Couple saves the best for last Rich and Diane Bartoszek (pictured above) just returned from fulfilling an epic marriage vow. It took 30 years, but the Myakka City couple has seen all 50 states together. They visited Kansas separately, but it didn’t get checked off the list until they went back together.
North Dakota was intentionally the last state on their list so the Bartoszeks could join the Best for Last Club, which was created by the Fargo Moorhead Visitors Center after realizing that North Dakota was often the last state people visited.
“What one might say is an embarrassing fact, the Best for Last Club was born,” the center’s website reads.
The club has more than 7,300 members. As new members, the Bartoszeks received T-shirts, a certificate and bragging rights.
Laudolff said it is almost like having a child, and it is important to do research before getting a dog.
“You have to have a lot of time and put a lot of energy towards them,” Laudolff said. “Do your research, and have a
Courtesy image Madison Bierl
Education Foundation chief steps aside after 18 years of impact
Mary Glass says the best thing is hearing how her career connected with children’s lives.
Two previous students approached and thanked her for being an inspiration.
MANATEE EDUCATION FOUNDATION
“The Manatee Education Foundation is a not-for-profit organization established in 1988, which provides indirect support to the Manatee County School District through a variety of programs that benefit students and teachers. The Foundation acts as a liaison between the private sector and the public school system providing avenues for business, industry and community involvement in public education. Our mission is accomplished by addressing key issues and needs within the public education arena, and presenting effective, efficient and accountable opportunities for the private sector to support quality public education.”
For more information, visit MEFInfo.org.
through the end of April 2026 to help ease the transition.
“I’m not there to bark orders or anything like that,” Glass said. “I’m here to guide and help promote the foundation and keep it at that level that I’m used to. It’s a learning curve.”
Glass received the Paul Sharff Children’s Champion Award from the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County in May of last year. When she went to give her acceptance speech, it resonated with Laurie Breslin, the new superintendent for the School District of Manatee County.
“I’m here to guide and help promote the foundation and keep it at that level that I’m used to. It’s a learning curve.”
Mary Glass
with teachers and working with the district as a whole.
Jeramiah Bowman, the director of educational programs at the Manatee Education Foundation, has worked with Glass for five years through the Manatee Arts Education Council. Glass founded it in 2018.
“She knows that the arts are essential for many kids to thrive in schools,” Bowman said. “She’s been steadfast in this support for that. She’s been a rock about this stuff that we need to do — we need to give the kids these opportunities, and we need to find funding for them to be able to do that.”
He said it has been a joy working with Glass and bouncing ideas back and forth through collaboration and strategizing.
“Mary is a giving and thoughtful individual who puts the children of Manatee County at the forefront of her work,” Bowman said.
“It’s very fortunate to have moved here (30 years ago) and then watched everything kind of blossom and grow,” Glass said. “The district’s doing well, too. It’s been through a lot, but everything does, everything goes through challenges in life. They came out on the really strong side now. They’re financially doing well, and they’ve got good people in place.”
■
ongtime Lakewood Ranch resident Mary Glass has worked with and for students for 18 years but doesn’t normally realize the sort of effect she has made until she reflects on it. When she does, she is sometimes overwhelmed and brought to tears. Glass was at an event at Grove called Arts Rise & Shine two years ago, which gives aspiring artists an opportunity to glimpse into the art world and see that people can admire and pay for their art. She said it helps with their confidence.
“One said, ‘I remember participating and that gave me the confidence to pursue an area in the arts,’” Glass said. “I literally could not believe what I was hearing. It was such a meaningful thing, and I felt so happy for them.”
Glass has retired from her 18-year presidency at Manatee Education Foundation.
Kathy Price, a previous principal of Robert E. Willis Elementary School, is replacing Glass as executive director. Glass plans to stay on as a consultant to the foundation
“The standing ovation in the room and the amount of people with tears in their eyes that are really just filled with gratitude for her contributions was quite memorable for me because it’s really special to have an opportunity to impact the community so greatly,” Breslin said.
“To see someone who’s done that and has so much respect and admiration from her colleagues that she’s worked through over her years was quite exceptional to see.”
Breslin said Glass is brilliant, intelligent and a great problem solver. She said Glass has had the best intentions in supporting students, working
Glass said it is important for her to go out while she is still passionate about what she has done. She can walk away proud of what she did due to leaving the foundation in good hands, with strong members and partnerships.
Being the planner that she has been for many years, Glass is eager not to have plans when she officially retires.
“For me, it’s going to be that I don’t have to schedule myself every day,” Glass said. “I don’t wake up going, ‘What do I have on the calendar?’ It’s more like, ‘Wow, I feel a sense of freedom about my life.’”
Madison Bierl
EDC defunded but not dead
Manatee Commissioners end their share of economic development budget, questioning value of contribution.
Manatee County commissioners have opted not to renew a contract with the Bradenton Area Economic Development Corp.
The main goal of the EDC is to recruit and retain high-paying jobs across Manatee County, not only in the Bradenton area.
It looked as if commissioners would approve the $336,900 annual contract because a motion to allow the contract to expire failed in a 4-3 vote. Then, a motion to approve the new contract also failed in a 4-3 vote.
Commissioner Carol Felts changed her mind, so the current contract will expire as of Sept. 30.
Those in favor of renewing the contract were commissioners George Kruse, Mike Rahn and Amanda Ballard. Tal Siddique, Jason Bearden and Bob McCann voted against a new deal Siddique said one of his concerns was the board had too many members. The EDC website lists 47 members and seven executive committee members.
Bearden questioned the county’s return on investment, and McCann equated the group to lobbyists.
Following the meeting, McCann said he made two campaign promises: One, stop greedy builders, and two, stop the deceptive politics.
During her presentation, EDC President and CEO Sharon Hillstrom said that one of the ways the EDC “gets stuff done” for businesses that are expanding or moving to the area is to “pick up the phone” and call Deputy County Administrator Courtney De Pol or Director of Government Relations Stephanie Garrison, a member of the EDC board.
Hillstrom noted that fostering good relationships is crucial in any business, but she is not a lobbyist.
“(Hillstrom) is not a registered lobbyist, but she’s doing the same thing a lobbyist does,” McCann said. “That’s how sweetheart deals happen, and I don’t like that.”
The EDC receives 40% of its funding from public partners and 60% from private investors, so its board is not subject to the Sunshine Law and does not have to conduct meetings that are open to the public.
“I don’t like that we’re trying to hide economic development outside the sunshine,” Siddique said. “It should be a concern that it’s not a sunshine board. Sarasota is a sunshine board, and they function well.” Hillstrom was caught off guard by the way the meeting was headed, so she asked that the contract be extended through December.
“This is kind of pulling the rug out from under us,” she said.
However, Manatee County pulling its funding doesn’t put the EDC out of business. Hillstrom said in an email that staff will move forward communicating with its private investors and public partners as they address this “unexpected challenge.”
ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS
Bearden wanted to know how much of the EDC’s budget is spent on administration, salaries and marketing versus assisting businesses.
Hillstrom said she couldn’t answer that question off the top of her head, but she would get those numbers.
She told the East County Observer that as a private corporation, the EDC does not publicly disclose its budget or employee salaries, but it does supply the county with an annual report.
From Oct. 1, 2023 to Sept. 30, 2024, the EDC reported spending $76,579.75 on administrative costs.
The corporation collected $532,960 from public partners and $600,853 from private investors, totaling $1,133,813.
McCann said that he was told during his briefing from the county staff that Hillstrom’s salary is $245,000 a year, which would equate to over 20% of the entire EDC budget and over 70% of the funding request from Manatee County.
Cause IQ, which provides a database of information on nonprofits, reported Hillstrom’s salary at $236,217 on Oct. 15, 2024.
Similar to chambers of commerce, the EDC is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit corporation, so tax filings are available on the Internal Revenue Service’s website.
The most recent tax return available is for Fiscal Year 2022 that ran from Oct. 1, 2021 through Sept. 30, 2022. The return shows the EDC’s total revenue was $1,123,700 and its total expenses were $966,805.
The expenses were split between two main categories — $302,409 was listed under “other expenses,” and $664,396 was listed under “salaries, other compensation and employee benefits.”
The return shows nine employees, and $215,615 of the $664,396 for salaries and benefits was listed under the category of “compensation of current officers, directors, trustees, and key employees.”
As far as marketing expenses, the return shows $49,454 was spent on “advertising and promotion.”
Kruse, a member of the EDC’s board, posed the argument of what it would cost the county in office space, benefits and retirement funds to hire three people to handle economic development directly.
“Then, all the money is our money, and none of the members are helping out,” he said. “We need to approve their contract for one year and make a concerted effort to work in good faith to come up with a better contract if you believe this is not the right contract for Manatee County and their taxpayers.”
Siddique said there needs to be a “comprehensive reframing” of the contract, and McCann said the county doesn’t need the EDC at all. Siddique pointed to SpaceX as
MORE ABOUT THE EDC
Bradenton Area Economic Development Corp. 5840 26th St. W., Bradenton.
Visit BradentonAreaEDC.com.
The Bradenton Area Economic Development Corp. serves all of Manatee County. Here are a few other basics about the organization according to its annual report dated Oct. 1, 2023 to Sept. 30, 2024.
Mission statement: The EDC works to diversify the local economy by attracting and retaining high-wage jobs for area residents and connecting established businesses to the resources they need to succeed.
Private investor funding: $600,853
Public partner funding: $532,960 (Manatee County Government: $336,960, CareerSource Suncoast: $21,500, Port Manatee: $5,000, city of Bradenton: $100,000, city of Palmetto $16,000, town of Longboat Key: $3,500, Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau: $25,000, Manatee County School District: $20,000 and Manatee Technical College: $5,000) Assistance provided: The EDC conducted 91 meetings with local companies and responded to 49 qualified project leads.
an example of a business that has bypassed the EDC and dealt directly with Manatee County. SpaceX plans to build a satellite communications facility in Myakka City.
“There are businesses that have talked to me and said the EDC hasn’t responded to them,” Siddique said. “That’s a serious problem.”
WHAT DOES THE EDC DO?
Commissioners opposed to renewing the county’s contract with the EDC took issue with some of its success stories, namely First Watch and Detwiler’s Farm Market, two brands that are considered local.
Bearden opined that both companies would have likely expanded into Manatee County without the EDC.
First Watch moved its headquarters to the University Town Center area in 2021, and Detwiler’s is opening a distribution center in Palmetto this month.
A First Watch spokeswoman declined to comment on the location of its headquarters or any services it has received from the EDC.
Jenni Glester, senior director of PR and communications, offered the following statement:
“We care deeply about all of the communities in which we operate, but particularly so here in the Bradenton/Sarasota area that we call home. We partner with numerous civic and nonprofit groups, including the Bradenton Area EDC, and value and support each of their contributions to our region.”
In a letter to commissioners, Lilah Taha-Rippet, supply chain senior vice president for First Watch and EDC board member, wrote that without the EDC’s support, “Manatee County risks losing opportunities for new jobs and investment at a time when economic competitiveness is more important than ever.”
Elizabeth Cordes, director of business recruitment and expansion for the EDC, was able to provide more details as to how Detwiler’s was assisted.
“We worked with their leadership team to make sure they were selecting the right site and that it was accessible to their employees,” Cordes said. “There’s a lot of qualifiers that come into that. I work on a daily basis with these companies to make sure it’s not only a good fit for them, but it’s a good fit for us.”
