East County Observer 7.14.22

EAST COUNTY

Observer

Hello, rock ‘n’ roll

Lakewood Ranch’s weekly newspaper since 1998

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YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

FREE • THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

VOLUME 24, NO. 34

Costly dam upgrades due

YOUR TOWN

Manatee Dam improvements and repairs high on county’s priority list. PAGE 3A

Courtesy photo

Special delivery for Sheridan Alanna Hall had one final task to accomplish as a student representative of Braden River Middle School.

Hall competed her eighth grade year in May, but on June 22, she delivered colorful bibs to The Sheridan as part of the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America chapter at Braden River Middle. Members sewed the bibs.

Hall delivered the bibs with FCCLA adviser Jill Bergeron.

“They are great for protecting their clothing,” Bergeron said. “I had noticed they did not have any bibs that were for every day. Most of them were holiday related and most were also better suited for the ladies, so when we made the bibs, we picked fabrics that were for everyday use and some that would be nice for the men to wear.”

The bibs were donated in honor of Dorothy Haywood, Bergeron’s mother who was living at The Sheridan until she died in March.

The race is on

Construction crews have K-12 charter school on schedule in Lakewood Ranch.

SEE PAGE 5A Liz Ramos

Cheryl Cendan and Bradley Warren, the high school and middle school principals of Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy, walk the new interior track.

Ian Swaby

Friends ... lend me your ear “Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience,” was intended to run until April 24, but attendance remained solid.

Therefore, the exhibit was extended through July 24.

Panther Ridge’s Adriana Guzmán-Rouselle (above) grew up in a family of musicians, which connected her to art.

Having previously enjoyed the Van Gogh Museum during a trip to Amsterdam, she was eager to visit the exhibit at University Town Center.

“I think it was very innovative,” she said. “It’s kind of interactive, and the movement was impressive.”

Lakewood Ranch resident Desiree Cruz said she enjoyed her first experience so much that she brought her mother, Claudia Seville, on her second trip.

“It was amazing because you experience the artist in a different way,” she said.

A+E

What’s in store for the Ranch Aldi’s makes its debut on University Parkway.

SEE PAGE 2A

Roots of rock.

SEE PAGE 13A

Photos by Ian Swaby

Lakewood Ranch’s Raffi and Alice Ramlogan explore the fresh meat selection at Aldi’s grand opening.

2A

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

Aldi debuts in Lakewood Ranch The supermarket chain store had to clear a final Sarasota County inspection to open.

Examples of Aldi exclusive brands available at the new Lakewood Ranch store Earth-grown: A line of vegetarian items free from meat products and vegan items free from eggs, dairy, honey, gelatin and lanolin Never Any: Meats certified by the USDA and raised antibioticfree and vegetarian-fed, with no added hormones or steroids and no animal byproducts Simply Nature: Organic and non-GMO options including food free of artificial colors, flavors or other enhancers Specially Selected: Gourmet offerings including pastas, desserts and German coffee Deutsche Küche: German foods including soups, noodles and meats

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

The wait was just slightly longer.

Those who expected to shop at Aldi on its opening day July 7 in Lakewood Ranch were delayed just a bit.

An Aldi representative said the store was waiting for Sarasota County to complete a final inspection before it could open. Before the day ended, though, the store was serving customers.

Although those waiting early to get into the new store had to wait a big longer, they said that was OK. “I’ve been waiting for it for months,” said Sarasota’s Natalie Fletcher, who has shopped at Aldi stores throughout the region.

“Everything is very well priced, the produce is always fresh, the cashiers are friendly, and the stock people are friendly.”

The new store is located at 7214 University Parkway.

“We’re very happy to see (Aldi) open this close,” said Sam Chen of Bridgewater, who said he has been shopping on the Aldi west of the interstate on State Road 70.

Aldi declined an interview, but the store provided text attributed to Vice President Matt Thon.

“Saving customers money has been at the core of the Aldi business for decades,” Thon wrote. “We’re uniquely positioned to help keep costs as low as possible because our innovative business model is rooted in simplicity.”

Thon also wrote the brand is currently growing, with 150 new stores on track to open by the end of this year. One of those stores will be on State Road 64, just west of Lakewood Ranch.

Thon wrote that visitors to the Lakewood Ranch store can expect a

shopping experience similar to what is found in other Aldi locations. He said a typical store, including the Lakewood Ranch location, is 12,000 square feet or less, and called this layout part of the company’s “formula for success,” stating it makes Aldi stores “much easier to navigate than traditional grocery stores.”

On the shelves, customers will find primarily Aldi exclusive brands, with offerings to suit various diets including gluten-free and plant-based items, and dairy alternatives. Thon also wrote the store sells the “most popular” versions of food items, rather than having multiple aisles devoted to the same item. He said that this product assortment avoids overwhelming shoppers.

Seafood offerings are available as well, which Thon wrote are sustainably sourced by a third party. He wrote the store works with the Ocean Disclosure Project to make the origins of wild-caught seafood visible to customers.

Thon wrote that fresh produce sourced from top growers is deliv-

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The new Aldi store is located at 7214 University Parkway in Lakewood Ranch. It opened July 7.

ONLY AT ALDI

Photos by Ian Swaby

Lakewood Ranch’s Blossom Stephens and Jessica Lucarelli browse the canned foods.

ered to stores daily, with seasonal offerings available as well. He wrote that stores will source locally when possible, based on availability and demand, and that customers can look for the “Fresh from Florida” logo to find items sourced from within the state.

Shelves within the stores are also stocked with the products still inside their larger shipping packages.

The self-return cart system is used to incentivize shoppers to

return shopping carts. Shoppers must insert a quarter into carts to unlock them, and then will need to return the carts into place to retrieve the quarter, reducing the tasks to be performed by staff members.

According to Thon, most Aldi stores, including the Lakewood Ranch location, are able to be run on a staff of 15 to 20 people.

Chen said milk and eggs are reasonably priced. However, he said he visits the store for rare European

items inspired by Aldi’s German origins, including meats, cheeses, and canned meats.

“We go to Europe and we are exposed to those cultures and foods,” he said. “We really like it, and once we come back, it’s nice to find they have those foods over here.”

Country Club’s Lucille Carbone said she looks forward to deals on the store’s cheeses. She highlighted the fresh vegetables and fish as among her favorite items.

“In Florida, you need more than one grocery store,” Carbone said.

“You go where your needs are met, and this will definitely be a part of mine.”

Summerfield Hollow’s Dave Hurwitch said he will keep checking to see when the store opens.

“It offers a good alternative to some of the higher priced locations around, because they they do have good values, and we certainly use some of their products,” he said.

“We don’t do all our shopping here, but we have always done some of it at Aldi.”

Cresswind’s Rekha Shah said as a vegetarian, Aldi has been a primary source of fresh produce for her including organic spinach, fruits, and vegetables.

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YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

Manatee County Deputy Utilities Director Kevin Morris

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THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

3A

BY THE NUMBERS

Breakdown of Capital Improvement Plan projects related to the dam LAKE MANATEE DAM REPAIRS — PHASE TWO Filling of voids below the dam, in the area extending outwards from the dam including its training walls, spillway and stilling basin, as well as possible reinforcements of the dam’s training walls.

Estimated cost (including training walls): $12,303,377 ULTRA FILTRATION MEMBRANE PROCESS UPGRADE Replacement of multimedia filters with ultrafiltration membranes that will remove particles 250 times smaller than the previous multimedia filters. Substantial completion expected this fall, with final completion expected early next year.

Estimated cost: $66,533,940 SCADA REPLACEMENT Hardware and software upgrades to the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition equipment at the Water Treatment Plant, to better integrate it with the facility’s features. The project should be substantially completed early next year.

Estimated cost: $6,887,017

HOT DAM! Water’s expensive

Photos by Ian Swaby

More than $121M in repairs and upgrades is budgeted to keep the region’s potable water flowing at the dam.

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

A

lthough roads and infrastructure have received most of the attention when it comes to Manatee County’s Capital Improvement Plan, commissioners are concentrating on what they consider an equally crucial project: upgrading the Manatee Dam and its water treatment facility.

At-large Commissioner George Kruse said he has been paying keen attention to the dam and the potable water it provides.

“There’s almost nothing more important to Manatee County,” Kruse said. “We have the single largest water system in Southwest Florida.”

Kruse said the dam is so important that he would like the county to consider building a new dam rather than pouring millions into the upgrades and repairs of the existing one.

Kruse said he has had preliminary conversations with County Administrator Scott Hopes about an outright replacement of the dam.

The dam, located at the head of 1,179-acre Lake Manatee, and its water treatment facility provided the region in 2021 with an average of approximately 47 million gallons of potable water a day. About 31 million gallons of that amount came from Lake Manatee while the other 16 million gallons is ground water pumped to the treatment facility.

The dam, a 4,700-foot-long, 27-foot-high embankment with a concrete outer shell and a clay core foundation, was originally completed in 1967.

Current repairs to the dam follow a previous repair project of more than $18 million from 2014 to 2016. At that time, internal erosion threatened the dam’s stability, prompting the installation of 3,100 feet of wall through the clay core.

The county’s Capital Improvement Plan, which was presented to commissioners in June, contains eight projects (that total $121.61 million) involving the 55-year-old dam and its treatment facilities.

NEW PHASE

Despite the dam’s previous repairs, similar issues still need upgrading.

According to Deputy Utilities Director Kevin Morris, one of the repair projects is filling voids in an area around the dam.

“It’s kind of like putting a coat of paint on wood so it doesn’t degrade or rot,” Morris said. “It’s preventative.”

Even though there is no seepage now at the dam, the county wants to be proactive in making sure it stays that way. Morris said engineers have emphasized the importance of keeping the facility maintained because if there were a failure of the dam, the resulting flood would certainly cause property damage and could put lives at risk.

Ultrafilter cassettes fill one of the 12 filter bays at the dam. The ultrafiltration membranes project is expected to be complete by early 2023.

That particular project, currently in development, will fill voids in the area extending outwards from the dam, including its guiding walls on the downstream side and its stilling basin that protects the spillway from erosion.

Morris said water seepage due to erosion can result in the formation of voids in the clay core beneath the dam that seals out lake water. These are indicated when depressions form in the bottom of the lake bed, he said.

In checking for such issues, Morris said geotechnical experts examine any substantial changes in water level that might result from depressions.

He said there are also unknown factors.

“It’s not like you could take the whole dam and run it through an MRI machine and know exactly where every little void is,” Morris said. “In general, we understand that there are voids under there based upon the geotechnical data that we’ve collected.”

The project has other priorities, such as replacing mechanisms that control water flow.

Morris said the dam releases approximately 275,000 gallons down the Manatee River a day — or more, depending on the conditions at the Rye Road bridge — based on its permit, which requires it to provide for the downstream estuaries that it deprives of water.

Morris said work on the dam during the wet season will require the release of water from an emergency spillway. This is accomplished by the removal of sediment from the edge of a retaining pond.

The water will flow over an area consisting entirely of countyowned, agricultural land in which the grass is regularly mowed and where a berm on the far side directs water into the Manatee River. Morris said there are no known downsides to the use of the spillway.

“It’s a very flat, low, slow, gentle sort of meander, rather than a steep rapid (descent) or anything like that,” he said.

testing the filters for leaks, ensuring valves are working correctly, and checking that filters are in place.

Bill Logan, a county public information officer, said that for this project, substantial completion is anticipated this fall and final completion by early next year.

According to Morris, these filters are state of the art and will remove particles 250 times smaller than current filters. He said although the average consumer likely will not notice a difference in the taste of their water, the filters will provide more protection by operating through membranes capable of blocking particles on a microscopic level.

The filters are housed in a new building in which rows of six filter bays span each side of the room, for a total of 12.

He said when it comes to this type of facility, these filters are state of the art for treating surface water.

“It’s a huge upgrade,” Morris said.

CONTROLLING EQUIPMENT

Another project is updating the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition equipment, which is 20 years old. The current HSQ system is being replaced with a more advanced Citect system that allows staff members to efficiently control different aspects of the plant from one control center room.

Morris said the system handles five remote pumps to boost water distribution along with six elevated storage tanks across the county. He said the upgrades would provide an interface that more clearly lays out an issues affecting pumps and uses color schemes to highlight concerns more effectively.

