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E A ST COUNTY

Observer Lakewood Ranch’s weekly newspaper since 1998

YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

Santa’s arriving early.

PAGE 10A

•

FREE THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

VOLUME 20, NO. 51

YOUR TOWN

Board challenger falls Hopes survives in contentious school board race. SEE PAGE 5A

VETERANS DAY, NOV. 11 Jay Heater

Pick a ‘Buddy’ poppy Retired Army Col. Gill Ruderman (above) of Greenfield Plantation will be among the members of Braden River Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 12055 who will be collecting donations and handing out VFW “Buddy” poppies 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Nov. 10 at Lakewood Ranch Publix stores.

The poppies signify a poem written by the late Col. John McCrae dedicated to the men and women of the U.S. who served, fought and died in France during World War I. Proceeds go to charitable programs that benefit veterans.

Call him colonel Col. John Saputo asks Americans to show veterans some love.

PAGE 8A Courtesy photo

Mutzie provides writing inspiration for Palm Aire’s Amanda Parrish.

Pet project New author finally publishes book about her dog.

SEE PAGE 7A

Courtesy photo

A+E

Candy comeback Local dentist Dr. Oscar Hernandez wants to help children have healthy teeth and give military troops overseas something sweet to enjoy.

On Nov. 1-2, he bought back Halloween candy — for $1 per pound, up to 5 pounds per child — and had children visitors to his east Parkwood Dental office write letters to deployed military. The candy collected was sent to troops via Operation Shoebox.

File photo

Gold Coast Eagle Distributing owner Col. John Saputo earned a Bronze Star during his military career.

Celebrating architecture.

INSIDE

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

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VOTERS HEAD

to a full house Town Hall’s popularity as voting site causes minor annoyances for club members.

PAM EUBANKS SENIOR EDITOR

S

ummerfield resident Gary Berns, a Lakewood Ranch Bridge Club member, dropped his absentee ballot at Lakewood Ranch Town Hall, where he had come Nov. 1 to play cards.

Berns said he didn’t mind the lines or any scheduling conflicts early voting may have created for club members who use the site.

“I think voting is important,” he said. “It’s more important than playing cards. And, yes, I’m parked in the grass.”

Supervisor of Elections Mike Bennett said Lakewood Ranch Town Hall has proven to be the most popular of five early voting locations in Manatee County, drawing an average of 1,000 voters per day. He doesn’t want that to change in the future.

“Lakewood Ranch is just about double any of the other locations,” Bennett said. “The only day they didn’t hit over 1,000 was Sunday.

Sunday is the slowest day traditionally in this county.”

Early voting has slightly affected the use of Town Hall by Lakewood Ranch-sanctioned clubs but Lakewood Ranch Town Hall Executive Director Anne Ross said the voting schedule was posted well in advance. Town Hall reserved space for polling as early as November 2017 and planned club use around it.

When the elections office added three days — Oct. 25-27 — to early voting, Town Hall had already scheduled club and other meetings. Because of the high turnout, Town Hall moved internal meetings out of the board room to give the elections office

“This is the closest place for us. We pulled right into a parking spot and the line is moving quickly.”

—Barbara Squadere, Lakewood Ranch

“I think it’s great.

It was really easy.

The wait wasn’t that bad — like 15 minutes. Everybody here is friendly.”

— Paul Wehmeyer, Greenbrook

more space for voters Oct. 25-26.

Ross said the first day of early voting, Oct. 25, was overwhelming with nearly 2,000 people turning out, compared with the roughly 2,000 who stopped by during the entire week of early voting for the August primaries.

“It’s a very convenient place for a lot of people to stop to vote,” Ross said.

She said she had not received any complaints about Town Hall as a site for early voting. There are some issues that may be addressed in the future, such as improving the reception area.

At times, Town Hall’s front desk employees have had difficulty hearing while answering phone calls or assisting regular customers because of noise from people waiting in line to vote, Ross said.

Parking, although challenging at times, has been generally available either in Town Hall’s lot or in overflow parking at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch.

The Supervisor of Elections’ office requires political campaigners to remain at least 150 feet from the polling site, and campaigners were asked to stay out of the parking lot roadways to keep traffic flowing.

Lakewood Ranch Community Development District supervisors likely will discuss early voting at Town Hall during their November meetings, but Ross said supervisors have been positive about it. The issue will be how to better balance the needs of staff and residents with voters’ use of the building. She also expects to have a meeting between Town Hall staff and the Supervisor of Elections to brainstorm logistical improvements.

Bennett is concerned because he doesn’t want to lose Town Hall as a vote center.

The Lakewood Ranch Thursday Bridge Club was one club that was displaced during early voting. Its weekly meetings from 1-4 p.m. could not be accommodated three times during the month of November. Town Hall

School District of Manatee County board candidate Joe Stokes campaigned Nov. 1 outside Lakewood Ranch Town Hall, which has become the county’s busiest early voting site.

Photos by Pam Eubanks

Lakewood Ranch Town Hall has averaged about 1,000 voters a day for early voting.

EARLY TO RISE Manatee County had five early voting sites this year: n Supervisor of Elections Office, 600 301 Blvd. W. No. 118, Bradenton n Palmetto Library, 923 Sixth St. W., Palmetto n Rocky Bluff Library, 6750 U.S. 301, Ellenton n Lakewood Ranch Town Hall, 8175 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Lakewood Ranch n Manatee County Utilities Administrative Offices, 4410 66th St. W., Bradenton

made arrangements for the group to play at an earlier time for the Nov. 1 meeting, which was the only day affected by early voting, club organizer Joann Woodworth said.

“Everybody was happy we (got to play),” Woodworth said.

GreyHawk Landing resident Phil Harnish and his wife, Donna, also took advantage of early voting at Town Hall. They were surprised by the long lines, but said voting went smoothly.

“It was the most convenient location,” Harnish said. “We’re by this place all the time.”

Greenbrook’s Sharon Stone said it was crowded when she went to vote, but she wasn’t upset about it, either.

Bennett said finding polling sites is difficult because they must be handicap accessible, available for 10 days at a time and allow for the Supervisor of Elections to control security.

“It’s so important the people who live in Lakewood Ranch, who put up with the (parking problems) and give up their meeting space, know how much we appreciate it,” Bennett said.

Bennett said before the next general election, he expects to add another precinct out east because of the area’s growth.

BY COMPARISON Lakewood Ranch Town Hall has become the most significant of Manatee County’s early voting sites, Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Mike Bennett said. During the general elections, it has become the busiest voting site for early voters. Note that 2016 was the presidential election.

TOWN HALL EARLY VOTERS DURING GENERAL ELECTIONS 2014 — 4,488 2016 — 15,242 2018 — 11,537 MANATEE COUNTY SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS BUILDING (SECOND BUSIEST POLLING SITE FOR EARLY VOTERS) 2014 — 4,925 2016 — 12,144 2018 — 7,082 — Figures provided by Supervisor of Elections office

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

NEWS BRIEFS

File photo

A home in The Lake Club has become the highest priced home on the market in Lakewood Ranch at $7.995,000.

Lake Club home lists for record $7,995,000 Roger Pettingell of Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate has listed a $7,995,000 home in The Lake Club.

The 8,000-square-foot property at 16416 Baycross Drive sits on 2-1/2 acres and includes a tennis court, a five-hole golf course, a four-car car museum and a crushed shell running track.

Pettingell said the residence is the highest-priced property in Lakewood Ranch.

The John Cannon home was built in 2015 and has 12-foot ceilings throughout and four fireplaces. It has five bedrooms and five-and-a-half bathrooms.

The home features a temperature-controlled wine room, a gym with an exercise loggia and an outdoor entertaining space with a summer kitchen, a walk-in pool, a raised-tile spa, built in grill, a bar and a gas fireplace.

“This property goes above and beyond,” Pettingell said in a release. “The country club lifestyle in Lakewood Ranch offers a pristine alternative to waterfront living, allowing buyers to have ample acreage and incredible amenities like a private golf course and car museum. “ For information, visit ColdwellBankerHomes.com or contact Laitin Schwerin at 487-1549.

Rink slips to new site One year ago, the The Tampa Bay Lightning announced it would build a hockey rink at Premier Sports Campus.

But now, the facility will be moved to Lakewood Ranch Park.

At the suggestion of Manatee County’s Parks and Natural Resources Department, the proposed rink will be placed at Lakewood Ranch Park, north of the student parking lot and west of the softball fields.

The Tampa Bay Lightning Foundation is paying for the rink, which will be for street hockey programming and community use. The rink will be located on county-owned land, and after the rink is constructed, it and the equipment donated for it will be owned by Manatee County, said Jay Feaster, vice president of community hockey for the foundation.

Feaster said the program is intended to introduce Manatee County children to hockey. The foundation will sponsor clinics, run league play and have Lightning alumni involved in special events there.

“Our goal is we want to introduce people to the game,” Feaster said. “That’s why we exist as an organization. This is one of 10 outdoor rinks we intend to build in the five contiguous county area around Amalie Arena.”

By June 2020, the foundation wants to have facilities in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, Manatee and Pasco counties and have league champions crowned in each county. Doing so, Fester said, is important for building the Lightning’s future fan base, as well as future hockey players.

“We don’t have enough sheets of ice,” Feaster said. “If we want to create that next generation of fans, we (have) to take advantage of what we have, an abundance of beautiful weather and nice flat surfaces.”

company Clermont Distributing of Ohio for $31 million.

Clermont Distributing has been folded into Ohio Eagle, a subsidiary of Gold Coast Eagle. Gold Coast purchased Ohio Eagle four years ago and operates in three Ohio counties that are suburbs of Dayton and Cincinnati — Preble, Warren and Butler.

John Saputo, president and owner of Gold Coast Eagle, said the sale will increase Ohio Eagle’s territory to include Clinton, Highland, Clermont, Adams and Brown counties.

Saputo said Ohio Eagle will now have 4.5 million cases and $60 million in total sales volume.

In the deal, Ohio Eagle absorbed Clermont Distributing’s 30 employees, which brings the entity to 100 employees.

Saputo said the move makes Ohio Eagle the fifth-largest distributor in Ohio.

Gold Coast Eagle expands in Ohio Gold Coast Eagle Distributing, which distributes AnheuserBusch products and is based in Lakewood Ranch, has purchased alcoholic beverage distribution

File photo

Gold Coast Eagle Distributing owner John Saputo has purchased Ohio-based Clermont Distributing.

$61 MILLION IN SALES IN 2018 THUS FAR

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

5A

Hopes keeps school board seat PAM EUBANKS SENIOR EDITOR

S

chool Board of Manatee County incumbent Scott Hopes will remain on the board.

Hopes, who currently serves as the school board’s chairman, edged former school district administrator Joe Stokes with 51.62% of the vote compared with Stokes’ 48.38%.

“I’m ready to get back to work,” Hopes said from a celebration at

ELECTION RESULTS

 = overall winner

the Blu Mangrove Grill in Palmetto.

Hopes, a businessman, said the district is in transition, with five top-level administrators, including the superintendent, chief financial officer and chief information officer, turning over within the last 12 months.

“We have to continue to stabilize the organization and the district so our classroom educators can do their jobs,” Hopes said.

From the Station 400 restaurant in Lakewood Ranch, Stokes

SCHOOL BOARD REFERENDUM Change school board elections to single member representation Yes 73,935 51.38% No 69,961 48.62%



LOCAL RACES STATE REPRESENTATIVE District 73 Tommy Gregory (R) 63,774 61.92% Liv Coleman (D) 39,219 38.08%



COUNTY COMMISSIONER District 6 (At-large) Carol Whitmore (R) 97,428 63.40% Candace Luther (D) 56,250 36.60%

GREYHAWK LANDING CDD Seat 1 Michael Plaia (Non) Lindsay Ann Rushmore (Non)



Jim Hengel (Non)

SCHOOL BOARD District 4 Scott Hopes (Non) Joe Stokes (Non)

CDD Seat 5 Mark Bush (Non) Tony Francis (Non)

70,386 51.62% 65,957 48.38%

EAST MANATEE FIRE DISTRICT Seat 3 James Carlino (Non) 17,327 55.78% Richard Jacobs (Non) 13,736 44.22%



399

24.68%

1,218 75.32%

1,051 65.73% Deborah Romano (Non) 0548 34.27%



Amelia Hanks

School Board of Manatee County incumbent Scott Hopes celebrates after overcoming challenger Joe Stokes.

TARA CDD Seat 1 Joseph DiBartolomeo (Non) John Schmidt (Non)



CDD Seat 3

CDD Seat 3

 

thanked his family and volunteers for their support of his efforts to improve education in Manatee County.

“I’m sorry I didn’t make it, but I want the board to be a success,” Stokes said.

Voters also approved an initiative for School Board members to be selected by voters within their respective districts rather than a countywide vote. The change will take effect in 2020. The referendum passed with 51.38% of the vote.

1,173 75.14% 0388 24.86%

HERITAGE HARBOUR NORTH CDD Seat 5 Louise Buckley (Non) 0677 55.86% Scott Ellsworth (Non) 0535 44.14%

0598 61.15% 0380 38.85%

Barbara Linden (Non) 0634 Daniel Powers (Non)

64.83% 0344 35.17%

UNIVERSITY PLACE CDD Seat 3 Lauren Kessler (Non) 0177 42.65% Susan Lerman (Non) 0105 25.30% Ernst Ruppert (Non) 0133 32.05%



ONLINE



See election story and results at YourObserver.com

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

Projected tax revenues dip slightly Just-released, certified property tax figures confirm county’s July estimates.

PAM EUBANKS SENIOR EDITOR

F

inal figures from the Manatee County Property Appraiser’s Office, released last week, show property tax growth for the 201819 fiscal year is on pace with July projections.

In July, the property appraiser notified Manatee County officials that estimated property tax revenues would be about $233 million.

New totals show revenues will be about $233.4 million.

Original estimates had county officials planning on $237 million, which meant their conclusions in July calculated an approximately $4 million shortfall when it came to budgeted items.

At $237 million, Manatee County had a better chance of realizing some unfunded items, such as two dispatchers at the Emergency Communications Center ($98,222), 11 positions for the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office including five deputies, four corrections deputies, a crime scene technician and a chemist ($1,563,579), equipment for the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office ($322,416), seven employees for libraries ($121,942) and shell material for county-maintained

roads ($1 million).

Manatee County collected $216,749,671 in property tax revenue in 2018 but slower than expected growth has pointed toward lower collections.

While the newest numbers don’t change the outlook very much, it does mean the county an estimated $404,683 more than it expected in July. Of the new projection, $320,000 will be budgeted to the general fund, while the rest is earmarked for specific funds, like transportation and libraries, according to county documents.

Manatee County spokesman Nicholas Azzara said commissioners will determine how to allocate the additional amount.

In July, the property appraiser’s office estimated growth rates at 8.1%. Hunzeker had based his fiscal year 2018-2019 recommended budget on a projected 9% growth rate. The prior year, the appraiser had projected a 8.4% growth rate compared to the final 9.2% rate.

Hunzeker has said even a $4 million difference would not change his budget recommendations, which included setting aside $1.9 million toward the purchase of about 70 acres north of Premier Sports Campus for a government facilities complex and for a master plan of the site.

The county’s net budget, excluding Port Manatee, is $723 million.

Mark Johns, chief deputy Manatee County property appraiser, said the greater Lakewood Ranch

GROWTH TRENDS Manatee County Property Appraiser’s data released last week show the tax base is projected to grow 8.3% countywide during the 2018-19 fiscal year, or 8.44% in unincorporated Manatee County, compared with July estimates of 8.16% countywide and 8.29% in unincorporated Manatee.