A good fit means the zoning is appropriate and infrastructure is in place or will be in place.
Hillstrom offered additional examples. She recently coordinated with Florida Power & Light to get a business a transformer to avoid the cost of a generator.
Honeywell, a manufacturer located in Palmetto, is having traffic issues on U.S. 41. Employees are upset about the number of accidents occurring, so the EDC coordinated a meeting between Honeywell, the Florida Department of Transportation and Manatee County.
But it wasn’t enough to secure four votes. The EDC’s contract, which was initiated in 2021 under former County Administrator Scott Hopes, will expire Sept. 30.
“I don’t think investing in the EDC is producing the results we expected,” McCann said. “The EDC was supposed to be this great thing, but it’s more like a collaborative country club. It’s great for social networking, but you should not have special relationships with people in the county and undermine the process.”
Courtesy image In a 4-3 vote, Manatee County commissioners
LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER
Two openings up for grabs on Planning Commission
Manatee County is accepting applications for two seats on the Planning Commission, an advisory committee that makes land-use recommendations to county commissioners.
Callers
to Sarasota emergency line may receive
a survey
Lakewood Ranch callers who are connected to Sarasota County 9-1-1 or nonemergency lines for service could receive a feedback survey on their experience.
Two seats expire in October, and one of those members is seeking reappointment. Seven members comprise the panel, each appointed by the County Commission.
Terms are four years.
Members must be qualified electors in Manatee County.
Potential members with experience or training in planning, engineering, environmental science and the development industry shall be considered
An application can be found at MyManatee.org/Connect/Forms/ forms-Listing-A-Z/Form-Details/ Advisory-Board-Application.
Builders Give Back program raises nearly $120,000
The Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation recently held its Builders Give Back program annual meeting, announcing the program has raised $118,800 since its inception in 2023.
Builders Give Back is an initiative of Lakewood Ranch Communities and 11 of the community’s builders.
For every new home closing, the participating builders — Anchor Builders, AR Homes, Homes by Towne, John Cannon Homes, Lee Wetherington Homes, Lennar, M/I Homes, Neal Communities, Neal Signature Homes, Pulte Homes, and Stock — make a donation to LWRCF in the new homeowner’s name. Lakewood Ranch Communities, the developer of Lakewood Ranch, matches each contribution.
The work of LWRCF is to support the nonprofits making an impact in Lakewood Ranch, as well as in Manatee and Sarasota counties.
For information about the Builders Give Back program and LWRCF, visit LWRCF.org or call 941-208-6799.
Text messages will be sent to the number that initially connected with authorities after predetermined incidents, asking citizens to take a survey about their experience during their call for service. It will also allow citizens to provide their own comments, feedback or take the opportunity to thank a call taker.
The 10-question survey contains yes-or-no questions, questions in which a 1-10 rating is sought and an area in which respondents can write a longer-form answer.
The Sarasota Sheriff’s Office emphasizes the system is only for feedback and not a way to report a crime or emergency.
TerraNova combines with restaurant for VIP experience
TerraNova Equestrian Center is teaming up with Bradenton restaurant Taverna Toscana to create an experience previously unavailable at either location.
Tickets are on sale now for Dressage at TerraNova on Oct. 18, a competition featuring top-ranked riders and horses from around the world. The restaurant’s buffet will be served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will include preferred parking, ringside seating and views of the competition arenas. A selection of drinks, including an open beer & wine bar, mimosa bar and bloody mary station will complement the buffet-style service.
Tables of two, four and six are available, tickets may be purchased at TerraNovaEquestrian.com/Tickets.
“We are beyond thrilled to partner with Taverna Toscana for our premier events. This collaboration further enhances the top-quality experience that TerraNova is known for,” said TerraNova Enterprises President Molly Oakman.
Residents say Myakka River protections are not up to par
Property owners ask Manatee County for help saving waterway.
LESLEY DWYER
An attempt to persuade Manatee County commissioners to put protections in place for the Myakka River left at least a handful of Myakka City residents disappointed.
“I feel like the other commissioners (outside of Commissioner Carol Felts) have this ‘it’s not in my back yard’ attitude,” Myakka City’s Lindsey Leigh said. “Trying to explain to people that live an urban lifestyle that we want to be left alone and maintain an agricultural and rural way of life is hard to do when we don’t have the numbers to back it up. There were five of us (at the commission meeting Sept. 16).”
Those five residents, along with Jono Miller, retired director of the New College of Florida Environmental Studies Program, attended the commission meeting because they say Manatee County should be protecting and monitoring its portion of the Myakka River, especially because plans for two golf courses were approved along its banks in 2023.
Soleta Golf Club opened on Singletary Road in December 2024, and construction of the Miakka Golf Club on Clay Gully Road is ongoing.
Residents asked commissioners to protect the river with an overlay zone, which would provide pollution regulations and setbacks for the use of fill materials and any construction.
The Myakka River Management Coordinating Council filed a motion in August to have the overlay cover the river from Flatford Swamp and the Myakka head down to the north end of Myakka River State Park.
“I don’t know who put a bug in someone’s head that an overlay is somehow skirting Senate Bill 180,”
TEEING UP TO THE RIVER
Myakka City’s Lindsey Leigh complained that the holes at the Miakka Golf Club are so close to the Myakka River that they don’t comply with the 30-foot buffer required by the state. However, the Southwest Florida Water Management District said wetland buffer rules don’t apply here. Our rules allow closer construction if the applicant demonstrates no harm to the water resource,” said Robyn Felix, communications and board services bureau chief for SWFWMD. “So far, based on our site inspections, the construction along the river is in accordance with the approved construction drawings.”
Commission Chair George Kruse said, “but it’s not. You can’t put an overlay on here with Senate Bill 180.”
SB 180, which is in effect until Oct. 1, 2027, prohibits local governments from making development regulations “more restrictive or burdensome.”
Felts made a motion to instead direct staff to come up with a plan to
Lindsey Leigh’s children splash in the Myakka River. Leigh is advocating for Manatee County to protect its portion of the river.
fund the necessary personnel to do what Manatee County “should have been doing all along,” which includes upholding water quality and environmental standards.
Kruse argued that lifeguards have been cut, along with Sunday library hours and potential new positions, to make the fiscal year 2026 budget work. With that in mind, he request-
ed to see metrics about what these positions would accomplish.
“As a fiscal conservative, I’m not real happy about asking to hire more people or to spend more money,” Felts said. “But if that’s what it takes, let’s see what we can come up with.”
The vote was 6-0, so staff members will have to return with a plan by the budget meeting Sept. 22.
However, commissioners will have to approve the plan for any action to be taken.
ICED TEA, ROOT BEER OR CHOCOLATE MILK?
Miller noted that the water in the Myakka River is tannin-stained, so people tend to argue whether it looks more like iced tea or root beer. What’s not up for debate is that the water should never look like chocolate milk.
When looking like a cool glass of Southern sweet tea, the water is tannin-stained from decomposing vegetation, but it’s healthy. The resemblance to chocolate milk is a sign of high turbidity, which causes negative effects to the ecosystem. The turbidity volumes provided by the Manatee County Water Atlas showed “a drastic increase in recent years,” Miller said. The levels are fairly steady from 2020 and start rising in 2023.
Turbidity is defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as “a measure of water clarity.” The clarity depends on the concentration of particles, such as silt and algae, suspended in the water.
Too many particles can clog fish gills, hinder visibility for predators seeking prey and block sunlight from aquatic plants.
Levels of phosphorus and fecal coliform in the Myakka River have also increased since 2023.
Rob Brown, Myakka City resident and former 34-year employee of Manatee County Natural Resources, said he’s going to return to commissioners with his own plan.
He won’t be finished by the next budget meeting, but Brown is going to scour the comprehensive plan and land development code to show commissioners where they could be doing a better job of protecting the river and the country lifestyle.
“I want them to realize that there are already rules, regulations and codes that could be better applied, especially in rural areas,” Brown said. “Those two golf courses are in the wrong place. Regulations that are currently in the code would’ve prohibited them.”
This rendering shows the club’s golf course running alongside the Myakka River.
Courtesy images
With one ‘no,’ budget passes
LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER
ll but one Manatee County commissioner approved a $1.37 billion net budget and $3.58 billion gross budget, including reserves and grants for Fiscal Year 2026 on Tuesday.
While Commissioner Tal Siddique referred to the process as a “lively debate” that resulted in a budget that will “solve some problems for residents,” Commissioner Bob McCann only had one word to say: No.
McCann fought to lower the millage rate at the Sept. 10 budget meeting, but when it came time to vote for that lowered millage at the final meeting Sept. 22, he said “No” to that, too.
Earlier in the month, the board agreed on a .05 millage reduction, which would save property owners $15 a year on a $300,000 home.
The millage was cut three out of the past four years — by .2 mills in 2021, .3 mills in 2022 and .15 mills in 2024.
“The millage is still way too high,” McCann said. “With all these reserves, we probably could’ve given every Manatee County property owner $1,000 and still been above the state requirement for cash reserves.”
McCann also noted what he called too much bloat stemming from a top heavy administration and too many workers. In addition, he said the budget did not serve the residents in District 5 without Lorraine Road being funded.
McCann was willing to take funding from other projects to widen Lorraine Road.
“District 5 did not get its proportionate share,” he said. “All they did was take money away from Lorraine Road and give it to projects that aren’t necessary.”
The projects McCann cited were building trails in lieu of roads and installing the roundabout on University Parkway and Legacy Boulevard that a faction of Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club residents have vehemently opposed.
BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS
■ $1,368,296,426 net budget
■ $3,577,708,037 gross budget (including reserves and grants)
■ $2,266,918,481 additions to FY26-FY30 capital improvement plan
■ $4,748,176,535 overall FY26FY30 capital improvement plan
However, the other six commissioners approved the budget without much discussion outside of Commissioner Jason Bearden, who again questioned why the county is holding onto nearly $1 billion in reserves.
Chief Financial Officer Sheila McLean held her ground that $871 million of the reserves are designated as restricted funds.
McCann argued that doesn’t make sense because the county’s cash balance is $720,420,722.
At $1,368,296,426, the FY2026 budget is 3% higher than FY2025.
The largest investment within the budget is going toward Public Safety, which accounts for 26.64% of the overall budget or $364,488,713.
The largest source of funding is coming from property taxes, which account for 33.87% or $463.38 million of the budget, and service charges are a close second covering 33.28% or $455.32 million of the budget.
The gopher tortoise recipient site at Duette Preserve takes in all ages of tortoises, including unhatched eggs.
Tortoises dig up profits for Manatee County
The Natural Resources department brokered a deal that will bring in over $725,000 to house 191 tortoises.
LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER
Every resident has to pay their fair share to live in Manatee County — tortoises, too.
The county will collect $725,040 over the next five years from the Florida Department of Transportation’s Florida Turnpike Enterprise to rehome 191 gopher tortoises in Duette Preserve, in the easternmost portion of Manatee County. Fiorella Teodista, communications outreach coordinator for Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise, said the gopher tortoises should be arriving at the preserve in early 2026 when construction begins on the Suncoast Parkway from County Road 495 to U.S. 19 in Citrus County near Crystal River.
Duette Preserve was permitted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as a gopher tortoise long-term recipient site in December 2023. As of Sept. 1, the site has provided a home to 131 gopher tortoises that had to be moved due to development.
