East County Observer 7.16.26

EAST COUNTY

Back to School 2026

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Obser ver

THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

VOLUME 27, NO. 49

YOUR TOWN

Is Lakewood Ranch ready for new ice age?

Residents discuss the pros and cons of an ice arena at Premier.

SEE PAGE 3A

Madison Bierl

Santa in sandals

Pure Irish ... bar none

Palm Aire 8-year-old Elle Edwards (above right) never thought she would see Santa Claus in the middle of summer.

On July 12, she was eager to greet him, even in his tropical summer attire. She was given a candy cane and a miniature figure of Jesus.

“I love Christmas because you spend time with family and friends to be able to bring the Christmas spirit up,” Edwards said.

Santa was set up on Lakewood Main Street in honor of the Christmas in July sale.

Twelve businesses had special discounts from July 10-12.

The experience was special for Elle’s mom, Elizabeth. She said it was like magic.

“Outside it’s sunshine and heat, but in her eyes, it’s Christmas,” Elizabeth Edwards said.

The Ireland-born owners of Delany’s Public House want every aspect of their new Lakewood Ranch restaurant/ pub to be genuinely Irish.

SEE PAGE 8A

Lesley Dwyer

Taking his shot

Sarasota Cars and Coffee hosts over 700 cars monthly at the Mall at University Town Center. The event attracts spectators and photographers from well beyond the local area.

On July 11, Tampa’s 13-yearold Noah Artpachon (above) was one of the photographers.

He’s traveled from Tampa several times with family to check out the cars.

Although Artpachon is fairly new to photography, he can see himself being a photographer when he’s older. He’s been honing his skills for about six months, thanks to his dad’s Nikon camera.

Artpachon said he’s always loved cars, but his favorite car is a Nissan GT-R 35. He also likes taking photos of birds and flowers.

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

Jay Heater

Co-owners Tory Delany and Kevin O’Hanlon say every aspect of Delany’s Public House on Lakewood Main Street is genuinely Irish.

A+E

Will youth prevail?

Lesley Dwyer

Commissioner Amanda Ballard will face off against former commissioner’s aide Edward Bailey Jr. for the Republican nomination in District 2 during the primary.

At 22, Edward Bailey Jr. is a Commission contender. SEE PAGE 4A

Rockin’ her lens at Selby.

PAGE 15A

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

Lesley Dwyer

Children and teenagers are often seen riding electric bikes and scooters around the Lakewood Ranch area.

Manatee County proposes e-bike registration for students County officials are exploring options to keep kids safe and immediately inform parents when accidents occur.

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

A

lthough Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed a bill in June that would’ve regulated e-bikes statewide, Manatee County commissioners and staff members are continuing their quest to stiffen regulations and requirements for riding micromobility devices.

Commissioner Bob McCann proposed an ordinance regulating micromobility devices, which was passed unanimously in August 2025.

The ordinance sets parameters for speed, wattage and age.

Now, McCann wants the ordinance updated to include helmet mandates, strict enforcement mechanisms, and “potential outright bans on Class 3 e-bikes or throttle-only bikes on

specific congested sidewalks.”

His motion was intended to be heard at the June 16 meeting, but was instead pushed to the July 28 meeting.

In the meantime, Manatee County hosted an “e-bike safety awareness and community discussion” at the Public Safety Center in Bradenton July 10.

However, there were no residents in attendance, so the community discussion turned into a workshop between Public Safety Director Jodie Fiske and two employees of Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital — Health Educator Sheila Rainey and Transportation Planner Toby Vongkoth.

Fiske discussed an initiative she hopes will be rolled out by the first day of school. Students riding

Director of Public Safety Jodie Fiske is working with the School District of Manatee County to put QR codes on students’ micromobility devices to assist first responders when accidents happen.

micromobility devices will need to register them, but not in the traditional sense that requires a visit to the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Students will be given a registration form on the first day of school to take home to their parents. After the registration information is collected, the student will be issued a sticker with a QR code to place on their device.

Because of the increasing number of accidents, the QR code will tie the make, model and serial number of the device to the student and include

emergency contact information.

Only first responders will be able to access the information.

“We just want to make sure that your kids are safe, and if an accident happens, our first responders can reach you immediately (from the scene of the accident),” Fiske said.

“Especially if children have allergies or pre-existing conditions, it makes it harder on medical providers because then they’re just guessing.”

Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputies will have the right to inspect micromobility devices for compliance. Without a QR code, a student can be restricted from riding the device to and from school.

Other counties are looking at more extreme measures to handle growing concerns over micromobility devices. The Orange County School Board is considering a ban on all e-bikes and e-scooters at its K-8 schools.

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission reported in April that there were an estimated 698,500 emergency room visits due to micromobility devices between 2017 and 2024.

The commission stated it was aware of 533 fatalities from the use of micromobility products in that same time frame. There were just five deaths in 2017 but 135 in 2024.

The report notes that reporting from 2023-24 is ongoing and the number of fatalities could change in future reports.

Of those fatalities, 206 were associated with e-scooters, and 15 of the 206 were associated with lithium-ion batteries catching fire.

Fiske said first responders went to a call during Hurricane Helene because an e-bike battery caught fire inside a Manatee County motel room. The owner was messing around with the battery and punctured it accidentally.

To put a lithium-ion battery fire out, it needs to be submerged under water for 30 days. Fiske noted that the batteries can still reignite while submerged.

She stressed to always unplug micromobility devices when they’re fully charged, don’t park them next to walls or surround them with stuff, and plug the charger into an exterior wall versus an interior wall.

Beyond fires, Fiske said another

HOW TO ENGAGE CHILDREN IN THE DISCUSSION Sheila Rainey, health educator with Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, said the first way to engage children in a conversation about micromobility devices is to never tell them what they can’t do. Tell them what they can do instead.

After an accident with an e-bike or e-scooter, most drivers say they didn’t see the micromobility device, so children can wear bright clothing or attach reflectors and lights on their devices and backpacks.

Bright colors are generally not chosen for school uniforms, so children can wear bright hoodies to and from school.

Children can also look for obstacles in front of them.

E-scooters, especially, have small wheels, so even running over a branch can lead to an accident.

As for parents, avoid buying full-face helmets because they limit peripheral vision.

Look for a regular bike helmet that is NTA 8776 certified. Since the United States has not set a standard for e-bike helmets, Rainey recommended following the Dutch standard (NTA 8776).

The helmets are designed to protect riders up to speeds of 28 mph.

issue is emerging as micromobility devices become more popular. There aren’t enough pediatric neurologists to treat the rising amount of brain injuries. After the initial emergency, children can wait up to 18 weeks to be seen by a specialist.

Additionally, the United States doesn’t have an established standard for helmets that protect against the high speeds of micromobility devices.

“Technology has outpaced the rest of the industry,” Fiske said.

464827-1

2A

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

Are plans for Premier on thin ice?

Commissioner Bob McCann is suggesting a relocation of the multiplex to the grounds adjacent to the Bradenton Area Convention Center.

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

P

lans for an ice rink at the Premier Sports Campus North are receiving mixed

reviews from Lakewood Rancharea residents.

On June 16, Manatee County commissioners authorized County Administrator Charlie Bishop “or his designee to move forward with a proposed business transaction” with Icemann Development LLC to build a 190,000-square-foot multiplex.

The vote was unanimous, with Commissioner Jason Bearden absent. Once the details are worked out and reviewed by the county attorney, a land lease and operating agreement are expected to go before commissioners sometime in August or September.

The plan is to build the facility on 22 acres of county-owned land at Premier, east of the Lakewood Ranch Library.

The facility would include three full-size rinks and one warm-up rink, something that parents of children who figure skate or play hockey say is needed in the area.

Greyhawk Landing ’s Julie Fitzpatrick has 13-year-old twin boys, Owen and Connor, who play for the Gulf Coast Flames, a travel team based out of the Ellenton Ice and Sports Complex.

“People who don’t know much about figure skating or hockey don’t understand that two sheets of ice (or two rinks) between Ellenton and Estero is just simply not enough,” Fitzpatrick said. “There are kids who want to play — travel, rec and higher levels of hockey — but there aren’t enough teams (because of so few rinks).”

Fitzpatrick also noted that as her kids have gotten older, their practice times have increasingly gotten later.

Fall practice won’t start until 8:30 p.m. this year, which Fitzpatrick said will be tough because she gets up early to teach physical education at B.D. Gullett Elementary School.

Residents opposed to the plan aren’t against another ice rink in Manatee County. They’re opposed to an ice rink of that size at Premier.

“Put it in a location that makes sense, where there are hotels around and it’s truly an event location,” Indigo’s Suzanne Henke said.

Henke named Town Center Parkway as a more suitable location because it’s close to the interstate with plenty of nearby hotels.

Commissioner Bob McCann will propose moving the ice rink to the grounds at the Bradenton Area Convention Center at the July 28 commission meeting because of an “infrastructure deficit.”

McCann’s motion states the convention center features “established, robust infrastructure, superior transit access and the capacity to accom-

A drone captured an overhead view of Premier Sports Campus North in April.

SPECS

These are approximate numbers. A site plan has not been finalized.

Developer: Icemann Development LLC Cost: $80 million County share: $5 million from the Tourist Development Tax Facility Size: 190,000 square feet Lot size: 22 acres Rinks: Three full-size, one practice Permanent seats: 2,500 Parking: 800-spot paid parking garage and free surface parking Additional amenities: Food and beverage options, pro shop, orthopedic/medical services and athletic training Anticipated economic impact: $30 million annually Projected opening: Summer 2028

modate the project without placing further strain on an overburdened residential area,” while Premier “lacks the basic infrastructure to support (the project).”

His motion further states that the lack of infrastructure at Premier is “setting the project up to fail and punishing local residents with more traffic.”

Lorraine Lakes’ Rosella Stromberg plans to attend the July 28 meeting to express her concerns. The safety of local children riding bikes and waiting at bus stops is at the top of her list.

Stromberg is a surgical nurse, who works with trauma patients. She said she is worried the “traffic generated by a regional sports facility will create additional vehicle congestion and more potential conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians.”

She cited the lack of funding to widen Lorraine Road as an added issue. Stromberg often struggles to make a left turn onto Lorraine Road from Rangeland Parkway because the traffic backs up so much.

Henke noted that Commissioner George Kruse often argues that commercial development should be approved near residential to keep cars off the road, so the combination of a sports arena without any nearby hotels will add “a gazillion cars to that little square of roadway.”

Premier is surrounded by residential communities.

Stromberg said residents were promised parks, preserves and open space when moving to the area, “not a large commercial sports complex.”

She fears the activity, noise and lighting that comes with a 190,000-square-foot events center will be “well beyond what residents reasonably expected” when purchasing their homes.

Fitzpatrick travels all over the country for ice hockey. She cited hockey rinks in residential communities from Orlando to Salt Lake City.

Courtesy images

Greyhawk Landing’s Owen and Connor Fitzpatrick play for the Gulf Coast Flames, a travel hockey league based out of the Ellenton Ice and Sports Complex.

Official renderings for the multiplex will be completed after the site plan is finalized, but this rendering offers a glimpse of what the facility at Premier Sports Campus North could look like.

“These places are everywhere, mixed in the middle of big neighborhoods,” Fitzpatrick said.

“It’s a very community-based thing.

That’s where the kids go to hang out.”

Gordie Zimmerman, CEO and co-founder of Icemann, called Lakewood Ranch the “prized area that we’ve always wanted to be in.”

Zimmerman likes Lakewood Ranch so much that he’s contemplating moving to the area.

“The Tampa Bay Lightning are deeply excited about (a facility at Premier),” he said. “We’re just happy to be here and to present something to the community.”

Fitzpatrick has visited the rink Icemann built in Wesley Chapel quite a bit. She called the AdventHealth Center Ice “an absolutely beautiful facility.”

McCann has often cited “slushy ice” as a problem that leads to failing ice rinks, which Fitzpatrick agreed is a problem at older facilities during the summer months, but not at the AdventHealth Center.

“It’s freezing in there,” she said. “It doesn’t matter what time of the year; it’s frigid.”

Icemann’s track record puts some minds at ease, such as Kruse, who said a facility of AdventHealth’s quality will “do justice to what (Manatee County) is trying to do at Premier.”

“The goal of Premier is to have everything be tournament level,” Kruse said. “I’m exited about this.

This is going to be great.”

However, Stromberg is concerned that, unlike the aquatic and racket

“The goal of Premier is to have everything be tournament level. I’m exited about this. This is going to be great.”

— Commissioner George Kruse

center that’s being built at Premier, the ice facility will be owned by a corporation instead of the county.

“Across the whole country, big corporations are buying up sports complexes and then charging whatever they want,” she said.

McCann said he will ask how much residents will pay and how much the county will receive at the July 28 meeting.

Initial discussions included 20% of the gross parking garage revenues going back to Manatee County.

The amount of water that will have to be pumped into the arena also concerns Henke.

According to the National Hockey League, “The ice-making and resurfacing process is among the most water-intensive operations in professional sports. On average, it takes 12,000 to 15,000 gallons of water to create an NHL regulation ice sheet, which typically is kept frozen for an entire season. Once created, ice resurfacers scrape or shave the ice sheet and rebuild it with a thin layer of water to ensure that the surface is optimal for the competitive play that takes place on it.”

“You’re going to put in a foursheet ice center, and you’re telling us that we can’t use water,” Henke said referencing Manatee County’s current water restrictions.

Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, said he’s working with Icemann and Director of Public Safety Jodie Fiske to include the use of the facility as an emergency shelter in the land lease.

But a facility that can house thousands of people is exactly what those in opposition don’t want.

Henke suggested a skate park and Stromberg suggested a community park as better fits for a residential neighborhood. “(Manatee County) very sneakily did all of this without any public input,” Henke said. “They need to utilize the space they’ve got and stop putting things in every square inch of grassland that’s left in Lakewood Ranch.”

3A

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

Back-to-School

The right time for young ideas?

Ba s h !

Commissioners, voters and a former Miss America contestant weigh in on the issue of age in politics.

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

I

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f a candidate for the Manatee County commission was a lifelong resident, a Kiwanis volunteer, and a frequent speaker at the Manatee Tiger Bay Club, who also worked on state, county and school board campaigns and served as a commissioner’s aide, would you think he’s qualified to hold the seat?

Given that resume, would it change your mind if you heard he was 22 years old?

Voters in District 2 will have to make that decision during the primary election Aug. 18 because 22-year-old Edward Bailey, Jr. is vying for the Republican nomination against incumbent Amanda Ballard.

Before becoming a candidate, Bailey was District 5 Commissioner Bob McCann’s aide.

“Age is different than maturity,” McCann said.

East County voters living in McCann’s district can’t cast a vote for Bailey or Ballard in District 2, but they will decide if they want a 23-year-old representing District 5 on the School Board of Manatee County.

Savanna at Lakewood Ranch’s Camden Bedinghaus is running for the seat against Jonathan Mullis and Chantal Wilford. Both Mullis and Wilford are over 25 years Bedinghaus’ senior.

Mark Twain said, “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” Will voters agree?

The East County Observer attended a candidate forum hosted by the Lakewood Ranch Republican Club at the Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club June 17 to ask attendees if age mattered to them.

Photos by Lesley Dwyer

Edward Bailey Jr., a 22-year-old former District 5 commissioner’s aide, is now vying for a seat on the dais.

Commissioner Amanda Ballard questions if 22-year-old Edward Bailey Jr. has the age and experience necessary to represent District 2 on the Manatee County Commission.

