Because 99% of their diet consists of fish, ospreys are also known as fish hawks.
Naturally, the birds of prey like to nest where the fish are plentiful. This osprey (above) is building a nest near the 500acre Blue Lake off Lorraine Road. According to the National Wildlife Federation, ospreys catch fish on at least onequarter or more of their dives. Once an osprey spots its prey, it dives feet first into the water and sometimes becomes completely submerged. Ospreys are especially adept divers because they can completely close their nostrils and their wings and are covered in an oily waterproof coating.
When 3-year-old Lakewood Ranch resident Collette Carter was told she was going to the Farmers Market at
June
she said she was excited to see the animals. “She gets here and goes, ‘Where are the farm animals?’” said Cameron Perry, Collette’s aunt. “I was like, ‘It’s not that type of farm.’” Perry and boyfriend Aiden Holzborn (above with Collette and her 5-year-old brother Rowan) were eager to bring the kids to explore Waterside.
Collette loves playing dress up as well, especially as Anna and Elsa from “Frozen.” Her mom, Emily Carter, let her wear a sparkly outfit to the market. Perry said her sister “opened the door and said, ‘She insisted.’”
Madison Bierl
Lesley Dwyer
Thirty wishes granted
Despite a tough hurricane fundraising year, Sisterhood for Good awards $150,150 in grants.
JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR
Despite a three-hurricane 2024 season in which many individuals and businesses found themselves with fewer funds to donate to nonprofits, Sisterhood for Good found a way.
On June 19 at Gold Coast Eagle Distributing, the Lakewood Ranch fundraising group handed out 30 grants that totaled $150,150.
Although it was the first time in Sisterhood for Good’s history, which began in 2011, the group didn’t award more money than the previous year, it was just a tad under the $153,036 that was given out in 2024.
“With last year’s hurricanes, people couldn’t give as much,” said Sisterhood for Good founder Angela Massaro-Fain.
“We certainly understand that. Our goal always is to increase from the previous year. But we should be proud we were able to match it.”
Since 2011, Sisterhood for Good has awarded 213 grants for $622,427.
“I am very proud of our consistency in attracting new members who want to be philanthropic, and in the fact the community recognizes the importance of what we are doing and believes in our mission,” MassaroFain said. “That is so important. We have two real fundraisers the public is invited to, and we always sell out.”
Samina Morrow, who is Sisterhood for Good’s co-chair for the grants committee and co-chair for the advisory committee, said MassaroFain’s leadership has been a big part of the nonprofit’s consistency since 2011.
“Angela is a powerhouse,” Morrow said. “She is fabulous. She takes this on as a full-time career, and she has been great at attracting all kinds of talent.”
Morrow said Sisterhood for Good’s makeup, with its 240 members, is a big reason for its success.
“We have women in all different professions and from all different backgrounds,” she said. “We are in it for the right purpose.
“With our dues at $225 a year, it is very inclusive.”
GRANTS
CRITICAL
Brian Walton, executive director of Save Our Seabirds, said the $5,000 grant his nonprofit received is critical after a tough year.
“Hurricanes Helene and Milton were pretty devastating,” Walton said. “We were closed for 55 days.
After Helene, we had 4 feet of flooding in our building, and then after Milton, for the next 3 months, we didn’t have a green blade of grass anywhere. It was a tough process.”
Walton said the grant would help Save Our Seabirds do more blood tests on ill birds.
“It’s meaningful,” he said. “It empowers our staff to be more aggressive treating a bird.
It was just one of 30 stories about what the grants mean.
Sisterhood for Good’s members noted that they are accepting more members to help with the needs.
Those who want to give back to their community don’t have to be affluent to join.
“Honestly, the volunteer time is one of the most precious resources,”
Morrow said. “We couldn’t make this work without the volunteers.”
Morrow said the 2025 grants payout of $150,150 was special considering the circumstances.
“I feel very blessed,” she said. “Of course we would like our target goal to increase so we can give the community more. But we still are very lucky. One of the things that sets us apart is that we raise monies for dif-
ferent not-for-profits. It could be about humans or animals. We just gave a grant to Save Our Seabirds.”
Morrow also noted that Sisterhood for Good tends to think “outside of box” for its events.
“We have a plethora of themes for our events and we create experiences that are a little different,” she said.
She said the members get their reward when they see the gratefulness of the nonprofits and the feedback about what the money enables them to do.
AN INCREDIBLE TIME
“We are an all-female, passionate group of volunteers who unite our talents to give back,” she said. “And we have an incredible time doing it.”
Massaro-Fain said the community feeds off the Sisters’ passion.
“The community agrees with what we are trying to do, and they know we throw a good party,” Massaro-Fain said. “When they come, they have a
good time.”
Although she has been guiding the organization for more than a decade, Massaro-Fain said she gets choked up when she tallies the amount the group will contribute each year.
She said her “eye is on the prize” of handing out a million dollars overall. If the nonprofit continues its current trend, that could be within the next three years.
She still remembers going to another nonprofit’s event in 2010 and being surprised at how much need there was in “such an affluent community.”
“I know it now for a fact, because I’ve seen it,” she said. “There are a lot of people who need help, kids who need help, sickness, whatever. There are nonprofits that don’t get any government assistance. I think of how I can help more.”
She has been packing meals for Meals on Wheels Plus, and has seen families bring their kids to collect
GRANT RECIPIENTS
All Faiths Food Bank, $5,000; Baby Basics of Sarasota County, $6,500; Beds for Kids, $7,500; Bring on the Ministry, $7,000; Child Protection Center, $7,500; Children’s Cancer Center, $2,500; DD’s Miracle Minis, $3,600; Easterseals of Southwest Florida, $5,000; Foundation for Dreams, $5,000; Holiday House SRQ, $7,500; Hope Family Services, $2,000; Humane Society of Manatee, $3,500; Manasota BUDS, $3,000; Manatee County Foster and Adoptive Parent Association, $5,000; Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee,, $5,000; Mothers Helping Mothers, $5,000; Move Mountains, $7,500; Pines of Sarasota Foundation, $7,500; Resurrection House, $5,000; Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center, $3,000; Save Our Seabirds, $5,000; Second Chance Last Opportunity, $7,500; Selah Freedom, $4,500; Stillpoint Mission, $4,000; Streets of Paradise, $3,950; Suncoast Charities for Children, $2,000; Take Stock in Children, Manatee County, $4,600; Team Tony Cancer Foundation, $7,500; The Players $2,500; and Tidewell Foundation, $5,000.
some peanut butter, pasta, bread and milk because they can’t afford those items. So many different nonprofits need assistance. And as a membership, Sisterhood for Good votes where to send the funds.
“Our voice is a collective voice, not just one person or a board,” MassaroFain said.
She said Sisterhood for Good presented 30 grants this year, but it had received 101 applications.
Among Sisterhood for Good’s five corporate sponsors are Grapevine Communications; Target Graphics; David Winterrowd, CPA Tax and Consulting; Gold Coast Eagle Distributing; and the Observer Media Group.
Jay Heater
Sisterhood for Good’s Pamela Modisett presents a grant check for $5,000 to Save Our Seabirds Executive Director Brian Walton on June 19 at the Annual Grants Ceremony at Gold Coast Eagle Distributing in Lakewood Ranch.
and Gorrie’s Bill
and Kevin
as the beam goes skyward.
Below: The $120 million tower is expected to be open by April 2026.
Tower construction right on the beam
Structural framework complete as Lakewood Ranch Medical Center project heads into its homestretch.
JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR
The beam topping ceremonies never get old for Orlando’s Bill McCartha, the senior superintendent for Brasfield and Gorrie, the nation’s top general contractor by volume when it comes to healthcare construction.
McCartha was all smiles June 20 as a crane lifted the ceremonial final construction beam — covered with the signatures of various hospital employees and construction workers — skyward to complete the structural framework of the new $120 million hospital tower at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center.
He explained that in 2021 a similar ceremony was performed in Orange City for the new patient tower at AdventHealth Fish Memorial. That $100 million expansion included a new emergency department, intensive care unit, and the “Baby Place.”
In 2024, his brother, Duncan, went to that hospital tower when his wife had a baby. “I knew he was in good hands,” Bill McCartha said. “I knew it was a clean, safe building.”
It is with similar pride that he undertakes each healthcare assignment.
“This is one of the greatest honors of my life,” McCartha said of working on healthcare construction. “We pride ourselves for doing blue collar work with white-glove service.”
While white-glove service might be the norm, on June 20 it was muddy-boots service. A heavy downpour just before the beam-topping ceremony left streams of water running through the ground level of the new construction.
Lakewood Ranch Medical Center broke ground on the patient bed tower on June 11, 2024. McCartha said the construction is ahead of schedule, partially due to extra space in the hospital’s parking lot that has allowed Bradfield and Gorrie to store materials, making them more accessible to the workers. He expected to receive a certificate of occupancy by next April.
GOING UP
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE LAKEWOOD RANCH MEDICAL CENTER’S EXPANSION
Space: The new tower is 170,000 square feet Height: Five stories
$120 million More beds: 60 upon initial completion with a shell left to eventually build another 60 Construction update: The structural framework is now finished Targeted opening: First quarter 2026
The completion of the structural framework is a key milestone and Lakewood Ranch Medical Center
CEO Robert Anderson, who took over April 21, said he was confident the new tower will be in use by February. According to the hospital, the five-story tower will increase the hospital’s capacity by adding 60 patient beds (30 for intensive care patients and 30 for progressive care patients) and will facilitate emergency room patient flow.
It also will allow for the expansion of key ancillary departments and will accommodate growth in medical/surgical, complex cardiology and neurological services.
The entire tower will not be built out immediately, with a shell left for an additional 60 patient beds as the hospital grows.
“This is exciting,” Anderson said.
“This (expansion) helped to bring me to Lakewood Ranch ... knowing this was here. I have been with two hospitals that expanded, and I am used to this kind of growth.”
Anderson, who has more than 25 years of healthcare leadership on his resume, came to Lakewood Ranch Medical Center from Tenet Healthcare where he led the Memorial Campus hospital and the Providence Children’s Hospital in El Paso, Texas.
Even so, he said the key to the tower expansion has been to allow Brasfield and Gorrie to do its job.
“You hire good contractors and a good company to run it,” Anderson said. “I mean, this is their 1,000th project. They know what they are doing.”
McCartha appreciates the trust.
“The most unique thing about this process is the incredible harmony we have had with the owner and the facility,” McCartha said. “This is one of the best projects I’ve ever had in terms of relationships. We know what we are doing ... and they trust us.”
While the ceremonial beam raising was a key part of the June 20 ceremony, more important was the meals provided to more than 300 construction workers.
“From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for all the work,” McCartha told the workers before he turned them loose on the buffet line.
The five-story, 170,000-squarefoot tower might be considered uniquely expensive at $120 million, but McCartha said it will be a “very robust” building.
“It’s built to be here more than 100 years,” he said.
McCartha explained that all the concrete is “cast-in-place,” which means all the concrete is mixed and poured into forms at the construction site, rather than being pre-fabricated. The concrete is therefore one solid piece after curing.
He said his company also is building a structure that will eventually house a “robust mechanical system.”
The Lakewood Ranch Medical Center opened in 2004 with 160 credentialed physicians and allied health professionals. The hospital now has more than 750 medical providers.
At the groundbreaking for the new tower, former CEO Andy Guz, who preceded Anderson, called the tower the most significant expansion in the hospital’s history.
“This is going to be something that puts us on the map,” Guz said at the time. “This has been a long time coming. In order for us to keep up with the demand of the community, this is the project that needs to happen.”
“This is one of the best projects I’ve ever had in terms of relationships. We know what we are doing ... and they trust us.”
Bill McCartha, senior superintendent for Brasfield and Gorrie
The tower is now the tallest building on the hospital’s campus. The hospital’s bed capacity will now be 180 beds.