Charlie Hunsicker, director of Manatee County Natural Resources, called the bid process with FDOT “competitive.”
Teodista would only say that FDOT publicly advertises invitations to bid, but the FWC website states that “there is a high demand to relocate gopher tortoises to recipient sites due to the ongoing development across Florida.”
Manatee County is expanding its efforts. Hunsicker said the more than 21,000-acre Duette Preserve can accommodate up to 2,000 tortoises, but not all those spots are available right now.
The county plans to open three additional locations within the preserve. Currently, the program is operating out of one 500-acre site that can accommodate up to 826 tortoises.
Manatee County’s Natural Resources declined to comment on how much the program has profited to date, but said that the funds are invested back into Duette and other Manatee County preserves
The Natural Resources Fee Schedule only states a charge of “market rate,” which is reassessed on a quarterly basis. Doing the math on 191 tortoises for $725,040 places a value of $3,796 on each tortoise. However, public entities receive a 10% discount.
Manatee County receives a 20% discount for its own projects that require gopher tortoise relocation. A developer pays market rate without a discount, and 50% of the spots are reserved for private entities. The remaining space is to be split 50-50 between Manatee County and other public entities.
The site at Duette was placed under a conservation easement to the FWC in perpetuity with the goal to sustain a long-term gopher tortoise population.
A 2024 study of a recipient site in the panhandle called Nokuse, which is a 55,000-acre private nature preserve in Walton County, identified 2,822 tortoises that were relocated between 2006 and 2022.
Relocated tortoises are assigned numbers, which are then marked on their shells. Researchers collected 503 carcasses that could be identified as tortoises that had been rehomed.
The results showed that “the survival rates are unlikely to result in self-sustaining populations.” The study’s matrix population models indicated a 5% to 7% population decrease of relocated tortoises per year.
The recipient site at Duette is new, so only two enclosures have been filled and have had their fences removed.
Silt fences are dug at least eight inches into the ground, so the tortoises are released into enclosures that range between 15 and 30 acres. Otherwise, the tortoises might wander off trying to find their old burrows.
The fences are removed between six months and a year after the first tortoise is received and site fidelity is established, which simply means that the tortoises are now regularly coming and going from new burrows.
The tortoise populations in each enclosure are surveyed one week before the fencing is removed.
Ecological Program Manager Kathleen Barrett said the survey results for the first two enclosures “closely matched the quantity of tortoises released” and that the
KEYSTONE SPECIES
Gopher tortoises are considered a keystone species. According to National Geographic, “A keystone species helps define an entire ecosystem. Without its keystone species, the ecosystem would be dramatically different or cease to exist altogether.”
A gopher tortoise’s importance to Florida’s ecosystem can be found in its shovel-like claws that dig burrows because they share those burrows with more than 350 other species, including frogs, mice and snakes.
The county will collect $725,040 over the next five years from the Florida Department of Transportation’s Florida Turnpike Enterprise to rehome 191 gopher tortoises in Duette Preserve, in the easternmost portion of Manatee County.
in 2024. Enclosure fencing throughout the recipient site was damaged, but the fence was quickly repaired by staff members and the population was monitored for stress.
So far, Duette Preserve has taken in all ages of tortoises, including hatchlings, juveniles and adults, plus two batches of eggs.
Stocking rates are calculated based on the existing tortoise population on site and the vegetation composition of the site, but on average, one tortoise requires a half-acre.
Public and private landowners with at least 25 acres can apply to the FWC to have their land designated as a gopher tortoise recipient site, but the land must meet certain criteria.
The land needs to have at least 30% herbaceous species for foraging, less than 60% canopy and shrub cover to provide shade and well drained sandy soil so the tortoises can burrow. Before a gopher tortoise arrives at Duette Preserve, the staff dig it a “starter burrow.” The starter burrows provide shade, shelter and familiarity. Soil from the tortoise’s old burrow is collected and then scattered around the mouth of the starter burrow to offer a recognizable scent.
“Many tortoises continue to use the starter burrow,” Barrett said. “However, some choose to dig a new burrow within the enclosure.”
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Gopher tortoises have shovel-like claws to dig burrows.
Courtesy images
Business ‘pioneers’ talk about Lakewood Ranch’s success
As journalists, we often keep our eyes focused on the future. It’s simply the nature of our business to keep moving forward with the community we cover. But that is not without an understanding of what has taken place in the past.
So when an organization like the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance hosts three longtime members of the business community to talk about the origins of their enterprises at the Lakewood Ranch Country Club, we pay attention.
Such was the case Sept. 16, when David Sessions, chairman of Willis Smith Construction, Joseph Najmy of Najmy Thompson Attorneys at Law, and Andrea Saputo Cox, president and owner of Gold Coast Eagle Distributing, spoke about their past, and the future, in Lakewood Ranch during “Pioneers of Progress: Founding Businesses of Lakewood Ranch.”
Before I talk about their past, I might note that these cornerstones of the Lakewood Ranch business community have the same concerns you and I do about the future. It’s not a hysterical meltdown that the end of the world is coming and that our overdeveloped area will disappear into a sinkhole of out-of-control growth. It’s rather a confidence that if the same care SchroederManatee Ranch used to develop Lakewood Ranch over the past 30 years continues in the future, we should be just fine.
“There is a wonderful quality of life here, and we want to keep it that way,” said Sessions, who not only does business in Lakewood Ranch, but lives here, as well. “It used to be that we would have to travel (to shop or to go to find a restaurant, entertainment or services). Now you can find anything you need here. SMR’s vision was not just about building rooftops, and it’s fun to see how it has evolved. With the interstate so busy, there is a sense of
real happiness being here.”
That’s an interesting statement because, indeed, SMR’s vision was not to build a bedroom community where people would just sleep after a long day’s work somewhere else. It was to build a self-sustaining community that actually could become a destination where — let’s call them “outsiders” for fun — could come to feed the businesses within.
It’s a viewpoint that can be hard to grasp for homeowners because of the way this community was constructed. If you think about it, SMR goes to work by developing the infrastructure to support the homes first, then builds the homes and gradually attracts the services that allow homeowners to have much of what they need without needing to travel 10 miles. When the homeowners moved in, there was less of everything than there was likely to be in the next five years.
So when that new Outback opens its doors on State Road 70, local residents can view it two ways. One would be to worry that another restaurant is going to attract more traffic and clog the road system.
The other would be that such a business gives residents another choice and another reason to find what they need without venturing far from home.
Certainly, it’s a delicate mix, but one that has been in place for the past 30 years.
“The growth has helped our practice grow,” Najmy said. “But Lakewood Ranch still has that small-town feel. That’s what makes it extraordinary to me. You have the influx of new clients, and that is rewarding, but it still does feel like a small town. You have to credit the plan and the community concept.”
Saputo Cox said it will take careful planning to keep that smalltown feel.
“It will take smart growth,” she said. “With transportation, you
don’t want it to be frustrating for people to come out here. And the people here want a peaceful place to live.”
In the early days of Lakewood Ranch, which last year celebrated its 30th year, it was peaceful because not much was here. Businesses were taking a gamble because the future of the community was uncertain.
“When we bought our lot (on Lakewood Boulevard), there was a lot of uncertainty and fear,” Sessions told those who gathered for the luncheon. “We actually scaled our building back. In hindsight, we should have built a larger facility.
“In those early days, it always was a can-do approach. You had to deal with SMR, but they always broke down the bureaucracy it took to get something going. The attitude always was ‘How can we get this done?’”
While some homeowners might have worried about incoming businesses and more homes, Wil-
lis Smith Construction saw it as confirmation it had made the right decision.
“Lakewood Ranch has elevated our brand significantly,” Sessions said. “I remember there was a tremendous amount of excitement, almost like a new beginning. For us, it was a quantum leap forward. We knew this was the start of something big. We have grown 400% in annual revenue.”
Najmy was a young lawyer working at a firm in Bradenton that suggested he work this new, fertile ground.
“I was a young lawyer who agreed with any plan (the partners) had,” Najmy said. “So I was coming out here one day a week in 1999. We didn’t know if clients would make the trek all the way out east, and I was only working with clients who lived out here. They wanted (a lawyer) who lived near them. By 2003, I had accumulated a client base and I made the big decision to practice out here full time. It was one of the
best decisions I ever made. Our growth is four times where we were in 2009. It’s been amazing and a testament to the area.
“We were part of the genesis of a city. Every time SMR opened a new development, it was a celebration.”
Saputo Cox said SMR originally turned down Gold Coast Eagle’s request to build in Lakewood Ranch because they didn’t want the trucks, but with connections to the Uihlein family, which formed SMR to manage its 48-square-mile property, Gold Coast and SMR worked out a deal and the distributor moved into the area in 2008.
“It was an upscale area and we built our building to mimic that,” she said. “We built a community room because we wanted to be part of the community.”
The space has been valued for years by area nonprofits who use the room for meetings and events.
Saputo Cox said if Gold Coast knew how it would grow in Lakewood Ranch (from 4 million cases delivered in 2008 to its current 6.5 million cases), it would have built its building “taller.”
“The automation out there is taller,” she said.
Like Sessions and Najmy, she remembered the excitement of the time.
“There was a sense of community and everyone wrapped their arms around projects,” she said. “Everyone wanted (Lakewood Ranch) to succeed.”
Jay Heater is the managing editor for the East County Observer. Contact him at JHeater@ YourObserver.com.
Jay Heater
David Sessions, Andrea Saputo Cox and Joseph Najmy were the speakers at Pioneers of Progress: Founding Businesses of Lakewood Ranch.
Sisterhood For Good
MADISON BIERL STAFF WRITER
Darci Jacob, owner of boutique Darci, reminisces about the first time she experienced the atmosphere created by members of Sisterhood For Good, a group of women dedicated to accomplishing philanthropic goals. She attended a fashion show fundraiser in 2019, and saw how the women cheered and screamed for the models who were all members.
“They were so supportive of everybody that walked,” Jacob said. “I’ve run different boutiques my entire life. They supported women like I’ve never seen before, and I’m like, ‘I want to be part of this.’”
Jacob has been part of the organization ever since and sponsors a designer bag bingo fundraiser every year. She received the “High Five Award” for her “continued dedication and devotion to our sisterhood” at the Sisterhood For Good Donor Appreciation and Chair Awards event on Sept. 18 to celebrate the beginning of their 15th year.
Sisterhood For Good was founded by Angela Massaro-Fain, who works as president and CEO.
She shared that this year the organization awarded $150,150 to 30 local nonprofits.
“All year long, everyone’s a volunteer,” Massaro-Fain said. “Nobody gets paid, not a dime.”
Massaro-Fain emphasized that it is not only the board or grant committee that votes to determine where the money is spent. Every member has a say.
Allison Imre, a sponsor through her business Grapevine Communications and member of Sisterhood For Good, has been involved for 10 years.
“It’s a group of women who wanted to get together and make an impact, and it really is just that pure — it’s neat, it’s smart, it makes sense, and it’s beautiful,” Imre said.
Imre recalled seeing the sort of impact the grants make when she saw how the money that went to Easterseals Southwest Florida, a
MORE ON SISTERHOOD FOR GOOD
Their mission is “To enhance our local community, Sarasota and Manatee, through an annual grants program supported by an all-female, all-volunteer organization.”
They have approximately 200 members, 17 board members and 10 committees.
The organization has assisted 57,790 individuals and have given 213 grants totaling $622,427 since they were founded in 2011.