The overwhelming answer was “No.” The forum featured commission candidates running for District 2 (Bailey and Ballard) and District 4.

(Glen Gibellina attended; incumbent Mike Rahn did not.)

The only person to openly express any concern over Bailey’s age during or following the forum was Ballard.

“I, too, am a young candidate,” said Ballard, who is 37. “I am so young that when I decided to run in 2022, (Ed Bailey’s) mother said, ‘Don’t you think you’re too young? Don’t you

EAST COUNTY

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YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

with such “maturity.”

Garafola has experience in local politics. She served on the Warren Township Committee in New Jersey for 23 years, of which six of the years she served as mayor.

Garafola has such confidence in Bailey and Bedinghaus that she made financial contributions to both campaigns.

“You’ve got to put your money where your mouth is,” she said.

Donna Hayes served as the District 5 Manatee County commissioner from 2004 through 2012. She joked that “Joe McClash wasn’t even young at that time.” McClash was voted into office in 1990 when he was 33 years old.

“We were all in our 50s and 60s,” Hayes said. “I think Ed Bailey is an excellent candidate. He is young, yes, but I certainly consider that a plus. He’s got the energy and spirit to make valid decisions.”

Hayes’ brought a friend to the luncheon in Bradenton’s Barbara Ellen. Ellen, a former Miss Indiana, was the first runner-up in the 1978 Miss America pageant when she was 24 years old.

“Being in the Miss America pageant, you have to be able to think on your feet, be truthful and articulate,” Ellen said. “This young man (Bailey), when he announced he was 22, I had to do a double take and digest if that was a good thing or a bad thing. But I like what Donna said — he’s bringing youth to Manatee County.”

So why don’t more young candidates run for office?

In Siddique’s case, he thought it would hurt his career. Financially, it did. When elected in 2024, the salary for a Manatee County commissioner was $104,723. Siddique took an $80,000 a year pay cut.

Siddique noted he was not complaining about his salary, but it’s also “not cheap to live here,” and serving as commissioner is a full-time job.

Siddique didn’t run his campaign on “just being a young person.” He ran on bringing a new generation of leadership, new perspectives and new experiences to Manatee County.

He views age as a correlation to experience.

THE YOUNGEST MANATEE COUNTY COMMISSIONER

Madison Bierl

Savanna at Lakewood Ranch’s Camden Bedinghaus, 23, is running for the District 5 seat on the Manatee County school board to be a “voice for his generation.”

Courtesy image

Former District 5 Commissioner Donna Hayes served on the commission from 2004 to 2012.

think you should wait your turn until you have a little more experience? I was 32.”

Bailey said his mother, Xtavia Bailey, never made those statements, but Ballard made her point.

In Manatee County,commissioners make decisions for over 450,000 people. How much does experience matter?

The youngest commissioner on the board right now is 31-yearold Tal Siddique. He was 29 when campaigning and 30 when elected.

Siddique had built a successful career as a software engineer and entrepreneur. He worked with the

The question is simple: Who was the youngest Manatee County commissioner to be elected?

Finding the answer is not so simple.

The Manatee County Clerk’s Office didn’t have any records.

The Manatee County Human Resources Department records only date back 25 years, and the Supervisors of Elections Office tracks candidates, but not their ages.

Jonathan Torkos, librarian at the Bradenton Carnegie Library, found a Bradenton Herald article dated Jan. 28, 1979. The article refers to Claude McGavic as “one of the youngest commissioners ever elected.” McGavic was 31 when he defeated incumbent Dan McClure in 1978, the same year Pat Glass was elected as the first female commissioner.

What could be traced back, without endless hours of genealogy research, points to current Commission Chair Tal Siddique as being the youngest commissioner to serve Manatee County. He was sworn into office in 2024 at 30 years old.

While no definitive answer was found, digging through records uncovered some history about those who came before Siddique.

In 1988, investigative journalist, historian and Manatee County commissioner Kent G. Chetlain wrote a 14-page history about the establishment of Manatee County.

“Shadows of History” covers the timespan of 1877-1888.

Chetlain was 55 years old when elected to the District 2 seat in 1982, and the earliest settlers were not a whole lot younger. They ranged in age from 37-year-old Garrett Murphy to 54-year-old William H. Vanderipe.

Some of the other names are still familiar today. Capt. John Fogarty was Manatee County’s first commission chair after DeSoto County broke away from Manatee.

He was 50. C.H. Parrish. His fellow commissioner, was 42.

Skipping ahead several decades, the late Charles Kenneth “Ken” Burton was 31 when Gov. Claude Kirk Jr. appointed him to serve as the District 1 commissioner April 5, 1968. Burton had been elected to the Palmetto City Council two

years earlier.

Burton’s two sons also entered politics at an early age. Jeff Burton was just 24 years old when elected to the Palmetto City Commission in 1990, and Ken Burton, Jr. was 30 when elected as the Manatee County Tax Collector in 1992.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and the U.S. Air Force.

Ballard spent eight years working as a child welfare attorney, experience she often draws from on the dais during discussions about county issues, such as homelessness and opioid addiction.

Both Siddique and Ballard are married, and Ballard is raising three children.

Bedinghaus is a former Bayside Community Church youth coordinator, a graduate of the University of South Florida, director of the Manatee County chapter of Turning Point USA and a book author.

It’s an impressive resume, but akin to many of his peers who are fresh out of college, his address on the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections website is that of his parents, Troy and Treva Bedinghaus.

Do factors, such as owning a home,

matter as far as life experience? Not if voters don’t mind.

Residents of District 5 in York County, Nebraska, voted to elect 18-year-old Joe Burgess into office in November 2024. The district has about 3,000 residents.

Burgess drives an hour from his dorm room at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to the York County Courthouse every other Tuesday to attend commission meetings. He checks his county emails in between classes.

Burgess is working toward a degree in chemical engineering. In September 2025, the York County Development Corporation said “Burgess brings a young voice to the county government, but also an informed one.”

The Lake Club’s Evin Ersan stuck out among the forum’s attendees.

While most were retirees, at 24 years old, Ersan is just starting his career

in finance.

He finds the quality of the candidate more important than the age given the caveats that a candidate shouldn’t be so old that they’re senile or so young that they have no experience.

Even if Bailey were 10 years older, he would still be at a disadvantage when it comes to experience because the other two candidates, Ballard and Democrat Charles B. Smith, already have represented District 2 on the Manatee County Commission.

However, because of McCann, Bailey has more insight into the job than many of the candidates countywide. He has dealt with McCann’s constituents and sat in on commissioner briefings and meetings.

Carolann Garafola, treasurer of the Republican Club, was shocked when she learned Bailey was 22 years old because she said he carries himself

5A

Manatee Library Historical Digital Collections

Capt. John Fogarty is not the youngest Manatee County commissioner to be sworn in, but he was the first chair of the commission.

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YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

Ranch residents on pins and needles waiting to use Partners Animal hospital The 4,300-square-foot veterinary office and animal hospital will have acupuncture among its services.

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

PARTNERS ANIMAL HOSPITAL LAKEWOOD RANCH Partners Animal Hospital Lakewood Ranch, 15020 E. State Road 64, Suite 103. Visit PartnersVetLWR.com or call 281-3080. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

a pharmacy, dental suite, surgical suite and an outdoor dog run.

In addition to vaccines, diagnostics and emergency care, the office also offers acupuncture.

McDonald said acupuncture is becoming more common in veterinary offices as people look for different modalities of care.

“I’m integrative, so I do Eastern and Western (medical treatments),” she said.

“I like the addition of acupuncture for pain control as an adjunct

Partners Animal Hospital Lakewood Ranch hosted a ribbon cutting July 10.

Photos by Lesley Dwyer

for some of the other things we do.”

McDonald said science backs up the practice.

Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine reports improved mobility, reduced stiffness and improved overall comfort after dogs were treated with acupuncture. Some dogs are also able to reduce their reliance on pain medication when acupuncture is included in their overall treatment plan.

The needles are so tiny, McDonald said most dogs don’t react. In fact, acupuncture often makes them sleepy. Cats can be treated, too.

For now, McDonald is the only veterinarian at the practice, but the intention is to have four veterinarians on staff in the future.

The staff at Partners are all “Fear Free certified.” The program guidelines prioritize “the emotional wellbeing of the patients, as well as the staff and clients.”

Certification is meant to “prevent and alleviate fear, anxiety, and stress upon arrival at the practice, during the visit, and during dis-

charge.”

Practices to alleviate fear include limiting restraints, providing treats and greeting patients with speciesspecific calming pheromones.

Jennifer Atchley, manager of the practice, encourages pet parents to bring blankets to appointments.

“If it smells like you, it’s going to make them comfortable,” she said. “I want the animals to feel comfortable, safe and secure.”

Atchley has worked in the veterinary field for over 16 years in clinical and leadership roles.

She’s seen dogs eat a lot of different things over that timespan. Figuring out what the dog ate is often a guessing game.

The most bizarre thing to emerge from a dog’s stomach was the contents of a laundry basket. The dog ate everything from underwear to a baby’s socks.

While the animal hospital only treats dogs and cats, one of the nurses has experience with lions, hyenas and elephants.

Jaida Cain traveled to Zimbabwe in 2022 when she was a student at St. Petersburg College.

It was the experience of a lifetime in the span of two-and-a-half weeks, where Cain felt every emotion from fear to awe.

She cried the first time she saw elephants in the wild and feared for her life while in a boat being chased by hippos.

“Hippos are very fast,” Cain said.

“They run and hop through the water.”

The lions got even closer, but were less aggressive. Cain could hear them at night from inside her tent. Of course, she didn’t venture out to look, but trail cameras confirmed the rustling was indeed lions.

But unlike the wild baboons, the lions kept to themselves. The baboons were only after food in unoccupied spaces, but if they noticed so much as a crack in a window, they ate everything in sight.

While the stories are as wild as the animals, some of the treatments were rather ordinary. A lion needs to be dewormed just like a dog.

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G

reyhawk Landing’s Reagan McDonald wasn’t always a veterinarian. She started her career as a computer programmer.

“I didn’t want to sit in a cubicle for the rest of my life writing code,” McDonald said. “This was always something I wanted to do, and life allowed me to take the chance, so I did.”

McDonald has been practicing veterinary medicine since 2010 and is now the medical director and managing partner at Partners Animal Hospital Lakewood Ranch.

There are nine Partners Animal Hospitals across Florida, Illinois, North Carolina and South Carolina.

The Lakewood Ranch office opened June 11 at 15020 E. State Road 64, Suite 103. The hospital hosted a ribbon cutting with the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance and the Manatee Chamber of Commerce on July 10.

The 4,300-square-foot facility features seven exam rooms, two of which are dedicated to cats only,

Dr. Reagan McDonald is the medical director and managing partner at Partners Animal Hospital in Lakewood Ranch.

1462700

EYE ON BUSINESS

6A

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

7A

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8A

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

EAST COUNTY

Tory Delany says she is incredibly proud of the finished product of Delany’s Public House and that it still “takes my breath away.”

OH, THAT’S GRAND!

Photos by Jay Heater

Delany’s Public House brings its touch of Ireland to Main Street at Lakewood Ranch.

JAY HEATER | MANAGING EDITOR

I

t was 13 months ago when Tory Delany, her husband, Darren Shore, and their partner, Kevin O’Hanlon, signed the lease for their new Irish pub and restaurant, Delany’s Public House, at

Main Street at Lakewood Ranch.

They figured to do a little renovating at the time, so it would be a quick turnaround and they could be open for business quickly.

The problem was that a quick turnaround would leave them with the typical American version of an Irish pub. After looking at “the bones” of the existing restaurant, they knew it was going to take more than a “couple of plastic shamrocks.”

More than a year later, Delany’s Public House is ready to open on July 23.

On July 13, Delany walked through the front doors of her restaurant to give a tour to a reporter.

“Visually, it is a ‘Wow!’” she said.

That’s no blarney.

It was hard to believe this spot on Lakewood Main Street had been home to two previous restaurants, McGrath’s and McAllister’s. There was no trace of either of the previous tenants. The inside has undergone a transformation.

“I am very proud of the man-hours that have gone into this,” Delany said. “It still takes my breath away.

I am incredibly proud.”

Delany was asked if she was worried about following two businesses that didn’t make it long-term in that particular spot in Lakewood Ranch.

“At this stage, this is our restaurant No. 8,” said Delany, who also owns Allswell in Waterside Place of Lakewood Ranch. “We are confident and we have 30 years of hospitality behind us. We know what needs to be done.”

She said that she and her husband, along with O’Hanlon, saw a “gap” in the Lakewood Ranch market. Then they went to work.

“I think people will say, ‘They have spent the money, the time, and the effort,” Delany said. “And the Irish bar always is the true cornerstone of the community.

“This is a great place, with great parking and pedestrian traffic.”

The strategy was simple in nature.

Delany, Shore and O’Hanlon are all natives of Ireland who wanted to produce a pub/restaurant just like the ones they would have found at home.

“We wanted to make it something

Delany’s Public House owner Tory Delany says patrons love to sit in a corner of a bar, so she created several areas to met that need.

we all grew up with,” said O’Hanlon, who started working with Delany and Shore in 2014 as a manager and then was brought on as a partner after COVID-19. “It’s particularly because we are Irish.”

Executing that strategy wasn’t so simple. They signed with the company Food Ireland to bring in most of the products they would be selling. They also had to scour Ireland to find furniture, woodwork, antiques and other resources to create their desired environment. This spring, Delany took a trip to Derry, Ireland, to buy much of the furniture.

The owners also convinced 10 of their former employees in their three New York City restaurants — Mezcali, Malt House and The Spot — to move to Florida to help run Delany’s Public House. The owners found two Lakewood Ranch woodworkers who were born in Ireland and hired them to build the bar.

“We wanted to provide something unique and incredibly special,” O’Hanlon said. “I didn’t want to be the gimmicky (restaurant).”

Delany said their customers will see and taste the difference of a genuine Irish public house.

“The sausages, the bacon, the meats, the Irish breads, the cheeses, it all comes from Ireland,” Delany said. “It is about how everything is raised, the quality of the beef.”

A SHORT TRIP TO IRELAND What: Delany’s Public House Where: 8110 Lakewood Main St., Lakewood Ranch When: Opening day is 2 p.m. July 23 Who: Co-owners are Tory Delany, her husband, Darren Shore, and partner Kevin O’Hanlon About: Authentic Irish pub and restaurant Hours: 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Friday and Saturday; Happy hour 3-6 p.m. Monday through Friday More information: Visit DelanysPublicHouse.com.

O’Hanlon talked about the bangers and mashed as an example.

“The gravy recipe is one that has been passed down through the generations,” he said. “We incorporate Guinness into the gravy. The mashed potatoes are made with Irish butter.”

The bar will have a true Irish pub feel. For example, Delany said it was in the late 1970s when women were allowed into Irish pubs, and even then, the pubs added “snugs,” which were small, enclosed seating compartments that were typically fitted with a private door, or dark wood paneling, so women could enjoy a drink without being seen by male patrons. They would ring a bell when they wanted to order a drink.

Of course, anyone will be able to sit in the Delany Public House snugs.

Delany said it will be the only authentic Irish pub in the region, and none of their previous seven restaurants had been named after the owners. Delany said she has a good, authentic, Irish name, so it was time.

O’Hanlon noted that it is a bit different for an Irish pub in America.

“It’s not O-something,” he said.

