East County Observer 8.5.21

E A ST COUNTY

Observer Lakewood Ranch’s weekly newspaper since 1998

An artistic catalog.

PAGE 17

YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

•

FREE THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

VOLUME 23, NO. 38

YOUR TOWN BACK TO SCHOOL

SOUND THE ALARM

Starting day of school is an eye-opener for area students. SEE PAGE 8

Courtesy photo

Sisters find time to play ball Amy Gorman and Angela Massaro-Fain (above) of Lakewood Ranch’s Sisterhood for Good have some fun with Bradenton Marauders’ mascot Marty the Marauder on July 31 during the home team’s 13-10 win over Dunedin.

Sisterhood for Good, which raises money for area nonprofits, was chosen as the Marauders’ charity of the day. Twelve members of the nonprofit attended and had a table at the entrance to greet Marauders’ fans.

First day traditions Families find ways to make the first day of school memorable. PAGE 10 Courtesy photo

Cool fundraiser in Braden Woods It was Christmas in July at Braden Wood’s Lisa Tarjanyi’s home July 17 during an annual food drive complete with a Christmas tree, a snowman and a viewing of a Christmas movie.

Tarjanyi (above) wanted to put a fun twist on her annual food drive that benefits Downtown Ministries, a nonprofit serving the homeless in downtown Bradenton, so she decided to open her home to welcome people to donate food and learn about the nonprofit’s mission.

The food drive collected about 100 cases of food and water.

“I was very humbly elated that so many people were excited to help and these connections were being made,” Tarjanyi said.

A+E Circus returns.

SEE PAGE 13

Commissioners set priorities Back in session, Manatee County commissioners explain their top priorities.

SEE PAGE 3 File photo

Manatee County Commissioner Vanessa Baugh, pictured with Administrator Scott Hopes, says her top priorities are roads — such as the extension of Lena Road and widening of Lorraine Road — and park amenities.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

Will Pirates band together after change?

CHANGE OF DIRECTION Going out: Jeramiah Bowman Age: 33 Years in education: 10 Years at Braden River High School: Five New position: Curriculum and instruction specialist for visual and performing arts for the School District of Manatee County Favorite performances: Marching Band of Pirates’ state championship final performances Advice for students: Don’t take anything for granted.

New Director of Bands Cliff Dawson hopes to continue the success the Pirates had under Jeramiah Bowman.

LIZ RAMOS STAFF WRITER

C

liff Dawson, the new director of bands at Braden River High School, stood before four marching band members in a small room with the metronome playing.

He listened intently as the band members played their respective parts of a quartet that will be part of this year’s marching show, “Renewal.”

When they finished their section, Dawson posed a question.

“What does this song sound like to you?” Dawson said.

Some of the responses included bubbly, flighty and magical.

“To me, it sounds like an ABBA piece,” Dawson said as he pumped his fist in the air, making the band members laugh.

Although Dawson is the new director of bands at Braden River High School, he hasn’t skipped a beat since returning to the high school after serving two years as assistant director of bands at the school and being a music teacher at Samoset Elementary School last year.

“I told parents I will be the best Jeramiah Bowman impersonator I possibly can be, but at the end of the day, the systems we had in place here have no reason to change,” Dawson said.

Dawson replaces Bowman, who

served as the director of bands at Braden River High for five years before accepting a position as the curriculum and instruction specialist for visual and performing arts for the School District of Manatee County.

“I’ll definitely miss the kids and watching them grow,” Bowman said. “I wouldn’t trade (my time at Braden River High) for anything. I certainly learned more from them than they probably have learned from me. I matured as an educator and as a leader.”

During Bowman’s five years at Braden River High School, the Marching Band of Pirates won the 3A division of the Florida Marching Band Championship’s state championship three consecutive years (2017, 2018 and 2019).

“I’m very proud of what we accomplished, but it was certainly a group effort between all the students, staff and the parents,” Bowman said. “It takes a whole team and community to be able to achieve something like that.”

Bowman said the concert and jazz bands always received superior ratings at Music Performance Assessments and that solo and ensemble participation always was high.

“I think we were able to create some special opportunities for kids to enjoy and experience their love of music,” Bowman said.

Dawson said taking over the

om se.c

Coming in: Cliff Dawson Age: 46 Years in education: 12 Years at Braden River High School: Two Current position: Director of bands at Braden River High School Favorite performance: Marching Band of Pirates’ 2019 state championship final performance Favorite instrument: Trombone Instrument that best fits his personality: Tuba

Liz Ramos

Cliff Dawson, the new director of bands at Braden River High School, explains some of the props that the Marching Band of Pirates will be using in the band’s show, “Renewal,” this season.

band programs at Braden River comes with slight mixed feelings.

He’s excited to return to a school he considers home, but he knows he has big shoes to fill and a legacy of success to uphold.

“Braden River has had a track record of excellence, and we have no plan of changing that,” Dawson said. “We’ll keep doing what Braden River does.”

Aston Staton, a rising junior and drum major, expects Dawson to be able to push the band to its limits while also building a posi-

tive attitude in the program.

Melanie Ladd, a rising senior and flag captain of the color guard, said having Dawson as the director brings a sense of comfort to the band because they know his personality and understand how he works.

“I think because he has learned a lot from Bowman he not only will continue on with his legacy but will also implement new styles and new ways,” Ladd said.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

YourObserver.com

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

“We want to make it where people can have somewhere to go to enjoy this beautiful county and the environment and play and enjoy where they’re at.”

— Commissioner James Satcher

File photos

Manatee County commissioners George Kruse and James Satcher both include infrastructure and parks and recreation projects among their top priorities after returning from recess.

Infrastructure, parks top commissioners’ list The Manatee County Commission is entering a busy period while sorting out budget.

BRENDAN LAVELL STAFF WRITER

R

oadways, trails and parks, oh my!

As of July 27, the Manatee County Commission is back in session following a recess of nearly six weeks. Commissioners said they will have a packed series of meetings and decisions in the coming months, especially as they work to finalize next year’s budget and a new five-year capital improvement plan before the 2022 fiscal year starts Oct. 1.

Choices will be made and priorities decided. As has been the case for months, commissioners said infrastructure — especially roads and sidewalks — are the most pressing need in Manatee County.

Commissioner Vanessa Baugh said the extension of Lena Road and widening of Upper Manatee River Road and Lorraine Road between state roads 70 and 64 were two of the most important projects. Commissioner Carol Whitmore also listed the Lorraine Road project as one of the county’s biggest immediate needs.

Whitmore said the most critical needs for infrastructure are in northern Manatee County, which is mostly Commissioner James Satcher’s district. Satcher said there has been some progress made on roads and sidewalks in his district, but his top priority is ensuring further improvement on the widening and reconstruction of Moccasin Wallow Road.

Baugh said one way to help clear up traffic, especially near the beaches, would be the creation of a water taxi service. If created, she said the system could generate tourism revenue.

Whitmore said the county needs to quickly figure out a new location for its next landfill. The current one, located on Lena Road, will need to close in about two decades, if not sooner. Whitmore said permitting for a new landfill could take 10 to 15 years.

Commissioner George Kruse said he would like to expedite

ON THE DOCKET The Manatee County Commission has 14 meetings scheduled between now and Oct. 1, when the 2022 fiscal year begins.

Budget public hearings: Sept. 8 and 14 Work sessions: Aug. 11, 17, 25 and 31; Sept. 15 Regular meetings: Aug. 10 and 24; Sept. 14 and 28 Land use meetings: Aug. 5 and 19; Sept. 2

some infrastructure projects, but as an at-large commissioner, he gets the opportunity to focus on the big picture rather than district-specific projects.

Specifically, he has been focused on ensuring the county’s financial commitments are being put to good use. For example, the commission voted in April to take out a $40 million line of credit in order to more quickly move the county’s most important road projects into the design phase.

Kruse said he plans to speak with the county’s Financial Management Department on a regular basis to ask if the county is actively moving toward the design stage,

or at least soliciting its bids, for its highest-priority projects.

“This design work could take 12 to 18 months,” Kruse said. “Stuff like Lorraine and Upper Manatee — people are now expecting shovels in the ground.”

Kruse said he wants the county to figure out what it will do with the $78.2 million it receives from the federal government’s American Rescue Plan, which was passed in March to help the economy recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He would like to see much of the money used to install higherquality internet service across Manatee County, which he said is a time-sensitive issue because many other communities will be looking to do the same thing, but there are a limited number of companies that can install it.

“By the end of this year, I’m hoping we’ve got a contract and a plan in place and the survey done to say: ‘OK, here’s who doesn’t have fiber optic and broadband today.

Here’s how we’re going to get it to them. Here are some options for bigger Wi-Fi hot spots,’” Kruse said. “I’d love to see full-on hot spots all the way up and down the Riverwalk in Bradenton and out at Premier and over at G.T. Bray. I’d like to see a fully wired-up, new, next-generation type of community because that’s going to help

Infrastructure is the top concern for county commissioners. Commissioner Vanessa Baugh says the widening of Upper Manatee River Road is one of her top priorities, along with the Lena Road extension and widening of Lorraine Road.

attract businesses.”

Parks were one of Baugh’s top priorities. She said older areas of Manatee County have plenty of parks, but the northern and eastern parts of the county could use more amenities, such as pickleball courts and skate parks. Baugh said building an aquatic center as part of the expansion around Premier Sports Campus should take place as soon as possible.

“We don’t have a pool for our kids to be able to use for swim practice, for swim meets,” Baugh said.

Another item she would like to see quickly move forward as part of the Premier expansion is Lakewood Ranch’s library. She said people use libraries today for internet access as much as anything, and Building 1 at Premier would benefit people in the eastern stretches of the county, such as Myakka City.

Satcher listed parks as one of his top three priorities. He would like to see one built between North River Ranch and Parrish and another one near Rye River Road.

“We want to make it where people can have somewhere to go to enjoy this beautiful county and the environment and play and enjoy where they’re at,” Satcher said.

Kruse would like to see the county take a look at moving forward on a countywide trail system, a project that Parks and Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker has been working on for 25 years. Kruse said the only trails in the county that aren’t located within a preserve are the ones built in Lakewood Ranch by Schroeder-Manatee Ranch.

Baugh and Whitmore said they wanted to focus on red tide. Baugh said the only things the county can do at this point are keep the beaches clean and try to round up dead fish before they reach the shore. Whitmore said a reason to remove dead fish as soon as possible is to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the ocean, decaying and killing sea grass, which can disrupt the ecosystem.

With COVID-19 once again rising in Manatee County, Whitmore said keeping citizens safe from the virus is a top priority.

She said she wants the county to work on making sure everyone has as much information as possible.

Commissioner George Kruse says moving forward with a countywide trail system is a top priority. The only trails in the county not contained within a preserve are in Lakewood Ranch, such as those found at James L. Patton Park.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

Commission considers Concession project again

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Panther Ridge residents concerned about Concession Land Development’s plan that would negate a popular trail.

BRENDAN LAVELL STAFF WRITER

Nikki Olarsch, the president of the Foxwood at Panther Ridge Homeowners Association, said her community has few amenities.

Panther Ridge residents, she said, moved to their community because they wanted peace and quiet. But they have one important amenity that fits into their desired lifestyle: a wooded trail used by residents for horseback riding, walking, jogging, cycling and more. Samuel Barr, a 15-yearold resident of Panther Ridge, said the trail allows him to ride his bike for miles with friends and family.

The problem for those residents is that part of the trail sits on The Concession property, and that section is now in jeopardy, as Manatee County commissioners will decide whether to approve an amendment that would allow The Concession to remove 16 singlefamily villas within its community from its general development plan and reallocate them as 15 single-family lots on a 17.02-acre parcel of land at the southeastern corner of State Road 70 and Lin-

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drick Lane. Although outside The Concession entrance, the parcel is owned by The Concession.

The hearing will take place at 1:30 p.m. Aug. 5 at the Manatee County Administration Building.

It was originally scheduled for May 6 but received a continuation.

Residents of Panther Ridge have other concerns besides the trail. Both communities are lowdensity neighborhoods east of the county’s Future Development Area Boundary, which prohibits development of greater than 0.2 dwelling units per acre, with a few limited exceptions.