For information, visit SFGFlorida.org.
nonprofit that provides services to people with special needs, was used.
“It was materials, toys and technology, so they were using it in a whole bunch of different ways,” Imre said.
Nikki Pelier-Simon, member and sponsor through her business Scout & Molly’s, has been in the organization for two years. This year, she is a co-chair for special events.
“I love making people feel wonderful,” Pelier-Simon said. “I want them to feel needed, wanted and loved. Sometimes we forget to love people, and this is a way to show people that we love them.”
Madison Bierl
Sisterhood For Good’s past President Maria MacDonald and cofounders Angela Massaro-Fain and Kathy Collums hosted the event for members and sponsors on Sept. 18 at Gold Coast Eagle Distributing. Massaro-Fain is also the president and CEO.
EYE ON BUSINESS
Bye Felicia!
Lakewood Ranch’s Felicia Michaels decided to do body building eight years ago to lose maternity weight and ended up losing 40 pounds. She worked out six days a week and did two competitions in six months. As part of that regimen: her hair.
“When I was doing it, I didn’t want to get spray-tanned and look orange,” she said. “I knew that shaving caused irritation and bumps, and I wanted it to be a nice surface for tanning.”
Waxing Bye Felicia opened on Sept. 22 in Lakewod Ranch. Michaels is the owner and only employee.
Michaels said waxing is better and more efficient than shaving because it lasts longer.
Prior to opening her own business, Michaels worked out of Nicholas Nails in Spring Hill for two years.
“I like to make my customers feel welcome and loved and just comfortable,” Michaels said. “I don’t want you to come in and be all nervous. I want you to have fun.”
Spring Hill resident Stephen Williams was a client of Michaels until she moved in April to Lakewood Ranch.
Williams said when in the wax industry, being an “uptight nurse Betty” doesn’t work. He said you have to set up an atmosphere similar to a hair salon with no topics off limits to talk about.
“That was Felicia, someone you met and instantly felt like you’ve known for 10-plus years, sharing each of your secrets and problems and whatever is going on in your life.”
Stacey Oaster is another one of the clients from Spring Hill, about 90 miles north. Oaster drove nearly two hours to be a client for opening day and she said she plans to continue going to the salon.
When Oaster first visited Waxing Bye Felicia, she had never been waxed before. She said Michaels instantly provided a sense of comfort.
“She’ll hold your hand and she’ll walk you through every step of what she’s going to do, and that’s important,” Oaster said.
Lakewood Ranch’s Felicia Michaels, owner of new waxing studio Waxing Bye Felicia, opened on Sept. 22.
IF YOU GO
WAXING BYE FELICIA
When: Appointment only on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays
Where: 6574 University Parkway, Suite 120, Loft 12, Sarasota; 727-247-7993
Visit: Waxing-Bye-Felicia. Square.Site/
Michaels wanted her name to stick out and was inspired by the 1995 film “Friday,” where one of the characters says “Bye Felicia!” Since the release, it has also become an ongoing joke on the internet.
“It just stuck; everybody loves it,” Michaels said.
Michaels said it is important to consider what sort of wax is used, especially on sensitive skin. She recalled an experience when she got her eyebrows waxed and her face was red for three days. She said she was embarrassed and wore sunglasses.
“My wax doesn’t do that, it is gentle,” Michaels said. “Any of the facial waxes or the intimate areas I use the Coco Nuts (an Australian wax brand) because it only attaches to the hairs and not the skin. I’m not going to rip your skin where it’s going to lead to scars or wrinkles.”
Haares Mirzan, MD
Specialty: Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine
First Physicians Group is proud to introduce two new critical care pulmonologists: Dr. Haares Mirzan and Dr. Evan Wasserman.
Fellowship trained in Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, Dr. Mirzan and Dr. Wasserman specialize in diseases and conditions affecting the lungs and airways. They both treat a wide range of respiratory issues including asthma, bronchitis, bronchiectasis, COPD, cystic fibrosis, emphysema, interstitial lung disease, lung cancer, mesothelioma, pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary vascular disease, pleural effusion and sarcoidosis.
Medical School: B oston University School of Medicine & College of Arts and Sciences in Boston, MA
Residency & Fellowship: Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education in Jacksonville, FL
Evan Wasserman, DO
Specialty: Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine
Medical School: Nova Southeastern University Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Residency: University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT
Fellowship: University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Madison Bierl
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
KING FIT FOR A
Key Chorale kicks off its 41st season with Mozart’s Coronation Mass.
MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Nearly 250 years after a ragtag band of colonists threw off the yoke of their imperial masters and declared the right to rule for and by the people, the trappings of royalty still gleam brightly.
Perhaps the idea that the crown is bestowed by divine right is comforting in a world that threatens to spin off its axis. Or maybe the long-running Netflix series “The Crown” has inspired a longing for pageantry and palaces. In any event, music composed for regal occasions continues to draw appreciative audiences.
There’s no disputing that popes, kings and a few wealthy merchants were responsible for the creation of many of the world’s great works of art and music. Why? Because they could afford to pay artists.
In the 20th century, industrialists and government helped foot the bill. As the old order is upended, who will underwrite the arts? Time will tell, but in the meantime popular appeal is more important than ever.
With this in mind, Key Chorale Artistic Director Joseph Caulkins is leaning into majestic programs this season for the symphonic chorus. He’s taking his cues from last season, the group’s 40th anniversary.
“We programmed a lot of big works for our Ruby Anniversary,” Caulkins says. “The orchestral masterworks attracted the biggest audiences. There seems to be an appetite for these pieces. We’re blessed to be in a community that appreciates great art, whatever the facet.”
In February, the pews were packed at Church of the Palms for Key Chorale’s concert of Verdi’s Requiem. Maestro Caulkins led 150 performers, including four opera soloists, in the composition for a Catholic mass often called an opera in disguise.
Key Chorale will kick off its 41st season on Sept. 27 with a concert called “Coronation: Music Inspired by Royalty.”
The program features the Key Chorale Chamber Singers performing Handel’s “The King Shall Rejoice.” The composition has been played at every investiture of Britain’s monarch from King George II in 1727 to King Charles III in 2023.
The centerpiece of the program is Mozart’s Coronation Mass, a 30-minute piece featuring festive brass, timpani and a memorable soprano aria.
On hand to sing it will be Mary Wilson, a visiting soloist who will join the 100 voices of Key Chorale and a professional orchestra. Look at the musicians closely and you’ll see some familiar faces from the Sarasota Orchestra.
An acclaimed classical vocalist, Wilson is a professor of voice at the University of Memphis. Her soprano voice will be accompanied by tenor John Grau, mezzo-soprano Amy Jo Connours and baritone Jesse Martin.
MIXING THE CLASSICS WITH NETFLIX MUSIC
Followers of Britain’s royal family will no doubt recognize John Tavener’s “Song for Athene.” It became Tavener’s most celebrated choral work after it was sung at the Westminster Abbey funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997.
KEY CHORALE’S 41ST SEASON AT A GLANCE
Sept. 27 Coronation: Music Inspired by Royalty
Nov. 30 Joy & Wonder featuring The Sarasota Ballet’s Studio Company
Dec. 18-21 Sounds of the Season with Venice Symphony
Jan. 23 Opus 1700: Handel — The Rest of the Story
Jan. 24 Opus 1700: Bach — Mass in B Minor
Feb. 7 Mendelssohn’s Elijah
March 2 Tomorrow’s Voices Tonight, Student Scholar Soirée
March 13-15 Cirque des Voix
March 29 GenSRQ: A Youth Celebration
April 18 Radiance: A Concert by Candlelight
May 3 One Light, Many Voices
Key Chorale’s regal program moves into popular culture with Hans Zimmer’s theme from “The Crown” and music from the 2010 Oscar-winning film “The King’s Speech,” which will feature Key Chorale principal keyboardist Glenn Priest.
In addition to audience appeal, another reason that Caulkins is leaning into masterworks such as Mendelssohn’s Elijah (Feb. 7, 2026) in the current season is that he believes Key Chorale has the artistic chops to do so. “The ensemble is at the height of its abilities in the 18 years that I’ve been here,” he says.
Of the dozen events Caulkins has programmed for the latest season, eight will include all 100 singers from Key Chorale and a full orchestra. In some cases, the orchestra performing is Venice Symphony, from Sarasota’s neighbor to the south.
Since his arrival at Key Chorale in 2007, Caulkins has made collaboration with other arts groups a hallmark of his organization. Over the years some of these co-productions have become cherished traditions.
The 2025-26 season will see the return of Key Chorale’s annual holiday celebration featuring Sarasota Ballet’s Studio Company with a Nov. 30 program called “Joy & Wonder” as well as the yuletide concert featuring the Venice Symphony, “Sounds of the Season,” from Dec. 18-21.
One of the most anticipated events of season is the annual Cirque des Voix, a collaboration with both the Circus Arts Conservatory and Venice Symphony. You haven’t seen circus until you’ve seen acrobats, aerialists and other circus performers accompanied by a symphony chorus and a full orchestra.
Caulkins and his Cirque des Voix partner, CAC co-founder and pro-
duction and artistry strategist Pedro Reis, are masters at blending highand low-brow culture. It’s a tradition that dates back to circus magnate John Ringling, who once had elephants in tutus perform a ballet choreographed by George Balanchine to the music of Stravinsky.
There are no animals at the Cirque des Voix (Circus of Voices), but there are pop culture hooks, such as music from comic book-inspired franchises that have become Hollywood staples. The theme of this year’s Cirque des Voix (March 13-15) will be “Super Heroes vs. Super Villains.”
“We’ll start with the Superman March,” Caulkins says. “The music will be powerful and dramatic. We’ll be celebrating athleticism with the circus artists. When you add the chorus, it becomes not just a concert, but an experience.”
Last year’s Cirque des Voix celebrated music found in science fiction films and other media and attendees of all ages were invited to dress as their favorite sci-fi character for a costume contest. This season’s event will once again encourage cosplay. One can imagine the audience as a sea of Supermans, Batmans and Fantastic Four members as well as their enemies, Lex Luthor, the Joker and Dr. Doom.
In 2026, Key Chorale will once again team up with Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe for its annual student scholar soirée at WBTT’s Donelly Theatre on March 2.
NO OCTOBER EVENTS THIS YEAR
After being forced to cancel last year’s
IF YOU GO
CORONATION: MUSIC INSPIRED BY ROYALTY
When: 4 p.m. on Sept. 27
Where: Church of the Palms, 3224 Bee Ridge Road Tickets: $45 Info: Visit KeyChorale.org.
because of Hurricane Milton,
says he’s
Baroquetoberfest
Caulkins
Joseph Caulkins is Key Chorale’s maestro.
Joy & Wonder, Key Chorale’s annual holiday collaboration with Sarasota Ballet Studio Co., takes place Nov. 30 at Sarasota Opera House.
Soprano Mary Wilson will be the soloist at Key Chorale’s “Coronation” concert on Saturday, Sept. 27, at Church of the Palms.
Key Chorale will follow up last season’s acclaimed concert of Verdi’s Requiem at Church of the Palms with Mozart’s Coronation Mass on Saturday, Sept. 27.
Photo courtesy of Cliff Roles
Courtesy images
Sept.
steering clear of October events this year. (Evidently, September isn’t as frightening, even though that’s when Hurricane Helene hit.)
