East County Observer 2.9.23

YOUR TOWN

County administrator chooses to resign

A classic drive back to the 1980s

River Club’s Bob Dydo took a Wednesday drive into the past at the Classic Car Show held on Main Street at Lakewood Ranch on Feb. 1.

Dydo purchased the DMC DeLorean, the same model featured in the Back to the Future films, in February of 1981 from a Maryland car dealership while he was living in Washington D.C.

When the first film debuted in 1985, he was pleased to see the car, of which only 9,000 units were manufactured, in a starring role.

“It was enjoyable. There was an element of ownership to it,” he said. He said although he would sometimes take the car to running events he raced in around the Lincoln Monument and Jefferson Memorial, it increasingly stayed in his garage over the years.

“I take it out every now and then and run it, just to keep the juices going,” he said.

Honored to meet the author

Waterlefe’s Jan Hooten lined up and patiently waited her turn to get her book signed.

Hooten was excited to meet author Mamta Chaudhry, who wrote “Haunting Paris” and was the guest author during the Literary Society at Waterlefe’s author luncheon Feb. 4.

“It was great,” Hooten said of the luncheon. “(Chaudhry) is funny and very interesting. I loved the book and had fun reading it. It was a wonderful experience meeting her.”

Members of the literary society, which includes about 10 book clubs in Waterlefe Golf and River Club, gathered for the luncheon to hear from Chaudhry during a moderated discussion as well as participate in the raffle that benefited G.D. Rogers Garden-Bullock Elementary School.

Lyanna Gaytan, 1, enjoys the groundbreaking for the new home site in Sapphire Point that was awarded to her dad, disabled Army Sgt. Lucio Gaytan. Liz Ramos Myakka City’s Lynn Meder, who founded Myakka Co-op, sells jewelry at the event Feb. 4. She created the co-op to bring the community together while giving local artists an opportunity to sell their work and support local nonprofits.

Ian Swaby

Liz Ramos

A hero’s welcome

Retired Army Sgt. Lucio Gaytan said his physical condition left him feeling like “I was gone” after 22 years of military service.

“I lost my identity,” said Gaytan, who retired from the Army in 2018 due to severe spinal injuries. “It was hard to move on medically.”

Due to the PulteGroup’s Built to Honor program, which included a partnership with Building Homes for Heroes and Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, Gaytan will be able to move on.

Or better said, move in.

On Feb. 3 at Sapphire Point of Lakewood Ranch, Gaytan and his

family were welcomed to their future mortgage-free home with a parade and ceremony. More than 300 people were in attendance to line the parade route and welcome Gaytan, who had been living in Ruskin, to his new community.

The ceremony ended with a groundbreaking, but Gaytan said he hasn’t been given a move-in date yet.

Gaytan lived in Imperial Beach, California, when he joined the military in 1996. In 2005, he was injured during a parachute jump while training for deployment to Afghanistan.

He still went on his deployment and served the rest of his Army career despite herniated discs, a degenerative disc disease, a lumbar sacral injury and spinal stenosis.

Medical procedures have not

LOCAL SALUTE

Who: Retired U.S. Army Sergeant Lucio Gaytan

What: Presented a mortgagefree home from the PulteGroup’s Built to Honor program

Where: Sapphire Point of Lakewood Ranch

About Sgt. Gaytan: Injured in a parachute jump in 2005; still served 13 more years in the military

Injuries during his service: Herniated discs, a degenerative disc disease, a lumbar sacral injury, spinal stenosis, traumatic brain injury

Family: Wife Ivette, and their two children 1-year-old Lyanna and 5-year-old Lucious

stopped his chronic pain from his back or from other injuries suffered in the parachute jump. He has been able to participate in adapted sports, such as wheelchair basketball and football.

Those in Sapphire Point will be getting a new neighbor who has earned a Bronze Star, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and several other medals.

“You can rest assured that you are moving to a community that will embrace you and support you,” said Laura Cole, a senior vice president of SMR. “We will be there for you.”

Cole said he can be assured that Lakewood Ranch will be honored to be referred to as Gaytan’s home.

Rep. Tommy Gregory, District 73, told Gaytan, “You have shown the world there are things worth fighting for.”

Gregory looked around at the huge crowd which surrounded the home site.

“We have come to pay tribute to the sacrifices that you and your family have made,” said Gregory, a 20-year U.S. Air Force veteran who retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.

Manatee County Commissioner Vanessa Baugh said Gaytan gives the people of America, and Manatee County, a great example of what it means to be a good American.

“You truly have done that,” Baugh said. “You give us hope. We can’t thank you enough for what you have done ... No way.”

Retired U.S. Marines Sgt. Geoffrey Heath, who received a mortgage-free home in 2016 from Operation Finally Home, said such a home is a major game-changer.

Heath, who was hit by enemy ricochet fire in the legs and helmet in Ramadi, Iraq in 2005 and struck by

an improvised explosive device in Marjah, Afghanistan in 2008, said transitioning back to civilian life has been hard for him.

“By the Grace of God organizations like this exist,” he said of the Built to Honor and Operation Finally Home programs. “Though the war is over, it’s not over for us.

“I had been out of the Marines 10 years, and I didn’t think things would get better.”

But he was there to tell Gaytan that things would get better in his new home.

“I hope you will have as much love, and as many laughs, as we have had in our home,” he said Gaytan. Gaytan is looking forward to his new home with his wife Ivette, and their two children 1-year-old Lyanna and 5-year-old Lucious. He called his wife of 10 years his hero.

Ivette Gaytan expects their everyday life will get a major boost from the mortgage-free home.

“I believe this will take a lot of the stress off,” Ivette Gaytan said of her family’s new home. “It gives us a peace of mind.”

Gaytan said neurosurgeons have been working to ease his constant pain, but haven’t come up with any new suggestions.

“We’re in limbo,” he said.

On Feb. 3, though, he was all smiles as he watched Lyanna and Lucious playing in the dirt of his future home site.

PulteGroup’s Built to Honor Program, launched in 2013, has built more than 75 mortgage-free homes throughout the U.S.

Pulte, Building Homes for Heroes, and SMR combine to honor veteran who suffered serious injuries in a parachute jump.

SMR’s Laura Cole, Pulte’s Josh Graeve, Ivette, Lyanna, Lucious, and retired Army Sgt. Lucio Gaytan, Pulte’s Wes Copeland and Building Homes for Heroes’ Cody Brannon break ground for the Gaytans’ new home at Sapphire Point Feb. 3 in Lakewood Ranch.

Photos by Jay Heater

Retired Army Sgt. Lucio Gaytan is welcomed to Lakewood Ranch by Dave Daily of VFW Braden River Post 12055.

WHAT DO YOU SEEK IN A SUPERINTENDENT?

The School Board of Manatee County conducts surveys, hosts community forums to see what the public wants

LIZ RAMOS SENIOR EDITOR

Strong leader? Goal oriented? Good communicator?

Those might be a few of the top priorities being sought in the next leader of the School District of Manatee County.

Throughout February, the School Board of Manatee County will have an online survey available as well as in-person forums with the community and district employees to hear what they want to see in the next superintendent.

The survey, which is posted on ManateeSchools.net, will give residents an opportunity to share their thoughts on the most important qualities such as leadership and instructional excellence.

The survey also will ask residents to give feedback on business, finance, operations, community relations, and performance accountability among other items. The survey will also ask what people think are the most significant strengths of the district and what they think are the biggest challenges.

Ultimately, the board will come together March 3 during a school board workshop to discuss the survey results and community forums that are being held to determine the qualifications for the next superintendent.

OVERCROWDING ISSUES

In East County, one of the biggest issues parents are hoping the next superintendent will address is overcrowding in schools. Nine East County schools are at least 80% capacity for the 2022-2023 school year. Lakewood Ranch High School is over capacity by 594 students, and B.D. Gullett Elementary School is over capacity by 184 students this school year.

“The overcrowding of certain schools has made the option to do school choice nearly impossible in this county,” said Stephanie DePasquale, who has three daughters in high school. “My hope for a new superintendent is that he or she will make it a top priority to get back to a time when families had a choice.”

Greenbrook’s Crystal Rothhaar, who has a seventh grader at R. Dan Nolan Middle School and a fifth grader at Robert E. Willis Elementary School, also hopes the next superintendent can find a way to evenly distribute students among schools, especially in East County.

She said Nolan Middle School had to decrease the number of programs it was offering this year because there aren’t enough students enrolled at the school to provide the proper staffing for the programs.

“It’s going to become more of an issue because as more houses are built in East County, they are going to have to take a close look at the number of schools and how the schools are zoned,” Rothhaar said. “When you don’t have enough kids, you lose teacher spots. When you lose teacher

COMMUNITY FORUMS

The School Board of Manatee County, in partnership with Florida School Board Association, is hosting community forums to receive input on what characteristics and qualities people want to see in the next superintendent.

n 6-7 p.m. Feb. 15 in the media center at Palmetto High School, 1200 17th St. W., Palmetto

n 6-7 p.m. Feb. 21 in the media center at Manatee High School, 902 33rd St. Ct. W., Bradenton

n 6-7 p.m. Feb. 22 in the cafeteria at Parrish Community High School, 7505 Fort Hamer Road, Parrish (Available virtually via Microsoft Teams. For more information, visit ManateeSchools.net)

n 6-7 p.m. Feb. 23 in the media center at Braden River High School, 6545 State Road 70 E., Bradenton

SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH TIMELINE

JAN. 30-FEB. 24

Window for online and key community member surveys and forums with the public and school district employees

MARCH 3

School Board of Manatee County workshop to discuss survey results and community forums, determine qualifications, qualities and characteristics, salary range, length of contract and more

MARCH 10

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MARCH 31

School board workshop to discuss the applicant screening process for selecting semifinalists

APRIL 10

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APRIL 14

School board workshop to identify semi-finalists

APRIL 24

Florida School Board Association receives responses from semi-finalists for the board

Board member

spots, you lose things like electives and more opportunities for higher level classes.”