These figures include new construction and changes in the value of existing homes.

File photo

About 1,000 new homes are being added to Lakewood Ranch each year.

and Parrish areas have the most growth, in terms of volume. New construction was up 2.86% compared with the prior fiscal year in unincorporated Manatee, and 11.88% in the East Manatee Fire Rescue District.

Johns said the values of homes continue to rise, but are leveling.

“What we’re really seeing and what I really think is happening, from a standpoint of values in Manatee County, is that over-

all values are increasing 5-6% a year,” Johns said. “The rest of the increase is from new construction.”

Manatee County’s tax rate in unincorporated Manatee County is $7.0435 per $1,000 of taxable value. The rate has not changed in more than a decade.

Last year, Manatee County added more than $1 billion worth of real estate to its tax rolls, Johns said.

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Passion unleashed Mutzie becomes a star in the literary world.

JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR

— Amanda Parrish

After years of frustration, she decided to publish the book through Sarasota’s Peppertree Press, and it arrived at her door.

“I was proud and really excited,” she said. “I wanted to show it to my daughter, my parents, everyone who had believed in me.

The day it arrived, it took all of me not to text my husband, I waited until bedtime, then went to him and said, ‘Let’s read Savannah a story.’ And I read it to my daughter, who loved it. She asked, ‘Can we read it again?’

“It makes you feel good.”

The 31-year-old had waited a long time to experience such a feeling.

She had loved writing since she was in elementary school in Rochester, Mich., where she remembers winning a creative writing award for a story she wrote in fifth grade. It was a tale about an imaginary underwater city and a little girl who had found a crack in the glass (surrounding the city), and her adventures telling the residents the glass was going to break. One of the benefits of her

Courtesy photo

Amanda Parrish can’t hold back her excitement on the day her book “Meet Mutzie” arrived at her Palm Aire home.

award was a local theater group acted out her story.

“It was neat seeing my story come to life,” Parrish said.

By high school, she had started writing journals, waking up in the middle of the night with creative thoughts and writing them down.

She said it helped her emotionally, to work through problems and help quiet her mind.

She also started writing poetry and remembers one she had published.

“It was about my old boyfriend,” she said with a laugh.

“It was called ‘Jeffery James.’ It

was about young love. It’s a good poem.”

She wanted to write a book, but instead pursued a path in advertising in college. “I thought I would be a good copy writer,” she said. “I naturally ended up more on the public relations and management side.”

After graduating in 2009 from Spring Arbor University in Michigan, she moved to North Carolina.

There she started going to animal shelters where she found an adorable, fluffy puppy. She adopted Mutzie, wondering how such a cute dog could end up in a shelter.

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Parrish went home and started talking to her new puppy. It came out in rhyme.

“This is the story of a journey, a search for a loving home, and this story starts with a puppy, who felt very, very alone.”

“I wrote the story in an hour and a half,” she said. “Of course, I did go back and tweak it. Right away, everyone said I should do something with this.”

Besides telling a story, she wanted to let people know they could adopt a dog and get a wonderful family pet. Scott Parrish, who is an assistant principal at Tuttle Elementary in Sarasota, thought she had a book children would love. She went forward with her writing, with two sequels. Her first book ends with Mutzie headed north on a train.

The second book involves Mutzie in New York and the third book sends Mutzie to Chicago. She introduces children to historical events and landmarks along the way.

Parrish hopes her book turns into a series. She also has another reason to write. She and her husband have added to their family with 8-month-old Avery.

“Writing allows me to think in a different way,” she said. “My work is all professional writing, and this allows me to rhyme. It makes my mind think in different ways.”

“Meet Mutzie,” which is illustrated by Jason Fowler, is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million. East County residents who want to purchase a copy can email her at amandaannparrish@gmail.com.

“I definitely can say I love to write,” she said. “If you have a dream, just do it.”

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I

t was bedtime for Palm Aire 3-year-old Savannah Parrish and that meant a story read by her mom, Amanda.

Savannah could tell this story was going to be special because the main character in the book, a dog named Mutzie, shared the same name as her own dog.

“And why,” Savannah asked her mom, “is your picture on the back of the book?”

It might take Savannah some time to grasp the concept of her mom as an author, but that’s OK, because it took years for Amanda Parrish to become one.

In September, though, eight years after she wrote “Meet Mutzie,” the hard-cover, self-published copy of the book arrived at the home of Amanda and Scott Parrish.

Amanda Parrish had gone through all the usual trials and tribulations of aspiring authors — rejections by publishers and literary agents — and eventually concentrated on her career as director of business and marketing for Fawley Bryant Architecture.

“I just kind of put it on the shelf,” she said. “But this was my passion project. I knew I could do it. I was waiting for the right time.”

“This is the story of a journey, a search for a loving home, and this story starts with a puppy, who felt very, very alone.”

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

8A

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

EAST COUNTY

File photos

Col. John Saputo says a military rank lasts a lifetime.

JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR

I

n the Lakewood Ranch area, John Saputo is known for two reasons — owning Gold Coast Eagle Distributing and his philanthropy.

To the first point, Gold Coast Eagle received the “Ambassadors of Excellence Award” from Anheuser-Busch in 2017, so that speaks for itself. To the second, last year Gold Coast Eagle Distributing donated $267,000 worth of beer (about 14,800 cases) to charity efforts in the Sarasota and Manatee counties area.

The respect is well-earned.

However, with Veterans Day approaching Sunday, Nov. 11, the 32-year Marine veteran and Bronze Star recipient agreed to an interview with the Observer to talk about veterans and to discuss his most important job — as a leader in the military.

NEVER FORGET

Marine John Saputo talks about Veterans Day, respect and his time in the service.

Do you think showing more respect to our military veterans will encourage our younger generation to join the military down the road?

I think so. It’s like I tell any young men who ask me whether they should join. If you do go into the Marine Corps, the military, I don’t care what rank you eventually come out with, you will always be corporal, be sergeant, be captain. You are going to carry that until the day you die. That alone makes the sacrifice you are going to go through worthwhile.

Do you refer to other veterans by their rank?

When we talk around here (Gold Coast Eagle), it’s “Good morning, sergeant. Good morning, petty officer.” To me, civilians should know that they should refer to veterans by their rank because it is so much appreciated. It shows you have respect for the person and what they did to get that rank. I know I don’t expect it, and I am always surprised when someone does it. But it is much appreciated because it is who I am and it is about where I came from. When I see Vietnam veterans, if I know their rank, and this could be an old, grizzly guy hunched over, when I refer to them by rank, their backbone stiffens up and their chin comes up. I know they appreciate it. If you want to honor them, find out what their rank is and refer to them by that rank as long as you know them.

What is the importance of Veterans Day? I sincerely say this speaking for veterans ... the worst thing isn’t going into combat, or dying in combat. The worst thing is going into combat, or dying in combat, and nobody remembers it. So it is worthwhile that one day of the year, people in America remember what you did.

How is the way veterans are treated now different than when you began your service?

I was a second lieutenant wearing my dress blues to my brother’s wedding early in the 1970s in Flint, Mich. My brother’s wedding was in the lobby of this hotel. This guy just walked up to me, called me a pig and spit on my uniform. I punched him so hard in the face that my shooting badges and medals came flying off. But he continued to scream at me, and I drove his head through the drywall. He then

tried to have me arrested, so I told the clerk when the police come, here is the room where I will be.

Two Genesee County deputy sheriffs came and I invited them in. They started calling me sir ... OK. I sit down and tell them the story. The two get up, shake my hand and say, ‘We could not find you anywhere in this hotel’ and then winked at me. They had come back from Vietnam two years earlier.

And later?

I was a major when I came back from Desert Shield-Desert Storm, and everything was different. In 1991, when we made our landing on our amphibious vehicle at Camp Pendleton, 10,000 people were on the beach in front of our battalion headquarters. As we landed, people swarmed our vehicle, a lady jumps up and kisses me, it was all ‘welcome home’ with flowers for us. Vietnam veterans were saying, ‘Welcome home, we didn’t get this but we wanted you to have this.” There was a party for us on the beach. Thank yous flowed the 45 minutes we were there. You contrast that with what Vietnam veterans got.

Americans came of age and they learned not to blame soldiers and Marines for wars. If you want to blame somebody, blame your politicians.

Do you think people know, in general, we have 450,000 service members overseas?

No, I don’t think they understand we have troops in places like Korea and Okinawa.We have airborne troops on ready alert.

We have 100-plus ships floating around. We have submarines underneath the polar ice cap, and floating in oceans ready to defend our sovereignty. But, you know, the guys who are in the military, they want America to be normal, and they want Americans to live their normal life and not stress over the fact we were doing maneuvers, or that we were in combat. America should protect itself and not let it have any effect on commerce or civilian life. The average military guy knows he is on the tip of the spear so others don’t have to be there. America can stay strong without having to worry about

“I sincerely say this speaking for veterans ... the worst thing isn’t going into combat, or dying in combat. The worst thing is going into combat, or dying in combat, and nobody remembers it.

— John Saputo

terrorists. If the average person, when I was at Central Command, knew about the intelligence I would see on daily basis, they wouldn’t be able to sleep at night. It was comforting to know we could carry that burden so civilians wouldn’t have to.

With another election upon us, do you feel the military is well equipped to handle threats?

When Desert Shield and Desert Storm came, our equipment was top notch. (Ronald) Reagan was president and he said he was going to super equip the military.

We were afraid of the Russian T-72s (tanks) but everything we fired at them would take them out. It was because our military had been upgraded. It bothers me to this day, when I see the equipping of our military, that we get strong, then a new administration comes in and we let it wither. Then somebody gets scared and we bring it up again. People should know there are consequences for warriors in the field from the people they elect. I fought two wars under rules of engagement set by politicians in Washington that got people killed. That was because of political decisions, not military decisions. That’s why I vote.

ONLINE

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JAY HEATER

Mill Creek woman turns to ceramics M

ill Creek’s Wilma Kroese was talking about where I could find some of her artwork, such as the handmade ceramics she will display Nov. 17 at the 17th annual Fall Art Show & Sale at Lakewood Ranch Town Hall.

Kroese has a number of her pieces on shelves around her home and on display at various art galleries. Then there is her work at Art Center Manatee.

Where else?

Kroese laughed. “Some end up in the landfill,” she said.

Ceramics suits her style.

For Kroese, who moved to Lakewood Ranch with her husband, Fred, 13 years ago from Nieuwkoop, Netherlands, the pursuit of perfection doesn’t come into the equation. Sure, all those bowls, vases and plates look nice, but she isn’t hoping to land one in the Louvre Museum.

She wants to experiment, she wants to relax and she wants to make friends.

Ceramics checks all those boxes for her, even when things go wrong.

She looked over at a bowl she made. It was filled with dirt and

had a plant coming out of it.

That bowl was a ceramics session gone bad.

I went to visit Fred and Wilma — yes, Fred and Wilma, I don’t make this stuff up — to preview the Fall Art Show & Sale, which features local artists and is presented by the Creative Arts Association of Lakewood Ranch.

I caught myself thinking, this is a perfect representation of East County, and why we try so hard to make it nice for vacationers.

Fred and Wilma came on a visit to the area, and they loved it. Then they bought a vacation home here. And then they came on vacation, and never went home. It’s a story you hear all the time.

When Wilma, who now is 57, landed in East County, she had never done ceramics. She was a seamstress, and while that took a certain amount of artistic talent, she wanted more.

She tried painting.

“I always have been busy with my hands,” she said. “But painting wasn’t my thing. I can’t draw, so I just was not that good at it.”

Jay Heater

Mill Creek’s Wilma Kroese will be a featured artist Nov. 17 at the 17th annual Fall Art Show & Sale at the Lakewood Ranch Town Hall.

After that didn’t work out so well, she decided to check out Art Center Manatee and she found a class on ceramics. She sat behind a pottery wheel and churned out a bowl that turned out well.

“It was beginner’s luck,” she said. “But I got my own wheel, and a kiln, and I took classes at the center. It was nice being dirty, to create something out of a hunk of clay.”

Those who visit the Lakewood Ranch Town Hall for the art

show will find she has done some beautiful pieces using what she calls “horsehair pottery.” After a first firing, horsehair and other material, such as feathers, can be added to create some fascinating results.

Those results are all over her home. Fred comes out of his office and notes one exception.

“Nothing in there,” he said with a laugh, pointing into his office.

She does sell some of her art, although she admits her nicest

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pieces are hard to let go.

“I think to myself, ‘I really wanted that one,’” she said.

Now a decade into her hobby, her techniques have improved.

“You learn how to center your clay on the wheel exactly,” she said. “If you don’t, one side will be thicker than the other. (Artists) can tell.

“I also can make bigger (and thinner) pieces now.”

Although most of the pieces displayed around the house are fairly small, she has created several garden ornaments and birdbaths.

She won’t get rich. Her priciest sale brought her $140.

“The incentive is to pay for my classes,” she said. “And it’s so hard to price them. It can be time consuming.”

With that she began a tour of her work around her house. With all the beautiful vases and bowls she pointed at a plate.

“I hate making those,” she said. “They never come out the way I want.”

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

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Trip to Germany sparks new ideas for UTC’s winter wonderland.

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PAM EUBANKS SENIOR EDITOR

Even while on summer vacation, Benderson Development Co.’s Cliff McHenry had Christmas on his mind.

As he stayed in a ski village in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, and climbed to the top of Mount Zugspitze with his family, he saw the opportunity to make Christmas in Sarasota even more special.

When he got home, he called Benderson’s landscape contractor and asked them to find dead trees they could use at this year’s Holidays on the Green, a holiday green space featuring ice skating, musical and other shows, movie nights and other holiday fun off Cattlemen Road, just north of the future Natuzzi Italia site.

The Green opens Nov. 9 in coordination with Santa’s arrival at The Mall at University Town Center and will run through Jan. 6.

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ERSIT Y PKW Y. U NIV

N. CAT TL E MEN ROAD

Courtesy photo

Above: The ice rink at Holidays on the Green drew 20,000 people last year.

Right: Benderson Development Co.’s Cliff McHenry and The Mall at UTC Marketing and Sponsorship Director Lauren Clark visit the ice skating and snow tubing sites.

The trees will help set the scene for a Bavarian alpine village.

“We’ll bring them in planters, and hopefully they’ll look good with lights on them,” McHenry said grinning.

Benderson’s contractors are constructing and painting Bavarian-style “homes” vendors will use during events on the Green.

From them, vendors will sell popcorn, food and drinks when the Green hosts special events, like its Friday and Saturday night movies or special performances.

Ice skating will return, and this year a 40,000-pound snowblaster will provide snow for a tubing down an 8-foot-tall hill.

“The holidays are a time of giving,” McHenry said. “I think it will be a nice addition. This will allow the event to grow even more this year.”

Last year’s Holidays on the Green drew an estimated 50,000 people, including 20,000 ice skaters.

Visitors can purchase ice skating and snow tubing experiences.

But movie nights, nightly music

SHAUN J. LIMON DPM Diplomate, American Board of Multiple Specialties in Podiatry Board Certified in Primary Care in Podiatric Medicine

75

UTC Mall

Holidays on the Green is open Nov. 9 through Jan. 6.

Hours: 4-10 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Sunday. The Green will follow the school holiday schedule. On days schools are out, hours will be 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Experiences: Ice skating — $13 for 60 minutes (includes skates if needed); Snow tubing — $13 for 60 minutes (includes snow tube); ice skating and snow tubing combo — $20 for 60 minutes of each

Pam Eubanks

performances and other events are free, said Lauren Clark, marketing and sponsorship director for The Mall at UTC. In partnership with IHeartRadio, there even will be a giveaway Dec. 15 of a $100,000 Corvette.