The tower will enable the hospital to expand its intensive care unit, progressive care unit and the pharmacy, laboratory, education, pre-admission testing and food and nutrition services departments.
The construction is built so that another two stories can be added at a later time.
More than 100 new jobs are expected to be created once the tower opens. Anderson noted that the hospital will continue to expand as Lakewood Ranch grows.
“We are going to continue to upgrade,” he said, agreeing that expanding outward on the campus would be hard. “I always can go up.”
Left: Brasfield
McCartha
Lorie watch
Photos by Jay Heater
Hospital workers and local dignitaries listed to speakers at the Beam Topping Ceremony Jan. 20 at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center.
Lakewood Ranch Medical Center CEO Robert Anderson visits with guests at the Beam Topping Ceremony.
Brasfield and Gorrie Senior Superintendent Bill McCartha thanks the workers for their work on the tower at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center.
Child Will Thrive
Transition begins for Mote Marine
City Island facility will close to public as exhibits switch to Science Education Aquarium.
DANA KAMPA STAFF WRITER
Anyone who has brought home a goldfish from the pet store is familiar with the process of catching, quarantining and acclimating a fish to a new tank.
Now imagine that process scaled up to coordinate everything from alligators to manatees, from minuscule seahorses to titanic tarpon.
Mote Marine is getting the moving process underway this week as it shifts exhibits from City Island to its new Mote Science Education Aquarium at Nathan Benderson Park in East County.
Mote announced June 18 that it would close its City Island facility to visitors July 7 while the staff focuses on the move.
Mote has yet to announce an official opening day for the new facility. The timeline for the new aquarium depends upon two main factors.
He continued, “Ceasing public operations of Mote Aquarium on City Island immediately after the 4th of July weekend will allow Mote SEA to open as soon as possible.”
Up until the final day on July 6, the aquarium plans to be open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway. Tickets are $29 for adults, $21 for children ages 3 to 12, and free for infants ages 2 and younger. Call 941-383-4441 with inquiries.
much more.
Vice President Kevin Cooper explained in a press release that marine experts need to carefully calibrate water chemistry and critical life support, specifically focusing on how microbes in the water interact.
He wrote that staff also need to ensure there are no potentially harmful water-soluble materials left in the exhibits from their construction.
While experts are keeping a close eye on thoroughly leaching out those components, part of the process is simply a waiting game.
The second major step is safely quarantining, transferring and acclimating the animals moving to Mote SEA. Veterinary staff will also be keeping a close eye on how well the inhabitants settle into their new enclosures.
“Until such time that all animals have fully acclimated to their new habitats, Mote SEA will not open for general admission,” Cooper wrote.
Visitors saying goodbye to the City Island facility said they appreciate how a bigger, modernized facility will increase Mote Marine’s reach and capacity to help the marine animals they so love, perhaps even inspiring more future marine biologists and experts.
But Longboat Key residents shared their sorrow to see a significant chapter in the island’s history close.
Mote Marine’s origins date back to 1955, when marine science devotee Dr. Eugenie Clark founded the one-room lab in Cape Haze that later earned the moniker “Mote Marine Laboratory” after benefactor William Mote. From the early days, Clark placed a premium on philanthropy and community partnerships.
Marine experts opened the City Island aquarium in the early 1980s. Its capacity grew year to year, taking in manatees, sharks, fish, alligators and a full myriad of other oceanic animals.
The organization grew to include many facets, from educational programming to injured animal rescue missions and rehabilitation efforts.
Carlin Gillen
Mote staff members will be shifting their attention to the opening of the Science Education Aquarium, located at Nathan Benderson Park. The City Island site closes to the public July 7.
Superintendent semifinalists due by end of July
In a special meeting, Manatee school board discusses its timeline.
The search for a new superintendent at the School District of Manatee County has officially begun.
The posting for the superintendent position, which will pay between $220,000-$260,000, was posted to the School District of Manatee County website on June 16 at 5 p.m.
“The website was live at 5, as we like to say,” said Bill Vogel, an independent consultant that will assist in the search.
Along with Vogel, the school district is assisted by the Florida School Boards Association for the search. The team at FSBA consists of Andrea Messina, chief executive officer, Demetrius Rice, director of strategic operations, Debra Pace, a retired superintendent of Osceola County School District and Michael Gaudreau, a retired Seminole County executive director of secondary education.
Both Messina and Vogel were involved in the last superintendent search in 2023.
The school board discussed and finalized the timeline that they wish to work through as well as the qualifications for the superintendent candidates.
On the qualifications list in the preferred category is “Experience in a school district with 20,000 or more students.” At the meeting, there was some back and forth with the number, as to keep as wide a net as possible. They agreed to add the word “approximately” before 20,000 in order to not scare away potential candidates.
“As you mentioned, it is preferred, not required,” Messina said.
“But you all do have a large size district by national standards, so to manage that does require a certain
UPDATED TIMELINE
JUNE 16: Begin advertisement process, website goes live promoting search
JUNE 17: School board meeting to briefly discuss board priorities for the next superintendent, finalize timeline and qualifications
JULY 16: Advertisement closes at 11:59 p.m. and applications posted on website as they are submitted
JULY 29: Board identifies semifinalists
JULY 29-AUG. 12: Final background checks and community feedback
AUG. 12: Board selects finalists for interviews
AUG. 18: Entire board interviews each finalist. Evening: Community Meet and Greet of Finalists
suggestion would be that person does not move forward,” Kennedy said.
“I’ve seen other boards say, if a majority of my peers want this person, we’ll go ahead and move them forward,” Messina said. “I’ve seen others with even one that has somebody articulate enough to convince others to say that person was on the fence for me, but if you really feel that strongly let’s go ahead and keep that person in.”
From July 25-Aug. 12, final background checks and community feedback will be conducted. FSBA will not only do background checks, but will also check Florida Department of Education certifications, social media and lawsuits.
level of leadership.”
An additional quality they discussed and agreed to add stated “A demonstrated record of supporting parent choice and ensuring equitable opportunities and resources for all students, regardless of public school type.”
They also altered the phrasing on the third quality “Ensures that ESE, including gifted 504 students and ELL student needs are met” and added “state and federal policies and laws are followed” to the end.
Heather Felton expressed her desire that the candidates have experience working in a school at any level — a teacher, secretary, substitute or any other position within a school in order to have the perspective on how schools work.
“It is an entirely different animal than any other kind of business out there and that to me is extremely important that they understand that,” Felton said.
The school board discussed whether they wanted the “Ten years successful administrative or leadership experience” to be specifically in the education field or whether it could be some sort of corporate
experience to qualify.
Spray said she would consider someone if he or she was a teacher for 10 years, a principal for 10 years and then they had an offer at a corporate level somewhere else and ran that corporation for 10 to 20 years.
“If they’re ready to come back and do this, I want to be able to consider that person,” Spray said.
“I’m for the biggest pool possible, but I do believe in my heart of hearts that it will be someone with an education background,” Choate said. They agreed to keep educational experience in the preferred section instead of moving it to required.
Applications will close on July 16 at 11:59 p.m. Spray said she was an advocate for it to be closed at noon, but Messina expressed their reason for midnight was to account for different time zones and accommodation for the candidates’ potential busy schedules.
“Professionals who work a lot get things done in the evening when they get home from work, sometimes they’ll finalize a few things,” Messina said. “It just gives the applicants a little bit of more breathing room.
“It takes a day or two for us to pro-
AUG. 19: Individual Board Member/Candidate Interviews
AUG. 26: Board selects Superintendent, contract negotiations begin
SEPT. 9: Finalize Contract
Source: ManateeSchools.net
cess everything,” Messina continued. “At the very latest, you should be receiving those on Monday, but hopefully, you can get them Thursday or Friday.”
The applications will be received by the Florida School Boards Association and forwarded to the IT department at Manatee Schools to be posted as received.
On July 29, the board is to identify semi finalists for the position. School board member Charlie Kennedy questioned the process in how they are to narrow down their options if only one or two board members are for a candidate.
“My point would be, if we get to the 29th and there’s a candidate that does not have three board members suggesting they move forward, my
“It might not be that there’s a controversial thing, but it could be that with the additional two weeks, you’re looking at all kinds of work that they’ve done, and you’re probably hearing from people in their community,” Messina said. “You go ‘These are the three that I’m locking in on.’ It gives you some space to have some additional discernment.”
On Aug. 12, the board will choose the finalists. Messina described the process of how they have decided on finalists in the past by using a tally sheet, moving forward the candidates that the most board members agree upon.
Aug. 18 and 19 will be the interviews, with a community meet and greet on the evening of Aug. 18.
Messina told the board they have a great advocate in Vogel.
“The board did a lot of pre-work that has moved this along, and I think we’re in a really good place right now,” Vogel said. “We’re meeting with the key staff people this afternoon to make sure they’re up to speed on it and I’ll be totally available to any board members at any time.”
“I want to say thank you so much for your confidence,” Messina said. “As your membership association, we’re here to serve you and we’re here to help you have a very transparent and clear superintendent search process.”
Madison Bierl
The Manatee County school board held a special meeting to further discuss the details of the timeline and search for a new superintendent. Richard Tatem said good leaders tend to work in different industries, not just education, and wants the candidate pool to be as big as possible.
Elks fight childhood hunger
Elks Feeding Empty Little Tummies packed 14,000 bags of food for school children last year alone.
LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER
At 90 years old, arthritis forced Mary Bilkie to step away from her volunteer duties with the Elks Feeding Empty Little Tummies.
The East County resident said she misses it.
Up until this school year, Bilkie packed bags of food for school children in need every Friday during the school year.
EFELT is a partnership between the Bradenton Elks Lodge No. 1511 and the Lakewood Ranch Elks Lodge No. 2855.
“Even though you don’t see the kids, you know what you’re doing and you know how the parents appreciate it,” Bilkie said. “And we joked and had fun.”
After Bilkie’s husband, Larry, died in 2009, she was going to quit the Elks Club. She said Lodge No. 2855 was mostly made up of couples, and she didn’t want to be a “fifth wheel.”
The group convinced Bilkie to stay, and she became a devoted volunteer for any cause that came her way.
“It was the joy of my life,” she said. “They kind of saved me, you know. They gave me a purpose.”
When EFELT was formed in 2011, the nonprofit had its first volunteer in Bilkie.
She watched the program grow from volunteers walking into individual classrooms with a few backpacks full of food to a box truck delivering 150 plastic bags full of food to one school.
While the volunteers “frowned” when the switch was made from backpacks to plastic bags, Bilkie said the plastic was more practical — no more cleaning or replacing backpacks. She couldn’t remember the exact number, but guessed that the nonprofit served about 50 kids at Freedom Elementary at the start of the program, which now serves
ABOUT THE NONPROFIT
Elks Feeding Empty Little Tummies. Visit EFELT.org. Mission statement: To provide weekend meals and snacks to children who may be homeless or live in a food insecure living situation. We strive to ensure that no Manatee County student faces a weekend without food.
about 550 kids across 13 Manatee County schools.
If the need is there, Executive Director Andrea Hitcho said those numbers can increase now that EFELT has secured its own storage space.
The nonprofit received a $40,000 grant from Christ Church of Longboat Key to construct a 20-footby-40-foot storage and prep building at the lodge on 75th Street West in Bradenton. For over a decade, EFELT bounced between free spaces at schools, churches, the YMCA and even Tropicana.
“It’s a wonderful feeling that our EFELT people will not have to go around canvassing for a new place,” Bilkie said. “Everybody has worked so hard for so long, especially people like Andrea (Hitcho). It’s a burden to have to worry every year, will we have a place?”
Space sharing worked, but it also limited what EFELT could accomplish. This past year, the operations had to be split between two donated spaces, one of which became unavailable over the summer due to a camp program.
