East County Observer 1.26.23

YOUR TOWN

One for the books

Ted Lindenberg, the executive director of the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch’s Books for Kids program, found out Jan. 10 that awareness of his program isn’t limited to Manatee County.

At the School Board of Manatee County’s meeting, Books for Kids received the Florida Commissioner of Education’s Business Recognition Awards. The awards recognize school districts, business partners and volunteers that have shown outstanding commitment to students and schools.

“To be recognized by the county and now by the state is amazing,” said Lindenberg (shown above with Sheila Halpin). “I have no idea how the state knows about the Books for Kids program. That is so special. It truly takes a village to do this.”

The Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch received a $5,000 check as a part of the award.

Lakewood Ranch.

New scents could turn into dollars

Those who attended didn’t need to see for themselves that new products had come to town with the opening of Urthy Scents at 9130 Town Center Parkway, Suite 101, in Lakewood Ranch.

They could smell them.

Urthy Scents held its ribbon cutting Jan. 17 as Allison East and her sister Jennifer Rotondo (shown above) unveiled their room sprays, wax melts and bath bombs, in addition to body lotions, sprays and oils.

The same scents are offered across different product types.

“If you find your scent, you can fill your life with that scent,” Rotondo said.

The sisters said all items are made on-site. Products use coconut wax instead of regular wax, which they said burns more cleanly in candles. The candles also use crackling wooden wicks.

Liz Ramos

Lakewood EAST COUNTY

Ranch’s

Jay Heater

Ian Swaby

Veterinary Medical Center is in permitting stages for an 11,790-square-foot addition. SEE PAGE 10

Dr. Wendy Ellis owns the Veterinary Medical Center at Lakewood Ranch and has begun a significant expansion.

SEE PAGE 3 After overcoming cancer, noted clarinetist shares his joy of music in

County adds attendant program for parks

HELP ON THE WAY

list of parks where attendants will be primarily stationed:

Buffalo Creek Park

Blackstone Park

Braden River Park

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

As more of the amenities at Manatee County parks began to reach capacity because of tremendous growth, plans began in 2022 to staff parks with attendants to keep things running smoothly.

Molly White, deputy director of the Sports and Leisure Services Department, said the county’s athletic leagues, park use and programs are at a record high with population growth, new schools being built and a rise in youth sports. The county’s 80 athletic fields are mostly at full capacity.

“We have an obligation to be there for our residents, and having somebody in the park is definitely going to give our residents a quicker response to any issues that we have,” White said. “That might mean a repair or it just gives them the peace of mind that they have somebody who can remedy whatever situation they might run into.”

The program has a first-year budget of $797,753 to fund 13 park attendants, as well as ancillary costs such as phones, radios, uniforms and office materials.

The issue was eventually brought to the attention of county commissioners with a budget amendment approved on Nov. 16 to fund the new staff positions. White said each park attendant will receive $17.05 per hour to start.

Although parks already had a technician, custodial staff and a team of workers to maintain the property, no one was available to manage the parks full time.

“We want to be able to have a customer service-based approach, and if our users or our guests have a problem or a concern, we want to be able to remedy that problem in real time,” she said.

Lakewood Ranch Park

GT Bray Park

Palma Sola Park

Lincoln Park

Several attendants began working on Jan. 14. White said in most instances there will be one attendant per park, but during larger events, schedules will shift for more coverage.

The attendants will wear bright orange shirts and will respond to any questions and concerns such as light failures and field setups.   White said these staff members would be able to access breakers for lights. She said in the past, teams would have to call for assistance, and would be delayed by 30-45 minutes before help could be provided if the lights went out.

Additionally, she said the attendants can help with field maintenance caused by bad weather.

Attendants will patrol the fields by foot or with carts.

“The expectation is for them to be roaming the park and be mobile,” she said.

The county believes having attendants onsite also will reduce vandalism.

“It can be anything from knocking over trash cans to spray paint — simple things that do disrupt the beauty of the facility that need attention,” White said about possible vandalism. “We do take it personally. We do care about the facilities.”

White said when vandalism does occur, the park attendant will be able to notify the maintenance team so they can remedy the issue.

“It has such a positive impact for all of our residents, all of our league users,” she said.

The program is designed to assist with sports, facility maintenance and any issues that arise.

Trail plans advance in

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

Amaster plan for a Manatee County trail system is taking shape.

Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker has watched progress unfold for over two decades on a system of interconnected recreational trails, known as the Gateway Trail, in Manatee County.

He said the county has had many other priorities to fill, but that current developments, including the acquisition of potential easements, promise to fill significant amounts of missing segments of the proposed system.

The proposed trail system would join trails from Sarasota County in the south, to Hillsborough County in the north, in an effort to become part of the SUN Trail Network that exists statewide.

The Manatee County portion of the trail would pass through Lakewood Ranch, generally along the east side of Bourneside Boulevard, and would serve walkers, runners, cyclists, and in many cases, horseback riders.

Hunsicker estimated the cost of implementing a Manatee County trail master plan, which would cover what he said was “easily” more than 20 miles, at “10s of millions of dollars.”

THE PLAN UNFOLDS

One of the new developments Hunsicker said excites him is a series of “very serious” conversations between County Administrator Scott Hopes and Florida Power & Light regarding potential easements for certain properties in Manatee County.

Although Hopes has been in talks with the company on other issues, Hunsicker said, his positive relationship with FPL has helped to realize important goals related to the trail.

One such easement involves the Waterbury Grapefruit subdivision in Myakka City, located at the point where the trail makes its way northward along Bourneside Boulevard.

The property is located along an FPL transmission line, which extends from Parrish to the Bobwhite station in Sarasota County and passes through that subdivision, Hunsicker said.

Hunsicker said transmission line corridors such as these will be ideally suited to horseback riding, for those who do not wish to use the sidewalk can simply move onto the land beside the power lines.

“It’s not a skinny, 5-foot thing,” he said. “It’s 100 feet wide and sometimes wider.”

Hunsicker said while these properties exist for the purpose of performing maintenance on power lines, Florida law allows them to be included in the trail as long as FPL does not assume responsibility for any injuries.

Other FPL easements will follow.

A trail map showed FPL easements at various locations, including a stretch of trail north of Lake Parrish, and west of the lake just south of the town of Willow.

Both of these segments belong to different ends of a large eastern loop in the trail, which extends from Parrish to Duette, and they meet at a segment of trail which extends from Ellenton to the Hillsborough County border.

Hunsicker said other important potential easements will come into play. Despite initially making little progress, he said, it appears that the county will be able to obtain an easement for the railroad tracks that cover the aforementioned stretch of land.

For part of the distance, users of the trail would travel alongside the tracks, switching from the east side to the west side as they head south

past Dickie Road.

South of U.S. 301, Hunsicker said, the track would be removed, allowing users to walk atop the approximately 15-foot-wide track space, which is elevated above the surrounding wetlands. The steel of the track would likely be picked up and stored on either side of the railroad bed, while the ties would be discarded.

One of the major obstacles to completion of the trail plans are negotiations with landowners north of Edward W. Chance Preserve adjacent to the Manatee River.

He said the county has made a large step in the right direction in that regard as Falkner Farms Group, a major landowner in the area, including throughout the large eastern loop on the trail, has been receptive to the county’s plans.

Trail maps showed Falkner Farms as owning four out of the six private land parcels in the eastern trail loop from Parrish to Duette.

“They have no requirement at all to cooperate, but they are,” he said. “We’re not asking them to make rock solid commitments at this time. This is very much a cooperative partnership here.”

Hunsicker said progress on the Lakewood Ranch segments of the trail is already about 90% complete, as Schroeder-Manatee Ranch has already provided trails in the area. He said the Lakewood Ranch segment would be the first to see completion.

THE TRAIL EXPERIENCE

As the trail enters Manatee County from the south, Hunsicker said it will pass through the Waterside area. He said planners working for Schroeder-Manatee Ranch in Sarasota County have laid out a preliminary pathway from Fruitville Road through Waterside.

ABOUT THE GATEWAY TRAIL

Will connect to the Legacy Trail (Sarasota County) and Hillsborough County trail as part of the state’s Sun Trail Network

Estimated cost: In the “tens of millions”

Companies providing easements: Florida Power & Light, John Falkner LLC.

Funding sources: Grants, Parks and Recreation impact fees, sales taxes

The trail winds through downtown Sarasota to pick up the Legacy Trail near Payne Park, as well as another planned trail in Sarasota County. Moving northward, the trail will expand to a 10-foot, in some cases 12-foot, sidewalk along eastern Bourneside Boulevard as it crosses into Manatee County, and remaining in this form all the way to State Road 64. Some concrete pathways within Lakewood Ranch will follow sidewalks, while others will take their own direction.