Rothhaar hopes the next superintendent also can expand on the opportunities for gifted students.

She said Cynthia Saunders, the current superintendent, has done a great job with bringing new programs to the county, such as the Guy Harvey Academy at Anna Maria Island or the animatronics lab at Nolan Middle School that was made possible through Garner Holt Education through Imagination.

“(The animatronics program) is awesome and gives an opportunity for kids to do a national level program,” Rothhaar said. “I’m hoping there will be more opportunities like that. Sarasota, for example, has a lot of gifted magnet schools. There are no opportunities like that, especially in East County. Right now, if you’re advocating for gifted learners, you have to go to Sarasota or drive to west Bradenton, which is difficult.”

As the new superintendent takes over, Rothhaar and DePasquale are hoping for transparency, good com-

APRIL 28

Workshop to identify finalists

MAY 10

Out-of-area finalists arrive in Manatee County

MAY 11 AND 12

On-site interviews for finalists are conducted

MAY 16

Special School Board of Manatee County meeting to select the new superintendent and begin contract negotiations

MAY 23

School board meeting to approve the new superintendent’s contract

MAY 24

Transition period begins for the new superintendent and Cynthia Saunders, the current superintendent

JULY 1

Anticipated start date for the new superintendent

munication and that the superintendent will put the best interest of students ahead of any agenda.

“One of the great things about the superintendent we have now is if you send her an email, she’s going to email you back the same day or very soon thereafter,” Rothhaar said. “It’s important to have a superintendent who’s responsive, who cares about what the parents think and their concerns and takes them into consideration when making decisions. The parents want to feel like they’re heard.”

EDUCATION OR FINANCE BACKGROUND?

Each of the members of the School Board of Manatee County have their own thoughts on the qualities and characteristics of the next leader of the district.

Board members Mary Foreman and Chad Choate said they want to have a superintendent with strong communication with the community and district employees.

Board members differ on what type of background they would like the superintendent to have, such as a background in education or finance.

Choate and board member Gina Messenger said they want a superintendent with an education background.

Board member Cindy Spray also wants a leader with an education background, especially experience with kindergarten through third or fourth grade. She wants a superintendent who will help the district continue its climb up the state rankings.

“You can build all the pretty buildings in the district you want, but we have to build minds and not just buildings,” Spray said.

Foreman said as long as someone is a strong leader, they can use their staff to provide guidance on the educational, financial and other aspects of the districts.

“I was trying to decide whether you want somebody who has the finance background or the education background,” Foreman said. “If you have a really strong leader with those skills, they can effectively hire the No. 2 under them to handle those functions. If you’re a good manager, you delegate, and that’s where the communication skills come in.”

Spray wants the superintendent to have a business, educational and financial sense.

“We have a huge budget,” she said. “I want to look for a superintendent who can help us reduce cost as well and get our teachers’ pay off of a ballot and into our general fund.”

Choate wants someone familiar with Florida education funding and the Florida education standards.

Tatem said he wants a superintendent who is patriotic as well as focused on “educating the heads and the hearts of children so they’re ready to be good American citizens.”

GET INVOLVED

To fill out the survey, visit ManateeSchools.net and click on the “Superintendent Search” tab.

Above left to right: Rick Mills served as the superintendent of the School District of Manatee County from March 2013 to May 2015. Diana Greene served as the superintendent of the School District of Manatee County from May 2015 to May 2018. Cynthia Saunders has been the superintendent of the School District of Manatee County since June 2018.

most.

“I want to look for a superintendent who can help us reduce cost as well and get our teachers’ pay off of a ballot and into our general fund.”

Cindy Spray

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Commissioner’s DUI trial postponed

Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse’s Feb. 8 trial for driving under the influence has been postponed as a state prosecutor has appealed a ruling by Circuit Court Judge Erika Quartermaine to exclude body camera audio from the scene of the April 20 accident.

Quartermaine ruled on Jan. 18 statements made by Kruse and recorded by Lt. Nicholas Pruitt at the GreyHawk Boulevard scene of the accident were inadmissible.

The 12th Judicial Circuit Court judge also ruled that the body camera video, without the audio, could be presented as evidence during Kruse’s trial, as well as an automated 911 call made by Kruse’s vehicle. The trial was scheduled at the Manatee County Judicial Center.

According to documents filed with the Manatee County Clerk of Court, Quartermaine granted the state the right to appeal her previous ruling.

Court documents by Quartermaine cited section 924.071 of the Florida Statutes, which provides the state the right to appeal a pretrial order that suppresses evidence.

Quartermaine had agreed with Kruse’s attorney, Jeffrey Haynes, that presenting Kruse’s audio statements would violate his right against self-incrimination, as Kruse had not been read the Miranda warning prior to being questioned at the scene of the crash.

Darlene Ragoonanan, a state

prosecutor, requested the appeal on Jan. 31.

Quartermaine cited the Florida Supreme Court and also wrote that the State Statutes, specifically 316.066, were clear that Kruse’s statements were protected regardless of veracity.

“Had the Legislature intended to protect only true statements, it would have said so, and the reference to self-incrimination would not have been included. Therefore, the court need not look past the plain language of the statute,” she wrote.

No new date has been set until the Second District Court of Appeals makes its decision on Ragoonanan’s appeal.

Vanessa Baugh elected to transportation post

Manatee County District 5 Commissioner Vanessa Baugh was elected as the new chair of the Metropolitan Planning Organization Advisory Council on Jan. 31.

Baugh oversees the Lakewood Ranch area as the Manatee County District 5 commissioner. She has been a member of MPOAC for the past five years and vice chair for the past three years.

The MPOAC is a transportation planning and policy organization created by the Florida Legislature to enhance cooperative transportation planning among local Metropolitan Planning Organizations by serving as a forum for collective policy discussion, according to Manatee County release.

“It is an honor to take on the chairwoman position,” Baugh said in the release. “I look forward to leading the council in a forward direction with its future endeavors.”

The organization is made up of a governing board of 27 members including local elected officials, some of whom serve on a staff director’s advisory committee.

The release said the MPOAC actively participates in the activities of the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations and the National Association of Regional Councils, and it works with other stakeholder groups.

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Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse’s DUI trial has been postponed.

Scott Hopes out as Manatee County administrator

The embattled administrator, who was hired in May 2021, had reorganized the face of Manatee County’s government.

JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR

Manatee County Administrator

Scott Hopes said in November that he was done reorganizing the county’s government structure.

On Feb. 7, he was simply done.

During an emergency Manatee County Commission meeting, a separation agreement between Hopes and the county was approved by commissioners.

Hopes, who was earning $215,000 a year, walked out the door with 120 days of severance pay and an additional six months of health benefits.

It ended a rocky 22 months in the county’s top governmental role in which many of the county’s top administrators resigned under pressure.

In a December 2021 interview, District 5 Commissioner Vanessa Baugh said Hopes had done a great job after “stepping into a hornet’s nest.”

In May 2022, Baugh wrote a op-ed column in the East County Observer, defending Hopes. She wrote:

“While 593 employees left the county in the 14 months since Scott Hopes took over as administrator, only 243 of those resigned. A look at HR records from the previous 14 months shows 426 people parted ways with the county, with 141 resignations and 58 quitting, and giving less than two weeks’ notice.

“Also, since the new administration took over, 815 positions within Manatee County Government have been filled, including 473 new employees, five dozen re-hires and 166 promotions.”

Baugh wrote that Manatee Coun-

ty had hired “a new administrator to help shepherd us through this important period of change.”

Hopes had replaced Cheri Coryea, who was fired in March 2021. Coryea was a veteran county employee who was well-liked. By May 2021, the commissioners took the “interim” wording off Hopes’ title and reneged on a promise to perform a national job search.

Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, the Manatee County Commission chair, confirmed at approximately noon on Feb. 7 that Hopes and the county had chosen to part ways. An emergency meeting of county commissioners was called for 2 p.m. that day to name Lee Washington, the county’s director of community and veterans services, as the interim administrator and to approve Hopes’ separation agreement.

Hopes was present on the fifth floor of the Manatee County Administration building as commissioners took turns praising his tenure.

Baugh praised Hopes’ actions as administrator, especially calling attention to his response to the Piney Point disaster when he was an interim administrator.

“I remember working with you very closely on that, and you acted like you had already been here 10 or 15 years — you stepped right into it,” Baugh said. “I think that you have great potential in anything that you set your mind to do, and it’s been an honor working with you.”

But his tenure had its ups and downs.

Manatee County commissioners had voted 4-3 on May 24, 2022 to extend Hopes’ contract even though three of the commissioners — Misty Servia, Reggie Bellamy and Carol

LET’S DO WELL TOGETHER

Bishop and Robert Reinshuttle — had been overwhelmed with projects.

On Jan. 10, commissioners voted 6-1 to rescind the confirmation of Teitelbaum as deputy county administrator in the wake of an allegation of sexual harassment filed with the county’s human resources department against Teitelbaum in December.

Whitmore, all of whom are no longer on the board — had voted against an extension and asked that Hopes be put on paid leave to investigate charges against him made by Manatee County Clerk Angel Colonesso.

Colonesso said Hopes had mismanaged staff and abused his office.