At almost one dwelling unit per acre, residents said the new development would not be com-

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

“What they’re looking to do is cram too many houses in a space that shouldn’t be there.”

— Nikki Olarsch, president of the Foxwood at Panther Ridge Homeowners Association

patible with their bordering communities, though the average of dwelling units per acre across The Concession’s entire property would still meet the density limit.

“What they’re looking to do is cram too many houses in a space that shouldn’t be there,” Olarsch said. “You set a boundary that was not supposed to be crossed for this type of development.

They need to hold their ground.”

About half the site is considered within a 100-year flood plain, according to Manatee County’s Braden River Watershed Study maps, and would have to be mitigated accordingly, per county guidelines. Olarsch said Foxwood at Panther Ridge already floods easily, and residents are concerned how much worse it would get if the land bordering their community was developed.

Jack Givens, a resident of The Concession, said he was concerned about the property value of homes in his community if they bordered a higher-density subdivision.

As for the trail, it has been used and maintained by Panther Ridge residents since the community’s inception in the mid-1990s. It connects to trails that are owned

by Panther Ridge. The trail is elevated because it was built on the site of a 1930s railroad track, which means it is still usable after heavy rains.

Panther Ridge resident Olga

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Panther Ridge residents Eamonn Barr; Samuel Barr, 15; Olga Zarlenga; Alice Barr, 12; Olga Ways; Danielle Lennon; and Joseph Zarlenga oppose an amendment that would allow 15 homes on 17 acres near The Concession entrance.

Zarlenga said a proposal to move the trail to a sidewalk closer to S.R. 70 wouldn’t be viable because it would drastically increase the chance of a horse being spooked by traffic noises and running into the road.

The Manatee County Planning Commission initially recommended approval of a similar plan, with 22 homes on the 17-acre parcel instead of 15, by unanimous vote in May 2020.

However, the meeting was not properly noticed, so it was held again in June 2020. The planning commission then voted 4-2 to recommend denial of the project after hearing new information

SG

from nearby residents.

“I don’t think this is compatible with the surrounding neighborhood and even The Concession property,” Planning Commissioner Mike Rahn said at the time.

County commissioners then voted 6-1 against the project July 1, 2020.

Attorneys representing The Concession then filed a petition for a dispute resolution, which required the county to schedule a mediation heard by a special magistrate.

At the Jan. 11 mediation, The Concession proposed to submit a modified development plan different from the one rejected

by commissioners in July 2020, which resulted in the new plan now up for a vote.

Olarsch said the HOA has already spent thousands of dollars worth of attorney fees fighting the development. Eamonn Barr, the president of the HOA for The Pointe at Panther Ridge, said it’s difficult for residents to keep up with the legal battle while juggling jobs and other aspects of their lives.

“We have to stop at some point and be done with this,” Barr said.

“It feels to me like a war of attrition.”

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

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School tax rate decreases

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LIZ RAMOS STAFF WRITER

A

lthough the School District of Manatee County’s tentative tax rate total is less than last year’s, some taxpayers could pay more due to the escalating value of homes in Manatee County.

The tentative millage rates for the district total 6.876 mills compared to last year’s 6.972 mills.

The School Board of Manatee County approved the tentative millage rates during its regular meeting July 27.

A mill is equal to $1 for every $1,000 on a home’s taxable value.

The 6.876 mills means taxpayers would owe $6.876 for every $1,000 on their homes’ taxable value.

Last year, the district’s actual property tax levy was just more than $309.5 million. This year, the district expects to re receive more than $327 million.

This year’s millage rate dropped

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because of the state lowering the required local effort, which is the amount the state requires school boards to levy to receive state funding. The required local effort, which is 3.628 mills, is less than last year’s 3.724 mills. The rate has been decreasing since 2017.

Tim Bargeron, the associate superintendent of finance for the district, said the state is lowering per-student funds by 1.56%, or $121.95.

The $327 million collected from the millage rates and collections will go toward the district’s tentative $1 billion budget, which is an increase of nearly $175 million over last year’s approximate $879 million budget.

Bargeron said the increase in the $1.05 billion budget is due to the district borrowing $100 million for construction and renovations projects as well as the district receiving $99 million from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, a form of COVID-19 relief.

ONE EXAMPLE OF THE TAX RATE CHANGE

This is an example of the effect of a tax rate change on a single family residence in Manatee County from fiscal year 2020-21 to fiscal year 2021-22.

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Taxable value Net taxable value Millage rate Annual taxes

2020 $225,395 $225,395 6.972 $1,571.45

2021 CHANGE ($) CHANGE (%) $236,493 $11,098 4.92% $236,493 6.876 -0.096 -1.40% $1,626.13 $54.8 3.48%

Source: Manatee County Property Appraiser (total taxable values/real parcel counts) presented at the School Board of Manatee County’s regular meeting July 27.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

YourObserver.com

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

EAST COUNTY

WAKEUP CALL Parents have secret weapons when it comes to getting their kids out of bed for school.

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

Friedrich Hayek

“Road to Serfdom,” 1944

Publisher and President / Emily Walsh, EWalsh@YourObserver.com Associate Publisher — East County Observer / Lori Ruth, LRuth@YourObserver.com

LIZ RAMOS STAFF WRITER

A

t 6:20 a.m. the alarm goes off.

Central Park’s Heather Rappold suddenly awakens by the loud sound coming from her phone on her nightstand.

She gives herself about 10 minutes to pull herself together enough to go knocking on the bedroom doors of her 15-year-old twins, Aiden and Audra.

Sure, Aiden and Audra have set their own alarms, but more often than not, it does nothing to wake the twins from their slumber so they can start getting ready for the trek to the State College of Florida Collegiate School in west Bradenton.

In the midst of making and packing lunches, preparing the family dog to come along for the drive to school and trying to accomplish other tasks, Rappold needs to go back to Aiden and Audra to make sure they actually are getting up.

“I constantly walk back to their doors — otherwise they go right back to sleep,” Rappold said. “It’s a problem. I turn the lights on right away, and they always yell at me to turn them off. Sometimes they don’t even remember when I woke them up the first time.”

Even if the twins are able to get out the door by Rappold’s goal of 7 a.m., there’s no guarantee either of the twins will be fully awake between the time they leave their home and the time they pull up to the school.

Sometimes an early morning nap is necessary on the car ride to school.

For many students like Aiden and Audra Rappold, a summer of staying up late and sleeping in means a rough wake-up call for the first few days of school as they adjust.

River Club’s Bethany Lynch said her son, Samuel, who will be an eighth grader at Braden River Middle School, is naturally a night owl, and his habit of staying awake at night only gets worse during the summer.

He will stay up until 3 a.m. and sleep in until most of his day is gone.

Lynch said her son realized he was missing out on most of the day while the rest of the world was awake, so he started setting an alarm for noon or 1 p.m. to spend part of his day with those who haven’t become nocturnal.

But as school approaches, the transition from being awake during the night to during the day isn’t easy.

Samuel Lynch will set his alarm earlier as the days of summer begin to dwindle and the first day of school approaches.

He needs at least four alarms to get himself up by 8 a.m. Usually, by the third alarm, he’s awake and getting ready, but there’s another alarm just in case.

Over the summer, Lilly Lynch, Samuel Lynch’s sister who will be a junior at Lakewood Ranch High School, witnessed his wake-up routine. It didn’t always go well.

“Because we hear all these

Executive Editor and COO / Kat Hughes, KHughes@YourObserver.com Managing Editor / Jay Heater, JHeater@YourObserver.com Sports Reporter / Ryan Kohn, RKohn@YourObserver.com Staff Writers / Liz Ramos, LRamos@YourObserver.com; Brendan Lavell, BLavell@YourObserver.com Copy Editor/ Kaelyn Adix, KAdix@YourObserver.com Editorial Designers / Melissa Leduc, MLeduc@YourObserver.com; José Valle, JValle@YourObserver.com Black Tie Editor / Harry Sayer, HSayer@YourObserver.com

Jay Heater

Benny the dog is a secret weapon when it comes to getting 5-year-old Mya Medford out of bed for school. He licks her face until she gets up.

TIPS FOR WAKING UP FOR SCHOOL Parents and students shared tips on how to be able to get up on time for school. n Start adjusting your sleep schedule two weeks before school starts. n If alarms aren’t doing the trick, put a friend on emergency bypass, which means when they call or text you to wake you up, you have to click your phone to turn it off. n Showering in the morning can help wake you up. n Make a solid routine for the morning, and stick to it.

alarms, we were like, ‘What is happening?’” Bethany Lynch said. “(Lilly) was like: ‘Oh, that’s so annoying. Turn it off.’”

As difficult as waking up in the morning for school can be for her son, Lynch said the first day of school isn’t as much of an issue because Samuel is excited to go back to school.

The problem comes in the days after when he experiences what Lynch calls the “first-day hangover.”

“That second and third day, it’s harder to get up in the morning but easier to get to sleep at night because they’re tired,” Lynch said.

“They’ve actually had to engage with people, or they’ve had to use

“It’s a process, but when we exhaust all our efforts, we send in Benny, our 50-pound Labradoodle hound.”

— Karen Medford

their brain in a different way than they had over the summer.”

Lynch has to make sure her son actually is awake and getting ready for school because he sometimes will wake up, get dressed and go back to bed.

She’ll find that on some nights, he will wear the gym shorts and T-shirt he’s planning to wear to the school next to bed to have just a few more minutes of sleep in the morning.

Lakewood Ranch’s Karen and Richard Medford sometimes have to go to Plan B, or C, or D when it comes to getting their 5-yearold daughter, Mya, who will be a kindergartner at Robert E. Willis Elementary School, out of bed for school.

But the Medfords have a secret weapon if Mya won’t come out of her slumber.

“It’s a process, but when we exhaust all our efforts, we send in Benny, our 50-pound labradoodle hound,” Karen Medford said. “He licks her face, and he won’t stop until she gets up. He knows he has a job to do. And it’s so cute to watch it happen.”

Benny doesn’t come into the picture until the Medfords try whispering to Mya to get up, pulling the covers off and turning on the lights.

“Sometimes, nothing works,” Karen Medford said.

Fortunately for the Medfords, their 9-year-old daughter, Ava, is the “polar opposite.”

“She’s always excited to go to school, so she gets up and is ready,” Karen Medford said.

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9

JAY HEATER

Beware perilous roads as school opens In any event, it is cause to stay an arm’s length away from a child, who might need to be snatched in a dangerous situation.

I remembered back to my own son when we used to spend time in Berkeley, California, going to sporting events. My son grew up in California, where in certain places, including Berkeley, the pedestrians test their right of way all the time. I would see them walk in front of cars on purpose, forcing the drivers to slam on their breaks.

My word to my son always was the same. “If you are a pedestrian,” I would say, “it doesn’t matter if you are in the right. If you see a car coming, and you step out in front of it, you might be right, but you also might be squished.”

Please, I begged him, make eye contact if at all possible.

The first day for the School District of Manatee County is Aug. 10, and like always, intersections will be danger spots.

Then consider lots of construction taking place on Lakewood Ranch Boulevard and White Eagle Boulevard, adjacent to Dr. Mona Jain Middle School and B.D Gullett Elementary School, that will make some drivers squirrely.

On White Eagle Boulevard at 44th Avenue, a new signal light seems to have been confusing motorists for the past month.

It doesn’t make sense because

Jay Heater

Drivers should be aware as the School District of Manatee County opens its new school year Aug. 10.

that intersection always had been a four-way stop, but I’ve been seeing drivers plow through that intersection on the red like they are driving down the interstate.

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office is trying to address dangerous intersections with High Visibility Enforcement Details that begins this month and runs through May 2022. Of the 18 intersections noted through the county, none is located in the Lakewood Ranch area.

However, on Tuesday, a Sheriff’s Office deputy was parked just off the intersection of White Eagle Boulevard and 44th Avenue, in what could be considered a high visibility detail. I

would imagine, and thankfully so, the Sheriff’s Office is alerting motorists it won’t tolerate unsafe driving near that intersection and those schools.