He also said the system would contain the means to process data more efficiently. The control room currently communicates with some water pumps at the plant through telephone lines, but new radio transmitters will help resolve this problem.

“We’ll be able to bring back a much richer data field from those remote sites,” he said.

The complexity of the new ultra filtration membrane system, which involves numerous fast-acting valves, has created a need for a more advanced control system than the current remote transmitter units through which these valves communicate with the computer system.

“It’s like we’re doing a brain trans-

GENERATORS AND SWITCH GEAR UPGRADE Replacement of the alternators on two generators, as well as controlling gear.

Estimated cost: $12,399,000 SEDIMENTATION BASINS SLUDGE COLLECTION UPGRADE Replacement of the current traveling bridge system for collecting sludge from the treatment basins.

Estimated cost: $3,855,300 ALUM SLUDGE DEWATERING SYSTEM Upgrades to the sludge collection system, including the addition of a new building, to provide greater automation in the de-watering process for the sludge byproduct of water treatment.

Estimated cost: $10,133,065 LAB EXPANSION Expansion of laboratory space for storage of reagents and supplies; addition of a meeting room.

Estimated cost: $1,572,000 WATER TREATMENT PLANT SURFACE WATER CHEMICAL BUILDING Construction of a new chemical building for surface water chemicals storage and pumping, including chemical feed systems. Integration with plant Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system.

Estimated cost: $7,925,000

COST OF ALL PROJECTS: $121.6 MILLION

plant, so half the body is still running off the old brain and the other half on the new brain,” Morris said. “It’s a real challenge to make sure all the signals are getting where they need to go.”

POWER GENERATORS

Another high-priority project includes repairs to the plant’s aging diesel generators, including replacement of their alternators, as well as their control panels and switch gears.

Morris said that in a state of emergency, the county needs to supply the facility with power. The facility has a total of 20,000 gallons of fuel on hand, which is sufficient for about six days.

He said that each generator can produce 2,000 kilowatts of energy.

SLUDGE COLLECTION

The upgrading of treatment basins to improve sludge collection is another project listed.

Currently, after water pumped from the lake is treated with chemicals separating out its sludge, the sludge is managed by a “traveling bridge” mechanism that moves along rails on both sides of the basin, absorbing the sludge through pipes.

Morris said this mechanism sometimes falls off the tracks that secure it on either side. Staff members can use tools to return it to the tracks, but he said that such breakdowns can result in the loss of components.

Morris said the basin will need to be shut down due to these malfunctions and that it is difficult to acquire components for the system, which is now obsolete and was built in the 1980s.

The county is looking into another technology called “flight and chain,” which uses a chain-based mechanism to scoop sludge from the bottom, rather than using pipes.

SLUDGE DEWATERING

The county is also set to implement a new sludge dewatering system.

Currently, sludge collected during the treatment process is left to dry in outdoor beds across the street from the treatment facility, before it is hauled to other areas, including the county landfill.

However, Morris said the effectiveness of this process is highly dependent on weather and that during rainy weather, the plant must pay the cost of hauling the saturated, wet sludge.

The CIP is set to include a new building that will feature two decanter centrifuges to separate water out of the sludge through rapid rotation, as well as two gravity sludge thickeners to separate out solids through a settling process.

LABORATORY EXPANSIONS

Another project is the initiative to expand the laboratory, where samples of the plant’s water are analyzed.

According to Mike D’Imperio, a laboratory technician, samples are collected from across the county each month to be analyzed for quality, at a rate of more than 100 samples a week. Morris said there is currently no place for staff members to meet with the expansion of the laboratory equipment that took place due to population growth.

CHEMICAL FEED SYSTEMS

Also included on the CIP are plans to construct a new building to house the chemical feed system that supplies substances including sodium hypochlorite, ammonium sulfate, phosphate and surface water polymer to treat the water.

“It is extremely old,” said Morris.

“It’s not built to the design standards that are acceptable today, as far as space between pumps.”

FILTRATION SYSTEM

One of the eight projects currently taking place is installing new ultrafiltration membranes for drinking water.

Engineer Kyle Ward said he is

Morris said this technology is newer and less expensive, but county staff members are concerned about the ability of the system to handle the density of the sludge. He said the project team is currently looking into whether similar facilities have been able to successfully implement this technology.

Surface water has its sludge removed through a rotating mechanism that pushes the sludge through a pipe in the basin’s conical bottom.

Mike D’Imperio says the treatment plant’s lab analyzes about 100 water samples a week from across Manatee County.

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THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

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Manatee County is hosting a virtual workshop to seek community input into agritourism issues.

Held via Zoom call, the workshop begins 7 p.m. July 21 to discuss a county-initiated text amendment to the Land Development Code regarding agritourism activities on Manatee County properties.

County staff members have proposed regulations they deem necessary to protect the public’s health, safety and welfare as it relates to agritourism activities. The purpose of the workshop, according to a Manatee County release, is to inform residents of the nature of the proposal and to seek input.

The meeting has a 500-person maximum.

To participate in the call, go to MyManatee.com for more information. Those who wish to participate via telephone should call 888-788-0099 or 877-853-5247.

The meeting ID number is 852 0375 5816, followed by #. There are no participant IDs so again hit #.

County seeks tourist development volunteers

EXPERIENCE | MATURITY | INTEGRITY

R O F

Public invited to agritourism workshop

Manatee County is accepting applications for two openings on the Tourist Development Council.

The Tourist Development Council makes recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners on how to spend Tourist Tax revenues.

According to a Manatee County release, the council is made up of nine volunteers. Eligible applicants are those involved in the tourist industry or who have demonstrated an interest in tourist development.

Applicants must not be subject to the 5% resort tax in Manatee County. All applicants must be registered voters in Manatee County.

Applications can be found online at MyManatee.org and are due by July 15.

The Tourist Development Council meets on the third Monday of every other month at 9 a.m. at various locations throughout Manatee County. Terms are for four years.

Elysian Fields headed for UTC Elysian Fields, which has run its gift shop for 31 years in Sarasota, is expanding to the Shoppes at Cooper Creek in the UTC area.

The store has announced it has set the grand opening tentatively for September.

“Finding the right location for Elysian Fields was easy, we wanted to be where the growth is,” owner Tony Gillette said in a release. “We feel that mind, body and spirit retain will have a draw in the East County area since there is nothing like Elysian Fields serving that community.”

The Shoppes at Cooper Creek feature national retailers such as HomeGoods, TJ Maxx, JoAnn’s Fabrics and Nordstrom Rack.

Elysian Fields sells gifts, jewelry, books, greeting cards, candles, teas and more.

St. Barbara’s pastor emeritus dies The Greek Orthodox Community of St. Barbara mourned the death of Pastor Emeritus Frank Kirlangitis July 2 during a ceremony at the church.

Kirlangitis died June 28 at the age of 91.

Born to Mike and Angela Kirlangitis on June 21, 1931, in Steubenville, Ohio, Kirlangitis assumed pastoral duties as the first full-time priest at St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church in 1983. He led the building of a new church that broke ground in 1988.

He worked tirelessly to see the completion of the iconography and mosaics in the interior of the church.

In 1983 he was appointed by then Sheriff Charlie Wells as Chaplain for the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and served in that role until 2008.

After 27 years as pastor, he retired on April 4, 2010.

OODLES OF KITTENS

EAST COUNTY

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

5A

School assignment nears completion With Aug. 10 opening day looming, Lakewood Ranch charter school still on schedule.

Work continues on the cafeteria and multipurpose room of Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy.

LIZ RAMOS STAFF WRITER

P

rincipals Cheryl Cendan and Bradley Warren walked the new “track” as construction crews around them hammered away at building the Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy.

The track is actually space painted on the floor of hallways where students will take time during the school day to enjoy a physical activity break, simply by getting away from the desks for a brief time. It is part of the school’s WISH framework, which focuses on wellness, innovation, science and health.

Seeing the lanes and arrows painted on the floor is more evidence that Ryan Cos. and Red Apple Development have Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy on track for its Aug. 10 opening day. Every little milestone has been met with enthusiasm.

“Our track is in, our track is in,” Warren said with a smile on his face.

Walking through the school’s interior, Cendan pointed out new cabinets being installed in an art room.

“I love the color of those,” Cendan said.

Construction is moving quickly on the lower school, which will open for the first day of school Aug. 10.

On that day, the school has 740 students — enrolled from kindergarten through sixth grade and ninth grade — who will show up at the front door.

Cendan and Warren stood outside the front entrance, looking at the “Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy” inscription painted in blue and green.

They talked about how to make the green “Preparatory Academy” pop more against the dark-gray background.

“Whatever you guys want, we can

Photos by Liz Ramos

Bradley Warren, the principal of Lakewood Ranch Preparatory’s lower school, shows the shared space of a learning village.

ABOUT THE NEW SCHOOL n Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy is a new K-12 charter school located on White Eagle Boulevard. n The school will implement the WISH framework, which focuses on wellness, innovation, science and health. n The school will open for the first day of school Aug. 10 with 740 students in kindergarten through sixth grade and ninth grade. n About 1,200 students are on the school’s waitlist.

make it happen,” said Rudy Krajcovic, a superintendent for Ryan Cos. Cendan and Warren have been going to the school once per week to see how construction has progressed since Ryan Cos. and Red Apple Development started the project in January.

“It’s exciting every week so say, ‘Oh, my gosh, look, now we have this,’” Warren said. “Everything they’ve done has exceeded our expectations. You think it’ll be cool, then you get here, and it looks even better in person.”

Krajcovic said the goal is to have the school complete by mid-July.

Warren said once the ceiling tiles are in the classrooms, the construction crew can begin installing furniture, which will be delivered July 18.

“It’s amazing to open a new school,” Cendan said. “It’s a great experience.”

Cendan said teacher training was supposed to begin July 20 at the school, but Cendan and Warren decided to move training to Esplanade Country Club so the teachers and staff will not be in the way of the construction crew as it finishes the school. The school has hired 55 teachers and staff members.

The school has a single-point entry at the main entrance of the school for security.

On the left side of the school is a cafeteria that also serves as a multi-

purpose room as well as bathrooms and learning villages for fourth, sixth and ninth grade.

The right side of the school has a conference room and learning villages for kindergarten through third grade. Each learning village has a bathroom, which is required by law.

The learning villages have a large room that is a shared space with smaller classrooms attached and various breakout rooms that contain retractable wall partitions so the teachers can bring students together in small groups.

Warren said the learning villages, which will be about 80 students, can meet in the main room for a morning meeting before teachers break them into groups to teach lessons.

The breakout rooms can be used for teachers to provide remediation or to teach students who are above grade level.

“It fits our village model of stage, not age,” Warren said. “Whatever the kids need, we’re going to meet that need.”

Warren said each large room has a wall painted either green, orange or blue to make the environment more welcoming and energetic.

“It’s research based,” he said. “We

were looking at what will energize kids’ brains and get them working at maximum capacity and maximum energy. Your environment has to be filled with energy. We have an energetic environment, and we hired energetic teachers.”

Each classroom will have flexible seating options, chairs and tables that can have their heights adjusted and more. “(The classrooms are) not traditional-looking at all,” Cendan said.

Ninth graders will be able to look out the windows of their learning village to see their new high school being constructed next to the lower school. The high school is scheduled to open in August 2023.

Outside the lower school, construction crew members have been trying to lay asphalt for the parking lot, but the rain hasn’t allowed the asphalt to be put down yet. Paving was rescheduled for July 11 and 12.

Construction crew members also are working on the drive-thru lane, which will start at Crossland Trail.

Behind the school, a playground under a shade already has been constructed, and turf has been put down so students can play outside even after it has rained.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

Ian Swaby

The tower will be constructed at the Hide-Away Storage facility on State Road 64.

Tower construction to beef up coverage Residents near the intersection of Lorraine Road and State Road 64 will have shot at better cell reception.

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After Manatee County commissioners unanimously approved the construction of a 145-foot monopole at the southeast corner of Lorraine Road and State Road 64 on Dec. 2, 2021, those in cell phone reception misery had to believe they were seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.

How long it takes to get to that tunnel, though, remains uncertain in East County.

First Responder Network Authority, which is planning the installation

on the Hide-Away Storage property, said it is not giving any installation dates due to the evolving process of building a monopole, or anything else during a time of supply chain issues.