Four of the commissioners disagreed. He was given a raise to $215,000 and his current contract runs through September.

After being hired in 2021, Hopes immediately began reorganizing the county’s government and in November announced that process had been completed with the hiring of Mitchell Teitelbaum to be his fourth and final deputy administrator. Before Hopes’ hiring, Manatee County utilized two deputy administrators.

Hopes said at the time that the county’s three deputy administrators — Courtney De Pol, Charles

Teitelbaum had previously informed the county he was not going to take the new position. Communication issues between the administrator and commissioners began to arise and a commissioners’ workshop had been scheduled to discuss Hopes’ goals and objectives, along with the direction of the county.

Washington also was present at the emergency meeting.

“I can’t say enough about how thankful I am for your confidence, not only in me, but as you can see, in those who stand with me,” Washington said, addressing commissioners. “We stand united, and moving forward, in ensuring that we carry out the priorities set by this board, we also want to state as as a team that we want to ensure that staff understand that we will always ensure that they have the tools and resources to be effective, and we look forward to the challenge.”

County Attorney William Clague said an official vote on Hopes’ separation agreement will take place at the Feb. 14 commission meeting. Staff Writer Ian Swaby contributed to this story.

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File photo

Manatee County Administrator Scott Hopes resigned Jan. 7 after less than two years in his post.

“I think that you have great potential in anything that you set your mind to do, and it’s been an honor working with you.”

Commissioner Vanessa Baugh

Substation opens soon

Manatee County Sheriff’s Office will open a substation at Rangeland Boulevard and Lakewood Ranch Boulevard.

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

As planning continues for a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office substation at Premier Park in Lakewood Ranch, Sheriff Rick Wells said there is currently a need for a strong law enforcement presence in East County. That need had been filled by a temporary substation at the corner of Lorraine Road and State Road 70. However, that building had to be vacated in March 2022 because of a leaking roof and mold.

Wells said his department would reestablish that presence by opening a new substation at the corner of Rangeland Parkway and Lakewood Ranch Boulevard. The Sheriff’s Office will lease a 2,000-squarefoot building from Schroeder-Manatee Ranch that had served as the Lakewood Ranch Information Center until its closing in 2019. It also was used temporarily as the home of the Brain Health Initiative.

“We’re moving pretty quickly now,” Wells said about occupying the former information center. “We think this is going to work.”

Randy Warren, the Manatee Sheriff’s Office public information officer, said the target date to open the new building to the public is March 1.

Wells said the growth in East County makes a Sheriff’s substation in Lakewood Ranch vital.

“Whatever happens, as far as a brand-new building (in Manatee County for the Sheriff’s Office), it has to be in the Lakewood Ranch area,” he said.

Warren said a new substation at Premier Park isn’t likely to be completed until late 2024 at the earliest.

NEW SUBSTATION

What: New Manatee County Sheriff’s Office substation in Lakewood Ranch

Where: 11506 Rangeland Parkway

Opens: March 1 (tentative)

Did you know: The new substation is occupying the building that previously housed the Lakewood Ranch Information Center

Wells said the plan is that the Premier Park facility would be located beside the Lakewood Ranch Library, which currently is under construction at the corner of Rangeland Parkway and Uihlein Road.

Manatee County Spokesman Bill Logan said a Premier Park substation has yet to be approved by coun-

ty commissioners. Manatee County owns the land at Premier Park. Wells said the Manatee County Commission has been supportive of the needs of his office.

“They understand that we have to be more accessible, and we have to be in the areas of growth,” Wells said of the commissioners.

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office has three district offices, two in west Bradenton and one just northwest of the I-75 and State Road 64 interchange. Wells said a substation would be adequate to serve the area, as well as more compatible due to the neighborhood surroundings. However, Wells did say plans for the substation at Premier Park have increased to 5,000 square feet to house more personnel.

Wells said the goal is for the building to be hurricane-rated.

Until then, Wells expects the temporary substation to work well with

the community. He said it will give the area residents greater public access to a deputy, as well as providing a location where deputies can report to fill out reports so they are not too far removed from their service area.

A deputy will occupy the front desk during normal business hours.

Traffic deputies, range deputies, and agricultural deputies will report to that location, Wells said.

Having less time to drive to a district office will allow the deputies to have a greater presence in Lakewood Ranch area neighborhoods.

Although it does take time for construction of Sheriff’s Office facilities to keep up with the tremendous surge in population, Wells said things are going in the right direction.

“I’m very fortunate to have people at the county who understand the need to build these facilities and to get us in a location where we can better help the citizens,” he said.

Swaby

The new substation will be located at 11506 Rangeland Parkway, which used to be the Lakewood Ranch Information Center.

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Residents say we lack the axe

Axe-throwing establishment among the additions residents would like to see in Lakewood Ranch.

LIZ RAMOS SENIOR EDITOR

Shoreview’s Suzi McQueary peered inside Crop Juice on Lakefront Drive in Waterside Place.

She was looking for a menu to see if they had gluten-free options as well as smoothies.

With the nearest Smoothie King on State Road 70, McQueary was looking for an alternative place to go for smoothies.

“I love Smoothie King,” she said. “Smoothies are a good breakfast alternative.”

As the greater Lakewood Ranch area continues to grow, people are curious to see if some of their favorite businesses will make their way to the area.

Joe Liebenrood hopes to see more restaurants and businesses, not only in Lakewood Ranch, but closer to his home at Oasis. He likes that businesses, such as Slim Chickens, have opened at State Road 70 and Lorraine Road, but he wants even more options.

“There’s not a lot on the east side of town,” he said. “We want to see more sit-down type restaurants.”

Woodleaf Hammock’s Kelly Harmon also is looking for more locally owned, sit-down restaurants, on State Road 64. She gave as an example the Owen’s Fish Camp that will open soon on University Parkway in Lakewood Ranch. She said she’s tired of seeing chain restaurants and wants to be able to support local businesses closer to her home.

“They’re starting to gradually build, but they’re putting in the same things,” Harmon said. “I want something different. No chains.”

Lakewood Ranch residents and those who work or visit Lakewood Ranch shared what they would like to see added to the community.

LOCALLY OWNED RESTAURANTS

Esplanade’s Lori and David Scherba want to see more locally owned restaurants in Lakewood Ranch. They’d love to see Kacey’s Seafood, which has a location on Fruitville Road,

come to Lakewood Ranch because they love their food. The Scherbas are looking forward to Owen’s Fish Camp opening a second location at Center Point. The restaurant is expected to open in March.

CAR WASHES

Lakewood Ranch’s Connie Reiser wants a car wash closer to her home off Lorraine Road and State Road 70, even though several are available on State Road 64. McQueary wants a car wash near her new community in Waterside as well. Woodie’s Wash Shack is being constructed at the intersection of State Road 70 and Silver Palm Boulevard, so Reiser is getting her wish.

ASIAN FOOD

With the desire for more restaurants and businesses in Parrish, Vickey Betts regularly travels to Lakewood Ranch for more restaurant options. But she said she would love more Chinese, Thai or Japanese food options in the northern parts of Lakewood Ranch.

BOWLING

Greenbrook’s Richard Greene is an avid bowler, but without a bowling alley close to Lakewood Ranch, he hasn’t bowled as much in the last 10 years. The closest bowling alleys are 30-minute drives to either Cortez Road in Bradenton or downtown Sarasota.

AXE THROWING

When Greenbrook’s Nancy Pfaadt and her husband, Gerald Risen, were living in Kentucky, they loved going to an axe throwing facility. They would throw axes for a while before grabbing a beer at the bar.

“Beer and axes, what could go wrong?” Risen said with a laugh.

Pfaadt said ax throwing is a fun activity that is out of the norm.

THEATER

After Schroeder-Manatee Ranch terminated its agreement with the Players Centre for Performing Arts to build a theater complex in Waterside Place, some residents are still hoping that a theater could be in Lakewood Ranch’s future.

Pfaadt and Risen would love to have theater performances in Lakewood Ranch so they don’t have to travel to Sarasota to see a play or musical.

“We just love the arts,” Pfaadt said.

ITALIAN FOOD

Sarasota’s Doreen and Jeff Dooney head over to Lakewood Ranch at least once per week to attend Ranch Nite Wednesdays at Waterside Place.

Doreen Dooney isn’t a big fan of food trucks and wants to have more fine dining options available at Waterside. She would love to see an Italian restaurant. Osteria 500, an Italian restaurant with a wood burning oven and cocktail bar-lounge, is expected to open this spring.

MORE FITNESS CENTERS

Lorraine Lakes’ Linda Davitt has been searching for a gym that fits her needs. Before she moved to Lakewood Ranch, her gym was Lifetime Fitness.

“The quality of that gym is so awesome,” she said. “If they put one in Lakewood Ranch, people would be so happy. If they had a Lifetime Fitness, I’d be good.”

BARBECUE

Harmon, who moved to Lakewood Ranch from Kansas, has been searching for the best barbecue. She wants a taste of home with Kansas City barbecue.

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Shoreview’s Suzi McQueary and her mother, Chris Bauman, who is visiting from Illinois, look at what Crop Juice has to offer. McQueary is looking for business with good smoothies.

Esplanade’s Lori and David Scherba want to see more locally owned restaurants and businesses in Lakewood Ranch.

Woodleaf Hammock’s Kelly Harmon wants to see more locally owned businesses and restaurants near State Road 64. She’d also love a restaurant with Kansas City barbecue.

Parrish’s Vicky Betts wants to see a bigger variety of food options in the Lakewood Ranch area. She’d love to see more options for Chinese, Japanese or Thai food.