If the nonprofit can’t store food over the summer, it also can’t purchase food when met with a good deal.
EFELT delivered 14,000 bags of food last year. Outside of bread, which is donated weekly by Bimbo Bakeries USA, the food is nonperishable, so even summer buys can last into the school year.
Each bag is filled with eight meals and/or snacks to see children through the weekend when they’re not given meals at school. For three weeks leading up to the summer break, volunteers packed double the food in the bags.
Hitcho’s hope is to eventually offer some kind of summer program, as well.
“Perhaps people have to come to us because school isn’t in session, but because we have a facility, we could potentially pack and give out stuff during the summer,” she said. “A lot of that comes down to funding.”
The overall facility will cost about $54,000, which all but a few thousand dollars is covered. In addition to the $40,000 grant, the Elks fundraised $11,000 and a member of Christ Church donated another $1,000.
“Even though you don’t see the kids, you know what you’re doing and you know how the parents appreciate it. And we joked and had fun.”
Mary Bilkie
However, EFELT’s annual operating budget is about $42,000. While not guaranteed, the Elks National Foundation usually provides about $7,500 to the nonprofit through its Gratitude Grant and Beacon Grant.
The bulk of expenses are covered by individual donations. Yet when EFELT sees a need, Hitcho said the budget does not stop them. The group simply rises to the occasion.
“If there are more schools that want to receive our services, we’re happy to do it,” she said. “We will figure out a way to get the money and provide what we need to.”
Courtesy image
Mary Bilkie is one of the original volunteers for Elks Feeding Empty Little Tummies.
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Any way you peel it, he’s still Dad
He’s a huge hit with Savannah Banana fans, but Correlle Prime’s greatest connection is with his family.
MADISON BIERL STAFF WRITER
Raised in Bradenton and drafted after playing baseball at Manatee High School, Correlle Prime is following a notso-traditional path.
Prime is living the life of “Banana Ball” as a member of the Savannah Bananas, who are known for their entertaining, party-like atmosphere. They could be compared to the Harlem Globetrotters, only on the baseball diamond.
To Jessie Rey Bock, Correlle’s fiancé, no matter the scripted movements — aka the dances — he still is mainly a baseball player.
“He’s had to learn, not only how to dance, but also to let loose in front of that many people,” Bock said. “It’s cool, because he’s still getting to play baseball and having that competition. There are some times when he busts out a dance move, and I’m like ‘Oh my gosh, what are we watching?’”
Corey Prime, the couple’s 8-yearold and one of their three children, enjoys dad’s antics.
“It’s funny and goofy and I can’t help but laugh when he messes up,” Corey said.
Correlle met Jessie while they were attending Manatee High and they have been together for 15 years. Along with Corey, they have 3-yearold Crew and 7-month-old Coco.
It’s all fun, but it does create a different dynamic for Jessie, who will be a kindergarten teacher at the new Lake Manatee K-8 school in Lakewood Ranch when it opens in August.
Correlle’s job is far from a normal 9-to-5 routine with much of his time spent traveling to perform in stadiums around the country.
He knows his children miss having their father at home.
“Corey’s like ‘No dad, you have to play, you’ve got to go play. It’s so cool, I love watching you do it,’” Correlle said. “That makes it that much easier. The support we have at home is second-to-none. I’m very blessed and grateful to be able to do what I’m
able to do.”
Corey, who will attend Lake Manatee K-8, said his dad, even when he is on the road, inspires him.
“When my dad comes home for a few days, I am always happy and we get to spend time golfing together,” he said.
Correlle said Corey even gives him advice about new trends, slang, and even dance moves so he can connect with kids.
“He inspires me the same way I inspire him,” Correlle said. “I think that’s how it should be and I hope it’s the same way moving forward.”
Jessie said Correlle is consistent about his routine when traveling away from their Parrish home.
“With him being away, he’s always incredibly supportive — always present, whether that’s FaceTiming before a game, or sometimes even during a game, to show the kids what’s going on,” Jessie said.
Jessie said Corey understands that being a baseball player is not a “normal” job.
“I don’t brag to my friends, but I tell them about it and some of them go crazy and always ask, ‘How can I meet him?’” Corey said.
Correlle said it helps that the Bananas are geared toward children and families.
“We’re just goofing off and having fun on the baseball field,” he said.
Jessie said communication is the key to maintaining a great relationship when he is touring.
“The amount of times I FaceTime him a day ... he probably is like, okay, chill,” Jessie said. “We miss him a lot when he’s gone, but I think it’s all what you make of it. He’s out there doing what he loves.”
Correlle said it has become a normal way of life for his family.
“It’s something we’ve grown accustomed to,” he said. “We have our routines — thank goodness for FaceTime. I always tell people you’re a little more intentional with your time when you’re away, so we’re able to connect and bond on different levels than you would be able to at home with all the distractions and toys and loud crazy noises.”
When Correlle is on the road, Jessie said she gets great help in raising the kids by her mother, Paula KeeganBock, and Correlle’s mother, Debra Brooks. Brooks is retired and lives with the family. Jesse said that has been a blessing.
“I think it is how it was designed to be for us and I’m extremely grateful we can all comfortably get along and the kids can have that whole support system,” Correlle said.
ON THE WAY TO THE BANANAS
In 2012, Prime was drafted by the Colorado Rockies. He was in their organization for six years. He played a short stint with the Texas Rangers’ organization. After that he played five years of independent league baseball. He joined the Savannah Bananas in 2024.
The game days are long for Correlle, but he said the core value within the company is to interact with the fans, which he enjoys.
Jessie said, although Correlle enjoys it, it can take a toll as well.
“Correlle is exhausted after games because they’re entertaining hours before their actual game time,” Jessie said. “They’re meeting with fans who might have waited years to go see them play. They’re taking pictures with little kids and giving autographs.”
Jessie said Correlle has had a huge influence on her in the way he goes about life.
“He just makes it look easy, all without taking anything too serious,” Jessie said. “He’s just always having fun and trying to make a difference in somebody somewhere.”
Since being a part of the Savannah Bananas, Correlle has had more time to travel back and spend time with his family compared to his time in Minor League Baseball.
“This has been a nice change with it being a little bit closer to Florida, with less games and a little bit more flexibility,” Jessie said. “It’s been nice for our family, and especially for our kids.”
Jessie said both of their careers make her proud, and she is looking forward to starting her new job at Lake Manatee K-8.
“With him being away, he’s always incredibly supportive — always present, whether that’s FaceTiming before a game, or sometimes even during a game, to show the kids what’s going on.”
Jessie Rey Bock
“I want to be that kind of teacher, someone who helps students feel capable and valued, even when the learning gets hard, because academics are hard these days,” she said. They continue to be each other’s “best support system.”
“He’s still a dad and part of our family,” Jessie said. “We’re learning to embrace the balance of not being together all the time, and simply enjoying the ride.”
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Courtesy images
Correlle Prime said the Savannah Bananas games are an experience that he can’t put into words and encourages the public to see them live.
Jessie Rey Bock and Correlle Prime have three children together: 7-month-old Coco, 3-year-old Crew and 8-year-old Corey.
Palm Grove’s opening marks another Pat Neal triumph
t 76, Pat Neal still has the energy to speak long at a Manatee County Commission meeting one day, and spend his time the next day promoting the June 27 grand opening of his Palm Grove Discovery Center.
He certainly doesn’t have to do it, because according to Forbes, Neal is worth well over $1 billion. It would be easy to have someone else handle such responsibilities.
So why, after all the success he has experienced as a real estate developer in Southwest Florida, does Neal want to continue, especially when some current Manatee County commissioners have voiced their animosity toward development? And there certainly is an abundance of residents who would like to see all builders blown out to sea.
“I don’t want to fish, and I don’t want to chase a little white ball around,” said Neal, sitting in the Palm Grove Discovery Center (sales office). “I have fun doing this, and I think we improve lives. We have great homes, and happy customers.
He is a master at work, although an unpopular one in certain circles. He says that is OK.
“People are sick of growth. and that is justified,” he said. “But we need to plan for growth.”
Manatee County is at a strange point in its development. Commissioners Bob McCann, Tal Siddique, Carol Felts and George Kruse rode a wave of anti-builder/developer sentiment to their seats in the 2024 election. There was an overwhelming perception that some commissioners were ignoring the desires of their constituents to serve the special interests of the builders and developers.
It appears, at least for developers and builders, that at least three members of the Commission want to slam on the brakes, even though all seven commissioners are Repub-
licans. It is going to be tricky for builders to navigate the waters.
It is also going to be more expensive.
This commission is going to significantly increase impact fees on builders, which Neal said will cost new home buyers about an average of $18,000 per home.
The Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee Counties reported June 24 that median sales prices decreased in both counties, indicating “a continued downward pressure in the market.” In May, single family home sales were down 7.3%, as compared to May 2024, in Sarasota County and down 1.9% in Manatee for the same period.
During that same time period, the sales price of single family homes was down 12.3 percent in Sarasota
County and 8.9% in Manatee.
None of it rattles Neal, who has been through the ebbs of the market.
He started naming off the different crises he has faced, such as the mortgage crisis in 1974, which included a credit crunch and soaring interest rates that led to a housing recession. Then there was the 1981 Paul Volcker shock when Volcker, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, significantly raised interest rates to combat high inflation. The result was a recession.
Neal kept rattling them off as he went through the years.
“It’s part of the real estate business,” he said with a smile. “But now is a good time to buy a home.”
Ever the salesman.
Fortunately for Neal, who has
properties throughout Southwest Florida and all the way to Naples, he concentrates on Lakewood Ranch and its surrounding areas. He has built homes in the Lakewood Ranch area since 1994.
“There is only one Lakewood Ranch, and it has everything,” Neal said. “Neal Communities has built about 4,000 homes here and we intend to build a few more, including the 934 homes here at Palm Grove.”
While Palm Grove sits just outside the perceived border of unincorporated Lakewood Ranch, it certainly is a Lakewood Ranch-area development.
“I’ve always called Lakewood Ranch the center of the universe,” Neal said. “And Palm Grove will have access to grocery stores, to schools, to everything. The reason we chose this land is because of the Lakewood Ranch schools ... the best in the region. That is the most important thing for families.”
Neal instructed his staff to design more family homes for Palm Grove. He said 25% of the home sales in the new community will be targeted to adults only while the other 75% of the homes will be occupied by families.
The argument will continue to be whether growth is a healthy thing for Manatee County. But no matter which side of the to fence you are on — pro growth or anti growth — wouldn’t you rather have the homes built well and the neighborhoods planned well if the people are coming anyway?
It’s hard to argue against the fact that Neal, a former member of the Florida Senate and the Florida House, has built beautiful communities for years.
At Palm Grove, he began selling homes in November, and more than 30 sales have been recorded since.
“In these times, that is big,” he said.
It shouldn’t be that big of a surprise considering the options. Palm Grove offers two different townhome models, one that starts as low as $319,900, two villas, and five single family home models. The upper end of the single family homes can go to $935,000 if you want the added luxury.
“I am surprised to be selling $331,000 homes (move-in),” Neal said. “But we follow the prices wherever they go.”
The grand opening June 27 will be from 4-6 p.m. Two food trucks and an ice cream truck will be providing complimentary meals and desserts. People who plan to attend are asked to RSVP at https:// on.nealcommunities.com/palmgrove-go/.
Palm Grove offers nine decorated models. Plans for the community include a centrally located amenity center clubhouse with a social spaces, a fitness center, resort-style and lap pools, pickleball, a yoga lawn, a tot lot, dog parks and more. Palm Grove is located off State Road 64, just east of Uihlein Road. More information about the development can be found at PalmGroveVibes.com.
And Neal noted, “The prices will not be as good as they are now.” “I always say, marry the home, date the mortgage,” he said. “Lock in the house’s price today.”