“It’s definitely going in,” said Richard Bruno, an engineer with FirstNet. Bruno said the project is still in its initial stages, but has made substantial progress in its permitting process. He said similar projects have taken 12 to 18 months to construct once ground is broken.

The tower was solicited jointly through FirstNet, a partner of AT&T, and is being constructed by the Atlanta-based cell tower construction company CitySwitch. FirstNet’s stated purpose is to build a comprehensive network for emergency calls, and while the tower will prioritize 9-1-1 calls, it will offer service to all

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YourObserver.com

TOWER TIME What: Construction of a cell tower in the Lakewood Ranch area Height: 145 feet Location: On the HideAway Storage property at the southeastern corner of Lorraine Road and State Road 64 Coverage width: 3- to 5-mile radius Address: 14710 S.R. 64 E., Bradenton Completion date: Undetermined, although similar projects by the company have taken 12 to 18 months once ground is broken About FirstNet: First Responders Network Authority is an agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration. Its stated purpose is to “create a single, nationwide broadband network specifically for first responders.” It was established in 2012, citing as its cause the events of September 11, 2001, which saw difficulty among network communication by first responders. The organization is a public/private partnership involving AT&T.

users of AT&T and any subsequent clients.

Bruno said CitySwitch has room to accommodate other carriers in addition to AT&T. He said the cell tower’s location was selected based on the detection of a gap in the area of cell coverage

by FirstNet. “It is definitely a priority site for us,” he said. “We’ve got (the area) surrounded, and now we’re putting this pin right in the middle of that circle.”

Bruno said a cell tower was needed in the area marking the northeastern side of Lakewood Ranch. He said a design group was responsible for choosing the precise location.

Since the area is in the process of being developed, Bruno said it is easier to gain approval for a monopole tower, which will have a signal that will reach those in a 3- to 5-mile radius (not counting obstructions).

“There are so many variables with your field of obstruction — trees, buildings, etc. — that it’s hard to put a specific number on it, but that’s a good ballpark for a site of this size and that location,” he said.

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

A 3-mile radius would include areas such as those along Upper Manatee River Road, near the intersection of State Road 64 and Bournside Boulevard, and adjacent to White Eagle Boulevard.

“Given the distances involved, this won’t be this silver bullet, be-all, end-all, kind of thing, but this definitely will help in an area where you have current and future residential builds,” Bruno said.

He said the priority of the cell tower is to allow users to connect to voice calls. However, he said it would also impact other forms of cell phone data usage. He said that when cell users are unable to use their mobile data to view pages online, stream video, or download content, this can be due to voice calls being prioritized as a result of an insufficient signal.

Bruno said residents need not be concerned about the monopole’s aesthetic appearance in the same way they would a traditional cell tower.

“It’s like an oversized flagpole, just smooth all the way up,” he said. He said it would be unlike the latticestructured, cell towers that used to be standard.

“A lot of people find it aesthetically easier to deal with,” he said.

Bruno said on top, the pole will simply “be capped like a big tube,” with no visible antennae. “The closer you get to communities, the more sensitive you are to aesthetics, and the monopole becomes your go-to,” he said.

The triangular mounts seen on many cell towers will be absent from the monopole. Bruno said such features, on those poles where they are present, serve as antennae paid for by different cell carriers. However, antennae are already built into this tower.

Once construction begins, said Bruno, impacts to residents will be minimal. There will be construction vehicles entering the area, and nearby residents will not experience any noise impacts. He said that for a project such as this, road closures would not be needed.

Bruno said that once the tower is established, and as the site continues to grow, the engineering department will continue to examine the area in order to determine whether further installations are needed.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

EAST COUNTY

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

Friedrich Hayek

“Road to Serfdom,” 1944 Publisher and President / Emily Walsh, EWalsh@YourObserver.com Associate Publisher — East County Observer / Lori Ruth, LRuth@YourObserver.com

Photos by Ian Swaby

Tara’s Adrienne Bookhamer does not support the new law while husband Doug Bookhamer says the fines should first be issued at lower levels.

Law changes our tunes Lakewood Ranch residents differ on whether government should define what is too loud from a car stereo.

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

I

t is one of the memorable lines of the classic rock era.

Lynyrd Skynyrd started its “Sweet Home Alabama” by telling us to “Turn it up.”

It’s something Florida motorists aren’t supposed to do anymore, or risk getting a ticket.

On July 1, a new statute by the Florida State Legislature went into effect. According to statute 316.3045, it is unlawful for drivers to play music that is “plainly audible at a distance of 25 feet or more from a motor vehicle” or “louder than necessary for the convenient hearing by persons inside the vehicle (while) in areas adjoining churches, schools, or hospitals.”

According to Randy Warren, the public information officer for the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies will not be writing citations for the first 30 days the statute is in place.

“We like to call it compliance through education,” he said. “We’ll help people understand: ‘Hey, listen, this is in effect now. So it’s something you need to be aware of.’”

He said that after that time, those in violation will be subject to a fine of $116, which will be a nonmoving violation, meaning offenders will not receive points against their license.

He said the law will apply to motorcycles and convertibles the same as it does any vehicle.

“It’s not something that happens every hour or necessarily every day, but there are there are times where, according to the new law, this is totally going to be a violation, and then at that point, tickets will be written,” said Warren.

Is this a necessary step or the government meddling into the lives of its citizens?

East County residents offered mixed opinions on the new law and the fines.

“That’s crazy. I can’t believe

“It’s not really distracting, just annoying. I did that when I was a young kid. I’d be hypocritical if I complained about it now.”

— Dave Fauquier

Lakewood Ranch’s Dave Fauquier

“It’s just extreme. Does (loud music) really hurt anybody?”

— Adrienne Bookhamer

TEXT OF FLORIDA STATUTE 316.3045 Operation of radios or other mechanical soundmaking devices or instruments in vehicles; exemptions — n It is unlawful for any person operating or occupying a motor vehicle on a street or highway to operate or amplify the sound produced by a radio, tape player, or other mechanical soundmaking device or instrument from within the motor vehicle so that the sound is: (A) Plainly audible at a distance of 25 feet or more from the motor vehicle; or (B) Louder than necessary for the convenient hearing by persons inside the vehicle in areas adjoining churches, schools, or hospitals. n The provisions of this section shall not apply to any law enforcement motor vehicle equipped with any communication device necessary in the performance of law enforcement duties or to any emergency vehicle equipped with any communication device necessary in the performance of any emergency procedures. n The provisions of this section do not apply to motor vehicles used for business or political purposes, which in the normal course of conducting such business use soundmaking devices. The provisions of this subsection shall not be deemed to prevent local authorities, with respect to streets and highways under their jurisdiction and within the reasonable exercise of the police power, from regulating the time and manner in which such business may be operated. n The provisions of this section do not apply to the noise made by a horn or other warning device required or permitted by s. 316.271.

The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles shall promulgate rules defining “plainly audible” and establish standards regarding how sound should be measured by law enforcement personnel who enforce the provisions of this section. n A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.

they’re doing that,” The Lake Club’s Ken Swan said. “I’m sure there are better things (for law enforcement) to do than to be listening for loud music coming out of cars. I’ll have to make sure my music is not too loud.”

Swan said he isn’t bothered by loud music coming from a car because it is only a temporary annoyance.

“They’re gone,” he said. “It’s not like they’re parking purposely next to you and turning it up.”

“It’s getting a little insane, the government feeling the need to regulate how loud your music should be when you are driving in your vehicle,” Braden Woods’ Kevin Zapata said.

Zapata added that some people do indeed play their music obnoxiously loud, but that used to be their right.

As far as the fine, he said it is too severe.

“That’s what I’m paying for groceries right now,” he said of the $116.

Tara’s Adrienne Bookhamer said it is an overbearing step by the state.

“It’s just extreme,” she said. “Does (loud music) really hurt anybody?”

Her husband, Doug Bookhamer, agreed with Zapata that the $116 fine was too expensive. He said it’s likely many drivers receiving the fines would be younger and suggested starting off with a lower fine and raising the amount for subsequent violations.

Lakewood Ranch’s Dave Fauquier said it isn’t a matter that needed attention: “I haven’t heard a lot of loud music playing as I’ve been driving, except for once in a while.”

Fauquier also expressed empathy for those who enjoy loud music. “It’s not really distracting, just annoying,” he said. “I did that when I was a young kid. I’d be hypocritical if I complained about it now.”

Marshall Kaufman of Esplanade said he thought the law was too difficult to enforce.

He said the notion is a good one in principle and that loud music could mask the sound of an emergency vehicle, but he didn’t think police would enforce the law.

Other responses were in favor of the new law.

“I think they ought to enforce it,” said Lakewood Ranch’s Vicki Smith.

“A lot of people might not be aware of it being a law, though, so maybe issue a warning the first time.”

Her husband, Howard Smith, said he has seen drivers who are unaware of what is going on around them due to a blasting stereo.

East County’s Kari Evans said the loud music coming from another car doesn’t bother her, but she does wonder if it is distracting the driver.

She said the music might block the sound of emergency vehicles for those drivers, endangering others on the road.

Loretta Dougherty of Lakewood Ranch said she understands the reasons for the new law but “doesn’t really agree with it.”

She notes that even if the loud music annoys you for a moment, it then passes you by. She said she would be surprised if it is enforced.

Lakewood Ranch’s Jene Watts said perhaps there should be a time stipulation attached to the law so that people could play their stereos loud during the day but not late at night.

She said that overall, she never has been concerned with loud music coming out of vehicles.

“Roll your window up,” she said.

Whatever residents’ views, the Sheriff’s Office is ready to enforce the new law.

Esplanade’s Marshall Kaufman says the new law will be difficult to enforce and that law enforcement should dedicated its efforts to other initiatives.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

SIDE OF RANCH

|

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

9A

JAY HEATER

Nothing nerdy about robotics title I had heard the stories.

As a freshman on my first day in high school, I would have to run from the seniors, who had license to smack around freshmen, humiliate them in any way possible, and even dunk their heads in the toilets.

It took only a few hours to note the reality was quite different. The seniors, in contrast to the legend, treated the freshmen with absolute indifference. In the course of their high school day, we were gnats, not worthy of the energy needed to accomplish a swat.

Last August at Lakewood Ranch High School, freshman Austin Bruce was about to be the gnat.

Bruce, an admitted space nerd, appeared at a Technology Student Association meeting for robotics with the thought of finding the perfect extracurricular activity.

It was there he met senior Zachary Geiger.

If Bruce was a nerd wanna-be, Geiger was the accomplished, real-deal nerd, at least when he wasn’t competing on the baseball field. He was a robotics shining star, who most likely would have been decorated with national high school championships had not the pandemic taken away a couple of years of competitive opportunities. His self-proclaimed “nerdiness” had set him up to attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach on scholarship.

But this just-completed semester would be his last high school opportunity to win the elusive national gold. In this first TSA/ robotics mixer, Bruce was to interview possible teammates to help him along his quest.

In all honestly, Geiger didn’t need anyone to drag him down. No one was committed as he was to the task — winning the VEX Robotics Competition at the National TSA Conference June 27-29 at the

Courtesy photo

Austin Bruce holds the award and Zachary Geiger holds the robot they built to win the VEX Robotics Competition at the National TSA Conference in Texas.

Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine, Texas.

So what would a gnat have to offer?

When he talked to Bruce, though, he found out. He saw not a kid of a certain age, but a kid who shared a passion. He saw a kid willing to pore over hundreds of YouTube robotics videos to find that one tiny modification that could give them an advantage.

He saw a kid willing to work in the background so he could learn.

It didn’t take long for others to see similarities as the two struck a partnership.

“They would call him a Mini Me,” Geiger said of what his classmates would call Bruce. “He wants to learn. He wants to build. He wants to know what he can do better. So I would send him out. ‘Can you get me a 24-tooth gear?’”

Bruce was happy to go on errands.

He knew his role, at least to start, wouldn’t be hands-on. So he would go to robotics websites, and read, and learn. Most of all, he watched his mentor.

“He taught me how to be a better leader, how to have a more creative mind,” Bruce said. “There were so many things. He would run a screw at a 45-degree angle instead of 90 degrees because it would work better. He would make a part into something it wasn’t.”

Bruce tried to follow the lead to the point where their movements at competitions looked similar.

“When we would walk next to each other, people would say they saw the same movements,” Bruce said with a laugh as he mimicked Geiger’s stride.