The front of the pub-restaurant will include a retail store Delany called an old, Irish sweet shop she said could be compared to a deli.

Nils Tarantik has been hired as executive chef, while Jonathan Whichard joins him as a main chef.

Delany said her patrons will continue to see her at both Allswell and at Delany’s Public House on most days.

“We enjoy what we do,” she said. “It is not just about opening the doors.

We are investing in the future. We will be present. If the cleaner doesn’t show up, we are going to do it.”

The restaurant will employ 35-40 people.

“We are particular about the people we hire,” O’Hanlon said. “We want people that you want to see.”

“The key to being successful as a bartender is a person who makes you want to come back,” Delany said.

The pub, which has a stage, will feature live music.

“We are particular about the people we hire. We want people that you want to see.”

— Kevin O’Hanlon

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Orientation for the employees was being held July 13 at Delany’s Public House in Lakewood Ranch.

All new kitchen appliances are set for opening day on July 23 for Delany’s Public House in Main Street at Lakewood Ranch.

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SIDE OF RANCH

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

9A

JAY HEATER

Should taxpayers be frozen out of the process?

Residents’ concerns come to the surface as Lakewood Ranch ice arena advances.

It really is that simple.

All the issues that were discussed in the July 16 news story on Page 3, and those listed here, could have been discussed at length before any concrete decision had been made.

If that had been done, then somebody like me, who has such fond memories of ice arenas, could have just focused on the positives about having such a great facility in our backyard. We, as taxpayers, shouldn’t have to feel like we are being frozen out of the conversation, and that our commissioners don’t care what we think.

I do favor the project, and I believe it is a healthy move for the county. But this lack of transparency overall has to stop.

A

TROUBLE SPOTS IN OUR ROADS?

Courtesy image

The proposed ice rink would be located on the east side of the Lakewood Ranch Library at Premier Sports Campus North.

North in Lakewood Ranch, I had flashbacks to that wonderful time of my life. I wanted to love the project, and in many ways I do.

But as enthusiastic as I am about having an ice rink right here in Lakewood Ranch, I don’t like the way it was presented to the taxpayers.

Now, you might remember that I wrote a column in February on this topic, about Manatee County trying to slip it through a Commission meeting by identifying it as “Project Grace” on the agenda.

Here we are, six months later. We are seeing frustration in residents who don’t like the project and feel like they never had the chance to offer their input before Manatee County staff members and commissioners made up their mind about what to put on 22 acres of their supposed park land.

I don’t think the wave of public

annoyance has reached its peak yet and crashed. This is just starting to build.

In today’s issue of the East County Observer, our reporter, Lesley Dwyer, presents more input from both those who oppose and support the project in a Page 3A story. It’s the kind of conversation that should have taken place before a deal was struck with Icemann Development Manatee LLC. It should have been discussed whether the land should have been used to generate economic impact or left open for the residents.

It should have been discussed what the traffic implications would be.

It should have been discussed whether there is a legitimate need for ice rinks in the Lakewood Ranch area.

It should have been discussed whether there was a better spot for

it, such as the 161-acre Musgrave property (right near Interstate 75, plenty of hotels, central access in the county) near the landfill.

It should have been discussed whether the public truly would get any use out of an $80 million, multiuse facility that is privately owned and might well be too expensive for concerts or nonprofit events.

There’s plenty more, too.

There certainly is a narrow line the county has to walk when it comes to attracting $80 million projects that obviously have many positive impacts. We understand that negotiating has to be done in private. We don’t need to listen to the haggling process.

That being said, the overall idea should be floated to the public.

“We’re thinking about having an ice arena built at Premier Sports Campus North. What do you think?”

I would like to hear from our readers about dangerous intersections or stretches of road in East County that need attention. For example, places where a road meets a thoroughfare and motorists are playing Frogger to get out into traffic, or where the vegetation limits sight lines, or where nobody obeys the speed limit.

Are there spots where speeding cars are right on top of you when you pull out of a side road? Are there spots where vehicles pass at high speeds even though there are solid double lines?

Send me an email at JHeater@ YourObserver.com, and if there if sufficient interest, I will share them with the public and give those spots some attention.

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s a teenager in upstate New York, I used to throw my hockey skates over my shoulder and head out into zero-degree weather, slogging through a foot of snow to reach a pond on the back of our property.

It was a nightly experience, and I was joined by six to eight of my neighbors who knew my pond was perfect for ice hockey, or so we thought.

It was a bumpy surface because snow would fall and freeze, as it was impossible to keep the pond completely shoveled off. Even so, it was a better setup than most of the area’s ponds because my dad had put wood all along the edge of the pond, and that wood froze into the surface to keep the puck from flying 20 yards onto dry land on every errant pass.

Eventually, though, we wanted to feel like the New York Rangers, who we watched on television. So we joined a league that played about 90 minutes away at a Rockland County ice arena.

Our first day on rink ice was amusing. We were so used to bumpy ice that we couldn’t get our skates to grip on the glass-like surface. We looked like we were trying to skate in an oil slick.

We were so bad at handling the surface that one of the league administrators asked us to compete in an age group of kids who were about four years younger and half our size. They kicked our butts.

Eventually, we figured it out, and what followed was a few of the favorite sports seasons of my life. I loved ice hockey.

When I heard that Manatee County was entertaining the idea of letting a private company build an ice rink at Premier Sports Campus

10A

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

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or 72-year-old Margi Nanney, every time a school board election rolls around, she considers running.

She said she is no politician, but instead a self-described “champion for academic excellence.” She said running for a school board seat is a matter of giving back.

“It’s an extension of what I’ve been doing my whole life,” Nanney said. “I see the district through the eyes of a mother, a grandmother, a volunteer, a teacher and an administrator. I feel like I can be a much stronger voice for District 2 to be able to take us to the next level and get us to the A district.”

Nanney, a longtime Manatee County resident and retired educator, made the decision to run for the District 2 seat on the school board for the School District of Manatee County for the first time. She has a wide range of experience within the school system and beyond. She often watches video of school board meetings and workshops when she can’t sleep.

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Bradenton’s Margi Nanney is running for the District 2 school board seat for the School District of Manatee County.

“I see the district through the eyes of a mother, a grandmother, a volunteer, a teacher and an administrator. I feel like I can be a much stronger voice for District 2 to be able to take us to the next level and get us to the A district.”

— Margi Nanney

Born in 1953 and raised in Sarasota from age 8, she graduated Sarasota High School in 1972 and attended the University of South Florida where she earned two bachelors degrees.

She began her professional life as Cardinal Mooney High School’s first art teacher in 1977.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

MARGI NANNEY IN MANATEE SCHOOLS POSITIONS ■ Sugg Middle School, Southeast High School – long-term substitute teacher, 2014 ■ R. Dan Nolan Middle School – technical education teacher, 2015-16 ■ Oneco Elementary School – paraprofessional, 2017 ■ Abel Elementary School – graduation enhancement technician, 2017-19 VOLUNTEER WORK ■ Technology Student Association – Southeast High School advisor 2006-10, 2022-25 ■ Formula One In Schools – Advisor 2006-2019, Judge/Consultant 2014 to present To learn more about Margi Nanney and her campaign, visit VoteMargiNanney. com.

every high school.

“I have this slogan, ‘Building Path‑ ways to Success’ and I’ll tell you the reason for that,” Nanney said. “Some students will become doctors, and some students will fix your car.

They’re both equally as important.”

Nanney said she hopes to help pro‑ vide more hands-on learning, such as outdoor classrooms at schools as part of a special program.

“I’m concerned about screen time, whether it’s at home or in the class‑ room,” Nanney said. “Hands-on learning and face-to-face learning is the optimum technique to use to get the best learning for our students.”

Nanney said it is important for everyone who votes to be informed about each of the candidates, such as what they stand for, how broad their knowledge is and whether they check all of the boxes for what is needed to be a productive member of the school board.

She said her experience and her deep-rooted connections with the community make her a qualified candidate.

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the supervisor of communications and public information officer for the School District of Manatee County. Her time as a district public information officer involved crisis communications and media relations across the region and she said those experiences sharpened her ability to respond quickly and transparently in high‑pressure situations.

After leaving her role in communications, she held a variety of positions within the Manatee school district including as a long term substitute teacher, a technical education teacher, a paraprofessional and a graduation enhancement technician.

Having been a teacher herself, Nanney said she understands that teachers have a heavy load placed on them. She is appreciative of the extra tax residents pay to help the district improve students’’ education. How‑ ever, she said she wants to find ways to bring more “people power.”

She wants district level staff mem‑ bers to spend more time inspiring teachers, making them feel appreci‑ ated and engaging in more face-toface time with students.

Nanney’s children, James and Mark Nanney, both grew up attend‑ ing Oneco Elementary School, Har‑ lee Middle School and graduating from Southeast High School.

“We have got to be lean at the top and heavy in the classroom with money, because that is our product,” Nanney said. “Those students are our product, and we have to recruit and retain the most talented teachers. We have to have leaders who can create energy in the school and keep that momentum going.”

She wants to improve the number of volunteers and find mentorships or partnerships with people or organizations for after-school programs.

Nanney has spent time volun‑ teering with students as a Technol‑ ogy Student Association advisor at Southeast High School from 200610 and 2022-25. She also did the same with Formula One in Schools as an advisor for 13 years and has been a judge and consultant since 2014.

Nanney also emphasized the importance of guidance counselors and career readiness. She questioned whether a sufficient amount of time is spent talking to every student at

11A

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University Parkway project will cause gridlock An Observer column (July 9, “Necessary work will snarl University Parkway”) provided details about some “necessary” major road construction coming soon to eastern University Parkway.

Agreed, the roadway widening between Bourneside Boulevard and Lorraine Road is definitely necessary. Whether the three new roundabouts planned for that stretch could be considered “necessary,” depends on one’s opinion of roundabouts in general.

However, the fourth new roundabout, planned for the University Parkway intersection with Legacy and Deer Drive, remains controversial. Shutting down or severely constricting this heavily travelled roadway could cause major delays and inconvenience for hundreds of residents living east of the project.

Schroeder-Manatee Ranch has never provided meaningful justification of the need for this highly disruptive construction. SMR wants to tear apart a perfectly functional intersection. Why? Secondly, SMR has provided no plan for traffic management during the 12 months or more of construction. This is extremely important because there are no easily accessible bypass routes. What would be the options? Diverting University Parkway traffic north to S.R. 70 would likely create gridlock along that heavily traveled highway and backups at the several school zones along Lorraine Road. Hidden River Trail, a narrow, winding road running north of the Country Club, could no way handle the traffic volume.

Cutting through residential streets in Waterside would be slow and highly unpopular with residents there. Diverting all the way south to Fruitville Road would run into congestion from the I-75 interchange construction.

ROGER BONKE LAKEWOOD RANCH

Property tax relief is a smoke screen Could the state of Florida be creating a smoke screen with its proposal to decrease property taxes?

Let’s face it, our counties require revenue sources, i.e. property taxes, user fees, sales taxes, licenses and compliance fees, fines and penalties, etc. The premise that property taxes are too high and could be lowered significantly without impacting services somehow rings hollow.

Why has the state suddenly become so interested in interfering in local property tax assessments?

Could it be that the state wants to shift revenue from some counties to other parts of the state? Even more suspicious is the persistent movement toward imposing a state income tax. That is the smoke screen to gain support for a state income tax.

From my experience in Illinois, I have learned how a seeming innocuous income tax grew from 1% to 4.95%. Don’t be fooled by trading one tax for another. Especially, when that new tax shifts local control to the state.

Even though property tax assessments might result in temporary savings, I predict that all of this will disappear in a short time as counties experience ongoing revenue deficiencies. Historically, Manatee County has argued successfully that if you, the taxpayer, have unbudgeted wants or needs then you have to pay for them by authorizing additional revenue collections. In addition to referendums for temporary increases, additional taxing districts have been approved by the voters.

With the proposed property tax scheme, we the taxpayers can look forward to an ever-increasing demand for new “special” taxing districts.

What expertise does the state have to prioritize Manatee County expenses or to approve our budgets? We need our local representatives, not the state, to make those determinations. Do you really want to shift that power to the state?

Please vote against this madness.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

LETTERS

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

13A

Not just Luxury. Statement-making. Legacy-worthy.

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COUNTRY CLUB EAST 7108 Callander Cove Vittoria Rutigliano & Todd Currey

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6514 Oakland Hills Drive Charles Totonis & Joe Harris

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5645 Churchill Downs Road Bill Blume

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7418 Monte Verde Jaci Krawtschenko

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RIVIERA DUNES 611 Riviera Dunes Way #403 Cindy Pierro

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GLEN OAKS COUNTRY CLUB 3720 Allenwood Street Lori Carey & Leslie DuFresne

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3200 Tobero Lane Jaci Krawtschenko & Jennifer Garrabrant

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78 Grand Bayfront Residences from $4.1 Million 475 Quay Commons, Sarasota Reserved Parking Across from Ocean Prime 941.499.8704 | TheResidencesSarasotaBay.com

Delivery This Year

ORAL REPRESENTATIONS CANNOT BE RELIED UPON AS CORRECTLY STATING REPRESENTATIONS OF THE SELLER. FOR CORRECT REPRESENTATIONS, MAKE REFERENCE TO THIS BROCHURE AND TO THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY SECTION 718.503, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO BE FURNISHED BY A SELLER TO A BUYER OR LESSEE. The renderings, terms, conditions, and statements contained in these materials are proposed only, and the Developer reserves the right to modify, or withdraw any or all of same in its sole discretion and without prior notice. The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Sarasota Bay are not owned, developed or sold by Marriott International, Inc. or its affiliates (“Ritz-Carlton”). KT Sarasota South, LLC uses The Ritz-Carlton marks under a license from Ritz-Carlton, which has not confirmed the accuracy of any of the statements or representations made herein. Sotheby’s International Realty® and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered service marks used with permission. Each office is independently owned and operated.

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

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

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

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826 Bayport Way | Bayport Beach & Tennis Club MLS#A4554124 | 2/2 - 1,676sf | Bay View | NOW $949,000 Matt Faul (941) 345-3255

5393 Gulf of Mexico Dr. #207| Longboat Ter MLS#A4553218 2/2 - 1,300sf | Gulf View | $989,900 Trish Carruth (601) 212-7476 Jonna Humphries (941) 465-2357

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4310 Falmouth Dr. #202 | Longboat Harbour MLS#A4554378 | 2/2 - 1,071sf | Bay View | $749,900 Jon Patella (941) 228-1613

612 Marbury Ln. | Sleepy Lagoon | MLS#A4552342 2/2 - 1,128sf | Canal Front | $1,375,000 Rebecca Samler (941) 737-7955

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383 Aruba Cir. #301 | Marina Walk/One Particular Har. MLS#A4552479 | 2/2 - 1,456sf | $975,000 Becky Smith (941) 773-1954 Elvira Starrett River720-3528 Strand | 314 Winding Brook Ln, Bradenton (941)

4510 125th St. W. | MLS#A4556067 | 6/5+ - 5,107sf Bay View | $5,500,000 | Custom designed estate w/Guest House - Rae Ellen Hayo (941) 920-0364

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Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake

JULY 16, 2026

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

ROCK ’N’

R

SES

Lynn Goldsmith’s photos celebrate nature and her collaboration with Selby Artist-In-Residence Patti Smith.

MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER

IF YOU GO

‘SHARED LIGHT: LYNN GOLDSMITH’ When: Through Sept. 8 Where: Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 1534 Mound St. Tickets: $28 Info: Visit Selby.org.