Jay Heater is the managing editor for the East County Observer. Contact him at JHeater@ YourObserver.com.
Jay Heater
The artistry of Pat Neal is building and selling homes, and he continues that journey with the Lakewood Ranch-area’s Palm Grove, which hosts a grand opening June 27.
Rezoning feedback requested
Manatee K-8 in Lakewood Ranch. Lakewood Ranch resident Jaime Marco is a parent of a student at McNeal Elementary and said bringing in parents and community members into one room to discuss and give feedback and opinions is a step in the right direction.
BIERL STAFF WRITER
The School District of Manatee County is undertaking a comprehensive rezoning process that will reshape school boundaries across the district, with new maps set to be implemented in August 2026 for elementary and middle schools, and the high school rezoning to begin in August 2027.
The district held its second round of public rezoning meetings between June 11-18 at district high schools in Lakewood Ranch, Palmetto, Braden River, Bradenton and Parrish. New proposed maps were presented at the meetings to gather public feedback.
Rezoning is necessary due to district operated schools being near or over capacity as well as new schools being built, including the new Lake
“The mental health of our students, when they get pulled out of a school or moved to a different school or separated from their friends, is a real thing that needs to be talked about,” Marco said. “Sometimes we look just on paper at what looks good for a district line or for the amount of students in each class, and we forget those other real people scenarios.”
“What you’re seeing on these maps is not set in stone at all,” Interim Superintendent Kevin Chapman said. “This is why we’re doing it. We need all of your area records. This is going to take several months. We need that feedback.”
“Are we there yet? No,” Marco said. “As (Chapman) said, this is the beginning of the conversation, or
MADISON
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Bradenton resident Aurelia Yepez, 11, played a guard, peasant and a dragon in “Shrek the Musical Jr.” She has been an Ovation student for
MADISON BIERL STAFF WRITER
Noah Gross, Collin Borg, Ethan Davidson, Aeric Frantz and Rusty Frantz are dressed in costume before their performance of “Shrek the Musical Jr.” on June 13.
Photos by Madison Bierl Lakewood Ranch resident Delaney Wilson, 12, stars as Fiona in “Shrek the Musical Jr.”
a year and has participated in “The Greatest Showman,” “Moana” and “Hamilton.”
Now it was time to make her mark in “Shrek the Musical Jr.”
“What I love about performing is you’re able to have your own free zone,” Yepez said. “There’s no limits to what you can and can’t do.”
Ovation held a summer camp June 2-13 at its East County school to prepare the students to present “Shrek the Musical Jr.” The performances were presented to the public June 13-14.
“Shrek the Musical Jr.” tells the story of title character Shrek, an ogre desperate to regain his swamp. Along the way, he embarks on a quest to save Princess Fiona with the help of his sidekick, Donkey.
The young actors were between the ages of 11-18. The show was choreographed by Emma Mandzik and directed by Michelle McCord, the Ovation School of Musical Theatre owner.
“They learned it in five days, and then we cleaned it up, costumes, this and that,” McCord said. “What these kids have done is beyond miraculous.”
Lakewood Ranch resident Delaney Wilson, 12, has been a student for three years and played Princess Fiona.
“I liked playing a crucial part and being a funny character, but also having a backstory,” Wilson said.
Lakewood Ranch resident Noah Gross, 14, has been an Ovation student for four years, and he portrayed
AC
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Bradenton’s Scarlett Radtke plays Pinocchio, who is annoyed the other characters don’t recognize him as a “real boy.”
Amelia Shamieva, Mia Schneider and Gabriella Giobergia play the rats in the song “Morning Person.”
Shrek
FROM PAGE 13
the character of Donkey.
“My role is so fun,” Gross said. “He’s got a lot of songs and lines and he’s funny,” Gross said. “I love to sing and act and show off my talent.”
Ellenton resident Rusty Frantz, 14, portrayed the title character Shrek. It was his first show at Ovation, but he was previously in a different production of “Shrek the Musical Jr.,” in which he played Lord Farquaad.
“Shrek is funny, and I get to make people laugh,” Frantz said.
Parrish resident Collin Borg, 12, played the Big Bad Wolf. He wishes to be in more productions in the future.
“I bring craziness — my own unique twist,” Borg said.
Photos by Madison Bierl
Shrek the Musical Jr. was put together from beginning to end in a span of two weeks as a summer camp led by Michelle McCord, the director and owner of Ovation School of Musical Theatre.
Amelia Shamieva plays teen Fiona during the song “I Know It’s Today,” where the passing of time is portrayed by three different actresses who play Fiona.
the middle of it. We’re just trying to determine what is going to work for our community.”
Greekbrook’s Jacklynn Lubofsky has four children — three currently at Gilbert W. McNeal Elementary and one at R. Dan Nolan Middle School. She expressed concern over the proposed high school maps, which would split Greenbrook residents and send the kids to two high schools: Lakewood Ranch High School and a potential new high school being considered for Lakewood Ranch.
“With all of these new high school maps, you take kids who have been together from kindergarten through eighth grade, you take them and you separate them for high school,” Lubofsky said.
Lubofsky doesn’t care which high school they go to, but wants all of the Greenbrook resident students to stay together.
Heritage Harbor resident Adam Samblis expressed concern for the boundaries for high school students as well. His home is right on the edge of the potential zones for Parrish Community and Lakewood Ranch high schools. His son finished his freshman year at Parrish Community High School, and he will be a junior when the rezoning is to take effect. Samblis doesn’t want his son shipped to another school.
An exemption for the rezoning process states if a student is going into the highest grade level at a school — fifth, eighth or 12th — he or she can choose to stay at his or her current school.
“They’re saying the seniors won’t have a problem, but the problem is somebody who’s going into a junior year. That student should have a priority over being able to use school choice, or stay where he’s at,” Samblis said. “That’s a concern I have, because it’s going to be difficult for him in both sports and education to not get to continue where he’s at.”
On the website ManateeSchools. net, there are simplified and satellite maps that are color coded to show where the potential lines may end
up. There are also capacity charts and lists of advantages and considerations for each map.
“They’ll be able to choose the specific region that they want to make a comment about or if they want to make it district wide, and then share the comment,” Ranaldi said. “They can identify whether they’re a student, a staff member or a parent.”
Deputy Superintendent of Operations Joseph Ranaldi said the district will keep track of as many questions or concerns as possible to implement solutions in the maps.
“After that Aug. 15 date through Sept. 30, we’re going to take all of the comments that we’ve received and kind of craft together a full elementary, full middle school and a full high school,” he said. “So we’ll have the three levels of the three options ready to present to the board.” The school board members urge the public to report their concerns on the website.
“Please, please, please, make sure you make your comments through the website (ManateeSchools.net),” said board member Heather Felton. “Emailing the individual board members is not going to be as effective — please put them directly into the website, so that they don’t get missed.”
“We’re open to hearing inputs, but we have 42,000 students that we have to rezone with 50 schools,” school board member Richard Tatem said. “We’re just not going to be able to make everybody happy.”
“I
use mirrors to reflect what’s now.
I’m
playing with time.”
— Lillian Blades
TRA NS LU CE NT TAPESTRIES
Lillian Blades’ first solo museum show sparkles and shines at Sarasota Art Museum.
IF YOU GO
‘LILLIAN BLADES: THROUGH THE VEIL’
When: Through Oct. 26
Where: the Sarasota Art Museum campus of Ringling College, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail
Tickets: Free for museum members; $20
Info: Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org.
MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
The word “installation” does workhorse duty in the art world, but it doesn’t do justice to the shimmering curtains in “Through the Veil,” the first solo exhibition of Lillian Blades, currently running at the Sarasota Art Museum campus of Ringling College.
Some people use the word “collage” to describe the Bahamian native’s dazzling creations. Others prefer “assemblage.”
Blades, who holds an MFA from Georgia State University, is partial to “quilts” when talking about her mixed-media pieces, which are wired together and hung from PVC piping, an homage to her plumber father.
In a telephone interview from her Atlanta studio, Blades cites the iconic Gee’s Bend quilts, memorialized on a set of U.S. postage stamps in 2006, as one of her influences. As fate would have it, some of the Gee’s Bend quilts, which have been assembled for more than a century by Black artisans in Alabama, are also on display right now at SAM, a contemporary art museum housed in the former Sarasota Art Museum. They are part of an exhibition called “Personal to Political: Celebrating the African American Artists of Paulson Fontaine Press.” Blades’ mesmerizing pieces are on
SAM’s third floor, while the Gee’s Bend quilts are on the second floor, a happy coincidence for museum patrons.
Like the Gee’s Bend quilts, Blades’ patchwork creations are assembled in a collective fashion, often incorporate found materials and frequently have asymmetrical patterns, a style called “improvisational” in the quilting world.
But the Gee’s Bend quilts are just one of the many threads running through Blades’ pieces. Others are the African diaspora, a Bahamian festival called Junkanoo and the yearning for her mother, a seamstress who died giving birth to the artist. Blades was raised by her aunt, who treated her as a daughter.
“I tend to gravitate to smaller objects that I find that have a connection to the Caribbean, Africa or the South,” Blades explains.
Asked to enumerate some of the things that have found their way into her giant quilt-like tapestries, Blades slowly rattles off “toys, small musical instruments, picture frames, knickknacks, sculptural figurines, jewelry, household utensils, small textiles.” There’s even a clock without hands. She finds these objects, which represent the past and memories, including those denied or forgotten,
Image courtesy of Cydney Maria Rhines
A detail from Lillian Blades’ installation, “Perennial,” part of her solo show, “Through the Veil.”
Images courtesy of Ryan Gamma
Lillian Blades’ “What is Your Reflection?” is on display at the Sarasota Art Museum through Oct. 26.
Image courtesy of Toni Smailagic
Lillian Blades in her Atlanta studio.
Lillian Blades’ installation “Sanctuary”
in thrift stores and at garage sales. To symbolize the present, Blades often incorporates small mirrors into her assemblages. Of course, you can’t drill a hole (to run the wire through) in a mirror without breaking it, so Blades glues them onto other materials, such as acrylic and wood.
“I use mirrors to reflect what’s now. I’m playing with time,” she says.
Like many children, Blades was introduced to art through coloring books and a box of 64 Crayola crayons. But even as a kid, the future artist liked to work collectively. “I’d be coloring one page, and I’d ask somebody to color the one facing it,” she says.
Blades became a more skilled artist after she was given an oil painting kit in eighth grade. “I was either going to be a child psychologist or an artist. I wanted to create, but there weren’t many female artists in the Bahamas,” she recalls.
She originally studied painting at Savannah School of Art and Design, but then stepped beyond the twodimensional world in the 1990s, when she attached a pair of worn African sandals to the surface of one of her paintings.
Over time, Blades’ paintings started getting smaller and smaller, and she started joining them together like a quilt. “By joining one piece to another, I was trying to piece fragments of things that had been severed,” she says.
With her use of bright colors, Blades is sometimes compared to Jackson Pollack, the Abstract Expressionist who splattered and poured paint onto his canvases. But her work also recalls “combines,” or 3-D assemblages made popular by Robert Rauschenberg, whose centenary is currently being celebrated at The Ringling and other museums.
FROM CRAYONS TO CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL COSTUMES
Being a member of groups that created the colorful, elaborate costumes for Junkanoo was a dress rehearsal of sorts for Blades’ future artistic endeavors.
The raucous Bahamian carnival takes place on Boxing Day (the day after Christmas), New Year’s Day and July 10, the country’s Independence Day. The groups that prepare
for Junkanoo are similar to the krewes that produce the many parades that take place in New Orleans in the days leading up to Mardi Gras.
The krewes’ Bahamian cousins gather in shacks where they assemble intricate colorful costumes in a spirited competition. Blades loved the experience so much, that today, she belongs to a Junkanoo group in Atlanta, where she lives.