Manatee County ranks in the top third of the 67 Florida counties in traffic crashes resulting in serious or fatal injuries to pedestrians and bicyclists. The High Visibility Enforcement Details aim to increase awareness and compliance with traffic laws that protect pedestrians and bicyclists.

One of the Sheriff’s Office reminders is for pedestrians to make sure they are visible to drivers. Take note, moms who have 7-year-old sprinters.

All the parents should be

warned that construction is being performed at both ends of White Eagle Boulevard, so you are going to have frustrated drivers trying to make up time when they are late to work.

Whether you are a parent or a crossing guard as this school year begins, please keep the kids close.

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

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itting at the intersection of State Road 70 and Lakewood Ranch Boulevard, I was in the left turn lane on a red light when I saw a tiny head bobbing past the front of my car.

It was a kid, probably about 7 years old, zipping across State Road 70.

What the heck? This kid was all alone, but appropriately, he was crossing on the proper walk signal. Nevertheless, I was thinking “Who lets their 7-yearold cross this intersection all alone?”

Then the mom and the 7-yearold’s younger sister came across too, albeit about 20 yards behind the little sprinter.

Perhaps I am just a worrier, but you could barely see the little guy over the front of my car, which rides pretty low to the ground. I certainly don’t trust drivers making legal right-hand turns to check the roadway carefully before they rush toward work.

I have had parents in the past call my office and talk to me about the need for a pedestrian overpass at that intersection.

There probably isn’t enough foot traffic there to force such an action, but it certainly isn’t a bad idea. With all the sprawl toward the east along State Road 70, plus a Lakewood Ranch Boulevard that now stretches to Fruitville Road to the south, the traffic only will get worse.

10

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

FIRST DAY TRADITIONS

Reed Holland enjoys a special breakfast in bed that his mother, Cristina, made for him to celebrate the first day of school.

Whether it’s breakfast in bed or a special getaway, traditions mark the opening day of school.

LIZ RAMOS | STAFF WRITER

T

he first day of school can be an exciting time for families in the Lakewood Ranch area.

Courtesy photos

Whether it’s the first day of pre-K or the final

Austin Hamer smiles for his traditional first-day-of-school photo on his first day of sixth grade last year.

first day of a student’s K-12 career, first days of school are special. Some families make the day even more memorable with their own first day of school traditions.

BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS

Nine years ago, Lakewood Ranch’s Cristina Holland walked into daughter Mairead’s bedroom and set down a tray holding a special breakfast.

“Hey baby, wake up. Mommy made breakfast to celebrate the first day of school,” Cristina Holland told her daughter.

As Mairead, who was going into preschool, ate her breakfast in bed, the mother and daughter talked about what to expect and what excited them about the school year.

Thus began a tradition in the Holland home where Cristina Holland would bring her daughter a special breakfast of a com-

bination of breakfast favorites including pancakes, waffles, eggs, bacon, fruit and cinnamon rolls.

“It makes them feel special because it’s not something we do all the time,” Holland said.

When Holland’s son, Reed, started pre-K, he had breakfast in bed as well.

Now as Mairead enters eighth grade at Dr. Mona Jain Middle School, and Reed starts the second grade at B.D. Gullett Elementary School, Holland said her children have come to expect the breakfast tradition every year.

“Over the last few years, my son will come into the kitchen and ask, ‘Is it ready yet?’” Holland said. “I’ll tell him, ‘No, not yet.’

Even though they’re awake, they just lie in bed and kind of wait for me to bring in the breakfast tray with their food.”

FIRST DAY OF FREEDOM

For parents, the first day of school signifies not only the children’s start of a new school year but also the first day without kids after a summer of driving them to camp, play dates and other activities.

Lakewood Ranch’s Crystal Rothhaar, whose daughter, Alli-

son, is entering sixth grade at R. Dan Nolan Middle School and whose son, Ryan, who is going into fourth grade at Robert Willis Elementary School, marks the occasion with a group of moms and a paddleboarding adventure through the Lido Key mangrove tunnels followed by cocktails at Cha Cha Coconuts in Sarasota.

“All summer we shuttle our kids around to different types of camps, and we work, so when the kids go back to school, we have

time to ourselves again and have a little bit of freedom,” Rothhaar said.

The paddleboarding tradition started four years ago after Rothhaar picked her children up from a paddleboarding camp and asked whether the company, Surfit, did group tours.

“We see manatees, dolphins and sometimes jellyfish,” Rothhaar said. “It’s tranquil and peaceful. It’s nice being out on the water, especially because the week leading up to the first day of school can be chaotic. I feel like we’re running around crazy trying to get the kids ready. It’s almost like: ‘We made it. We survived summer with the kids at home.’”

Rothhaar recalled that for the first year she and her friends went paddleboarding, their Uber

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dropped them off at the wrong location. They had to walk a mile to get to the right place.

Another year, Rothhaar was standing on her paddleboard trying to take a photo of the group when she lost her balance and ended up in the shallow water.

The trip is a time for Rothhaar to catch up with friends. When she returns to Willis Elementary to pick her children, she acts as if nothing happened.

“We all try to hide our excitement that we’re going to do something fun,” Rothhaar said. “We go back to school with some sunburn and pretend all is normal, and we missed our kids and couldn’t be without them.”

PICTURE-PERFECT FIRST DAY

Every time River Club’s Patricia Juliano takes out her chalkboards on the first day of school, her children, Nicolas and Isabella, know it’s time to commemorate their first day.

Juliano has been writing the grade her children were starting and has taken a photo of them each year since they were in pre-K. “It’s unbelievable; it really does go by fast,” Juliano said. “It’s amazing to see them grow into young, beautiful people.”

This year will mark a big year for the Julianos as Isabella is the big kid on Braden River Middle School’s campus starting eighth grade, and Nicolas starts his freshman year at Lakewood Ranch High School.

“To my kids, the pictures are not so important, but they’re so important to me because I cherish the memories seeing them go from my little pre-Ker to eighth grade and high school,” Juliano said. “It’s special to see how they’ve grown each year.”

River Place’s Nicole Hamer also enjoys looking back over the photos she’s taken of her sons, Aiden, Austin, Trey and Trevor, to see how they’ve grown since they were kindergartners. Trey and Trevor are going into third grade at Braden River Elementary School, Austin will be a seventh grader at Braden River Middle School, and Aiden will be a freshman at Braden River High School.

“We like to see the change each year brings,” Hamer said. “They just grow so fast. It’s good to see them growing into good boys” Her husband, Jeff, uses crayons to draw a special sign for each of the kids that shows what grade they’re going into each year.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

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Lakewood Ranch’s Crystal Rothhaar (third from left) goes paddleboarding with a group of moms every year to celebrate the first day of school after dropping their kids off at school.

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LETTERS

12

Manatee County needs new animal shelter In a July 22 opinion piece (“County should slow down on pet project”), East County Observer Managing Editor Jay Heater promoted the idea that, with the Bishop animal shelter donation, Manatee County forego building a new animal shelter and instead turn to more public-private partnerships.

Yes, such partnerships are a piece of the puzzle but not the sole solution to the county’s rapidly growing need for animal services. The delivery of animal services is very complex. There are national standards for facility design, staffing levels and overall capacity for delivering humane care to shelter animals.

Even with the additional capacity of Bishop’s facilities, both existing and planned, Manatee County’s total delivery of animal services will not meet these standards. A new facility replacing the existing county animal shelter, which most board commissioners have said should be demolished, is needed.

As a concerned citizen, I have asked county commissioners to pause before nixing the idea of a new shelter and to do three things. One, keep the $6 million dollars budgeted. Two, have Animal Services deliver a plan for integrating Bishop into the county’s animal services operations. And three, have Animal Services deliver to the commissioners for consideration a longterm vision and strategic plan for the future of animal services delivery in Manatee County.

This plan would factor in the county’s rapid human and

companion animal population growth, the evolutionary changes in today’s animal service industry’s best practices and standards, and the ways in which the county and local nonprofit animal rescues can best work together to deliver quality animal services to county residents and their companion animals.

TERI BRIDGE EAST COUNTY

Don’t forget dog and cat rescue groups Good discussion (“County should slow down on pet project”) regarding the additional county animal shelter. I was hoping to see somewhere in the article, in addition to the privately owned and operated volunteer animal shelters, some mention of the various dog and cat breed rescue groups.

I have been involved in golden retriever rescue for the past 20 years in California, Illinois, New Mexico, Michigan and now Southwest Florida. Each of the groups I became a part of were very organized and well staffed — completely by volunteers.

I can’t even begin to add up all of the miles we have put on our little RAV4 traveling here and there, ferrying around our furry friends from one place to another. Perhaps if you do a follow-up, you can highlight these volunteer groups?

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ELAYNE KRAMER, CONTORTIONIST

The 29-year-old hand-balancer comes from an Argentinian circus family and has been twisting herself since she was 8.

That skill has led to a career that started in Sarasota but has taken her across Europe and Asia.

The pandemic brought a different line of work for Kramer.

She found jobs housecleaning

SUMMER CIRCUS SPECTACULAR When: 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. weekdays; 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturdays through Aug. 14 Where: Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Road Tickets: $18; $12 for children 12 and under Website: Ringling.org/ events/summer-circusspectacular

and caregiving while picking up the occasional performance gig. For the first time since she started her career, she found herself without work planned out ahead for months.

Kramer said she isn’t naturally flexible and puts in an hour and a half of stretching every morning before a show. It’s easier on the body to practice consistently, but with no shows on the horizon, Kramer started stretching less often.

“Contortion is often very painful,” Kramer said. “When the pandemic started, I thought: ‘Oh this is cool. I don’t have to be in pain as much.’ But then it was harder to go back to it.”

She resumed everyday training in February.

“It was hard, but I’m really

THE VALLA-BERTINI FAMILY, UNICYCLISTS

Kim Sue Valla had a system for her family. She; her husband, Vlastek; and their children, Violet and Vincent, constitute the Valla-Bertini Family, a highunicycle act. When not in their native Sarasota, the quartet has traveled across the country performing all sorts of intricate and impressive acts for audiences.

The pandemic replaced that system with something more stationary. With no gigs to be found, Vlastek took work with the Asolo Repertory Theatre while Kim Sue took care of things at their Sarasota home.

Violet, 11, went from being home-schooled to attending a local school while Vincent, 19, found a job at a box office.

“We’ve all been separate,” Kim Sue Valla said. “We’re used to living in an RV and working together, eating together, driving together. For me and my husband, we start to think we’re missing our kids’ lives. My son is off at work in downtown Sarasota, and normally, I would home-school my daughter (when on the road).”

The 2020 Summer Circus Spectacular was the first event canceled for the Valla family, and the 2021 event is the first

REGISTRATIONS N ow S cheduliNg T ourS & e NrolliNg F or

event they have back again. The family has been practicing for two months on a concrete stage on their front lawn and have been settling back into a groove.

NOEL AGUILAR, SPEED TEMPO JUGGLER

Noel Aguilar, a speed tempo juggler from a circus family, is used to keeping his balance. Whether he’s performing in Europe or in his local Florida, he knows the most important thing is to stay locked into his performance and keep his pins moving.

Even so, it was hard for Aguilar to stay focused when his life was thrown up in the air.

“It was March (2020) when everything shut down for me,” Aguilar said. “Since then, I have

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not performed.”

Aguilar, 25, had a backup plan in case an injury ended his juggling career — his mother always pressed him to have other options — but his degree in lighting was a cold comfort when the pandemic shut that field down as well.

His knack for staying balanced came in handy in other ways, and Aguilar spent much of the pandemic carrying plates at Mattison’s in Sarasota.

“I enjoyed it but felt like I was missing something,” Aguilar said. “Every day I would go and be like, ‘Man, if these people only knew what I could do, what I’ve truly dedicated my whole life to.”

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or a town as inextricably linked to performance and spectacle as Sarasota, it’s been some time since there has been a true circus show here.

But the old adage about showbiz has proven true. The show must go on, and the circus has returned to Sarasota in the shape of the Circus Arts Conservatory’s Summer Circus Spectacular. The show — a partnership between the CAC and the Ringling — has jugglers, clowns and other performers putting on dazzling feats of strength and flexibility through Aug. 14 at the Historic Asolo Theater.