It wasn’t hard to understand why they connected.

“It’s the time you spend together for something like this, the emotions of it,” Geiger said. “You’re working at 11 at night in a garage. It bonds you together.”

They took a pile of metal bolts, gears, eight motors and two pneumatic cylinders and built a robot that would be able to complete specified tasks in a narrow time frame. Geiger would control the robot with a glorified joystick as it raced around a 12-foot-by-12-foot field. In this particular case, the robots were asked to collect and stack rings.

Oh, and three other teams were competing at the same time, giving the competition a sort of cross between MIT Gone Wild and Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em Robots. If your creation couldn’t withstand a few hard knocks, well, thanks for coming.

Always seeking an edge, Geiger would connect online with robotics enthusiasts from Japan, or Europe, or Canada. He would seek ideas and tips, returning to the workshop to try new ideas. He would attend other robotics competitions in Florida or beyond to note other innovative ideas. Then it was back to the workshop.

“My strength is to see the flaws of a robot, then to do what I can to make sure our robot doesn’t have that flaw,” Geiger said.

Meanwhile, Bruce was making significant advances. He became more than just Geiger’s spotter during events. He began writing codes, using calculus, for the robots, helping Geiger to have fewer duties in directing the robots with the joystick once the competitions began.

Geiger and Bruce didn’t even win the state competition. They placed second. While they qualified for the national event with that finish, the School District of Manatee County didn’t pay their way. That luxury only goes to state champs.

But at the nationals, they trotted

out their fourth generation of their 2022 robot. Many of their competitors were still using their first- or second-generation robots.

At the nationals, all the teams were forced to combine with another team or teammate they didn’t know. The were assigned Ayush Karkare of the Downingtown STEM Academy of Pennsylvania.

The three survived a brutal roundrobin format to eventually take the national title.

The award is significant, but certainly it is not the most significant part of the journey. If the two boys had fallen two rings short of a national championship, they still would have propelled each other toward their aeronautical dreams.

That pursuit might well influence others to follow their paths.

Most of his freshman year, Bruce doubted he had the mental capacity to build robots similar to Geiger’s creations. But, now, no longer a gnat, he not only is comfortable building his own creations, but he wants to teach others to do so during his next three years at Lakewood Ranch High.

He can’t wait to get started.

At the Bruce household in Mill Creek, the two boys posed for photos with their award. I asked to take a photo of them with their winning robot.

Bruce already had taken it apart so he could begin building the next one.

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

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THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

National TSA team title for Braden River High Three division titles lead Braden River High to national TSA team championship.

LIZ RAMOS STAFF WRITER

W

hen Fiorella Recchioni first started on her fashion design and technology project for the Technology Student Association, she was nervous.

Recchioni, who graduated from Braden River High School in May, said she didn’t know “the first thing about fashion design” and knew the project would be a huge learning curve.

But hard work definitely was in fashion.

Recchioni and her team members, rising senior Nico Curci and graduate Sara Diaz, placed second in fashion design and technology during the National TSA Conference June 26-30 in Dallas.

“I honestly did not think it would place at all so it was just a shock mostly,” Recchioni said.

Braden River High School’s TSA chapter placed first overall at the National TSA Conference.

Recchioni, Curci and Diaz were tasked with designing and creating a red, white and blue theme park uniform for a ride called the Power Charger.

Diaz modeled the white sports jacket and navy blue plants that had red lightning bolts on the arms and white lightning bolts at the bottom of the pants for the judges.

Liam Wilford, who graduated in May, placed first in transportation modeling in which he had to build a scale model of a package and product delivery vehicle with a display. Wilford chose to make a Piaggio Ape,

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Courtesy photo

which is a small three-wheeled car from the 1970s.

“I wanted to do something more unique and memorable than just a typical box truck, which is the first thing that comes to mind related to package delivery,” Wilford said.

“I had seen the Piaggio Ape in a TV show before, and it seemed like a unique and interesting challenge to try to re-create.”

He designed the vehicle using a 3D design program and used a 3D printer to print the parts. For the display, he created an Italian street with a market stall selling textiles.

“I enjoyed seeing the model come to life,” Wilford said. “The single biggest challenge was getting the design of the cab accurate to real life at this scale. Winning the event felt like kind of a confirmation and validation of my skills that I had developed through TSA. It felt like a good

Liam Wilford, a Braden River High School graduate, places first in transportation modeling for his model of a Piaggio Ape.

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TECHNOLOGY STUDENT ASSOCIATION AWARDS BRADEN RIVER HIGH First place: Chapter Team; Geospatial Technology; Promotional Design (Joyce Chen), Transportation Modeling (Liam Wilford) Second place: Digital Video Production; Engineering Design; Fashion Design and Technology Third place: Prepared Presentation (Isabella Pasquale) Fourth place: Dragster Design (Liam Wilford); Future Technology and Engineering Fifth place: Scientific Visualization Seventh place: Future Technology and Engineering; Technology Bowl Eighth place: Architectural Design; Debating Technological Issues; On Demand Video Ninth Place: Dragster Design (Callum Wilford) 10th place: Biotechnology Design DR. MONA JAIN MIDDLE SCHOOL First place: Construction Challenge Second place: Inventions and Innovations Third place: Microcontroller Design Sixth place: Data Science and Analytics Seventh place: Community Service Video Eighth place: Biotechnology, Video Game Design, Website Design Ninth place: Chapter Team, Electrical Applications, Promotional Marketing (Kinley McCaw) CARLOS E. HAILE MIDDLE SCHOOL Seventh place: Career Prep (Riley Harris) Ninth place: Mechanical Engineering 10th place: Structural Engineering

process that went into the video,” Medina said.

Chen and Medina hope the Braden River High TSA chapter can continue its success next year.

Chen hopes to try more events that involve teams because most of her events were individual this year.

“I want to get to know everyone in my chapter better because I’m not sure if I know everyone now. It would be nicer to be closer to them.”

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way to end my TSA career.”

Joyce Chen, a rising sophomore, also had a first place win at the national conference where she competed in the promotional design event. She had to create a promotional portfolio to get others to join TSA. Chen included a business card, poster, flier and waterfall card in her portfolio.

“I wanted to do promotional design because I was always interested in graphic design because I’m a very artistic person, and I like hands-on stuff,” Chen said. “I thought promotional design would possibly prepare me for the future if I ever decide to promote or market something. … I felt really proud of my projects, and I’m thankful I was able to come up with a design that stood out to the judges. I hope I can keep continuing with this success.”

Victoria Medina, a rising senior, and her team brought home a second place victory in digital video production with their video of Bradenton’s Brian Lacey. The video showed the day in the life of Lacey, who is a commercial fisherman.

Medina said the group initially wanted to create a satirical video about the day in the life of a murderer or spy, but they ultimately decided to create a video on someone more “down to earth and realistic.”

“We wanted to emphasize how there’s a lot of careers out there that are really important to American society,” Medina said. “Commercial fisherman is one of those that we don’t usually think about, especially for STEM students in TSA who aspire to be engineers, doctors or STEM careers that just do not involve thinking about the day-to-day life of those who bring food to the tables of millions of people.”

Although the conference and presenting in front of the judges was stressful, Medina said the presentation was easy because she knew everyone did their best and it gave her an opportunity to share the team’s brainstorming, filming and editing process and why Lacey’s career is important.

“Winning second place honestly was a surprise for us because although we were excited we knew that we and Brian deserved this award for all the honest work we went through and the emotional

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ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

ROOTS

Nick Gallardo helped co-create the musical arrangements.

Mike Gallardo handles the drumming for Rock & Roll Reignited at FST.

Jared Mancuso, creator of the show, in full Buddy Holly garb.

Photos courtesy of Destiny Jackson

Aurora DuBois handles the bass.

RENAISSANCE ‘Rock & Roll Reignited’ at FST is taking on some of the songs you love best.

And bringing them back to the future.

SPENCER FORDIN A+E EDITOR

J

ared Mancuso and Nick Gallardo have sharpened their act in over 150 cities.

Sarasota offered them a chance to settle down.

Mancuso and Gallardo are the driving forces behind “Rock & Roll Reignited,” a show that brings roots rock songs into the present day and reimagines what they can sound like.

Here, playing in the intimate John C. Court Cabaret at Florida Studio Theatre, they’re working six nights a week and they can see every face, some singing along. Because they

have the opportunity to play in one house for two months, they’re seeing their show evolve to a new level.

“We’ve been working toward something like this for years,” Gallardo said. “So when it comes, you relish in it and the advantages you’re taking from it. This is eight weeks of consistent stage time, and we’re bettering ourselves just by being here.

It’s cool to have that consistency because that’s where new ideas come from. We’re more cohesive now.”

Gallardo and Mancuso have been exploring the classic roots catalogue together for about seven years, and they’ve seen their act evolve from a tribute act to a renaissance.

The pair, joined by bassist Aurora DuBois and bassist Mike Gallardo, play songs from legendary artists like Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis, and they show the audience the way the music has SEE ROOTS, PAGE 14A

The intimate confines of the John C. Court Cabaret serve as the backdrop for “Rock & Roll Re-Ignited.”

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

Roots

IF YOU GO

FROM PAGE 13A

influenced subsequent generations of artists.

At one point, they had a part of their show where they would play a rootsy sounding song and then ask the audience who wrote it and when.

The punchline: The song would probably be from 2016 or 2017, but it would sound like a time gone by.

The main thrust of this show, though, is the music that has been playing from jukeboxes for much of the last half-century.

With a modern touch here or a little tweak there, a song that has been familiar for most of your life can feel totally revitalized and renewed.

“There’s something very cool and honorable about playing the songs how they were played first and foremost,” says Gallardo of the show’s philosophy. “But there is immense growth when you’re able to infuse yourself into the music and then bring it authentically into the future.”

“They were just like picking up their guitar, playing in a chord and going for it,” adds Mancuso of the music’s enduring legacy. “We grew up listening to a lot of ’80s and ’90s music. You start to see more arrangement happening. The bass cuts out here. The guitar is doing this flourish instead of a standard chord. What we’ve done is taken that idea with the songs and said, ‘What if we cut out here? What if we add this guitar lick here?’ That’s what in our imagination is reigniting it.”

Both Gallardo and Mancuso say they’ve spent some time thinking about why the early songs in the rock and roll canon still resonate with people all these decades later.

In some ways, they say, it’s about the simplicity and the purity of the music. But it’s also about the way it was delivered; people gathered to watch the “Ed Sullivan Show” or waited to hear songs on the radio.

Today?

Well, people can stream whatever they want whenever they want.

“You were forced to plant yourself there,” says Gallardo. “It’s almost

‘ROCK & ROLL RE-IGNITED’ When: Runs through Aug. 7 Where: John C. Court Cabaret, 1265 First St. Tickets: $36 Info: FloridaStudioTheatre.org

romantic. It’s cool to think that people took the time to say, ‘We’re going to sit next to the radio and listen to this song.’”

Gallardo, whose cousin Mike is the drummer for the Sarasota shows, said he grew up in a family much like the one portrayed in the movie Selena.

Everyone sat around playing music, and everyone was encouraged to pitch in however they were able to contribute.

Mancuso also had an early love affair with music and theater, and he says that he was playing shows in Manhattan with his early bands when he was just 14 or 15 years old.

Now, as mature performers, Mancuso and Gallardo are also developing another show, “Forever Everly,” that takes a unique spin on tribute acts. They explore the career of the Everly Brothers, but instead of it just being a straight concert, they’re accompanying a documentary.

That show was first performed in January, and it’s waiting to be fleshed out when Mancuso and Gallardo have some time after their Florida Studio Theatre residency.

“There’s moments where the video is playing them performing and we’re making the noise,” says Mancuso. “And the audience goes wild for it. I knew going into it that we were doing something very different.

A lot of the time, audiences coming to a tribute show think they’re going to get a full band. It was the first time we ever did a show where we didn’t say anything to the audience, and they stood at the end and were cheering for more.”

That’s the connecting tissue of the two shows they’re working on.

The songs are alive, receptive to tweaking and reinvention.

So is the audience.

When Mancuso and Gallardo look

Photo courtesy of Destiny Jackson

out at the crowd on any given night, they’re never sure they’ll see. They might see students drawn to the songs through their own journeys of discovery, and they might see people who were literally alive when they were first played on the radio.