“It’s creating a holiday experience that creates memories for different members of the community,” Clark said of the festivities.

McHenry said planning for the

Green started in June with the goal of making it truly feel “green” although the space is being carved out of a parking lot. The site is one Benderson Development Co. eventually may develop — infrastructure for a future building is underground — but Benderson has placed sod, shrubberies and other details to create the holiday atmosphere it desires.

Contractors have quietly been putting up lights along the larger University Town Center corridor since August, but installation of the larger holiday displays started Nov. 1 — just in time for the Nov. 9 grand opening. This year’s displays include the addition of a 55-foot-tall Christmas tree, compared with the 40-foot-tall tree featured at the Green.

Benderson Development and The Mall launched the Green last Christmas season. It was fashioned after a similar green area in James Island, S.C., McHenry said.

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

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“He would bake every day if I let him. He says he wants to be a pastry chef.”

— Jessica Holloway

Pam Eubanks

Windsor Reflections Sales Director Judi Dunn helped her grandson, Grady Holloway, compete against Windsor Reflections Chef Matt Halada in a baking contest. Holloway won with his two desserts.

Winner makes lots of dough Windsor Reflections of Lakewood Ranch hosts a heated baking competition.

PAM EUBANKS SENIOR EDITOR

At a makeshift kitchen counter Nov. 1 in the lobby of Windsor Reflections of Lakewood Ranch, Sales Director Judi Dunn scooped sugar with a teaspoon and readied

to dump it into a mixing bowl.

Her 13-year-old grandson, Grady Holloway, was keeping a watchful eye as he used a standup mixer to make a pâte à choux, a light pastry dough used to make eclairs. The amount Dunn had prepared wasn’t quite right.

“See, I’m already messing up your recipe,” Dunn said. But it didn’t matter.

At the end of a two-hour “culinary throwdown” against Windsor Reflections Chef Matt Halada, Holloway came out as the bakeoff winner. His s’more eclairs and lemon-raspberry cookie cake earned the favor of a five-person panel of judges. Halada had made a chocolate-crusted cookie pizza topped with chocolate, marshmallows and strawberries and a pumpkin cheesecake eclair.

“It was great,” Holloway said.

“I really liked the feedback. I was pretty excited. I’ve never gone up against a grownup.”

Guests and judges were seniorliving industry professionals.

Dunn said the event was an outreach for referral sources.

Halada, who specializes in Italian cuisine, took his loss with a smile.

“I knew he was going to win,” Halada said. “I don’t bake. We had a good time (competing).”

Although Halada prepares more than 150 meals per day, as well as snacks, for residents at Windsor Reflections, he leaves the baking to his two other cooks. He doesn’t like measuring, he said.

Holloway, who was visiting from St. Louis from Oct. 27 through Nov. 3, had just competed on Season 4 of the television series “Kids Baking Championship” on the Food Network.

Dunn said she came up with the idea for the bakeoff because Holloway was coming to visit and she enjoyed watching him on television. She also enjoyed being his local sous chef.

“This was a blast,” she said.

“He seems to be very organized and very focused, which I already knew. He’s very competitive, which I also already knew. He’s also just a good kid.”

Holloway started baking Christmas cookies with his mother, Jessica, when he was 8. It quickly became his passion.

“Now, he’s in charge of all the birthday cakes and with bringing anything (for special occasions),” Jessica Holloway said as she and the rest of Holloway’s family — father Brandon, and siblings, Tessa, Nixon and Brayton — watched him compete. “He would bake every day if I let him. He says he wants to be a pastry chef.”

Those who attended the event said they loved the desserts, though they liked Holloway’s best.

“It’s very light and fresh,” Windsor Reflections receptionist Kathy Tangren said of Holloway’s fruit pizza. “I like the raspberry.

But (Matt’s) pumpkin cheesecake eclair — oh my God. They’re really good.”

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YourObserver.com

|

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

Festival chooses Premier site The Suncoast Food and Wine Festival returns for its 17th annual event.

AMELIA HANKS COMMUNITY REPORTER

For those familiar with the Lakewood Ranch Rotary’s Suncoast Food and Wine Festival, the venue Nov. 10 will look different.

Steve Schlueter, the new chairman of the festival, said the site switched to Premier Sports Campus after the sale of the Sarasota Polo Club.

“This venue has some neat

options,” Schlueter said. “We don’t have to hire any shuttle buses. You can just pull up your car and walk in. Not hiring buses saves us money, and it’s a little more money to give back (to charities).”

The festival is going into its 17th year and has raised $1.6 million for charity. Tickets for the festival are $85 and must be purchased in advance.

The festival caps its ticket sales at 2,000 people. Last year, the festival sold 1,800 tickets. This year’s VIP access area already is sold out.

About 160 volunteers are needed to run the festival.

File photo

Daniel Campana tastes an ethnic dish at last year’s Suncoast Food & Wine Festival.

“Everybody in Rotary Club is a professional at some level,” Schlueter said.

The festival will feature 43 restaurants, 250 wines and craft beers, and a tasting hour provided

by Naughty Monk Brewery.

The band Kettle of Fish is the headliner.

While Schlueter is running the event for the first time, he has gone to the event most years.

“I have to say, it’s a lot more fun as a consumer,” he said.

He said a new feature will be a waiting area for Uber and Lyft so guests can concentrate on tasting adult beverages.

13A

IF YOU GO SUNCOAST FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL Where: Premier Sports Campus, 5895 Post Blvd., Lakewood Ranch When: 1-4 p.m.

Nov. 10 How much: $85 (must be purchased in advance).

For tickets: suncoastfoodandwinefest.com

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14A

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

Gene Witt memorial dedicated Students will benefit from memorial’s outdoor classroom.

AMELIA HANKS COMMUNITY REPORTER

G

reg Witt, Halfacre Construction’s project manager for the Gene Witt Elementary School remodel and grandson of the late Gene Witt, remembers all the family vacations to the Wild West.

“My grandfather loved anything in the West,” Greg Witt said.

“We went to Colorado, Montana, Wyoming — he loved anything surrounded by nature.”

On Nov. 8, Greg Witt will be present as the school dedicates an outdoor memorial and teaching area dedicated to his grandfather, who worked as an educator for the School District of Manatee County from 1955 to 1994 and was the district’s superintendent for 11 years. Gene Witt died in 2015.

“This obviously means so much

“This obviously means so much to us. He was the head of our family and people thought so much of him.”

— Greg Witt

to us,” Greg Witt said. “He was the head of our family, and people thought so much of him.”

Witt Elementary’s mascot, the eagle, will be the focal point of the outdoor classroom designed by architect Stuart Henderson of Fawley Bryant Architecture. A bronze eagle stands watch over an area that will include plaques telling Gene Witt’s story. All the work done on the project was donated, and private donations paid for the materials.

Principal David Marshall said his staff members were involved in the project.

“The staff wanted something to permanently honor Mr. Witt,” Marshall said. “After he died in 2015, we held a faculty meeting to figure out a way to show his family how much he meant to us and the community.”

Marshall said an outdoor classroom was suggested at the meeting and a volunteer force mobilized quickly. Requests for funding went out to parents and the business community.

The budget was estimated at $30,000.

The bronze eagle sits on a stucco pedestal that also contains one of Gene Witt’s favorites, granite.

The plaques will highlight major events in Gene Witt’s life. The floor of the area will be a bronze compass.

Marshall said the area will be busy. He said it will be a good place just to get the students outside to do some reading. Or the students could study the plaques.

IF YOU GO DEDICATION OF THE GENE WITT MEMORIAL OUTDOOR CLASSROOM Where: Gene Witt Elementary School When: 9 a.m., Nov. 8 Admission: Free and open to the public

Just learning directions on the compass will be an important lesson.

While the students didn’t know Gene Witt, they like the area for other reasons.

“They love the gold color of the beak and talons of the eagle,” Marshall said. “And the students like the classroom because of the gold (colors).”

Two lights flanking the eagle’s stand were being added just prior to the dedication along with two lights shining directly on the eagle. The plaques have yet to be installed.

The students will sing at the dedication and former principal Myra Russell will attend.

“Our family is honored that people thought so highly of him (Gene Witt),” said Greg Witt. “We look at this classroom as something that remembers him.”

Amelia Hanks

Principal David Marshall said the outdoor classroom’s intended use won’t be specific, but he envisions the memorial area being heavily used for various lessons.

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YourObserver.com

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

BANDANNA BANDIT STRIKES 6400 State Road 64 East, Bradenton Burglary to unoccupied structure: An unknown person or persons entered a locked storage unit and removed several pieces of a disc jockey’s equipment. The person or persons placed a bandanna over a video surveillance camera to hinder the taping of the crime. Prints were being processed and photos were taken of the scene. The bandanna was placed into property and evidence.

A case number was issued.

OCT. 27

SMALL OVERSIGHT AT CHECKOUT 4500 block of 53rd Avenue East, Bradenton Retail theft: A woman entered a department store and started to fill her shopping cart with items. After the suspect was finished, she proceeded to the self checkout area. Loss prevention employees were monitoring the woman who brought 46 items to the self checkout. She only scanned 24, failing to scan another 22 items worth $99.40.

The suspect placed the items into plastic bags and left. The woman was stopped by loss prevention employees and she returned the items she didn’t scan. The woman said she had been confused as to what she had scanned. She said she had reviewed her transactions on the terminal to ensure she had paid

for all her items. The woman said she would pay for the items but the Sheriff’s Office was contacted and a deputy was sent to the scene. The deputy collected a sworn affidavit from loss prevention. The suspect was issued a notice to appear in lieu of arrest.

OCT. 27

CARDBOARD BOX OFFERS HEALTHY THREAT 7300 block of State Road 70 East, Bradenton Suspicious circumstances: An employee at a convenience store called the Sheriff’s Office because a suspicious small cardboard box was left on an ice cream freezer. No shipping label was on the box, which contained a note saying “return, wrong tracking number.” Two other Sheriff’s Office personnel arrived to inspect the box, but there were no indicators of any explosives.

The package contained sealed health food products. It was surmised the person who left the box “was too lazy” to return it to the United States Postal Service.

The employee at the convenience store said it would be delivered to the post office.

COPS CORNER

OCT. 21

IT’S READ EVERYWHERE Voting for this year’s contest has ended, and we’ll announce this year’s winners in our Nov. 15 edition. Two winners each will receive a $500 travel voucher and $250 gift card to Shelly’s Gift & Christmas Boutique. We will continue printing photos from this year’s contest, and we will let you know as soon as the new contest is up and running. Happy travels!

OCT. 29

RHINO ON THE LOOSE 7000 block of Owls Nest Terrace, Bradenton Theft: A woman came into the Sheriff’s Office to report her $299 Black Rhino men’s bicycle was stolen from her property.

The woman said she left her bicycle on the edge of her driveway at 7:30 p.m. and for 90 minutes.

When she went back outside, it was gone. She said the bicycle wasn’t locked up in any way.

OBSERVER HITS A HIGH NOTE: Don and Sherry Kessel took their East County Observer to the Sydney Opera House in Australia.

ONLINE Find contest information at YourObserver.com/ItsReadEverywhere

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16A

NOVEMBER 8, 2018

HIGH

SPORTS

5

State’s high school sports governing body shuffles its playoff format.

SPORTS REPORTER

1

2

Braden River High senior quarterback Bryan Gagg threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns Nov. 2 in the Pirates’ 49-31 win against St. Petersburg.

3

Lakewood Ranch High senior boys swimmer Sebastian Aguirre won the 100-yard butterfly (51.08) at the Class 4A Region 2 meet Nov. 3 at Countryside High.

4

Maryanne Morrison and Else Friborg (59) won the Women’s Golf Association 18-hole “BOO-tiful Event” on Oct. 30 at Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club’s Cypress Links Course.

— Lakewood Ranch swimmer Dimiter Zafirov SEE PAGE 19A

FHSAA makes its pitch RYAN KOHN

Former The Out-of-Door Academy boys basketball player Chase Maasdorp tried out and made the basketball roster at Auburn University as of Oct. 26.

“Under the water, you cannot hear anything going on above it.

It is free time for me to think.”

T

he Florida High School Athletic Association approved widespread changes Oct. 29 to its classification and playoff systems of five sports — baseball, softball, basketball, soccer and volleyball.

Coaches around the area have mixed feelings.

Lakewood Ranch High boys basketball coach Jeremy Schiller said the new classification system, which will remain based on enrollment, will create more competition in lower-enrollment classes, which is a positive. Schiller was less enthusiastic about leaving at-large bids up to MaxPreps rankings when all MaxPreps will say about them is they involve strength of schedule and win-loss records.

“I think MaxPreps get the rankings close to correct,” Schiller said. “The problem is when rankings between teams are close, there is no room for error, and we do not know what separates them.

It decides which schools get to the playoffs and host games, things that make money for schools, and we do not know exactly how it is calculated.”

Schiller said he likes the current FHSAA football system because he can figure out exactly how many point teams can get, based on their schedule, with a few calculations. There is no way to do this in these five sports, he said, likening it to him teaching a class without giving his students a protocol.

The Out-of-Door Academy volleyball coach Stefanie Betz, who was vocal in her disap-

NEW FHSAA CLASSIFICATION AND PLAYOFF SYSTEM n Baseball, softball, basketball, soccer and volleyball will now have seven classes instead of the current nine, determined by enrollment. n Each class will be split into four regions, with four districts per region. Each district in a given class will have an even number of teams. n Eight teams from each region will make the state playoffs in a sport. n District tournaments will still take place, and the winners will get automatic playoff bids to a regional n The at-large seeds in each region will be given to the highest teams in MaxPreps’ rankings.

proval of previous plans, said the new plan is a good compromise between the old system and the FHSAA’s wish to implement rankings. Still, Betz is hesitant for the same reason as Schiller: The rankings system lacks transparency, and in some volleyball cases — a sport Betz said is rife with scores entered incorrectly on MaxPreps — it does not seem to be accurate.

“We just lost in the regional finals (on Oct. 30), but before that, we beat Canterbury High 3-0 in the semis (on Oct. 23),” Betz said. “When MaxPreps updated its rankings after that match, Canterbury was still ranked above us, even though we beat them and it was not particularly close. I understand things can happen on a given night and the best team does not always win, but when

5

Susan Daniels, Mary Gibbons, Marie Diamond and Judy Stickler (30) won the Nine Hole Women’s Golf Association “Step Aside Scramble” event Nov. 1 at Palm Aire Country Club’s Lakes Course.

ULTIMATE SPORT PAGE 18A

Lakewood Ranch High boys basketball coach Jeremy Schiller said he believes the new FHSAA system will generally improve competitive balance, but he has questions about the specifics of the MaxPreps rankings.

File photos

Junior pitcher Payton Kinney and the Lakewood Ranch High softball team will compete in a different playoff structure starting in 2019-2020.

you beat someone handily (and do not jump them), it is frustrating.”

The FHSAA will release classification, region and district memberships for fall sports once the current fall season has concluded, and will do the same for winter and spring sports. Betz said she has always scheduled tough teams — teams she believes to be “one tier above us” — to keep her kids challenged, along with lesser teams to get some wins on the schedule. This gives ODA an advantage come the district tournament, she said. Betz will not be straying from that strategy once the new system is in place, she said, and likes that under the new system a set number of district games is no longer mandated, giving her more freedom to customize ODA’s schedule.