Images courtesy of Matthew Holler

Lynn Goldsmith’s photography exhibition, “Shared Light,” is on display indoors and outside at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens through Sept. 13.

A+E EDITOR

A

visitor exploring the oversized photos indoors and outside at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens could assume that the exhibition, “Shared Light: Lynn Goldsmith,” is about flowers. But according to Goldsmith, the show is about friendship.

Unless you’re an aficionado of photography or rock ’n’ roll, you might not immediately recognize Goldsmith’s name. But her images of artists such as The Rolling Stones, Grand Funk Railroad and Bruce Springsteen are in books, private collections and museums.

Her long creative collaboration with punk rocker and poet Patti Smith, Selby’s inaugural artist in residence, is the thread that runs through “Shared Light.”

On a recent morning tour, it’s immediately apparent that Goldsmith is the cool kid in the group. The blue jeans she’s wearing are embellished with pockets, straps and rings.

When someone asks her when she bought the distinctive denim, she steers them toward the website of Tripp NYC. “The designer is a friend of mine,” Goldsmith said.

The brief exchange underscores the importance of friendship to Goldsmith, something she mentions several times during the course of an hour.

Asked when she and Smith met, Goldsmith said neither of them can remember exactly, but that it was in the mid-1970s, around the time Smith’s debut studio album, “Horses,” was released.

Goldsmith recalls that she got a phone call from Smith, who said, “So-and-so says this about you.

Therefore, I think you must be great!” The two have been friends ever since.

In 1977, Goldsmith photographed Smith for the cover of her album, “Easter.” The photo ultimately chosen shows Smith with her hands tugging on her hair. The album symbolized a resurrection of sorts for Smith, who had broken her neck and was regaining movement in her arms.

During the tour at Selby Gardens,

Monica Gagnier

Lynn Goldsmith

Goldsmith recalled how she was inspired to photograph Smith using flowers that she had left over from another assignment.

“Shared Light” contains a photo tribute to Goldsmith’s friendship with Smith, through a series of photographs in the Richard and Ellen Sandor Museum of Botany and the Arts. In the gallery that Goldsmith referred to as the “purple room,” there are photos of Smith taken in the mid-1970s.

“The reason why they’re chosen is because it establishes that timeline of a friendship. For me, friendship goes through many of the same changes as the life of a flower,” said Goldsmith.

The two longtime friends recently collaborated on a luxe coffee table book published by Taschen, called “Before Easter After” ($1,000) that includes hundreds of unseen photos taken by Goldsmith and previously private texts by Smith. There is also a more affordable edition published

by Rizzoli ($65).

An interior view of “Shared Light: Lynn Goldsmith” at Selby Gardens.

A STONES FAN FROM THE START

Goldsmith got her start as a rock ’n’ roll photographer early. She was living with her mother and stepfather in Miami when she had the opportunity to shoot The Beatles in the lobby of a hotel. Goldsmith, who was 16 at the time, was not impressed by the Fab Four; she was a Rolling Stones fan. At the time, “you had to choose between the two,” she told the U of M alumni magazine.

Goldsmith’s creative, sometimes unconventional, approach was evident even then. She chose to photograph little more than the Beatles’ boots.

A native of Detroit, Goldsmith is the daughter of an engineer and an interior decorator. When she was studying English and psychology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Smith became friends with a fellow student named James Osterberg whom the world would later know as the rock star Iggy Pop. Goldsmith’s trajectory in the music business began when she was hired as director of publicity, marketing and advertising at Elektra Records in 1969. That led to a celebrated career photographing and managing rock stars.

Though it may seem tame by today’s standards, Goldsmith’s cover for Grand Funk Railroad’s album, “We’re An American Band,” was controversial at the time. It showed the band members in the nude among bales of hay.

Although the huge photos at Selby Gardens appear to be taken in the wild, that’s not the case.

Smith used to rise early and go to the Chelsea Flower Market in New York City, where restaurants, hotels and decorators procure fresh flowers each morning. There she would roam, taking close-ups of flowers using a Nikon camera with a single 50-millimeter lens.

“New York is oftentimes not the easiest place to live, but when you get up and go to the flower market, it’s well worth it,” Goldsmith said.

“You’d think people wouldn’t be happy at 5 a.m., but they are. The

flower market is a place where people are so kind to each other — really nice — and everything smells good.”

These solitary expeditions with a single camera and available light were a marked contrast to Goldsmith’s life as a studio photographer of boldface names.

“Portraiture involves having assistants and makeup people, the stylist, the publicist, the manager. It’s like a lot of people. I usually have a tray in the studio with different cameras on it,” she said.

Goldsmith might have a low-key, boho vibe, but she isn’t someone with whom you want to tangle.

In addition to being a trailblazer as a rock ’n’ roll manager and photographer, she isn’t afraid to stand up for her intellectual property.

When Andy Warhol (or perhaps one of his assistants) used her 1981 photos of the musician Prince to make a series of silkscreens, Goldsmith took her case all the way to the Supreme Court and won.

After the justices ruled 7-2 in Goldsmith’s favor, a settlement was reached in May 2024.

The Andy Warhol Foundation agreed to drop its claims, pay her legal fees and compensate her for using her images.

When she and Smith were working on the book “Before Easter After,” they decided they needed to take a photo of Smith’s shoes her mother had donated to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

The Cleveland-based museum was reluctant to part with the foot-

wear, even for a photo shoot. “So we both got on the phone and I was like, ‘I’ll never loan you anything again,” Goldsmith said. “So they brought the shoes, but they would only bring them to Patti’s house.”

Although she now lives in Nashville, Goldsmith considers herself an honorary Floridian because she went to high school in Miami. “Back then, the only air conditioning was in the library, so I read a lot,” she said.

Despite her Florida roots, Goldsmith has never photographed orchids in the wild.

She noted that in her world travels, she was impressed by the landscape of Argentina.

Goldsmith chose the photos to exhibit outside and decided where to place them using video sent to her

by David Berry, Selby’s chief curator.

“Dave generously walked it (the path) for me on video, so that I could get a feel of where the path was taking you and what you were seeing along the path,” Goldsmith said.

“These banyan trees are just extraordinary. The only thing that seemed to be (missing) was color.”

As she took visitors on a tour of her work that spans roughly five decades, Goldsmith waxed philosophical.

Through her recent book with Smith and the “Shared Light” exhibition, she has been “able to bring forward the kind of fragility and endurance that flowers and friendships have in common.”

Whether it’s the beauty of nature or a long creative partnership, Goldsmith takes nothing for granted.

A close-up of a dahlia was photographed by Lynn Goldsmith.

These solitary expeditions with a single camera and available light were a marked contrast to Goldsmith’s life as a studio photographer of boldface names.

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

THURSDAY

Sarasota Contemporary Dance presents an In-The-Round performance at its home studio on Friday, July 17.

‘DOG MOM’ 7 p.m. at Florida Studio Theatre’s Keating Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave. $25-$46 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

A New Play National Rolling Network premiere by playwright Tate Elizabeth Hanyok, “Dog Mom” is being produced by regional theaters in Portland, Oregon; Sunnyvale, California; Sacramento, California, and Sarasota’s Florida Studio Theatre. Directed by Nancy Rominger, “Dog Mom” follows a hardnosed New Yorker whose heart begins to melt after she fosters a stray dog. Runs through Aug. 2.

FLIP SCHULTZ 7 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd. $26 Visit McCurdysComedy.com.

There are few places in the world that Flip Schultz’ multifaceted comedy hasn’t taken him. He’s appeared on TV’s “Last Comic Standing,” has performed overseas for the military on several tours and is a popular comedian on cruise lines. In addition to telling his own jokes, doing improv and acting out the antics of his various alter egos, Schultz writes jokes and songs. You may know “The Lox Song” from “The Dr. Demento Show.” Runs through July 19.

‘LEAVING ON A JET PLANE’ 7:30 p.m. at Florida Studio Theatre’s Goldstein Cabaret, 1239 N. Palm Ave. $42 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

Created by Aaron Gundy, “Leaving on a Jet Plane” features an acoustic trio who take you on a flight to the feel-good era of folk music in the late 1960s and 1970s. Among the singer/songwriters whose works are featured in this upbeat show are Simon & Garfunkel, Cat Stevens, Crosby, Stills & Nash and the Lovin’ Spoonful. Runs through July 26.

‘MARVIN: A MARVIN GAYE REVUE’ 7:30 p.m. at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N. Orange Ave. $54 adults; $24 students, and active military Visit WestcoastBlackTheatre.org.

Image courtesy of Sorcha Augustine

SATURDAY

THIS WEEK Image courtesy of Adrian Van Stee

Ellie Papataros stars as the Wicked Witch in Asolo Repertory Theatre’s youth edition of “The Wizard of Oz.”

This is a sneak peek of the show Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe is taking to the 2026 International Black Theatre Festival in WinstonSalem, North Carolina. Sheldon Rhoden, who has played Marvin Gaye in four runs of “Prince of Soul,” returns for the musical revue, along with other WBTT artists. Like the man he plays, Rhoden attracts a legion of besotted, mostly female fans. Runs through July 24.

FRIDAY

SCD’S IN-THE-ROUND 7 p.m. at Sarasota Contemporary Dance, 1400 Boulevard of the Arts, Suite 300 $20 Visit SarasotaContemporaryDance. org.

‘COMEDY LOTTERY’ 7:30 p.m. at FST’s Bowne’s Lab $15-$18 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

DON’T MISS ‘THE WIZARD OF OZ: YOUTH EDITION’ Asolo Repertory Theatre continues its summer tradition of staging a family-oriented musical with “The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition.” Follow Dorothy, Toto, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion on the yellow brick road to family entertainment.

The hourlong show runs through Aug. 8.

IF YOU GO When: 4 p.m. Thursday, July 16 Where: Cook Theatre, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail Tickets: $15-$19 Info: Visit AsoloRep.org.

Sarasota Contemporary Dance’s In-The-Round gives upcoming choreographers from across the country the chance to develop and present a work in progress during SCD’s Summer Intensive.

Choreographers receive audience feedback following the performance in a process facilitated by SCD Artistic Director Leymis Bolaños Wilmott.

Florida Studio Theatre’s own improv troupe takes over Bowne’s Lab with “Comedy Lottery,” giving the audience a chance to select the night’s games. If FST Improv isn’t on your radar, it’s time for a new machine. Runs through July 25.

SUNDAY

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

“Something Borrowed, Something New” features major modern artists such as Louise Bourgeois, Chuck Close, David Hockney, Yoko Ono, Kara Walker and Ai Weiwei. Their works have been loaned by private collectors for the show, which runs through Sept. 27. Don’t miss the massive Hockney on loan from Stanton Storer, “Inside It Opens Up As Well.”

MONDAY

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

OUR PICK

SUMMER CIRCUS SPECTACULAR The Ringling and the Circus Arts Conservatory join forces for their annual Summer Circus Spectacular in the Historic Asolo Theater. Ringmaster Ashley Vargas, a veteran of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey and circuses around the world, presides over a showcase of jugglers, roller skaters, hand balancers and a clown she happens to be married to: Davis Vassallo.

For $5 more, make it a circus day and tour The Ringling’s Historic Circus Galleries and Tibbals Learning Center, which contains a miniature circus of 42,000 pieces built by Howard Tibbals. Runs through Aug. 8.

IF YOU GO When: 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Thursday, July 16 Where: the Historic Asolo Theatre, 5401 Bay Shore Road Tickets: $15-$20 Info: Visit Ringling.org.

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

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

Designer Screen Shades™ with Powerview® Automation

Fogartyville gets a face-lift

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Grants allow the listening room to add a built-in bar, more restrooms and flexible seating options.

MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER A+E EDITOR

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and operated for five years in Bradenton. In 2013, the community nightclub moved to 525 Kumquat Court in 2013 and obtained a license for WSLR, a low-watt radio station at 96.5 on the FM dial.

In 2024, Sweeting and Beaton moved to Michigan and passed the reins to Coleman, and Ariel Aparicio-Jerro, director of Fogartyville, who handles booking at the nightclub, which bills itself as “Sarasota’s favorite listening room.”

“Our founders, Dave and Arlene, did an amazing job of building community and we’ve been able to build on that,” Coleman notes. “Fogartyville/WSLR is a place where volunteers can get involved and feel a sense of ownership.”

Coleman says that WSLR/Fogartyville is remaining true to its mission of promoting community engagement and supporting social justice.

Although most Fogartyville patrons drive to concerts, art openings and other events, Coleman says the listening room is seeing a lot more pedestrian traffic in the Rosemary District due to new condos and apartments going up in the neighborhood.

Earlier this year, Fogartyville painted its exterior and added new signage. A mural painted by New Orleans street artist Brandan Odums in September 2014 was removed because it was in such poor condition. Coleman says a formal call for mural art by local artists will be issued later this year.

Further improvements to Fogartyville’s physical plant are on the way. The June upgrade was Phase One of a three-phase process, which will be completed in time for Fogartyville/WSLR’s annual fall open house, Coleman says.

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he next time you attend a concert at Fogartyville Community Center in the Rosemary District, you’ll be able to belly up to a well-appointed bar and order a draft beer. That wasn’t possible until the listening room’s recent renovation.

Beer and wine were sold from a cart without a tap to dispense beverages.

The addition of a dishwasher allows the bar to serve beverages in glasses instead of the plastic cups Fogartyville previously used.

The new bar is part of a renovation that opened to the public with the July 12 appearance of indie folk artist Remi Goode.

Fogartyville closed for the month of June to add the bar, increase the number of bathrooms and take delivery of stackable tables and chairs for the club’s interior, as well as new patio furniture.

In addition to providing a better experience for its patrons, Fogartyville is renting out its upgraded space for private parties and nonprofit mixers. It recently hired Susan Lojacono as its new event sales manager.

The new furniture allows Fogartyville to seat 120 patrons inside, up from 106 seats, and to clear the room entirely because the tables and chairs can be stacked on trolleys and stored in a shed outside.

Seating on the patio has been improved with the addition of brightly colored red and aqua chairs, but capacity remains the same at 90 seats.

Jesse Coleman, general manager of Fogartyville and its affiliated public radio station, WSLR 96.5, says Fogartyville’s facilities provide an alternative to some of “the bland meeting spaces available at local hotels.”

Nonprofits who now book the space will find improved tech capabilities for presentations, he says.

The recent Fogartyville upgrades are part of a $250,000 renovation project funded with assistance from Impact 100 SRQ, a group of women who collectively award what are termed “transformational” grants of at least $100,000, the Selby Foundation and individual benefactors, including those who donated a total of $74,822 during the Community Foundation of Sarasota’s Giving Challenge in April.

Fogartyville was founded in 2002

by Arlene Sweeting and Dave Beaton

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YOUR NEIGHBORS

Courtesy image

Linda Matte, Theresa Langston and Rosemary Cummings, of Stitchers, welcome people of all skill levels to join the club that meets on Mondays at Lakewood Ranch Town Hall North and learn about sewing, quilting and more.

Threads of friendship Stitchers, which meets at Lakewood Ranch Town Hall North, brings creative people together.

MADISON BIERL STAFF WRITER

R

ather than beginning and completing one project at a time — whether it be cro-

cheting, knitting, embroidery or quilting — Star Farms’ Rosemary Cummings starts 14 projects at

Photos by Madison Bierl

Star Farms’ Rosemary Cummings shows off a red and green quilt she started in 1993. It is one of the projects she spent years waiting to finish.

once.