This season, Caulkins and his October musical co-conspirator Sam Nelson are turning their attention to the month of January.
That’s when they will present twin Opus 1700 concerts featuring the works of Handel and Bach. Nelson is organist and choirmaster at Church of the Redeemer, where both events will be held Jan. 23-24, 2026.
The first Opus 1700 concert is called “Handel — The Rest of the Story” because it features Parts 2 and 3 of the Messiah, which are heard less frequently than Part 1, a holiday staple at churches and music groups. Nelson will conduct the Handel concert and Caulkins takes the baton the next day for Bach’s Mass in B Minor.
With his track record of innovative collaborations, Caulkins has established a strong presence for Key Chorale in Sarasota’s arts scene.
He is only the second artistic director in the history of the group. Key Chorale was founded in 1985 by Ann Stephenson-Moe, organist and choirmaster of the Church of the Redeemer, and Don B. Ryno, minister of music at St. Boniface Church. Its first artistic director was Daniel Moe, who served for 21 years.
Earlier this year, Caulkins received a vote of confidence when Key Chorale extended his contract by 10 years. In addition to collaborating with other arts groups, Caulkins has increased Key Chorale’s community presence through outreach programs aimed at youth and seniors.
In addition to its traditional student scholar soirée, Key Chorale is adding a new youth program inspired by the wildly successful closing event at Sarasota’s inaugural Living Arts Festival in 2024. Key Chorale’s concert, “GenSRQ: Celebrating Our Youth,” will take place March 29 at the Sailor Circus Arena.
Caulkins and Reis gave Living Arts Festival founder Jeffery Kin crucial support last year in staging the Celebration of Youth program, which took place in the wake of Hurricane Milton.
Another addition to Key Chorale’s schedule is a candlelight concert called “Radiance,” to be held at the First Congregational Church on April 18. Mark your calendar because the concert is free for students 18 and under, and just $10 at the door for college students. For adults, it’s $47. Hundreds of candles will light up the room as chamber singers perform what is billed as “some of the most sublime, divine and heavenly music ever written.” Let’s hope the audience understands that there are no cellphones in heaven.
KEY CHORALE, FROM PAGE 13
Courtesy image Cirque des Voix, the collaboration between the Circus Arts Conservatory and Key Chorale, is one of season’s most anticipated events.
Celebrate National Breakfast Month with
egg-cellent dishes
These five eateries in Sarasota and Bradenton form my own personal Breakfast Club.
in town, with September being National Breakfast Month and all.
As we all inhaled our breakfast sandwiches, just about everyone agreed the first meal of the day was the best meal of the day. And really, what’s not to love? There’s the simplicity of the ingredients and the fact that we poor millennials can always afford to fry an egg and toast a slice of bread, whether it’s pay week or not. Then there’s the nostalgia that bacon brings as it sizzles.
In a world where the headlines can make your stomach hurt, there’s something comforting about a stack of pancakes, a crispy strip of bacon or a perfectly brewed cup of coffee.
got me thinking that I need to give a little culinary love to some other egg-cellent local breakfast dishes
That’s the magic of National Breakfast Month. It’s an excuse to lean into the comfort of morning glory. It almost makes you wish every month was dedicated to breakfast — and that every facet of life could be this egg-cellent.
Here’s where you can find me ignoring the world around me and partaking in my own breakfast club.
BAGELS & BREWS CAFE
6970 S. Beneva Road, Sarasota; 941-993-1577; BagelsAndBrewsCafe.com.
Rise and Dine: If you’re new here, you’ll learn quickly that I’m a sucker for a bagel after living in Connecticut for 25 years. It was impossible to find anything that resembles a Tri-state (New York/ New Jersey/Connecticut) bagel in our area until Bagels & Brews came along. They have the classics, but after you bite into an everythingcheddar, you won’t remember the staples. Pair it with their freshly made veggie cream cheese ($4.25) and you’ll thank me later.
Breakfast Club Bliss: Two words: pork roll ($8.99). With one hard egg, American cheese, Taylor ham on a sesame bagel — you will be fueled for the morning. This is a breakfast column, but the café has an extended lunch menu that should not be skipped.
MAMA G’S GERMAN BAKERY
4413 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; 941-926-2692; 8431 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; 941-355-9236; MamaGsBakery.com.
Rise and Dine: Right after college, I lived in Germany for nearly a year teaching English. Every Friday, as I was recovering from a Thursday night expat meetup, I’d grab a roll with hard-boiled eggs at a deli across the street from school and shove it into my mouth as my first students walked in for the day. So when I saw that Mama G’s served Fruhstuck ($8.95), it had to make my list. This traditional German breakfast comes with two slices of ham and Swiss cheese, hard-boiled egg, apricot and strawberry preserves, butter and two rolls. The budget-minded may save half of
this meal for a lunch or an afternoon snack.
Breakfast Club Bliss: Looking for something a tad simpler? The plethora of German pastries, offered in both savory and sweet options, are too long to list here, but a few of my favorites are the cheese danish ($3.95), almond croissant ($3.95) and the kale and goat cheese pocket ($5).
Rise and Dine: The caffeinefocused morning crowd will be pleased with the options for that morning cup of jolt at Project Coffee’s locations in Burns Court and the Rosemary District. Whether you choose the simple yet delicious cortado ($4.75), a double shot in steamed oat milk, or an elevated strawberry milk supermatcha ($6.50), you’ll leave feeling ready to take on the day.
Breakfast Club Bliss: Don’t skip on the eats, my latte-loving pals. Depending on the location, the menu may change, but the pastries
baked in house are not to be missed — nor is “the world’s greatest avocado toast” ($12.75) made with Brad Bandits sourdough, radish, Brick Street Farms microgreens and extra virgin olive oil. (Add a soft scramble for $4.)
THE BREAKFAST COMPANY 4832 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; 941-706-4225; 7246 55th Ave. E., Bradenton; 941-201-6002; 411 N. Orange Ave., Sarasota; 941-3648767; 8491 Cooper Creek Blvd., Bradenton; 941-210-4760; TheBreakfastCompanyFl.com. Rise and Dine: Prepare to be inundated with delicious, mind-boggling choices. From a Parisian bowl ($17.95) with two eggs, braised short rib, fontina cheese, baby spinach, mushroom, caramelized onion and diced chive to Boston cream pie pancakes ($13.95) with vanilla custard and chocolate ganache drizzle to southern eggs Benedict ($16.95) with crispy chicken, crackedpepper gravy, scrambled eggs on a grilled biscuit. This isn’t an ordinary breakfast, it’s egg-traordinary! Breakfast Club Bliss: On your birthday, you are treated with a mini-cinnamon roll that is to die for. Pair it with the pomegranate mimosa ($8.95), or an orange, cranberry or pineapple-ginger one. Or make it a screwdriver!
Rise and Dine: My grandfather, regardless of where we went for breakfast, always ordered the huevos rancheros, even if it wasn’t on the menu. I can’t tell you how many times in the early ’90s we had to bury our heads under the table as he walked back to talk to the chef if a waiter told him that the fried eggs and tortilla duo wasn’t an option. Well Poppy, if you were here, I’d bring you to Guerrero’s for huevos rancheros ($12.99), served eggs over medium with three fried corn tortillas, topped with red sauce. Breakfast Club Bliss: Huevos con chorizo ($12.99) is calling my name next time I head to Guerrero’s. These portions are generous, so be sure to come hungry first thing in the morning!
Courtesy image
The Breakfast Company has four locations, two in Sarasota and two in Bradenton.
Emma Burke Jolly Bagels & Brew’s pork roll ($8.99) comes with one egg over hard with American cheese and Taylor Ham on a choice of bagel, soft roll or croissant.
We’ve Got Short Shorts
Two short comedies by Bruce J. Bloom
OCT. 10 1:30 P.M. OCT 12 1:30 P.M.
“Daniel Ortega and Those Yom Kippur Blues” Arthur Kleinman is having a crisis of faith. When he wanders into a Latino saloon, the bartender and a hooker with a heart of gold each offer to solve his problems. What will Arthur do?
“The Last Request of Eddie Carmichael/Cohen”
Eddie Carmichael announces from his deathbed that he’s Jewish, not Catholic, and asks a rabbi to marry him and Esther Goldman. Is he telling the truth or just plain nuts?
THIS WEEK
THURSDAY
‘FEELING GOOD’
7:30 p.m. at Florida Studio Theatre’s Court Cabaret, 1265 First St. $18-$42
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
The latest musical revue created by Rebecca Hopkins and Richard Hopkins, “Feeling Good” pays tribute to singers some call contemporary crooners, artists like Michael Bublé and Bette Midler. A dynamic trio — Haley K. Clay, Andrew Leggieri and Russell Mernagh — makes its Florida Studio Theatre debut. By performing swingin’ hits like “Come Fly With Me,” “It Had to Be You” and “Me and Mrs. Jones,” “Feeling Good” reminds us that seduction works best with a little savoir faire. With musical arrangements by Jim Prosser, the singers are joined by Christian “CC” Allen on drums and Prosser on piano. Runs through Feb. 8.
‘A BAND CALLED HONALEE’
7:30 p.m. at Florida Studio Theatre’s Goldstein Cabaret, 1239 Palm Ave. $39 and up Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
Sarasota Contemporary Dance presents MaKayla Lane’s work, “It Takes Nothing to Have Something,” on Saturday, Sept. 27.
Join Mother Superior Sister MaryRegina and the rest of the nuns as they stage a madcap variety show to help defray the cost of funerals after a culinary disaster. “Nunsense” began as a line of greeting cards before becoming an Off-Broadway musical in 1985 that has since morphed into a global comedy phenomenon. Murray Chase directs Venice Theatre’s production. Runs through Oct. 5.
SATURDAY
SARASOTA OPERA FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL
1 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. $75 in advance; $85 at the door; $150 VIP Visit SarasotaOpera.org.
DON’T MISS FAMILY FEST
“I Never Saw Another Butterfly”
based on a play by Celeste Raspanti In this family friendly play about the children of the Terezin concentration camp during
a teacher gives the children the courage to write and draw about their memories, their lives in the camp, and their hopes and dreams. Students are free when accompanied by an adult.
The subtitle of this Florida Studio Theatre cabaret show is “A Tribute to Peter, Paul Mary … and Friends,” but any self-respecting folk rock fan can spot the play on words in the name “A Band Called Honalee.” ICYMI, it refers to the mythical land made famous by the children’s song “Puff the Magic Dragon.” The incarnation of Band Called Honalee appearing in Sarasota includes Brian Ott, a veteran of FST’s Simon and Garfunkel inspired show,“59th Street Bridge.” He is joined by Michael Grieve, Geoffrey Neuman and Sigrid Wise. Runs through Oct. 26.
FRIDAY
‘NUNSENSE’
7:30 p.m. at Venice Theatre’s Raymond Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave. W., Venice
$40 Visit VeniceTheatre.org.
Inspired by its popular Friday Fests (currently on hiatus), the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall hosts its first Family Fest with “Alice in Wonderland” as the theme. Two performances of Asolo Rep on Tour’s production of “Alice in Wonderland” will take place, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. During the Family Fest, which ends at 2 p.m., attendees can participate in themed activities with local community groups, purchase snacks from food trucks and shop at the Children’s Entrepreneur Market. Teaching artist Mr. Stevey leads interactive mindfulness and literacy activities.
IF YOU GO When: 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 27 Where: Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail Tickets: Free Info: Visit VanWezel.org.