Schiller, too, is in favor of scheduling freedom. The Mustangs have not lost a district game in three seasons, and Schiller said even though he would not mind continuing to play some of those teams, Lakewood Ranch’s opponents might not reciprocate those feelings. Teams get to make the schedule they feel is right for them.

“At Lakewood Ranch, we are excited about anything that improves competitive balance and provides a great playoff experience,” Schiller said. “This could end up really good or it could end up backfiring, but they had to test something.”

These changes differ from the changes proposed to the FHSAA in May, which suggested having six “divisions” instead of seven districts, and basing the classifications themselves on MaxPreps rankings. Schiller called the now-axed proposal “really bad,” and said the new system is an improvement on it.

The system will be in place starting with the 2019-2020 school year, and remain in place for two years, after which it will be re-evaluated.

BREAKDOWN OF MAXPREPS RANKING SYSTEM “The system utilizes the huge number of game results stored in the MaxPreps database. Generally, the more a team wins the higher the ranking, but the system takes into account quality wins (against other highly ranked opponents) and strength of schedule.

For example, a team’s ranking is hurt more by losing to a team that is ranked below it versus a team ranked ahead.

“Other factors that will affect the rankings are times when MaxPreps has incomplete or inaccurate information.

It will correct errors when they are reported.

If MaxPreps is missing a score, it encourages teams to report that score. If it is missing a game on the schedule, it also wants a correction request.

“Playoff wins are weighed higher compared to a regular season game.”

Information via MaxPreps.com

18A

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

PROSE AND KOHN

RYAN KOHN

Ultimately, you will love this sport

T

he wind makes things trickier than you can imagine.

So said Edmond Wang, 55, between matches at the Sunset at Lakewood Ranch Great Grandmasters World Championships Ultimate Frisbee tournament, held Nov. 3-4 at Premier Sports Campus.

Wang, who is from Toronto, said he started playing Ultimate Frisbee 15 years ago as a safer (and less physical) alternative to soccer. That was a late start, Wang said. But he is a veteran now, and even he has trouble reading the wind.

The wind is easy to learn, but hard to master. For those who can figure it out, they have the advantage.

The “Great Grandmasters” division of Ultimate Frisbee is specifically for people aged 50 and up in men’s leagues, and 45 and up in women’s leagues. Most of the people in the division have played for the majority of their lives, but some, like Wang, start as adults.

If you are not familiar with the sport, think of it as soccer, but with a disc instead of a ball, and throwing instead of kicking. You also cannot run with the disc in your hands, so athleticism alone does not rule the day.

It takes good movement skills and top-notch passing skills to excel. Hence, why the wind

Photos by Ryan Kohn

Above left: Toronto’s Edmond Wang, 55, called Premier Sports Campus an “elite” place to play Ultimate Frisbee.

Above right: John Turi, 55, said Ultimate Frisbee is a great game for people in the “Great Grandmaster” age range (50 and up for men, 45 and up for women).

is so important. On Nov. 3, the wind was whipping faster than a jockey coming down the stretch.

It prevented passes from being completed, but did not prevent the competitors from having fun.

Wang’s team, Primordial

Soup, was one of many at the 12-team championships with fun names, the best of which include Cincinnati’s Age Against the Machine and Gainesville’s Great Grandmaster Flash. John Turi, 55, plays for Boston’s WreckAge team. Turi, like Wang, said he

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plays the game because the “no contact” rule helps him prevent injuries while staying active. He also likes the game because it is self-officiated.

“It is an honest game,” Turi said.

I have played ultimate a few times. It is a fun game for all ages and skill levels, made more fun when playing with great people.

Which brings me to the biggest point I want to make.

Of the 12 teams playing at the tournament, two were from Florida, and none were from the Sarasota-Bradenton area. In fact, the sport seems to have a minimal presence in the surrounding area.

There is a public Facebook page for local fans of the sport, but it only has 538 members, and most posts about getting together for games get minimal response.

Lakewood Ranch needs to start a Great Grandmasters team, if not a league.

Frankly, it is a bit shocking that one does not already exist.

It seems to be the perfect fit of sport and demographic. I know people in this community are active, with tennis and pickleball being two favorite activities.

Ultimate does not require special skills, and it is great for keeping your cardio in shape. Plus, Premier is a phenomenal place to hold tournaments.

Wang, who has played in two overseas tournaments, called Premier an “elite” site. Why waste the space?

Matches also can be held on the fields behind Lakewood Ranch High.

Frisbee sports are on the rise, after the introduction of Frisbee golf to Lakewood Ranch earlier this year.

Is the problem a lack of knowledge about Ultimate Frisbee? I do not want to get bogged down in the details, but a complete rulebook can be found on the USA Ultimate website if you are curious.

I even thought of a name for a team — The Ranch Hands.

You will need those hands working well when you play your new favorite sport. Thank me later.

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

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

YourObserver.com

Dimiter Zafirov is a freshman boys swimmer at Lakewood Ranch High. Zafirov finished third in the boys 500-meter freestyle (4:36.75) at the Class 4A Region 2 meet Nov. 3 at Countryside High School.

When did you start swimming?

Five years ago. We were getting ready to move here from Hilliard, Ohio, and my parents wanted me to be a more proficient swimmer, being near the ocean and the beach.

What is the appeal to you?

You feel free from gravity. Under the water, you cannot hear anything going on above it. It is free time for me to think.

What is your favorite memory?

This summer at the Florida Age Group Championships, I made the cut for the 2019 USA Swimming Futures Championships (to be held Aug. 1-4 in Greensboro, N.C.) in the 400 freestyle. The cut time was 4:10, and I swam a 4:07.

If you would like to make a recommendation for the East County Observer’s Athlete of the Week feature, send it to Ryan Kohn at rkohn@yourobserver.com.

competition of it, but it is also nice just to have fun now and then.

What has been your biggest challenge?

I do not know if I have had one, not a big one at least. There has not been this giant wall that I cannot pass. I have had little things, like injuries that affected my kicking and kept me out for a week, but nothing major.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

19A

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Dimiter Zafirov

|

Finish this sentence: “Dimiter Zafirov is ... ” ... A somewhat normal person who likes to swim.

What is the best advice you have received?

Just have fun. Swimming can get intense, and at meets people get ready to race and act tough.

Sometimes, you have to take a step back. I like racing and the

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289384-1

COMING NOVEMBER 22

20A

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

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NOVEMBER 8, 2018

YOUR NEIGHBORS The bands played on B

Photos by Pam Eubanks

Braden River band members Joshua Hellberg, Marshall Knapp and Penelope Sugg (in hats) receive the overall 3A title trophy from Lakewood Ranch band members Olivia Karow, Grace Hagopian and Sarah Huston.

raden River High School’s band members might not have been surprised they won the overall Music in Motion 3A Division Regional competition at Lakewood Ranch High, but the manner in which they dominated did surprise them.

“Every performance to us is the most important performance,” said Juan Brito, a member of the color guard.

“Every performance has to be better than the last.”

On Nov. 3, it was.

Braden River High School won every award in its 3A division with their show, “Humor Me.!?” including Best Music, Best General Effect, Best Percussion and Best Auxiliary, as well as Best Overall Band in 3A. Lakewood Ranch High, one of the most powerful marching band programs in the state, hosted the competition but did not compete. The Mustangs thrilled the crowd, though, with an exhibition.

— AMELIA HANKS

Lakewood Ranch junior Scott Baker marches during the Mustangs’ exhibition performance in the Music in Motion event.

Braden River freshman Andrew Landers helped his team to a 3A title.

Braden River freshman Melanie Ladd performs during the Pirates Marching Band performance titled “Humor Me.!?”

ONLINE

Lakewood Ranch senior Grace Hagopian plays a solo Nov. 3 during the Mustangs’ exhibition performance of “VIRTUEosity” during Music in Motion at Lakewood Ranch High.

See more photos at YourObserver.com

THANK YOU

TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED & THEIR FAMILIES

FOR PROTECTING OUR FREEDOMS STEVE AIR FORCE

BROOKS AIR FORCE

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CHAD NAVY

KIM NAVY

2B

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

YMCA goes to Motown Lakewood Ranch YMCA holds its largest fundraiser of the year.

JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR

In between the live music, the soul food, the adult beverages and the raffles, Lakewood Ranch YMCA Executive Director Stacey McKee was able to do something even more enjoyable during the Motown fundraiser Nov. 3 at the Lake Club’s Grande Clubhouse.

She spent the time telling everyone about the YMCA’s future in Lakewood Ranch.

“This event is about awareness, and it gives us a chance to talk about what we’re doing,” McKee said.

Although new gyms keep opening in East County, McKee said the YMCA is much more than a just a gym.

“We serve the whole family,” she said. “We reach out to our community to find out what it needs so we can pinpoint our focus.

“We kicked off a senior fair in October and we are going to turn that into an annual event. We are a place moms can come to make friends. We have group fitness classes that set us apart. We have a parents’ night out (where they can drop off children to be watched by the YMCA staff). For the children we have the Reading Challenge.

And there always is fitness.”

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Jay Heater

Eagle Trace’s Diane O’Connor checks out silent auction items.

She didn’t even mention the pool.

McKee said the Lakewood Ranch YMCA, which has seven full-time employees, has about 3,500 membership units that equates to about 7,000 members.

In 2018, the Lakewood Ranch YMCA has given out $45,000 in scholarships.

“We never turn anyone away when they show need,” McKee said.

In the future, McKee said the YMCA will be looking for more ways to serve seniors along with new programs for all its members.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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3B

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

Children’s parade a treat

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HEALTH OBSERVED

R

obin Forrester, director of the Primrose School at Lakewood Ranch Town Center, loves to watch the school’s annual Parade of Costumes.

“It’s just so fun for the kids to dress up as their favorite character,” Forrester said. “We’ve been doing this for 14 years, and we get so much parent support for the parade and throughout the year.”

The Parade of Costumes featured Primrose students ages 2 to 5 in a variety of costumes Oct. 31 at the school. The most common costume for boys was Cat Boy from the children’s show “PJ Masks.” For the girls, it was princess costumes. After the parade, students were allowed to either go home to begin preparing to trick or treat, or they could return for a Halloween party in their classroom.

HELP IS AVAILABLE FOR DIABETIC FOOT ULCERS

Statistics About 25 percent of people living with diabetes will develop a foot ulcer. And once healed, foot ulcers have an alarming recurrence rate. As many as 40 percent of people with a healed diabetic foot ulcer develop a new ulcer within a year. * Diabetic foot ulcers can be challenging to heal Aggravating factors prevalent in individuals with diabetes, such as high blood sugar levels, poor circulation, immune system issues, nerve damage and infection can make diabetic foot ulcers difficult to heal.

It’s estimated that approximately 14 to 24 percent of people with foot ulcers will experience an amputation. And, unfortunately, individuals with an amputation have a 50 percent mortality rate within five years.*

Common Causes of Diabetic Foot Ulcers • Neuropathy (damage to peripheral nerves, causes weakness, numbness and pain in hands and feet) • Peripheral Arterial Disease (narrowed arteries, reduces blood flow to the limbs) • Charcot Foot (deforming foot as a result of nerve damage in the foot or ankle, causing injuries to go untreated and leading to the breakdown of joints)

Prevention Recommendations from Lakewood Ranch Medical Center’s, Center for Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine • Stop smoking • Have comprehensive foot exams at least four times a year • Inspect your feet daily • Practice regular foot care: cleaning toenails and caring for corns and calluses • Wear supportive, proper footwear • Eat healthy and exercise regularly for improved circulation

Three-yearolds Carter Guttridge and James Van Vleet were impressive as a hot dog and Cat Boy.

— AMELIA HANKS

Photos by Amelia Hanks

Techniques for Healing The Center for Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine offers specialized wound care therapies including: • Total Contact Casting – considered the gold standard, the technique is used to relieve pressure from the wound • Debridement – the removal of damaged tissue • Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy – the patient breathes 100 percent oxygen while relaxing in a pressurized chamber. The therapy helps to accelerate the healing process by delivering a high concentration of oxygen to the bloodstream and wound.

IN MEMORY OF A

LOVED ONE The Observer now offers obituaries not only to notify

For more information about diabetic foot ulcers or how we can help, call the hospital’s Center for Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine at 941.782.2830 or visit LakewoodRanchMedicalCenter.com

the community, but also to help celebrate the life of a recently departed loved one.

Memorialize your loved one with a lasting tribute in print and online, a permanent record of their

*Source: http://www.amputee-coalition.org/ resources/diabetic-wound-care/

legacy that your family will always cherish.

PROVIDED BY THE OBSERVER MEDIA GROUP

Physicians are on the medical staff of Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, but, with limited exceptions, are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians. For language assistance, disability accommodations and the non-discrimination notice, visit our website.

Health Observed allows brands and businesses to connect directly with the Observer’s readership — and participate in the conversation — by creating engaging content on the Observer’s digital publishing platform.

For more on Health Observed, email us at kohara@yourobserver.com.

Teacher Hunter McDowall allows 2-year-old Colton Stauter to take a break after Colton became a little too hot trying to walk the entire parade route.

To place an obituary, memorial, tribute or card of thanks, visit yourobserver.com/tributes or call 941-366-3468, ext. 323.

Or ask your funeral director for assistance.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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4B

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

YourObserver.com

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

New owner’s dreams planted in Fantasy Flowers.

TOP SELLERS Florist Michelle Bridges of Fantasy Flowers says her Top 5 selling flowers are many of the same favorites from years past.

JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR

It was one of Michelle Bridges’ first chances to meet people from her new community.

In October, Bridges bought Fantasy Flowers from her friend, Debbie Sanders, who had started the flower shop in July but had to back away due to other commitments.

Bridges loved her spot on Lakewood Main Street in Lakewood Ranch and felt it wouldn’t be long before folks would get to know her.

About two weeks after opening, an older gentleman came through her door and explained every year of his marriage, he would add one rose to a vase to present to his wife on their anniversary.

So Bridges asked him, “How many roses do you need?”

Sixty-four.

Bridges went to work. “I enjoy making things on the spot,” she said. “And I can custom make anything you want. I think (the vase with 64 flowers) was stunning.”

She was able to follow her lifelong love of creating beauty with flowers, and she made a friend.

More friendships have started

1. Roses 2. Sunflowers 3. Hydrangeas 4. Tropicals (such as birds of paradise) 5. Lillies

Jay Heater

Michelle Bridges is the new owner of Fantasy Flowers at 8111 Lakewood Main Street, Suite 101.

to bloom. Women who found her shop questioned her timing for a Christmas theme.

“I thought it was too early,” Bridges said Nov. 2. “But the ladies who have been coming in want to get ready for Christmas now.”

Bridges got busy changing out fall colors for Christmas themes. She was smiling.

“It always has been a dream of mine,” she said of owning a flower shop. “I was waiting for the right location and area.

Then I saw this storefront and I knew instantly.”

Although Bridges lives in Sarasota, her two oldest boys, 12-year-old Archer and 8-yearold Cody, play soccer in East County and that led her to spend time in Lakewood Ranch.

Her other son, Tate, is 6.

“I love this area and the community feel,” she said. “And I want to bring back the timeless view of the flower shop, that overwhelming feeling of freshness and beauty. It is a luxury to

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have fresh flowers in life.”

Growing up in Philadelphia, Bridges began a career in the flower industry when she was 14 and picked up a part-time job at the Roosevelt Florist. She would get there by 3:30 p.m. after school and work until 9 learning how to design with flowers.

She still remembers the smells of those first years.

Since then, she said she has been involved in every aspect of the flower industry.

She moved from Philadelphia

to London when she was 22 and lived there for 15 years, running a business as a floral wedding consultant. She loved her job and said she can’t remember a customer ever complaining.