Greenbrook’s Gerald Risen and his wife, Nancy Pfaadt, would love to see an axe-throwing facility, performing arts theater and museum in Lakewood Ranch.

Giving grows at Lake Club

It was seven months ago when Barbara Najmy predicted that it would only be a couple of years until the Lake Club Women’s Giving Circle could give as much as $30,000 a year.

In 2022, the Lake Club Women’s Giving Circle gave out $42,630. Girls gone wild.

The rapid growth not only has caught Najmy — who in 2019 was named the John John Clarke Humanitarian of the Year Award winner with her husband Joseph — by surprise, it has overwhelmed her.

A Realtor who has a lot of professional and family irons in the fire, Najmy is trying to comprehend the rapid growth of the giving circle she founded in 2014. It now has grown to 125 members, an impressive number considering you have to live in the Lake Club to be a member and there are less than 500 occupied homes there.

If the Lake Club Women’s Giving Circle, which is under the auspices of the Manatee County Community Foundation, is going to ascend to greater heights, Najmy isn’t worried that she will have to drive the bus.

Currently the board chair and president, Najmy said the group will do just fine if she eventually take a smaller role.

“I always will be the founder,” she said. “But I never imagined we would reach a level where we needed boards, chairs, subcommittees, committee chairs, vice chairs.”

It’s all OK, because Najmy knows the giving circle has plenty of young talent with more on the way.

With such enthusiasm, the Lake Club Giving Circle is looking at hosting four major events a year, with the first in 2023 being the Gals, Galentine’s and Gratitude event 4:30-6:30 p.m. Feb. 16 at the Clive Daniel Home showroom, 3055 Fruitville Commons Blvd., Sarasota.

The event is billed to “sip, shop and toast to the power of women.” Najmy emphasized while the

event will raise funds for charity, that isn’t the main goal of the mixer.

She said the top goal of the Lake Club Women’s Giving Circle is to empower women.

One definition of empower is to “make someone stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their life and claiming their rights.”

I am not sure if empowerment is in short supply in the Lakewood Ranch area, and I certainly would say it’s not an issue in the Lake Club, but I understand the effort behind the goal.

If there are a few shrinking violets out there, they need only rub elbows with these women.

Take Vice Chair Jennifer Alokeh, for instance.

“She is a young mom of two,” Najmy said. “She has been instrumental in the execution of reading my mind, and executing my ideas as they roll off my tongue. I don’t even have to ask. She automatically does them.”

The Manatee Community Fund used to host a Galentine’s event that catered to all of its women’s giving circles, but it went away when COVID-19 arrived. Najmy wanted to bring it back, at least at first, as a Lake Club Women’s Giving Circle event.

“Jennifer said, ‘OK,’ and ran with it.”

Actually, the two of them are working closely together. The new Clive Daniel store, 3055 Fruitville Commons Blvd., Sarasota, was perfect to host as, well, some women love to shop in a beautiful setting. Najmy said the store has a gorgeous showroom to host events along with a large garden terrace.

Clive Daniel Home, the underwriter of the event, is supplying the adult beverages, including beer, wine and champagne.

As was the case with the Manatee Community Fund’s events, the Lake Club Women’s Giving Circle has extended invitations to

all the women’s giving circles in the region. More than 100 guests already have confirmed they are coming and there is no cap on the number of those who can attend.

The free event will include a charcuterie board, desserts, sushi and cocktails. Raffle items will include a $500 gift card from Clive Daniel Home and gifts from West Coast Plastic Surgery and Sirius Day Spa.

If the Lake Club Women’s Giving Circle picks up new members along the way, so be it.

Events never were key to the club in its first three years as the members basically provided funds for grants. In 2017, the group, which had grown to 30 members, hosted its first fundraiser, “Wine, Women and Jewels.”

It made $13,000 that was distributed through the Manatee Community Foundation to charity. Similar fundraisers were held in 2018 and 2019. Things began to roll. From 2020 to 2022, the Lake Club Giving

Circle grew from 30 members to 115.

“We will continue to pull women together,” Najmy said. “By doing so, we embrace organizations that are in need, and touch their lives. In my opinion, what makes the foundation of any giving circle is truly the outreach of that organization. You must be able to touch lives and see the smiles. It is so key.”

In January, the Lake Club Women’s Giving Circle also rolled out its new website, with the design being donated by a friend of one of its members. Najmy said it was an enormous gift as the design took “endless hours.”

Everything now has moved to the fast track.

“I had no idea it would be like this, to be on this level,” Najmy said. “We had 30 women who used to read each other’s minds. It wasn’t complicated. Now we have to invest in QuickBooks, have a treasurer (Lauren Hirsch), and my husband’s firm (Najmy Thompson) is our legal counsel, doing it pro bono.

“I remember when I thought raising $5,000 or $10,000 a year would make us happy.”

Najmy said she will continue to be the organization’s guide, but eventually she will just be a part of the show.

“I learned the best form of success is when you surround yourself with people who are a lot smarter than you,” she said. “We have seen this younger generation in the Lake Club. Hopefully, they will get involved and take over leadership of the organization.”

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

Jay Heater

The Twig’s Lindsey May, left, and Katelyn Egolf,right, join Julie Swan of the Lake Club Women’s Giving Circle at an event. The Lake Club group says community outreach with nonprofits such as The Twig is one of its top missions.

Co-op highlights ‘hidden gems’

LIZ RAMOS SENIOR EDITOR

Those driving into the parking lot of Silver Star East on Feb. 4 were treated to more than just a good meal.

Silver Star East has become home to the Myakka Co-op, an organization of artisans and craftsmen that provides a community fair once per month.

Local artisans sell anything from jewelry to hand-crafted wreaths to homemade jams and more.

Myakka City’s Lynn Meder, who founded the co-op, said she wanted to start the co-op not only because she wanted somewhere to sell her work but also as a way for the community to come together.

“I found there’s so many people out here with talent and no place to really showcase it,” Meder said.

“Also because everyone’s so spread apart, it’s so rural, you don’t get a chance to talk to each other about current events or what’s happening in Myakka with all the growth. This gets them talking and we become more of a close-knit community.”

Besides supporting local artists and vendors, the co-op gives Myakka City animal nonprofits, including Farmhouse Animal and Nature Sanctuary and the Lemur Conservation Foundation, an opportunity to educate people about what their nonprofits do.

Other animal nonprofits that benefit from the co-op include Myakka Elephant Ranch, Dante’s Den and Sarasota Parrot Conservatory.

“We have a lot of hidden gems in Myakka,” Meder said.

All of the animal nonprofits were hit hard by Hurricane Ian in September, and many are still working to recover.

Lisa Burns, who runs Farmhouse Animal and Nature Sanctuary, said the nonprofit had $60,000 in dam-

IF YOU GO

MYAKKA CO-OP

COMMUNITY FAIR

When: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every first Saturday of the month from September to April

Where: Silver Star East, 36251 State Road 70, Myakka City

Admission: Free Highlights: Shop local artisans and crafters and learn about local animal nonprofits.

More information: Email Co-opLynn@mail.com, Co-opCarol@mail.com or Vicki2739@gmail.com

age from the hurricane. She said the nonprofit still needs about $25,000 to finish repairs.

Burns hopes being at the co-op will give the nonprofit an opportunity to educate people on what they do and potentially to get new volunteers.

She has appreciated the support of the co-op and Silver Star East.

“It’s neighbors supporting neighbors,” Burns said. “People don’t realize that Myakka is so big. We range from Manatee County to Sarasota County, but we all come together to try to help each other.”

Besides supporting local artists, the Myakka Co-op supports animal nonprofits.

Liz Ramos

Greg Para, the owner of Sarasota Parrot Conservatory, talks about how friendly the birds can be with people.

IT’S READ EVERYWHERE

Headed on a trip? Snap a photo of you on vacation holding your Observer, then submit your photo online at YourObserver.com/ ItsReadEverywhere. Stay tuned for this year’s prize, and happy travels!

CRUISING WITH THE OBSERVER: Susan Kowalski enjoys Civitavecchia, Italy, while bringing the East County Observer along on an Oceania cruise, which featured a trip to the ruins of Forte Michelangelo.

Powerful kids’ entertainment

Lakewood

JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR

Lakewood Ranch’s Cassidy David has more power than a speeding boat. Need proof?

Just take your little kids to the eighth annual Bradenton Area River Regatta.

While older kids and adults might be fascinated with powerboats racing more than 100 mph over the Manatee River, or a collection of live bands, smaller children might run out of steam in a fast 30 minutes.

That’s why event organizer Mike Fetchko has turned to David, who owns and manages Childlike Productions.

David sends Spider-Man, or Superman, or a pirate, or Ariel to the rescue.

They save the day along with various face-painters, clowns, balloon twisters and temporary tattoo artists, all who will be patrolling the Bradenton Riverwalk, David is the go-to resource when it comes to entertaining children.

Fetchko, who lives in Lakewood Ranch, has put together Manatee

County’s biggest spectator event with more than 100,000 people expected to attend, and he doesn’t want people to stay away because they can’t bring their children along. With all the noise and commotion, it would seem like a tough task for David, but she said it’s right up

her alley.

“Their main goal is to get as many kids involved as possible,” said David, who took over her mom’s business 18 months ago. “But, honestly, I have done so many events that I am just excited. This definitely is special, though, because it is free.”

David, 24, grew up in a household of child entertainers. Her mom, Tiffany David, ran Childlike Promotions for 18 1/2 years before Cassidy took over.

Did she enjoy that atmosphere when she was a little kid?

