint with a cap 46 Not distracted from work short 116 Supportive undergarthe Packers’ stadium?

52 Name that becomes a 26 Letter after chi 122 “I’m not impressed” 47 Distribute cards ment 27 Tree associated with Elon religion if you add an “M” to 85 Formation of geese 123 Poem in Morse code?

48 ___ de los Muertos 87 Schism the end 119 Tel Aviv’s country University 124 Zilch 53 “At once!”

91 “Mona ___” 56 “Alas!”

121 Getting sent back from 28 Feudal lord 125 Actor Patel 54 Bury the ___ 92 Clamp or trowel 57 Pro-recycling ad, e.g. the MLB to a Triple-A team, 30 Obtains 126 Merch table shirt 55 Yankees great, for short 93 Fly catcher 58 Brownie mix instruction, e.g.?

31 Slugger Mel 57 Singer Abdul 94 Nepal’s neighbor or a hint to the inserted 127 Must 32 Certain holiday gift, or a 58 Apt rhyme of “maw” 95 Remove a classroom 128 More squalid hint to the inserted word in word in 82-Across 59 Beta testers, etc. skeleton’s tibia?

62 Greeting in Porto 129 Flinch or gasp, say 107-Across 130 Harvest 131 Postpone, like a project 132 Much has been written

457540-1

celebrity cipher

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

Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

“D’KX QXXY KXVW QEXCCXA DY PW LXVCZYHE EDRX HYA DY PW JHVXXV HYA D OHKX YXKXV QXXY TYFVHSXRTE RZV GOHS D OHKX.”

PHYAW LHSDYUDY

“VYOG IYNGSQ UJO SRNGS QVOOIHL UGE XOUZOPFHHL, XHOUQO XUFQO U CRCOGI, UGE IYOG QUL RFI HRFE, ‘NP IYNQ NQG’I GNZO, VYUI NQ?’” TFJI BRGGOSFI

“XPF XMCDB L KWKZ IKS NMNOF? L’Q HMS YGWLHI GHFVMBF’Y DLTK. SPKZK GZK BMNSMZY XPM YGWK DLWKY ... L’Q QGOLHI QMWLKY.”

EKHHLTKZ DGXZKHNK Puzzle Three Clue: W equals V

crossword

Puzzle Two Clue: Y equals H

Sarasota 941.355.8437 | Bradenton 941.748.4679 | Venice 941.493.7441 | manasotaonline.com

The Grounded Feeling Everyone will Enjoy

Puzzle Two Clue: W equals Y

at MANASOTA FLOORING INC

sudoku

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

©2026 Andrews McMeel Syndicate

05-21-26

Made for where you live. Here!

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

RED PAGES real estate

home services

redpages@yourobserver.com • yourobserver.com/redpages

Homes for Sale

Auto Transport

DEADLINES: Classifieds - Monday at Noon 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 MEMORIAL DAYstatus, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.

MEMORIAL DAY All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are EARLY DEADLINESavailable on an equal opportunity basis..

MEMORIAL DAY EARLY for MayDEADLINES 28th edition MEMORIAL DAY for MayDEADLINES 28th edition Items Under $200 Merchandise EARLY

East County/ LBK: CLASSIFIED ADS May 21nd, Deadline Thursday, Deadline Thursday, East County/ LBK: 12:00pm CLASSIFIED ADS May 21nd, 12:00pm Deadline Thursday, May 21nd, Sarasota/Siesta Key: East County/ LBK: Sarasota/Siesta 12:00pm Friday, Key: May 22rd Deadline Thursday, May 21nd,

FREE ELECTRIC Hospital bed, Martess $50. Call leave message no text (941)744-1894

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ANTIQUES WANTED

Deadline May 22rd Sarasota/Siesta 12:00 pmFriday, Key: 12:00pm 12:00 pmFriday, Key: Deadline May 22rd Sarasota/Siesta 12:00 The pm Observer Deadline Friday, Maywill 22rd be The Observer will be CLOSED 12:00 pm Monday, May 25th CLOSED Monday, 25th Thethe Observer will be for Memorial DayMay Holiday. for Memorial DayMay Holiday.

CLOSED Monday, 25th We willObserver reopen Tuesday, May Thethe will be We willfor reopen Tuesday, May for the Memorial DayMay Holiday.

26th normal business CLOSED Monday, 25th

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Computer

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364556 462374

249 235

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WINDOW CLEANING, PRESSURE WASHING, & GUTTERS CLEANING! CALL JUAN & CINDY LICENSED & INSURED 239-203-5913 l 407-902-7845 jccpcleaning@aol.com | jccpwindowcleaning.net

This week’s Crossword answers

YOUR HOME found here.

RED PAGES

www.sunsetwindowcleaningsrq.com

This week’s Celebrity Cipher answers

Puzzle One Solution: “I’ve been very blessed in my personal life and in my career and I have never been ungrateful for what I have.”

Mandy Patinkin Puzzle Two Solution: “When things are going sweetly and peacefully, please pause a moment, and then say out loud, ‘If this isn’t nice, what is?’”

Kurt Vonnegut

Puzzle Three Solution: “Why would I ever get cocky? I’m not saving anybody’s life. There are doctors who save lives ...

I’m making movies.”

Jennifer Lawrence

This week’s Sudoku answers

©2026 Universal Uclick

DON DI STEFANO (941) 893.8475

SCC131150987

senior citizen discount.

462822

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5

$

Call Today: (941) 925-3200 info@bishopsaluminum.com

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SPECIAL 00

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25 $

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453816

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$

Serving Longboat Key Since 2005

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HANDYMAN SERVICES

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463012

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©2026 NEA, Inc.

Handyman

LOOK LIKE

17B

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026

Experience Timeless Style in Country Club New Listing Video

3D Walkthrough

View Listing

7207 Ashland Glen | Lakewood Ranch Country Club New Roof | Generator | 2 Brand New HVAC Systems $1,695,000 | 3,152 Sq Ft | 3 Bedrooms | 3 Bathrooms | Office | Bonus Room | Private Pool/Spa | Outdoor Kitchen This beautifully updated lakefront residence is positioned on a premium lake and golf course homesite within the prestigious Lakewood Ranch Country Club and offers generous space between neighboring homes. Recent updates include a new roof, whole-house generator, and two new HVAC systems. Pocketing sliders open to an expansive lanai with a resurfaced pool, outdoor kitchen, and sweeping lake and golf course views.

See all Country Club Homes for Sale: SHANAHAN LUXURY GROUP 941.961.8205 | 941.702.0437 ShanahanLuxuryGroup@CBrealty.com 8334 Market Street | Lakewood Ranch, FL TOP PRODUCING LAKEWOOD RANCH TEAM 2023, 2024, 2025 for Coldwell Banker Realty Contact Us to Learn More or to Schedule a Showing.

455908-1

18B

Sha na ha nL ux ur yG roup.co m