Therefore, Cummings has a wide range of unfinished creations — including some that have lingered for 25 years.

“Every quilt is different and nothing can be perfect,” Cummings said. “I put myself into every quilt.”

Cummings has attended Stitchers, a club based at Lakewood Ranch Town Hall North and founded in 2023, in which the members gather and bond over creative projects.

Slowly but surely, her unfinished

STITCHERS Stitchers meets from 9 a.m. to noon at Lakewood Ranch Town Hall North every Monday from May to September.

From October to April, they meet every Monday except the second Monday of the month.

For more information or to join, contact Theresa Langston at MinnieLang@hotmail.com.

projects are getting completed while she bonds with others from the community.

Members gather to work on their individual projects. They also work together on one big group project.

Central Park’s Theresa Langston, who leads the group, began sewing in high school for her home economics class. She became so adept, he was hired to sew for a New York City fashion designer as a side job. Years ago, she made clothes, but now, her focus is on quilts, placemats, table runners, rugs, and more.

“I just love the challenge of putting things together to make them perfect, even though when I first started out, things were not,” Langston said.

“Now I’m trying to stress perfection more – the challenge of a puzzle and putting a quilt block together is difficult.”

Langston appreciates that each member of the group has something to contribute — a different skill or tactic to teach to others. She has taught edge-to-edge quilting — which is done using an embroidery machine — during the club meetings because the interest is there and sometimes it is not very easy to grasp.

“You can come (to the club) with no skill, and all of a sudden you realize you have a ton of skill,” Langston said.

Central Park’s Jo-Anne Lawler joined Stitchers with previous sewing experience. Her grandmother, Catherine, taught her to hand sew,

and her mother, Mary, taught her to machine sew. She finds quilting to be relaxing, brain-engaging and soothing for the soul. Since joining the group three years ago, she has grown much more confident in it.

“Everyone at Stitchers offers a different skill set,” Lawler said. “No one makes you feel inadequate.

The conversation and laughs are heartwarming and the beautiful quilts are inspiring.”

Lawler feels a sense of accomplishment when finishing a quilt whether she gives it away or snuggles up with it herself. She has taught her grandchildren — Mary, Jojo and Mark — to sew and looks forward to teaching them how to quilt.

Cummings said she is not a quilt fanatic and she doesn’t sell her work.

She simply shows her work to friends and family. Most times, she knows she will give her quilts away, whether it be for a new baby or an auction to raise money. As long as it goes to someone who will appreciate it, she is happy.

Summerfield’s Linda Matte joined Stitchers with embroidery skills but she was looking to learn from others who knew more than her. She loves sharing her skills when it comes to embroidery, but she also soaks in advice about sewing and quilting.

She is currently working on a quilt for her 7-year-old grandson that features cars and numbers. “(The members) are willing to help when you’re in a jam and they give you ideas about what to do next,” Matte said. “They also help with getting organized, which is one of my downfalls.”

Matte encourages anyone interested in the club to join. She said there is definitely a learning curve, but beginners are welcome.

“We’re here to sew, get ideas and talk about our lives,” Langston said.

“That’s what we like to do.”

Central Park’s JoAnne Lawler is much more confident in her quilting skills due to joining the Stitchers club.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

Hot dog, let’s go to the farmers market A

Lakewood Ranch’s Marlena Bontrager brings her four dogs — Sulley, Munchkin, Toby and Tito — to the Farmers Market at Lakewood Ranch. Three of them wore booties to protect their feet from heat.

s Lakewood Ranch’s Mitchell Miller passes by marketgoers with his German shepherd, Jager, by his side, he doesn’t hesitate to give out compliments.

“Beautiful dress!” he said to one woman. “Beautiful tattoos!” he said to another.

Every week, Miller attends the Farmers Market at Lakewood Ranch, which is held at Waterside Place each Sunday.

“There’s lots of great people, awesome vendors and beautiful weather,” Miller said. “It’s the one place I look forward to going with my dog every week.”

Despite a temperature that soared into the high 90s, the farmers market still attracted a large crowd of both humans and dogs July 12. A sign was placed on one end of the market to remind dog owners how hot the pavement can be on dogs’ paws.

For Lakewood Ranch’s Marlena Bontrager, the hot pavement was no obstacle. Her dogs, Sulley, Munchkin and Tito, each wore their own dog shoes. Due to his age, her dog, Toby, rode in a stroller and was on the pavement without shoes for only a few moments.

Bontrager has just recently moved to Lakewood Ranch and has attended the market six times.

She searched for coffee, plants, dog items and jewelry. She was not disappointed.

“The vendors were happy to share the shade with the boys when we stopped for water breaks,” Bontrager said. “It was a very laid back and friendly experience.”

— MADISON BIERL

Photos by Madison Bierl

Boston’s JJ Maguire, 4, Ariel Maguire, 6, and their mom, Kasha Grabowski, wear funky hats while enjoying treats from Jeremiah’s Italian Ice at the Farmers Market at Lakewood Ranch.

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Carmen Forte, who plays eclectic acoustic covers from the 1970s2000s, performs “The Middle” by the band Jimmy Eat World at Waterside Place during the market’s events.

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COMMUNITY THURSDAY, JULY 16

DANCE FITNESS CLASS Begins at 9 a.m. at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota. The SweatSanity Dance Fitness Class is a free program at Nathan Benderson Park held the third Thursday of each month. The class focuses primarily on Shine Dance Fitness, a high-cardio class that incorporates current hit music with choreographed routines designed to boost confidence.

Dance styles include jazz, ballet and hip-hop.

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THURSDAY, JULY 16 AND EVERY DAY

MALL WALKERS CLUB Begins at 9 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday at the Mall at University Town Center, 140 University Town Center Drive, Sarasota. Join the Mall Walkers Club, a program sponsored by the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center.

For more information, go to Simon. com/Mall/The-Mall-At-UniversityTown-Center.

THURSDAY, JULY 16 THROUGH SUNDAY, JULY 19

Dive into Daily Crossword Fun! C H A L

LIVE MUSIC AT JIGGS LANDING Runs from 5-8 p.m. each day at Jiggs Landing, 6106 63rd St. E., Bradenton. The live music lineup includes Al Fuller (Thursday), Matt Federici (Friday), James Carberry (Saturday) and Dave Fowler (Sunday). For more information, go to JiggsLanding. com.

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FRIDAY, JULY 17 AND SATURDAY, JULY 18

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MUSIC AT THE PLAZA Runs from 6-9 p.m. at Waterside Place, 1561 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch. Singer-songwriter Sara Nelms will entertain those strolling the streets of Waterside Place on Friday while Carmen Forte is the featured performer on Saturday. For more information, go to WatersidePlace.com.

P T E D

SATURDAY, JULY 18

READ TO A DOG Begins at 10 a.m. at the Lakewood Ranch Library, 16410 Rangeland Parkway, Lakewood Ranch. Bring your favorite book to the Kids Space

BEST BET SATURDAY, JULY 18 THROUGH SATURDAY, AUG. 1

TASTE OF THE RANCH Runs at various times at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch and Waterside Place restaurants. Dig into exclusive prix-fixe menus that will be offered by participating restaurants. Sip on wine pairings, specialty cocktails, and savor one-of-a-kind dishes made especially for the event. The brunch or lunch twocourse meal will be $25; a three-course dinner will be either $35 or $45. Participating restaurants at Waterside Place are Agave Bandido, Allswell, Carved, Deep Lagoon, Forked, Good Liquid Brewing Company, Kore, Osteria 500 and Quincy’s Original Lobster Rolls.

Participating restaurants in Main Street at Lakewood Ranch are Ed’s Tavern, Kuro, Paris Bistro, Pinchers, Station 400, and Grove. For more information, go to MyLWR.com.

at the Lakewood Ranch Library and read to a certified therapy dog. Perfect for those who want to practice and build their literacy skills in a low-stress environment.

Intended for children 4-7 years old.

For more information, go to MyLWR. com.

SATURDAY, JULY 18 AND SUNDAY, JULY 19

MUSIC AT THE LODGE Runs from 6-9 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday at Linger Lodge, 7205 85th St. Court E., Bradenton. Brooke Hargrove is the entertainer on Saturday while Scotty Yates is the featured artist on Sunday.

SUNDAY, JULY 19

FARMERS MARKET Runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Lakefront Drive in Waterside Place. The Farmers Market at Lakewood Ranch, which is 2025 was selected as the nation’s best Farmers Market, runs year-round every Sunday. Vendors offer seafood, eggs, meats, dairy products, pastas, bakery goods, jams and pickles, among other items. Other features are children’s activities and live music. Go to MyLWR.com for more information.

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YOUR CALENDAR

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

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4B

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

5B

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

Coastwise seeks Manatee County students to participate in science program A $4,500 grant from the Manatee Community Foundation aims to support more Manatee County student involvement in the Coastwise stem program free of charge.

MADISON BIERL STAFF WRITER

P

alm Aire’s Nick Barbi, who has a Ph.D. in material science, has three goals while working with students: Do something charitable, introduce them to the business of scientific instruments and give them the opportunity to understand the health of the planet based on science without the spin of a political party.

“Every scientist, whether they’re biological, chemical, marine, material or Earth scientists use instruments,” Barbi said. “They might not be good engineers, they might not be good coders but they use instruments.”

In 2022, Barbi founded the Science and Technology Society for adults who have science backgrounds. The organization became a nonprofit in 2023, and Barbi said sharing knowledge and skills with students was the next step. Coastwise Stem Program was started to honor of his late wife, Mary Jo. Barbi is seeking Manatee County students who want to register for the program.

Coastwise is an acronym for “Community Observation and Analysis using Spectroscopic Techniques and Wetlands Imaging to foster Stewardship of our Environment.”

Students have the opportunity to utilize NASA’s Stella Q-2 spectrometer, drone imagery and satellite data to study and protect the environment. Barbi said the region’s residents are lucky to live in such a beautiful environment, but much of the area’s economy — built around its beauty, tourism and nature — are often at odds with each other.

“We wanted to show students a way that they could find out what’s happening to the planet Earth and make decisions for themselves whether there’s a line that should be drawn in economic development versus environmental impact,” Barbi said.

In 2024, there were three workshops and in 2025 there were four.

In the past, 95% of the students who attended the workshops were from Sarasota County. This is the third year of the program and there will be nine active days of hands-on learning from July 20-24 and Aug. 3-6.

A grant of $4,500 from the Manatee Community Foundation was granted to support more students, specifically from Manatee County, in the program. The grant and donations from supporters of the Science and Technology Society will allow students from Manatee County to attend the workshops for free.

Barbi said the Manatee Community Foundation has been one of the main supporters of the program. He said support in Manatee County has continued to grow both financially and in terms of resources.

He said the program also is getting increased interest from science teachers such as Lakewood Ranch High’s Alexandra Wilcoxson and Tana Phelps. He said he has visited various schools to spread the word about the program and has been welcomed with open arms.

Wilcoxson said the Coastwise program and the Science and Technology Society as a whole are great resources for students to engage in field research, collect data and learn how to use scientific instruments.

She looks forward to strengthening the relationship and utilizing Barbi’s affiliation as a NASA ambassador to

COASTWISE PART 1: Reflectance Spectroscopy of Vegetation, emphasizing mangroves ■ Takes place July 20-24 at State College of Florida, 5840 26th St. W., Bradenton, Building 25A, Room 117 PART 2: Drone Spectroscopy and Spectrumbased false color imaging ■ Takes place Aug. 3-6 at Faulhaber Fab Lab, Suncoast Science Center, 4452 S. Beneva Road, Sarasota

Madison Bierl

Coastwise student development team members Charles Mesia, Justin Kim (back), Colton McGill, Gabi Otero (back) and John Onesti gather to utilize a NASA STELLA Q-2 VNIR spectrometer, a handheld device that measures light intensity and plant health.

bring more large-scale opportunities to students.

“I am excited to continue to bring more field research opportunities to our students that enhance the science, math and research classroom experience,” Wilcoxson said. “These initiatives will help prepare our students for college and professional research, science and engineering careers.”

This is the first year the group is implementing a student development team, which meets once a week for four hours to serve as the experts once the camp starts.

It is made up of eight students – four from Manatee County and four from Sarasota County.

Representing Manatee are Colton McGill, John Onesti, Gabi Otero and Charles Mesia. Students representing Sarasota are Natalie Merino, Mitran Loganthan Mohanraj, Neil Acharya and Justin Kim. There are also two adjuncts, Cache Maiola and Michael Merino, who help as needed.

McGill, a rising junior who is homeschooled in Lakewood Ranch and is team captain of the development group for Coastwise, said he has attended the program since its inception. He is excited to take charge of the new opportunity to lead and help other kids embrace the free opportunity.

“You don’t need to have any knowledge on this topic,” McGill said. “We explain in a way that’s pretty easy to understand the basics, and it’s a great way to learn the skill of diving into a topic you don’t know and learning it in under a week.”

Gabi Otero, a rising senior at Lakewood Ranch High School, discovered the program through her teacher, Wilcoxson. Otero is heavily interested in the natural sciences and coleads the spectroscopy group and the earth sciences group.

Otero said the program is a great way to keep minds active over the summer. Before she joined, she didn’t know about spectroscopy, the

There will be six course instructors and five guest speakers.

Coastwise is free, enabled by a grant from Manatee Community Foundation and donations from Science and Technology Society supporters.

Students can participate in both weeks or choose one.

To register, contact Nick Barbi at NicholasBarbi@gmail. com or 267-205-7229 For more information on Coastwise, visit ScienceAndTechnologySociety.org.

study of how matter interacts with electromagnetic radiation or light.

Onesti, who co-leads the Earth sciences group with Otero, attended the program for the first time last year. He joined because he has a large interest in the environment and he hopes to become a marine biologist.

He said he is nervous about being a role model for fellow students, but is also excited they have worked together to become masters on the topics in order to lead the others.

Barbi said he encourages rising freshmen and sophomores especially to enroll in this year’s course, so they can volunteer for the development team next year.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

7B

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State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota does not discriminate on the basis of sex, pregnancy, race, religion, age, national origin/ ethnicity, color, marital status, disability, genetic information or sexual orientation in any of its educational programs, services and activities, including admission and employment. Direct inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies to Equal Opportunity Officer, 941-752-5599, 5840 26th St. W., Bradenton, FL 34207.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

COMING SOON

SARASOTA’S GULF COAST AN EXTRAORDINARY VIEW DESERVES AN EXTRAORDINARY HOME

162 EMERSON DRIVE

“The sky is the daily bread of the eyes.”

RALPH WALDO EMERSON

Rich Polese LUXURY REAL ESTATE ADVISOR FOUNDING AGENT | COMPASS SARASOTA

941.914.7115 Rich@FlHomes.com FLHomes.com

Compass is a licensed real estate broker. All material is intended for Informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice.

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YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

A

home in the Concession on Ganton Avenue topped the week’s sales.

Xiaohong Sun and Yong Xian Xu sold their home at 19451 Ganton Ave. to Mark Raymond McGee and Sarah McGee, of Bradenton, for $3.5 million. Built in 2007, it has five bedrooms, fourand-two-half baths, a pool and 9,101 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.53 million in 2010.

LAKE CLUB

Anna and William Marganti, trustees, of Sarasota, sold the home at 17238 Salerno Drive to Brian Flosi, of St. Charles, Illinois, for $3 million. Built in 2021, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,754 square feet of living area. It sold for $3 million in 2023.