That keeps things interesting, but honestly, Gallardo and Mancuso are

T H E Y N E E D U S.

filled with gratitude to be able to play the music they love and to bring joy to people across the country.

“We just survived a pandemic both physically and emotionally. That was a beast to get through,” says Mancuso. “That was a scary time, but our hearts are so in it.”

Nick Gallardo (foreground) and Jared Mancuso are bringing roots rock back with a modern twist.

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THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

Lights, Camera, Opera Live performances might be out of season at the Sarasota Opera House, but you can still catch world-class artistry at the HD at the Opera series.

SPENCER FORDIN A+E EDITOR

Y

ou might have your defense mechanisms lined up for why you can’t attend the opera.

Perhaps your suit is at the dry cleaners or you have to wake up early tomorrow.

What if you knew you could see an opera in the middle of the day on Sunday? And that you could wear shorts without anyone snickering that you’ve upset the dress code?

That’s the unspoken allure of Sarasota Opera’s HD at the Opera series, which puts you in the audience of a great European opera house without crossing the Atlantic.

It’s the next best thing to being live in the house with a talented orchestra and cast of singers, and it will help you scratch your opera itch until Sarasota Opera is back in season.

This is the only form of opera performance where the ovations are optional; the cast is recorded and can’t hear you, but you may still wind up wanting to clap and give them their due. And several of your fellow audience members will probably clap along with you.

Interestingly, when you attend a filmed performance at the Sarasota Opera House, you’re more or less seeing the building in its original intended purpose.

The Opera House opened in 1926 as a silent movie theater, and though it’s now mainly used for live performances, it retains the elemental allure of an old time movie house.

Every seat is a good one, and the sound is worthy of a full orchestra backing a baritone.

Then there’s the matter of the performances, which are top notch

Photo courtesy of Monika Rittershaus

and come from a variety of venues including the Staatsoper Hamburg, the Teatro Real in Madrid and the Royal Opera House in London.

The HD at the Opera series showed Verdi’s “Falstaff” on Sunday, and it was a rendering of a performance from the Staatsoper Hamburg recorded on Jan. 19, 2020.

Italian baritone Ambrogio Maestri starred in the title role, which was given a unique backdrop on the stage.

This Falstaff, directed by Calixto Bieito, is a prisoner of his prodigious appetites. Before the overture, and before a single note is song, Maestri’s Falstaff sits on stage slurping oysters.

He will later have chocolate seductively smeared all over his chest, and at another moment, he will attempt to conceal his frame with nothing but a lampshade over his head.

The comedy is broad and unrelenting in this opera, and there’s a giant cast of characters moving in and out of the story trying to catch Falstaff in a compromising position.

How does it end? Either you’ve seen it already or you should some day.

This isn’t your only opportunity to see a Verdi opera before the Sarasota Opera brings back “Ernani” in March.

The HD at the Opera series will show “La Traviata” from the Royal Opera House in London on Aug. 7, and it will show “Rigoletto” from the same venue on Sept. 11.

Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” will be shown on July 24, and Dvorak’s

The Staatsoper Hamburg performance of “Falstaff” played at the Sarasota Opera House on July 10.

Photo courtesy of Elyza Wylder

Every seat is the best seat in the house at the HD at the Opera House series.

“Rusalka” from the Teatro Real in Madrid will be shown in August.

The final performance of the HD at the Opera series — on Sept. 25 — will be a 1962 Strauss performance, “Der Rosenkavalier,” from Salzburg, starring the late Elisabeth Schwarzkopf.

What if you like the idea of beating the heat and seeing a movie at the Opera House, but you’re not really feeling the idea of an opera performance?

There’s also the Classic Movies at the Opera House series, which packs the house for Hollywood hits on Fri-

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day evenings during the summer.

The Opera House will be showing “To Kill a Mockingbird” (July 22), “Fiddler on the Roof” (Aug. 5), “Double Indemnity” (Aug. 19) and “Harvey” (Sept. 23) before the building goes back to rehearsing and staging live performances.

The next scheduled performance for the Sarasota Opera is “The Secret Marriage” in October, which gives you plenty of time to get your clothes from the dry cleaners and to make your arrangements for a reason to sleep late the following day.

IF YOU GO

HD AT THE OPERA HOUSE When: 1:30 p.m. on Sundays; remaining shows are “Swan Lake” (July 24), “La Traviata” (Aug 7.), “Rusalka” (Aug. 21), “Rigoletto” (Sept. 11) and “Der Rosenkavalier” (Sept. 25) Where: Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. Tickets: $22 Info: SarasotaOpera.org/summermovies

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THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

exhibit, which will feature the work of 49 internationally acclaimed photographers including Pedro Almodóvar, Valérie Belin, Vik Muniz and Viviane Sassen. Their target?

Flowers and the many different ways they can appear through the lens of a gifted photographer. This exhibit is just opening up to the public, and it will be on display until Sept. 29 if you’re not able to see it immediately.

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

WBTT’S STAGE OF DISCOVERY: WE DREAM 7:30 p.m. at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N. Orange Ave. $27 adults, $17 students Visit WestcoastBlackTheatre.org.

It’s the precocious performers of tomorrow getting their own chance at being on center stage. The Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s Stage of Discovery students will present a pair of live performances to punctuate the end of the theater’s fiveweek summer training program. The show — created, adapted and directed by Jim Weaver — will feature students singing songs envisioning the vision of a future world where peace, love and understanding are the norm.

THIS WEEK THURSDAY

FRIDAY

ARIELLA LIVE! 7:30 p.m. at Bownes Lab, 1265 First St. $25 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org

IN-STUDIO PERFORMANCE FEATURING MELISSA COBBLAH GUTIERREZ 7 p.m. at Sarasota Contemporary Dance, 1400 Bouldevard of the Arts $20 Visit SarasotaContemporaryDance. org.

Sarasota-based artists Ariella McManus and her husband, Nicolaas Kraster, are hitting the Florida Studio Theatre stage twice in July; once on July 14 and again two Thursdays later on July 28. Ariella’s powerful voice and dynamic stage shows have built a local following, and the duo effortlessly moves through genres and even songs in other languages.

JAZZ THURSDAY — THE RUCKUS LATE NIGHT’S 5:30 p.m. at Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail Free for art museum members; $20 for non-members Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org This drummer knows how to raise a ruckus. Miami-based Rodney Ruckus leads his band of jazz and hip hop fusion artists for an evening of music at the Sarasota Art Museum’s Marcy & Michael Klein Plaza. The galleries will be open until 7 p.m., and the event will run until 8. Cocktails will be available as will light bites in the museum’s Bistro.

HELEN KEANEY 7 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd. $25 Visit McCurdysComedy.com Helen Keaney has built her act playing comedy clubs all across America, and she’s even entered your living room through hosting stints on TBS and HSN. Keaney planned to start touring again in 2020, but life got in the way. Now she’s back making people laugh, and she’ll play six shows at McCurdy’s running through July 17.

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It’s the final in-studio performance of the season for Sarasota Contemporary Dance, and it will welcome Miami-based dancer and choreographer Melissa Cobblah Gutierrez to perform her work in progress entitled “Los Recuerdos de Mi Casa.”

Cobblah Gutierrez will be asking the audience what specific things remind them of being at home and dancing out her own answers.

ROALD DAHL’S ‘MATILDA THE MUSICAL JR.’ SHOW 7 p.m. at Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Ave. W., Bradenton $9.80-$20 Visit ManateePerformingArtsCenter. org.

Come get in on the fun in a Manatee Performing Arts Center production of the Roald Dahl classic for kids and by kids. The Tony Award-winning hit and beloved film have made a generation of kids feel more at home in expressing themselves, and in this case, they’re ready to win your hearts with their high-energy dance numbers and singing.

POETS UNPLUGGED 3 p.m. at Fogartyville, 525 Kumquat Court $60 Visit WSLR.org/Fogartyville couple navigate differing views on the world they live in?

2022 HERMITAGE STARS 2 p.m. at Hermitage Great Lawn, 6660 Manasota Key Road, Englewood $5, registration required Visit HermitageArtistRetreat.org Join the Hermitage as they fete five of Florida’s best arts educators.

Brooke Adkins, Charles Eady, Jessie Leasure, Jennifer Rodriguez and Zoe Stayman will chat about their artistic disciplines, and this event will basically be an “arts buffet” that allows guests to sample from each of their respective creative practices.

SATURDAY ‘FLORA IMAGINARIA’ EXHIBITION OPENING DAY 10 a.m. at Selby Gardens, 1534 Mound St. $25, free for members Visit Selby.org.

LASER LIGHT NIGHTS: AEROSMITH 9 p.m. at Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, 201 10th St. W. $15 Visit BishopScience.org.

Janie’s Got a ... Laser? It’s the first of two Laser Light performances for the iconic rockers who burst on the world scene back in the ’70s and have maintained their star-power for nearly a half-century. What will you hear? Who knows? It could be “Dude (Looks Like a Lady)” and “Love in an Elevator” timed to pulsing lasers in the Bishop Museum’s planetarium.

The “Year of Photography” will continue at Selby Gardens with this

PLAY READING: BATON 3 p.m. at Keating Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave. $10 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org This is a work in progress spelling out a specific moment in time.

Support this developing piece by playwright Deneen Reynolds-Knott, which follows a couple on a first date interrupted by the civil unrest in Baltimore following the death of Freddie Gray while in police custody. Can the

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Learn how to express yourself with spoken word artist Melanie Lavender. This is the start of a six-week writing workshop that will help you develop your thoughts and your ability to communicate them to an audience. Students will learn different writing techniques and how to deliver them, and the program will culminate with a live performance on Aug. 26.

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DON’T MISS FRIDAY FEST: KETTLE OF FISH Things are pretty quiet at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall during the summer, but Friday Fest is a notable exception.

The fest went on a two-year hiatus during the pandemic, but it returned in June and will also feature events in August and September. Kettle of Fish will keep things rocking on Friday, and a sunset over Sarasota Bay will be their backdrop. Kettle of

Fish will play rain or shine. If it rains, the show will move indoors to the Grand Foyer or the main stage.

IF YOU GO When: 7 p.m., July 15 Where: Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail Tickets: Free Info: Visit VanWezel.org

OUR SHOWROOMS ARE OPEN Special Financing Available

www.manasotaonline.com

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YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

|

17A

THROUGH AUG 28

OUR PICK

IF YOU GO When: 7:30 p.m., July 12 Where: John C. Court Cabaret, Florida Studio Theatre, 1265 First St. Tickets: $36 Info: FloridaStudioTheatre.org

INFORMATION + TICKETS

ringling.org

MONDAY

WEDNESDAY

MONDAY NIGHT JAZZ AT THE CABARET 7:30 p.m. at John C. Court Cabaret, 1265 First St. $34-$39 Visit JazzClubSarasota.org.

PAT GODWIN 7 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd. $25 Visit McCurdysComedy.com.

It’s “Love & Bossa Nova” night at the cabaret, which means that Nate Najar and Daniela Soledade will take their intimate act full of love songs and jazz to the stage. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for food and beverages, and the show will start an hour later.

What’s behind a picture? The term “metadata” is used to describe the information that travels with a digital image file but is unseen within the image itself. In our moment, we are becoming increasingly aware that understanding the information that circulates unseen around photographic images is just as important as seeing what they represent.

taking Mondays off, and will be at Florida Studio Theatre until Aug. 7.

Paid for in part by Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax revenues.

Pat Godwin’s comedy includes his own signature songwriting and singing, and his website boasts that he’s never done any job outside of entertainment since the age of 20 except for a two-month stint at TGI Fridays.

Godwin, the son of a theater professor and an actress, has the stage in his blood, and he’ll play six shows for the McCurdy’s faithful audience.

Support for this exhibition was provided by Gulf Coast Community Foundation; National Endowment for the Arts; The State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture; Herald Tribune; Sarasota Magazine; Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen; and The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art Endowment.

This exhibition is a part of the Stanton B. and Nancy W. Kaplan Photography and Media Arts Program at The Ringling.

Penelope Umbrico (American, born 1957), Sunset Portraits from 8,462,359 Sunset Pictures on Flickr on 12/21/10 (detail), 2010. Machine C-prints, 10 × 15.2 cm each. Courtesy of the artist.

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‘ROCK & ROLL REIGNITED’ I’m going to tell you how it’s going to be: You’re going to hear some Buddy Holly.