It’s a cliche to say something has to be seen to be believed or that the pictures don’t do justice to a particular scene, but sometimes these axioms hold true.
That’s certainly the case with “Through the Veil,” which occupies two galleries, one filled with pieces in dark and neutral tones, and the other occupied by brightly hued creations, including one that incorporates all the colors of the rainbow.
It’s appropriate that a visitor stepping out of the elevator into “Through the Veil” is greeted by a piece called “Gumbo,” because mixing flavors and different cultural traditions certainly defines the ethos of Blades’ work.
After contemplating “Gumbo,” one steps farther into the John & Charlotte Suhler Gallery, where a standout piece is “Obsidian,” an allblack structure made of wood, fabric and acrylic that has a variety of textures.
“I see it as a protective veil, like a shield,” Blades says of the piece, whose title comes from the natural glass stone formed by the cooling of volcanic lava.
Informed that Obsidian also is the name of a controversial, highrise tower that has been proposed in downtown Sarasota, Blades comments, “Mmm. That’s interesting.”
Let’s face it, “Obsidian” isn’t a name you hear every day. Like sharing a museum with the Gee’s Bend quilts, this kind of synchronicity is not unfamiliar terrain for Blades.
Moving into the larger, brighter Tom & Sherry Koski Gallery, one finds the centerpiece of “Through the Veil” — “Sanctuary,” a circular piece dominated by Barbie Pink (Yes, that’s a real color: Pantone 219c.) and other orchid-inspired hues.
The roof of the piece’s inner core was part of a 2024 exhibition at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. It has been expanded and now is surround-
ed by curtain-like assemblages.
Blades uses so many salvaged materials in her art; why not repurpose an installation? Why not, indeed?
The end result is majestic, as skylights in the gallery alter the appearance of “Perennial” throughout the day. In fact, the exhibition could have easily been called “Just Add Light,” because that’s the missing ingredient.
During a tour of the exhibition, SAM curator Lacie Barbour indulged a visitor, joining them on a bench to contemplate “Sanctuary” as a cloud passed by.
“Depending on the time of year, the pieces look very different because of the angle of the sun,” says Barbour, whose official title is associate curator of exhibitions.
My visit came as the summer solstice was approaching, but I’ll be back again before the exhibition closes on Oct. 26 to see what it looks like around the autumn equinox.
Even the less colorful works in the Suhler Gallery have targeted lighting that amps up the scintillation factor.
Blades says she doesn’t have a favorite piece among the 13 works on display at SAM, but I confess that I do. It’s “Perennial,” a rainbow-hued collage that also made its debut at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens as part of its 2024 “Orchid Daze” exhibition.
Like some of the Gee’s Bend quilts, “Perennial” moves from a grid-like layout to a displaying its components on the bias (diagonally).
With its mounted components, including a clock with no hands and 200 empty wooden picture frames, “Perennial” is more grounded and less ethereal than most of the other assemblages. But its metallic frames surrounded by riotous rainbow stripes may invoke “Finian’s Rainbow,” “The Wizard of Oz” or Pride Week, depending on your point of reference.
The floral motifs in “Perennial” honor life’s progression through the seasons and the hope of renewal. They also pay tribute to the florists in the artist’s family, including her mother, aunt and grandmother, known as Grammy. It is fitting that “Perennial” was first displayed in a botanical garden.
Blades says the empty frames refer to missing memories, the ones she never got to experience with her mother.
But those blank spaces also allow the viewer to mentally insert their own portraits of family and friends and frame those Instagram-worthy photos of vacations, birthdays and other milestones. It leaves room to imagine the selfie yet to be taken, the memory yet to be made.
Yoshida Hiroshi (Japanese, 1876–1950), Lugano (detail), from the series Europe, 1925. Woodblock print; ink and color on paper, 9 13/16 ×
9/16 in. Gift of Charles and Robyn Citrin, 2016, SN11557.122
Lillian Blades’ installation, “Gumbo,” greets visitors arriving for her solo show at Sarasota Art Museum.
DON’T MISS
‘JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR’
This is it — the one we’ve been waiting all season for! Broadway Director Josh Rhodes (“Spamalot”) returns to Sarasota to direct and choreograph Asolo Rep’s production of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” the granddaddy of rock musicals. The show is biblical in more ways than one. Look for Sarasota’s own Ann Morrison, Mary in the original Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Merrily We Roll Along,” as King Herod. Runs through June 28.
IF YOU GO
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 26
Where: FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail Tickets: $35-$95 Info: Visit AsoloRep.org.
THURSDAY
SUMMER CIRCUS SPECTACULAR
11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at The Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Road
$20 adult; $13 child Visit CircusArts.org.
Pack up the car with Grandpa and the kids and head for the Circus Arts Conservatory’s annual Summer Circus Spectacular at The Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theater. This thrilling, 60-minute circus of fresh new acts is perfect for people of all ages with short attention spans. There’s room for walkers, strollers, wheelchairs, you name it — but please arrive early so ushers can store them. Make it a circus day by adding a ticket to The Ringling’s famed Circus Museum for just $5 on the day of the show. Runs through Aug. 9.
Born in Australia and now based in L.A., Monty Franklin toured the U.S. with Rob Schneider on his standup comedy tours and appeared in Schneider’s Netflix show “Real Bob.” His other credits include Fox’s “New Girl,” Foxtel’s “Stand Up Australia” and Hulu’s “Hollywood Darlings.” Runs through June 29.
THIS WEEK
‘FROM 145TH TO 98TH STREET’
7:30 p.m. at Urbanite Theatre, 1487 Second St.
$30-$44
Visit UrbaniteTheatre.com.
Urbanite Theatre wraps its season with Nia Akilah Robinson’s world premiere, “From 145th to 98th Street,” which follows a Black family’s move to a “better” neighborhood in search of a better life for their children. The American Dream proves elusive when the family’s son is wrongfully accused of a crime committed by someone with the same name. But the power of family prevails in this realistic tale of New York City life sure to resonate with all audiences. Runs through June 29.
‘HOW SWEET IT IS’
7:30 p.m. at FST’s Goldstein Cabaret, 1239 N. Palm Ave.
$18-$42
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
As the mercury rises, locals know how to escape the heat — at Florida Studio Theatre’s Summer Cabaret.
“How Sweet It Is,” a Motown tribute led by dynamic vocalist and songwriter Luke McMaster, demonstrates the enduring appeal of hits like “Tracks of My Tears,” “You Can’t Hurry Love” and others. Runs through Aug. 3.
‘TOO DARN HOT: SONGS FOR A SUMMER NIGHT’
7:30 p.m. at FST’s Court Cabaret, 1265 First St. $39 and up
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
Songstress Carole J. Bufford easily skips eras and genres. Whether she’s singing songs by Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra or Patsy Cline, she exudes a retro vibe. What’s more, her cool costumes in “Too Darn Hot” evoke everything from flappers of the 1920s to the neo-swing era of the 1990s. Runs through Sept. 14.
‘DAMES AT SEA’
8 p.m. at FST’s Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St. $42 and up Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
Fresh from his success with Florida Studio Theatre’s “Jersey Boys,” Ben Liebert directs and choreographs “Dames at Sea.” A parody of 1930s musicals, “Dames at Sea” first debuted Off-Off Broadway in 1966. With the help of sailor/songwriter Dick, Utah chorus girl Ruby lands a role in a musical that’s trying to find its footing. FST’s Ruby is Emily Ann Brooks, making her FST debut. Runs through July 6.
FRIDAY
PATTI SMITH: ‘A BOOK OF DAYS’
10 a.m. at Selby Gardens Historic Spanish Point, 401 N. Tamiami Trail, Osprey Included with $20 admission Visit Selby.org.
Selby Gardens collaborates with poet and musician Patti Smith, its artist-in-residence, on an outdoor exhibition of large prints taken from her newly published bestseller “A Book of Days.” By displaying her photographs outdoors, Selby brings them into conversation with nature. Runs through Aug. 31.
KRISTINA KOLLER
8 p.m. at Fogartyville, 525 Kumquat Court
$13-$22
Visit WSLR.org.
For her latest album, “Walk on By,” New York-based singer/songwriter Kristina Koller incorporates elements of R&B and funk into her contemporary jazz arrangements of Burt Bacharach’s timeless songs, some made famous by Dionne Warwick.
SATURDAY
‘GEORGE HARRISON: A GARDENER’S LIFE’
10 a.m. at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens,1534 Mound St. $28 Visit Selby.org.
It’s last call for “George Harrison: A Gardener’s Life,” the ninth installment of the annual Jean and Alfred Goldstein Exhibition Series. Walking around the 15-
acre sanctuary, where gardens and botanical displays have been erected to mirror those in Harrison’s estate, Friar Park, you can’t help feeling the late Beatle would approve of this living tribute. Runs through June 29.
MONDAY
‘CONJURING THE SPIRIT WORLD: ART, MAGIC AND MEDIUMS’
10 a.m. at the John and Mable Ringling Art Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Road Free with $25 admission; Mondays free Visit Ringling.org.
Go on the trail of things that go bump in the night with this fascinating interactive exhibition, which follows the growth of Spiritualism in the mid-19th century, from its roots in dining room seances to traveling shows featuring magicians and mediums. Along the way, you’ll see an assortment of memorabilia and tools used both to contact spirits and trick audiences. Runs through July 13.
TUESDAY
‘LILLIAN BLADES: THROUGH THE VEIL’ 10 a.m. at the Sarasota Art Museum campus of Ringling College, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail Free for museum members; $20 Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org.
Award-winning artist Lillian Blades invites visitors to get lost in her first solo museum exhibition. Her installations of “veils” combine handcrafted and found objects to create a mesmerizing display. Blades attributes her use of dazzling color to her childhood in The Bahamas and her process of creating large-scale assemblages from a hodgepodge of materials to her late mother, an accomplished seamstress. Runs through Oct. 26.
OUR PICK
‘KEY CHANGE: A RETURN TO THE BEACH’ Daniel and Patrick Lazour, finalists for the 2024 Hermitage Greenfield Prize, and returning Hermitage Fellow Michael Sonnenblick are headliners of the first beach concert at the Hermitage Artist Retreat since the Englewood arts incubator was struck by back-to-back hurricanes in 2024. The Lazour Brothers received several nominations for their recent New York production of “We Live in Cairo,” while Sonnenblick recently collaborated with Elton John on the West End production of “The Devil Wears Prada.”
IF YOU GO When: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 26 Where: Hermitage Beach, 6660 Manasota Key Road, Englewood
Tickets: $5 with registration Info: Visit HermitageArtistRetreat.org.
Image courtesy of Adrian Van Stee
Heath Saunders plays Judas in Asolo Repertory Theatre’s production of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” which closes June 28.
Courtesy image
Daniel and Patrick Lazour
Find your own Kokomo
Get ready to go coconuts for National Coconut Day at these Sarasota and East County-area eateries.
EMMA BURKE JOLLY
CONTRIBUTOR
My mom once frequented the Colony Beach & Tennis Resort on Longboat Key, a place so legendary it practically shimmered in the Florida sun. One particular evening, she and her gal pals were busy minding their own business and sipping champagne. Suddenly, Mom felt someone behind her. Simultaneously holding her glass and clutching her purse, she inched closer to the Monkey Bar in an effort to avoid the stranger. The bartender calmly leaned in and whispered, “Do you know who that is? He’s not trying to steal your bag.” It was Brian Wilson. Not a pickpocket. Just a Beach Boy looking for a seat and perhaps a conversation with a woman who I imagine was one of the most beautiful at the bar. Wilson had left the Beach Boys by the time “Kokomo” climbed the charts in 1988, fueled by the movie “Cocktail” starring Tom Cruise. Kokomo is actually a town in Indiana, but according to the hit song, it’s a place “off the Florida Keys” filled with “cocktails and moonlit nights.”