COUNTRY CLUB EAST

Amit and Katherine Chandra, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 7473 Seacroft Cove to Arik and Jeriann Jacobson, of Bradenton, for $2.25 million. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,708 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.6 million in 2021.

Dennis Godfrey, of Bradenton, sold the home at 15407 Helmsdale Place to David and Gretchen Witbeck, of Lakewood Ranch, for $650,000.

Built in 2013, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 2,055 square feet of living area. It sold for $360,000 in 2025.

WILD BLUE AT WATERSIDE

Anette Dorn, of Bradenton, sold the home at 8340 Sea Glass Court to Dale and Denise Beaudoin, of Sarasota, for $1,875,000. Built in 2024, it has three bedrooms, threeand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,841 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,685,500 in 2024.

SDWB Waterside LLC sold the home at 296 Blue Pearl Court to Clifford and Jennifer Stubbs, of Sarasota, for $1,823,900. Built in 2025, it has four bedrooms, threeand-a-half baths, a pool and 3,054 square feet of living area.

SHOREVIEW

Jamie Hallick, trustee, of Verona, Wisconsin, sold the home at 7885 Mainsail Lane to Richard and Lisa Caplan, of Sarasota, for $1,795,000.

Built in 2022, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,487 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,733,800 in 2023.

Donald and Suzanne Pope, of Sarasota, sold their home at 716 Sigsbee Loop to David Paul Henneman and Allison Miller Henneman, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, for $1.32 million.

Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,492 square feet of living area. It sold for $739,400 in 2021.

WATERLEFE GOLF AND RIVER CLUB

Tedd Stewart, trustee, of Bradenton, sold the home at 10816 Winding Stream Way to Andrew Wilcox, of Bradenton, for $1.26 million. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,052 square feet of living area. It sold for $576,500 in 2003.

LAKEHOUSE COVE AT WATERSIDE

LRG Marco LLC sold the home at 1124 Waterline Court to Darcy Thomas, of Sarasota, for $1.23 million. Built in 2025, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,257 square feet of living area. It sold for $954,900 in 2025.

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

JUNE 29-JULY 3

Benjamin and Annie Bjerk, of Nokomis, sold their home at 997 Crosswind Ave. to Virginia Jung Wong, of Wappingers Falls, New York, for $878,000. Built in 2022, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,157 square feet of living area. It sold for $790,000 in 2024.

RIVERDALE REVISED

Kyle Christopher Weott, trustee, sold the home at 4527 Blue Marlin Drive to Gary Ondrey, trustee, of Palmetto, for $1,225,000. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, threeand-a-half baths, a pool and 3,556 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.25 million in 2023.

MILL CREEK

Craig and Robin Clark, of Ellenton, sold their home at 2310 141st St. E. to John Mitchell Tipton and Ashley Elizabeth Tipton, of Bradenton, for $1,075,000. Built in 2005, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,993 square feet of living area.

It sold for $625,000 in 2008.

Robert and Allison Taraska, of Myakka City, sold their home at 1906 154th St. E. to Fredrick and Erin Lambe, of Bradenton, for $773,800. Built in 2007, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,755 square feet of living area. It sold for $394,000 in 2013.

WINDING RIVER

Gus and Tammy Gonzalez, of Edmond, Oklahoma, sold their home at 14109 Ninth Terrace N.E. to John Bourque and Darlene Emily Bourque, of Bradenton, for $1,025,000. Built in 2014, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,800 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.15 million in 2023.

MALLORY PARK

Parth Kothari and Karishman Sitapara, of Derwood, Maryland, sold their home at 3242 Anchor Bay Trail to The Denning Family Trust, Jeremy Denning and Annette Denning, trustees, for $985,000.

Built in 2019, it has five bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 2,907 square feet of living area. It sold for $975,000 in 2024.

Eugene and Jody Richards, of Tallahassee, sold their home at 11908 Hancock Drive to Stephen Alexander Salome and Jennifer Salome, of Bradenton, for $895,000. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,125 square feet of living area. It sold for $900,000 in 2021.

GREYHAWK LANDING

Paul Pacini and Marie Fi Pacini, of Woburn, Massachusetts, sold their home at 405 Petrel Trail to Carlos and Cheryl Montero, of Bradenton, for $940,000. Built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,170 square feet of living area.

It sold for $930,000 in 2022.

Courtesy image

This Lake Club home at 17238 Salerno Drive sold for $3 million. Built in 2021, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,754 square feet of living area.

2,560 square feet of living area. It sold for $660,400 in 2021.

Duane Nguyen and Chau Thi Tran, of San Jose, California, sold their home at 18249 Rockport Place to Nobu and Kwisoon Fukui, of Chester, New York, for $738,000.

Built in 2025, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,302 square feet of living area. It sold for $748,300 in 2025.

LORRAINE LAKES

Diana and Aaron Jousse, of Bradenton, sold their home at 15532 White Linen Drive to Sean and Holly Purcell, of Bradenton, for $880,000. Built in 2023, it has six

bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,918 square feet of living area. It sold for $850,300 in 2023.

PRESERVE AT PANTHER RIDGE

Stephen and Maria Sowards, of Winder, Georgia, sold their home at 22505 Night Heron Way to Cole and Pamela Slade, of Bradenton, for $880,000. Built in 2004, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 3,200 square feet of living area. It sold for $675,000 in 2023.

Kenneth and Ann Anderson, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home SEE REAL ESTATE, PAGE 10B

Anytime.

Anywhere.

Observer.

RIVER CLUB SOUTH

Scott and Karen Stevens, of Seattle, sold their home at 7530 Tori Way to James Dale Thompson and Elizabeth Thompson, of Lakewood Ranch, for $940,000. Built in 2000, it has four bedrooms, three-anda-half baths, a pool and 3,298 square feet of living area. It sold for $390,000 in 2000.

Christina Lincoln, of Imperial, Missouri, sold her home at 9937 Laurel Valley Ave. Circle to Hunter and Morgan West, of Bradenton, for $785,000. Built in 1997, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,503 square feet of living area. It sold for $735,000 in 2025.

RYE WILDERNESS ESTATES

Nicholas and Ashlei Rimbey, trustees, sold the home at 507 167th Blvd. E. to Stephen Patrick Paiz and Nicole Marie Paiz, of Bradenton, for $940,000. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,135 square feet of living area. It sold for $910,000 in 2025.

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Hugo Smitter and Sandra Williams, of St. Petersburg, sold their home at 4940 Surfside Circle to Jeffrey and Randi Johnson, of Bradenton, for $880,000. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and

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ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

REAL ESTATE

Concession home tops sales at $3.5 million

9B

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

Real estate

EFFORTLESS COMFORT. ELEVATED LIVING.

FROM PAGE 9B

at 7726 Jay Watch Glen to Brittany and Peter Bong, of Cooperstown, New York, for $809,000. Built in 2003, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,913 square feet of living area. It sold for $470,000 in 2004.

ENCLAVE AT COUNTRY MEADOWS

Thomas and Kelly Dietrich, of Bradenton, sold their home at 1051 145th St. Circle N.E. to Christopher Sean Valentine and Charlotta Ewa Valentine, of Lakewood Ranch, for $845,000. Built in 2016, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,075 square feet of living area. It sold for $577,000 in 2019.

RIVER CLUB NORTH

Mohan and Geeta Ragnandan, of Bronx, New York, sold their home at 6107 Glen Abbey Lane to Michelle Tronilo and Mariela and Pedro Tronilo, of Woodhaven, New York, for $835,000. Built in 1999, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,818 square feet of living area.

It sold for $515,000 in 2012.

RIVERWALK RIDGE

Paul Beauchamp Terry and Susan Ramler Terry, trustees, of Sarasota, sold the home at 12202 Lobelia Terrace to Jack Howie Milne III and Kelci Lee-Killian Milne, of Lakewood Ranch, for $835,000.

Built in 2002, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,151 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,165,000 in 2022.

MISTY OAKS

The Edit 50 S Palm Ave 941-899-3565 Tue.-Sat. 10-6

HIGHGATE 465272-1

7211 S Tamiami Trl 941-923-2569 Mon.-Sat. 10-5, Sun. 12-5 Copenhagen-imports.com

Lawrence and Francine Sullivan, of Aiken, South Carolina, sold their home at 8242 Misty Oaks Blvd. to Ronald Howard Lee and Lynnda Williamson Thomas, of Sarasota, for $739,000. Built in 1988, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,659 square feet of living area.

It sold for $294,000 in 2002.

Brown, of Odessa, sold their home at 7114 Marston Court to Mary Bianchi, of Sarasota, for $725,000.

Built in 1997, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,678 square feet of living area.

COUNTRY CLUB

William and Marian Iwata, of Sarasota, sold their home at 12037 Thornhill Court to Liping Fan and Xingyue Huang, trustees, of Lakewood Ranch, for $715,000.

Built in 2010, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,104 square feet of living area. It sold for $454,000 in 2019.

GREENBROOK

Marie Hogie, trustee, of Lakewood Ranch, sold the home at 13332 Purple Finch Circle to Clayton Lamar Roberts and Kimberly Roberts, of Roswell, Georgia, for $715,000.

Built in 2003, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,718 square feet of living area.

ROSEDALE ADDITION

Nobu and Kwisoon Fukui, of Chester, New York, sold their home at 10656 Glencorse Terrace to Joseph Mallak and Bambi Lynn Mallak, of Bradenton, for $665,000.

Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,507 square feet of living area. It sold for $435,200 in 2016.

SAVANNA

David Anthony Peters and Gina Peters, of Parrish, sold their home at 13506 Saw Palm Creek Trail to Linda Williams Rodriguez Ramirez and Anthony William Ramirez, of Bradenton, for $660,000. Built in 2017, it has five bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths and 3,580 square feet of living area. It sold for $396,000 in 2017.

ONLINE See more transactions at YourObserver.com.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

11B

ADVERTISEMENT

A New Chapter for Higher Education in Parrish Opening Fall 2027 WHEN CLASSES BEGIN IN FALL 2027

Students will have access to a robust schedule of associate in arts (AA) In Fall 2027, State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF), will proudly courses, creating new pathways to bachelor’s degrees, workforce open the new SCF Parrish campus, expanding access to affordable, high- credentials and career advancement opportunities closer to home.More quality higher education for one of the fastest-growing regions in Florida. than a new building, SCF Parrish represents a shared commitment to Located at 11680 Erie Road, the new educational opportunity, workforce campus represents a significant development and regional prosperity.

This achievement would not have been possible without the dedication, leadership and support of countless individuals and organizations who believed in bringing SCF to Parrish.

Erie Road, new SCF campus aerial

investment in the future of North Manatee County and the generations of students who will live, work and lead in this community.

The new Parrish campus also reflects the power of collaboration among local government leaders, community organizations, philanthropic partners, educational advocates and residents who recognize the importance of providing accessible higher education in a rapidly growing area.

SCF EXTENDS ITS SINCERE GRATITUDE TO:

• The SCF District Board of Trustees • The SCF Foundation Board of Directors SCF Parrish will feature a new • Business partners 45,163-square-foot, two-story • Community foundations academic building, supported by a • Local chambers, alliances and 2,857-square-foot Central Energy economic development partners Plant, situated on 14 acres of developed site improvements.

• Community members and supporters • Faculty, staff and students Designed to meet the needs of • Volunteers who advocated for today’s learners and tomorrow’s expanded educational access workforce, the campus will include modern classrooms, lecture spaces, • Senator Jim Boyd, District 20 two science laboratories, tutoring • Representative Will Robinson, and library services, testing and District 71 assessment facilities, disability resource support, student services, Their leadership, advocacy and faculty offices, a community investment helped transform a vision room and dedicated spaces into a lasting resource for our region. for maintenance, information Together, they have helped create a technology and public safety.

place where future nurses, teachers, entrepreneurs, scientists, public servants and community leaders will begin their journeys.

Entrance aerial, Erie Road, new campus

LOOKING AHEAD SCF hopes to continue expanding opportunities at SCF Parrish through the future addition of the SCF Parrish Collegiate School, a tuition-free public charter high school that would provide accelerated dual enrollment opportunities for local students.

Designed to allow students to earn both a high school diploma and an associate in arts degree, the Collegiate School would create an even stronger educational pathway for area families while supporting the region’s growing workforce needs.

As SCF prepares to welcome its first students to the Parrish campus in Fall 2027, we celebrate not only a new facility, but a communitywide accomplishment. This campus stands as a testament to what can be achieved when a community comes together around a shared commitment to growth, opportunity and student success.

This campus stands as a testament to what can be achieved when a community comes together around a shared commitment to growth, opportunity and student success.

Thank you for helping make the SCF Parrish Campus possible. At SCF, we meet you where you are. We’re Everyone’s College.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SCF, VISIT SCF.EDU.

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A VISION YEARS IN THE MAKING IS BECOMING A REALITY.

Q E E

JULY 16, 2026

SPORTS

“Competing is my favorite thing to do. I have so much fun, and I don’t let it stress me out too much.”

— ODA’s Brooklyn Cullen SEE PAGE 14B

MICHAEL BLAIR’S BACKGROUND

FAST

BREAK

File photo

Former Braden River High athletic director Bob Bowling died July 4. He was the first in school history to hold the position, from 2005-14.

B

ob Bowling, who served as Braden River High School’s first athletic director from 2005-2014, died July 4 at 78 years old. He coached baseball and football at high schools across Florida and Texas. In Florida, his stops included Palmetto, Pasco Comprehensive, Manatee and Miami Edison. In Texas, he coached at Groveton and Mexia. Bowling served in the U.S. Army. He was inducted into the Braden River High School Hall of Fame and Manatee High School Hall of Honor in 2014 and 2026, respectively.

Services in his memory will be held July 24 at West Bradenton Baptist Church, with visitation at 10 a.m. followed by service at 11 a.m. A military honors burial is also scheduled that day for 3 p.m. at Sarasota National Cemetery. Bowling’s family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the West Bradenton Baptist Church Children’s Ministry. ... The Sarasota Paradise suffered the worst loss in their first year of professional play as they were drilled 5-0 by Miami FC on July 11 at Premier Sports Campus. The Paradise now have failed to score in three consecutive games. Going into their next game, July 26 at Portland Hearts of Pine, the team is 6-13-3 and in 11th place in the 17-team USL League One. Their next home game is July 29 against the same team. ... John Schroeder, who graduated from Lakewood Ranch High in 2021, now plays for the New York Boulders professional baseball team of the Frontier League. The league is comprised of 18 teams across the U.S. and Canada.

Founded in 1993, it’s the oldest active independent professional baseball league in North America. The Boulders are 31-21 as of July 8, and hold first place in the four-team Atlantic East Division. Schroeder owns a .283 batting average with five homers and 39 RBIs.

SUCCESS TRAVELS PAGE 13B

Out of the

rough?

Meadows Golf Club’s general manager has an extensive background in golf, dating back to before his previous position at Walt Disney World Golf from 2025-26.

From 1981-88, Blair served as general manager for various clubs with Club Corporation of America. He managed Canyon Crest Country Club in Riverside, California; Crow Canyon Country Club in Danville, California; Metropolitan Club in Denver; and La Cita Country Club in Titusville.

He was also general manager for The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando from 2003-06.

Later on, he worked as assistant general manager for the American Golf Corporation in Long Beach, California, from 2008-13.

Meadows Golf Club off Longmeadow Road in Sarasota has been with Arnold Palmer Golf Management since March 9. The company restored its 18-hole Meadows Course and is working to restore its 18-hole Groves Course.