He said the fact that this segment of the trail will be an urban, rather than natural, experience did not disappoint him at all.

“It’s a testament to the quality of the SMR developments,” he said. “As you drive along the major roadways, you’re not seeing rows of driveways and homes. You’re seeing landscape buffering already — high berms, decorative fencing, landscaping.”

He said as these roads will be paved, the feasibility of horseback riding in the area will be low to moderate, although it will increase as

users reach the northern areas.

He said beginning at Rye Preserve, and Ed Chance preserve, users have the opportunity to ride on horseback, as the trail makes its eastern loop.

“If you want an Appalachian Trail experience, it’s going to be from Rye Preserve back to Moody Branch,” he said. “You won’t run into a home.

Horseback riding, cycling, walking. It will be a tremendous opportunity there to take advantage of lands we already own.”

He said these eastern areas would contain their own additional smaller loops.

FUNDING THE PROJECT Hunsicker said the county is looking at a variety of funding sources.

At the state level is a highly competitive state grant program for greenways, with funds usually limited to $500,000, which builds about a mile of trail, he said. He said local legislators, who have always been supportive of the initiative, would be important in his area.

He said some funds had been received from the Palmetto Trails Network at Washington Park, and that the county also has its own funding sources including impact fees and some sales taxes.

The trails will have a place among the county’s legislative priorities for the year, as confirmed by the Manatee County Commission Dec. 13.

The trail is absent from the county’s main priorities, which consist of only road infrastructure and transit projects. However, commissioners chose to highlight the trail in a separate section of their proposals to legislators, without a dollar amount attached, after At-Large Commissioner George Kruse brought the item to the board’s attention.

Kruse called the original county proposal of $950,000 to fund the trails “very nominal” and said the county’s priorities should be to show that the commission was focused not only on roads, but on a variety of projects.

He also noted that SMR, and potentially the December 2022 federal omnibus bill, could provide funding for the trail, noting that the state was already seeking funds from that bill for a missing section of the trail in Sumter County.

District 5 Commissioner Vanessa Baugh expressed concern about taking on any additional costs.

“We’re already asking for almost $30 million, and the state’s not going to give us that much money,” Baugh said.

Kruse said it was possible that funding for trails would be allocated from a separate source that might be underutilized, due to Florida counties placing their focus on roads.

County Administrator Scott Hopes said the Florida Legislature had set aside about $20 billion in reserves, and that a budget estimate conference in mid-March would decide the amount that could be allocated to trails.

He said based on his consultations with a state staff expert in trails, funding would come from the Office of the Greenway Trail in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, with which he said the county has a highly positive working relationship.

“We’re going to have to follow our priorities right now, and some of them are not building a trail through the middle and eastern Manatee County, but that’s what a plan is about,” Hunsicker said on Jan. 20.

Connection Point (Hillsborough County)

Photos by Ian Swaby

Charlie Hunsicker is natural resources director with Manatee County.

The trail will pass through Lakewood Ranch along Bourneside Boulevard.

With trial looming, commissioner’s onsite comments ruled inadmissible

Statements made by Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse recorded via the body camera of Sheriff’s Office Lt. Nicholas Pruitt at the scene of an April 20, 2022, accident on GreyHawk Boulevard are inadmissible in the State Attorney General’s DUI case against Kruse.

The trial is scheduled to begin Feb. 6.

That determination was made Jan. 18 by Judge Erika Quartermaine in a hearing in 12th Judicial Circuit Court at the Manatee County Judicial Center.

The body camera video, without the audio, can be presented as evidence during Kruse’s trial, as well as an automated 911 call made by Kruse’s vehicle.

Quartermaine said that presenting Kruse’s audio statements as evidence would violate his right against self-incrimination.

The ruling followed a motion by Kruse’s attorney Jeffrey Haines to throw out the audio statements.

Haines said on Tuesday’s first day of the hearing that Pruitt, the first official to arrive at the scene, appeared to be conducting a criminal investigation of the incident.

He said as Pruitt did not read Kruse his Miranda rights. which would have established Kruse’s right to choose to remain silent, so the comments could not be used as evidence. Quartermaine agreed.

Darlene Ragoonanan, a state prosecutor, disagreed with Haines’ position and pointed to apparent conflicting statements made by Kruse.

While Kruse was recorded via body cam, and in the 911 call, as stating that he swerved away in order to avoid another vehicle, Celeste Baez, an insurance claims adjuster with Progressive Insurance, testified

on Jan. 17 that Kruse had said the incident occurred when he swerved to avoid a small animal.

Ragoonanan said based on precedent set by other Florida cases, false statements would not be protected under the law.

Department of Health makes Narcan available

The Florida Department of Health in Manatee County announced that it is now distributing naloxone (Narcan), a medication that it said reduces substance abuse deaths.

Those in need of the drug can pick it up for free and on a confidential basis to those who are at risk of experiencing an opioid overdose or are at risk of witnessing an opioid overdose, according to a release sent out by the DOH.

The Narcan kits will include two nasal sprays that can be administered without a health care professional present, according to the release. These can be picked up on a walk-in basis.

Those receiving the Narcan will receive educational material and referrals for substance abuse intervention. The kits can be picked up 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at 410 Sixth Avenue E., or at the Manatee South Center, 7780 Westmoreland Drive.

For more information, call 2426663.

The release said “naloxone is a medication that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose, restoring breathing and consciousness within minutes of being administered to a person who has overdosed. It is not intended to substitute for professional medical care. Individuals should call 9-1-1 immediately when an opioid overdose is suspected, before administering naloxone.”

File photo

Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse’s trial begins Feb 6.

Will two trash pickups be canned?

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

As

County moves forward into the new year, its commission is faced with decisions about how to handle increases that will be required in residents’ garbage collection services.

One of the major decisions facing commissioners involves the county’s solid waste contract, which is set to expire in September.

County Administrator Scott Hopes said Jan. 17 the county’s two haulers, Waste Management and Waste Pro, are operating at a loss under the current contract, and that the county is actively negotiating with them to determine under what terms they would continue to provide service.

If no terms can be reached, he said, they would no longer be able to provide services beginning Oct.

1. County Attorney William Clague said a temporary extension of the contract would be legally possible.

One of the major decisions is the frequency of solid waste collection. Solid waste, which includes garbage and yard waste, is currently collected twice per week in Manatee County. Recyclables are collected once a week.

Reducing all items to a once-perweek pickup would expand the pickup cart from 64 gallons to 96 gallons.

Mitch Kessler, a consultant, said the county could implement a procedure to give an additional green solid waste cart to large families. The container has a one-time additional cost of $85 to be delivered to residents’ doors, in addition to another $4 a month for collection.

An option would exist to request a smaller can for the benefit of older residents who cannot maneuver the larger one.

There was debate among commis-

sioners as to who should bear the cost of the additional can.

At-Large Commissioner George Kruse said it should fall on the users of the cans.

District 1 Commissioner James Satcher said the responsibility should fall on the county.

“I would say that for our families in Manatee County, who are paying ridiculous numbers right now for a dozen eggs, this is the wrong time to ensure they’re paying every little bit of their share on a contract,” he said.

Hopes said the board had the option to make the extra can available as part of the capital expenditure of the county.  Kessler recommended commissioners limit bulk collection services in the county or require customers to pay for their use, as well as remove a free one-time annual collection of 60 cubic yards of material, which he said added up to almost $600,000 a year.

County Administrator Scott Hopes said the county has an all-inclusive monthly utility bill of $14.33. He said $9 goes towards solid waste collection, with $5.33 covering all other costs. Hopes said based on commissioners’ decisions, the hauling cost alone could rise from $9 to as much as $15.27, which would be a total of $20.60 per month.

During a Jan. 19 land use meeting, the commission voted to cancel discussions of the utilities decisions, postponing the topic to an undetermined later date.

Manatee County says trash haulers operating at a loss so collection could be cut to once per week.

Ian Swaby Deputy Director of Utilities Kevin Morris and Utilities Director Evan Pilachoswki prepare for a presentation to commissioners on Jan. 17.

Fundraising expands SCF nursing program

Community partnerships and a boost from state Legislature provide with SCF an opportunity to grow its nursing program.

LIZ RAMOS STAFF WRITER

Since Carol Probstfeld became president of the State College of Florida 10 years ago, she’s wanted to at least double the number of nurses the college could accept in its program.

At the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year, Probstfeld’s dream will come true when 350 students begin SCF’s nursing program.

When Probstfeld became president 10 years ago, only about 160 nursing students could be accepted.

Now, with the help of 11 health care organizations throughout Manatee and Sarasota counties and the state legislature, SCF will be able to better serve a community that has a nursing shortage.