It’s a relief for many but perhaps none more so than the performers themselves, who have committed their lives, time and bodies to the circus. But when the pandemic hit, all of their passion had to be put aside.

Among the performers:

happy to see people excited to come to the circus,” Kramer said. “It’s just exciting to know that people missed us.”

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The show goes on HARRY SAYER

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

AUGUST 5, 2021

HIGH

SPORTS

5

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. Why not go for it, whatever it is?”

— ODA lacrosse athlete Aubrey Robbins SEE PAGE 16

The hits keep on coming Lakewood Ranch area players are key to Tampa Mustangs-TJ travel team success.

RYAN KOHN SPORTS REPORTER

T 2

Lakewood Ranch High graduate Grant McCray, now with the Arizona Complex League Giants Orange, went 3-3 with a triple July 30 in the Giants’ 10-7 win against the Rockies.

3

Joe Helewicz sank a hole-in-one Aug. 1 on the No. 24 hole at University Park Country Club. Helewicz used a driver on the 128-yard hole.

4

Lakewood Ranch High graduate Sam Jackson, now an offensive tackle at Central Florida, was ranked 28th on Sixth Year Sports’ preseason list of the top 50 players in the American Athletic Conference.

5

Pamela Mathews, Mary Jane Sanacore and Lynne Richbourg won the Nine Hole Ladies Golf Association Team Average event July 29 at University Park Country Club.

ALL SOIL ON

Courtesy photo

is a disadvantage, but Goelz makes it a point of pride for his teams to outperform expectations.

“Our motto has always been that we respect all our opponents, but we fear none,” Goelz said. “We respect their talent. We respect that they have committed themselves to this game. But we’re not scared of them.

“We never stop coaching throughout the summer, throughout these tournaments.

We want our players to know how to play the game and do it the right way, with class and dignity. I think we get rewarded for that. It brings out the best in our players.”

Jillian Herbst, who graduated from Lakewood Ranch in May and will play for Colgate University next season, said her final tournament with the team was a special one, in part because of the team’s local ties.

“It was nice to play with a lot of my (Lakewood Ranch) teammates year-round,” Herbst said.

“We know each other. We know how we play. Even in something like turning a double play, we know whether to expect a flip or a throw, and those things make a difference. This team had great chemistry. This was our first

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The Tampa Mustangs-TJ club softball team, which includes six players from Lakewood Ranch High, finished third at the PGF National Championships in Huntington Beach, California.

summer (of travel ball) together, and it came together quickly.”

Herbst was instrumental in getting the Mustangs to the tournament’s semifinals. The team trailed 5-0 against the Birmingham Thunderbolts, Herbst’s former team, heading into the sixth inning. Herbst pinch hit and slashed a single up the middle to begin a rally. The Mustangs would tie the game at 5-5 and eventually win it 6-5 in eight innings.

The Mustangs-TJ club will lose five players to graduation. Goelz said he encourages players from the Lakewood Ranch area to reach out if they are interested in vying for a spot on the team.

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Lakewood Ranch golfer Jacqueline Putrino, 17, finished tied for fifth (75-66-74-72—287) at the 45th Girls Junior PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, held July 27-30.

.J. Goelz continues to showcase Lakewood Ranch’s softball talent.

After Goelz led the Lakewood Ranch High team to a state championship in May — an accomplishment for which he was named the 2021 Extra Innings Softball High School Coach of the Year — he turned his attention to the travel ball season.

Even then, he kept his focus on Lakewood Ranch-area players.

The U18 Tampa Mustangs-TJ club softball team, based in Lakewood Ranch, finished third overall at the Premier Girls Fastpitch National Championships, held July 27-30 in Huntington Beach, California. The club won its section of the tournament bracket, going 5-0, before losing 3-0 to Nebraska Gold on July 30.

The Mustangs are unique in the elite tier of travel softball teams as they feature six players from one school, Lakewood Ranch High, while others will select their players from all over the country.

“That has always been one of the differences for us,” Goelz said.

“You look at the teams that are out here, especially in the finals, and they often have 16 to 18 kids from 16 to 18 different high schools. We have to branch off sometimes, but for the most part it is a local group.

We bring them together and show them how to play national championship-level ball.”

As a result, the players on Goelz’s teams are often less heralded than their opponents. Nine of the 18 players on the Mustangs’ roster, including pitchers Kylah Berry and Brianna Godfrey, are uncommitted to colleges. Two of the nine commitments are to nonNCAA Division I schools. In comparison to other travel teams at the national championship level, that

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

15

RYAN KOHN

Better Mustangs back on Pirates’ schedule H igh school football practice began Monday, which means our Friday nights are about to be filled with bright lights and big plays.

With the season on the horizon, the Observer will be providing season previews of each team in the coming weeks, but before then I wanted to talk about some specific things I am eager to see when the season arrives.

The No. 1 thing I can’t wait to see in 2021? Lakewood Ranch High and Braden River High playing each other again. The two rivals are separated by 5 miles yet haven’t played since 2018, a 56-0 road win for the Pirates. When I first heard the teams would not be playing in 2019, I asked around as to why, and the general consensus seemed to be that there was no benefit to either team when the games were that lopsided.

That year, 2019, was Lakewood Ranch’s first under Coach Rashad West. The Mustangs were at a low point. Since then, the program has become more competitive, so the Braden River game is back on the schedule.

The teams will play Sept. 10 at Braden River, the third week of the season. That’s usually around the point where teams round into form, so the game should be played on a high level.

Each team will have answered

EAT. SLEEP.

Above: Braden River High will have to replace quarterback Shawqi Itraish, who graduated and is now at Rice University.

Left: ODA senior running back Grady Paxton (23) will be a primary weapon in the Thunder’s offense in 2021.

Photos by Ryan Kohn

questions by then. For Braden River, I’m looking forward to seeing how the offense runs without quarterback Shawqi Itraish, who is now playing for Rice University, and running back Lavontae Youmans, who transferred to Manatee High for his senior season. Replacing key cogs in both the passing game and the running game is a tough ask, even for a talented coaching staff.

At Lakewood Ranch, the Mustangs have a returning quarterback in senior Cameron Madison, so my focus is on the defense, which was the

bellwether of the team a season ago. In wins, the Mustangs (5-4) held opponents to 7.4 points per game. In losses, opponents averaged 44.8 points per game. That has to change if the Mustangs are to make it to the next level.

Things are different for The Out-of-Door Academy, which plays in the Sunshine State Athletic Conference. ODA has a new coach in Jon Haskins, attempting to steady the program.

Although the Thunder did reach the SSAC Class A state championship game in 2020, it did so after going 0-4 in the pandemic-

CRUISE. REPEAT.

shortened regular season.

Now the program is installing new schemes. The Thunder lost starting quarterback Tyler Beasley, who graduated, as did do-it-all leader Nolan Lewellen and tight end stalwart Wyatt Carlton. This year’s Thunder team will be less experienced, and with a new staff.

It means that 2021 might be an uphill battle — though I expect senior wide receiver Connor Pope and senior running back Grady Paxton to still make highlight plays. If those guys can carry the team, maybe the Thun-

der overachieves.

That, as well as new players bursting onto the scene, is what I’m most looking forward to seeing from ODA.

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

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Aubrey Robbins is a rising sophomore girls lacrosse player at The Out-of-Door Academy. A midfielder, she represented Team Florida at the 2021 American Select Main Event tournament, held July 2730 in Milford, Delaware. Robbins helped the (2024) Florida team reach the tournament finals.

Robbins was previously invited to the Under Armour 150 Combine, which brought together the top 150 players from the 2024 graduating class.

don’t take. Why not go for it, whatever it is?

When did you start playing lacrosse?

In first grade. My dad, (Danny), played lacrosse in college (University of Maryland), so he got me into the sport early.

Finish this sentence: “Aubrey Robbins is …”

Creative. I like thinking outside the box in hard situations, both in school and on the field.

What has been your biggest challenge?

Working on my left-handed skills.

I’m putting in practice time to get better at using it.

What superpower would you want?

I would want teleportation. You could get from place to place so easily.

What is your best skill?

I think my speed. A lot of my coaches say I play fast on offense.

What is the best advice you have received?

You miss 100% of the shots you

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YOUR NEIGHBORS

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER Greenbrook 12-year-old enjoys the challenge of drawing pets.

BRENDAN LAVELL STAFF WRITER

G

Brendan Lavell

Francesca Bisordi says the most difficult part of drawing Charlie was his blond fur. She says there is not a color that easily corresponds to such fur, so she plays around and mixes shades until she’s satisfied.

Francesa Bisordi, 12, sits with her dog, Monty, whom she drew for her mother’s birthday. Bisordi’s mom loves sunsets, which is why she chose a sunset-shaded background for her drawing.

ART APPRECIATION Favorite animal to draw: Dogs Most difficult to draw: People Average time to draw someone’s pets: Two days Most challenging aspect of drawing pets: Fur color Most fun aspect of drawing pets: Fur texture

Bisordi, an R. Dan Nolan Middle School student, gets the basis for her drawings from photographs people send her. She usually requests a few different ones for a variety of angles to choose from.

On average, it takes her about two days to finish each drawing using her iPad, but sometimes she can finish one in a day, and others can take up to a week or more.

Francesca Bisordi made this drawing for her sister, Jade Satariano, the first she ever made for someone else. It contains Satariano’s four dogs and one cat. Bisordi tried to give each of the dogs a distinct personality.

“She’s kind of a perfectionist when it comes to this kind of thing,” Ben Bisordi said.

Francesca Bisordi said she will have less time to draw when school starts Aug. 10, but she still plans to make time for it.

“I always have something to draw,” she said.

The most difficult part of the job is getting an animal’s fur color just right.

“It’s hard to match a natural color,” Bisordi said. “Blond is not a specific color, and to make it look more realistic, it takes awhile.”

Shaggy animals can also be a little tricky, though Bisordi enjoys

the challenge of trying to capture the texture of their fur.

She tries to inject some personality into each of her drawings. For example, the drawing for her sister had four different dogs with four different poses or facial expressions to indicate each pet’s character. She enjoys drawing animals she knows because it is easier to create a facial expression that truly embodies their spirit.

Bisordi said she also enjoys creating a customized background for each animal. Sometimes it is a color that emphasizes their personality or brings out the color of their fur. Other times she plays off their names, such as when she created a background consisting entirely of peaches for a dog named Peaches.

Bisordi doesn’t expect her hobby to turn into a career. However, she plans to continue art as a lifelong hobby.

She loves when she receives notes from the people who tell her how much they love her art.

“Sometimes she’s not 100% satisfied with her work, but she’s thrilled when someone tells her they like it,” her dad said.

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reenbrook’s Francesca Bisordi began drawing pets as a way to cheer up her sister.

About three months ago, Bisordi’s 31-year-old sister, Jade Satariano, was in the process of moving from Delray Beach to Sarasota. She was feeling stressed.

Bisordi, 12, said Satariano loves her animals more than anything, so Bisordi drew a picture of Satariano’s four dogs and one cat and gave the finished product to Satariano while they were eating in a restaurant together.

Satariano cried tears of happiness when she saw the artwork her sister made as a special housewarming present. Bisordi said Satariano now shows the drawing to everyone she meets.

For Bisordi, a new hobby was born. Although Bisordi had been drawing as long as she can remember — becoming serious about it when she was 9 years old and teaching herself by watching YouTube videos — she decided she was going to start drawing for other people. Specifically, she wanted to draw their pets and give them the same joy she brought her sister.

Bisordi’s father, Ben, said her creativity and intelligence are the greatest gifts behind her artistic ability. He also said his daughter finds comfort in drawing.

“When she is working on a picture, she really focuses in on it, like she gets into her own world,” Ben Bisordi said.

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With a smile on her face, Collins, 10, reached out her arms and shook her hands before landing safely back on the ground during Lakewood Ranch High School’s Mini Cheer Camp on July 21.

“It was fun because I never get to be a flyer,” Collins said

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Throughout the four-day camp, the 120 campers, who are in kindergarten through eighth grade, learned different Lakewood Ranch High School cheers, stunts and a choreographed dance.