Privateturned-public Meadows Golf Club reopened June 19 under new management after filing for bankruptcy last summer.

As one of many golf clubs in Sarasota, Meadows Golf Club hopes to set itself apart by offering year-round public play on “premium quality” courses, per General Manager Michael Blair.

JACK NELSON SPORTS REPORTER

A

rnold Palmer Golf Management posed a question to Michael Blair.

The company asked if he’d be interested in checking out a new club it acquired in Sarasota.

Blair, employed by the company at Walt Disney World Golf since 2025, happily obliged. He made the trip from Orlando to see what was then The Meadows Country Club.

“I was very excited about it,” Blair said. “I saw tremendous potential in the opportunity to revitalize the club, and I felt that we could do great things in this area.”

The club faced financial disaster at this time last year. Now, under new management and bearing a new identity, it hopes to card more birdies than bogeys.

Meadows Golf Club opened June 19 for public play, welcoming golfers from all over the area to its restored 18-hole Meadows Course.

It also features an 18-hole Groves Course, which is still undergoing turf improvements and will open to the public in November, per Blair.

In July 2025, what was then called The Meadows Country Club filed Chapter 7 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida, shuttering its facilities. That marked the end of nearly five decades in the golfing business dating back to the opening of its first course in 1976.

Arnold Palmer Golf Management, however, swooped in. It has overseen the club’s courses since March 9 and reports to Benderson Development, which signed a long-term lease with The Meadows Community Association earlier this year for the rights to operate the property.

The signature red, yellow, white and green umbrella — synonymous with one of golf’s all-time greats — is attached to this new beginning.

“We don’t do (that) lightly. We’re very selective in the clubs that we associate with,” said Blair, the general manager. “But we really felt like this was a hidden gem of an opportunity to bring a previously private club into

a public forum and present great golf opportunities for the whole city of Sarasota.”

A number of different companies managed the club’s courses over the years. Troon managed from 202225 after acquiring ICON, which managed from 2020-22. Billy Casper Golf Management — also acquired by Troon in 2021 — was in charge from 2015-20.

Arnold Palmer Golf Management, based in Dallas, is tasked with turning a recent failure into a rousing success.

To do so, it has brought the formerly private club into the public eye.

That’s the reason behind the rebrand of Meadows Golf Club.

“Country club” carries a private, exclusive connotation whereas “golf club” carries a public, inclusive connotation.

Unlike many clubs in Sarasota, this one will be open to the public yearround. It seeks to distinguish itself from public competitors like Bobby Jones Golf Club and Serenoa Golf Club.

Some, such as University Park Country Club are private, but open to the public during the summer.

Others are private year-round and entirely unavailable to nonmembers.

“There’s a niche in the marketplace for premium golf course quality at a middle tier that we fit into perfectly — during the summer and during the winter,” Blair said.

Sam Schriber, a Sarasota resident and golf instructor, has become a regular on the Meadows Course. He played the Groves Course before the club filed for bankruptcy.

He had “no prior attachment” to the club, but now spends his time and money there instead of at other clubs nearby.

“It’s convenient being so close,” Schriber said. “They have range balls that aren’t so worn through that they don’t have dimples anymore, so the range is pretty good.”

Since reopening last month, Meadows Golf Club has averaged over 150 golfers per day. The average course in Sarasota hosts about 75 rounds of golf per day during the summer, according to Blair.

Photos by Jack Nelson

The course updates being done at Meadows Golf Club include new flags and flagsticks on all 36 holes. Once restoration of the Groves Course is completed in November, the club will be able to accommodate more golfers.

He sees the club’s numbers as “phenomenal” for this time of year and has received “rave reviews” from those who have played the restored Meadows Course.

“I’ve played it quite a few times now,” Schriber said. “It’s in great shape, and it’s a lot better bang for your buck than anywhere else I’ve found.”

Blair attributes much of Meadows Golf Club’s early popularity to its “Players Club,” of which, Schriber is a member.

Members can schedule tee times five days in advance for 25% off standard fare, pay just $20 for 18 holes after 2 p.m. in the summer and hit one medium bucket of balls per day, among other benefits.

Membership was initially priced at $30 per month. It’s since been upped to $40 after 400 were sold over the past three weeks.

Blair believes top-notch hospitality is most crucial for any golf club to succeed in this day and age. He’s intent on translating that belief to Meadows Golf Club.

“You’ve got to treat people like they are the most important thing at that moment every day,” Blair said.

“Greeting them, taking their clubs, putting them on a cart ... Everybody is here to help you have a good time ... If you’re doing those things, people are going to come back.”

An 18-hole golf course, he said, can typically accommodate no more than 250 players per day. He also said that number could be the norm during the winter if their momentum continues.

His confidence that Meadows Golf Club will stay in the green and out of the rough comes from what he’s seen since their doors opened.

“We’re filling the golf course, far beyond what they ever did before,” Blair said.

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

NELSON’S NOGGIN

13B

JACK NELSON

Local rising sophomore has a world of talent Sky Commissar made the Mustangs’ varsity as a freshman and also has competed in international competitions twice.

used to the same people, the same surroundings and the same way they play,” Commissar said. “The speed of play, the technical side — that’s all different compared to playing with high school people I see every day and club people I see every day.”

Only four of 21 players on varsity for Lakewood Ranch girls soccer in 2025-26 were freshmen. She was one of them, listed at forward.

Cole Richardson, the Lakewood Ranch girls soccer coach, said Commissar could’ve easily been a full-time starter on junior varsity.

She recognized in tryouts, though, the newcomer was ready for a more challenging environment.

Her decision to award Commissar a varsity spot was a strong indicator that big things are in store for the rising sophomore.

“She’s confident, she has a great attitude (and) she works hard,” Richardson said. “She’s just a kid who puts her nose down and does the work. I feel like she’s not really showy — she just does it.”

Commissar tallied 70 minutes of playing time in her first season with the Mustangs. She didn’t record any goals or assists, but did appear in 14 of the team’s 22 matches.

Every minute of playing time had to be earned on a squad this strong. Lakewood Ranch went back-to-back as the FHSAA Class 6A-Region 3 champion, reaching the 6A state semifinals before losing to Niceville 4-0.

Still, the freshman contributed to a team which finished 16-3-3 and took her on a journey deep into the postseason. She’ll be prepared for a larger role down the road because of it.

Richardson also admires Commissar’s winning traits, like how she reacted on last season’s senior night when given the opportunity to compete.

“I called her up, and the position she was subbing in for happened to be a senior. Before I realized it,

O

pportunities to compete internationally are not so easily earned. Only certain talented athletes are selected.

It’s the ultimate honor for some.

They’re able to represent their country while testing themselves against other elite performers from around the globe.

For Sky Commissar, it’s starting to become the norm.

The rising sophomore at Lakewood Ranch High played for Team Great Britain at the Costa Blanca Cup in Benidorm, Spain, from July 6-9. Now in its 32nd year, the youth soccer tournament featured 100 clubs from 24 countries, crowning champions in 14 divisions.

In the girls’ U16 division, Team Great Britain won its group by defeating Atlético San Blas of Spain 5-2, tying C.F. Introsports of Spain 1-all, and defeating Sporting Club Féminin 78 of France 3-0, in that order.

Commissar scored one goal and recorded three assists in the tournament as her team reached the semifinals, but ultimately lost to Norsk Spiller Utvikling of Norway 2-1. “(I was) looking forward to it and preparing for it for a long time,” Commissar said. “I knew probably around the beginning of the year that I made it, so I started preparing early.”

This is the second consecutive summer she’s gone overseas. In July 2025, she visited Israel to represent Great Britain at the Maccabiah Games, also known as the Jewish Olympics.

File photo

When she isn’t overseas, Sky Commissar spends most of her time with Southwest Florida Premier FC at the club level. With them, she competes in the girls’ regional league of the Elite Clubs National League.

Three seasons of high school soccer are still to come for Commissar, and already, she’s building a resume of international play. It takes talent to fuel such a rapid rise.

Born in London, she grew up in a family of soccer fanatics, but started out in an entirely different sport — gymnastics. She also tried her hand at ballet and flag football.

Soccer formally entered her life when she was 6 years old. She asked her father, Rob Commissar, if she could give it a try — much to his

delight, since he’s a former player himself.

The pitch has been her playground ever since.

The Costa Blanca Cup reached her radar thanks to her cousin, Ruby Icklow, who had participated before as a goalkeeper for Team Great Britain.

It proved to be a far different experience for Sky Commissar than those which she’s had at Lakewood Ranch and with her club, Southwest Florida Premier FC. “You have to adapt to not being

she was like, ‘Nope, that’s a senior,’ and she went and sat back down,” Richardson said. “She isn’t just thinking about herself and her own time.”

As Rob Commissar will tell you, it’s his daughter’s work ethic that has gotten her this far. It’s what got her to the Costa Blanca Cup and Maccabiah Games in the first place.

She isn’t just willing to work.

She’s eager to embrace challenges along the way.

Commissar has been unafraid to set ambitious goals. She wants to play at the NCAA Division I level for Florida State, and eventually, for the England women’s national team.

“If she says she’s going to do something, she’s going to do it,” said Rob Commissar. “And if you tell her she can’t do something, it’s even more motivation for her that she’s going to prove everybody wrong.”

Early experiences with Great Britain are steps in the right direction. They’ve given her allimportant exposure outside of the U.S., and a taste of what other players her age can do.

How she develops that international-caliber talent over the next three years will determine whether she follows the future path she’s mapped out.

If 2025-26 has been any indication, her travels aren’t over.

“It’s just made me think that if I put my heart into it and use my talent,” Commissar said. “I can go farther.”

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

Celebrate

Outstanding Leadership Awards

The 2026

HONOREES FIONA FARRELL IMPACT IN ACTION AWARD

KARI QUEEN

LEADERSHIP SARASOTA DEDICATION AWARD

A PROGRAM OF:

LUCY NICANDRI LIFETIME OF LEADERSHIP AWARD

DAVID VERINDER

HEATHER TODD

*NEW AWARD*

*NEW AWARD*

COMMUNITY CATALYST AWARD

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5TH

11:30 AM - 1:30 PM

CIVIC CHAMPION AWARD

PRESENTED BY:

465224-1

MICHAEL'S ON EAST RESTAURANT & CATERING

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

How did this latest performance compare to your previous successes on The Junior Tour?

I was confident going into this year.

I knew the course (and) I knew the tour, so I felt good about it. I knew I could play my best when I stepped onto the course.

What are your goals for your junior year with ODA? (My goals are) to win the SSAA title again — as an individual and as a team. Then, I want to make it to (the FHSAA Class 1A state championship) as a team this year. I’ve made it individually the past two years, but I would love to go as a team.

When and why did you start playing golf?

I was 6 years old in Hawaii. I started playing because our local course (Princeville Makai Golf Club) had kids’ lessons, and I just got into it and it’s taken off since then.

What has been a recent focus of yours?

I’ve been focusing on lowering my score overall. After each round, I keep my stats and then I review them. I figure out the things that need to be tweaked.

Why have you stuck with golf?

I just love it so much. Competing is my favorite thing to do. I have so much fun, and I don’t let it stress me out too much. I couldn’t imagine myself not competing and doing this.

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

SWIMMING LESSONS

A School Of Fish Today!

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

(941) 907• 8482 mjbhaus@aol.com Schooloffishswimminglessons.com

(941) 907•8482 mjbhaus@aol.com www.busybeetutoring.net

461988-1

Golfer Brooklyn Cullen won the girls’ 15-18-year-old division of The Junior Tour Summer National Championship on June 25-27 at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens.

Cullen, a rising junior at The Out-ofDoor Academy, shot a 4-under-par 68 in her first round followed by 74 and 75 in her second and third rounds, respectively. She previously won the 2026 Winter National Championship in February and 2025 Summer National Championship on The Junior Tour, which is run by Under Armour. Cullen is the East County Athlete of the Week.

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

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Brooklyn Cullen

Which quote or piece of advice have you always carried with you?

“If you focus on the good, the good gets better.”

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

I grew up surfing in Hawaii. I did competitions from 5 to 10 years old.

If you could have membership at any golf course in the world, which would you choose?

The Makai Course on Kauai. That was the one I grew up on. I would love to go back and play every day.

It’s on the ocean.

464467-1

How have you improved since the start of your sophomore year?

I’ve improved my (ball) speed a lot, and I had to get new clubs about two weeks ago. I just switched my clubs, so now, I’m getting definitely used to those. I’m gaining more distance, and I’ve overall just gotten more consistent with my game. I understand how to get out of situations I put myself into.

!

Finish this sentence.

Brooklyn Cullen is ...

Motivated.

For membership information or to book a tee time call us at 941.744.9771 or email waterlefegolfclub@waterlefefl.com

THE SOONER THE BETTER Partnering with you to provide quality emergency care right in your neighborhood.

Medical Emergencies • 24/7 care for all ages with physicians onsite • Direct admission to Lakewood Ranch Medical Center or arranged transfer to a hospital of your choice, if needed

PAIR And Share!

JULY 2026 | 11:00AM – CLOSE

Mix and match any two entrées listed below, served with complimentary dinner rolls! A perfect way to share and save. Drinks not included.

Laboratory • 24/7 for medical emergencies Imaging, including X-ray and CT services • 24/7 for medical emergencies Outpatient laboratory and imaging services available.

• Call for more information.

2 FOR

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Meal Choices: 2pc White Chicken Dinner with choice of two sides 2pc Dark Chicken Dinner with choice of two sides Liver & Onions with choice of two sides Chef Salad Ham, turkey, chicken, or roast beef Breakfast Combo 2 eggs, ham, bacon or sausage, hash browns, toast, and fresh fruit Roast Beef, Pork, Turkey, and Meatloaf Manhattan *Manhattans served with mashed potatoes only, no additional sides

6760 Fruitville Road | Sarasota, FL 34240 941-378-7500 | lakewoodranchmedicalcenter.com/ER

464249-1

MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY *Dine-in only

Open 24/7 to care for your entire family. To request a time for non-life-threatening illness or injuries, or to learn more, visit lakewoodranchmedicalcenter.com/ER

Request a time should be used only if you decide your care can wait until the time you select. Do not wait if your symptoms or conditions worsen or if you need care immediately since delays may complicate your condition. If you are unsure of your condition or if your condition worsens, then please go to the nearest emergency room or call 911. This emergency department is part of Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. This is not an urgent care center. Its services and care are billed at hospital emergency department rates. Physicians are on the medical staff of Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, but, with limited exceptions, are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians. For language assistance, disability accommodations and the nondiscrimination notice, visit our website. 264390699-4451711 5/26

458369-1

14B

YourObserver.com

15B

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

THURSDAY, JULY 16

Sunrise Sunset

High: 95 Low: 78 Chance of rain: 22%

FRIDAY, JULY 17 High: 91 Low: 77 Chance of rain: 41%

Thursday, July 16

6:44a

8:26p

Friday, July 17

6:45a

8:25p

Saturday, July 18

6:45a

8:25p

Sunday, July 19

6:46a

8:25p

Monday, July 20

6:46a

8:24p

Tuesday, July 21

6:47a

8:24p

Wednesday, July 22

6:47a

8:23p

WEATHER

NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH

SUNRISE / SUNSET

FORECAST

MOON PHASES

SATURDAY, JULY 18 High: 90 Low: 77 Chance of rain: 41%

July 21 First

July 29 Full

Aug. 5 Last

Aug. 12 New

RAINFALL

SUNDAY, JULY 19 High: 89 Low: 78 Chance of rain: 62% David Ondocin took this photo of a red-tailed hawk searching for lunch in Lakewood Ranch.