“Oh my gosh, yes,” she said. “I was the Guinea pig that mom used when she was starting the business.”

Her dad, Michael David, played Spider-Man and various superheroes. As he has grown older, he has transitioned into Santa Claus.

As a youngster, David saw herself as running the family business one day, but then she grew into her teenage years.

“Then it was ‘Ugg. I don’t want to do anything my parents do.’”

She attended the University of South Florida in Tampa and earned degrees in biomedical science and psychology. Funny thing, though, she had been working events with her parents and rediscovered her love of entertaining children.

“It was like, ‘Wow, this is my favorite job ever.’” While she doesn’t close out the possibility of putting her degrees to

work one day, she is loving her life of managing an entertainment company.

Fortunately, her mom and dad developed great relationships with contractors over the years.

“Everyone who works for us has been with our company for years,” she said.

For the Bradenton Area River Regatta, she has not only reached out to her best acts, she has hired the fastest of those.

With such a huge crowd, those who are painting faces, doing tattoos and twisting balloons need to work extremely fast so lines don’t discourage the guests.

David will work primarily as a face-painter at the event, but besides managing the entire operation, she might do some airbrushed tattoos as well.

She said it will be easy to find the Childlike Production entertainers because they will have three large tents and big signs on the River Walk.

The guests might be familiar with some of the entertainers, who have done Tampa Bay Lightning plaza parties, Tampa Bay Bucs private events, local Bradenton corporate events and tons of birthday parties.

“I honestly love to be creative, and I love making kids and adults happy with my art,” she said. “We really love what we are doing.”

WHAT’S ON TAP?

Entertainment schedule (all free) for the Bradenton Area River Regatta, Saturday, Feb. 11 on the Manatee River

n Powerboat racing: Test runs 10:30 a.m.; qualifying heats 1 p.m.; finals 5 p.m.

n Live music: Bradenton Riverwalk Pavilion: 11 a.m., Del Couch Foundation Performers; noon, Sweet Fleet; 1 p.m., Trevor Bystrom Band; 2:15 p.m., Bella Garland Band; 3:30 p.m. Moonflower Band; 5 p.m. Sam Woolf; 5:30 p.m., Lazy Bonez. Palmetto Main Stage: 11 a.m., Del Couch Foundation Performers; noon, Travelers Band; 1:15 p.m. Eric Von Band; 2:15 p.m., Billy Rice Band; 3:30, Andy Purcell Band; 5:30 p.m., Soul Circus Cowboys n Light show: Sky Elements Light Show over the river begins at 7 p.m.

n Flyboarding: Kristen “the Destroyer” Smoyer caps the day with a flyboarding show at Pier 22 at 7:15 p.m.

n Childlike Productions (all on Bradenton Riverwalk): 10 a.m.-4 p.m., balloon twisting; noon-6 p.m., face painting and airbrush tattoos; noon-2 p.m., Ariel princess meet and greet; 2-4 p.m., Spider-Man meet and greet.

Ranch company hired to entertain the kiddies at the Bradenton Area River Regatta.

Courtesy photo Cassidy David’s Childlike Productions company has been chosen to entertain the kids at the Bradenton Area River Regatta.

SPORTS

Fast

Did you catch this lofty comparison for a Lakewood Ranch High athlete? Cory Yates of Reel Analytics, a football scouting company, called Mustangs quarterback Clayton Dees a Patrick Mahomes-like QB” in a Feb. 5 tweet, praising his ability to make throws off-balance. Dees will be a senior next season.

… Braden River High has the area’s only girls basketball team to reach the regional tournament stage of the postseason. The Pirates (12-14), the seventh seed in their Class 5A region, will hit the road to play Port Charlotte High (16-11) at 7 p.m. on Thursday. The boys will play their district tournaments this week, though as of the morning of Feb. 6, the district brackets had not been announced.

… On the boys side of the high school soccer regional tournament, Lakewood Ranch High (11-6-3) was the No. 6 seed in its Class 7A region and was scheduled to play Gulf Coast High (8-3-4) on the road at Feb. 8. Braden River High (11-3-4) was also a No. 6 seed in its Class 5A region and was scheduled to play at Naples High (12-4-3) at Feb. 8.

… Don’t forget about the Bridge A Life Superhero 5K, happening at 8:30 a.m. Sunday at Nathan Benderson Park. The foster care awareness event is a chance to put on your favorite cape and get some exercise with the whole family. Registration is $30 (or $15 for the kids fun run). For more information visit 5KHero.com.

… Congratulations to Patty Sellner Dolores Andrew Paula Digilio and Rita Probst (61) on winning the Nine Hole Women’s Golf Association best ball event at Palm Aire Country Club’s Lakes course on Feb. 2.

Versatile Mustangs begin regional play

Mustangs coming off first district title in four years.

RYAN KOHN SPORTS REPORTER

The last time the Lakewood Ranch High girls soccer program finished a regular season undefeated, in 2013-2014, the Mustangs reached the state final four.

This year’s Mustangs would like history to repeat itself.

Mustangs Head Coach Delaney Riggins said they can — and she would know. She was a player on that 2013-2014 team. Riggins said she sees similarities between the two teams.

“This is the first team I have coached that has reminded me of the successful teams from the past because of the camaraderie they have,” Riggins said. “They’re all close, and that was the experience I had (in 2013-2014), so I’m able to relate to them. It has been fun and awesome to see.”

Riggins said she could tell at the beginning of the season that this year’s Mustangs were different than previous teams. The program has been successful, but has not had the variety of ways to win games that this year’s team has.

The Mustangs can put on an offensive clinic — the team has scored five or more goals in nine of 18 games — but it can also slow down a game and constrict the other team. Lakewood Ranch has 10 shutouts and has allowed more than one goal in just one game. That play style versatility gives Riggins plenty of options for how to use her talented players.

“When you only have one game plan, it can be a challenge if it’s not working in a certain game,” Riggins said. “We have several players who can play multiple positions and work well with others. It is fun to see people stepping up and finishing their goal opportunities or getting to serve in a more defensive role than they are used to having.”

It follows course that the Mustangs would have balanced offensive stats. Junior forward Sophie Lemus leads the team with 16 goals, but right behind her is senior Julia Magno with 15, sophomore Olivia Hadad with 12, junior Madison Adams with 11, and senior Elizabeth Fetchko with 10.

The Mustangs put an exclamation mark on their season by winning their first district championship in four years on Feb. 1, taking down North Port High 2-0 at home. Mustangs senior midfielder and captain Gabi Madrid said it was a relief to finally win the tournament after reaching the finals three straight years but losing each time. It’s another sign that this year’s team is different,

NEXT STEPS

If Lakewood Ranch High (17-01) beats Plant High (12-3-1) in the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 7A regional quarterfinals on Feb. 7, the Mustangs will play either Steinbrenner High (17-1-3) or North Port High (12-5-1) on Feb. 10 at home. Steinbrenner is ranked ninth in Class 7A according to MaxPreps, while North Port is ranked 18th. Lakewood Ranch is ranked third and will be favored to win both its quarterfinal and semifinal matches.

Madrid said.

“We have build off of our past,” Madrid said. “We all know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. A few games into the season, we started to figure out how we played our best and we have grown from that. We showcase everyone’s talents.”

As exciting as the win over North Port was, it was the game prior, against Venice High, that Riggins said taught her team the most valuable lesson. The Mustangs had beaten Venice twice already, 6-1 and 7-0, and Riggins said her team entered the district semifinal against the Indians overconfident, even cocky. That lackadaisical attitude led to the Mustangs falling behind. With less than a minute remaining, the Mustangs trailed 4-3.

A goal from Magno with 20 seconds remaining prevented a loss in regulation, and in the overtime session, the Mustangs played like their old selves, netting three goals for a

7-4 final score.

“It showed some pride and some heart,” Riggins said. “The girls did not want to go out that way. I think it was a wake-up call for them. They can’t underestimate anybody.”

The road to the final four is long, but Lakewood Ranch will be favored to win at least its next two games. The Mustangs will play Plant High (12-3-1) on Feb. 7 in the regional quarterfinals. According to MaxPreps, Lakewood Ranch is ranked third in Class 7A and 11th in the state. Plant is ranked 21st in Class 7A and 63rd in the state.

If the Mustangs advance, they will play either Steinbrenner High (17-1-3) or North Port High (12-5-1) on Feb. 10 at home. Steinbrenner is ranked ninth in Class 7A according to MaxPreps, while North Port — which Lakewood Ranch has now beaten twice this season — is ranked 18th.

After that looms a potential rematch with Palm Harbor University High (16-0), the No. 2 ranked team in Class 7A and the team that eliminated Lakewood Ranch from the postseason last year in a 1-0 game. In January, senior Regan Kelly and junior Sophie Lemus said they would welcome a rematch with PHU, as they are friendly with many Hurricanes players through club soccer and are tired of hearing them brag about last year’s win.

A revenge victory would put the Mustangs in the state final four — exactly where the last undefeated Mustangs team ended up.

“We know now that every game will be a challenge,” Madrid said.

“We can’t be frantic, but we have to be on from the first second of the game. If we are, we’ll be fine.”

“Soccer fits my natural skills the best. I’m good at it.”

— Braden River High’s Joseph Joumayyed SEE PAGE 16

Ryan Kohn Clayton Dees was compared to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes by a scouting company.

Photos by Ryan Kohn

Lakewood Ranch junior Brandi Maslar crosses a ball into the box.

Lakewood Ranch senior Gabi Madrid is an on-field leader in the Mustangs’ midfield.