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Photos by Liz Ramos

Emma Bogucki, Kiyanna Leonard and Cora Kovatch follow Lakewood Ranch High School JV cheerleader Kennedy Viquerat while learning a cheer.

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niversity Park resident Marlene Meyer had been embellishing jewelry for about two years when she received two sets of button covers from her friend and neighbor Sue Constable, who thought Meyer could use it for her

business, Marlene’s Finds and Designs.

These were not ordinary button covers. They once belonged to Constable’s late mother.

“This is a memory of your mother,” Meyer remembered saying to Constable. “Don’t give it to me to sell. I’m going to make you something.”

Meyer decided to use them to decorate a purse and a set of rings, and she said Constable was thrilled to have practical items she could use to remember her mom.

“It’s special as a memory,” Mey-

Saitō Kiyoshi (Japanese, 1907–1997) Shinadera, Nagasaki (detail), designed 1955, printed 1956.

Woodblock print; ink and color on paper, 23 5/8 × 33 1/16 in. The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Gift of Charles and Robyn Citrin, 2014. SN11412.83 © Hisako Watanabe

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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ABOUT THE ARTIST

MARLENE MEYER Age: 79 Previous hometown: Baltimore Lived in Florida since: 2011 Business: Marlene’s Finds and Designs Website: HandcraftedByMarlene. weebly.com Business social media: Facebook, Instagram and Etsy

er said. “When she uses them, she remembers her mother.”

It was then Meyer began to embellish some of her merchandise with personal items that would have special meaning to her clients, rather than only using random items that caught her eye. The personalized merchandise now makes up about half of her business, and that percentage continues to grow.

Even though she was unable to participate in many of her usual shows, Meyer said business has been strong during the COVID-19 pandemic because many people have spent spare time cleaning their houses and figuring out what to do with old trinkets.

Meyer gets asked to repurpose pins, earrings and bows more than any other item. She said insect-themed items, especially butterflies, are very popular. The most common items people want to receive with their repurposed memorabilia are bracelets and napkin rings.

One of Meyer’s previous jobs as a kindergarten teacher helped her become more experienced with art, but food presentation was Meyer’s true passion for a long time. Before she started Marlene’s Finds and Designs,

she was a caterer. Meyer said her background in food presentation is part of what helped her become successful in the fields of jewelry and decor.

For one, she said working in the food and catering business taught her how to use color in the design process. She said charcuterie boards are one example of a product that people expect to feature arrangement and color in a way that is aesthetically pleasing, not just practical and delicious.

“If you’re designing a platter, it’s almost like doing a painting,” Meyer said. “It’s form, it’s shape, it’s color. It just transforms itself into something that you’re buying for your house. You either have the ability or you don’t.”

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Peace River awards scholarships Peace River Electric Cooperative, through its Operation Round Up program, donated $104,000 in scholarships to 21 area students.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a financial toll on many families in our service area,” Operation Round Up Chair Ellen Hamel said in a release. “For some students, this scholarship opportunity may spell the difference between going to college or staying home this year.”

The funding for Operation Round Up comes from consumer donations. Consumers are asked if they would round up their bill to the next dollar to provide charitable funds for food, shelter, clothing, health and education. Since 2006, Operation Round Up has granted more than $1 million in college scholarships to 214 students.

Included among this year’s scholarship winners are Julia Kuehn (Lakewood Ranch High, $8,000 scholarship to attend Florida State), Emma Paliotta (Lakewood Ranch High, $8,0000 scholarship to attend University of Florida), Garrett

Andrews (Lakewood Ranch High, $4,000 scholarship to attend Embry Riddle Aeronautical University), Madison Kahler (Lakewood Ranch High, $4,000 scholarship to attend Florida State) and Connor Keclik (Lakewood Ranch High, $4,000 scholarship to attend University of Central Florida).

of the alliance and build positive lasting relationships with members and the community.

She previously was the hospitality manager and creative director at Atria Café in Lakewood Ranch.

Nelson is tasked with building relationships with companies in the region to grow membership. She previously served as director of sales for TownePlace Suites by Marriott Sarasota Bradenton West.

Bar Association names board members Graceann Frederico, the executive director of the Manatee County Bar Association, announced her organization’s 202122 board of directors July 20.

Among them are Lakewood Ranch’s Aaron Crittenden (director) of Harllee & Bald; Tara’s Faith Brown (president-elect) of Faith Z. Brown, P.A., and East County’s Brian Iten (secretary) of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

Steven Dye of Dye, Harrison, Kirkland, Petruff, Pratt and St. Paul, was named president.

For membership and sponsorship information, contact Frederico at 741-4091.

Courtesy photo

Jenna Nelson has joined the staff of the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance.

Business Alliance adds to staff The Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance has hired Kristie Calandro as member services and communication coordinator and Jenna Nelson as membership development representative.

Calandro will be responsible for member engagement and implementing communications inside and outside the organization to serve members of the alliance to increase awareness

Goodwill replaces longtime leader Goodwill has hired Donn Githens as its president, replacing Bob Rosinsky, who has been president since 2015 and who has worked with the nonprofit since 2006. Githens had been in charge of Goodwill’s donated goods retail operation, including retail stores, donation centers and transportation. He also was in charge of marketing and communications, real estate, facility maintenance and property management.

Rosinsky will retain the CEO title until his retirement in June 2022. Upon Rosinsky’s retire-

ment, Githens will add CEO to his president’s title.

Elks present grant to Turning Points The Lakewood Ranch Elks No. 2855 donated its Spotlight Grant of $2,000 to Turning Points’ Yellow Program of Bradenton.

The Yellow Program assists veterans and their families with their individual needs, following a “housing first” philosophy.

Turning Points executives Michelle Scott, Kathleen Cramer and Andy Guyre accepted the grant from Elks committee members Deb Kehoe, Tom Sweeney, Frank Iannello, Charlotte Madar and Jack Jernigan.

Palm Aire Women’s Club installs board The Palm Aire Women’s Club met in person for the first time in 14 months in July to install its new executive board.

Debi Frock initiated the proceedings by lighting a red candle to symbolize her office as president and leader of the

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Palm Aire Women’s Club. The rest of the executive board consists of Susan Romine, Nancy Curley, Linda Donnelly and Ivonne Cardona.

Ruth Dweck of the Cascades Women’s Club and Joe Hochodel of Hope 4 Communities load up school supplies to be donated to local students.

Cascades donates $1,100 for school supplies The Women’s Club of Cascades held a School Supplies/Backpack Drive that led to $1,100 in donations to purchase items that were donated to area students.

Ruth Dweck, the event chair, said she had a great time shopping for the items.

Local students earn diplomas, awards East County’s Maya O’Day earned a degree in comedic arts from Emerson College of Boston. … Lakewood Ranch’s David Napoliello graduated with a Master of Business Administration in pharmaceutical and health care

business from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. …

Gaston Gonzalez Lara received a degree from Shenandoah University (Winchester, Virginia). … Lakewood Ranch’s Andrew Barnes earned a Bachelor of Sciences in biology from the Citadel (Charleston, South Carolina).

East County’s Richard Michael was named to the Wheaton College (Illinois) dean’s list. … East County’s Elena Munzell, Matthew McGee, Bethany Burns, Mary Epps, Kendyl Brahler, McKenize Mazzella, Alejandro Miranda, Vanessa Masucci, Hannah DeGenaro and Bronson Byerley and Lakewood Ranch’s Tala Bleau, Sydney Paukert, Leah Daniels and Taylor Jenkins were named to the dean’s list at the University of Tampa. … East County’s Eric MacKowski was named to the dean’s list at the University of Hartford (Connecticut). … East County’s Martha Marquez Luna was named to the dean’s list at Canisius College (Buffalo, New York). … East County’s Katherine Mavis was named to the dean’s list at Georgia Southern University (Statesboro, Georgia). … East County’s Jonah Duchesne-Shaw and Belle Babcock were named to the dean’s list at Montclair State University (New Jersey). … East County’s Sophia Nora Marie Scardino was named to the dean’s list at Caldwell University (New Jersey).

East County’s Aliya Carrington, Molly Donaghy, Gabriel Bazell, Hayden Springer, Cameron Noel, Haylie Humphrey, Celeste Sanchez, Grant Minko, Anna Cecci, and Courtney Angileri were named to the dean’s list at Tallahassee Community College.

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BRADENTON 8495 Lindrick Lane 4 Beds 4 Baths 6352 Sq. Ft. Stacy Haas 941-587-4359 A4504995 $3,995,000

BRADENTON 5948 Riverview Boulevard 5 Beds 4/1 Baths 5,091 Sq. Ft. Kathy Valente & Gregory Zies, LLC 941-685-6767 A4504528 $2,300,000

SARASOTA 7422 Clark Road 5 Beds 3/1 Baths 4,158 Sq. Ft. Jami Kellogg 941-809-6931 A4499425 $2,199,000

PALMETTO 805 3rd Street E 4 Beds 4/1 Baths 4,775 Sq. Ft. Sandi Dietrich 941-704-0697 A4507382 $2,150,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH 7004 Brier Creek Court 4 Beds 4 Baths 3,534 Sq. Ft. Victoria Turner 662-614-2783 A4505757 $1,300,000

BRADENTON 6510 200th Street E 4 Beds 3 Baths 4,185 Sq. Ft. Leslie Emery & Aaron Corr 941-400-9710 A4489175 $1,695,000

SARASOTA 3501 Founders Club Drive 3 Beds 3 Baths 2,836 Sq. Ft. Richard Hearn 941-313-1591 A4497661 $1,599,000

SARASOTA 1899 Buccaneer Circle 3 Beds 2 Baths 1,942 Sq. Ft. Jami Kellogg 941-809-6931 A4505815 $1,200,000

SARASOTA 5720 Autumn Fern Circle 4 Beds 3/1 Baths 3,458 Sq. Ft. Alison Elizalde 941-928-9217 A4506020 $920,000

SARASOTA 17773 Deer Prairie Drive 3 Beds 2 Baths 2,360 Sq. Ft. Tina Von Kessel & Brigitte Von Kessel 941-266-2848 A4504988 $899,999

LAKEWOOD RANCH 6839 Bay Hill Drive 5 Beds 3 Baths 2,906 Sq. Ft. Deborah Angelo O'Mara 941-730-0777 A4507344 $850,000

BRADENTON 13404 Ramblewood Trail 6 Beds 4/1 Baths 4,009 Sq. Ft. Toma Milbank & Rebecca Milbank PLLC 941-720-5174 A4506789 $785,000

BRADENTON 2414 Starwood Court 3 Beds 3 Baths 3,332 Sq. Ft. Tina Ciaccio 941-685-8420 A4507698 $749,000

BRADENTON 240 Dove Trail 4 Beds 3 Baths 2,393 Sq. Ft. Lynne Callahan 941-720-3278 A4507115 $699,000

SARASOTA 4384 Maplewood Lane 3 Beds 2 Baths 2,360 Sq. Ft. Susan Elkins & Priscilla Adams 941-374-6016 A4507403 $679,000

PARRISH 3602 Wilderness Boulevard E 4 Beds 3 Baths 3,038 Sq. Ft. Jennifer Horvat & Debbie Judge 313-729-6339 A4507400 $625,000

BRADENTON 9235 43rd Terrace W 3 Beds 2 Baths 2,482 Sq. Ft. Erica Thomas 941-799-9365 A4502020 $599,999

SARASOTA 835 Hampton Wood Court 3 Beds 3 Baths 2,686 Sq. Ft. Drew Russell 941-993-3739 A4507870 $525,000

BRADENTON 1320 Perico Point Circle 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,547 Sq. Ft. Maruta Miluns 941-374-9702 A4502932 $489,000

BRADENTON 7304 24th Avenue W 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,527 Sq. Ft. Maria Christenson & Karla Davidson 941-920-3583 A4499897 $450,000

BRADENTON 5577 Palmer Circle 206 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,462 Sq. Ft. Joanna Benante & Ann Martin 941-356-7717 A4507556 $440,000

BRADENTON 339 Heritage Isles Way 3 Beds 2/1 Baths 2,016 Sq. Ft. Kiley Riccardi, P.A. 941-720-1147 A4505426 $410,000