Monday, July 6

0.5

Tuesday, July 7

0

Wednesday, July 8

0

Thursday, July 9

0

Friday, July 10

0

Saturday, July 11

0

Sunday, July 12

0

*Rainfall totals from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport

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

YEAR TO DATE: 2026 14.40 in.

2025 23.72 in.

MONTH TO DATE: 1.21 in.

2026 2025 1.52 in.

We have all of your luxury flooring needs carpet | hardwood | tile | stone | pavers | and more Sarasota 941.355.8437 | Bradenton 941.748.4679 | Venice 941.493.7441 | manasotaonline.com

Daily crossword puzzles available at YourObserver.com/crossword

By Luis Campos

33 ___-mo 34 Analogous (to) 1 Word after “photo” or 36 High point “special” 38 Georgia airport code 4 Powder applied after 39 Nourish bathing 8 Biblical boat boarded by 40 On fire ... or, like, totally fire beasts 41 Fighting Tigers of the 11 Musical symbol NCAA 15 Little lie 44 Word before “Vegas” or 18 Letter before chi “Culturistas” 19 Love, in Lima 45 Enjoy a haiku 20 Delivery vehicle 47 Stomach muscles 21 Figure skater’s jump 48 Villainous characters 22 “I think,” in a text in white coats, or a hint to 23 Vase on a mantel 24 Bittersweet feelings, e.g., 15-Down 52 Pint glass drink or a hint to 3-Down 53 Clothed like a judge 27 Careless 55 Alternatives to corks 28 Drooped 56 Is sporting 30 Sound unit 58 Prods 31 Conventionally proper

59 Misfortunes 60 Heavily promote 61 Some golf tournaments 62 Creole vegetable 63 Name that’s an anagram of “Bert” 64 Breezes through, like a test 65 Indigenous people of Canada 66 Nine-digit ID 69 Battle over a Wikipedia page 71 Bud 73 Language in Sarajevo 77 More crafty 78 Certain boss 82 Emotionally rattles 84 Called the shots 85 Attractive 86 Lasting mark

87 Shoe brand named after the Latin word for “bird” 89 Prop for Dr. Facilier or Mr. Monopoly 90 Like long odds 91 With it, in old jazz slang 92 Household like the one in “The Brady Bunch,” or a hint to 75-Down 97 Arid 98 Calendar square 100 Old West bars 101 _nited _ress _nternational 103 Snake 107 Soccer great Lionel 108 Push down, like a button 112 Become threadbare 113 Major time span 115 U.S. soldiers 116 Legume in a pod

“RN NIYZIMZ EWI QXRKZU TQ AIQ RMU CZRXXK ORCZU RLITA WZC OCRHA, S CZRXXK ERMAZU AI XZRCM AI LZ R FIRX NOICZC.”

YSR WRYY

“JIP ZKYBZ S MHZ MASJSYB DPXHEP ...

JIPAHGR WKA EP. S MKLUN ... PCGAPZZ HUU KW ER WPPUSYBZ JIAKLBI JIPZP ZKYBZ.”

DPYZKY DKKYP

“P’I CGGE BL HVAYGZ. YG RVC V UFFZ BVE, VEI P RVATYGI YPB IF VCAFEPCYPEO AYPEOC ... YG EGXGZ QFCA YPC IPOEPAL.” CPIEGL UFPAPGZ Puzzle Three Clue: V equals A

©2026 Universal Uclick

117 “Yikes!”

46 Crowded 118 “Cogito, ___ sum” 48 OB-GYNs, e.g.

119 Safari sights, or a hint to 49 Sets of beliefs 79-Down 50 Plaything with wheels 122 Indian bread 51 HBO rival, for short 123 Creature in a pride 54 He played Santa in “Elf” 124 Departing 57 Hard HS course 125 Sibling such as Mr. 67 Paul McCartney’s title Benedict 68 Like warships 126 Eye part 70 20-20 score, e.g.

127 Bias 71 Discussion group 128 Rip to bits 72 “Go on ...?”

73 Blackberry plant 129 Nothing but 74 First word in a fairy tale or “The Raven” DOWN 75 Flower named after a leg1 Big work of art endary beast (grandpa, son) 2 Travel guide with greet76 “Scream” star Campbell ings 78 ___-pedi 3 Where you might meet your match? (anger, bliss) 79 “Cactus Flower” actress (dingo, whale) 4 Domesticate 5 “Star Wars” queen Padme 80 Arab bigwig 81 “Ratatouille” rat 6 “Nova” salmon 83 Breaks religious com7 Financial rating mandments 8 Opposite of “sans” 9 Malek who played Freddie 85 Black Forest meats 88 “Big Daddy” actor Mercury Sandler 10 Door opener 89 “Pretty please?”

11 Pedicurist’s tool 92 “Ciao!”

12 Kitchenware brand 93 Chic 13 Most tightly wound 94 Giving medicine to 14 Besides that 95 Dig discoveries 15 Movie promo (Fermi, 96 “Uh-huh” Tesla) 99 Kitchen garments 16 “No company for me” 102 “Now!” 17 Cube-shaped 103 “Neato!”

25 Cubby hole?

104 Like a journey through 26 Oolong or Darjeeling the catacombs at night 29 Pantheon member 105 “Red-spotted” sala32 Body part you might manders “lend” 35 Children’s programming 106 Courtroom event block that moved to The CW 108 Dig (into) 109 Alleviated 37 Throngs 110 Slimy, creeping creature 39 North Dakota’s largest 111 Jazz musician Rollins city 41 “Stay motionless for your 114 ___-Seltzer 116 Surname hidden in MRI” “MPAA rating” 42 Do some darning 43 Defrosted, with or with- 120 Cacophony 121 Ho-hum out its first two letters

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

Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

Puzzle Two Clue: S equals I

DANCING PARTNERS by Paul Coulter, edited by Jared Goudsmit

ACROSS

celebrity cipher

Puzzle Two Clue: M equals N

crossword

Flooring Made for Your Family

457539-1

at MANASOTA FLOORING INC

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

©2026 Andrews McMeel Syndicate

07-16-26

Made for where you live. Here!

THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

RED PAGES real estate

home services

Homes for Sale

Auto Transport

Service Directory - Friday at 3PM • PAYMENT: Cash, Check or Credit Card The East County Observer reserves the right to classify and edit copy, or to reject or cancel an advertisement at any time. Corrections after first insertion only. *All ads are subject to the approval of the Publisher. *It is the responsibility of the party placing any ad for publication in the East County Observer to meet all applicable legal requirements in connection with the ad such as compliance with towncodes in first obtaining an occupational license for business, permitted home occupation, or residential rental property Notice: All real estate advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis..

DEEP PURPLE Barrel Chair that rocks, like new $50 Call Pat (941)228-9467 PET TRAVEL BAG by Sherpa, Airline approved, 16”x12” width, Carefully Used, $25 No Text Please, Call Only (941) 879-7105

Antiques/ Collectibles

ANTIQUES WANTED

WANTED Paintings •B Bronzes •P Sculptures •O Oriental Rugs •S Asian Art •A Antique Furniture •A

Al Tomlinson 40+ years in Sarasota Honest Evaluations NO ONE PAYS MORE!

941-400-8811 BUY STUFF HERE! YourObserver.com/RedPages

Merchandise Wanted

WE BUY cars. top $$ paid for your vehicles.

Call Hawley Motors: 941-923-3421.

DAD AND DAUGHTER TEAM BUYING COINS & CURRENCY Call Today! 941-795-3203 SENIOR LOOKING to purchase precious metals, diamonds, time pieces, coins, jewelry, antique and estate jewelry, and some collectors plates. Personal and confidential.

Please call Marc: 941-321-0707

GARAGE SALE As low as $17.50 per week!

941-955-4888

SHIP YOUR car, truck or SUV anywhere in the United States.

Great rates, fast quotes. Call Hawley Motors: 941-923-3421.

Cleaning

Over 1 Acre Beachfront House $6.5 million Sailboat Access Canal 4 Bed Pending $675,000 Plantation Golf Course View Condo 3 Bed $294,000 House on Canal with Pool & Dock $1,250,000

REAL LOCAL STUFF HERE! YourObserver.com/RedPages

Pool Home Completely Upgraded $545,000

BRAZILIAN CLEANING Service

by Maria. Residential. Meticulous Cleaning. Excellent References.

Free Estimates. Reliable. Lic./Ins. 941-400-3342. Instagram: Braziliancleaningsrq

TOTAL HOME SERVICES CLEANING

RED PAGES

Power Washing (Soft Wash), Construction, Window washing/DI Window Cleaning

CALL TODAY 941-955-4888

Autos for Sale 2007 JAGUAR XK convertible.

Baby blue 43467 Mileage. $18500 (941)350-6544





jobs

Near South bridge to Siesta One level, heated pool, stroll to shops. 3Bed-2.5Bath $1,250,000

RAPIDLY EXPANDING COMPANY Need qualified cleaners with experience. Good hourly start rate.

JAMES BOTTORFF EXPERIENCED HANDYMAN SERVICES Call or Text 941-807-0032 Registered in the state of FL.

Painting

GARAGE SALE

CARL DATTILO Painting Licensed & insured. Interior/ Exterior painting including drywall repair and retexturing.

Wallpaper installation & removal, pressure washing. Residential & condos.

Honest & reliable.

For Free estimates call

941-955-4888

CARL 941-448-8468 35+ years experience.

Brooke O’Malley CLUB REALTY Call 941-726-2677

As low as $17.50 per week!

This week’s Crossword answers

Call 941-955-4888

Painting SARASOTA PAINTING & DESIGN INTERIOR / EXTERIOR / CABINETS WE ARE THE BEST Residential & Commercial.

Fully Insured, Full Service.

We work with the most beautiful properties in the Sarasota and surrounding areas!

CALL or TEXT Don 941-900-9398 28 Years Experience

Power Washing JOE THE POWER WASHER LLC. PRESSURE WASHING (941) 993-4447

This week’s Celebrity Cipher answers

Puzzle One Solution: “As someone who played up top and really cared about her craft, I really wanted to learn to be a goal scorer.”

Mia Hamm Puzzle Two Solution: “The songs I was writing became ... therapy for me. I would ... express all of my feelings through these songs.”

Benson Boone Puzzle Three Solution: “I’d seen my father. He was a poor man, and I watched him do astonishing things ... He never lost his dignity.”

Sidney Poitier

This week’s Sudoku answers

SEARCH the RED PAGES for GREAT DEALS To place an ad



Handyman Services

Help Wanted

(941)756-4570



(941)756-4570 (941)782-8018 totalhomeservicecleaning @ymail.com

Luxury Sarasota Bay views 4 Bed 5 Bath with Boat Dock $1.76 million

Advertise your business or service in the Observer

Residential/Commercial, Vacation Rentals, Real Estate, Clubhouse/Amenities.



You’re only cheating yourself.

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

Ad runs 2 consecutive weeks in 1 Observer.

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

STORAGE FACILITY Boat/ RV/ Trailer. Secure facility, low monthly rentals, Clark Rd area.

941-809-3660, 941-809-3662.

peekers’ place

Items Under $200

CASH FOR YOUR CAR We come to you!

Ho Ho Buys cars.

941-270-4400.

Annual and monthly leases are available. Deep water slips up to 40 ft with water and electrical service. Easy access to Sarasota Bay, ICW and Gulf Call 941-500-3895.

auto

stuff

BOAT SLIPS FOR LEASE ON LONGBOAT KEY

Autos Wanted

©2026 Universal Uclick

Boat Slips for Rent/Sale

©2026 NEA, Inc.

DEADLINES: Classifieds - Monday at Noon

Paint the town RED!

INFORMATION & RATES: 941-955-4888

redpages@yourobserver.com • yourobserver.com/redpages

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

Health

Roofing

GET YOUR LIFE BACK!

Kenneth Fuhlman Inc. Building & Roofing Contractor

Do You Have Neck or Low Back Pain?

Do You Want To Avoid Surgery?

Give Us a Call - We Can Help

FREE CONSULTATION 941.358.2224 Recognized Among the Best

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WE COME TO YOU

465128

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

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Home Services 463925

INJECT-AFLOOR SYSTEM

Blinds/Window Treatments

MAKE YOUR

GROUT

453820

LOOK LIKE

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DON DI STEFANO (941) 893.8475

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Transportation

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Computer

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Trees

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*DRILLING CHARGES MAY APPLY FOR MARBLE, GRANITE OR PORCELAIN. COUPON REQUIRED.

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

Plumbing

Mark’s Plumbing Service Plumbing repairs. Replace toilets, faucets, water filters, water softeners and repair leaks.

RELIABLE • INSURED

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463928

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FREE ESTIMATES, CALL TODAY!

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Remodeling/Home Improvement

BOOST YOUR BUSINESS

GROW YOUR BUSINESS WITH THE RED PAGES

Showcase your products or services.

CALL 941-955-4888

Call to reserve your ad space

DON’T let your

PATIO DOORS be a DRAG or your

LIC#CRC1334176

Licensed

“No Job Too Small” Insured

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Handyman

SERVING SIESTA KEY & SARASOTA COUNTY

Made for where you live. Here!

RED PAGES 464972

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YourObserver.com/RedPages

Formerly known as Sunrise Windows UP TO

160

25 $

STANDARD WINDOWS 464420

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Pool Enclosure Specialists

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Screening

DR. DAVID CIFRA, DC

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465409

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464811

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410036

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RED PAGES

• Aluminum, Vinyl, & Wood Soffit and Fascia • Metal & Shingle Roofing • Pool Cage, Pan Roofs & Lania Fabrication • Aluminum Welding & Fabrication

465129

Aluminum

17B

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026

Setting a Higher Standard in Real Estate Representation Experience the Difference with Shanahan Luxury Group Top 1% of Realtors in Sarasota & Manatee Counties Top 1% of Coldwell Banker Realtors Worldwide

Under Construction

View Listing

8613 Sandpoint Street | Wild Blue $3,479,875 | 3,632 Sq Ft | 3 Bedrooms | 3.5 Bathrooms | Office | Bonus Room

New Price

New Price

4719 Cassio Court | Azario

7207 Ashland Glen | Country Club

$849,500 | 2,313 Sq Ft | 3 Bedrooms | 3 Bathrooms | Office

$1,599,000 | 3,152 Sq Ft | 3 Bedrooms | 3 Bathrooms | Office | Bonus Room

Under Contract - Representing Buyers

Sold

7622 Silverwood Court

14718 Secret Harbor Place | Country Club East

Offered at $1,150,000 | 2,655 Sq Ft | 4 Bedrooms | 3 Bathrooms | Office | Pool

$925,000 | 2,803 Sq Ft | 3 Bedrooms | 2.5 Bathrooms | Office

Not Ready for the MLS? Consider a Private Listing.

Not every luxury home seller chooses the public market. A private listing offers a discreet, concierge-level approach that provides greater privacy, exclusivity, and control while connecting your home with qualified buyers through the Shanahan Luxury Group’s extensive network and trusted real estate professionals.

A private listing may be the ideal solution if you value: A concierge-level selling experience tailored to your needs Privacy and discretion Qualified buyers and professionally managed showings Greater control over who visits your home A marketing strategy that respects your timeline and privacy

If you’re considering selling but aren’t ready for the MLS, let’s discuss whether a private listing is the right approach for your home.

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

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