“I’ve always wanted to be able to take every student who applies and who’s qualified,” Probstfeld said. “In two years, if all goes well with that student, they’ll graduate, and we’ll

BY THE NUMBERS

$1.1 MILLION Total funds raised to grow State College of Florida’s nursing program

350 Nursing students that will be accepted in 2023-24 school year

220 Nursing students accepted in 2022-23 school year

160 Nursing students accepted 10 years ago

$3,000 Tuition for a full-time student to enroll in SCF’s nursing program

2 Years it’ll take to complete the Associate in Science Nursing degree 96% Students who pass the nursing licensure exam

6-11 Nurses from SCF that Lakewood Ranch Medical Center hires each year

have additional nurses available.”

The State College of Florida thanked representatives from health care organizations, including Lakewood Ranch Medical Center and

Liz Ramos

Cara Kulikowski, education coordinator for Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, Carol Probstfeld, president of the State College of Florida, Lakewood Ranch Medical Center CEO Andy Guz and Divisional Nursing Director Lauren Cross celebrate the partnership between the hospital and State College of Florida

Tidewell Hospice, for their partnerships with SCF during a Nursing Appreciation Reception Jan. 17.

“Today is about celebrating the power of collaboration, community partnerships and a shared commitment to helping our community solve one of our big challenges and that is graduating nurses for all of our benefit,” Probstfeld said to attendees.

SCF started reaching out to hospitals and medical organizations almost two years ago to develop partnerships that could raise money to support the growth of the nursing program.

Together, they raised $550,000, which was then matched by the state legislature through the Linking Industry to Nursing Education program as well as the Prepping Institutions, Programs, Employers and Learners through Incentives for Nursing Education program.

“It was always frustrating for me to see so many people who wanted to be nurses and couldn’t through our programs,” Probstfeld said. “Early on in my career, I set the goal that we were going to do everything we can to double the number of applicants we can take. This is the culminating moment of a dream I had 10 years ago. Sometimes things take time to get done, but we’re here.”

Probstfeld said a majority of graduates from the nursing program will take jobs at local hospitals and medical offices.

“It’s not like other programs where their nursing students come from all over the state or all over the country,” she said. “They come to us because they live here; they’re connected here; they might have kids in school here. They’re staying, and I think that’s one of the reasons why our partners love working with us because they know that our nurses have ties to this community.”

Lakewood Ranch Medical Center was the first to officially partner with State College of Florida.

Judy Young, the chief nursing officer at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, said she was excited when she first learned the hospital would be partnering with SCF.

“We see a lot of students through SCF here at the hospital,” Young said. “The fact it was going to increase our nursing enrollment during this time

IF YOU GO

STATE COLLEGE OF FLORIDA

NURSING OPEN HOUSE

When: 3-5 p.m. Feb. 21

Where: SCF Lakewood Ranch, Medical Technology & Simulation Center, 7131

Professional Parkway, Sarasota

Details: Learn about the State College of Florida’s Associate in Science in Nursing degree and Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree programs. Tour the Simulation Center and meet the faculty.

More information: Contact Tammy Sawmelle, dean of nursing, at 752-5530 or by email at SawmelT@SCF.edu.

where we have a nursing shortage was very exciting.”

Young, a graduate of SCF, said the college provided her a good education that prepared her well for the job.

“There’s a lot that comes along as you start your career in nursing and you actually work at a hospital, but it gives you a really great foundation for the nursing process and how to care for patients.”

Young said Lakewood Ranch Medical Center hires between six and 11 graduates from SCF’s nursing program each year, and many SCF nursing students are exposed to the hospital through their clinical rotations.

She said the partnership between the hospital and SCF is an investment in the future of nursing.

As more students are able to enroll in SCF’s nursing programs, Young expects Lakewood Ranch Medical Center will be able to hire more SCF graduates as nurses in the future.

“With this partnership, one of the big things for us is we’re going to see more students coming through the hospital,” she said. “That will give them more exposure to our hospital and let them know there’s a hospital in Lakewood Ranch that can fit the needs of their career as well.”

As the nursing shortage continues across the country, Probstfeld and Young both said it’s crucial for colleges and hospitals to find ways to increase enrollment and have more people become nurses.

‘YOU DO THIS FOR THE MUSIC’

AT THE TOP OF HIS LIST

John Fullam picks his top seven career highlights: 1

Playing Aaron Copland’s Clarinet Concerto with Copland conducting at Carnegie Hall in New York City in 1980 2

Winning the principal clarinet chair in the Buffalo Philharmonic in 1992

Earning a scholarship grant to the Julliard School in 1970 4

Winning the U.S. Components Inc. Fellowship Grant to attend the Tanglewood Festival in 1977

His clarinet studies under Joseph Allard at Julliard from 1970-75 6

Hs clarinet studies under Harold Wright, principal clarinetist of the Boston Symphony from 1977-82

7World Premier of “City of Light”

Clarinet Concerto written for him by Persis Parshall Vehar in 2007

Noted clarinetist shares his joy of music during the Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble’s Winter Concert.

JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR

It will be time once again for John Fullam to stand.

On Feb. 5 at Peace Presbyterian Church in Lakewood Ranch, Fullam will deliver a clarinet solo performance of Weber’s Concertino, Opus 26 during the Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble’s Winter Concert.

However, the sounds that flow from his instrument won’t completely define the person behind the clarinet.

And that’s OK with Fullam, whose career as a heralded musician has changed after a “miraculous” recovery from fourth stage Hodgkin lymphoma.

A Meadows resident since 2017, when the cancer forced him to retire after 25 years with the Buffalo Philharmonic as its lead clarinetist, Fullam is walking a somewhat different path these days. Going through treatment, his wife, Lois, by his side, Fullam emerged, seeing the world in a different light.

“My doctor said when I come through this, that I would be a different person,” he said.

It was a simple, and profound, statement.

“My wife and I are of considerable faith,” Fullam said. “I see another 15 years as a gift. I haven’t finished what I am here to do.”

MORE TO DO

Certainly, he has been at the top of his profession as a musician. Perhaps his next chapter would involve something more personal.

Fullam said he liked the “above average” talent Miller had assembled and he has since enjoyed the way Miller picks the music for the wind ensemble’s performances.

“Every single person would redo the season schedule to their own liking,” Fullam said. “But if you go high brow, you can lose 85% of the audience, and the other extreme is that it gets tiring playing the same show tunes over and over. Repetition can be the kiss of death. If you play music (the musicians) can’t stand, you won’t have that orchestra very long.”

He said Miller accommodates the interests of everyone in his programs.

“I am about 90% back, and I believe I am ready to pick up where I left off. But if I was a boxer, I wouldn’t want to go back into the ring.”

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isolate himself with his music.

“Music is 90% solitary,” he said. “There is a price we pay if you want to make music on the level of a Mozart.

“At the heart of everything, I was not so much narrow-minded, as single-minded. You embrace everything else and see it through a different prism.”

A VERSATILE INSTRUMENT

He has loved the clarinet for its versatility.

“A clarinet can take the place of a violin, you can march with it. Jazz. Chamber music. It fits in everywhere. The approach differs in what the score demands.”

IF YOU GO

Who: John Fullam

What: Featured soloist at the Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble’s Winter Concert When: 2 p.m. Feb. 5

Where: Peace Presbyterian Church, 12705 S.R. 64 E., Lakewood Ranch Tickets: $10 at the door

Did you know: Fullam was the principal clarinetist of the Buffalo Philharmonic

“I see things more deeply than I used to,” he said. “I will reread a book, spend hours looking at a painting, listen to a recording all day. My appreciation for things is a lot deeper. I value people more in general. Everyone is a gift. It is a lot easier for me to be courteous.”

With his physical strength growing, he started to think about performing again. He had been isolated at home with Lois, knowing that contracting COVID-19 during his cancer treatments would be a death sentence.

Still, though, he was coming out of chemo treatments and he was “starting to get my chops back.”

He missed playing in a band, so on July 4, 2021, he went to hear the Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble play with the Choral Artists of Sarasota at the Sarasota Opera House.

“He came to me after the concert,” said Joe Miller, the founder and conductor of the Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble. “He said, ‘I love this group and I want to be part of it.’

“It’s exciting to have someone with his performance history. Folks look up to him, and he already has offered to do master classes. And his sound is magnificent.”

READY FOR THE SPOTLIGHT? At 71, is he ready for a moment in the spotlight?

“I am about 90% back, and I believe I am ready to pick up where I left off,” he said. “But if I was a boxer, I wouldn’t want to go back into the ring.”

Fullam said he isn’t seeking notoriety or glamour.

“You do this for the music,” he said.

While he said audience reactions have been exceptional for Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble performances, each musician needs to have a personal satisfaction from a concert as well.