The Lakewood Ranch girls soccer team won its first district championship since 2018-2019 with a 2-0 home win over North Port Feb. 1.

PROSE AND KOHN RYAN

KOHN

East County trio sparks Cougars

The Cardinal Mooney girls basketball program has a distinct East County flavor.

The Cougars, one of the premier teams in the state, are seeking their third-straight trip to the Florida High School Athletic Association state final four in Class 3A. As of Feb. 4, Mooney is 17-5 and on Feb. 3 captured its third-straight district title with a 70-30 home win over Bradenton Christian (12-10).  Another year of success was not a guarantee for the Cougars, who lost three starters — one to transfer, two to graduation — and their head coach during the offseason. But Mooney did return a strong trio of players, all of whom live in the East County area, that new Head Coach Marlon Williams has counted on to lead the Cougars back to their past heights.

Olivia Davis is the team’s lone senior. Davis, the team’s emotional leader on and off the court, is averaging 16 points, 3.5 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game and has signed with the University of Tampa. The 5-foot-7 Davis is joined by two sophomores who have seen their roles and responsibilities expand from a season ago. Kali Barrett, 6-foot-1, is a versatile player who leads the team with 16.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per game; Sy’monique Simon, 5-foot-6, is an aggressive defender and leads the team with 1.7 steals per game while adding 12 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.

Williams and the Mooney coaching staff were bullish on the trio from the start and knew they could carry the load on a successful team.

It took the East County trio a bit longer to adjust to Williams’ coaching style, which puts an emphasis on conditioning and demands its on-court leaders getting the little things right.

“We hate running ‘suicides,’” Davis said with a laugh. “But they do pay off in games. We can fullcourt press the whole game. It’s the

best thing for us.”

The Cougars run not only typical “suicide” drills — down the court and back, in sections — but a defensive variation, running sideways with bent knees and hands held high, which Barrett said is even more tiring. The trio may not always want to do them, but to set an example for their teammates, they complete them full bore.

“We always start out on the defensive end playing hard,” Williams said. “That’s pretty much it. Play help defense. Follow your man. All these things that you are taught at a young age, we try to hang our hat on those. But it’s a challenge. Playing defense is not the most glamorous thing. Everybody wants to shoot the Steph Curry 3, but the defense is always going to be the core of a good basketball team.”

Before the team saw the results of the intense training and defensefirst mindset, players were skeptical, Davis said. All it took was a few

games for everyone to change their minds. A 65-47 home win over Tampa Prep (20-8) was especially convincing.  Of the Cougars’ five losses, only one came against a team with double-digit losses, and that was a 54-51 loss to Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High (12-10), which MaxPreps has ranked as the No. 8 team in Class 3A. The Cougars beat the teams they should beat and can compete with anyone on their best days.

The trio’s leadership is even more important when its depth is considered. This year, the Cougars have just eight players on their roster.

The lack of depth means lots of playing time for Davis, Barrett and Simon, a role the trio has embraced. They do have help — sophomore guard Bri Behn adds 7.1 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, and junior forward Sam Kotasek adds 5.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per game, for instance — but when games get

into crunch time, it’s going to be one of the three leaders taking the biggest shots.

Simon said all three East County players want responsibility put on their shoulders as players who have been to the state Final Four and know what it will take to get back.

“It’s fun to know we’re going to be pushed to new heights,” Simon said. “You’re going above your ‘limit’ and reaching your full potential.”

The Cougars’ potential is lofty.

Mooney is ranked fourth in Class 3A and 17th in Florida by MaxPreps. As of Feb. 4, the Class 3A regional tournament bracket has not been released, so Mooney’s next opponent is unknown. Not that the Cougars much care. After two years of reaching the Final Four, and reaching the state championship game a season ago, Mooney is not scared of any challenger.

Davis said she does believe there is any extra pressure to take home a state title because it is her senior

year, as she always feels pressure to win every game, she said. Davis said the team is doing everything it can to make sure a return trip to the Final Four in Lakeland happens. The Cougars will worry about the rest once they get there.

“Sometimes we come into practice tired or we’re having a bad day,” Barrett said. “That stuff can’t matter. When we’re in the gym we need to block out everything else. By the end of practice we’re always laughing and having the best time, but during it we need to work. That’s how we’ll get back (to the state championship game).”

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

Photos by Ryan Kohn

Cardinal Mooney won a district title Feb. 3 with a 70-30 win over Bradenton Christian.

East County’s Olivia Davis is Cardinal Mooney girls basketball’s lone senior.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Joseph Joumayyed

Joseph Joumayyed is a junior center midfielder on the Braden River High boys soccer team. Joumayyed scored a goal in the team’s 2-0 district championship win over Parrish Community High on Feb. 1. Joumayyed leads the Pirates with nine goals.

When did you start playing soccer?

I started playing for real in seventh grade. I tried a bunch of sports before then, like soccer and basketball, but in seventh grade I went back to soccer and stuck with it. I just enjoyed it the most.

What is the appeal to you? Soccer fits my natural skills the best. I’m good at it. Plus, there’s nothing like the feelings you get from it, from playing well or scoring a goal.

What is your best skill?

I like to think it is my passing. I like to give my teammates good balls and help them out however I can.

What have you been working to improve?

My awareness and my vision. I want to know what I’m doing before I even get the ball. And again, I’m always trying to get better at helping my team any way I can.

What is your favorite soccer memory?

Winning the district championship this year is up there. That was awe some. It’s hard to describe the feeling. Scoring in the game felt good, but seeing everyone on the field celebrating afterward was amazing.

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.

What does the team need to do in the postseason?

Keep working hard in practice and never give up during games until that final whistle blows. We’re going to be tired but we have to push. That is what helped us win the district.

What is the best advice you have received?

Hard work beats talent. It is basic but it is true. When I first started playing soccer, I was not good. I kept working hard and it has paid off.

What is your favorite food?

I like pasta. I eat it before every game.

Which superpower would you pick?

I think I’d want to fly. You know how when you ride a rollercoaster, the breeze gets in your face? I think it would feel good like that.

Finish this sentence: “Joseph Joumayyed is …”

YOUR NEIGHBORS

Fifth graders

Dailaini Ward, Bella Randall, Zailee Segars-Lopez and Santaigo Olvera discuss what fruits and vegetables they want to use to create turtles while Laura Rowe, a cook at Tara Elementary School, waits to help cut fruits and vegetables for them.

Fourth graders Kinsley Ross, Brianna Nguyen, Trinity Miller and Connor Beckley celebrate their third-place finish.

Raisin the bar

Tara Elementary School fifth graders Micah French, R.J. Griffis, Kaitlyn Do and Kinley Chupp had no problems getting their hands dirty. Each of them took smashed bananas, spread it across their tray, and topped it with beans.

The hope was that it would look like sand and scattered shells.

Griffis said his team originally planned to use mangoes for the sand, but mangoes weren’t available during the Fruits and Veggie Day challenge Feb. 3 at Tara.

Fourth and fifth grade Technology Student Association and Robotics students were tasked with using fruits and vegetables to create a scene that would fall under the theme of “Florida.”

French, Griffis, Do and Chupp added added a Florida sunset using orange slices.They created a crab made out of half an orange, tomatoes and apple slices on top of the crushed banana

sand. For the palm trees and bushes, they used celery and broccoli. Their scene was completed with shark gummies.

The team had to make changes from their blueprint along the way because they didn’t know what fruits and vegetables would be available.

French said their project turned out better than expected.

While some students decided to make scenery, others focused on creating animals using the various fruits and vegetables available.

Fourth graders Archer Miles, Wyeth Hudson and Martin Torres made turtles, a dolphin and a panther.

Miles and Torres said they decided to make a dolphin to honor Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s dolphin Winter, who died in 2021. They used a banana for the body, raisins for the eyes, gummies for the fins and a carrot for the tail.

— LIZ RAMOS

Photos by Liz Ramos

Elvira Ramadani, the kitchen manager, and Laura Rowe, a cook, help the students by cutting fruits and vegetables for students so they can make their creations come to life.

Fifth graders Micah French, RJ Griffis, Kaitlyn Do and Kinley Chupp have no problem getting their hands dirty as they create their Florida sunset using various fruits and vegetables.

Turtles, made out of orange slices and orange peels, are on display.

Raising money for scholarships never looked so good.

The Palm Aire Women’s Club hosted its 2023 Fashion Show and Luncheon on Feb. 3 at Palm Aire Country Club.

“It was awesome,” said Kay Kwenski, a member of the club who tried her hand at modeling. “Everyone worked together as a team and we had an excellent fundraising event. Lots of life, lots of energy, lots of sparkles.”

Also walking the runway was club member Katherine Pike.

“It was fantastic,” Pike said. “Amazing.”

As with previous years, the goal of the show was to raise scholarship funds for students who are headed to the State College of Florida and Manatee Technical College.

Fashion show Co-Chair Michelle Crabtree said the club’s mission is to give back to the community through scholarships and charity.

“It touched my heart, and that’s why I joined,” she said.

Clothing items were provided by Dillards, makeup was provided by Lancôme, and hairstyling and makeup was provided by Lynne Oullette from The Confidence Factory salon.

— IAN SWABY

Photos by Ian Swaby Palm Aire’s Katherine Pike’s outfit includes knee-high boots.

Be-Be Hanson begins her walk down the runway with a basic, but stylish, outfit.