In 2012, she moved from London to Sarasota with her husband, David. She became the head buyer for Manatee Farms, where she worked for five years until she made the move to buy her own shop.

“I am not afraid of hard work,” she said. “There is instant satisfaction from creating emotion and a smile.”

She hopes the community will discover her passion for her business while finding out that she is prepared to help in any way she can. Being a florist often means going through the joys of a wedding or the sadness of a funeral.

“I stay with people through things,” she said.

She hopes people will come to find she is an expert at her craft.

“You not only have to be an artist, but you must be very practical,” she said. “You can’t forget the business side.”

Everything that adorns her store will be for sale or can be recreated, she said. “Although many of her displays use silk flowers, she can duplicate it using real flowers.

For now, Christmas is the main event and Bridges knows she needs to get busy.

“At holiday times, you never stop,” she said. “But that’s OK. It gets into your blood.”

EYE ON BUSINESS

Business blooms in Lakewood Ranch

5B

6B

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

All hands on deck for charity

G

uests sipped white cosmos and pumpkin spice martinis Nov. 2 at Gold Coast Eagle Distributing in Lakewood Ranch before heading for a game of craps or blackjack.

East County’s Melissa Wandall was glad everyone was having a good time. About 200 people came to Casino Night Kickoff Fundraiser to benefit the Mark Wandall Foundation.

Mark Wandall is Melissa’s late husband who died in a car crash 15 years ago, two weeks before their daughter, Madisyn, was born.

The Mark Wandall Foundation offer grief support to children coping with the loss of a parent or loved one.

“It’s still so surreal,” Melissa Wandall said. “I feel like I love Mark more now than I did when he was with me, which inspires me even more.”

Besides the casino games and drinks, guests enjoyed food and a silent auction. The next day, 60 golfers participated in another fundraiser at Legacy Golf Club in Lakewood Ranch.

— PAM EUBANKS

Lakewood Ranch’s Chuck Donahue enjoys gambling with friends Fred Schulte, Kirk Henry and Brenda Edens.

Lakewood Ranch’s Paula Laurvick and Gina Babcock, a foundation board member, greet Sabal Harbour’s Carla Barbosa. They all are longtime supporters of the foundation.

Foundation founder Melissa Wandall started the foundation 15 years ago in her husband Mark’s name shortly after her daughter, Madisyn, was born.

Photos by Pam Eubanks

Parrish’s Neil and Brenda McGowan donated an auction item to benefit the Mark Wandall Foundation through their business, Navigator Kitchens and Cabinets.”

PINES OF SARASOTA FOUNDATION MODERATOR

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Sponsors as of 10/24

For tickets or sponsorships go to www.pinesofsarasota.org/wit-and-wisdom or call 941.955.6293

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Michael’s On East

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

YourObserver.com

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

7B

welcomes

Daniel Johnson, MD Board Certified in Family Practice Photos by Pam Eubanks

Jude Ardanas hangs out with friend Lukas Nantes and Lukas’ brother, Sebastian, at the Fall Dance.

Say ‘Aloha’ to fun

Undergraduate: Medical School: Residency: Certification:

D

ressed in a green grass skirt and layers of leis, 6-year-old Nahla Vlasak put her hands in the air and did a hula dance.

It wasn’t even Hawaiian music playing, but it didn’t matter.

Nahla was excited about Gilbert W. McNeal Elementary School’s luau-themed Fall Dance on Nov. 2. She learned the hula because she and her family plan to go to Hawaii in 2019.

“We’re going next year for our 20th wedding anniversary,” said Nahla’s mother, Jackie. Nahla will join her parents, Jackie and Dion, and siblings, Sophia, Halley and Matt on the trip.

Until then, she’ll enjoy wearing the leis and grass skirt they bought for the dance.

Dozens of families enjoyed snacks, dancing the limbo and socializing in the school’s cafeteria.

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First-graders Sara Talamas and Ella Fuschetto look ready to visit Hawaii.

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Fifth-graders Mia McGuire and Isabelle Jacobson do a spin to the “Chicken Dance.”

They have been friends since second grade.

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8B

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

Pumpkin lesson a smash hit Gullett Elementary students enjoy lesson about gravity and kinetic energy.

AMELIA HANKS COMMUNITY REPORTER

I

Courtesy photo

B.D. Gullett Elementary School third-graders Sarah Robinson, Jordyn Forest, Aashay Patel, Carina Otto, Noah Webb, Jaliyah Hayden, Anthony Spino, Aaryn Aguilera, Luca Lattore, Elizabeth Suggs, Alexandra Mahiquez, Madisyn Young, Samuel Frye and Jennessa Ruiz loved their pumpkin lesson.

she said. “I’m the type of teacher who just gets bored lecturing.”

Richardson was happy to lend a hand.

“I’m up on the roof all the time,” Richardson said. “It was fun to throw the pumpkins and hear the kids’ reactions. I even threw the pumpkins closer to the sidewalk so that the explosion would be even bigger, and the kids could get in the splash zone.”

Although Richardson was happy to produce a little larger splat, each pumpkin’s pulp was

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removed before they were tossed, making for an easier cleanup.

Third-grader Anthony Spino said the experiment was fun.

“It makes more sense to me because I could see it,” he said.

“I thought the bigger pumpkin would come down quicker because of its mass.”

Madisyn Young, Anthony’s classmate, said she was more concerned about other matters during the pumpkin dropping session.

“It was kind of scary when Mr.

Richardson was up there,” she said. “I thought he was going to fall.”

Once the students were done with the experiment, they had to fill out worksheets that helped them understand what they had seen. It also gave Santora some ideas for next year.

“I want to fill the pumpkins with slime or shaving cream to give them an even bigger explosion,” Santora said.

The teacher said she hopes a hands-on lesson from the roof-

top becomes a schoolwide event next year.

“You know, kids start learning about gravity in the third grade in very simple terms. By the fifth grade, they’re learning about Newton’s laws,” Santora said.

“But I also think it’s fun to drop pumpkins off a roof.”

Steven Page, MD Thursday, Nov. 15 Suffer No More: There IS Hope for Your Nagging Knee Pain

289401-1

t wasn’t a post-Halloween celebration, but rather lessons about kinetic energy and gravity.

B.D. Gullett Elementary School Principal Todd Richardson tossed pumpkins off the roof of the school as third-grade students watched from below.

Third-grade teacher Jennifer Santora had the idea of smashing a few pumpkins to illustrate some gravity concepts for her students.

“We were dropping a smaller pumpkin and a larger pumpkin off the roof at the same time,” Santora said. “Almost all of the kids told me that they thought the larger pumpkin would hit the ground first because it was heavier. I could hear them get excited when both hit at the same time.

It was so cute.”

Santora eventually explained laws of energy and gravity in reference to the experiment.

It all was part of Santora trying to make her lessons come alive.

“I believe that students get more into a lesson when they can get hands-on with something,”

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

YourObserver.com

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

9B

Join us for the Tour of Homes 10 NEW MODELS TO TOUR WINE AND CHEESE TASTING | SATURDAY & SUNDAY | 12PM–4PM Join us at The Lake Club, where we have 10 beautifully decorated model homes to tour, and this weekend sample delectable wine and cheese pairings while you view our exquisite collection of residences.

The Lake Club is more dazzling than ever before, with the premiere of our exquisite Grande Clubhouse, featuring spectacular new indoor and outdoor dining, an expansive new fitness center and much more.

Come experience the all-new Lake Club, the most exclusive village in Lakewood Ranch, during the Tour of Homes, October 19th–November 18th.

From the $700s to over $3 million

MODEL PREVIEW CENTER: 8307 Lake Club Blvd., Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 (866) 498-5253 | thelakeclublwr.com

BROKER PARTICIPATION WELCOMED. ORAL REPRESENTATIONS CANNOT BE RELIED UPON AS CORRECTLY STATING THE REPRESENTATIONS OF THE DEVELOPER. FOR CORRECT REPRESENTATIONS REFERENCE SHOULD BE MADE TO THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY SECTION 718.503, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO BE FURNISHED BY A DEVELOPER TO A BUYER OR LESSEE. NOT AN OFFERING WHERE PROHIBITED BY STATE LAW. PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.

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ANCHOR BUILDERS | ARTHUR RUTENBERG HOMES | JOHN CANNON HOMES | LEE WETHERINGTON HOMES LONDON BAY HOMES | MURRAY HOMES | NUTTER CUSTOM CONSTRUCTION | STOCK SIGNATURE HOMES

10B

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

“I applied to be in K-Kids because I care about the environment.

Whenever I see trash in my neighborhood, I want to clean it up. I think it’s important to take care of the environment because it’s our future.”

— Kaylea Hook

Photos by Amelia Hanks

Braden River student Kaylea Hook, a new K-Kid member, helps Vice President Jessee Alexis clean up around the school.

New K-Kids on the block Braden River Elementary welcomes 27 new K-Kids members.

AMELIA HANKS COMMUNITY REPORTER

Madison DeLeo, a fourth-grader at Braden River Elementary, wants to make a difference when it comes to the environment.

“I want to start a recycling program at school,” said Madison. “I think it’s important.”

Madison is one of the newest members of the K-Kids, a club at Braden River Elementary that is an offshoot of the adults’ Kiwanis

Club. Madison is one of 27 fourthand fifth-graders who will be initiated into the club Nov. 6.

Michele Rzepa, a Braden River Elementary teacher, is the faculty sponsor for K-Kids.

“I think that to the kids it’s a big deal to be a K-Kid,” said Rzepa.

“For the students to be accepted, you need to have really good behavior and come recommended by your teachers. We emphasize the importance of citizenship in the community.”

Rzepa said the K-Kids members have the desire to help in the community.

Kaylea Hook, a fourth-grader, is new to the area and she didn’t expect to join a new club.

“I applied to be in K-Kids because I care about the environment,” Kaylea said. “Whenever I see trash in my neighborhood, I want to clean it up. I think it’s important to take care of the environment because it’s our future.”

K-Kids Vice President Jessee Alexis said being a K-Kids member means doing the right thing when no one is watching.

“We pick up trash and we try to help people,” Jessee said. “We try to have integrity.”

Last year, Jessee said the K-Kids painted kindness rocks, with words of encouragement and little sayings. They hid them all over the school. Whenever people would find the rocks, they would tell the K-Kids about it and hide them again.

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New K-Kid Caitlin Conley will donate her time to clean up the school or make posters for the book fair.

Shiv Patel said the group is working on a list of priorities for the rest of the school year. The first order of business will be meeting with the new members.

For Kaylea Hook, it’s about helping the Earth.

“When I was younger I thought the world was perfect,” said Kaylea. “You just don’t know about the world. When you grow up, you want to help protect it.”

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

YourObserver.com

FRIDAY, NOV. 9

EMPTY BOWLS Begins at 11 a.m. at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch. The event, which benefits The Food Bank of Manatee, will serve soup, bread and dessert, and allow patrons to bring home a handpainted ceramic bowl. The meal symbolizes humanity’s ability to fill the empty bowls of those in need. The cost to attend is $30, or $50 for VIP tickets, which include early admission and the chance to select which bowl you would like. For information, call Judi Bjork at 749-0100 or visit foodbankofmanatee.org.

SANTA’S GRAND ARRIVAL Begins at 6 p.m. at The Mall at UTC, 140 University Town Center Drive, Sarasota. This family friendly celebration of the holiday season will feature performances by the Sailor Circus Academy, ice skating, snow tubing and live music. The arrival of Santa will be followed by a fireworks show. The event is free. For information, visit mallatutc.com or call 552-7002.

CARD GAME PARTY Begins at 11:30 a.m. at Palm Aire Country Club, 5601 Country Club Way, Sarasota. Poker, gin rummy, bridge, mahjong and Scrabble will be available during the annual Palm Aire Women’s Club party. As a special treat, the Circus Arts Conservatory’s Karen Bell, a 27-year professional circus clown, will perform. The event is open to the public and costs $25 to attend, including lunch.

To register, mail a check to P.O. Box 21051, Bradenton, 34204,

and include your preferred game and co-players (if applicable). Email Barbara Link at blink22542@gmail.com to confirm your registration.

SATURDAY, NOV. 10

PUTTING FOR PETS Begins at 8:30 a.m. at Heritage Harbour Golf & Eatery, 8000 Stone Harbour Loop, Bradenton. The Humane Society of Manatee County will host this golf tournament fundraiser.

Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. and the shotgun start is at 8:30 a.m. Cost is $400 per foursome or $100 per individual. To register, contact Vicki Siddons at vicki@humanesocietymanatee.org.

RHINESTONES AND RANCHERS Runs from 5:30-10 p.m. at Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club, 7650 Legacy Blvd., Lakewood Ranch. Rhinestones and Ranchers is a benefit for Sunshine Kids, which provides trips and events for children battling cancer. Entertainer Jimmy Keys will be the headliner for the event, which includes a gourmet dinner, cocktails and silent and live auctions. Tickets are $150 and are available at ssksarasota.com.

VETERANS BENEFIT Runs from noon to 3 p.m. at Linger Lodge, 7505 85th St. Court E., Bradenton. The East County-based band Nothin’ Past Midnite will perform classic rock and blues to help raise money for Manasota Operation Troop Support. Guests can enjoy lunch and music and make a donation to support veterans through the nonprofit Manaso-

File photo

Lynette Revel enjoys culinary delights at last year’s Suncoast Food & Wine Festival, which is presented by the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch.

BEST BET SATURDAY, NOV. 10

SUNCOAST FOOD & WINE FEST Runs from 1-4 p.m. at Premier Sports Campus, 5895 Post Blvd., Lakewood Ranch. More than 100 wines are available for tasting and food is offered from dozens of restaurants at the Suncoast Food & Wine Fest presented by the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch.

The event also includes cooking demonstrations and sponsors’ booths with giveaways. Tickets are $85 and will not be sold at the gate. Tickets are available at eventbrite.com.

Proceeds benefit Sarasota and Manatee charities.

suggested. For information, call 213-5555.

BEER, BOATS AND BACON FESTIVAL Begins at 1 p.m. at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota.

More than 80 local craft beers and cocktails along with baconcentric dishes will be available. The festival will feature an inshore and offshore boat show. The festival also features games and live music. Admission is $10, or a $35 ticket includes beer and food sampling. Parking is $5 per vehicle.

For information on tickets and the festival, visit beerboatsandbacon.com or email brewedlife44@gmail.com.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 14

TUESDAY, NOV. 13

SOCK HOP SOCIAL Runs from 5-7 p.m. at Elan Manatee Assisted Living and Memory Care, 7230 55th Ave. E., Bradenton. Elan Manatee presents the Sock Hop and Soda Social benefiting Neuro Challenge Foundation. This 1950s-style party will feature a soda bar, burgers and music to raise funds for the Neuro Challenge Foundation and its mission to assist those with Parkinson’s disease. A $10 donation is

Join us on Main Street Lakewood Ranch

welcomes Taylor Dodgen, MD

Wine Walk

Wednesday

Board Certified, Dermatology

WINE WALK WEDNESDAY Runs from 5-7 p.m. at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch. Fine Wine and Tastings on Main is hosting a wine walk with participating businesses on Lakewood Ranch Main Street featuring 20 different wines. Tickets are $30 per persons. For information and to purchase tickets in advance, visit finewineandtastings.com/wine-tastings.

SATURDAY, NOV. 17 AND SUNDAY, NOV. 18

GREEK AUTUMN FEST Runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 17 and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 18 at St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church Community Center, 7671 N. Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota. Guests can purchase Greek food and pastries and shop at a flea market. There is no cost for admission. For information, call 355-2616.