Jared Mancuso and Nick Gallardo and their band, Not Fade Away, have brought their roots rock revival act all around the country, and now that they’re in Sarasota for an extended run, they’ve had a chance to reimagine their act for their specific setting. The show plays six nights a week,

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

YOUR REAL ESTATE EXPERIENCE

LISTINGS

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Our Experience is Your Best Asset Contact us Today to Discuss Your 2022 Homeownership Goals HOLLY PASCARELLA, PA 941.225.3218 Holly.Pascarella@CBRealty.com

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18A

JULY 14, 2022

Classifieds 15B Games 14B Sports 10B Real Estate 9B Weather 14B

YOUR NEIGHBORS

Photos by Liz Ramos

Florida Studio Theatre’s Caleb Lee and Harry Shaull talk about the history of the cassette tape. “Off the Charts!” had some of the most popular pop songs since the 1950s and shared how pop impacted music over the decades.

Lakewood Ranch 12-year-old cousins Jocelyn Annicelli and Angelina Annicelli practice their dance moves.

HITS FOR THE AGES D

Del Webb’s Laurel and John Platt stomp and clap along during the performance of Queen’s “We Will Rock You.”

Florida Studio Theatre’s Gemma Vodacek sings and dances to Britney Spears’ “Baby One More Time.” The Spears song was one of Vodacek’s favorite to perform because it was one of the songs that involved the most dancing.

— LIZ RAMOS

Florida Studio Theatre’s Linnzie Hays says she loves performing “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.”

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Del Webb’s Mike and Diane Cannon say they are excited to see “Off the Charts!” at The Plaza at Waterside. The Cannons love coming to Waterside to eat at restaurants and go to the farmers market.

el Webb’s John and Laurel Platt stomped their feet and clapped along as Florida Studio Theatre performed “We Will Rock You.” The Queen hit was just one of at least 20 songs performed during FST’s performance of “Off the Charts!” on July 9 at The Plaza at Waterside.

“You could tell they put a lot of work into it,” John Laurel said. “They covered a lot of songs. You could tell they enjoyed what they were doing.”

FST’s Caleb Lee, Linnzie Hays, Gemma Vodacek and Harry Shaull performed pop songs from the 1950s through now, prompting audience members to sing and dance along.

Del Webb’s Mike and Diane Cannon thoroughly enjoyed the show.

“This is a beautiful place,” Mike Cannon said about Waterside Place.

Diane Cannon loved that “Off the Charts!” had music for people of all ages.

2B

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

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ENJOY THE WILD Miri Hardy is the first executive director of the Friends of Myakka River. Hardy has been a Sarasota resident since 2014 and holds a doctorate in social psychology from Washington University in St. Louis.

Butterfly orchids are considered commercially exploited in Florida and may not be harvested or sold without a permit.

areas in Florida have become so urban that the native habitat and healthy ecosystems these orchids need to survive are scarce.

To support these significant members of our Wild Florida ecosystems, we can protect the old-growth trees they require to survive. And, when spotted in the wild, we can leave orchids where we find them, to the benefit of future generations, and our own.

—MIRI HARDY FRIENDS OF MYAKKA RIVER

Friends of Myakka River exists to support Myakka River State Park and the Wild and Scenic Myakka River. Together, we’re protecting and sharing Myakka’s Magic, to the benefit of future generations, and our own. Follow us @ FriendsofMyakkaRiver

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yakka River State Park provides critical, protected habitat for many native forms of life. And each species, whether plant, animal or microorganism, has a role in Wild Florida’s ecosystems.

One such species, the Florida butterfly orchid (Encyclia tampensis), is a slow-growing, perennial epiphyte, which typically blooms between May and July.

Considered the most diverse plant family, orchids represent about 10% of all flowering species. And, as they thrive in warmth and humidity, Florida is home to at least 106 species.

But when railroads first came to Florida in the late 1800s, orchids were among the first natural resource to be exploited. Millions of orchids were removed from their natural habitats, and sent north as potted plants. And since, logging, dredging and development has reduced or degraded habitats. Indeed, today, over half of Florida’s orchids are listed as endangered or threatened.

Most orchids are epiphytes: plants that grow on other plants. As butterfly orchids thrive on old, damp, oak bark, you’ll often spot them in Myakka’s mesic hammocks, where towering old-growth live oaks are abundant. These mature trees provide a textured, well-drained environment where orchids germinate in a symbiotic relationship with fungi.

Like all air-plants, butterfly orchids merely use their host trees as anchors, thriving high in the canopy, where their light and moisture needs are met.

The orchids’ honey-like fragrance attracts a variety of bees, which are their primary pollinators. And their beautiful petite flowers, which flutter in the wind like tiny butterflies, also attract a plethora of human Wild Florida aficionados.

Butterfly orchids grow in almost every county in the state. But, like other orchids, they’ve been commercially exploited. Moreover, some

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

Franchise owner wants to bring more transparency to auto repair.

NEW BUSINESS CHRISTIAN BORTHERS AUTOMOTIVE Where: 11930 S.R. 64, E., Bradenton Phone: (941) 877-3705 Hours: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Monday-Friday; closed Saturday-Sunday Services: Air conditioning, batteries, brakes, oil and filter changes, tune-ups, engine services, and more

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

B

rad Copland, as a customer, said he never understood the recommendations he was given when he went to an auto service shop.

It didn’t seem to him those businesses offered any kind of transparency.

He thought he could do better, so in June he opened a Christian Brothers Automotive franchise at 11930 S.R. 64 E., Bradenton. “(Being) neighborly is high on the list,” he said of his company’s principles. “Transparency, excellence, joy.

Those are core values of the system as a whole, and those are things we share with others.”

He said the company offers the basic services to be expected from an auto repair shop such as repairs of brakes, a coolant flush, or the changing of a water pump.

“It’s how (the customers are) treated, and the confidence that we can instill in the customer that’s going to be different,” he said.

The organization bills itself as a “faith-based” auto repair company, incorporating faith-related elements into its branding and promotions.

Copland described its mission as being “to provide ethical and excellent automotive repair maintenance; to glorify God.” Christian Brothers Automotive was founded in 1982 in Mission Bend, Texas, by Mark Carr.

Copland said the company’s religious nature just means it has a chance to show its beliefs by example.

He said the company has created a

EYE ON BUSINESS

‘Faith’ a key ingredient for auto repair shop

different type of environment.

“Coming out of corporate America, into this system, it was a very different experience culturally,” he said, noting that religion actually is encouraged more openly within the company.

He said when attending meetings at the company’s main office, which is located in Houston, he will see employees engaging in prayer.

Copland, who formerly worked for the Coca Cola Co. as a director of financial strategic analysis, said he settled on the location to franchise after examining many different businesses. He liked the community and how his new company with a set of values would fit into it.

Having grown up in Texas, he initially wanted to buy a franchise there, but he eventually decided Lakewood Ranch was the place he wanted to call home.

He was also impressed by the demographics of the area, which he said included high levels of growth and was attracting families. He liked the location alongside State Road 64, as well as the adjacent apartment complex, Summerhouse Lakewood Ranch.

He said the future will decide the

3B

Photos by Ian Swaby

Brad Copland is the manager of Christian Brothers Automotive on State Road 64 in Lakewood Ranch.

Roberto Torres services a car at Christian Brothers Automotive in East County.

success of the business.

“We’re getting our bearings, and getting our routines down, because it is a new environment for everyone,” he said.

He said the process of servicing cars is thorough and designed to make sure that the owners have a full understanding of what is taking place.

Technicians put together a digi-

tal presentation that is offered to customers to help them understand what it is being recommended.

For instance, a coolant flush, a regular procedure designed to replace the coolant that reduces corrosion and rust in the engine, would have its full process and benefits thoroughly explained.

Employee Natalie Turley, a Lakewood Ranch resident, said she has worked with the Christian Brothers franchise for four years at other locations. She said the organization prides itself on its work.

“My work is a representation of myself, so I always try to adhere by the manufacturer’s specifications and by their regulations,” she said.

Employee Roberto Torres, from Palmetto, said he used to work for a competitor in Riverview, which had a Christian Brothers franchise across the street.

“We’ve been busy since day one,” he said. “We’ve been getting busier every day. I hope the business keeps growing and that I stay here for a long time. That’s what I’m looking for, a place I can call home.”

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, JULY 14

FREE MOVIE Begins at 8 p.m. at Waterside Place, 7500 Island Cove Terrace, Lakewood Ranch. “Clifford the Big Red Dog” will be shown at Waterside Place.

The free, family event is hosted by Grace Community Church. Seating is available on a first-come, firstserve basis. Bring a blanket and/or lawn chairs. Concessions available from O&A Coffee and We B’ Poppin Popcorn and Kettle Corn. Face painting will be available from 7-9 p.m. For more information, go to WatersidePlace.com.

BEST BET MONDAY, JULY 18 THROUGH SUNDAY, JULY 24

DRAGON BOAT RACING Begins at 8 a.m. daily at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota. The 2022 International Dragon Boat Federation Club Crew World Championships is held at Nathan Benderson Park. More than 3,000 rowers will participate in various classes, skill levels and age divisions. Admission is free, but there will be a charge for parking at the site.

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THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

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Exclusive OPHTHALMOLOGY Lakewood Ranch’s

PRACTICE

FRIDAY, JULY 15-SATURDAY, JULY 16

MUSIC AT THE PLAZA Runs from 6-9 p.m. at Waterside Place, 1561 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch. Musician/singer Tyler Vaden will provide the live music 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, musician/singer Dean Johanesen provides the entertainment. For more information, go to WatersidePlace.com.

FARMERS MARKET Runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Lakefront Drive in Waterside Place at 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 www.MyLWR.com.

YOGA IN THE PARK Begins at 9 a.m. at Waterside Place Park, 7500 Island Cove Terrace, Lakewood Ranch. Lakewood Ranch Community Activities offers yoga that is free to residents and $10 for nonresidents. For more information, go to MyLWR.com.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 20

BINGO 4 ALL Begins at 10 a.m. at the Greenbrook Adventure Park, 13010 Adventure Place, Lakewood Ranch. Lake-

Murray Friedberg, M.D. Robert Edelman, M.D. Scott Silverman, M.D. Ryan Kohn

Head Coach Angela Long and the Survivors in Sync breast cancer survivor dragon boat team, compete at the Sarasota International Dragon Boat Festival in May, The team will be competing at the 2022 IBDF Club Crew World Championships.

wood Ranch Community Activities hosts bingo for all ages in a relaxed environment. Cost is $25. For more information, go to MyLWR.com.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27

LWRBA LUNCHEON Begins at 11:30 a.m. at Grove, 10670 Boardwalk Loop, Lakewood Ranch.

The Lakewood Ranch Business Alliances presents guest speaker Scott Zelniker, the managing director of UBS Financial Services, Inc. Zelniker will speak about how today’s geopolitical events impact the global economy. The luncheon costs $35 for LWRBA members and $45 for nonmembers. Go to LWRBA.org.

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

Making their pointe

F

or the International Ballet of Florida dancers, being surrounded was OK. Those dancers were performing July 8 at The Mall at University Town Center, but instead of a regular stage, they were dancing at the Saks Fifth Avenue court.

Shoppers came from all directions to check out the upcoming talent.

Darya Fedotova, who founded International Ballet of Florida along with her husband Sergiy Mykhaylov, said the event was another example of the school’s desire to be involved in the community.

“It’s good to be in our community and help share the art with the people around us,” Fedotova said.

The performers mostly were in the 10-13 and 12-21 age groups and they were led by instructor Rebecca Kimsey, 23.

Kimsey said the dancers enjoyed the different setting of the mall.

“Your audience is right there smiling back at you,” she said. “For some it can be quite intimidating. For others, it is quite enjoyable to see the immediate reaction to the steps you execute.”

Fedotova said the group is currently preparing for the Ukraine Ballet Benefit in Orlando Aug. 27.

— IAN SWABY

Kenzington Bauer, Vanessa Morris, and Asli Hoggard perform at the Mall at UTC.

Milana Mailaender and Felicity Lou entertain the crowd at the Mall at UTC.

Photos by Ian Swaby 384575-1

Asli Hoggard, Vanessa Morris, Kenzington Bauer, Brielle Paradis, and Valeria Chyzhoe stand tall.