In honor of National Coconut Day (June 26), we’re raising a toast to the late, great Beach Boy, who died June 11, and the endless summer that lives forever in my mom’s heart.
DUCK DONUTS
1580 Lakefront Drive, Unit 102, Sarasota; 941-357-4400; DuckDonuts.com
Coco-nuts for: The Sand Dollar ($2.75) donut made with vanilla icing, topped with toasted coconut
and powdered sugar. If you’re one of my three loyal readers, you know I just wrote about donuts. While it’s tough for me to admit, I missed this delicious donut spot. So dig in! Beach, please: Get your taste buds happy with the Lemon Coconut ($2.75) donut with lemon icing and toasted coconut or the Coconut Island Bliss ($2.75) with chocolate icing, peanuts and more layers of tasty toasted coconut.
TOMMY BAHAMA MARLIN BAR
6562 University Parkway, Suite 110 Pad D, Sarasota; 941-337-0568; TommyBahama.com
Coco-nuts for: The coconut cloud cocktail. Made with 1.5 ounces vanilla-flavored vodka, 1.5 ounces coconut-flavored rum, 1 ounce white rum, half-ounce Coco López and rimmed with toasted coconut flakes for garnish, this cocktail will have you reeling in some good vibrations or feeling like you’re surfin’ USA right there in Lakewood
Ranch. Good news? Happy hour at the bar is 3-6 p.m. daily. Beach, please: Not feeling the cocktail scene this summer? We (not necessarily me) but some other local foodies would totally understand. Bite into the world famous coconut shrimp with papaya-mango chutney ($14) for a tangy, crunchy and coco-nutty taste of the tropics.
SIESTA KEY RUM 2212 Industrial Blvd., Sarasota; 941-702-8143; SiestaKeyRum.com
Coco-nuts for: A local distillery. Pick up the Siesta Key toasted coconut rum 750 ml ($26.99) bottle to make a cocktail as fun as summer should be. Mix 9 ounces Siesta Key toasted coconut rum, 12 oz. cream of coconut, 12 ounces water, 9 ounces whipped cream vodka, 9 ounces key lime juice and 3 ounces hazelnut liqueur and — boom, you’re in a place called Kokomo.
Beach, please: Want to take your cocktail up a notch? Add dollops of whipped cream and graham cracker crumbs and all the tart key lime slices you can get your hands on.
DUVAL’S FRESH. LOCAL. SEAFOOD 435 Main St., Sarasota; 941-3124001; DuvalsFreshLocalSeafood.com
Coco-nuts for: Coconut curry mussels ($17 and up) with scallions, sesame seeds and toasted coconut red curry. This downtown hot spot serves up a crave-worthy dish that
brings on the heat and island vibes with the perfect sprinkle of toasted coconut.
Beach, please: If you’ve gotten this far in the article as a noncoconut fan, here’s your moment. Duval’s has extended its Savor Sarasota prix fixe lunch ($25) and dinner ($45) specials through June 30.
Coco-nuts for: The Island Matcha ($7). This energizing, tropical sip is made with crisp coconut water and ceremonial grade matcha, crowned with a light, dreamy coconut cloud. It’s a refreshing, vegan-friendly escape in every glass. Beach, please: Fuel your day with an ocean bowl ($15) blending banana, pineapple, coconut water and spirulina into a nutrientpacked base. It’s finished with crunchy gluten-free granola, fresh fruits, almond butter and a sprinkle of coconut flakes.
Courtesy images
Passion Roots açaí bowls bring a refreshing burst of paradise to your day.
YOUR NEIGHBORS
Crazy cooks
MADISON BIERL STAFF WRITER
When you ask children what their favorite food is, chances are their answers might be either chicken nuggets or pizza.
Sarasota resident Kristi Mezick, the founder and instructor of gymnastics, art and cooking for Pure Imagination Studio, would like to bring some changes to those answers.
“I love cooking for myself, and I was finding kids’ palettes were shrinking,” Mezick said. “So I wanted to teach children new cooking skills, because once they touch it and do it themselves, they’re more likely to taste more food.”
Now, Mezick leads the “Crazy Cooks” camp, which was held from June 16-20 at The Out-of-Door Academy, with a second camp scheduled for July 7-11. Each day, the camp, which was co-sponsored by Sarasota County Parks and Recreation, featured three-hour sessions in which the kids created two dishes and focused on food safety and trying new flavors. Mezick immediately saw some changes in what the students wanted to try.
But first, she noted that kitchen
WHAT’S ON THE MENU?
Monday: “Creamy Egg Cups” and “Italian Berry Trifle” Tuesday: “Little Joe’s Meatballs” and “Save the Trees Broccoli Forest Salad” Wednesday: “Chicken Teriyaki” and “Shoyu Ramen” Thursday: “Caramel Cracker Bark” and “Bacon-wrapped Dates” Friday: “Yummi Guacamole” and “Watermelon Agua Fresca”
The next camp at ODA is July 7-11. To learn more about Pure Imagination Studio or to reserve a spot, visit PureImaginationOnline.com.
so she’s very involved.”
“Seeing how fast these kids learn has definitely been shocking to me,” Ventura added. “From the jump, it was so hands on. I was scared at first, seeing them with the knives, but they learn so quickly.”
Mezick said it was invaluable to have Ventura in the sessions.
“She is very active in helping children be more involved,” Mezick said.
Ayala, a 7-year-old Siesta Key resident, and Audrey Malinosky, a 7-yearold Greenbrook resident, try food they prepared at the
In a camp hosted by Pure Imagination Studio and Sarasota Parks and Recreation, 22 campers learned to prepare 10 different meals and desserts.
safety ranked at the top of the list so the young cooks could get started. Lakewood Ranch 9-year-old Fred Bollman, who said it is important to follow food safety rules to make the best food, repeated some of the cardinal rules of the camp.
“You’ve got to get the right ingredients, and don’t burn yourself,” Bollman said. “Don’t leave the food if you’re cooking it ... don’t leave it alone. Don’t use tools wrong, and don’t cut yourself or hurt yourself.”
Then Bollman was free to learn some new recipes to add to his favorites.
“I like steak, pizza and burgers,” Bollman said.
While some of Mezick’s students didn’t have a lot of experience in the kitchen, Bollman hasn’t been a stranger to cooking and baking.
He said he has made muffins, cake, cookies, brownies and “normal food” like pasta.
Mezick likes to see her students become more comfortable making recipes.
“It is just my interest in figuring out how to help kids become more confident,” Mezick said. “Are they all going to be chefs tomorrow? Probably not. Are they going to develop
their palette a little more? Yes.”
Viviana Ayala, a 7-year-old Siesta Key resident, was excited to try new recipes and dishes. She said she has had some experience with cooking pasta, eggs and chicken wings with her mom. But she was hesitant to try the meatballs they cooked at the camp.
“Meatballs are just meat that’s shaped as a ball,” Ayala said.
While that might be true, Ayala was prompted to try different foods.
“You shouldn’t give up and just say you don’t like things before you try it,” she said.
For example, Ayala said she has yet to try a mango, but she said it will be her next year’s New Year’s resolution to try one.
Lakewood Ranch resident Nata lia Ventura is a team member at Pure Imagination Studio who helped with the camp. She said Ayala was not scared to ask questions about the foods and recipes and was always raising her hand.
“She’s always giving opinions on things and speaking her mind,” Ventura said. “She adds little anecdotes like, ‘Oh, my mom loves that type of food,’
“If I turn around and I don’t know where she is, she’s actually squatted down with the children.”
Audrey Malinosky, a 7-year-old Greenbrook resident, said her favorite part of the camp was cooking meatballs.
“It’s meaty, it’s crispy and it’s also yummy, too,” Malinosky said. “I put some tiny seeds on it to roll it up, and then we cooked it in the oven. When it said ‘ding,’ it was all done.”
Mezick has been providing cooking programming for kids since 2013. She has hosted camps regarding arts and food, woodworking, mosaics and sewing.
“I was passionate about arts, and I found that kids were being stymied because they weren’t allowed to touch things like permanent markers,” Mezick said. “I was hearing the kids saying things like ‘My mom doesn’t let me use the scissors.’
“I felt it was important to develop an arts program that was acces-
Harper Greene, an 8-year-old Myakka City resident, and Drew Randenburg,
Viviana
Crazy Cooks camp.
Photos by Madison Bierl
YOUR CALENDAR
BEST BET
SUNDAY, JUNE 29
FARMERS MARKET
Runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Lakefront Drive in Waterside Place, Lakewood Ranch. The Farmers Market at Lakewood Ranch, which was voted as the top farmers market in Florida for the second year in a row in 2024, will run year-round every Sunday. Vendors offer seafood, eggs, meats, dairy products, pastas, bakery goods, jams and pickles, among other items. Other features are children’s activities and live music. For information, visit MyLWR.com.
COMMUNITY
THURSDAY, JUNE 26
THROUGH SUNDAY, JUNE 29
LIVE MUSIC AT JIGGS LANDING
Runs from 4:30-7:30 p.m. each day at Jiggs Landing, 6106 63rd St. E., Bradenton. The live music lineup at Jiggs Landing includes Jason Hedges (Thursday), Al Fuller (Friday), Blue Grass Pirates (Saturday), and Santiago (Sunday). All music this week is free. For information, go to JiggsLanding.com.
FRIDAY, JUNE 27 AND
SATURDAY, JUNE 28
MUSIC AT THE PLAZA
Runs from 6-9 p.m. at Waterside Place, 1561 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch. Acoustic cover artist Carmen Forte takes center stage to entertain the Waterside Place crowd on Friday, while singer-songwriter Sara Nelms performs on Saturday. For information about the free music series, go to WatersidePlace.com.
SATURDAY, JUNE 28
PARADISE SOCCER
Begins at 7:30 p.m. at Premier Sports Campus Stadium, 5895 Post Blvd., Lakewood Ranch. The Sarasota Paradise host Weston FC in an USL League II game. Tickets begin at $10. For more information, go to SarasotaParadise.us.
SATURDAY, JUNE 28 AND SUNDAY, JUNE 29
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 the Divebombers on Saturday and Scotty Yates on Sunday.
THURSDAY, JULY 3
SIGHTS & SOUNDS
Begins at 6 p.m. at Waterside Place, 1560 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch. The free Sights & Sounds concert series continues at Waterside Place with the Sarasota Concert Band. The concert, featuring the 40-piece Symphonic Band, will be a patriotic extravaganza. Limited seating will be available, so bring a lawn chair. For more information, go to WatersidePlace.com.
FIREWORKS ON THE LAKE Runs from 5-10 p.m. at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota. Fireworks on the Lake returns with Twinkle and Rock Soul Radio providing live entertainment. Prices per carload are $40 at Regatta Island; $30 in the South Parking Lot and the Special Event Parking Lot next to Homewood Suites; and $60 for RVs in the South Parking Lot. Tickets are now available by going to FireworksontheLake.com. Plenty of other family friendly activities and food and beverage trucks will be available. The fireworks show begins approximately 9 p.m. VIP Viewing Experience tickets from the finish tower are available at $105 per adult; $65 per child ages 12 and younger.
FRIDAY, JULY 4
STAR-SPANGLED SPECTACULAR Runs from 6-9:30 p.m. at Waterside Place, 1560 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch. A show by Circus Arts Conservatory (8 p.m. start) and a drone show (that begins at 9 p.m.) are the highlights of a special, free holiday event at Waterside Place. The event will include a carnivalinspired experience with circus acts, games, vendor booths, food, and family friendly fun that includes a Kids’ Zone. A DJ will provide the musical entertainment All parking is free and a trolly will run continuously between Waterside Place and lots at The Out-of-Door Academy and Grace Community Church from 5:30-10 p.m.