SARASOTA 3716 72nd Avenue Circle E 3 Beds 2 Baths 2,008 Sq. Ft. Phyllis DiBlasi 941-320-4158 A4507980 $410,000

BRADENTON 4503 101 St Street W 3 Beds 2 Baths 1,440 Sq. Ft. Debbie Vogler 941-705-3328 A4492031 $400,000

BRADENTON 2309 35th Street W 5 Beds 2/1 Baths 2,292 Sq. Ft. Barbara Najmy 941-705-1158 A4507308 $400,000

SARASOTA 4274 Riverwood Avenue 3 Beds 3 Baths 1,774 Sq. Ft. Patrick Doherty & Maureen Doherty 941-993-3160 A4499452 $380,000

BRADENTON 815 60th Street NW 3 Beds 2 Baths 1,425 Sq. Ft. Kathy Valente & Gregory Zies, LLC 941-685-6767 A4507320 $375,000

PARRISH 3934 Cottage Hill Avenue 3 Beds 2 Baths 1,515 Sq. Ft. Paul Oakes 770-403-0385 A4507873 $375,000

BRADENTON 984 Sandpiper Circle 984 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,115 Sq. Ft. Bill Anderson & Adrienne Scott 941-313-4059 A4506992 $329,000

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LAKEWOOD RANCH 8456 Lindrick Lane 4 Beds 4/1 Baths 4,369 Sq. Ft. Stacy Haas 941-587-4359 A4507528 $3,100,000

888.552.5228 | MICHAELSAUNDERS.COM

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

YourObserver.com

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

A

home in County Club topped all transactions in this week’s real estate. Antonea Beckerman, trustee, of Lakewood Ranch, sold the home at 7051 Portmarnock Place to Craig Wolpert, of Sarasota, for $2.08 million. Built in 2003, it has five bedrooms, five-and-two-half baths, a pool and 5,993 square feet of living area. It sold for $2.1 million in 2007.

COUNTRY CLUB EAST

Ian Broom and Jane Bicknell, of Bradenton, sold their home at 16629 Kendleshire Terrace to Nicholas Carpinelli and Margaret Brody, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1.75 million. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, four-anda-half baths, a pool and 3,745 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.22 million in 2017.

Gordon and Laura Crawford, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 15303 Linn Park Terrace to Barry Schumacher and Susan Stanton, of Bradenton, for $1.63 million. Built in 2012, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,772 square feet of living area.

Patricia Pope sold the home at 16728 Berwick Terrace to Scott and Sandra Segrist, of Bradenton, for $1.25 million. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,813 square feet of living area.

TIDEWATER PRESERVE

Keith and Vicki Badgley, of Palmetto, sold their home at 1256 Tyne Lane to James Baker and Marsha Kay Baker, of Bradenton, for $1.08 million. Built in 2016, it has four bedrooms, three-anda-half baths, a pool and 3,460 square feet of living area. It sold for $832,000 in 2018.

ESPLANADE

Joseph Ricciardi and Maria Guimaraes, of Myakka City, sold their home at 12672 Fontana Loop to Larry Moschini, trustee, of Lakewood Ranch, for $950,000. Built in 2014, it has three bedrooms, three-anda-half baths, a pool and 2,738 square feet of living area. It sold for $518,100 in 2014.

Leslie and Debra Friedland, of Sarasota, sold their home at 12847 Sorrento Way to Charles and Lori Koller, of Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania, for $830,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, three-and-ahalf baths and 2,126 square feet of living area. It sold for $553,500 in 2018.

Mary Nevin and Paul Donnelly sold their home at 5129 Napoli Run to Patricia Tomalonis and Blair Tomalonis, trustees, of Bradenton, for $794,000. Built in 2014, it has three bedrooms,

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REAL ESTATE

Country Club home brings $2.08 million

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

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RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

JULY 19-23

three baths, a pool and 2,265 square feet of living area. It sold for $590,000 in 2017.

12611 Sorrento Way LLC sold the home at 12611 Sorrento Way to Robert Joseph Bowes, of Bradenotn, for $625,000. Built in 2017, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,665 square feet of living area. It sold for $371,500 in 2018.

INDIGO

Gregg and M. Victoria Sturz, of Bradenton, sold their home at 13114 Indigo Way to David Robert Gephart and Kay Elaine Gephart, of Bradenton, for $950,000.

Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,683 square feet of living area. It sold for $495,900 in 2018.

COUNTY CLUB

Shelly Gallagher, of Sarasota, sold her home at 7007 Twin Hills Terrace to Brett Charles Barcelona and Amanda Lynn Barcelona, of Lakewood Ranch, for $915,000. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, three-anda-half baths, a pool and 3,460 square feet of living area.

Gregory and Catherine Stotts, of New Albany, Indiana, sold their home at 7125 Orchid Island Place to Kenneth and Annemarie Donovan, of Bradenton, for $710,000. Built in 2004, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,283 square feet of living area. It sold for $371,300 in 2015.

Matthew and Rachel Wood, of Bradenton, sold their home at 7246 Lake Forest Glen to Frank Feng and Yue Wu, of Loves Park, Illinois, for $680,000. Built in 2010, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,451 square feet of living area. It sold for $475,000 in 2019.

Courtesy photo

This Country Club home at 7051 Portmarnock Place sold for $2.08 million.

It has five bedrooms, five-and-two-half baths, a pool and 5,993 square feet of living area.

Gail Gutoski, of Sun City Center, sold her home at 4410 Baltry Court to Richard Theodore Buttery and Jessica Buttery, of Bradenton, for $699,000. Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,336 square feet of living area. It sold for $391,500 in 2015.

Veronique Vernhet, of Bradenton, sold her home at 10124 Marbella Drive to Michael and Denise Otten, of Boonton, New Jersey, for $650,000. Built in

2019, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,016 square feet of living area. It sold for $400,000 in 2020.

KENWOOD PARK

Geraldine Heck and Christopher Alan Heck, trustees, of Littleton, Colorado, sold the home at 8127 Abingdon Court to Michael Dennis Koren, of British Columbia, Canada, for $700,000. Built in SEE REAL ESTATE, PAGE 26

In with the new SALES GALLERY OPEN

Mark Loach and Clara Viana, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 7111 Sandhills Place to Vianafam Properties LLC for $400,000. Built in 2004, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,278 square feet of living area. It sold for $325,000 in 2018.

RIVER CLUB SOUTH

Bruce and Rebecca Toter sold their home at 6923 Riversedge St. Circle to Shepard and Hayley Englander, of Bradenton, for $856,000. Built in 1994, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,856 square feet of living area. It sold for $550,000 in 2013.

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Colleen Pryce Busch and Carl Busch sold their home at 9927 Portside Terrace to James Magalska, trustee, of Bradenton, for $852,000. Built in 2003, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,755 square feet of living area. It sold for $522,500 in 2019.

ROSEDALE ADDITION

Curtis and Jill Jordan, of Bradenton, sold their home at 9617 Carnoustie Place to Dennis and Anne D’Onofrio, of Bradenton, for $851,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and is 2,538 square feet. It sold for $525,000 in 2018.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

Real estate

THE FUTURE, STARRING

FROM PAGE 25

You

2002, it has two bedrooms, twoand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,551 square feet of living area. It sold for $139,800 in 2002.

GREENBROOK

Michael and Marilyn Kopnak, of Palmetto, sold their home at 13905 Wood Duck Circle to Elena Jasmine Markow and Robert Markow, of Bradenton, for $550,000. Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,349 square feet of living area.

It sold for $300,800 in 2004.

RIVERDALE REVISED

Kathryn Vanderpool, of Parrish, sold the home at 6461 Blue Grosbeak Circle to Christopher and Susan Fisher, of Lakewood Ranch, for $436,000. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,034 square feet of living area. It sold for $306,000 in 2014.

F. Gordon Harper and Betty Lou Harper, trustees, of Orlando, sold the home at 193 Americas Cup Blvd. to Bryan and Britney Burrell, of Bradenton, for $415,000. Built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,356 square feet of living area.

CENTRAL PARK

Carolyn Schlotthauer, of Bradenton, sold the home at 4624 Blue Marlin Drive to Charles and Rebecca Woods, of Bradenton, for $680,000. Built in 2001, it has three bedrooms, two-anda-half baths, a pool and 2,328 square feet of living area.

LINKS AT PALM AIRE

Gary Chestnut, of Sarasota, sold his home at 7429 Links Court to Weldon and Samantha Buckner, of Sarasota, for $679,500. Built in 1996, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,480 square feet of living area. It sold for $550,000 in April.

Matthew and Kiley Lukas, of Bradenton, sold their home at 4804 Boston Common Glen to Joey Hunt and Katie Jenee Hunt, of Bradenton, for $531,000. Built in 2012, it has three bedrooms, two baths and is 2,148 square feet. It sold for $253,000 in 2012.

Sheila and Joseph Stajkowski, of Riverview, sold their home at 11936 Forest Park Circle to SN Tampa LLC for $420,000. Built in 2012, it has three bedrooms, two baths and is 1,779 square feet. It sold for $272,000 in 2015.

ROSEDALE HIGHLANDS

Joan Blend Kahrs, trustee, of Bradenton, sold the home at 5121 96th St. E. to Barbara Hughes and Bruce Hamous, of Bradenton, for $575,000. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,591 square feet of living area. It sold for $525,000 in 2013.

For 92 years, The Players Centre for Performing Arts has served as the region’s creative anchor and community theatre. Each stakeholder who believes in our mission has played a vital role in our theatre’s history, from children to college students, professional performers to patrons and countless volunteers who live across Florida’s “Cultural Coast.”

Now, we invite you to play a lead role in continuing our legacy. As we work to break ground on our new theatre facility in Waterside Place at Lakewood Ranch, your donation will help us continue to entertain, educate and engage more than 60,000 local and regional visitors annually. Your support and participation will help us enhance classes for students of all ages, hold workshops, present shows and expand the impact of the arts on the Suncoast.

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FRIDAY, AUG. 6

GLOW BACK TO SCHOOL PARTY Runs from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Oasis Church, 5215 Lorraine Road, Lakewood Ranch. The Oasis Church is hosting the Glow Back to School Party for children ages 5-11 that will feature music, glow sticks, a movie, pizza, popcorn and games in the main auditorium. The cost is $10 per family, and all children are welcome. For more information, go to OasisChurch.ag.

SATURDAY, AUG. 7

BACK TO SCHOOL BASH Runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Mall at UTC, 140 University Town Center Drive, Sarasota. The Mall at UTC’s annual Back to School Bash returns, featuring on-site physicals, a Kids Safety info stop, photo opportunities, music performances, fun activities and more than 40 local family-friendly businesses. A free scavenger hunt will be held to collect school supplies. For more information, go to MallAtUTC.com.

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SUNDAY, AUG. 8

DRAGON BOAT NATIONAL TEAM TRIALS Begins at 8 a.m. at Nathan Benderson Park, 5852 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota. These trials will determine the 2021 U.S. National Dragon Boat Senior A and Senior B women’s teams. To qualify, paddlers on these teams have to be age 50 or older. The trials are free to attend. For more information, visit USDBF.org or NathanBendersonPark.org.

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OVATION OPEN HOUSE Runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Ovation, Braden River Plaza, 4602 E. S.R. 64, Bradenton. Ovation is hosting an open house that will include classes and performances from Broadway professionals. A vocal performance master class will be held with Ann Morrison, an awardwinning actress, writer, teacher and director for 40 years, at 11:15 a.m. Justin Greer, a veteran of nine Broadway musicals, opera, film and education, hosts a class at 1 p.m.

The Ovation Troupe offers a live musical performance at 12:15 p.m.

For a complete schedule of events, go to Ovation-MusicalSchool.com.

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ONLINE: www.ApprovedRoofingLLC.com SERVING FLORIDA’S GULF COAST FOR OVER 40 YEARS

New Patient Appointments 941-359-1988  Contact@SarasotaFCendo.com

SarasotaFCendo.com

EXPERIENCE the

360 Solution

Imagine life without pain.

Let us help you get back to living your life to the fullest.

Call today for a consultation.