The Arts Advocates Gallery inside the Crossings at Siesta Key mall is open every Saturday from 2-4 pm featuring the works of Sarasota Colony artists, the Florida Highwaymen, and changing monthly exhibits.
Talkback Tuesday
Carrie Seidman - Voices That Shape Sarasota: Journalism, Justice, and Local Truths
October 7, 4-6 pm
Arts Advocates Gallery
Carrie hosts WSLR’s Talk of the Town, a live weekly roundtable featuring politicians, activists, journalists, and scholars discussing local issues. She is a seasoned journalist who has been a staff writer for The New York Times and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, among others.
Luncheon
How Theater Artistic Directors are Navigating Cultural and Funding Challenges
October 16, 11 am-1 pm Sarasota Yacht Club
Jay Handelman moderates a panel of leading artistic directors – Richard Hopkins, Nate Jacobs, Carole Kleinberg, Peter Rothstein, and Summer Wallace – in a discussion of how they are meeting the challenge of providing funds for their organizations.
Courtesy image
Oyster & Seafood Bar, Michael’s on East, Rose & Ivy, Selva Grill and Tzeva at Art Ovation. Libations will be provided by 99 Bottles, Beauty Booze, Gold Coast Eagle Distributors and more.
SARASOTA CONTEMPORARY
DANCE IN-STUDIO: MAKAYLA LANE
3 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Sarasota Contemporary Dance Home Studio, 1400 Boulevard of the Arts, Suite 300
$20 Visit SarasotaContemporaryDance. org.
Company member MaKayla Lane has expanded her work “It Takes Nothing to Have Something,” first presented in 2024, into an fulllength piece as part of Sarasota Contemporary Dance’s commitment to highlighting voices from within its ranks. Continues Sept. 29.
SUNDAY
HD AT THE OPERA HOUSE:
VERDI’S ‘OTELLO’
1:30 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave.
$20 Visit SarasotaOpera.org.
Jonas Kaufman, Marco Vratagno and Maria Agresta star in the Royal Opera’s 2017 production of Verdi’s “Otello,” based on the Shakespeare play about the titular military officer who begins to suspect his wife, Desdemona, of being unfaithful at the cruel suggestion of his ensign Iago. Verdi’s final tragedy, “Otello” was an overnight sensation at its 1887 premiere and has been a standard of international opera repertory ever since.
YOUNG ARTISTS SHOWCASE:
ASTRID VICTORIA
7:30 p.m. at Westcoast Black Theatre, 1012 N. Orange Ave. $27 Visit WestcoastBlackTheatre.org.
Astrid Victoria is one of the young artists who has grown up on the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe stage. She starred in her first Young Artist Showcase in 2021, when she was just out of high school and ready to attend college. Now that she has earned her degree in commercial music from Southern University in Lakeland, she returns to the WBTT stage full of gratitude for all that has taken place in her life and anticipation for the journey ahead.
OUR PICK
CHAMBER SOIRÉES: SERENADES AND SYMPHONY
Sarasota Orchestra members kick off the season with a concert featuring a full chamber orchestra without conductor. The program begins with Richard Strauss’ “Serenade for Winds” and moves along to Dvorak’s “Serenade for Strings.” The entire chamber orchestra comes together to play Mozart’s Symphony No. 25.
IF YOU GO
When: 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28 Where: Holley Hall, 709 N. Tamiami Trail Tickets: $48 and up Info: Visit SarasotaOrchestra. org.
MONDAY
‘ANCESTRAL EDGE’
10 a.m. at The John and Mable Ringling Art Museum, 5401 Bayshore Road Free with $30 admission; Mondays free Visit Ringling.org.
Aficionados of Native American art often have to travel to places such as Washington, D.C., Phoenix and Santa Fe to see contemporary work. The Ringling has recently been bringing more visibility to contemporary Native American art, first with its 2023 show, “Reclaiming Home,” showcasing members of Florida tribes, and now with “Ancestral Edge” featuring nine female artists from across the U.S.
TUESDAY
‘ART DECO: THE GOLDEN AGE OF ILLUSTRATION’
10 a.m. at the Sarasota Art Museum campus of Ringling College, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail Free for museum members; $20 Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org.
The Sarasota Art Museum celebrates the 100th anniversary of the exposition that kicked off the Art Deco movement. More than 100 eyecatching posters from the Crouse Collection, as well as industrial furniture, home furnishings and other objects loaned by the WilsonianFlorida International University are on display. In addition to consumer products, there are posters for automobiles, train and ocean travel, as well as sports competitions, reflecting a growing love of speed and luxury in spite of the Great Depression. Through March 29, 2026.
YOUR NEIGHBORS
ACE OF A DAY ON THE COURSE
Fundraiser by and for Lakewood Ranch Community Activities at Calusa Country Club a ‘win-win.’
In his 40 years of playing golf, Lakewood Ranch’s Robert Carolla never scored a hole-in-one.
Not until he played in the Communi-Tee Golf Classic, a fundraiser by Lakewood Ranch Community Activities on Sept. 17 at the Calusa Country Club.
“It was the 14th hole, 182 yards,” Carolla said. “It bounced on the green and I didn’t know it went in. These guys (Steven Leone and Steve Nagy) started yelling that they thought it went in the hole.”
Carolla said he thought it ended up somewhere behind the hole, but sure enough it made it in.
He was ecstatic.
The Communi-Tee Golf Classic came to fruition in honor of the 25th year of Lakewood Ranch Community Activities.
Keith Pandeloglou, president and CEO of the organization, said it made sense for the “organization responsible for bringing the community together” to do a golf tournament, as that is a common fundraiser around the area.
Pandeloglou said the Calusa
people to connect and explore a place a lot of them had never been.
It was also an opportunity to learn about Lakewood Ranch Community Activities, which hosts events and lifestyle programs throughout the community.
“It seemed to be a win-win, and the community responded, because we sold out,” Pandeloglou said.
The tournament had 118 participants, and the money raised will go toward future Lakewood Ranch Community Activities as well as to the Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation, which awards grants to nonprofits.
John Potocko and Gerry Hause are members of Calusa Country Club and said the event was wellorganized and a lot of fun.
“We’ve been inviting the rest of our neighbors to come play with us because we can bring guests,” Potocko said. “It’s been a lot of fun, super convenient and just a blast.”
— MADISON BIERL
Photos by Madison Bierl
Steven Leone, Robert Carolla and Steve Nagy celebrate Carolla’s hole-in-one, which is the first of his 40year golf career, at the Communi-Tee Golf Classic by Lakewood Ranch Community Activities.
Gerry Hause, a member of the Calusa Country Club, gives a wave before taking a swing. He says the way the event was organized was fantastic.
Tara Weiffenbach is one of the five winners to go home with an Ask Echo golf bag.
Alex Houston, Ben Lacina, Jack McGovern and Matt Ambrosino celebrate with six feet off the ground after recording an eagle.
Tony Brinsisi is going home with $865 after being drawn as the 50/50 lottery winner. The other 50% of the raffle money goes towards future Lakewood Ranch Community Activities events.
Joe Porter and Zach Sarnowski, along with Mike Harger and Greg Ramsden (not pictured) were winners of the tournament, scoring 48 points.
Successful Investing Isn’t About Luck or Genius
You’ve probably heard about investors who got in on the “ground floor” of a company that grew to be a huge success. But successful investing isn’t about luck or genius. Instead, it’s about building durability. Here are some suggestions:
First, think long-term. Most investors make their money over time, not overnight. You’ll want a well-diversified portfolio of quality investments and plan to own them for the long term.
Next, invest in quality. For stocks, quality is often measured by the steadiness of earnings and dividend growth over time. For bonds, one measure is an investment-grade credit rating with a relatively low risk of default.
And finally, build a long-term strategy to provide a roadmap for your investment choices.
You may want to make changes periodically, but do it for the right reasons, like changing goals or tolerance for risk.
But overall, follow a durable strategy personalized for your life.
PAINTING PARTY
Group’s show at ComCenter at Lakewood Ranch features art from four artists, including a member who died in April.
MADISON BIERL STAFF WRITER
Since Lakewood Ranch’s Gloria Kaminsky started painting 15 years ago, she sees colors in a different light. Grass is not just green, and the sky is not just blue. Instead, the grass is shades of green with hints of browns and yellows. The sky is shades of blue with glimpses of whites and greys.
“The way the light hits, you just see things differently when you start to paint,” she said. “You see the highlights; you see the low lights; you see the sparkle. It’s amazing; it really is.”
Kaminsky enjoys traveling, taking photos and then turning them into oil paintings. The first time she took on painting, she sat and painted for four days to capture a city scene of
Dubrovnik, Croatia.
“I thought, ‘This is a fluke,’” Kaminsky said. “I just kept painting after that. Now I’ve probably painted 300 paintings since then.”
Sometimes, when Kaminsky can’t sleep, she paints. She said it calms her down and gets her mind rested.
“You get in the zone, and hours and hours pass, and you don’t even realize,” she said. “You think you’ve been there for half-an-hour, and you look, and it’s been three hours.”
Kaminsky joined LWR Art Club, a Lakewood Ranch Community Activities organization, in 2013. It has been a club for the past 25 years and has 37 members. It provides skilled painters a way to get together and create art and provide critique.
Lakewood Ranch’s Yovanina Wainio has been a member of the club for seven years. She said she is surrounded by smart women who all know different techniques and she learns something each time they get together.
Wainio said it is important for her to have opinions of her art. After working on a piece for so long, there
Photos by Madison Bierl
Yovanina Wainio has been a member of LWR Art Club for seven years and appreciates getting critiques from her fellow artists.
Ashley Dixon Administrator Chris Moss CFP AAMS® Laynie Danforth Administrator
IF YOU GO
The LWR Art Club Art Show showcases the art of Gloria Kaminsky, Bill Perry, Marge Williamson and the late Elayne Molbreak. The pieces range from $50 to $1,200
ComCenter at Lakewood Ranch
Where: 9040 Town Center Parkway
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays until Oct. 17.
utilize angles that attract the viewer’s eyes to go a certain way.
“Watercolor is tough because if you make a mistake, that’s it,” Gardner said. “With oil and acrylic, you can paint over everything and start over. You can’t do that here. If you make a mistake, you try to correct it or you just get another sheet of paper and start over.”
Donna McIntyre is one of the original members.
“I always loved art, and my mother was a good artist,” McIntyre said.
“I learned at the kitchen table, but never really did a whole lot of art until joining this group. I was always working or too busy.”
Mary Ellen Slenker is the president of LWR Art Club. She was an art teacher for 38 years before moving to Lakewood Ranch. She joined in 2014.
“Ever since kindergarten, all I wanted to do was draw and color, it was just a kid thing,” Slenker said.
“As I grew up, that’s all I wanted for my birthday was art supplies.”
Slenker said she dabbled in a lot of media as an art teacher but now does mostly watercolor. She estimated 70% of the art they do in the club is watercolor.
Slenker said the LWR Art Club has been doing art shows at ComCenter at Lakewood Ranch for the last six years. Their current show has approximately 60 paintings on display from four artists within the club: Kaminsky, Bill Perry, Marge Williamson and the late Elayne Molbreak. It runs until Oct. 17.
might be mistakes she’d miss, such as a hand in the wrong place or with too many fingers.
“It’s a special moment for all of us in good times and in bad because we get to listen to each other,” she said.