Sponsored Content

Lakewood Ranch Resident Says Delivery at Women’s Center Was

“EVERYTHING YOU COULD WANT”

By: Lori Boyd, Marketing Director of Lakewood Ranch Medical Center Lainey Johnson and her husband were eager to start a family. After several years of trying unsuccessfully, Lainey started IVF treatments; then the pandemic arrived, and her treatments ended. Feeling derailed and defeated, the young professional couple left Chicago and came to Florida to visit family. A few months later, they decided to make Lakewood Ranch their home.

Lainey started IVF treatments in a new clinic and successfully conceived. “We had been preparing for this pregnancy for some time. What was a difficult time in the world actually turned out to be a blessing for us,” she reflected.

During her pregnancy, Lainey was cared for by OB/ GYN Jennifer McCullen, MD, at the OB-GYN Women’s Center of Lakewood Ranch. As the pregnancy progressed, Johnson knew where she would deliver her baby.

“Being someone who had lived in the city (Chicago) for quite some time, my expectation was, where I delivered would have the top technological offerings both in equipment and personnel,” explained Lainey. “I also wanted a spa-like environment and felt like the hospital hit on both of those beautifully, along with a warm, hometown feel that permeated and was exceptionally unique. This center was a big factor in our decision to live in Lakewood Ranch,” she said.

If you are looking to deliver at a hospital that is going to provide support for you before, during and after giving birth, you don’t have to look any further than Lakewood Ranch Medical Center.

Prior to giving birth, Lainey met with Chrissy Coney, RNC, BSN, CLC, the Women’s Center’s Birth Designer, who invited her and her husband to tour the center to discuss the many amenities offered before, during and after delivery.

‘Everything you could want’ From the beginning to the end, Lainey said she had a wonderful, concierge-like experience. “I recall one of the nurses, Margarita, giving my husband and me the most heartfelt compliments and saying how great of a dad my husband was already and giving me confidence in my own mothering experience,” she reflected. “She spent so much time with us and even walked us out to the car at the end.

Everyone was competent and professional, but also felt like family. To me, that is the most unique factor of this hospital. It combines everything you could want.”

As a first-time mother and new to the area, the hospital’s Little Nippers support group for moms and babies has allowed Lainey to make connections with other new moms, and the staff has been a great resource.

“If you are looking to deliver at a hospital that is going to provide support for you before, during and after giving birth, you don’t have to look any further than Lakewood Ranch Medical Center,” Lainey added. “We are so thankful we found this hospital. If we have a second child, we will certainly be back.”

Find a Physician for Women’s Health Services If you need a referral to a physician at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, call 800-454-8215 or find an OB/GYN online at https://www.lakewoodranchmedicalcenter. com/services/womens-services/find-obgyn.

About the Women’s Center The Women’s Center features 14 labor, delivery, recovery, and postpartum (LDRP) suites that are spacious and private. Mothers and babies stay together in the same room throughout their stay. The spa-like atmosphere and the beautifully appointed surroundings, provide a peaceful environment for women at every stage of labor, from admission to delivery and postpartum.

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

374660-1

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EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

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7B

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

BRADENTON 20706 79th Avenue E 4 Beds 4/1 Baths 5,077 Sq. Ft. Chris Baylis 941-735-4713 A4531620 $3,500,000

TERRA CEIA 109 Michiana Drive 2 Beds 2/1 Baths 1,818 Sq. Ft. Debbie Vogler 941-705-3328 A4527498 $1,999,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH 17012 Verona Place 3 Beds 3/1 Baths 2,629 Sq. Ft. Deborah Angelo O'Mara 941-730-0777 A4535097 $1,899,000

SARASOTA 8188 Grande Shores Drive 3 Beds 2/1 Baths 2,797 Sq. Ft. Stacy Haas 941-587-4359 A4532966 $1,795,000

MYAKKA CITY 25008 67th Avenue E 4 Beds 3/1 Baths 3,510 Sq. Ft. Chris Baylis 941-735-4713 A4534475 $1,700,000

SARASOTA 7754 Holiday Drive Cathy Palmer 941-920-2247 A4538801 $1,300,000

PARRISH 16003 39th Glen E 4 Beds 3 Baths 3,225 Sq. Ft. Laura Navratil & Mary Pat Pihl 941-806-7436 A4532572 $1,195,000

BRADENTON 7312 19th Avenue NW 3 Beds 2 Baths 2,160 Sq. Ft. Lynne Callahan 941-720-3278 A4538467 $1,100,000

BRADENTON 3712 Plumosa Terrace 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,980 Sq. Ft. Judy LaValliere 941-504-3792 A4539713 $1,050,000

BRADENTON 5016 Mangrove Point Road 4 Beds 2 Baths 1,838 Sq. Ft. Kathy Valente & Gregory Zies, LLC 941-685-6767 A4538298 $995,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH 8431 Sailing Loop 3 Beds 2/1 Baths 2,395 Sq. Ft. Laura Navratil & Mary Pat Pihl 941-806-7436 A4539340 $879,000

SARASOTA 4640 Friar Tuck Lane 3 Beds 2/1 Baths 2,299 Sq. Ft. Terri Thacker 941-376-1955 A4538450 $855,000

BRADENTON 12417 Perennial Place 3 Beds 2 Baths 2,068 Sq. Ft. Carroll Couri 813-727-1630 A4539264 $775,000

BRADENTON 2301 64th Street W 4 Beds 3/1 Baths 2,477 Sq. Ft. Fran DeDona & Pam Goodwin 941-812-5023 A4535719 $750,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH 6406 Watercrest Way 302 3 Beds 2 Baths 1,917 Sq. Ft. Stuart Lawrence 941-894-4001 A4538694 $725,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH 15642 Sacile Lane 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,533 Sq. Ft. Barbara A Milian, PA 941-504-0660 A4535785 $599,000

BRADENTON 839 Rosemary Circle 4 Beds 2 Baths 1,832 Sq. Ft. Debbie Vogler 941-705-3328 A4538958 $599,000

BRADENTON 2525 Avolet Court 3 Beds 2/1 Baths 1,926 Sq. Ft. Carroll Couri 813-727-1630 A4532679 $575,000

BRADENTON 11933 Brookside Drive 4 Beds 2/1 Baths 1,936 Sq. Ft. Christopher Van Vliet & Jamie Van Vliet, PA 941-993-7087 A4538878 $539,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH 5007 28th Court E 3 Beds 2 Baths 1,678 Sq. Ft. Pamela Miller 614-632-2801 A4524632 $499,000

SARASOTA 6941 Mystic Lane 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,649 Sq. Ft. Gregory Zies & Kathy Valente 941-779-3081 A4539331 $429,000

BRADENTON 6411 Grand Estuary Trail 201 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,297 Sq. Ft. Debbie Vogler 941-705-3328 A4539153 $349,999

SARASOTA 7266 Eleanor Circle 102 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,212 Sq. Ft. Ray Rausa 941-228-7614 A4535536 $343,900

SARASOTA 5818 Lockwood Ridge Road Denise Gagne 941-400-6358 A4523594 $300,000

SARASOTA 189 Oak Hill Drive 5 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,024 Sq. Ft. Christopher Van Vliet & Jamie Van Vliet, PA 941-993-7087 A4532208 $299,000

BRADENTON 8456 Lindrick Lane 4 Beds 4/1 Baths 4,369 Sq. Ft. Stacy Haas & Adam Cuffaro 941-587-4359 A4538235 $3,495,000

BRADENTON 677 Regatta Way 3 Beds 3 Baths 3,045 Sq. Ft. Sandi Dietrich 941-704-0697 A4537935 $2,350,000

SARASOTA 3537 Founders Club Drive 3 Beds 3 Baths 3,544 Sq. Ft. Richard Hearn 941-313-1591 A4535534 $2,300,000

888.552.5228 | MICHAELSAUNDERS.COM 379149-1

8B

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

RESEARCH EDITOR

A

home in Country Club East topped all transactions in this week’s real estate. Darrin and Natalie Davidson, of Bradenton, sold their home at 6907 Devon Cove to Scott and Jill Blackwell, of Bradenton, for $2,055,000. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,007 square feet of living area. It sold for $867,500 in 2018.

AZARIO ESPLANADE

Joshua and Tamar Blazer, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 4535 Trento Place to Jeffrey Goodman and Sharon Bolan, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1,575,000. Built in 2021, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,187 square feet of living area. It sold for $533,600 in 2021.

COUNTRY CLUB

Jeffrey and Gwendolyn Vollweiler, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 13626 Legends Walk Terrace to Caroline Ann Coats and David Edward Coats, of San Diego, for $1.5 million. Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,179 square feet of living area.

It sold for $885,000 in 2007.

Alfonso Vigliotti, of New York City, sold his home at 13885 Siena Loop to Hagop Sarkissian and Elise Danielian-Sarkissian, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1,125,000. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,673 square feet of living area. It sold for $560,000 in 2004.

Mark Engeberg, of Apollo Beach, sold his home at 7428 Riviera Cove to John Joseph Thomas III and Robyn Landis Thomas, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1.15 million. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,478 square feet of living area. It sold for $455,000 in 2014.

Andrew Semple, of Bradenton, sold his home at 6839 Turnberry Isle Court to Timothy and Chantelle Price, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1.1 million. Built in 2001, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,498 square feet of living area. It sold for $925,000 in 2021.

Joshua Barrett, of Lexington, Kentucky, sold his home at 7604 Portstewart Drive to Jeffrey McDonald, trustee, of Lakewood Ranch, for $910,000. Built in 2007, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,091 square feet of living area. It sold for $675,000 in 2021.

Sandra Baron, trustee, of Lakewood Ranch, sold the home at 7142 Whitemarsh Circle to Peter Michael Horensky and Patricia Marie Horensky, of Annandale, New Jersey, for $899,900. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,665 square feet of living area.

Dean and Dennice Elias, of Gainesville, Virginia, sold their home at 7184 Whitemarsh Circle to Matthew and Jessica Raitz, of Bradenton, for $810,000. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,544 square feet of living area.

Larry Goerne and Margaret Goerne, trustees, of Streator, Illinois, sold the home at 7231 Presidio Glen to Joseph Perdue, trustee, of Bowling Green, Kentucky, for $689,000.

Built in 2005, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,765 square feet of living area. It sold for $350,000 in 2014.

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

JUNE 17-JULY 1

UPPER MANATEE RIVER ROAD

Belisa Mazzara, of Bradenton, sold her home at 157 Upper Manatee River Road N.E. to 157 Upper Manatee River Rd. LLC for $1.5 million.

Built in 1963, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,818 square feet of living area. It sold for $100,100 in 2012.

ESPLANADE

Randall Shaw and Jennifer Melin Shaw, of Fort Meade, sold their home at 4718 Benito Court to John and Karen Hammersmith, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1,454,000.

Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,126 square feet of living area. It sold for $676,500 in 2018.

Dwight and Kae Wagner sold their home at 13338 Sorrento Way to Penelope Thomas, trustee, of Bradenton, for $1 million. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,350 square feet of living area. It sold for $613,900 in 2017.

Dennis and Marilyn Daudelin, of Lake City, sold their home at 12728 Fontana Loop to Steven Elliot Zimmerman and Robin Deutsch Zimmerman, of Bradenton, for $850,000. Built in 2014, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,335 square feet of living area. It sold for $429,600 in 2014.

POMELLO PARK

James and Dale Maier, of Orlando, sold their home at 6411 205th St. E. to Harold Tabaie and Jila Amini Tabaie, of Parrish, for $1.3 million.

Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,124 square feet of living area.

Waterside Kenneth and Linda Moore, of Franklin, Tennessee, sold their home at 713 Sigsbee Loop to Bradley Ellis, of San Diego, for $1.3 million. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,480 square feet of living area. It sold for $704,600 in 2020.

Courtesy photo

This Country Club East home at 6907 Devon Cove sold for $2,055,000. It has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,007 square feet of living area.

17417 Polo Trail to Mehmet and Banu Demir, of Bradenton, for $1.25 million. Built in 2021, it has six bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,514 square feet of living area. It sold for $875,000 in 2021.

COUNTRY CLUB EAST

Peter and Lee Foley, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 14914 Castle Park Terrace to Ronald and Deborah Myers, of Canton, Ohio, for $1.15 million. Built in 2015, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,278 square feet of living area.