“I learned that often when I would give a recital, I would be sweating my guts out in preparation, and then I would get this for 10 seconds.”

He put his hands in front of him, politely clapping as if it was required. He laughed a bit.

“‘Can’t you hear me?’

“Then at other times, I would have all but fallen on my face, and I would get a great ovation and I would be asked to do an encore. It is all about who is doing the listening.”

For much of his life, he has tried to be ready for those listening. Growing up in New York, he said he wasn’t very social as a child, choosing to

A music historian, his studio is filled with photos of those who provided him with musical inspiration or teaching inspiration.

“I was born with talent, had the unconditional financial and moral support of both my parents and practiced so hard I almost lost my fear of Hell,” he said.

Sometimes his guidance would come from learning about a piece of music, and how it came about.

“It is very exciting to learn the circumstances surrounding a particular composer at the time he wrote a piece,” he said.

Among the musicians and composers on his wall are his tutors, including Joseph Allard of Julliard, Harold Wright, the principal clarinetist of the Boston Symphony, and Karl Leister, principal clarinetist of the Berlin Philharmonic, and Pete Fountain, a famous New Orleans jazz clarinetist whose music enthralled a young Fullam.

Now not-so-young, Fullam figures there are more amazing pieces to be played.

“When you love music and make it your vocation, it never leaves you,” he said. “Even if you don’t play at the same level as when you were in your prime, it doesn’t mean you can’t derive as much joy from it.”

Chief Financial Officer / Laura Strickland, LStrickland@YourObserver.com

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Observer Media Group Inc. is locally owned. Publisher of the Longboat Observer, East County Observer, Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer, Palm Coast Observer, Ormond Beach Observer, West Orange Times & Observer, Southwest Orange Observer, Business Observer, Jacksonville Daily Record, LWR Life Magazine, Baldwin Park Living Magazine and Season Magazine

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8130 Lakewood Main St., Suite D207 Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 941-755-5357

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

Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944

Photos by Jay Heater

Top of page, John Fullam’s home studio shows off his love of music history. Above, Fullam practices for the Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble’s Feb. 5 Winter Concert.

New date opens volunteer opportunities at Suncoast Classic

Let’s face it, when it comes to hustle and bustle, we don’t think much about snowbirds in the eastern part of Manatee and Sarasota counties.

Sure, we have fewer people around, but not so many to take notice. That’s more a west side of the counties kind of thing. That’s unless you are looking for volunteers for the LECOM Suncoast Classic.

After four years of hosting the Korn Ferry Tour event at Lakewood National in February, the schedule shifts in 2023 to April 20-23.

The volunteer directors for the tournament have been made aware that the Lakewood Ranch area still has its share of those who head north in the spring.

“When we held the tournament in February, going into the new year created an urgency,” said Heritage Harbour’s Kay Scholten, who has volunteered at the tournament since its beginning and who now is the director of hospitality. “It’s January and April seems a long ways away. We need 500 volunteers, but some people are waiting.”

Scholten and the tournament directors are asking those who have an interest in volunteering to sign up soon. Having time to plan makes for smooth sailing when the tournament begins.

Juan Gutierrez, the director of volunteer services, said he sent out a memo to approximately 100 of his volunteers from last year.

“Twenty of them sent me a note, ‘I’m can’t work this year because I won’t be here at that time. I live in the north and I am leaving April 1.’

“We are looking to fill that gap with new people.”

The other directors are seeing similar losses of volunteers from

last year.

Tournament Director Justin Kristich said the change in dates has opened the opportunities for those who might have thought the volunteer positions were all filled in the past. He said area growth will provide new blood in terms of both volunteers and spectators.

He noted the field will be larger as well this year, going from 144 players to 156 because the tournament will have more daylight hours.

For those who were worried about starting a volunteer shift in cold weather — and the directors did say they have wore ski caps in the early hours during past tournaments — the shift in schedule should provide warmer weather overall.

So what do you get as a volunteer?

It costs $40 to volunteer, and while that seems a bit odd considering you are volunteering your time, it provides each volunteer with a tournament shirt and hat.

Volunteers receive four one-day passes worth $20 apiece and they can eat meals or get drinks depending on their schedule.

Best yet, volunteers are treated to an appreciation party April 24. That includes the opportunity to play the course, which because of the growth of Lakewood National is now totally private and unavailable to the public to play.

“That’s an incentive to volunteer,” Kristich said.

Volunteers are required to work three shifts, usually spanning four to six hours.

So was it required to be a volunteer?

Hope said he looks for enthusiasm and flexibility, in case a task needs to change at the last minute. He also values the ability to “think

Sarasota Memorial Presents

on your feet” along with mobility.

“There is a lot of running around,” he said.

Gutierrez said he looks for good decision-making and problemsolving skills along with people skills.

“You are a representative of the Korn Ferry Tour and LECOM,” he said. “You’re an ambassador.”

Gutierrez said he currently is short on course marshals as he needs 216 overall.

Scholten said she seeks commitment — someone who shows up on time —along with the willingness to work with the public. She values those who can be proactive, such as noticing the flow of spectator traffic is not good and working to fix it.

With the change in the schedule, she said some volunteers might be aware of how well they can handle the heat.

Some volunteers never leave their home.

As director of hospitality, Scholten places players and caddies with

host homes during the tournament so they can keep their expenses low.

If you would like to host a player or caddie, please contact her at kayscholten@gmail.com.

“They need a bedroom and preferably a private bath,” she said.

“The hosts do not need to transport them or provide food.”

Hosting players and caddies provides a unique chance to interact with the athletes. Among players in past Suncoast Classic events are Scottie Scheffler and Will Zalatoris.

Whether or not the players at Lakewood National become PGA Tour stars, Scholten said she derives a lot of satisfaction from volunteering at the tournament.

“I love the fact that I play a part in supporting these young men as they try to move up in their careers,” she said. “Their stories are incredible.”

Kristich said he is fortunate to have Scholten, Hope and Gutierrez play leadership roles since the tournament’s first year.

“If the volunteer operation

doesn’t work, the tournament doesn’t work,” he said.

LECOM has extended its sponsorship of the tournament through 2026, so it won’t be leaving, even if the Korn Ferry Tour can’t agree to another deal with Lakewood National. In that case it would shift to another course in the region.

“We are actively negotiating with Lakewood National,” Kristich said about the possibility of the tournament being played on the course through 2026.

Those who would like to volunteer can go to SunCoastLecomClassic.com.

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

Thursday, February 2, 4:30-5:30pm

} Robert Eckart, DO, FACC, FHRS - Stroke Reduction in Atrial Fibrillation without Blood Thinners Tuesday, February 7, 4:30-5:30pm

}

Thursday, February 9, 4:30-5:30pm

} Brian P. Betensky, MD, FACC, FHRS - Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation: Fundamentals, Trial Data and Emerging Technologies

Wednesday, February 15, 4:30-5:30pm

} Daniel L. Molloy, MD - Interventional Cardiology: Sometimes Less is More Thursday, February 23, 4:30-5:30pm

} Ricardo A. Yaryura, MD, FACC - Aortic Valve Replacement with TAVR and Mitral Valve options with MitralClip and New Technology and Treatments

Sarasota Memorial Hospital Auditorium - First Floor 1700 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34239 SMH-SARASOTA

Jay Heater

Tournament Director Justin Kristich, and Volunteer Directors Juan Gutierrez, Kay Scholten and Mike Hope are recruiting volunteers for the LECOM Suncoast Classic golf tournament at Lakewood National.

Veterinary Medical Center adding another 11,790 feet of emergency service.

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

When Dr. Wendy Ellis established the Veterinary Medical Center at Lakewood Ranch, she had been hoping to start a general practice.

However, the demand for emergency care in the area led her to follow a different course.

Despite the presence of five animal hospitals in Sarasota and Bradenton, she said there remains a shortage of veterinary care in still growing East County.

Based on her years of experience, she said it was easy for her to discern the need by looking at wait times.

With her experience in emergency veterinarian care, she was ready to step back into that practice again, with the clinic changing to an emergency center in November 2021.

That was just the beginning.

The 11,790-square-foot expansion of the Veterinary Medical Center is targeted for a late 2023 opening. She said the building is currently in the final stage of permitting.

The expansion will be attached to the current practice, which will

What: Veterinary Medical Center at Lakewood Ranch Where: 15205 Garnet Trail, Bradenton, FL Phone: (941) 739-1800

Pet project expands emergency care EYE ON

become an emergency and specialty center and will allow the clinic to provide cardiology, internal medicine, surgery, oncology, ophthalmology, and other services.

She said the new building will contain 13 exam rooms and multiple surgical suites. Also included will be a large, pet-friendly elevator for travel between the building’s two floors.