Wainio is self-taught and has been painting for 45 years. She encourages others to do it if they have any interest. She said you can always paint over it and that there is nothing to lose from giving it a go.
“It might just be about color,” Wainio said. “You don’t have to know how to draw an apple. It could be just the contrast of colors that bring your eyes to a bigger piece of artwork.”
Tina Gardner has been part of the club for 20 years and gravitates toward architecture and landscapes. She enjoys incorporating a ruler to
All of the paintings are for sale and benefit the artists. Kaminsky said the paintings are priced between $50 and $1,200, with most in the $200$500 range.
Molbreak was a member of the club for 20 years but died in April. Slenker said Molbreak was eager to be featured in the show.
“Elayne spread positive energy and joy to everyone around her,” Slenker said. “We all miss her laughter and sense of fun she brought to our group.”
At the discretion of Molbreak’s husband, all proceeds from her paintings will be donated to P.E.O. International (Philanthropic Educational Organization). She was a member of the organization that works to provide educational opportunities to women.
Welcome Dr. Karthikeyan
Kamalesh Karthikeyan, MD, RPVI, FACC, FASE Member of Structural Heart Team at Manatee Memorial Hospital
in comprehensive diagnostic and treatment services for cardiovascular conditions. Dr. Karthikeyan earned his medical degree from the University of Sint Eustatius in the Dutch Antilles. He completed his internal medicine residency and cardiology fellowship at the University of Missouri. He also completed an interventional cardiology advanced fellowship at the University of Nebraska Omaha.
He specializes in the following:
• Percutaneous coronary intervention
• Diagnostic vascular intervention
• Peripheral vascular intervention
• Noninvasive cardiac imaging
o Echocardiography
o Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE)
o Cardiac computed tomography (CT)
o Nuclear scan
o Stress test
• Noninvasive peripheral imaging
o Pulse volume recordings (PVR)
o Doppler imaging
• Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)
• Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion device placement (WATCHMAN FLX®)
Mary Ellen Slenker, president of LWR Art Club, sketches her paintings before using any paint. She is working on a piece of her son, Mark Brandon, holding her new grandson, Patrick.
The art of dog training
In late August, Dogs Inc. completed a training session at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.
On Sept. 15, the Palmetto-based nonprofit was at another landmark, the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. Service dog instructor Katrina Verzosa said the organization likes to bring its dogs in training to places that the recipients of the animals will visit.
“A lot of times, the life of a service dog is to hang out with their person and to really be there as a nice calming presence, so if you’re going to a gallery or something like that, and you’re there to kind of absorb the ambiance, then that’s a good training route for us to be like, ‘All right, cool, so we’re here, and we are going to do a little bit of walking, but we’re also going to live life together,’” she said.
The organization’s service dogs are provided to veterans who suffer from PTSD and learn how to accompany their human companions constantly, as well as perform tasks.
— IAN SWABY
Photos by Ian Swaby Tommy and Sam Doyle look at the art.
The group heads by the
“David,” with Jamie Leese, walking Jet, and Giselle Enriquez, walking Star, in front.
DO YOU REALLY KNOW HOW YOUR INVESTMENTS ARE PERFORMING?
What your financial statements might not be telling you and how to finally get clarity.
The headlines are enough to make anyone uneasy: volatile markets, rising interest rates, international conflict, and new tariffs on the horizon. In a climate like this, even experienced investors are left asking, “Am I still on track?”
Then the quarterly statement arrives. You flip through pages of numbers, charts, and unfamiliar terms and still walk away without clear answers. What did you actually earn last quarter? Were any fees taken out? How does this compare to the market? And maybe most importantly: Is my retirement plan still on track? If you’ve ever felt uncertain or even overwhelmed by your investment statements, you’re not alone.
“Far too often, investors receive complex, jargon-filled statements that don’t tell them what they really want to know: Am I growing my wealth? What did this cost me? And is someone actually looking out for me?” said Ryan Thompson, Vice President at JL Bainbridge.
Located in the heart of Sarasota for over 40 years, JL Bainbridge is offering a confidential free financial review, no cost and no obligation, to help individuals and families better understand their current investments and overall financial health.
HIDDEN FEES & MURKY REPORTING
Many investors don’t realize how fees quietly eat into their returns. Some are buried in fund expense ratios, others are tacked on as advisory fees or trading costs. Without full transparency, it’s easy to think you’re earning more than you actually are.
“You could be paying thousands in hidden fees every year and not know it,” Thompson warns. “Our goal is to help you clearly see what it’s costing, and whether or not it’s aligned with your goals.”
A SECOND SET OF EYESFOR FREE
Whether you already work with an adviser or have been managing things
on your own, JLB’s free financial review offers a second opinion. Their fiduciary team walks through your current portfolio, explains how to read performance data, and identifies any red flags from overpriced funds to overly risky allocations. And they do it in plain English, not financial jargon so you can fully understand how your investments are performing - without feeling embarrassed or confused.
WHO SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE?
If any of the following apply to you, a review might be well worth your time:
• You’re unsure what your current investment performance actually is You want to know if your fees are fair or excessive
• You haven’t reviewed your retirement timeline in a while
• You want a confidential second opinion on how your portfolio is structured
You want more clarity, more confidence, and less confusion
Whether you’re just getting started or have a healthy portfolio, JL Bainbridge believes every investor deserves clarity because after all, it’s your money and you deserve to understand it.
Gillian Daniels walks through the gallery with Stanley. Sam Doyle prepares to offer Tommy a treat.
Museum volunteer and former employee Patsy French meets Tommy and Sam Doyle.
YOUR CALENDAR
BEST BET
SUNDAY, SEPT. 28
FARMERS MARKET
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Lakefront Drive in Waterside Place, Lakewood Ranch. The Farmers Market at Lakewood Ranch, which was voted as the top farmers market in Florida for the second year in a row in 2024, will run year-round every Sunday. Vendors offer seafood, eggs, meats, dairy products, pasta, bakery goods, jams and pickles, among other items. Other features are children’s activities and live music. For information, visit MyLWR.com.
COMMUNITY
THURSDAY, SEPT. 25
THROUGH SUNDAY, SEPT. 28
LIVE MUSIC AT JIGGS LANDING
4-7 p.m. daily at Jiggs Landing, 6106 63rd St. E., Bradenton. The live music lineup at Jiggs Landing includes Steve Arvey (Thursday), Kid Red (Friday), Santiago (Saturday), and David Fowler (Sunday). All the music this week is free. For information, go to JiggsLanding.com.
FRIDAY SEPT. 26 AND SATURDAY. SEPT. 27
MUSIC AT THE PLAZA
6-9 p.m. at Waterside Place, 1561 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch. Blues musician Zack Pomerleau entertains the Waterside Place crowd on Friday in the free music series and Carmen Forte plays acoustic covers on Saturday. For information, go to WatersidePlace.com.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 27
ROOFTOP YOGA
Begins at 9:30 a.m. at the Lakewood Ranch Library, 16410 Rangeland Parkway, Lakewood Ranch. Adults can participate in the Rooftop Yoga program. The donation-based group class is designed to inspire and invigorate. Beginners are welcome, as are those with experience. The workout focuses on balancing effort and ease through breath work and postures. Those who participate are asked to bring a yoga mat. For information, go to MyLWR.com.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 27 AND SUNDAY, SEPT. 28
MUSIC AT THE LODGE
6-9 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday at Linger Lodge, 7205 85th St. Court E., Bradenton. Linger Lodge’s live music schedule includes the Divebombers on Saturday and Scotty Yates on Sunday.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 28
YOGA IN THE PARK
8-9 a.m. at Waterside Park, 7301 Island Cove Terrace, Sarasota. Start the morning off with gentle yoga with lake views. For information, go to LakewoodRanch.com.
FAB AND FIT
Begins at 9:45 a.m. at the Mall at University Town Center (Lower Level, Macy’s Court). Join the free Fab and
Fit with Fabletics’ pilates class. Get ready for a full body pilates workout designed to increase mobility, flexibility, balance and strength. The class will be led by Crunch Fitness and is open to everyone. Bring a towel, water bottle and workout or yoga mat. Light refreshments will be available. The class is hosted by the Mall at UTC and sponsored by Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. For information, go to MallAtUTC.com.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 1
MALL WALKER CLUB
Begins at 9 a.m. at the Mall at University Town Center, 140 University Town Center Drive, Sarasota. Anyone is welcome to join the Mall Walker Club that is sponsored by the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. This is a free, individually paced program that encourages members to live healthy, active lives. First register for the Mall Walker Club at the Customer Service Deck during regular mall hours. After 100 hours of walking, a member earns a pedometer. After 500 miles, the reward is an exercise band. After 1,000 miles, the member receives a fanny pack and water bottle. For more information, go to MallAtUTC.com.
SATURDAY, OCT. 4
YOUTH FISHING TOURNAMENT
Runs from 8 a.m. to noon at Lake Uihlein in Lakewood Ranch. The annual Youth and Teen Fishing Tournament, hosted by the Lakewood Ranch Anglers Club and Lakewood Ranch Community Activities, is held on Lake Uihlein. The event is open to ages 5-19. Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m. and fishing begins at 9 a.m. Entrants should brings their own rod and reel. If a youth does not have equipment, send an email to Info@LWRCA.org after registering so equipment can be provided. Registration information at MyLWR.com.
SUNDAY, OCT. 5
WOMEN ON WHEELS RIDE
Starts at 8 a.m. from Main Street at Lakewood Ranch. This all-women’s bike ride features three distances: 20 miles, 40 miles and 62 miles. Registration is $80 and includes a post-race celebration. Proceeds benefit a women’s charity. To register, visit RaceRoster.com.
Vibrant Senior Living Coming Soon to Lakewood Ranch!
Emerson Lakes Is Now Accepting Reservations.
The first phase of construction is now underway. This includes the beautiful Coral Ridge Clubhouse and three residence buildings: Sandhill Point, anticipated to open in the fall of 2026, followed by Laguna Springs and Mangrove Run, opening in the first half of 2027.
Everyday Resort Living
Here are just a few resort-style amenities you can expect:
• Multiple dining venues
• Outdoor pool with a walk-up bar
• State-of-the-art fitness center
• Pickleball and bocce ball courts
• Outdoor fitness center with meditation garden
• Firepits
Predictable Costs, Exceptional Value
Our community’s smart financial structure will provide peace of mind and security by streamlining most bills into a simple monthly payment. Your Monthly Service Package covers:
• Utilities, maintenance, and property taxes
• Cable TV, internet, and landline phone
A Community You Can Trust
• Use of fitness center, pool, and dozens of other amenities
Emerson Lakes℠ is a part of Erickson Senior Living,® one of the largest senior living providers in the nation. Here, you’ll enjoy a maintenance-free, independent lifestyle backed by over 40 years of trusted experience.
Don’t wait! Call
community!
pool and 2,070 square feet of living area. It sold for $320,000 in 2012.
MANDALAY
Heath and Erin Jordan, of Bradenton, sold their home at 6125 46th Lane E. to Vladimir Fedor Breslau and Svetlana Breslau, of Bradenton, for $560,000. Built in 2005, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,290 square feet of living area. It sold for $231,000 in 2011.
PLANTERS MANOR AT GREENFIELD PLANTATION
Ronald and Linda Bauza, of Bradenton, sold their home at 9611 Summer House Lane to Tyler Alan Koch and Chue Yang, of Bradenton, for $560,000. Built in 2002, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,546 square feet of living area. It sold for $450,000 in 2006.