941-360-2233 HIP | KNEE | PAIN MANAGEMENT | NECK & SPINE | HAND & WRIST | FOOT & ANKLE | REGENERATIVE | SPORTS MEDICINE & MORE

Sarasota’s Best

“After having the same Orthopedist for years I was very hesitant and nervous to go see a new one. After 5 minutes with Dr Silverstein I was put at ease, so much so I scheduled a full hip replacement. The hip replacement was such a success that now Dr Silverstein is doing my knee. I have complete confidence in Dr Silverstein and will highly recommended him to anyone who may need any type of orthopedic services.”

BLINDS•SHUTTERS DRAPERIES•WALLCOVERINGS

3 CONVENIENT LOCATIONS Sarasota | Lakewood Ranch | Venice

Voted One of

28 Years in a Row!

JoAnne A.

LET’S GET MOVING CALL US TODAY!

Wallcoverings & Blinds, Inc. Since 1989

Janet and Curt Mattson Owners

4801 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota Across from The Landings

941.360.2233 Our name says it all ... our patients

the Center of our Care.

VOTED #1areIN ORTHOPEDIC CARE Complete & Comprehensive Orthopedics

CALL 941.951.BONE (2663) TODAY! SAME/NEXT DAY APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE

360454-1

359435-1

941-925-7800 mmwallcoveringsblinds.com

28

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

FORECAST

NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH

THURSDAY, AUG. 5 High: 86 Low: 76 Chance of rain: 56%

FRIDAY, AUG. 6 High: 90 Low: 77 Chance of rain: 31%

SATURDAY, AUG. 7 High: 90 Low: 77 Chance of rain: 43%

Gordon Silver captured vincas after an afternoon rain shower at Lakewood Ranch’s Del Webb.

SUNRISE / SUNSET

Sunrise Sunset

Thursday, Aug. 5

6:56a 8:15p

Friday, Aug. 6

6:56a

8:15p

Saturday, Aug. 7

6:57a

8:14p

Sunday, Aug. 8

6:57a

8:13p

Monday, Aug. 9

6:58a

8:12p

Tuesday, Aug. 10

6:58a

8:11p

Wednesday, Aug. 11

6:59a

8:11p

MOON PHASES

Aug. 30 Last

Sept. 6 New

Sept. 13 First

Sept. 20 Full

RAINFALL Monday, July 26

0

Tuesday, July 27

2.84

SUNDAY, AUG. 8

Wednesday, July 28 Thursday, July 29

1.65

High: 89 Low: 77 Chance of rain: 36%

Friday, July 30

0.03

0

Saturday, July 31

0

Sunday, Aug. 1

0

*Rainfall totals from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport

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

YEAR TO DATE:

MONTH TO DATE:

2021 29.38 in.

2021 0.69 in.

2020 31.73 in.

2020 0.12 in.

MANASOTA FLOORING INC CROSSWORD

©2021 Universal Uclick

ACROSS

1 Boring method of learning 5 Much-shared image, e.g.

9 Like a cottage’s feel 13 Speedy Chevy 18 Word before or after “wide” 19 Persian Gulf state 20 Plant in some Korean soft drinks 21 Uninterested in ethics 23 Ever so slightly 24Movies with an exclusive audience 26 Adjective for Eeyore 27 Brunch on a cart 29 Challenging

941.748.4679 | Venice

941.493.7441 | www.manasotaonline.com

44 Ye ___ Shoppe 45 Robins’ homes 46 Singers making up 1/4 of 49-Across 48 Had dinner at nine, say 51 19-Across’ ruler, once 53 Name of two Spice Girls 54 Oklahoma city 59 ‘90s DJ’s items 60 Parent in a certain blended family 63 What holds locks in place?

65 Chinese zodiac rodent 67 Pieces of furniture used for leg exercises?

68 “___ favor” 69 “Feel What U Feel” singer Lisa 70 Furry honoree, perhaps?

71 Shows audacity 72 Straight from the garden 73 Risotto ___ Milanese DOWN 74 Some emit light 1 It may have a bike lane 75 Medieval entertainer 2 Related to sight known for one-liners?

3 Latin lover’s mood?

76 Team leader 4 Goes on until 77 Half a kisser 5 Show about a Florida pig 78 Go out with farm?

79 Inch or volt 6 Write “special affects,” e.g. 80 Monopoly: Macbeth Edi7 The “M” of STEM tion and others?

8 Coop up 82 Linguist Chomsky 9 Vessel in Licorice Lagoon? 83 Flame sticker on a car, 10 Spanish for “Bravo!” maybe 11 Astonished text 84 Go-to swear word?

12 Has a longing 88 Uno + uno 13 Dracula’s watercraft?

90 Some children 78 City with a Molly Malone 14 Offshoot of punk 92 Related to sound statue 15 Legendary Yankees 97 Bumps in the night 81 Rode out manager Joe 98 Beard removers 84 ___ d’ 16 “Haven’t you discussed 100 Cloth 85 Like cassettes the Iliad enough?”

102 Tennis champion Naomi 86 Above, in poetry 17 Lack of trouble 105 Falling tool in old cartoons 87 Problematic people 22 “___ Miz” 106 “Cupid” singer Cooke 89 Twitter rants, say 25 Makes smooth 107 Much kitchen work, for 91 “In the Heights” seg28 Perfect spots short ments 31 Notes in a poker pot 109 Surface in billiards 93 “You know you want to!”

35 Modify 111 Bad on purpose 94 Coating for some 37 Discourages 113 Trial run cheeses 39 K-12 grp.

115 It’s between the goal posts 95 Takeoff stat 41 Ariana Ghez’s wind instru- 117 Indian music legend ___ 96 Person studying bulls ment Akbar Khan and bears, informally 43 Celebrity chef Tsai 118 Big head 99 Big mess

PICKUP BALL by Steve Mossberg; Edited by David Steinberg

30 Hold tightly 32 Whiskey options 33 Raccoon relative 34 Francisco who painted Maja 36 “Haven’t the slightest” 38 Brownstone hangout 40 Greenhouse’s exterior 42 Inorganic food initials 45 Time for a day dream?

47 Sabich sandwich’s bread 49 Acronym for choir voices 50 Go to sea 52 Knock out of the tournament 55 Prefix with “liberal” 56 Needing to catch up

57 Run in the raw 58 Band’s bonuses 61 Fruit with a mandarin variety 62 Labors 63 Move gracefully 64 Harshly criticize 66 Bygone jet (Abbr.)

67 Actors who usually bow last 68 Pants fold 70 Common email attachment 73 Mature person, in at least one way 75 Take for oneself 76 Easy to understand

101 “Definitely not!”

103 “The Chi” creator Waithe 104 “1, 2 Step” singer 106 Places to unwind 108 Skeptical words 110 Grande or venti, at Starbucks 112 Straightened out 114 Italian fashion giant 116 Protector for a car’s interior 119 Lovefest from a critic 120 Less likely to speak up 121 French magazine or pronoun 122 Tractor-trailers 123 Suffix with “senior” 124 H.S. hurdles 125 Use a swizzle stick 126 Fruit that flavors gin 127 Highland Scot, for one

349230-1

349230-1

941.355.8437 | Bradenton

CELEBRITY CIPHER

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

Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

"Z'RR FMRR ZN M HMG UKBJ Z HZB. ZN'D M UAJHBTXOR AFFOVMNZAJ XAT SB. Z'YB JBYBT UATPBH M HMG ZJ SG RZXB."

NAJG CBJJBNN

"C'LV DVLVO XUDHVA HF SV U YUAI XRF YWDBRVN; C'LV UYXUIN XUDHVA HF SV U XFJUD XRF XFOMN."

JVTRUD JUOMYV

Puzzle Two Clue W equals U

Sarasota

KITCHENS, BATHROOMS, BEDROOMS & MORE

Puzzle One Clues K equals H

HARDWOOD

© 2021 NEA, Inc.

SUDOKU

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

©2021 Andrews McMeel Syndicate

8-05-21

Made for where you live. Here!

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

RED PAGES Announcements

CRUISING BIKE. Men’s by Sun. Like new.

Asking $200 941 359 8460 FIRE PROOF lock box with key, 13X8X7. $18. Jeans with holes 2 pair, 32X34 $10/both 941-741-9727 GRACO BOOSTER Car Seats Gray/black. Like new! $15 Each 941-371-3513 KLAUSSNER 7 ft. tan leather sofa and matching 4 ft. armchair - comfortable, good condition. 941-343-9229 MADAM ALEXANDRA Doll with a blue china dish that opens and a booklet $40 941-993-4064 MEDICAL LIFT with swing canvas chair. Never used. $200 941-800-4476

MOVING SALE Friday July 23, 8:00 AM-3:00 PM - , Saturday July 24, 8:00 AM-12:00 PM - Rain or Shine 13934 Wood Duck Cir Furniture, Antiques and more!

MOVING SALE Saturday August 07, 8:00 AM4:00 PM - , Sunday August 08, 8:00 AM-4:00 PM - Rain or Shine 11224 Coralbean Drive

SELL YOUR STUFF FAST!

GARAGE SALE Advertise as low as $17.50 per week!

CALL 941-955-4888 YourObserver.com/RedPages

Merchandise Wanted SENIOR LOOKING to purchase precious metals, diamonds, time pieces, coins, jewelry, antique and estate jewelry, and collectors plates.

Personal and confidential.

Please call Marc: 941-321-0707.

Sporting Goods

PAINTING ANNA Maria Beach scene. Oil on canvas, framed & signed. $135.

Family 'Wake The Wizard Game' $25.

941-776-0034 QUEEN BED Mattress, 3 drawer nighttable, 6 drawer chest, large mirror, lamp, all white wicker, Xlnt Cond. $200 941-355-2838 XERCISE EQUIP: MaxiClimber Like New $100; Malibu Pilates Chair with 6CD's $60 941-896-5348

BEACH’N RIDES eBike Sales and Service We sell and repair electric Bicycles from our Shop at 12208 Cortez Road, W. in Cortez, Florida.

(941) 251-7916 www.beachnrides.com

auto

ESTATE SALE Glass dinette table/chairs, Lshaped couch, glass coffee table, lamps, glassware, books and more!

Sunday August 8, 9am-2pm Waterlefe Community 9447 Discovery Terrace #101

Condos/Apts. for Rent OR RENT ANNA MARIA FO ISLAND UPDATED 5 STAR CONDO. Available September November (monthly with multimonth discounts) millions $ waterview, first floor, 2br/2b, patio, walk to beach, pool, tennis, smoke free, boat slip available. marketreps@aol.com

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

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

Cleaning BRAZILIAN CLEANING Service by Maria. Residential.

Meticulous Cleaning. Excellent References. Free Estimates.

Reliable. Lic./Ins. 941-400-3342. www.braziliancleaningbymk.com

SELL YOUR STUFF HERE!

Autos Wanted CASH FOR YOUR CAR We come to you!

Ho Ho Buys cars.

941-270-4400.

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

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

CLEANING BY Brazilian Lady.

Meticulous, reliable, deep cleaning specialist. Residential.

Commercial. New Construction. 941-400-2866.

SPOTLESS HOUSECLEANING SERVICES Text or Call Maggie for a free estimate 941-993-4070

FIND BUYERS & SELLERS HERE!

941-955-4888 PLACE YOUR AD ONLINE: YourObserver.com/RedPages

941-955-4888 YourObserver.com/RedPages WE BUY cars. top $$ paid for your vehicles.

Call Hawley Motors: 941-923-3421.

CLAUDIA C. Cleaning Services.

Experienced, dependable, and ready to begin!

Residential.

Excellent references.

941-773-6895.

Rentals Wanted Individual seeks space on farm to germinate plants and flowers, prefers farm with bedroom/bathroom. Tom 678-755-3804

Advertise your business or service in the Observer

RED PAGES CALL TODAY 941-955-4888

BUY & SELL HERE! YourObserver.com/RedPages

General Contractors

Painting

JOE DAVIS Home Pro llc.

Handy man, Repairs, and Remodeling! Working in and around Sarasota over 20 years!

Courteous, Reliable, and Professional! Great rates, and discounts on labor and material! lic. n ins.

FREE ESTIMATES (941) 929-3000

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

Wallpaper installation & removal, pressure washing.