Ellis said she hopes the additions will be able to fulfill the need in the area.

She said while services are needed in Lakewood Ranch, she also noted a lack of service providers in the Myakka City area. The veterinary center, with its location on the

eastern side of Lakewood Ranch, becomes an easy drive for Myakka City residents.

The toughest part of the expansion, she said, will be staffing.

Ellis said the services will become an important supplement to what is already available in the region since many of the services they offer can’t be found at the other emergency centers.

She said she was excited to offer ophthalmology, which she called a “big specialty” in emergency or in veterinary medicine.

If a pet needs eye surgery, an

Our Two Exciting Series

ophthalmologist will usually be the preferred specialist, she said.

Her center will feature hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which will involve a small chamber offering high-pressure oxygen.

She said pets generally do very well with this type of treatment, which is extremely helpful for smoke inhalations, severe wounds, or severe swelling, and will speed recovery significantly. Her staff, she said, knows the machines “inside and out.”

The hospital will offer what she said is the area’s only CAT scan

available for use on an emergency basis, and would be available nights and weekends. If an animal hit by a car comes in, for instance, doctors will be able to use it to determine what injuries exist.

She said after the practice was established in that area, due to the accessibility of her site and the presence of Bayside Pet Resort just beside it, she saw a quick reaction from the public. She expects similar attention once the center is complete.

“People are glad to have us here,” she said.

Ian Swaby

The Veterinary Medical Center is going through permitting to add an 11,790-square-foot addition.

Celebrating Burns

Lakewood Ranch’s Martha Gaffney looked carefully at the board filled with images of the Scottish coat of arms. She loves the St. Andrew Society of Sarasota’s annual Burns Supper because it connects her with her Scottish roots.

“It’s the one time we don’t come to an event for the food,” Gaffney said. “Although the Scotch eggs are really good.”

Gaffney, along with 141 others, gathered at Palm Aire Country Club on Jan. 21 to celebrate the 264th birthday of Scottish poet Robert Burns.

“I love the history and the poetry of Robert Burns,” Gaffney said. “I love the singing, dancing and camaraderie. We get to connect to our roots that go back centuries. You meet people from all over the world, and we already have something in common.”

This year’s Burns Supper had the largest attendance in the St. Andrew Society of Sarasota’s history. Previously, the largest attendance was 132 people in 2015.

Greenfield Plantation’s Mike Wilcox said the Burns Supper is a joyous and wonderful event where he and his wife, Jody Wilcox, can connect with old friends while celebrating their Scottish heritage.

“My favorite part is the whisky,” Mike Wilcox said with a laugh and a glass of Scotch in hand.

— LIZ RAMOS

Greenfield Plantation’s Mike and Jody Wilcox say the Burns Supper is a “joyous and wonderful” event.

Brendan Nolan entertains 142 attendees during cocktail hour.

Photos by Liz Ramos

Lakewood Ranch’s Martha Gaffney loves hearing the history and poetry of Robert Burns every year at the Burns Supper at Palm Aire Country Club.

Fast Break

Lakewood Ranch High’s Seth Shamrock, who was a senior long snapper on the football team, was invited to the Kohl’s Senior Showcase in Dallas Jan. 21. Shamrock is rated a four-star long snapper by Kohl’s Kicking but has yet to pick a college program.

Serious about your putting? Golf equipment company TaylorMade has joined Tiger Woods and the ownership group of PopStroke, the putting and dining venue that has a location in University Town Center. Special TaylorMade putters will be available at a price for those seeking that perfect round.

… High school soccer’s postseason begins this week, with district quarterfinal games taking place Jan. 26 and the tournaments finishing next week with championship games on Feb. 2. The Lakewood Ranch High girls team (15-0-1) is the top-ranked team in the area and the No. 1 seed in its district.

Don’t forget about the inaugural NBP Paddling Classic, coming to Nathan Benderson Park on Feb. 4. It will see dragon boats compete in 200- and 500-meter races in various divisions, including a newlyformed 18+ division. Food and beverage trucks will be on site. The event is is free for spectators. For more information visit NathanBendersonPark.org.

Zachary Szmania, a swimming alum of The Out-of-Door Academy, set a pool record in the men’s 1,000 freestyle at Boston College’s home meet against Boston University on Jan. 21. Szmania, a senior, finished the swim in 9:17.83.

Congratulations to Don Betts and Dave Hirst, who shot two under par Jan. 18 to win the Men’s Golf Association best ball event held at Palm Aire Country Club’s Champions course by two strokes.

Tiger tale

After two transfers, LaDazhia Williams is living up to her potential for undefeated LSU.

RYAN KOHN SPORTS EDITOR

LaDazhia Williams was having trouble talking about the joy of playing for the undefeated LSU women’s basketball team.

But only because she was hoarse.

It was the morning after the Tigers’ 79-76 win over Arkansas on Jan. 19, and the former Lakewood Ranch High star’s voice had been forced to keep up with the Pete Maravich Assembly Center crowd, which produced more noise than she ever had heard in the building.

Combined with the excitement of the moment, her voice took a beating even if her team didn’t.

The win kept alive LSU’s dreams of a perfect season, giving the Tigers a 19-0 record. It was LSU’s first win to be decided by a single-digit margin.

Williams transferred to the Tigers from the University of Missouri following the 2021-2022 season. She said the game was a wake-up call of sorts for her team. Not only did it force the Tigers to stay engaged the whole time, it proved they could play their best when it mattered the most, something the team will have to do more of if it wants its dreams of an NCAA championship to become reality.

After Williams spent two years with Missouri, following two years at the University of South Carolina, she’s now a graduate student at LSU. After years of trying to find her place as a basketball player, Williams landed in a program and a school that feel like home to her.

“I wanted to stay in the SEC and I had seen what Coach (Kim Mulkey) had done for other post players in the past,” Williams said. “I wanted the chance to be coached by her, too.”

Mulkey arrived at LSU in 2021 after winning three NCAA championships at Baylor University, where she coached for 21 seasons. The Bears’ success came in large part because of post players like Brittney Griner, Lauren Cox and Kalani Brown, all of

RIGHT AT HOME

LaDazhia Williams’ stats at LSU, as of Jan. 20

Games played: 17 Games started: 17 8.5 points per game 55.1 field goal percentage 5.7 rebounds per game (2.7 offensive rebounds, 3.0 defensive rebounds) 1.3 steals per game 0.9 blocks per game 1.2 turnovers per game

whom were named All-Americans and now play professionally.

Williams said Mulkey has preached a defense-first philosophy at LSU that requires playing smart basketball. She has focused on being in the right position to block off opponents driving to the basket and playing “help defense” in tandem with her teammates. Combined with Williams’ inherent height — she is 6-foot-4 — and the height of fellow star forward Angel Reese, who is 6-foot-3, the Tigers are a brick wall in the post. LSU has allowed just 51.9 points per game, which is sixth best in the NCAA.

Considering the talent Mulkey has coached, her words about Williams carry weight. After the team’s game against Arkansas on Dec. 29, a 69-45 win, Mulkey used her postgame press conference to praise Williams for her effort.

“LaDazhia Williams set the tone for us defensively,” Mulkey said. “She had 15 big rebounds, but it’s what she did in helping on cutters, on drives. It’s what you hope a senior will do who has been in this league and has played a lot of basketball. She needs to get a lot of attention.”

That part might be difficult for Williams, who is averaging 8.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game for the Tigers, while playing next to Reese, who leads the country with 24.2 points and 15.6 rebounds per game. Williams said playing next to Reese is easy because you always know what you’re going to get from her.

“She plays hard, but she’s a great motivator, too,” Williams said of Reese.

It was Reese who led the charge in LSU’s second win over Arkansas, scoring 30 points and hauling in 19 rebounds. Williams scored 11 points and brought in 12 rebounds

for her second double-double of the season. Like Williams, Reese transferred to LSU last offseason from the University of Maryland. LSU also has two freshmen, Flau’Jae Johnson and Sa’Myah Smith, getting heavy minutes. Williams said that many key players learning Mulkey’s system together helped develop team chemistry early in their training.

It is chemistry that is paying off now. Against Arkansas, the team never panicked despite the Razorbacks shooting 58% from the floor in the second half. They trusted their coaching and talent and came out with a win. Williams said it was the best moment of her season thus far.

“We needed that (push),” Williams said. “It showed us that we can stick together no matter what. It showed us the importance of leadership and playing team basketball.”

After four years of trying to find the right fit — on the court and off of it — Williams has found LSU to be what she needed, and her to be what LSU needed. Her defense has shined and her rebounding gives LSU’s talented shooters second chances when they miss.

Back in the South, Williams is playing up to her billing.