Our Two Exciting Series

Sarasota • Venice • Lakewood Ranch LECTURE SERIES

Order tickets and complete program details: sillsarasota.org

Next Week’s Programs Include:

Music Mondays

MUSICAL CONVERSATIONS WITH GREAT PERFORMERS

Monday, February 13 Sarasota,10:30 am - Venice, 3:00 pm

GLASS ARMONICA

Dean Shostak, Glass Armonica

Dean Shostak has dedicated his career to the revival of Benjamin Franklin’s glass armonica,and has toured the country. He taught glass armonica at Rutgers University Mason Gross Music School as a teaching faculty member.

Global Issues

AN INSIDER’S VIEW OF TODAY’S WORLD LECTURE SERIES

Tuesday, February 14 Sarasota,10:30 am - Venice, 2:30 pm

How are the Great Powers Responding to Africa’s Population Growth and Economic Emergence?

Amb. Jimmy Kolker will discuss what that means for the U.S., other great powers, and for Africa’s future.

Wednesday, February 15 Sarasota,10:30 am

Lessons Learned from Fighting AIDS and Ebola in Africa. Did We Apply Them to Covid? Are We Ready for the Next Pandemic? Amb Jimmy Kolker will explain what we have learned is that health security is national security for the United States.

Thursday, February 16 Sarasota,10:30 am - Lakewood Ranch, 5:00

Friday, February 17 Venice,10:00 am

The Sneaky War: Russia, China, the U.S. and the Emerging Strategic Paradigm Dr. Sean McFate will explain what “sneaky war” entails, why it succeeds, and how the U.S. can use it to defend freedom globally.

SARASOTA INSTITUTE OF LIFETIME LEARNING

Palm Aire’s Debbi Fredericks shows off a golfing outfit during the annual fashion show.

SCF Presidential Jazz Combo members Jayden Titus and Isaac Ceciliano perform at the fashion show.

Palm Aire Women’s Club President Peg McKinley and Fashion Show Co-chair Michelle Crabtree helped organize the event.

Models included Katherine Pike, Kay Kwenski, Debbi Fredericks, Chiara Roveggia, Sally Reed, BeBe Hanson, Peg Beck, Pattie Meades.

www.treasurecove2.com

NEIGHBORS NOTES

Boo Run funds awarded to nonprofits

The Boo Run finished its 5K run in Lakewood Ranch on Oct. 29, but the payoff wasn’t realized until January.

That’s when organizers of the Boo Run, which drew 450 runners, presented $2,000 checks to Another Day for Gray and the Humane Society at Lakewood Ranch. Another Day for Gray raises funds and awareness for those dealing with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

The 2022 race marked the first time in its history the race split its proceeds between nonprofits. The race always had exclusively supported Another Day for Gray in the past, but this time Another Day for Gray’s namesake, Grayson Tullio, asked that The Humane Society at Lakewood Ranch benefit as well.

The Humane Society at Lakewood Ranch presented a plaque to Tullio that read, “On behalf of the pups at The Human Society at Lakewood Ranch, we thank you from the deepest part of our hearts for teaching us lessons in resilience, kindness and unconditional love.”

It was the 19th running of the Boo Run 5K, which featured a kids’ Boo Dash and the 5K race. Jennifer Tullio, Grayson’s mom, was again the race director.

Annual Strawberry Fields Shabbat held at Hunsader Farms

Having a sense of community was the biggest lesson Feb. 4 during Temple Emanu-El’s annual Strawberry Fields Shabbat at Hunsader Farms in East County.

“We have a lot of members in East County and Lakewood Ranch,” said Rabbi Elaine Glickman. “It’s so nice for us to enjoy this space.”

The event, intended for families with elementary- and preschoolaged children, features playground time, feeding animals in the petting zoo, riding the Hunsader Farms train and Shabbat prayers and blessings.

The event corresponded with Tu BiShvat, which rabbis designate as birthday of the trees. The fun outing focuses on the blessings of nature and the beauty of the natural world.

“Part of this is just being together,” Glickman said. “And the children get to see animals they don’t ever see.”

East County students earn honors

East County’s Stephen Gerbis was named to the President’s List (4.0 GPA) at State University of New York-Morrisville. ... East County’s William Barr was named to the Dean’s List at Albion College of Michigan. ... East County’s Philip Fincher was named to the Mississippi State University Dean’s List.

More than 40 million Americans suffer from undiagnosed vein disease, and only 1% of those diagnosed seek treatment. If left untreated, vein disease (those pesky varicose veins) will progress at 4% a year with worsening symptoms. There are six CEAP classes, or stages, of vein disease. Do your legs fall into one of these stages?

STAGE 1: Small red or blue veins begin to emerge under the skin’s surface resulting in the appearance of tree branches. These are tiny, dilated veins (AKA spider veins) which typically measure one millimeter or less in diameter. Spider veins are just the “tip of the iceberg” and signify leaky valves in the leg’s veins.

STAGE 2: Untreated spider veins can lead into varicose veins, which are the larger, blue twisted veins that bulge under the surface of the skin. Most patients become concerned at this stage when the dark blue or purple veins begin to cause heaviness, itching, pain, inflammation, or vein rupture. Varicose veins are delicate, and if they’re particularly close to the surface, profuse bleeding can occur if scratched or nicked while shaving.

STAGE 3: When varicose veins are left untreated, legs and ankles begin to swell from the blood pooling in the lower leg. Swelling will result in tight-feeling skin, heaviness, restless legs, and a leathery look to the skin. Swelling is caused by the leaky valves which have now faltered to the point of not being able to circulate blood back up to your heart.

STAGE 4: Have you ever seen someone with rust-colored calves or ankles? Skin discoloration is the key sign of stage four vein disease. The discoloration is hemosiderin (iron) depositing in the skin from the breakdown of blood which is pooling in the lower legs.

STAGE 5: In this stage, wounds (leg ulcers) occur in addition to all the changes from stages one through four. Wounds can be scarred over and difficult to heal.

STAGE 6: Lastly, a lack of blood flow and skin nutrition result in active ulcerations (open wounds) which weep and bleed. Venous stasis ulcers account for 90% of all lower-extremity ulcers and are often chronic due to poor treatment. Leg ulcers can leak a yellow fluid or pus, which is green and smells foul. They often burn and are tender. Active ulcers are also a risk factor for development of cellulitis, an infection of the skin and soft tissue of the legs.

At Florida Lakes Vein Center, we’re experts at healing vein disease in any stage of development. Our state-of-the-art treatments eliminate symptoms so you can get back to the living the lifestyle you want. Visit our website to learn more about our treatments or take our three-minute vein screening. It’s a no veiner!

Courtesy photo Grayson Tullio and his mom, Jennifer Tullio, show off the plaque he was presented by the Humane Society at Lakewood Ranch for suggesting the Boo Run donate proceeds to the shelter.

Jay Heater Sarasota’s Rebekah Weber and her 6-year-old son, Asher, enjoy the petting zoo at Hunsader Farms with Rabbi Michael Shefrin of Temple Emanu-El.

Mill Creek home tops sales at $2.2 million

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

AMill Creek Road home topped all transactions in this week’s real estate. Colin Robert MacNeil and Sara Agnes Kenney, of Lehi, Utah, sold their home at 1220 Mill Creek Road to David Thomas Sullivan, of Bradenton, for $2.2 million. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, five baths and 2,804 square feet of living area. It sold for $2.3 million in 2021.

UNIVERSITY PARK

Germano and Lesley Rubino of Wayne, New Jersey, sold their home at 8125 Regents Court to Brian and Alison Sackley, of University Park, for $1,395,000. Built in 1994, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,614 square feet of living area. It sold for $640,000 in 2013.

COUNTRY CLUB

Stephen and Rhonda Harrison, trustees, of Bradenton, sold the home at 7019 Twin Hills Terrace to Bron and Geniene Scherer, of Bradenton, for $980,000. Built in 2001, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,485 square feet of living area. It sold for $568,000 in 2016.

Laguna Properties LLC sold the home at 7806 Troon Court to Michael and Nancy Riney, of Lakewood Ranch, for $795,000. Built in 2000, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,951 square feet of living area. It sold for $600,000 in 2022.

Richard and Karen Levendoski, of Waterloo, Illinois, sold their home at 7061 Woodmore Terrace to Claudette Van Pelt, of Lakewood Ranch, for $489,000. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,727 square feet of living area. It sold for $295,000 in 2018.

Michael Richard Ryan and Michelle Louise Ryan, of Nova Scotia, Canada, sold their Unit 222 condominium at 5814 Wake Forest Run to Mark Rowland Thursby and Heather Lea Travers, of Centreville, Maryland, for $725,000. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,108 square feet of living area. It sold for $387,000 in 2020.

MOTE RANCH

Thomas and Joan Sturgeon, of Sarasota, sold their home at 6806 Coyote Ridge Court to Joseph Harms and Melodee Harms, of Bradenton, for $720,000. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,357 square feet of living area. It sold for $390,000 in 2016.

MISTY OAKS

Daniel and Tina Vance, of Franklin, Tennessee, sold their home at 8173 Misty Oaks Blvd. to Michael and Angela Santoro, of Sarasota, for $682,000. Built in 1992, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,223 square feet of living area. It sold for $448,900 in 2020.

GREYHAWK LANDING

Steven and Dianne Myers, trustees, sold the home at 1106 Brambling Court to Matthew Peter Cutter and Nina Falkner Cutter, of Bradenton, for $650,000. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,105 square feet of living area. It sold for $410,000 in 2018.

ROSEDALE

Donna Lesak, of North Port, sold her home at 8723 51st Terrace E. to James Douglas Binau and Victoria Moore Binau, of Bradenton, for $645,000. Built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,925 square feet of living area. It sold for $345,000 in 2002.