SATURDAY, NOV. 17

WALK TO END ALZHEIMER’S Begins at 8 a.m. at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota. The walk dedicated to raising funds for Alzheimer’s research comes to Nathan Benderson Park. The walk will happen as scheduled, rain or shine. Everyone who raises $100 or more gets an official event T-shirt. To register or for information, contact Kristine Lee at 727-220-4454 or at krlee@alz.org.

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WALK LIKE MADD MANASOTA Begins at 8:45 p.m. at Tom Bennett Park, 280 Kay Road, Lakewood Ranch. The annual walk hosted by Mothers Against Drunk Driving Manasota is one of 100 walks across the nation that brings communities together to combat drunk driving. For more information visit walklikemadd.org.

11B

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

YOUR CALENDAR

COMMUNITY

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12B

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

LO C A L LY K N OW N . G LO B A L LY CO N N E C T E D.

L A K E WO O D R A N C H 15402 Linn Park Terrace Laura Naese 941-350-3657 A4408203 $1,195,000

U N I V E R S I T Y PA R K 8015 Warwick Gardens Lane Nancy Phillips 941-400-6078 A4195989 $1,140,000

L A K E WO O D R A N C H 7405 Mizner Reserve Court Diane Fogo Harter 941-445-2431 A4414035 $899,900

L A K E WO O D R A N C H 8107 Lone Tree Glen Chris Baylis 941-735-4713 A4212928 $849,000

U N I V E R S I T Y PA R K 6156 Palomino Circle Stuart Lawrence 941-894-4001 A4411757 $699,000

PA L M E T T O 140 Riviera Dunes Way 1001 Kathy Valente & Gregory Zies 685-6767 or 779-3081 A4414937 $699,000

L A K E WO O D R A N C H 8120 Championship Court Thomas Cinquegrano 941-284-5049 A4416469 $699,000

PA R R I S H 15714 29th Street E Chris Baylis 941-735-4713 A4405290 $650,000

BR ADENTON 7821 17th Avenue W Ralph & Megg Faillace 941-713-9142 A4411806 $650,000

L A K E WO O D R A N C H 14605 Newtonmore Lane Tina Ciaccio 941-685-8420 A4413758 $649,900

L A K E WO O D R A N C H 11913 Blue Hill Trail Toma Milbank 941-720-5174 A4415994 $649,000

L A K E WO O D R A N C H 9903 Old Hyde Park Place Nicole Ryskamp 941-807-1766 A4214317 $624,900

L A K E WO O D R A N C H 14824 Bowfin Terrace Diane Fogo Harter 941-445-2431 A4413484 $599,900

L A K E WO O D R A N C H 9606 Braden Run Debbie Vogler 941-705-3328 A4410264 $599,000

L A K E WO O D R A N C H 5640 Cloverleaf Run Michael Moulton 941-928-3559 A4411097 $599,000

L A K E WO O D R A N C H 7516 Coventry Court Ryndie Brusco 941-809-6913 A4211618 $549,900

L A K E WO O D R A N C H 14222 Sundial Place Danelle Haag 941-806-9821 A4405685 $479,000

BR ADENTON 949 Preservation Street Noel Morton 941-348-9129 A4409961 $435,000

L A K E WO O D R A N C H 7325 Wexford Court Cheryl Roberts 941-266-1450 A4212155 $365,000

BR ADENTON 6114 Willow Oak Circle Kathy Valente 941-685-6767 A4417477 $349,900

L A K E WO O D R A N C H 11412 Belvedere Terrace Rich Polese 941-914-7115 A4411456 $324,000

L A K E WO O D R A N C H 6434 Moorings Point Circle 102 Anita Shelare 941-232-6670 A4215955 $299,900

L A K E WO O D R A N C H 11623 Meadowgate Place Peggy Wellman & Robert Moffatt 941-374-0811 A4413810 $299,900

L A K E WO O D R A N C H 1914 Crystal Lake Trail Sharon Ingram 941-224-6447 A4416167 $298,500

L A K E WO O D R A N C H 11705 Forest Park Circle Bryan Dwyer 941-809-9106 A4417512 $295,000

L A K E WO O D R A N C H 6377 Robin Cove Erica Thomas 941-799-9365 A4416468 $284,900

PA L M E T T O 307 28th Street W Heidi Cox 941-685-1529 A4417116 $185,000

L A K E WO O D R A N C H 7115 Teal Creek Glen Tina Ciaccio 941-685-8420 A4416827 $1,875,000

L A K E WO O D R A N C H 16107 Clearlake Avenue Barbara Najmy 941-705-1158 A4412236 $1,525,000

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BR ADENTON 10216 46th Avenue W Deborah Angelo O'Mara & Kathy Lewis 941-730-0777 A4410833 $7,500,000

L A K E WO O D R A N C H 16206 Clearlake Avenue Deborah Angelo O'Mara 941-730-0777 A4417456 $1,275,000

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

OCT. 22-26

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

A

COUNTRY CLUB EAST

John and Kelli Louise Roveto, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 15312 Linn Park Terrace to James and Lynn Brandolini, of Bradenton, for $1,335,000. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,989 square feet of living area.

WATERFRONT AT MAIN STREET

Moni Vojcek sold her Unit 1-601 condominium at 10530 Boardwalk Loop to Scott Stengel, of Leesburg, for $725,000. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,241 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $796,900 in 2017.

WATERLEFE GOLF AND RIVER CLUB

John Bowman Jr., of Crossville, Tenn., sold his home at 10621 Conch Shell Terrace to Daniel and Barbara Wilding, of Bradenton, for $650,000. Built in 2000, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,101 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $700,000 in 2007.

Steven and Tamara Carey sold their home at 9911 Portside Terrace to Ronald and Karen Bobo, of Bradenton, for $572,000.

Built in 2003, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,567 square feet of living area.

It previously sold for $437,700 in 2003.

GREENBROOK VILLAGE

Paul and Teresa McKee, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 14916 Sundial Place to David and Danielle Huffman, of Lakewood Ranch, for $615,000.

Built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,412 square feet of living area.

It previously sold for $640,000 in 2015.

Linda Griffith, trustee, of Lakewood Ranch, Heather Van Seversen, of Davenport, Iowa, and Jill White, of W. Des Moines, Iowa, sold the home at 13508 Brown Thrasher Pike to Kaleb and Remember McCarty, of Lakewood Ranch, for $560,000.

Built in 2005, it has three bed-

Amelia Hanks

This three-bedroom home at 7216 Pasadena Glen in the Country Club Village was sold for $1,575,000.

rooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,258 square feet of living area.

Jon and Marla Whittemore sold their home at 15615 Butterfish Place to Thomas and Susan Quimby, of Bradenton, for $399,000. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, three-anda-half baths, a pool and 2,555 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $405,300 in 2006.

David and Josielyn Walker, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 6324 Robin Cove to Gheorghe and Eugenia Grigorescu $239,000. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,275 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $215,000 in 2015.

square feet of living area.

Joseph and Vicky Cannon, of Parrish, sold their home at 808 Woodview Way to Tyler and Courtney Johnson, of Bradenton, for $415,000. Built in 1995, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,464 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $319,900 in 2014.

COUNTRY CREEK

James and Helen Smith, of Bradenton, sold their home at 114

147th St. N.E., to Monica Ausborn and Leonard Furst III, of Bradenton, for $409,900. Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,638 square feet of living area.

COUNTRY CLUB VILLAGE

Kym Smith, of Lakewood Ranch, sold the home at 7179 Whitemarsh Circle to James and June Smith, of Braselton, Ga., for $400,000. Built in 2002, it has SEE REAL ESTATE, PAGE 14B

Baylee model courtesy of John Cannon Homes.

SONOMA

Natalia Sprenger, of St. Petersburg, sold the home at 8225 Santa Rosa Court to Carolyn Rummel, of Palmetto, for $598,400.

Built in 2009, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,748 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $419,000 in 2009.

BUY WITH CONFIDENCE TOUR WITH A PROFESSIONAL

GREYHAWK LANDING

Nelson and Sonia Gonzalez, of Myakka City, sold their home at 320 Blackbird Court to Gary Dunn and Mary Dunn, trustees, of Loveland, Ohio, for $580,000.

Built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,535 square feet of living area.

It previously sold for $560,000 in 2007.

The annual Tour of Homes is here! Each fall, Lakewood Ranch comes alive to feature more than 70 model homes from October 19th through November 18th.

Tour with one of our agents by your side. They provide you the expert knowledge and world-class resources you need to make informed real estate decisions.

Join us for one of our special Michael Saunders & Company events* or take advantage of exclusive resources: n

DEL WEBB

Pulte Home Co. LLC sold the home at 16756 Blackwater Terrace to Randy LeGrand, of Lakewood Ranch, for $510,800. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,488 square feet of living area.

n

Pulte Home Co. LLC sold the home at 16843 Ellsworth Ave., to Teresa Brecht, of Gurnee, Ill., for $430,600. Built in 2018, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,964 square feet of living area.

Visit our Lakewood Ranch office to speak to one of our dedicated Realtors® and pick up a copy of the exclusive SaundersBEST Magazine and other helpful resources for your touring.

RESIDENTIAL | COMMERCIAL | RENTAL | MORTGAGE | TITLE | INSURANCE

MILL CREEK

Donna McGarry, of Sarasota, sold her home at 13512 Second Ave. N.E., to Howard and Crystal Avery, of Bradenton, for $430,000. Built in 2000, it has four bedrooms, three-anda-half baths, a pool and 3,314

Watch for our Sunday Open Houses throughout Lakewood Ranch and Manatee county. This is your opportunity to preview all the lifestyle choices in our beloved community — new and existing.

We look forward to seeing you around the Ranch.

*Michael Saunders & Company’s events are not affiliated with the official Tour of Homes events. †While supplies last

290002-1

home in Country Club Village at Lakewood Ranch topped all transactions in this week’s real estate.

Arden and Barbara Moore sold their home at 7216 Pasadena Glen to Robert and Shannon Warren, of Bradenton, for $1,575,000. Built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, five-andtwo-half baths, a pool and 6,376 square feet of living area.

13B

REAL ESTATE

Country Club Village home tops sales at $1,575,000

|

8325 Lakewood Ranch Boulevard | Lakewood Ranch, Florida 941.907.9595 | MICHAELSAUNDERS.COM

Licensed Real Estate Broker

14B

TREE Christmas SALE TREE SALE EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

Real estate

eds of r d n u h h t i owroom w h s l 0% off! a 5 c i o t g a p u m e r v u Visit o s and sa e e r t s a m t s hri beautiful C

FROM PAGE 13B

three bedrooms, three baths and 2,621 square feet of living area. It sold for $373,200 in 2002.

Lea Dzhin, of Bethesda, Md., sold her home at 7147 Presidio Glen to Christine MecheProfito, of Lakewood Ranch, for $375,000. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,145 square feet of living area. It sold for $215,000 in 2017.

eds of r d n u h h t i room w w o h s % off! l 0 a 5 c i o t g a p u m e r Visit ou s and sav e e r t s a m t hris beautiful C

Elizabeth Underwood, of Lakewood Ranch, sold her home at 7061 Woodmore Terrace to Richard and Karen Levendoski, of Waterloo, Ill., for $295,000. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,727 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $310,000 in 2016.

RIVERWALK VILLAGE

YOUR HOLIDAY DECORATING HEADQUARTERS!

Rebecca Toth, of Sarasota, sold her home at 7218 Switchgrass Trail to Peter and Betsy Cattaneo, of Lakewood Ranch, for $400,000. Built in 2000, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and is 2,501 square feet. It sold for $280,000 in 2010.

Area’s Largest Selection of Pre-Lit Trees!

OSPREY LANDING

Patrick and Katarzyna Lavin, of Bradenton, sold their home at 11569 11th Ave. E., to Daniel and Krystina Hadra, of Bradenton, for $370,000. Built in 2016, it has four bedrooms, three-anda-half baths and is 2,822 square feet. It sold for $356,000 in 2017.

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RIVER WILDERNESS

Sean and Marie Williams, of Tampa, sold their home at 2930 Wilderness Blvd. E., to Steven Weinsoff, of Parrish, for $355,000. Built in 1997, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and is 2,417 square feet. It sold for $551,800 in 2005.

MOORINGS AT EDGEWATER

Joan Dorfman, of Lakewood Ranch, sold her Unit 201 condominium at 6414 Moorings Point Circle to Bruce and Kimberly Muenter, of Lakewood Ranch, for $345,000. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, two baths and is 2,344 square feet. It sold for $350,000 in 2010.

CARLYLE AT THE VILLAGES OF PALM AIRE

U.S. Bank, trustee, sold the home at 5317 Creekside Trail to LFI Holding Group LLC for $337,200. Built in 2001, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and is 2,546 square feet. It sold for $443,700 in 2005.

GREYHAWK LANDING WEST

Homes by Towne of GreyHawk Landing West LLC sold the home at 11907 Goldenrod Ave., to David and Debra Kopera, of Bradenton, for $329,900. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,995 square feet of living area.

TARA

Daniel and Krystina Hadra, of Bradenton, sold their home at 5821 Pleasant Grove Court to Pamela Frost and Beth Trendt, of Bradenton, for $328,000. Built in 1994, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and is 2,180 square feet. It sold for $292,000 in 2015.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

YourObserver.com

|

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

15B

www.homesbytowne.com

Tour of HomeS

Buyer Incentives

10/19 - 11/18, 2018 $15K OFF LakeHouse Cove Inventory Homes* Royal Caribbean Cruise Voucher at Waterfront* CONTACT A SALES AGENT FOR COMPLETE DETAILS * Executed purchase agreement and 15 days recission period required. Cruise Voucher for the first three contracts at Waterfront.

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Developer reserves the right to modify floor plans, elevations, specifications, features and prices without prior notice. Square footage and room sizes are approximate. Exterior treatments, window locations and room configurations may vary with elevation. Some decorating treatments in and around the model homes may not be included in the list price and are for display purposes only. All renderings and floor plans are artistic conceptions, and are not intended to be an actual depiction of the buildings, fencing, driveways or landscaping. The site plan is not intended as a legal description of the property or to constitute an undertaking by any party to develop the subject property as shown. It is for general informational purposes only and details shown may vary significantly depending upon actual field conditions and other factors. © 2018 Homes by Towne®

LHC&WF_ECO_TourOfHomesBuyerIncentives_10.375x16_1018_DT-4.indd 1

10/30/2018 12:16:34 PM

16B

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

Photos by Amelia Hanks

Ellenton 6-year-old Madison King, shown with her mom, Madison, shows off her unicorn face painting.

Lakewood Ranch’s Jolie Hammond, 8, gets some assistance from Carol Orr while she plays a Frisbee carnival game. Her aim was perfect and she earned a prize of candy.

Festival attracts new faces C committee for the festival. “I don’t know the exact count, but we’ve had about 500 people come through.”

While this was its first Family Fun Fest, Romito said the church is looking forward to making it an annual event. The event had 120 volunteers and 20 local craft vendors, as well as a food truck and two inflatable bounce houses.

— AMELIA HANKS

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Mill Creek 7-year-old Savana Stefanski has her face painted in bright neon colors by Childlike Productions’ Brianna Raia at the Family Fun Fest.

Lakewood Ranch’s Kevin Rineer and Jim Robertson say the great weather made them stop to check out the Family Fun Fest at Peace Presbyterian.

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289635-1

SARASOTA NATIONAL CEMETERY 9810 STATE HWY 72, SARASOTA SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11 AT 2:45 P.M. 289542-1

ountry Club resident Dee Romito said the Peace Presbyterian Family Fun Fest on Nov. 3 was more successful than she could have imagined.