“I’m happy (at LSU),” Williams said. “I like the culture. The food is good. I’m just enjoying my time.”

“We have played more together. Last year it was like we were individuals doing our own thing.”

— Pirates basketball player Marcus Schade SEE PAGE 15

Ryan Kohn

Lakewood Ranch High senior long snapper Seth Shamrock.

LaDazhia Williams transferred to LSU as a graduate student following two seasons at Missouri and two seasons at South Carolina.

Courtesy photos LaDazhia Williams was rated a fivestar player by ESPN coming out of Lakewood Ranch High in 2017.

PROSE AND KOHN RYAN KOHN

Success in silence

Will Frentz could not hear the cheers.

At 16 years old, Frentz took the soccer field for the first time as a member of the U.S. Men’s Deaf National Team in Greece’s Olympic Stadium. He did so without his cochlear implant, which he started wearing at 4 years old.

Like many of his teammates, he was born deaf, but getting the implant gave him the ability to hold verbal conversations — though it took awhile. Frentz said he was unable to hold a conversation without an interpreter until he was 7.  But international deaf soccer rules ban the use of cochlear implants on the field because they are deemed an unfair advantage toward the countries that can easily afford them or even have them readily available. In a nod to fairness, everyone must play without them. To be eligible for the team, players must have hearing loss of at least 55 decibels in their stronger ear.

Without their implants, everyone must deal with — the silence.

Frentz, now 32, spent Jan. 14-16 with the U.S. Men’s Deaf National Team, which held a training camp at Premier Sports Campus in preparation for the Deaf World Cup in Malaysia in September. At this point, the feeling of wearing a national team jersey is nothing new.

Frentz has spent half his life on the team after trying out while still at Manual High School in Louisville, Kentucky. Back then, he was playing with teammates and opponents who had no hearing challenges.

After seeing an ESPN segment that mentioned the U.S. Men’s Deaf National Basketball Team, Frentz researched if there was a similar team for soccer.

There was.

“I emailed the coaches, and they invited me to a camp,” Frentz said.

“I’ve been part of the team ever since.”

Since that first game in Greece, Frentz has risen through the ranks. For the past nine years, he’s been the team’s center back — the most important defensive position — and in 2022 was named team captain, an honor Frentz does not take lightly.

“Our previous captain, Trip Neal, I have always looked up to him,” Frentz said. “I have tried to learn from him and every leader we have had, including our coaches. It’s a little weird being someone people look up to, but I try to manage all the different personalities and set an example. I want to be someone any player can come to with any question or issue they may have.”

Part of Frentz’s duties as captain involve on-field communication. The inability to use cochlear implants makes it a challenge. Frentz said he has encouraged all members of the team to learn American Sign Language, even if they do not use it at home, to make things smoother. That has its own challenges. Learning what the signs mean is one thing, but learning to look for and recognize those hand signals while in the middle of play is another.

“We have to keep our heads on a swivel,” Frentz said. “We have to always be aware of who’s trying to talk to us.”

Frentz said halftime is an important time because coaches can easily communicate with their teams about what needs to change in the second half.

When Frentz takes the field at the Deaf World Cup, it will be his fourth time in the event. This one will be the first to have the U.S. team supported by the U.S. Soccer National Team program. It officially became part the program in 2022, joining the forces of U.S. Soccer and the U.S. Deaf Soccer Association, which is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organiza-

tion that also includes the U.S. Deaf Women’s National Team and boys and girls youth national teams.

While the change does allow for the deaf men’s team to wear official U.S. apparel and training gear — a nice perk — and gets them coverage on the organization’s social media sites, Frentz said the partnership has also had more practical changes, such as getting financial support to hold more training camps throughout the year and expanding the team’s potential player pool.

The team now has more than 100 players in its pool, which makes things more competitive and allows for easier replacements if a player has to miss a tournament because of previous commitments or other reasons.

It is something that happens often. Being part of the deaf men’s team is not a full-time job for any player. When not with the team, Frentz works at Heuser Hearing Institute in Louisville. Heuser is part clinic, part hearing and language academy.

It is where Frentz first went to school and means a lot to him.

He’s also married with two children. Frentz said it is not easy to leave these people and places behind to train multiple times a year, but the sacrifices are ultimately worth it.

“I have passed up career opportunities to go to international tournaments,” Frentz said. “I miss my family whenever I am away from them, whether it is three days or

three weeks. It comes down to knowing I have a finite amount of time to be on this team. When I’m 40, 50, 60 years old, I’m not going to be playing.

“It’s such an honor to play with guys who have had a similar life experience. To do that and to represent our country on a global stage, nothing even comes close to that.”

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

Ryan Kohn Will Frentz and the U.S. Deaf Men’s National Team were at Premier Sports Campus Jan. 13-15 training for the Deaf World Cup in September in Malaysia.

Marcus Schade

Marcus Schade is a 6-foot-3 junior guard on the Braden River High boys basketball team. Schade leads the Pirates, who have a 13-6 record, with 16 points per game.

When did you start playing basketball?

In eighth grade I played on a competitive team for the first time and then tried out for the high school team the next year and made it.

What is the appeal to you?

I was a baseball player first, but baseball was always a bit slow to me. Basketball is more up and down and I enjoy that more.

What is your best skill?

I can get to the rim downhill. That’s my best skill on offense. On defense, I can poke away balls and get them when they’re loose.

What have you been working to improve?

I have been improving my overall athleticism and my shot-making ability, like one-dribble, pull-up shots and other off-the-dribble shots rather than just catch-andshoot shots.

What is your favorite memory?

My freshman year, my teammate Dean (Itraish) — he’s still on the team now — he hadn’t played much that year, but in the final game of the season he hit a free throw at the end of the game. In the locker room we all jumped on him and splashed wa ter on him. It was a cool moment.

What has been the biggest reason for the team’s success this season?

We have played more together. Last year it was like we were individuals doing our own thing. I think a lot of the change is because of our coach (Dwight

Gilmer) and the staff. We’re all hanging out outside of basketball now as well as playing together.

What next steps can be taken as the postseason approaches?

We need to get back in transition, set our feet and get ready to play defense instead of lackadaisically jogging back. We need more intensity.

What are your hobbies?

I like to go through American Ninja Warrior courses.

What is the best advice you have received?

We have a sign in our locker room that says “Us > Them, We > I.” That is impactful to me, especially in basketball. When you’re working with people, you’re going to get things done better if you’re together.

Finish this sentence: “Marcus Schade is …” … Spontaneous. I’m different every day.

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.

YOUR NEIGHBORS

for the Hopemonarch grows

JAY HEATER | MANAGING EDITOR

Alongside the path behind Lakewood Ranch Town Hall, you come upon a garden, simple in nature but complex in its purpose.

That garden is maintained by members of the Lakewood Ranch Garden Club, which designed it in 2005.

Among the plants are milkweed, stokes aster, trailing Lantana, powderpuff mimosa, pentas and blackeyed Susans, just to name a few. It has a wild and free feel to it, unlike the pampered gardens outside a palatial estate.

In a homeowner’s eyes, it would look kind of ... well ... easy.

And that’s the message of Lakewood Ranch Garden Club members Sheryl Perkins and Phyllis Weber, who would like the public to understand that using native plants and supporting local wildlife is inexpensive, relatively easy and environmentally friendly.

In some cases, it might even save money.

At 10 a.m. Feb. 13 at Lakewood Ranch Town Hall, the club is hosting guest speaker Jim West of Monarch

Butterflies USA to talk about the loss of monarch butterfly habitat, the importance of that loss, and what the general public can do to help. The meeting is open to everyone.

West and her fellow Lakewood Ranch Garden Club members are hoping that if enough people get involved, Lakewood Ranch will be deemed part of Monarch City, USA, a designation showing environmental responsibility.

Monarch City, USA communities have restored habitats at public parks, community gardens, schools, churches and other plots of land throughout the U.S. to support not only monarchs, but all butterflies.

West will talk about how many of Florida’s native plants are perfect for supporting butterflies through the various stages of their lifecycles.

Perkins and Weber said with a little effort, the Lakewood Ranch area can provide much needed support of these important pollinators.

WHAT IS NEEDED

n Plant milkweed. Monarch caterpillars need milkweeds to grow and develop. To learn which species to plant, visit Bring Back the Monarchs at: www.monarchwatch.org.

n Plant butterfly nectar plants. Monarchs need nectar to provide energy as they breed, for their migratory journey, and to build reserves for the long winter. Include butterfly plants in your garden, and avoid using pesticides.

*From Pollinator.org

The club’s own garden at Town Hall has been maintained over the years with less than $300 a year, although the size of the garden is far bigger than most residents would plant at their home.