SOLERA
Yvonne Ton, of Morgan Hill, California, sold the home at 17536 Cantarina Cove to Shimon and Kenia Lee Lalmyov, of Bradenton, for $555,000. Built in 2023, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 2,838 square feet of living area. It sold for $631,000 in 2023.
SUMMERFIELD VILLAGE
Joan Nye, trustee, sold the home at 11910 Soft Rush Terrace to Charles and Sandra Teresa, of Lakewood Ranch, for $514,000. Built in 1998, it has four bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,429 square feet of living
Michael Damone, of Lakewood Ranch, sold his home at 12014 Beeflower Drive to Melike and Ahmet Cakir, of Lakewood Ranch, for $445,000. Built in 1997, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,712 square feet of living area. It sold for $345,000 in 2020.
ROSEDALE HIGHLANDS
Stanley and Joanne Cone, of Hornell, New York, sold their home at 9734 51st Terrace E. to Daniel and
Valarie Quior, of Painesville, Ohio, for $485,000. Built in 2005, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,615 square feet of living area. It sold for $283,000 in 2010.
OAKBROOKE AT RIVER CLUB
NORTH Adam Fischer and Lauren Rimer, of Bradenton, sold their home at 6744 Hickory Hammock Circle to Kimberly Giraud and Carlos Harmon Jr., of Bradenton, for $459,000. Built in 1994, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,687 square feet of living area. It sold for $189,900 in 2012.
SABAL HARBOUR
Ruth Ann Beals and Dwight David Rose, of Oneco, sold their home at 4557 Abacos Place to Miguel Suarez Neyras and Maria Sarmiento Santana, of Bradenton, for $450,000. Built in 2001, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,856 square feet of living area. It sold for $260,000 in 2017.
DEL TIERRA
Joshua and Alysha Robinson, of Bradenton, sold their home at 259 Tierra Verde Way to Sasha and John Carter, of Bradenton, for $441,100. Built in 2018, it has five bedrooms, three baths and 2,607 square feet of living area. It sold for $308,000 in 2020.
TARA Roland and Cynthia Perkins, trustees, sold the home at 6023 Wingspan Way to David James Scates, of Bradenton, for $420,000. Built in 2004, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,836 square feet of living area. It sold for $192,000 in 2009.
SPORTS
FAST
Parrish Community football (4-1) extended its strong start with a 40-6 triumph over Braden River (2-3). The group remains undefeated at home, and has thrashed its competition in the process, as three visitors have been outscored by a combined 128-13. Last Friday, the Bulls opened up a 26-0 cushion at halftime and never looked back, relying on senior quarterback Brycen Volz and senior wide receiver Brandon Trucano. It’s bye time for Parrish Community, while Braden River hosts North Port at 7 p.m. on Friday.
... Fueled by a furious first quarter, Out-of-Door Academy football (4-1) returned from its own bye week with a bang, defeating rival Sarasota Christian by a 40-29 score on the road. The Thunder put up 22 points in the opening quarter via two passing touchdowns and a returned fumble recovery. They kept the Blazers at arm’s length for the rest of the night with six more points in each of the second, third and fourth quarters. A trip to IMG Academy State is on deck for 7 p.m. on Friday.
... The Houston Astros have won both of Colton Gordon’s last two starts against the Texas Rangers (Sept. 16) and Atlanta Braves (Sept. 12) by 6-5 and 11-3 scores, respectively. Across those two starts, he allowed four earned runs and five hits through seven innings. The 26-year-old Lakewood Ranch High graduate struggled at times with a 5.63 ERA this season but has remained in the rotation as Houston hunts its eighth AL West title in nine years. ... Lakewood Ranch crosscountry placed second for boys and 10th for girls at the Seffner Christian Invitational on Sept. 13. ... The pairings of Deb Simmons/Mary Ann Murphy and Maureen Hicks/Joan Campbell carded a combined -7 to win last Thursday’s nine-hole LGA “Cha Cha Cha” event, at University Park Country Club.
“ I started playing competitive tournaments, and I just fell in love with competing against other kids (and) traveling to different tournaments.”
— IMG Academy’s Jordan Brown SEE PAGE 14B
Brushing aside setbacks
Cardinal Mooney senior quarterback has pushed onward all the way to Stanford, despite injuries.
JACK NELSON SPORTS REPORTER
The past year has pushed Devin Mignery to his limits.
His belief has been questioned. His commitment, contested. His trust, tried.
Challenges as never before have entered the senior quarterback’s life. And none of them have to do with solving an opposing defense.
“I actually think it’s been a very big blessing,” Mignery said.
Cardinal Mooney football’s star under center played the 2024 Class 2A state semifinal without an MCL in his right knee. Last spring, he tore the labrum in his throwing shoulder, and wasn’t able to use his right arm for three months.
Mignery has been out of the starting role through Week 5 of this season. Since the fourth game of his sophomore campaign, he had only known the spotlight, leading the Cougars to the 1S state title in 2023.
He’s largely watched from the sidelines, though, as the offense has operated with his backup in the backfield. Still not 100%, the signalcalling stalwart has yet to resume the role.
“It definitely gives you a lot of perspective,” Mignery said. “If you go from being the guy who everything runs through you, and now you get to watch some of it … it’s been a rough year.”
But over on the West Coast — one day after Cardinal Mooney moved to 3-1 behind junior Davin Davidson — Sept. 13 proved to be a day for celebration. Mignery committed to Stanford, accepting an offer on the spot from general manager Andrew Luck during a game-day visit. His decision required no complex calculus. As soon as he stepped on the Palo Alto campus, Mignery was blown away by what surrounded him.
The academics. The aesthetics. And the opportunity to play Division I football in the Atlantic Coast Conference — home to Florida State and Miami, among other prestigious programs.
“(My visit) was fantastic. Obviously, it’s Stanford University first, so it’s the best education in the world, which you can’t pass up,” Mignery said. “And then it’s a foot ball program that’s up and coming. Andrew Luck has got it going in the right direction, and I think they’re going to do some special things there.”
The Lakewood Ranch resident’s sample size as a senior is small at 109 rushing yards, one touchdown and two pass attempts, but as a junior, he was one of the premier quarterbacks in Florida.
A dual-threat quarterback, Mign ery racked up 1,637 yards and 22 touchdowns through the air, as well as 1,199 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground. Cardinal Mooney went 12-0 until falling in the Final Four against eventual 2A state champion Cocoa.
That career-best campaign earned him an All-State First Team selection from Florida HS Football.
“He just does all the little things that you want a leader to do. He’s also one of the most competitive guys I’ve been around,” said coach Jared Clark. “We’ve got — luckily — a bunch of competitive guys on this team, but Devin is one of those guys that when the game is on the line, he wants the ball in his hands.”
A dramatic turnaround has transpired for the Cougars since Mignery entered the equation.
Back in 2022, the squad went 4-7 and failed to record a victory in the 1S state tournament. He completed four passes and four carries for 61 yards combined across limited var sity action as a freshman.
The following year proved to be something else. En route to the sec ond state championship appearance in program history, Mignery passed for 1,303 yards and 12 touchdowns
STANFORD ATHLETICS
NCAA titles: 137 Conference: ACC (formerly of the Pac-12) Nickname: Cardinal Alumni: Tiger Woods, Katie Ledecky, John McEnroe Football record: 1-3 through Week 4
to complement 896 and 10, respectively, in the run game.
As a first-year starter, he helped Cardinal Mooney secure its first ring in 51 years.
“We’ve completely flipped it around and now have some of the best athletes in the country at every position, so I think that in itself has been huge,” Mignery said. “I get to go out and practice and work with not only my best friends, but the best players in the country every single day, which makes me a better player.”
If that trophy-lifting triumph was a high, these injury-riddled months have been a low. The time he yearns to spend on the turf has been taken away by not one, but two, rehab processes.
But the prolonged struggle has also allowed Mignery to shine in a different light — not as a performer, but as a supporter. He’s embraced whatever the Cougars’ staff has asked of him. Clark has seen his share of injuryprompted dilemmas. In his eyes, it took two unique guys to prevent this quarterback change from cascading into something negative.
“I don’t know many 18-year-olds that could handle a situation like this the way Devin has. Him and Davin are great young men,” Clark said. “They’re friends, and they’re great teammates, and they root each other on. If the two of them didn’t handle it the right way, it could be something that could be the destruction of the team.”
Regardless of how 2025 plays out for Mignery, there are accomplishments to his name that several of his predecessors never even touched.
Last year’s undefeated regular season — under his guidance — was the program’s first since 1976. That state title run he too played a part in was only the second in Cougar history.
He’ll head to Stanford next fall carrying a winning legacy.
“Fifteen years from now, when we’re back-to-back-to-back state champions, they can look back and
Courtesy image
Former Lakewood Ranch High pitcher
Colton Gordon was optioned to Triple-A on Aug. 11, but could return to the Houston Astros later this season.
Devin Mignery receives the snap during practice. As a sophomore, he led the Cougars to their first state title in 51 years.
Photos courtesy of Caroline Melby
Devin Mignery goes through his pregame routine. Though he’s bound for the West Coast, he’ll return to Florida in the coming years should Stanford visit Florida State or Miami.
Jordan Brown
People know Stephen Curry for the dagger 3s he drains on the biggest stages in basketball. To Jordan Brown, he means something more.
The IMG Academy senior and Princeton golf commit has found success on Curry’s Underrated Golf Tour — lots of it. He reached the Curry Cup Championship at New Jersey’s Liberty National Golf Club from Sept. 10-12, and wound up sixth out of 15.
Last year, Brown tied for second, establishing himself as one of the country’s premier junior golfers.
When and why did you start playing golf?
I started playing golf, seriously, when I was about 7 or 8 years old. My dad introduced me to it around that age. I started playing competi tive tournaments, and I just fell in love with competing against other kids (and) traveling to different tour naments. And I think (my dad) really grew my inspiration.
What will you remember most about the Underrated tour?
If you would like to make a recommendation for the East County Observer’s Athlete of the Week feature, send it to JNelson@YourObserver.com.
I really think it’s the connections and the people I’ve met. I’ve met golfers from all around the country — even the world — and seeing them at other tournaments and just around, like even some I’ll hang out with on weekends.
What are your goals for your senior season with IMG Academy? Some of my goals (are) definitely lowering my scoring average, continue getting stronger and building up faster club-head speed. Obviously, it’s hard not to put winning tournaments in there as well, so I’d have to say that.
What have you been working to improve with your game?
Over the summer, I struggled a lot with putting. Going into the last event of Underrated this year, I had been working really hard on it and making changes to where I’m understanding my own putting, and using what I’m learning from coaches at IMG to implement into my game. And I think I’ve really been improving it, and I did putt well at that last event.
If you could meet any professional athlete, who would it be and why?
I’d have to say Tiger (Woods). His success from an early age — and around my age — when he was winning so many junior events and then continuing that around college and his professional career.
If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go and why?
I would go to Italy, because I’ve heard they have really good food, and it’s really scenic.
If you were stuck on a desert island with only one item, what would you bring and why?
Probably ChapStick. I hate when my lips are chapped.
NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH
“END OF DISCUSSION” by Sala Wanetick, edited by Jared Goudsmit
Campos
Gordon Silver took this photo of an alligator enjoying
in a pond near Lorraine Road.
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