Joint Pain? Let’s That
At Sarasota Memorial, you’ll find orthopedic excellence at the honors level and in a class of its own. From hip to spine and knee to shoulder, our surgeons and specialists aren’t just experts — they’re professors of precision with a curriculum of cutting-edge care.
Employing the latest tools and techniques, including minimally invasive technologies like robotic-assisted surgery and endoscopic spinal repair, this award-winning team pioneers the latest solutions that erase chronic joint pain and provide our patients with relief that lasts.
From total joint repair and replacement to non-surgical remedies and personalized rehabilitation plans, supplemented by pre-habilitation classes before treatment and home health care services after, this is advanced orthopedic care catered to each individual and dedicated to restoring movement, relieving pain, and empowering every patient. Because
Where A Little Sparkle Brightens Your Day
PLACE 1561 Lakefront Drive Suite 105 Lakewood Ranch, FL 34240 (941) 351-8792 www.Cileone.com
Laughs at the lake
It didn’t take the crowd at Waterside Place long to realize it was in for a different kind of entertainment at the Sights and Sounds series June 20.
The five comics from the Florida Studio Theatre started the show by talking about potholes, which was a topic offered up by the audience.
As FST’s Kevin Allen, a Lakewood Ranch resident, noted, “Potholes are just like a poor person ... something to run over in Lakewood Ranch.”
The skit included a visit from “Martha Stewart,” who obviously is an expert in potholes, or holes in pots.
The entertainers — Lakewood Ranch’s Allen and Sylvia Day, and Sarasota’s Sarah Durham, Dellan Short and Dave Stein — kept pulling subject matter from the crowd and acting upon it.
Subjects ranged from potholes, to backgammon, to folding laundry.
One comic noted that Short, had “an angel-hair body.”
Durham said FST has open improv seminars on Saturdays at 3 p.m. Anyone can drop in, pay $20 and learn about improv from the entertainers. The next seminar is June 28, but that particular program takes off July before commencing again in August.
Sarasota’s Dave Stein and Lakewood Ranch’s Kevin Allen speak as one during a skit at Waterside Place.
Photos by Jay Heater
It was laughs all around for the Waterside Place crowd June 20 during the Florida Studio Theatre’s improv show.
Sarasota’s Dave Stein, of Florida Studio Theatre, looked exhausted from being folded up like a piece of laundry.
Country Club East home tops sales at $1.72 million
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
Ahome in Country Club East on Seacroft Cove topped the week’s sales at $1.72 million. Sonal Jagdish Shah, trustee, of Bradenton, sold the home at 7469 Seacroft Cove to James and Karen Miller, of Bradenton, for $1.72 million. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,048 square feet of living area. It sold for $935,000 in 2020.
SAPPHIRE POINT
Matthew and Sarah Olinger, trustees, of Myakka City, sold the home at 16438 Slate Place to Christal Marie Bello and Erik Chipchase, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1,548,000. Built in 2023, it has six bedrooms, five-and-a-half baths, a pool and 5,323 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,293,500 in 2023.
Jason and Ann Mitchell, of Saint John, Indiana, sold their home at 5772 Bluestar Court to Joshua David Lind and Katie Jayne Williams, of Bradenton, for $910,000. Built in 2022, it has five bedrooms, fourand-a-half baths, a pool and 3,443 square feet of living area. It sold for $875,000 in 2023.
Douglas Michael Sanscrainte and Deborah Irene Sanscrainte, of Bradenton, sold their home at 16258 Hidden Oak Loop to Ryan and Jamie Capdepon, of Bradenton, for $600,000. Built in 2023, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 2,890 square feet of living area. It sold for $761,900 in 2023.
ESPLANADE
John and Linda Carlton, of Bradenton, sold their home at 4515 Terrazza Court to Gywn Marie Barraclough and Scott Barraclough, of Ambler, Pennsylvania, for $1.1 million. Built in 2019, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,319 square feet of living area. It sold for $707,400 in 2019.
James and Lucy Hope, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 4914 Savona Run to Clayton Henley and Dalen Henley, trustees, of Bradenton, for $500,000. Built in 2014, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,684 square feet of living area. It sold for $323,300 in 2014.
AZARIO ESPLANADE
Paula and Barbara Jean Woods, of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, sold their home at 14608 Derna Terrace to Stephen and Lezlie Anderson, of Bradenton, for $1.09 million. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and is 2,421 square feet. It sold for $634,700 in 2021.
Thomas Michael Myers and Deborah Rae Myers, trustees, of White Bird, Idaho, sold the home at 4747 Motta Court to Leonard Joseph Brzozowski and Mary Anne Brzozowski, of Bradenton, for $640,000. Built in 2021, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,678 square feet of living area. It sold for $394,700 in 2021.
COUNTRY CLUB EAST
Dana Clement Barnard and Antoinette Noel Barnard sold their home at 7020 Whittlebury Trail to Saad and Nora Saad, of Bradenton, for $850,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,427 square feet of living area. It sold for $887,000 in 2021.
Nelson Shelby Brewer and Karol Anne Brewer, of Sarasota, sold their home at 14918 Camargo Place to Heather Brewer Dees and David Alan Dees, of Lakewood Ranch, for $450,000. Built in 2011, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,913 square feet of living area.
BRIDGEWATER
Robert Scott Gannon, of Parrish, and Kelly Lyn Gannon, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 13107 Belknap Place to Douglas Silva and Stephanie Gatsiadis-Silva, of Bradenton, for $780,000. Built in 2015, it has five bedrooms, fourand-a-half baths, a pool and 3,416 square feet of living area. It sold for $405,700 in 2015.
GREENBROOK
Allison and Tyler Melling sold their home at 14820 Bowfin Terrace to John Moran, trustee, of Bradenton, for $770,000. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,584 square feet of living area. It sold for $507,500 in 2020.
COUNTRY CLUB
Eugene and Connie Fleming sold their home at 7139 Sandhills Place to Elizabeth Jane Howe, of Lakewood Ranch, for $750,000. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and is 2,201 square feet. It sold for $700,000 in 2021.
GREYHAWK LANDING WEST
Richard and Michele Neff, trustees, of France, sold the home at 659 Rosemary Circle to Charles Bresinger and Diana Patricia Bresinger, of Bradenton, for $740,000. Built in 2016, it has four bedrooms, three baths, and is 2,725 square feet.
INDIGO
Scott and Michelle Calhoun, of Jay, sold their home at 13021 Indigo Way to Vincent James Paine and Elizabeth Marie Paine and Angelo and Marla Coradi, of Bradenton, for $740,000. Built in 2019, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 2,875 square feet of living area. It sold for $491,900 in 2019.
PARK EAST AT AZARIO
Gregory and Felicia Gallagher, of Bradenton, sold their home at 16451 Paynes Mill Drive to Krystel and Jeffrey Marsich, of Bradenton, for $715,000. Built in 2021, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and is 3,020 square feet. It sold for $479,900 in 2021.
HAMPTON GREEN
Karen Mathis, trustee, of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, sold the home at 6525 Berkshire Place to James Privette and Susan Noll, of Huntington, New York, for $705,000. Built in 1992, it has three bedrooms, two baths and is 2,174 square feet. It sold for $356,000 in 2020.
POLO RUN
Rhonda Schneiderman, trustee, of Bradenton, sold the home at 17723 Polo Trail to Justin Spotts and Alexandra Fugate, of Sarasota, for $700,000. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,455 square feet of living area. It sold for $725,000 in 2022.
GREYHAWK LANDING
Luis and Heather Rivero, of Bradenton, sold their home at 13105 Peregrin Circle to Ana Martins and Steven Panitch, of Sarasota, for $650,000. Built in 2003, it has four bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,433 square feet of living area. It sold for $375,000 in 2019.
HERITAGE HARBOUR
Michael and Linda Kutch, of Gainesville, Virginia, sold their home at 6579 Willowshire Way to R. Richard and Mary White, of Bradenton, for $610,000. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,006 square feet of living area. It sold for $330,000 in 2017.
TARA John and Mary Hallenbeck, trustees, sold the home at 6511 Turners Gap Road to Ronald Lee Konyndyk and Mary Konyndyk, trustees, of Sarasota, for $610,000. Built in 1995, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,992 square feet of living area. It sold for $265,000 in 2012.
Dewart Manuel Silva and Jeanne Silva, of Village of Clarkston, Michigan, sold their home at 7623 Birds Eye Terrace to Richard Scot Thornton and Nicole Lafrance, of Bradenton, for $420,000. Built in 2005, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,817 square feet of living area. It sold for $312,000 in 2019.
9-13
Allan and Jayne Cage, trustees, sold the home at 7116 Drewrys Bluff to Anna Tomaszewski and Arthur Tomaszewski, of Bradenton, for $395,000. Built in 1997, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,945 square feet of living area.
STONEYBROOK AT HERITAGE
HARBOUR Antoinette and Frank Tomasello, trustees, of Parrish, sold the home at 9203 Winter Harbour Way to Shea and Kyle Brey, of Bradenton, for $590,000. Built in 2007, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,416 square feet of living area. It sold for $443,500 in 2021.
WATERFRONT AT MAIN STREET
Carol Hallstead, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the Unit 2-301 condominium at 10520 Boardwalk Loop to B2B-America LLC for $499,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,467 square feet of living area. It sold for $430,000 in 2019.
Courtesy image
This Sapphire Point home at 16438 Slate Placeto sold for $1,548,000. Built in 2023, it has six bedrooms, five-and-a-half baths, a pool and 5,323 square feet of living area.
IT’S READ EVERYWHERE
Headed
Dr. Kansara
at Coastal Eye Institute, is a leading expert in the field of ophthalmology, specializing in:
• Glaucoma Management & Surgery
• Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Procedures
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Whether you’re seeking
Don’t miss this
LA BELLA VITA WITH THE OBSERVER: Mark Pascarella, Holly Pascarella; Renee Biehl and Mike Biehl enjoy a delightful day and la bella vita (the good life) on their trip to Northern Italy while they
good news in the East County Observer.
FAST BREAK
Former Lakewood Ranch baseball player Grant McCray has made a strong case for a call-up to the San Francisco Giants from the Sacramento River Cats, the Triple-A affiliate. McCray is fifth in the Pacific Coast League in hits (78), sixth in runs (50) and stolen bases (17) and ninth in RBIs (46).
... Former Lakewood Ranch pitcher Colton Gordon allowed two earned runs on seven hits and one walk with four strikeouts over five innings in a 6-4, 10-inning loss to the Athletics on June 19. Gordon (2-1) has allowed two or fewer earned runs in each of his past three starts, lowering his ERA from 5.95 to 4.54 over that stretch.
... Lakewood Ranch golfer Parker Severs finished seventh in the YellowHammer Invitational in Opelika, Alabama, at Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail from June 11-13. Severs, who is headed to the University of Florida, opened with a 2-overpar 74, but followed up with rounds of 68 (-4) and 69 (-3) to finish -5 for the tournament, which features top college golfers.
... The Sarasota Paradise soccer club, which plays at Premier Sports Campus, posted two wins this past week. The Paradise defeated Fort Lauderdale United 3-0 at home on June 18 and won against Kings Hammer FC 1-0 at home on June 21. The Paradise (6-1-1) currently rank second in the South Florida Division of the US League 2 standings.
... Nathan Benderson Park is hosting the Special Olympics — West Coast Region Stand Up Paddle Competition — from July 11-12. The event will run 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on July 11 and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on July 12.
... University Park Country Club member Khanh Nguyen made a hole-in-one at Hole 11 at University Park Country Club on June 23. Nguyen sunk his shot from 156 yards out using a 4-hybrid.
Healing in the face of tragedy
Brian Battie was awarded the 2025 Wilma Rudolph Award for his resilience.
VINNIE PORTELL STAFF WRITER
By the time Brian Battie made it to Auburn University, he had learned how to overcome his limitations as a football player.