“In 2005, there weren’t any big trees here,” Weber said, looking around at several tall trees. “That cypress over there was a stick. That live oak was the only big tree.”

The Lakewood Ranch Garden Club also is hoping that area Homeowners Associations will get involved in the effort as well as Manatee County in its parks and open spaces.

“We can’t stop progress,” said Riverwalk’s Weber, who joined the club in 2004 and now is the Civic Beautification chair. “I just wish there was more open space. We depend on gardens so that bees, wasps, butterflies, and mosquitos — yes mosquitos — can pollinate. We’ve gotten rid of the balance of nature.”

Perkins said new businesses unknowingly get rid of important habitat for pollinators, such as monarchs.

“They think milkweed is a weed,” she said.

Weber said if more people were aware they could make a difference with a minor amount of effort, they would be willing to help.

“People have to realize there are some things they can take out (of their gardens), and some things they can put in that attract butterflies.”

COVID-19 slowed the club’s ability to spread awareness but now that things are going back to pre-COVID times, she hopes they can effectively educate the community.

“We are hoping to get back into the schools,” she said. “If people knew, they would be willing to do it.”

She said businesses and municipalities rip out important habitat for pollinators without even thinking about it. She said the roadside is one area where many of of these “butterfly plays” would thrive with little attention needed.

IF YOU GO

What: Meeting of the Lakewood Ranch Garden Club (public is urged to attend)

Subject: Saving the monarch butterfly When: 10 a.m., Feb. 13 Where: Lakewood Ranch Town Hall, 8175 Lakewood Ranch Blvd. Guest speaker: Jim West of Monarch Butterflies USA Did you know?: The monarch butterfly was placed on the endangered species list July 21, 2022. Nearly a billion monarch butterflies have disappeared since 1990 (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service statistics)

More information/ rsvp: n Email Anita Machlin, vice president, Lakewood Ranch Garden Club, at amachlin@gmail.com

The Lakewood Ranch Garden Club hosts a public meeting to talk about the importance of saving monarch butterflies.

Photos by Jay Heater

The Lakewood Ranch Garden Club planted more than 17 types of plants behind Lakewood Ranch Town Hall to attract pollinators.

Phyllis Weber and Sheryl Perkins of the Lakewood Ranch Garden Club are trying to educate the public on the importance of habitat that will support pollinators.

The Lakewood Ranch Garden Club hopes to educate the public on plants that will provide habitat for the monarch butterfly.

Art of a market

Sarasota’s Katie O’Neill, owner of Paper Moon Origami Co., loves to see potential customers as they approach her booth at special events, such as the Night Market at UTC that was held Jan. 19.

“There’s nothing more Sarasota than stumbling onto a bunch of artists,” she said. “It’s really nice to have that presence over here.”

UTC’s first Night Market of 2023 featured local boutiques and businesses, such as Blossom & Burn Co., Made for Mama Shop and Driftheory.

The market extended its vendor tents into the road area alongside The Green at UTC, beside Georgie’s Garden Cafe, with traffic safely blocked off for those who attended.

Visitors appeared to enjoy the goods on display as they strolled under the night sky amid Christmas lights still adorning the UTC area, and some relaxed in the chairs on The Green at UTC to listen to live music by Kingpin Band while children played corn hole in the grass.

“We love it,” said Sarasota’s Dan Rutkowski. “We come to every night market.”

— IAN SWABY

Donnie O’Neal is the singer for Kingpin Band, which performed during the Night Market at UTC in Sarasota.

Photos by Ian Swaby

The Night Market lights up UTC on Jan. 19.

Waterside’s Eugene Koshel and Sarasota’s Dan Rutkowski talk during the Night Market on The Green at UTC.

Azario home tops local sales at $1.42 million

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

Ahome in Esplanade Azario topped all transactions in this week’s real estate. Taylor Morrison of Florida Inc. sold the home at 16112 Umbria Place to Michelle Joanne Reiff and Jay Edward Reiff, of Bradenton, for $1.42 million. Built in 2022, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 3,101 square feet of living area.

ESPLANADE

Stephen and Deborah Noll, trustees, of Ocala, sold the home at 4833 Benito Court to Terry Lynn Rubin and David Jeffrey Blum, of Bradenton, for $1.4 million. Built in 2019, it has three bedrooms, three-anda-half baths and 2,848 square feet of living area. It sold for $843,900 in 2019.

COUNTRY CLUB EAST

James and Michele Kondrup, of Bradenton, sold their home at 7721 Cavendish Cove to Harry Glassman and Maritza Shulman Glassman, of Beverly Hills, California, for $1.32 million. Built in 2019, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,079 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.07 million in 2021.

PANTHER RIDGE

Steven Newman, trustee, sold the home at 7824 Panther Ridge Trail to James Edward Sears and Tara Davenport Sears, of Bradenton, for $1,245,000. Built in 2003, it has five bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,803 square feet of living area. It sold for $750,000 in 2019.

ESPLANADE AZARIO

Paul LaPorte, trustee, of Quebec, Canada, sold the home at 4742 Zeno Court to David Schmidt, of Bradenton, for $1.2 million. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,337 square feet of living area. It sold for $580,500 in 2021.

DEL WEBB

Pulte Home Co. LLC sold the home at 17927 Northwood Place to Richard James and Sandra Reagan James, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1,159,600. Built in 2022, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,511 square feet of living area.

UNIVERSITY PARK

Donald Epstein, of Lakewood Ranch, sold the home at 7040 Stanhope Place to Michael Golden and Marjorie Auer, of University Park, for $1.1 million. Built in 2001, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,348 square feet of living area. It sold for $545,000 in 2003.

Clifford and Kathleen Andrews, of Wilshire, United Kingdom, sold their home at 6927 Langley Place to Frank and Kathleen Burke, of Bradenton, for $1,075,000. Built in 2000, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,094 square feet of living area. It sold for $625,000 in 2004.

SAVANNA

Julius Robles Digma, of Ellenton, sold his home at 3548 Big Sky Way to Jeffrey Shipman and Amber Haf, of Bradenton, for $893,400. Built in 2020, it has five bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,924 square feet of living area. It sold for $459,700 in 2020.

POLO RUN Mark and Wendy Cohen, of Alpharetta, Georgia, sold their home at 17041 Polo Trail to Betherline and Jude Jean, of Bradenton, for $880,000. Built in 2018, it has six bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,520 square feet of living area. It sold for $606,000 in 2021.

WATERCREST

Timothy Neville and Nyda Bitt-

mann-Neville, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their Unit 301 condominium at 6406 Watercrest Way to Douglas and Sandra Ellis, of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, for $875,000. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,134 square feet of living area. It sold for $485,000 in 2018.

TIDEWATER PRESERVE

Mark Scott Lawrence and Donna Caryl Lawrence, of Springfield, Illinois, sold their home at 5219 Lake Overlook Ave. to Beth and Erick Christensen, of La Quinta, California, for $800,000. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,456 square feet of living area. It sold for $410,000 in 2017.

WINDWARD Neal Communities of Southwest Florida LLC sold the home at 2798 Butterfly Jasmine Trail to Peter and Beth Edelstein, of Sarasota, for $738,000. Built in 2022, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,116 square feet of living area.

Neal Communities of Southwest Florida LLC sold the home at 2887 Butterfly Jasmine Trail to James Carl Mathews and Patricia Ann Mathews, of Sarasota, for $443,500. Built in 2022, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,527 square feet of living area.

WATERFRONT AT MAIN STREET

Craig and Elizabeth Hullinger, of Bradenton, sold their Unit 3-205 condominium at 10510 Boardwalk Loop to Johnnie Zinn, of Bradenton, for $650,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,467 square feet of living area. It sold for $458,000 in 2020.

COACH HOMES AT LAKEWOOD

NATIONAL

Patrick James Hickey and Tracy Hickey, of Loudon, Tennessee, sold their Unit 6112 condominium at 6035 Worsham Lane to Terry and Catherine Carr, of Bradenton, for $598,000. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,786 square feet of living area. It sold for $456,000 in 2021.

CLUBSIDE AT COUNTRY CLUB EAST Bradley and Abby Meissner, of Bradenton, sold their Unit 2-B condominium at 7534 Divot Loop to Thomas Hood and Susan Hood, of Bradenton, for $580,000. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,748 square feet of living area. It sold for $292,000 in 2017.

EDGEWATER Patricia Coja, trustee, sold the home at 8347 Whispering Woods Court to Meini McKinnon, of Lakewood Ranch, for $547,000. Built in 1998, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,644 square feet of living area. It sold for $395,000 in 2005.