RIVER CLUB SOUTH

Robert Crepeau and Brenda Guil-

ford, of Jacksonville, sold their home at 9994 Laurel Valley Ave. Circle to Mark and Rosa Heller, of Bradenton, for $625,000. Built in 1996, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,389 square feet of living area. It sold for $360,000 in 2017.

SUMMERFIELD

Michael and April Lynn Kasholo, of Alderson, West Virginia, sold their home at 11835 Hollyhock Drive to Steven and Rhonda Henze, of St. Charles, Missouri, for $620,000. Built in 1998, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,031 square feet of living area. It sold for $210,000 in 2012.

WATERLEFE

Margaret and Francis Robison, of Dallas, sold their home at 9617 Portside Terrace to Lita Lynn Kishbaugh and Thomas George Kishbaugh, of Forked River, New Jersey, for $592,500. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,977 square feet of living area. It sold for $379,900 in 2003.

DEL WEBB

Pulte Home Co. LLC sold the home at 6713 Alstead Circle to John Simmons and Michelle Lorraine Simmons, of Lakewood Ranch, for $582,200. Built in 2022, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,395 square feet of living area.

LONGPOND AT MOTE RANCH

Thomas and Nancy Rohr, trustees, of Sarasota, sold the home at 6942 Superior St. Circle to George Brown and Wanda Susan Brown, of Sarasota, for $575,000. Built in 1996, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,584 square feet of living area. It sold for $230,000 in 2003.

CENTRAL PARK

Andrew and Connie Euster, of King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, sold their home at 4711 Claremont Park Drive to B Squared of Naples LLC for $557,900. Built in 2013, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,863 square feet of living area. It sold for $355,000 in 2019.

WINDWARD Neal Communities of Southwest Florida LLC sold the home at 2629 Star Apple Way to Salvator Ruisi Jr. and Nancy Lee Ruisi, of Merrick, New York, for $533,000. Built in 2022, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,861 square feet of living area.

CROSSING CREEK

Elizabeth Isenhour sold her home at 6923 45th Terrace E. to Kathleen Anne Mack, of Bradenton, for $520,000. Built in 2008, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,052 square feet of living area. It sold for $305,000 in 2018.

WOODBROOK

Gary Salinsky and Arlette Salinsky, of Bradenton, sold their home at 4743 Lake Breeze Terrace to Corey Samuel Bouie and Cigdem Bouie, of Sarasota, for $519,000. Built in 2012, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,744 square feet of living area. It sold for $305,000 in 2020.

WATER OAK

Jeremiah and Rebekah Greer, of Sarasota, sold their home at 6740 64th Place E. to Hector and Brunilda Fonseca, of Bradenton, for $505,000. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,773 square feet of living area. It sold for $300,000 in 2019.

VERANDA AT LAKEWOOD NA-

TIONAL Robert Vincent Laport sold his Unit 2124 condominium at 5684 Palmer Circle to Kevin and Karen Hayes, of Carmel, Indiana, for $489,000. Built in 2021, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,336 square feet of living area. It sold for $259,000 in 2021.

PERIDIA Larry Katz, trustee, of Bradenton, sold the home at 4954 Clubview Court E. to George Pappas and Michele Lynn Starrett, of Gallatin, Tennessee, for $425,000. Built in 1987, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,631 square feet of living area. It sold for $117,500 in 1987.

TERRACE AT LAKEWOOD

NATIONAL

Felix Rodriguez Jr. and Doreen

Pereira Reis, of Bradenton, sold their Unit 1012 condominium at 17626 Gawthrop Drive to Sears Gawthrop One LLC for $420,000. Built in 2020, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,142 square feet of living area. It sold for $202,500 in 2020.

LYONSDALE

Peter and Allison Setefano, of Bradenton, sold their home at 5720 28th Ave. Drive E. to Sara and Kendell Bowser, of Bradenton, for $380,000. Built in 1975, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,446 square feet of living area. It sold for $375,500 in 2022.

UPPER MANATEE RIVER ROAD

James Courteau and Kristin Marie Jaco, of Riverview, sold their home at 15619 Upper Manatee River Road

to Christopher and Alana Powers, of Bradenton, for $375,000. Built in 1989, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,566 square feet of living area. It sold for $150,000 in 2001.

COTTAGES AT SAN LORENZO

Opportunity Property Group LLC sold the home at 107 San Avellino Court to Stephen Tanner Jones, of Bradenton, for $362,000. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,478 square feet of living area. It sold for $359,600 in 2022.

MANATEE PALMS

Jesus and Guadalupe Melendez, of Bradenton, sold their home at 212 66th St. Court E. to Jan Rachel Hyatt, of Bradenton, for $320,000. Built in 1978, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,450 square feet of living area. It sold for $135,000 in 2015.

Courtesy photo

This Mill Creek home at 1220 Mill Creek Road sold for $2.2 million. It has three bedrooms, five baths and 2,804 square feet of living area.

COMMUNITY

THURSDAY, FEB. 9 THROUGH

SUNDAY, FEB. 12

LIVE MUSIC AT JIGGS LANDING

Runs each day from 3-6 p.m. except for Feb. 12 when a special event runs noon to 4 p.m. at Jiggs Landing, 6106 63rd St. E., Bradenton. This week’s music includes Steve Arvey (Thursday), Deadwood Dick and the Drifters (Friday), Stumble Creek (Saturday) and the John McDermott Band (Sunday). A $5 cover is charged on Fridays and Saturdays and the other days are free, except for a special concert with the John McDermott Band on Feb. 12 that costs $50. For more information, go to JiggsLanding.com.

SATURDAY, FEB. 11

SUPERHERO 5K

Begins at 8:30 a.m. at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota. The Bridge A Life Superhero 5K, now in its 12th edition, highlights the 1,500-or-more youth who are in local foster care in Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto Counties. The event will also feature a 1-mile fun run for kids. Registration is $25 for the 5K and $15 for the fun run. For more information visit NathanBendersonPark.org or 5KHero.com.

LAX AGAINST LEUKEMIA

Begins at 8 a.m. at Premier Sports Campus, 5895 Post Blvd., Lakewood Ranch. Lax Against Leukemia is a preseason high school lacrosse tournament that supports the Joey Powers Leukemia Project. The event is free. For more information visit LaxAgainstLeukemia.org.

SUNDAY, FEB. 12

FARMERS MARKET

Runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Lakefront Drive in Waterside Place, Lakewood Ranch. For more information, go to www.MyLWR.com.

POLO

Begins at 1 p.m. at the Sarasota Polo Club, 8201 Polo Club LaneSarasota.

The 2023 Sarasota Polo season runs each Sunday through April 30. Tickets begin at $15 general admission and up for special packages and VIP seating. Tickets can be purchased in advance at SarasotaPolo.com or at

BEST BET

SATURDAY, FEB. 11

BRADENTON AREA RIVER REGATTA

Powerboat test runs begin at 10:30 a.m., qualifying heats begin at 1 p.m., and finals begin at 5 p.m. on the Manatee River. Live music begins at 11 a.m. at the Bradenton Riverwalk Pavilion Stage and at the Palmetto Main Stage. The music runs all day with the final act on both stages beginning at 5:30 p.m. The Sky Elements Light Show begins at 7 p.m. Kristen “the Destroyer” Smoyer caps the day with a flyboarding show at Pier 22 at 7:15 p.m. Come enjoy the eighth annual Bradenton Area River Regatta, featuring the fastest inland boats on water and the largest tunnel boat race on tour, the Powerboat Superleague Formula-2 with speeds over 120 mph. Admission is free. For more information, go to BradentonAreaRegatta.com.

the gate. Children 12 and under are free. Dogs are welcome on a leash.

FRIDAY, FEB. 17

GATSBY SPEAKEASY SOIREE

Special VIP cocktail hour begins at 5 p.m. with the main event beginning at 6 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota, 1000 Boulevard of the Arts. Come as a flapper, a a gangster or a silent screen star for the Gatsby Speakeasy Soiree, with proceeds going to benefit nonprofits in the region through the host Sisterhood for Good’s grant process. The event includes dinner, drinks, a silent auction, music and entertainment. Tickets, $225, can be purchased by going to SFGFlorida.org.

SATURDAY, FEB. 18

RUN FOR THE BEADS

Packet pick-up begins at 6:30 a.m. and the race begins at 8 a.m. at Waterside Place. The Lakewood Ranch Community Fund hosts the first Run for the Beads, a Mardi Gras-themed 5K that includes an after-party that includes food, drinks, prize drawings, music, and a parade. The event benefits nonprofits in Lakewood Ranch and the region. The cost is $35 for the first 100 registrants, $40 for the second hundred and $45 for those who register 201 and above.

MANASOTA FLOORING INC

MOHAWK, ARI. O, SMARTSTRAND, ALL PET

By Luis Campos

Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

“H’D U MHX TKAUSAS. H’D ZSRHBX ZP

SAHB HZ HB MJZ H VP ZCHBL HZ’T U BHIA TAUTPBHBX PG WUBXJUXA.”

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“SY S EDFKA WLC WDRSCP S MXDWLWKU TDFKA WFI S’KK IZKK UDF

SC IBZ GLNZ WXZLIB, S KDOZA SI PXDTSCP FM.” HDCLIBLC WLCVG

“XW AGAECJIA UDP D FXOOFA ZXO IXRAE OJ MAJMFA, OTA UJEFV UJBFV ZA D HBRT ZAOOAE MFDRA.” TDEEC POCFAP

Puzzle One Clue: L equals K Puzzle Two Clue: R equals X Puzzle Three Clue: W equals F

I’M EXHAUSTED! by Fred Piscop, edited by David Steinberg