Navigating through the limitations life brought him after football has been a much tougher challenge.
Battie and his brother, Tommie Battie IV, were shot at the Tallywood Centre Plaza in Sarasota on May 18, 2024. Tommie died that night, and Brian was taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital in critical condition.
The Battie family has spent the past year trying to recover.
Brian, who was shot in the head, has been rehabbing daily from a traumatic brain injury that left him unable to walk, talk, open his eyes or even breathe on his own for more than two weeks after the shooting.
“The hardest part is not having my brother with me,” Brian Battie said.
“It’s not going to get any better not having my brother with me. That’s the hardest fight.”
Brian was awarded the 2025 Wilma Rudolph Student-Athlete Achievement Award by the National Association of Academic and Student Athlete Professionals on May 28. The award is given annually to five collegiate athletes who have overcome adversity to contribute in the classroom, campus or community.
LIVING FOR TOMMIE
Despite being undersized for a running back at 5-foot-8, 165 pounds, Brian Battie became a standout high school player for Sarasota and Braden River high schools.
He started his collegiate career as a backup running back and kick returner in his first two years at the University of South Florida, but had a breakthrough season as a junior when he ran for 1,186 yards and eight touchdowns.
That standout year earned him the chance to transfer to Auburn for the 2023-24 season, where he played as the Tigers’ kickoff returner and as a backup running back.
His traumatic brain injury, however, left him as a shell of his former self.
His parents, Tommie and Adriene Battie, said doctors thought Brian would be permanently paralyzed on the right side of his body.
Despite that prognosis, it took him just three weeks to begin walking with a cane. That was a monumental moment,
but months of long days and dark nights remained ahead.
Tommie and Adriene Battie spent the next few months navigating a balancing act of mourning one son while being present for another.
The Battie family described Tommie Battie IV as “the soul of their family.” Some of the things they miss the most are his laugh, how he carried himself and the music he would sing.
“His absence is a silence that is very hard to get through,” Adriene Battie said.
Brian still is impacted by his bother’s energy, and he constantly remembers his brother telling him to work harder and to be better. It stays with him every day.
“When I could barely stand on my own and I first stood up straight, I felt his presence as if he was right there next to me saying, ‘Come on bro, come on,’” Brian said. “I felt a strong sense of his presence multiple days when I just felt like giving up and not doing it. I felt his presence touching me.”
The grief of losing their son was inescapable at times for Tommie Battie III and Adriene Battie.
“There were moments where I couldn’t breathe,” Adriene Battie said. “There were moments where people had to pick me up off the floor. There were days where it felt like the grief was suffocating me to the point where I didn’t know how to go on.”
SEE BATTIE, PAGE 32
PERSEVERANCE AWARDED
The 2025 Wilma Rudolph StudentAthlete Achievement Award award to Brian Battie of Auburn University was one of five given by the National Association of Academic and Student Athlete Professionals. In the release, the group stated:
“Brian Battie is the epitome of facing adversity and overcoming it, through perseverance and unwavering belief in himself. A year after suffering a traumatic brain injury and enduring intensive physical therapy, he continues to chase his dreams of being a college graduate. From the football field to the classroom, his resilience in tough times has always carried him and brings him to a new journey where he has overcome learning to be himself again. A fighter mentality with a smile that can light up a room, he has conquered more mountains than anyone should have to during the last year. Brian and his relentless pursuit of becoming something greater every day, is someone who stands to inspire generations that come after him.”
“I definitely plan on making a full recovery with a fully functioning body and a fully functioning mind. I think I owe it to my brother and my family to not give up and don’t stop until I’m healed. I just want to be healed.”
Brian Battie
Image courtesy of S.F. Giants
Former Lakewood Ranch baseball player Grant McCray is batting .265 with 10 home runs and 17 stolen bases for the Sacramento River Cats this season.
Courtesy image
Former Sarasota and Braden River high schools running back Brian Battie played for Auburn University in 2023.
Ryan Kohn
Brian Battie and Tommie Battie IV played football together for Sarasota High in 2017. The brothers were shot in Sarasota
LWR baseball player tries different route to college ball
The traditional high school experience isn’t suited for everyone, and it certainly doesn’t have to be the only option.
That’s what brought Lakewood Ranch resident Mark Prisco Jr., a rising ninth grader, to a crossroads. He moved from Boston to Lakewood Ranch with his family in August. He said he has thrived better as a student in smaller environments.
That led the Prisco family to try homeschooling, but the time constraints of helping their son with his schoolwork was too much for the parents, Lauren Prisco and Mark Prisco Sr., who both have full-time jobs.
So now, Mark Prisco Jr. will enroll in Omnia Sports Academy based in Palmetto.
At Omnia, Mark Prisco Jr. will pair his baseball abilities with a small-group educational environment.
Mark Prisco Jr. is ranked as a 7-grade prospect by Perfect Game, which is defined as “a college prospect, possible future draft pick with development.”
Omnia Sports Academy is led by former MLB player Kory DeHaan, who also served as the hitting coach for the Bradenton Marauders during the 2012 season.
DeHaan’s coaching team includes Nick Pressley, a former strength and conditioning coach at the University of Tennessee and the Bradenton Marauders, and Vic Black, a former Major League Baseball pitcher and current coordinator for minor league pitching skill development and rehabs for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The day at Omnia includes three hours of baseball training and
“I don’t think I’ll be missing out at all. I’ll still be playing high school baseball. All I’m doing is putting more work in.”
Mark Prisco Jr.
three hours of an accredited virtual school setting to give its students a well-rounded experience.
Lauren Prisco, who has built a career in corporate curriculum development, has been hired by Omnia to round out that experience even further.
Prisco has been involved in adding a trade school element to Omnia that includes training in other professional avenues of baseball, including umpiring, scouting and coaching.
Those classes will be accredited in the same way as any other elective class in high school, such as art, theater or law — giving future baseball hopefuls different ways to
MARK PRISCO
JR.’S
SCOUTING REPORT
Baseball Factory wrote a scouting report of Mark Prisco Jr. following its Preseason All-America Tournament in January.
“Mark Prisco stood out at the Pre-Season All-America event in both workouts and games. He is a 2029 (grad) with significant upside. His profile is excellent as a left-handed hitter (OF and 3B) and he defends the hot corner very well. He moves well laterally, has soft hands and has lots of arm strength to finish plays. At the plate, he had three hits in four trips to the plate against live pitching and showed some juice in his left-handed bat during batting practice. He has a smooth, pretty stroke and his barrel is strong at contact. To finish off his good showing, he showed an advanced three-pitch mix on the mound with a simple, repeatable delivery. His arm works well and ran his fastball into the upper 70s with more in the tank. This is a legitimate two-way athlete who will be fun to watch this summer.
stay involved in the game they love.
“I always look at it as, ‘What else are you providing them as part of the academics,’” Lauren Prisco said. “If they’re only getting a small portion of academics versus what they get in high school, what are you filling that with? So that’s where the scouting and umpiring come in. It’s called experiential learning, so they’re learning by doing.”
Students at Omnia will have the chance to learn from professionals in the industry. Lauren Prisco has helped Omnia partner with former MLB umpire Ted Barrett and
current professional scout Larry Broadway.
They will learn how to use a radar gun, write scouting reports and have the chance to shadow umpires and scouts in a professional setting.
“These sports academies will help you with the whole recruiting process, but in my opinion, with bare minimum academics,” Lauren Prisco said. “Florida Virtual alone will not get you into a good college, no matter how good of a ball player you are, so that’s why I’m putting these programs in where we’ll have actual capstone projects that the professionals in the industry will be grading and giving feedback on.”
Though her son has yet to start at Omnia, the possibilities ahead are already bringing about a difference.
“The past couple of years, I kind of didn’t want to go to practice,” said Mark Prisco Jr., who added that not finding a fit in school was weighing him down. “I was like, ‘Oh, I don’t want to go do a threehour practice on a Sunday.’ Now, I can’t wait to go.”
Mark Prisco Jr. plans to play for the Lakewood Ranch High varsity baseball team this upcoming season. Though he will miss out on some parts of the high school experience, like being in class and in-school activities, chasing his dream of becoming a professional baseball player outweighs anything he wouldn’t get to otherwise do.
“I don’t think I’ll be missing out at all,” he said. “I’ll still be playing high school baseball. All I’m doing is putting more work in.”
Vinnie Portell
Lakewood Ranch’s Mark Prisco Jr. plans to attend Omnia Sports Academy, where he can further develop his baseball skills.
Vinnie Portell is the sports reporter for the East County Observer. Contact him at VPortell@ YourObserver.com.
Mark Prisco Jr. will attend Omnia Sports Academy in Palmetto.
Battie
PAGE 30
Tommie Battie III struggled as well, but said he ultimately found strength through knowing that his son wouldn’t want their family to crumble.
HELP FOR THE BATTIE FAMILY
The Battie family still faces a significant financial burden in Brian Battie’s recovery. Brian has countless hours of physical therapy to go and hopes to return to Auburn to complete his degree in sociology.
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That mindset motivated Tommie and Adriene Battie when they visited Brian each day in the hospital. Other family members, friends and even some of his teammates from Auburn visited, as well.
Video games, card games like Uno, and Adam Sandler movies helped the Batties distract themselves from the tragedy at hand in Brian’s hospital room and provided some brief moments of comfort.
By fall, Brian had made enough progress in his recovery to return to Auburn to watch his team play in the Iron Bowl against Alabama.
THE ROAD BACK
The strides Brian Battie has made in his recovery have been so significant they’ve been described as “unheard of,” according to Adriene Battie. He still walks with a cane and is working on returning his right hand to functionality. His most recent sign of progress is graduating from speech therapy. Next up is a grind through days of physical therapy.
Fully healing from the loss of Tommie Battie IV might never happen for the family, but they experience moments of comfort when they think of him. Those moments come when they are out at a store or restaurant and they hear his favorite songs. It has happened so often they feel it can’t be a coincidence.
One day when Adriene Battie was lying by a pool in Lakewood Ranch, she was approached by a woman who asked her to speak with her friend, who is a medium.
The medium told Adriene that Tommie Battie IV was in her dreams the night before and that he sees Adriene kiss his picture every night.
Tommie Battie III was skeptical at first, until the medium mentioned that she said Tommie Battie IV told her of a ring inscribed with his finger
Donations for the Battie family can be made at GoFundMe.com/F/Help-TheBattie-Family.
print and signature that the family wears — something she had no way of knowing.
“What we’ve seen, and those signs, and the strength that Brian has been able to pull out is not just physical,” Adriene Battie said. “That’s the kind of strength that comes from somewhere deeper, somewhere spiritual. We believe that strength is through Tommie. Brian’s healing has been a miracle.”
Slowly but surely, the Batties are working on getting back to living their lives.
Tommie Battie III returned to coaching football with Lakewood Ranch High this past fall, and has since returned to his alma mater, Sarasota High, as the team’s offensive coordinator.
There is still healing to be done for Brian, but he now finds himself in a place with hope for the future.
His goals include completing the final four courses required to graduate with a Sociology degree at Auburn sometime soon.
“I definitely plan on making a full recovery with a fully functioning body and a fully functioning mind,” Brian Battie said. “I think I owe it to my brother and my family to not give up.” It will take more time for the Battie family to have closure on the legal end. Darryl Bernard Brookins Jr., a five-time convicted felon, was arrested May 22, 2024, for the murder of Tommie Battie IV and the shooting of Brian Battie. He is scheduled to appear at the Sarasota County Courthouse for criminal case management Aug. 20.
“(FHTTOGHHX) LY KFZ VUHVBJBSXB BUW HN
DON’T TAKE IT THE WRONG WAY by Jared Goudsmit, edited by Jared Goudsmit
By Luis Campos Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.