AVALON AT THE VILLAGES OF PALM AIRE

Robert Wiseheart and Charlotte Carol Wiseheart, of Palm Harbor, sold their home at 5026 Lakescene Place to Claudia Allers and Ramberto Torruella, of Sarasota, for $545,000. Built in 2000, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,795 square feet of living area. It sold for $360,000 in 2020.

This Esplanade Azario home at 16112 Umbria Place sold for $1.42 million. It has three bedrooms, three baths and 3,101 square feet of living area

SILVERLAKE Abdelilah and Brittany Serroukh, of Sarasota, sold their home at 5912 48th St. E. to Sean and Veronika Daniels, of Bradenton, for $530,000. Built in 2005, it has four bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,757 square feet of living area. It sold for $255,000 in 2020.

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS JAN. 9-13 SEE REAL ESTATE, PAGE 24

In with the new

Courtesy photo

136TH STREET

Deborah Groben, of Bradenton, sold her home at 1200 136th St. N.E. to Michael and Sherry Chartier, of Valley Lee, Maryland, for $500,000. Built in 1990, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,971 square feet of living area. It sold for $257,500 in 2011.

BRADEN RIVER LAKES

Bertha Warren, trustee, sold the home at 4902 14th Ave. E. to Patricia Krzyzanowski and Karl Pluta, of Bradenton, for $500,000. Built in 1994, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,803 square feet of living area. It sold for $151,500 in 1994.

RIVERDALE REVISED Erik Andersson and Yvonn Purra sold their home at 4532 Third Ave. Drive E. to Timothy Parr Debo and John Tully, of Bradenton, for $480,000. Built in 1996, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,492 square feet of living area. It sold for $270,000 in 2020.

GREENBROOK

Joseph Kevin Fortier and Diane Fortier, of Venice, sold their home at 15325 Searobbin Drive to James Waldron Maltby and Pamela Sutherland Maltby, of Lakewood Ranch, for $457,500. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,358 square feet of living area. It sold for $410,000 in 2021.

TARA Robert Casto, of Ruskin, sold his home at 6725 Peach Tree Creek Road to Opendoor Property Trust I for $453,700. Built in 1997, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,196 square feet of living area.

THE MOORINGS AT EDGEWATER Brion Andre Sunseri, trustee, of Bradenton, sold the Unit 101 condominium at 6430 Moorings Point Circle to Suzanne Little, of Lakewood Ranch, for $425,000. Built in 2005, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,804 square feet of living area. It sold for $292,200 in 2005.

CENTRAL PARK SFR Borrower 2021-2 LLC sold the home at 4946 Newport News Circle to David and Jenna Pincus, of Bradenton, for $400,000. Built in 2011, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,859 square feet of living area. It sold for $275,000 in 2015.

to Pasquale Anthony Muia and Stacy Lynn Muia, of Bradenton, for $395,000. Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,688 square feet of living area. It sold for $254,000 in 2020.

FAIRFIELD

Melissa Martin sold her home at 4846 Maymont Park Circle to Melissa Jo and Brendan Duddy, of Bradenton, for $385,000. Built in 2014, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,525 square feet of living area. It sold for $247,600 in 2014.

AIRE AT SARASOTA

PALM

Donna Moon, trustee, of Milton, Georgia, sold the Unit V-134 condominium at 7113 Fairway Bend Circle to Allan Paul Cameron and Elaine Marie Cameron, trustees, of Mendon, Massachusetts, for $370,000. Built in 1979, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,532 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $245,000 in 2018.

BRADEN RIVER LAKE

Michele Howard-Crockett, Christine Jackson and Ashley Lolies, of Bradenton, sold their home at 1215 50th St. Court E. to Don Barry Jackson Jr. and Catherine Freeley, of Bradenton, for $365,000. Built in 1993, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 1,972 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $205,000 in 2015.

VERANDA AT RIVER STRAND

Martine Vande Weghe, of Bradenton, sold her Unit 2213 condominium at 6807 Grand Estuary Trail to Dennis James Costa, of Wausau, Wisconsin, for $365,000. Built in 1993, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,561 square feet of living area. It sold for $118,500 in 1993.

GOLF POINTE AT PALM AIRE

William and Barbara Marcato, of Hilton Head, South Carolina, sold their Unit 37202 condominium at 5630 Golf Pointe Drive to Marion Park Forest Apartments LLC for $349,900. Built in 1984, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,620 square feet of living area. It sold for $138,000 in 2013.

CEDAR HOLLOW AT TARA Samuel and Monika Meek, of Bradenton, sold their Unit 130-202 condominium at 7256 Cedar Hollow Circle to Polina Leu, of Bradenton, for $340,000. Built in 2001, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,406 square feet of living area. It sold for $174,000 in 2003.

HARMONY

Hope Morton Collins and Raymond Ross Collins, of Sarasota, sold their home at 12248 Trailhead Drive

SUNDAY, JAN. 29

FARMERS MARKET

Runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Lakefront Drive in Waterside Place, Lakewood Ranch. The Farmers Market at Lakewood Ranch will run year-round every Sunday. Vendors will be offering seafood, eggs, meats, dairy products, pastas, bakery goods, jams and pickles among other items. Other features are children’s activities and live music. For more information, go to MyLWR.com.

COMMUNITY

THURSDAY, JAN. 26 THROUGH SUNDAY, JAN. 29

LIVE MUSIC AT JIGGS LANDING

Runs each day from 3-6 p.m. except for Sundays, when it runs from 2:305:30 p.m. at Jiggs Landing, 6106 63rd St. E., Bradenton. This week’s music is still to be announced. A $5 cover is charged on Fridays and Saturdays; the other days are free. For more information, go to JiggsLanding.com.

FRIDAY, JAN. 27 AND SATURDAY, JAN. 28

MUSIC AT THE PLAZA

Runs from 6-9 p.m. both days at Waterside Place, 1561 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch. Live music will be provided by singer/songwriter Tyler Vaden on Friday as those who visit Waterside Place enjoy sunset views of Kingfisher Lake, fun at the hub’s small parks, or dining at the various restaurants. On Saturday, singer/ songwriter Sara Nelms performs. For more information, go to WatersidePlace.com.

SUNDAY, JAN. 29

POLO

Begins at 1 p.m. at the Sarasota Polo Club, 8201 Polo Club Lane, Sarasota. The 2023 Sarasota Polo season runs each Sunday through April 30.

Gates open at 10 a.m. Fans enjoy high-level polo action each Sunday while tailgating. 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 the gate. Children 12 and under admitted free. Dogs are welcome on a leash.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 1

RANCH NIGHT WEDNESDAYS

Runs from 6-9 p.m. at Lakefront Drive in Waterside Place, Lakewood Ranch. Live music, food trucks, a market with rotating vendors, a mobile bar and a recreational cornhole league highlight this crowd favorite event. Pets are welcome, but no coolers or outside food or beverage allowed. For more information, go to WatersidePlace.com.

SATURDAY, FEB. 4

COMMUNITY FAIR

Runs 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Silver Star East Restaurant, 36251 S.R. 70, Myakka City. The Myakka Co-Op Community Fair helps raise awareness and funds for six Myakka City nonprofit animal rescues, including Farmhouse Animal and Nature Sanctuary, Dante’s Den and the Humane Society at Lakewood Ranch. There also will be a petting zoo. Funds from the fair will go toward Hurricane Ian recovery for the nonprofits.

YOUR CALENDAR

“It’s

keep

to host this annual event and look forward to showing our gratitude year after year. In addition, thank you to Sutter Quality Foods for saving the day with a donation of eggs.”

From 7am - 9am, Aqua Plumbing & Air staff, along with support from Gorman Company, served 500 Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office employees breakfast at the SCSO headquarters, located in Sarasota, Florida.

“We are beyond grateful to Skip, Chuck, and their team, who come out every year to show us their appreciation for our profession. Now more than ever, we feel fortunate to be supported by the community we serve,” said Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman.

The annual event, started by Aqua Plumbing & Air co-owners Skip Stanton and Chuck Jacobson, began in 2017.

To learn more, visit www.aquaplumbingsarasota.com

Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office

File photo

FORECAST

SUNRISE / SUNSET

Thursday, Jan. 26 7:18a 6:06p

Friday, Jan. 27 7:17a 6:06p

Saturday, Jan. 28 7:17a 6:07p

Sunday, Jan. 29 7:16a 6:08p

Monday, Jan. 30 7:16a 6:04p

Tuesday, Jan. 31 7:16a 6:10p

Wednesday, Feb. 1 7:15a 6:10p

MOON PHASES

RAINFALL

Monday, Jan. 16 0

Tuesday, Jan. 17 0

Wednesday, Jan. 18 0

Thursday, Jan. 19 0

Friday, Jan. 20 0.01

Saturday, Jan. 21 0 Sunday, Jan. 22 0

by Seth