Residential & commercial, condos. Honest & reliable.

Free estimates. 941-744-1020.

35+ years experience.

This week’s Crossword answers

This week’s Celebrity Cipher answers

Puzzle One Solution: “I’ll call it a day when I die. It’s a wonderful occupation for me. I’ve never worked a day in my life.”

Tony Bennett Puzzle Two Solution: “I’ve never wanted to be a lady who lunches; I’ve always wanted to be a woman who works.”

Meghan Markle

This week’s Sudoku answers

©2021 Universal Uclick

©2021 NEA, Inc.

ADVERTISE YOUR MERCHANDISE with the total value of all items $200 or less in this section for FREE! Limit 1 ad per month,15 words or less.

Price must be included next to each item. No commercial advertising.

Ad runs 2 consecutive weeks in 1 Observer.

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

BIG MOVING SALE Furniture, tools, clothes, housewears, picture frames, artwork, and books!

Saturday August 7, 9am-2pm Waterlefe Community 738 Foggy Morn Lane, 34212

You’re only cheating yourself.

Items Under $200

Garage/ Moving/ Estate Sales

peekers’ place

stuff

ISLAND SWING BAND Every Monday 6-8 pm, since November 2018 Scarpino’s Italian Restaurant & “All That Jazz”!

6152 -14th St W (Bayshore) Reservations 941-756-8100

real estate

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.

We’ll SWEEP you off your feet!

DEADLINES: Classifieds - Monday at Noon Service Directory - Friday at 3PM • PAYMENT: Cash, Check or Credit Card

home services

INFORMATION & RATES: 941-955-4888

redpages@yourobserver.com • yourobserver.com/redpages

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

Aluminum

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

GET YOUR LIFE BACK!

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

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

Pegatronics.com 361628

941.650.9790 YoderAluminum.com

Owner / Operator Insured

Health

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

“Specializing in 6” Seamless Gutters”

Dustin Yoder

Computer

362253

Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression provides safe, gentle & effective relief for upwards of 90% of patients that qualify for care.

941-735-3362

Auto Service

Construction

Board Certified in the specialty of non-surgical spinal decompression

SELL YOUR CAR!

DR. DAVID CIFRA, DC University Health Park 2415 University Parkway Bldg. 3, Suite 216 Sarasota, FL 34243

FAST • EASY • SAFE

WE COME TO YOU

Visit our showroom

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

7262 55th Ave East, Bradenton, 34203

(941) 650-7758

361625

HoHoBuysCars.com

Home Services

362254

941.270.4400

www.SarasotaDiscCenter.com DrCifra@SarasotaDiscCenter.com

Kitchen Renovations and Upgrades 5-Star Rated

bschule88@gmail.com

Beauty

Doors

SERVING YOU IN THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME

Sliding Glass Door Repair

361387

30

Are You Having Dryer Difficulties?

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

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

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

361950

Residential

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

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

Clock Repair

Furniture Repair

Patio Furniture Repairs.com patio RepaiRS FurnitureSales Sales &&Repairs Furniture Repairs Cushions • Slings • Re-powdercoating Cushions • Slings • Umbrellas

941-504-0903 941-504-0903

ON TARGET

Don Christo, Sr., Horologist

GRAB BARS

235

OBSERVER RED PAGES

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

COMPLETE INSTALLATION PACKAGE

$

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

DrGrabBars.com LIFETIME GUARANTEE Licensed • Bonded • Insured COVERAGE AREA: LAKEWOOD RANCH ƭƨ S. VENICE

THE GRAB BAR GUY 954-1878

(cell) 780-3346 Licensed & Insured

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

SHOWER & BATH MAKEOVERS Cleaned - Regrouted - Caulked - Sealed

Call John 941.377.2940

Free Estimates • Sarasota Resident Since 1974

www.showerandbathsarasota.com

Window Repairs • Sliding Glass Door Repairs Sliding Glass Door Deadbolts

Find anything in the RED PAGES | 941-955-4888

Landscaping & Lawn

10% OFF

GARDENS BY ALLISON

2 PANELS OR MORE

No Job is too Small!

For the Month of July.

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

Call us today! 941.628.8579 361919

941.966.0333

GLENN KROECKER

Doors

www.ezslider.com

CALL BEFORE YOU FALL

361922

361905

941-773-0875 • 941-932-5505

Kitchen/Bath Remodeling

361924

/ DELIVERY FREE PICKUP ONSITE QUOTES outdoor furniture experts• •FREE www .patiorepairs .net

361921

361629

“IF IT DOESN’T TIC, TOC TO ME.”

Commercial

FREE IN-HOM ESTIMATEE S

CALL 941-955-4888 YourObserver.com/RedPages

Allison J. Abizaid, M.A.

Personal Gardening Services | Designer

941.400.0431

gbyallison@yahoo.com gardensbyallison.com

361925

4630 5TH ST W BRADENTON

361885 38056

Christo’s Clock Repair

CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT

361884

“FIX IT - DON’T REPLACE”

941-705-5468

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

YourObserver.com

Lawn Care

Power Washing

Bisson Roofing Inc.

BIODEGRADABLE PRODUCTS

Specializing in Reroofs and Repairs FREE Estimates • 30 Years Experience

Pressure Cleaning & Soft Washing Residential and Commercial

941-739-5102

5002 LENA RD, UNIT 107, BRADENTON, 34211 WWW.SMALLENGINEREPAIRS.US

10% SAVINGS With this ad

Painting

Rescreening & Repairs

361926

362255

941-737-4483 www.PantherHydroCleaning.com

941 - 748 - 7400 362256

Houses, Pool Cage & Decks, Fences, Driveways & Walks Irrigation, Fertilizer, Rust & Battery Stain Removal

SMALL ENGINE REPAIRS

RC0067420 • Lic. & Ins. www.bissonroofing.com

Owner Supervises Every Job

Kenneth Fuhlman Inc.

UNIQUE PAINTING & PRESSURE WASHING SERVICES

Building & Roofing Contractor

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

Complete Interior & Exterior Painting

361627

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

FREE ESTIMATES - Call Joel, Owner 30 Years Exp. Cell 619-405-7650 Home/Office 941-758-4840

Power Washing Pressure Washing

31

Roofing

SAFE ROOF CLEANING

SALES & REPAIRS - MOWERS, GENERATORS, TRIMMERS, PRESSURE WASHERS, CHAIN SAWS, BLOWERS, ENGINES

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

|

941-626-3194

Licensed & Insured CCC - 058059 CBC - 1253936

Pressure Washing 362257

361231

• Roofs • PoolCages Cages•• Decks Decks ••Driveways • Roofs • Pool Driveways • Deck/Paver Sealing • Gutter Cleaning • Deck/PaverAnd Sealing • And Much More Much More!

AFTER

362252

Serving Sarasota/Manatee Area Since 2004

941-544-1066

BEFORE

| scaperotta@aol.com

Italian American Owned

Find anything in the RED PAGES 941-955-4888

Licensed

“No Job Too Small”

Insured

941-270-1561 361232

HEROES found here.

Relax. You’ve got better things to do.

Find a professional here in the Red Pages.

RED PAGES Made for where you live. Here!

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

• Pool Cage Restoration • Rescreening Specialists • Specialty Screens • Paint • Doors and more!

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

361906

Eldridge Re-Screen

Honesty, Integrity and Pride

Screening

941-345-5264

specialty screens / screw replacement / paint Doors and more!

CREATE BUZZ! Manufacture and workmanship Warranties

Advertise your business in the Red Pages.

(941) 345-5264Call 941-955-4888

32

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 2021

Let Us Plan Your Next ADVENTURE!

LET’S GO SOMEWHERE!

Introducing our 2021 Sponsor PARKSTONE TRAVEL. You imagine it, they plan it. Top notch trips, unique experiences, hassle-free enjoyment.

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LORI ANN MARINACCIO

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Please visit: yourobserver.com/itsreadeverywhere

359720-1

SCHOOL BEGINS AUG. 10

Best Wishes for a Great Year to All Our Students.

Easterseals Academy specializes in serving Manatee and Sarasota county students, aged Pre-K to 22 years old, who are challenged by developmental disabilities, physical disabilities, learning disabilities, mild behavioral disabilities, and autism.

Your child’s education experience will be enriched with art, music, Spanish, yoga, organic agriculture, nutrition, movement, PT-OT-speech-equine therapies including behavioral and neurofeedback, employment opportunity training as well as family support.

INDIVIDUALIZED PLANS • SMALL CLASSES • SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE

Academy Learn more at EastersealsAcademy.org

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359720-1

Sponsored by

. . . t i a W But

S ’ E R THE !

E R MO

XNLV19038

Flip the page for more sales and specials!

YOU’VE BEEN SERVED a menu of options for Fall classes!

ENTREES Workforce Certificates Get a certificate, get noticed and earn more in less than a year.

Two-year Degrees Prepare to enter the workforce or a four-year university. 30+ programs to choose from.

Four-year Degrees Succeed in high-demand careers with one of our five bachelor’s degrees.

MENU SPECIALS Flex Start Classes Opt for flexible scheduling with classes in 5-, 8- or 12-week sessions.

Go Live with SCF Online Take advantage of live instruction from convenient locations.

Weekend College Attend classes stress-free on Friday evenings and Saturdays.

Take classes when you can, the way you want.

PLACE YOUR ORDER! SCF.edu/FallMenu | Text 941-304-5443 | Call 941-752-5050 State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate and baccalaureate degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota. 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: Equity Officer, 941-752-5323, 5840 26th St. W., Bradenton, FL 34207.

Est. 1987

Cosmetics, Implants and Bite Reconstruction Actual Patients

Smile Makeovers and Veneers

Before

After

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After

Dental Implant Surgery and Reconstruction

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On-Site Laboratory with Master Technicians to Customize and Control Results Implant Dentistry

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• Digitally Guided Implant Surgery

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• Airway Ortho for Children and Adults

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• Crooked Teeth and Bite Correction • Receding Chin Correction • Smile Broadening • Non-Extraction of Permanent Teeth

(941) 999-3205 | SarasotaDentist.com 3951 Swift Rd., Sarasota, FL 34231

359717-1

Our team at World Class Dentistry treats patients with a multitude of concerns which streamlines treatment and maintains quality control. The doctors along with their master dental technicians and on-site laboratory offer complete cosmetic and implant solutions. We have been serving the Sarasota area since 1987. Call today for a consultation to begin your life-changing transformation.

Jill Morris, DMD • Accredited Member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (only 550 accredited dentists worldwide) • Fellow of the American Academy of Dental Facial Esthetics • Post Doctoral Instructor of Full Mouth Reconstruction • Member International Academy of Oral Biological Dentistry and Toxicology • Practicing dentistry for 33 years

Burr Bakke, DDS

Cameron Johnson, DMD

• Fellow of the American Dental Implant Association

• Member of North American Association of Facial Orthotropics

• Fellow of International Congress of Oral Implantologists

• Member of the American Orthodontic Society

• Fellow of the American Academy of Dental Facial Esthetics

• Member of the International Association of Orthodontics

• Member of American Academy of Implant Dentistry

• Member of American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine

• Post Doctoral Instructor of Full Mouth Reconstruction

• International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology

Advanced Care and Dental Technology at One Location Stay Connected With Us

(941) 999-3205 | 3951 Swift Rd., Sarasota, FL 34231

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longer other no

the

newspaper

More people read The Observers during the week than the region’s daily newspapers.

THURSDAY PRINT DISTRIBUTION 60,000

The Observers* 50,000

40,000

30,000

20,000

59,286

Sarasota Observer Longboat Observer East County Observer Siesta Key Observer

Sarasota Herald-Tribune** 31,712 Bradenton Herald*** 18,632

10,000

*Source: Verified Audit Circulation Annual Audit ending March 31, 2020. **Source: Alliance for Audited Media Annual Audit ending Dec. 31, 2019, does not include Venice and North Port in Sarasota or Charlotte counties. ***Source: Alliance for Audited Media, 24 months ending Dec. 31, 2019.

Pick up your FREE copy of The Observer every Thursday.

For the nearest location: YourObserver.com/rack-locations 355730-1