“You really don’t see (Peace Presbyterian) off the highway because we’re so far back on State Road 64. This is a great way to introduce ourselves to the community,” said Romito, who was on the planning

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

YourObserver.com

|

INTRODUCING NEW TO THE U.S.

D

THE WORLD’S

SMARTEST

A

17B

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

YS

5 O

N

HEARING AID

LY

!

PERFORMS THE BEST IN ANY SITUATION. Best speech clarity.

Best hearing in noisy environments.

Best in streaming to your iPhone®, iPad®, or TV.

DURING THIS EVENT RECEIVE

50 Publix Gift Card*

$

for every hearing test completed** Must present this ad • Must bring a friend or family member • Must demonstrate significant hearing loss from event test

SAVE $ 2000 OFF A PAIR OF WIDEX EVOKE

440s

i

*Florida Medical Hearing Centers is not affiliated in any way with Publix Super Markets, Inc. **While supplies last. iDiscount for pair (2) of Widex Evoke 440 hearing aids.

While supplies last. Valid until 11/16/2018. Cannot be combined with any other offers or used for any prior purchases.

JOIN US!

Best Prices in the Southeast!

We’ll Beat Any Other Offer You Get!!

ii

FREE

SPECIAL EVENT

Monday, November 12th through Friday, November 16th APPOINTMENTS ARE LIMITED - RESPOND NOW, THIS EVENT ENDS FRIDAY! 49 L OC TO ATION YOU SAVE S MON EY

SEE INSIDE FOR DETAILS.

Simply supply a written valid estimate from competitive hearing aid provider.

ii

290392-1

www.FloridaMedicalHearing.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

Intelligent Today.

Smarter Tomorrow.

Intelligent Today.

Smarter Tomorrow.

Intelligent Today.

Smarter Tomorrow.

Intelligent Today.

EVOKE is the world’s first machine-learning Smarter Tomorrow. hearing device — learning your hearing preferences for better hearing today and everyday after.

Intelligent Today.

EVOKE the world’s firstprocessing machine-learning EVOKEis has state-of-the-art enhancements that Smarter Tomorrow.

EVOKEdevice the world’s first machine-learning achieve aispurer and more natural sound than ever before. hearing — learning your hearing preferences hearing device — learning your hearing preferences for betterishearing todayfirst andmachine-learning everyday after.

EVOKE the world’s help you hear in any setting. hearing device — learning your hearing preferences EVOKE has processing enhancements that EVOKE hasstate-of-the-art state-of-the-art processing enhancements that for better hearing today and everyday after.more EVOKE features faster processing — capturing true, achieve more natural sound before. achieveaapurer purer and and more sound thanthan everever before. real-time sound — so younatural hear every moment.

forEVOKE betteroffers hearing and everyday after. moretoday accurate environmental mapping to

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EVOKE ishear the world’s first machine-learning

EVOKE features faster processing — capturing more true,to hearing device — learning your hearing preferences EVOKE offers more accurate environmental mapping WORLD’S FIRST MACHINE-LEARNING HEARING DEVICE EVOKE features faster processing — capturing more true, real-time — any so you hear every moment. help yousound hear in setting. forreal-time better sound hearing today andevery everyday after.

— so you hear moment.

EVOKE features faster processing — capturing more true, real-time sound — so you hear every moment.

EVOKE FIRST has state-of-the-art processingHEARING enhancements that WORLD’S MACHINE-LEARNING DEVICE

SAVE $ 2000 SAVE OFF A PAIR $ 2000 SAVE 440s SAVE OFF A PAIR $ $ 2000 2000 440s OFF A PAIR

achieve a purer and more natural sound than ever before.

WORLD’S FIRST MACHINE-LEARNING HEARING DEVICE EVOKE offers accurate environmental mapping to WORLD’S FIRSTmore MACHINE-LEARNING HEARING DEVICE help you hear in any setting.

EVOKE features faster processing — capturing more true, real-time sound — so you hear every moment.

OF WIDEX EVOKE i

OF WIDEX EVOKE

WORLD’S FIRST MACHINE-LEARNING HEARING DEVICE i

OFF A PAIR

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440s 440s

i 11/16/2018. Cannot be Discount for pair (2) of Widex Evoke 440 hearing aids. Discount for pair (2) of Widex Evoke 440 hearing aids. While supplies last. iValid until combined with any other offers or used for any prior purchases. i

Discount for pair (2) of Widex Evoke 440 hearing aids. Discount for pair (2) of Widex Evoke 440 hearing aids. While supplies last. Valid until 11/16/2018. Cannot be combined with any other offers or used for any prior purchases.

290393-1

18B

100

|

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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†

395

iii

Six (6) months from date of purchase. iii$395 hearing aids are based on entry level model from select manufacturers chosen at clinician’s discretion. † Six (6) months from date of purchase. iii$395 hearing aids are based on entry level model from select manufacturers chosen at clinician’s discretion.

Six (6) months from date of purchase. iii$395 hearing aids are based on entry level model from select manufacturers chosen at clinician’s discretion.

†

100% Digital ITE

100% Digital Open-Fit 100% Digital BTE 100% Digital Open-Fit

100% Digital CIC

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FOR ELIGIBLE CURRENT & FOR ELIGIBLE CURRENT & FORELIGIBLE ELIGIBLE CURRENT & FOR CURRENT & RETIRED GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES RETIRED GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES RETIRED GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES Call now seeGOVERNMENT you’re eligible!

RETIRED Call now you’re eligible!

Call nowto to see see ififif you’re eligible!

Call now to see if you’re eligible!

• WAREHOUSE PRICING

EMPLOYEES

Florida Medical Florida Medical Florida Medical Hearing Centers Florida Medical

• WAREHOUSE PRICING • WAREHOUSE PRICING • TOP NAME BRANDS WHY • WAREHOUSE PRICING • TOP NAME BRANDS • CLINICAL SETTING • TOP NAME BRANDS • TOP NAME BRANDS • CLINICAL SETTING • SETTING MOST AWARDED HEARING • US? CLINICAL CENTER IN FLORIDA • CLINICAL SETTING • MOST AWARDED HEARING • MOST AWARDED HEARING CENTER IN FLORIDA 49 LOCAT • CENTER MOST AWARDED HEARING NSFLORIDA IN TO SERVE IONS 9 LOCATIO 4CENTER Sarasota North Sarasota South Venice Beach !

WWW.FLORIDAMEDICALHEARING.COM YOU! IN FLORIDA U O O SERVE Y Parkway TUniversity 2807 6529 S Tamiami Trail 4250 S Tamiami Trail NS ATIO TITUSVILLE MELBOURNE/ MELBOURNE/ MERRITT ISLAND WEST MELBOURNE 49 LOCO 941-227-4786 941-227-4927 941-584-5967 S WWW.FLORIDAMEDICALHEARING.COM N U! St. IIV YOGarden T E A 3267 PALM BAY/ SUNTREE/VIERA 800 E. Merritt Isl. Cswy.

2243 W. New Haven Ave. S C N R E O S T O A 4499 LLTO C O (Publix THE BEACHES 6300 N Wickham Rd. (Corner of 520/ Unit 102 (Publix Plaza) !! Plaza) WWW.FLORIDAMEDICALHEARING.COM U O Y WWW.FLORIDAMEDICALHEARING.COM E U V O R Y E E S V 220 E. Eau Gallie Blvd.

(Centre at Suntree) Sykes Cr.) R O E T S O WeTaccept most insurances.

WWW.FLORIDAMEDICALHEARING.COM TITUSVILLE MELBOURNE/ MELBOURNE/ MERRITT ISLAND WEST MELBOURNE

WHY WHY WHY US? US? US?

321-593-0828 3267 Garden St.

TITUSVILLE TITUSVILLE (Publix Plaza) 3267Garden Garden St. St. 3267

Hearing Centers Hearing Centers Hearing Centers

321-622-2807 PALM BAY/

MELBOURNE/ MELBOURNE/ THE BEACHES PALM BAY/ PALM 220 E. Eau Gallie Blvd.

321-757-2447 SUNTREE/VIERA MELBOURNE/ 6300 N Wickham Rd. SUNTREE/VIERA (Centre at Suntree)

321-252-4674 800 E. Merritt Isl. Cswy.321-234-9525 2243 W. New Haven Ave. MERRITT ISLAND ISLAND MERRITT (Corner of 520/ 800 E. Isl. 800Sykes E. Merritt Merritt Isl. Cswy.

Cswy.

Cr.)

290394-1

†

WESTMELBOURNE MELBOURNE WEST Unit 102 (Publix Plaza) 2243 2243W. W.New NewHaven HavenAve. Ave.

20B

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

SAVE $ 2000 OFF A PAIR OF WIDEX EVOKE

440s

i

WORLD’S FIRST MACHINE-LEARNING HEARING DEVICE

5-DAY SPECIAL EVENT

Monday, November 12th through Friday, November 16th

WE’LL TEST

YOU AND

FIT YOU FOR

Dan Troast, Au.D.

FREE WITH

Doctor of Audiology

WE PROVIDE THESE FREE SERVICES

Real Ear Measurements allows the clinician to measure and record the patient’s hearing aids’ performance while they are actually being worn.

It is important to have your hearing checked at least one time a year.

Our video otoscope can detect if ear wax may be the reason you are experiencing hearing difficulty.

HEARING AID CHECK-UP

FREE

NO-OBLIGATION HEARING EXAM & CONSULTATION

FREE

FREE

VIDEO EAR SCAN MAKES SURE IT’S NOT EAR WAX

Call us today to schedule your FREE hearing screeningiv

Discount for pair (2) of Widex Evoke 440 hearing aids. While supplies last. Valid until 11/16/2018. Cannot be combined with any other offers or used for any prior purchases. ivMust have demonstrated significant hearing loss from test taken that can be treated with Hearing Aids.

i

Sarasota North 2807 University Parkway 941-227-4786 We accept most insurances.

Sarasota South 6529 S Tamiami Trail 941-227-4927

Venice Beach 4250 S Tamiami Trail 941-584-5967

WWW.FLORIDAMEDICALHEARING.COM

49 LOC TO SER ATIONS VE YOU !

290396-1

WHY US?

• WAREHOUSE PRICING • TOP NAME BRANDS • CLINICAL SETTING • MOST AWARDED HEARING CENTER IN FLORIDA

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

YourObserver.com

NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH

THURSDAY, NOV. 8

Ronda Clark captured this sunrise over a pond near Tara Preserve.

High: 85 Low: 68 Chance of rain: 20%

FRIDAY, NOV. 9 High: 85 Low: 68 Chance of rain: 20%

SATURDAY, NOV. 10

Please visit YourObserver. com/weather to submit your weather- or naturerelated photo. In addition to your caption information, please include your choice from our list of nonprofit groups. These votes will help determine which nonprofit group will receive the grand prize — a $2,500 flooring makeover from Manasota Flooring. The submission period for this contest ends Jan. 31, 2019.

ONLINE

High: 82 Low: 65 Chance of rain: 30%

SUNDAY, NOV. 11 High: 83 Low: 65 Chance of rain: 10%

Submit your photos at YourObserver.com/weather

21B

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

SUNRISE / SUNSET

Sunrise Sunset

Thursday, Nov. 8

6:45a

5:43p

Friday, Nov. 9

6:46a

5:42p

Saturday, Nov. 10

6:47a

5:41p

Sunday, Nov. 11

6:47a

5:41p

Monday, Nov. 12

6:48a

5:40p

Tuesday, Nov. 13

6:49a

5:40p

Wednesday, Nov. 14

6:50a

5:39p

WEATHER

FORECAST

|

MOON PHASES

Nov. 15 First

Nov. 22 Full

Nov. 29 Last

Dec. 7 New

RAINFALL Monday, Oct. 29

0.0

Tuesday, Oct. 30

0.0

Wednesday, Oct. 31

0.0

Thursday, Nov. 1

0.0 0.58

Friday, Nov. 2 Saturday, Nov. 3

0.0

Sunday, Nov. 4

0.0

YEAR TO DATE:

MONTH TO DATE:

2018 37.73 in.

2018 0.58 in.

2017 63.68 in.

2017

0 in.

A REFLECTION OF NATURE’S BEAUTY 941.355.8437 | Bradenton

CROSSWORD

941.748.4679 | Venice

941.493.7441 | manasotaonline.com 106 Flicking is punny (Pt. 4) 110 Feel indignant about 111 One of the Jackson 5 112 “Never again” 113 Smart ones?

114 Macabre poet 115 Mushy, edible goo 116 Red hat wearers in gardens

HIP TO ZIP by Timothy B. Parker

©2018 Universal Uclick

ACROSS

1 Was a sprinter 7 Get the drop on 10 Sharp comic’s quality 13 Cafe option 18 Fa to fa 19 Teach the three R’s 21 Plowing implement 22 Flicking is punny (Pt. 1) 25 Gets the job done 26 Bit of good cheer?

27 Tentacled mollusk 28 UFO occupants 29 Type of prize or trap 31 Type of diver

32 Get at (with “to”) 36 Enrico of science 37 USSR, now 38 Flu preventer 42 Bakery output 43 Force out of a position 44 Thing received from a defendant 45 Defensive spray 46 Flicking is punny (Pt. 2) 52 Way-old “cool” 53 Work the fields 54 Hen’s place 55 World traveler’s aid 56 States without doubt

58 Tiny flies 59 Paving block material 60 Positive vocal vote 61 Scrooge utterance 63 Type of sauce or mil 64 That miss 65 Lace fray preventer 68 Frequented as a diner 70 Roofing unit 74 What you need to be a host 75 Ahmadinejad is one 76 Prejudice 77 Stool part 78 Flicking is punny (Pt. 3)

KITCHEN | CABINETRY OUTDOOR PAVERS

83 Vocal range 84 Word with “a soul” 85 Singular performance 86 Get a hold on 87 Do some ushering 88 Some naval initials 89 Part of a flower 91 Condensed reading 93 Kennedy Library architect 94 Flogs severely 95 Faux finisher 96 Writing assistants?

100 Belonging to you and me 101 Noted director Akira

opera, often 48 One of Plato’s letters 49 Holder of several cups of coffee 50 Place for seagulls 51 Cannabis byproduct 57 Peacock’s tail feature 58 City near Brussels 61 Clothing doffers?

62 Condition with unsteady movements DOWN 64 Horse carriage variety 1 Insects that hum 65 Turkish VIPs (var.)

2 Lingering pain 66 Sly quality 3 Eyelid pain 67 Drachma fraction 4 Some deli meats 5 Asked over, electronically 69 Flat’s lack 70 Fodder storage tower 6 Signify 71 Driver’s vision problem 7 Politico Gingrich 72 Some pants 8 Fussy commotion 73 Royal Library of Alexan9 Attaching seed dria locale 10 Mustard-y condiment 75 Ain’t right?

11 Overanxious 12 Drink served many ways 76 It sounds in boxing 79 Get money sadly?

13 Like beer 80 Cable sports award 14 Approximately 81 Extinct birds of New 15 Thing grown yearly Zealand 16 Stereotypical boxcar 82 Poached item hopper 89 Water conduit 17 Stunned stupid 90 Planet of the apes?

20 Common PC storage 91 Venturesome item 92 Figure with equal angles 21 Metal cutter 93 Some unskilled workers 23 Grunts, briefly 94 Large sheet of paper 24 Most all-up-in-your95 Afghani monetary unit business 96 Pound of writing 29 Gershwin heroine 97 Cambodian monetary 30 Scraps fit for Pooch unit 32 A hello 98 One end of the church 33 Runs super-casually 34 Old name for the Sami 99 On ___ (freelance) 101 Healthy seaweed 35 Strange light among 102 Stupid oaf (var.) the stars 103 Molecule fraction 36 Fill up with it 104 Wolf attachment 37 Like elite galas 105 Mythical warrior 38 In love 107 Guitar hookup 39 Fox hunter’s cry 108 Faucet 40 View from a porthole 109 Cow’s place 41 Ruffle, as hair 43 Mayberry alcoholic 44 Selfie 47 Final section of an

CELEBRITY CIPHER

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

Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

“DBDLEZWYC MDVZYP SC YWE WYBH WT EXD MZKXEC GSE EXD MDCNWYCZGZBZEZDC WT LZEZODYCXZN ZY R PDVWLMRLH.” – MWGDME JDYYDPH “MZGB ZY MZIB P VDBBI. ZO IZUT NG HBPUTBDY PMNUF, PUT ENW ZUYOZUVOZKBME TN OJB OJZUFY ENW PDB HBPUO ON TN.” – YZYYE YXPVBI Puzzle Two Clue: K equals V

Sarasota

HUNDREDS OF COLORS AND STYLES ON SALE NOW!

Puzzle One Clue: L equals C

CARPET

©2018 NEA, Inc.

SUDOKU

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

©2018 Andrews McMeel Syndicate

11-8-18

CLASSIFIEDS

Thursday, November 8, 2018

The East County Observer reserves the right to classify and edit copy, or to reject or cancel an advertisement at any time. Corrections after first insertion only. *All ads are subject to the approval of the Publisher. *It is the responsibility of the party placing any ad for publication in The East County Observer to meet all applicable legal requirements in connection with the ad such as compliance with town codes in first obtaining an occupational license for business, permitted home occupation, or residential rental property.

EARLY DEADLINE NOTICE For the issue of November 22, 2018 THE OBSERVER OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED THANKSGIVING DAY NOVEMBER 22.

EARLY DEADLINE FOR CLASSIFIED ADS IN THE EAST COUNTY OBSERVER WILL BE ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16 @ NOON

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

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

Homes For Sale

Cleaning

Property Management

CLAUDIA C. Cleaning Services. Experienced, Dependable and ready to begin! Residential.

Excellent references. 941-773-6895.

RENTAL MANAGEMENT company taking more seasonal and annual properties.

Improve your rental return.

Call 941-782-1559 or visit: www.choosegulfcoast.com for a free rental appraisal

CLEANING BY Brazilian Lady. Meticulous, reliable, deep cleaning specialist. Residential. Commercial.

New Construction. 941-400-2866.

CLEANING. RESIDENTIAL, Commercial, Construction, Vacation Homes, Resorts, Churches. We take pride in pleasing customers.

941-756-4570.

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

Ad runs 2 consecutive weeks in 1 Observer.

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

COMPUTER/MAC, SMARTPHONE, Tablet repairs, setups, technology consultations, virus removal.

Specializing Seniors/Beginners. On/Off Site. Peg 941-735-3362.

SINGLE FAMILY HOME - BRADENTON 5 Acres, Zoned Light Commercial No Deed Restrictions 3 BED/2 BATH $299,900 Lorna Leduc, RoseBay Int'l 941-928-2639

Vacation/Seasonal Rentals

Flooring STEVE ALLEN FLOORINGS, INC. Professional removal and installation tile, stone, wood and luxury vinyl. All workmanship guaranteed. Over 25 years experience. Fully licensed and insured.

Free Estimates. 941-726-1802.

Home Improvement/ Remodel-

DINING ROOM Chairs: (6), upholstered, turquoise, like new, used one time, $180. 914-772-3580 (New York).

DRESSER: OAK, small, $45. (2) 3-shelf glass end tables, $20/ea. One end table, $10. 518-524-8764.

KITCHENS, BATHROOMS and Flooring. Repairs and remodeling at a fair price. Lic. & Ins. Proudly Working in and around Sarasota and surrounding areas for over 15 years. Call Joe Davis, 941-929-3000.

LOCKSET: NEW, packaged Schlage, bright brass, separate deadbolt set & hall & closet set w/instructions, $60. (941)224-1244.

Adult Care Services

Legal Services

CREDENZA: OAK 48x18x31h, w/built-in outlet, $149. 2/Guitar stands, $22. Walnut wood end table, $29. 941-758-4646.

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

Call Hawley Motors, 941-923-3421.

Garage/Moving/Estate Sales ANNUAL CREEKWOOD Community Wide Yard Sale. Five neighborhoods to participate. Saturday, November 17th, 8a.m.-1p.m., SR70 & Creekwood Blvd. Furniture, small appliances, clothing & toys.

CENTRAL PARK COMMUNITY YARD SALE SAT 11/10/18 8AM-2PM - N of SR 70 off LWR Blvd & Malachite (12150 Forest Park Cir. 34211)

Good Things To Eat

Perfect Solutions For Seniors * Caregivers/Companions * Meal Preparation

* Assistance with Daily Living Activities * Transportation * Hourly 24/7 Care - Affordable Rates * Licensed/ Bonded/ Insured

Phone (941) 809-1438

Puzzle One Solution: “Elections remind us not only of the rights but the responsibilities of citizenship in a democracy.”

– Robert Kennedy Puzzle Two Solution: “Life is like a creek. It kind of meanders along, and you instinctively do the things you are meant to do.”

–Sissy Spacek

This week’s Sudoku answers

SELL IT! 941-955-4888 or classifieds.yourobserver.com

Pet Services

Auto Transport

PROFESSIONAL CAT SITTING: Certified Veterinary Technician serving all of Lakewood Ranch.

20+ Years experience.

E-mail: catladypetsitting@yahoo.com 856-981-2047.

SHIP YOUR car, truck or SUV anywhere in the United States. Great rates, fast quotes. Call Hawley Motors, 941-923-3421.

Cleaning

Thurs. and Fri. 12p.m.-6p.m., Sat. 10p.m.-6p.m.

Extended hours begin 11/23

This week’s Celebrity Cipher answers

DIVORCE * WILLS * EVICTIONS * STARTING AT $65. 1-Signature Divorce or Missing Spouse Divorce! Statewide Since 1992. 1-888-847-1997.

HCS# 231434/234157

classifieds.yourobserver.com

Local fresh fruits, veggies, honey, firewood Fraiser Firs and Holiday Plants.

classifieds.yourobserver.com

CARLO DATTILO PAINTING. Licensed & insured.

Interior/ Exterior painting including drywall repair and retexturing. Wallpaper installation & removal, pressure washing. Residential & commercial, condos. Honest & reliable. Free estimates.

941-744-1020. 35+ years experience.

Place Your Ad Online 24/7

CLAIRE’S PRODUCE AND PLANTS 7275 N. Lockwood Ridge

PLACE YOUR AD ONLINE TODAY

Painting/Wallpapering

FREEZER: 5.0/CU.FT., works good, $50. Call 941360-2106.

LAWNMOWER: HUSQVARNA HU700F AutoWalk, $175. (941)727-9388.

SOFA CHAIR: all leather with foot stool, good cond., $55 for both. Call 941-306-5582.

GET RESULTS!

Computer Services

UPSCALE 2BR/2BA, w/den, condo, 1st floor, lake view, turnkey furnished, garage, clubhouse, pool, Jacuzzi, fitness center, barbecue kitchen, gated community. 3 months minimum between Dec. - Mar., $3000. per mo. Inclusive. Call Billy 941-915-9212.

PILATES REFORMER XP Premier: includes DVD, wall chart of exercises, very good cond., $75.

941-256-5168.

LV9431

INFO & RATES: 941-955-4888 • Fax: 941-362-4808 • EMAIL: classified@yourobserver.com • ONLINE: classifieds.yourobserver.com HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 8:30am-4pm • DEADLINES: Classifieds - Monday at Noon • Service Directory - Friday at 3pm • PAYMENT: Cash, Check or Credit Card

BLUE FISH Cleaning Inc. 941-705-3812. Insured, Bonded. Affordable reliable home cleaning, $80, 2 cleaners, 2 hours.

BRAZILIAN CLEANING Service by Maria.

Residential. Meticulous Cleaning. Excellent References. Free Estimates. Reliable. Lic./Ins. 941-400-3342.

©2018 NEA, Inc.

This week’s Crossword answers

Pools POOL SERVICE - FALL SPECIAL FROM $65/MO. New customers only. Reliable, affordable weekly pool service by certified owner. Hundreds of satisfied customers, many testimonials. SAVE MONEY WITH THIS AD. Call now, Blissful Pools, 941-705-0400.

Pressure Cleaning AUTHORITY ONE SERVICES. Residential, Commercial and Construction Cleaning. Also available, power washing and windows. Call 941-251-5948.

2018

FIND WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR IN

OBSERVER CLASSIFIEDS

TO ADVERTISE TODAY CALL 941-955-4888 OR VISIT

CLASSIFIEDS.YOUROBSERVER.COM

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

23B

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

|

HOME SERVICES

AMEROVENT

PET SERVICES

Country Canine Makeovers Dog grooMing

www.amerovent.net

DRYER VENT CLEANING SPECIALISTS

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

941-705-5468

Residential

“Specializing in 6” Seamless Gutters”

KITCHEN/BATH REMODELING

288549

CABINET MAKING

Douglas | 941.405.5615 | Over 1 5 Years Experience

SAFE ROOF CLEANING

235

$

INC.

BIODEGRADABLE PRODUCTS

www.drgrabbars.com

THE GRAB BAR GUY

www.themastercabinetmaker.com

CLEANING

10 % SAVINGS

GLENN KROECKER

$25.00 OFF HOME CLEANING (941) 952-5843

FREE Dry Clean military uniform, Police uniform and American flag.

Thank you for your service EXPIRES 11/15/18

PICK-UP & DELIVERY SERVICE

All work done on premise and next day service

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

Snapper 360Z Zero Turn Mower - Haul dirt, carry tools and flowers, and of course, cut the grass with this commercially-inspired mower.

From $3199.

941-626-3194

Licensed & Insured CCC - 058059 CBC - 1253936

www.smallenginerepairs.us Small Engine Repairs, 5002 Lena Road, Unit 107, Bradenton, 34211

DOORS

289780

Bisson Roofing Inc.

MOVERS

Sliding Glass Door Repair

David McCarthy Moving

Specializing in Reroofs and Repairs FREE Estimates • 30 Years Experience

...will move anything from a couch to a household

“FIX IT - DON’T REPLACE”

941-704-4278

dmccarthymoving@gmail.com

• • • •

941 - 748 - 7400

Local And Long Distance Movers Residential Moves Commercial Moves Pack, Crate & Wrap

Financing Available • RC0067420 • Lic. & Ins.

www.davidmccarthymoving.com

Owner Supervises Every Job

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

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

287068

PAINTING

LAKEWOOD RANCH PAINTING

• Interior & Exterior Painting & Wallcovering • Full Service Interior Design & Color Selection Assistance • Over 30 Years Experience Need a Referral? Matt Arndt, Owner Call today for Ask a Neighbor!

MrHandyman.com Agner’s Handyman Specializing in Closets & Garage Storage

941.587.8093

www.agnershandyman.wix.com/handyman

See everything Mr. Handyman® can do around your home at

Warranties

Res./Com. ndow & Pressure Clea Lic./Ins. et Wi nin s n wn as Sunrise Win g Su erly kno d (941) 345-5264 Form Serving Longboat Key Since 2005 ows

Complete Interior & Exterior Painting

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

DEAD ON TARGET

• Kitchen Pantry •Attic Access Ladders 288550

• Walk-in Closets • Reach-in Closets

Manufacture and workmanship

The Observer Service Directory Call 955-4888 to reserve your space

UP TO

287067

See everything Mr. Handyman® can do around your home at

WINDOWS

Doors and more!

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

120

WINDOWS $ 25STANDARD

INCLUDING SCREENS, TRACKS, MIRRORS & FANS

SPECIAL $500 senior citizen discount.

www.sunsetwindowcleaningsrq.com

LV10366

See everything Mr. Handyman® can do around your home at MrHandyman.com

specialty screens / screw replacement / paint

a FREE estimate!

UNIQUE PAINTING & PRESSURE WASHING SERVICES 289768

Call Mr. Handyman 941.777.3344

941-345-5264

287048

a neighborly company

941-726-7077

www.bissonroofing.com

SCREENING

288517

287044

HANDYMAN

21

LV10321

941-739-5102

287939

Creekwood Crossing Plaza (SR70 & off I-75)

Bradenton, FL, 34203 | 941.755.9119

Call 955-4888 to reserve your space

Kenneth Fuhlman Inc.

SMALL ENGINE REPAIRS

HAPPY VETERANS DAY

WORKS FOR YOU ROOFING

LAWN CARE

DRY CLEAN America

With this ad

287936

www.WiseBird.com

(cell) 780-3346 Licensed & Insured

287595

An additional $25 will be applied to a second cleaning within 30 days. A $50 VALUE! Order home cleaning ONLINE at:

954-1878

Purified water window cleaning available!!

Call Tibor for FREE ESTIMATES | 941- 284 - 5880

MrHandyman.com

WE MAKE IT EASY TO PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIED AD

See everything Mr. Handyman® can do around your home at

MrHandyman.com

288553

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

289778

Palmetto

Pressure Cleaning & Soft Washing Residential and Commercial

DIRECTORY

290086

Truly Custom Cabinets made in Palmetto, FL Design and Remodeling • Custom Countertops Custom special cabinets for mobile homes

•

SERVICE

941-966-0333

288513

Licensed • Bonded • Insured • Certified Residential & Commercial

Like Us on Facebook

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

Houses | Cages | Decks Driveways | Sidewalks

COMPLETE 2 Moen Stainless Steel Anti Slip INSTALLATION Includes Consealed Screw Grab Bars (16” & 24”) PACKAGE Additional Grab Bars Needed, Same type in bathroom $100 each Drilling charges may apply for marble, granite or porcelain.

CABINET MAKER

941-723-0278

ABRACADABRA PRESSURE CLEANING

LIFETIME GUARANTEE Installed Within in 24-Hours COUPON REQUIRED

287066

The Master

KEEP YOUR INDEPENDENCE!

POWER WASHING

288554

941.650.9790 YoderAluminum.com

Owner / Operator Insured

287940

Cindy Wells 941-928-2168

288551

Dustin Yoder

Commercial

Call for appointment

Located off of SR 70 E. 1 mile North on Verna Bethany Rd. 7804 Barr Road Myakka City, FL 34251

Are You Having Dryer Difficulties?

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

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

287941

ALUMINUM

LV9459

SERVICE DIRECTORY

CALL 941.955.4888 OR VISIT CLASSIFIEDS.YOUROBSERVER.COM

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018

F I N A L LY FO U N D STUNNING DESIGN. INSIDE & OUT.

5

PREMIER BUILDERS

FEATURING FIVE OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA’S PREMIER BUILDERS: Anchor Builders • Arthur Rutenberg-Nelson Homes • Lee Wetherington Homes • London Bay Homes • Nutter Custom Construction

L DE O M

Y AIL D PEN O S

Along with our Robert Trent Jones, Jr. golf course, discover the luxurious variety of homes like so many others have. Just minutes from Sarasota’s cultural hub and beaches, The Founders Club is where it all comes together. And lasts a lifetime.

HOME + HOMESITE PACKAGES

FROM THE $900s Sales Center just 3 miles east of I-75 on Fruitville Road (exit 210)

941.404.3107 | 3001 FOUNDERS CLUB DRIVE, SARASOTA | VisitFoundersClub.com 289398-1

24B