It sold for $643,500 in 2020.

David Joseph Horne and Linda Jean Horne, of Mequon, Wisconsin, sold their home at 7005 Highgate Lane to Andrew and Vicky Craghill, of Bradenton, for $1.1 million. Built in

2021, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,443 square feet of living area. It sold for $605,300 in 2021.

Arlan and Judy Akerlind, of Minneapolis, sold their home at 14512 Stirling Drive to Raymond and Patricia Testa, of Lakewood Ranch, for $885,000. Built in 2014, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,176 square feet of living area.

It sold for $615,000 in 2021.

ONLINE See more transactions at YourObserver.com

In with the new

GREENBROOK

Brian and Jessica Patterson sold their home at 13207 Brown Thrasher Pike to George McDonnell and Elizabeth Cain McDonnell, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1.28 million. Built in 2004, it has five bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,995 square feet of living area. It sold for $660,000 in 2016.

NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Longboat Key

Giovanni and Lindsey Renteria, of Burr Ridge, Illinois, sold their home at 14912 Sundial Place to Nicholas James Hughes and Bethany Ariel Chaplin, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1,189,500. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,381 square feet of living area.

It sold for $620,000 in 2015.

The Residences at the St. Regis | 941.213.3300 | From $2.4MM to $10.9MM | Call for appointment | SRResidencesLongboatKey.com NOW TAKING CONTRACTS

Timothy Lee Francis and Erin Lynn Francis, of Bradenton, sold their home at 13208 Swallowtail Drive to Carlos Sanabria Saldivar and Gladys Gomez, of Lakewood Ranch, for $980,000. Built in 2004, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,933 square feet of living area.

It sold for $360,000 in 2013.

Downtown St. Petersburg

Barbara Owens sold her home at 14422 Sundial Place to Thomas John Kells and Tracy Kells, of Lakewood Ranch, for $950,000. Built in 2007, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,098 square feet of living area. It sold for $499,000 in 2018.

400 Central | 727.209.7848 | From the $1MM’s | Call for appointment. | Residences400central.com 2 UNITS LEFT

Opendoor Property Trust I sold the home at 6364 Golden Eye Glen to Kyle and Jenna Beneati, of Lakewood Ranch, for $667,000. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, threeand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,575 square feet of living area. It sold for $584,700 in 2021.

Downtown Sarasota

The Collection | 941.232.2868 | From the $2MM’s | Call for appointment. | thecollection1335.com

Craig Allen Hendry and Nichole Renee Hendry, of Sullivan, Illinois, sold their home at 6484 Blue Grosbeak Circle to Desiree Ellen Biermann, of Bradenton, for $600,500. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,034 square feet of living area. It sold for $392,000 in 2021.

Sales galleries open and available for virtual or in-person presentations.

Virtual home tours | OnDemand local experts | Interactive site and floorplans

POLO RUN

Jason and Jessica Teteak, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at

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ADAM HUGHES

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

REAL ESTATE

Country Club East home tops sales at $2,055,000

|

MichaelSaunders.com/New-Homes | 844.591.4333 | Sarasota, Florida Prices as of February 2022.

Licensed Real Estate Broker

9B

JULY 14, 2022

— Lakewood Ranch’s Jacqueline Putrino SEE PAGE 12B

HIGH

SPORTS

“My mom played college golf at Auburn, so I had plastic clubs in my hand as soon as I could walk.”

5 Photos by Ryan Kohn

Cherie Landriau, Dan Ewing and Carol Taylor all have different dragon boat stories, but all three will compete on the sport’s biggest stage at the 2022 IBDF Club Crew World Championships July 18-24 at Nathan Benderson Park.

1

Former Lakewood Ranch High softball player Claire Davidson, who is playing for the Lakewood Ranch Rodeo in the Florida Gulf Coast League this summer, is second in the league with a 0.47 ERA and fourth in the league with a .462 batting average as of July 11.

2

Former Lakewood Ranch High baseball player Grant McCray, a member of the A-level San Jose Giants (San Francisco Giants), hit a home run July 8 in the Giants’ 6-5 win against the Fresno Grizzlies (Colorado Rockies). McCray is hitting .275 with 12 home runs and 37 RBIs in 2022.

3

The Lakewood Ranch Little League 9-10-11 All-Star team won its sectional tournament July 9 in Land O’ Lakes to advance to the state tournament, held July 15-17 in Lake Worth. The team is 5-0 overall and has allowed just four runs.

4

Don Betts and Rick Papineau (five under par) won the Men’s Golf Association Best Ball event held July 5 on Palm Aire Country Club’s Lakes course.

5

Trevor Basista, James Dougherty, James Doody and Austin Doody (20 under par) won the Pro Shop Buddy event (best ball scoring) held July 9 on Palm Aire Country Club’s Champions course.

PRODIGIOUS PADDLERS Nathan Benderson Park is hosting the 2022 IDBF Club Crew World Championships July 18-24.

RYAN KOHN SPORTS EDITOR

With dragon boat racing’s premier event coming to Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota July 18-24, the world will be watching.

But what had been happening in the days leading up to the 2022 International Dragon Boat Federation Club Crew World Championships when no one was watching?

“We have been putting in blood, sweat and tears,” said Lakewood Ranch’s Carol Tucker, who paddles for NBP’s Survivors in Sync. “We prep each morning, taking Advil and putting Icy-Hot on our joints and Band-Aids on our blisters. We are out here Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. We are doing Cross-Fit. We are doing stretches.

“We are doing everything we can to be the best we can at worlds. People should come out and watch us.

We would love to have that support.”

Tucker knows what it takes.

She competed with Survivors In Sync at the 2018 International Breast Cancer Paddlers’ Commission Dragon Boat Festival in Florence, Italy, a close analogue to the Club Crew World Championships but only for breast cancer survivor teams. Tucker said she felt on top of the world while at the event — the memories

still send chills through her body — but she also remembers being overwhelmed by all the competition.

Survivors In Sync finished fourth out of 125 teams in Florence and Tucker wants a higher finish this time, now that the world is coming to Sarasota.

This will be the 13th iteration of the biennial world championships, but the first since 2018. There was no event in 2020 out of COVID-19 concerns. This will also be the first time the championships, which were held for the first time in 1996, will be held in North America.

The Sarasota-Bradenton area will be represented by four boats —

the NBP Dragons community team (mixed, men and women), a NBP Dragons all-women’s team, the Survivors in Sync breast cancer survivors team and the NBP Warriors all-cancer survivors team.

Three of the four teams received a taste of high-level competition during October’s 2021 IBDF Club Crew Nationals, also held at the park.

Survivors in Sync won its division while the NBP Dragons mixed team finished second. The NBP Warriors were the only all-cancer team to compete at nationals.

The NBP Dragons all-women’s team applied for an at-large berth to this event and it was granted.

Lakewood Ranch’s Dan Ewing started his dragon boat journey a year ago with the NBP Dragons mixed team without any knowledge of the sport. Ewing said he comes from a triathlon background, and when looking for triathlons in the area, friends began telling him to try dragon boat racing instead.

“They said, ‘Look, this is completely unique,’” Ewing said. “If you’re not in sync with every other person on the boat, you’re never going to get the sport. It’s also a ton of upper body work. That all intrigued me.”

Lakewood Ranch’s Cherie Landriau joined the NBP paddling program six years ago, and for five years she has held a specific dream in her head.

Landriau, who paddles with the NBP Dragons, said she stood at the park’s Finish Tower at the 2017 Southeastern Regional Dragon Boat Association Championships and watched as various clubs qualified for the 2017 Nationals in Mercer Lake, New Jersey. Some of those paddlers would go on to complete at the 2018 Club Crew Worlds in Szeged, Hungary.

Landraiu said she made a promise to herself watching those paddlers that she would qualify for Worlds herself one day.

Five years later, her dream is about to come true.

“Competing in this event means a lot to me,” Landriau said. “I am finally reaching my goal after lots of training camps and lots of fun times.”

IF YOU GO 2022 INTERNATIONAL DRAGON BOAT FEDERATION CLUB CREW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS What: The world’s top dragon boat club teams will converge on SarasotaBradenton to compete in a variety of age, gender and skill level divisions.

When: July 18-24 Where: Nathan Benderson Park Admission: Free for spectators Benderson Park teams competing: NBP Dragons, NBP Warriors allcancer survivors, and Survivors in Sync breast cancer survivors Volunteer: Information can be found at 2022ccwc. com or at the event’s SignUpGenius page Schedule: A full schedule of events, subject to change, can be found at 2022ccwc.com

The Nathan Benderson Park dragon boat program will have four boats competing at the world championships July 28-24, including the NBP Dragons mixed team.

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YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

PROSE AND KOHN

|

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

11B

RYAN KOHN

Volleyball class brings the heat back to McComas — who, it should be noted, ran the class after playing in MVP’s own Sunday beach volleyball league earlier that morning.

The guy was clearly tired, but gave his best wisdom and charm to his participants anyway. He’s a real pro.

After the basics were learned, McComas tested their dexterity.

He asked the participants to move to the left to receive a pass, come back to their starting position for a set, then move to the right to bump a third pass. Having to complete three passes while on the move proved more challenging, but for beginners, they did well.

After this part of practice, everyone took a water break — and the water break turned into a chat fest.

They decided to get to know each other better instead of heading back into the heat for the final few minutes of practice. That was a smart decision to me.

While they talked and got to know each other, I got to know them too.

Lakewood Ranch’s Jackie Smith was there with her son Brandon Smith.

The pair were there to enjoy a Sunday morning, but more than that, they were there to try something different.

Jackie Smith said she had dabbled with the sport on a recreational team while attending the University of South Florida. That wasn’t competitive, but purely for fun. She felt she needed a refresher course before jumping into a league.

“I have played so little in my life that I felt this was my best bet,” Jackie Smith said. “I’m going to keep working at it. We had a lot of fun and a lot of laughs.”

Brandon Smith said he had never played the sport before, but McComas’ teaching methods made him

Ryan Kohn

The Volleyball for Beginners participants exchanged contact information after their session with instructor Chris McComas (second from right). The program is offered by Lakewood Ranch Community Activities.

feel at ease right away. He ended up learning a lot and having a great time, he said.

Lakewood Ranch’s Tom Wozniak, 68, got a bit of volleyball education at Maryville High in Cheektowaga, New York, and he played a few recreational matches up in Briarcliffe Manor, New York, where he previously lived. That was 35 years ago, he said.

“I am rusty,” Wozniak said. “I needed to remember the moves and get back in shape. But I love anything involving outdoor sports except skydiving or bungee jumping. I love meeting people and I have played in some of the different MVP leagues before, so I wanted to give this a try.”

Maria Cappai, who is originally from Long Island, had roughly the same amount of experience as Wozniak and the Smiths. In other words, not much. But Cappai picked up the sport quickly — perhaps, she said, because of her penchant for pickleball, which involves similar coordination, only with a paddle and not your arms and hands.

McComas kept the practice intensity light and played a highenergy mix of modern pop songs from a loudspeaker to keep the energy high. For anyone considering the class, there is no reason to be hesitant. The class was welcoming of all skill levels. I should also note, as an added bonus, the courts at Waterside Park are gorgeous.

There are four of them, allowing plenty of people to play at once, and the view of the courts against the backdrop of the park’s lake is easy on the eyes. I will not pretend to be a beach volleyball sand expert, but the sand making up the courts was soft and did not get too hot, even in the extreme sunshine. That seems good for diving after spikes and other volleyball maneuvers. It was my first trip to the park, but it will not be the last.

It will not be the Volleyball for Beginners participants’ last trip to the park either. After the hour-long session, everyone exchanged contact information so that they could form a “core” that sticks together and plays week after week. If you want a similar experience, you can

find your happy

farmers’ market

live music

sign up for the class at MyLWR. com. It is free for Lakewood Ranch residents and $10 for non-residents.

The next Volleyball for Beginners class is not until Aug. 14, but the Lakewood Ranch Community Activities website has plenty of similar options, like a Volleyball for Kids class on July 17 and a Volleyball for Seniors class on July 23.

There’s even a weekly event called Sunset Volleyball, held at 6 p.m. each Wednesday at Waterside Park. That one is a chance to get out of the midday heat, which I highly recommend.

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

place

now open - crop juice

Foodies + Fun-Lovers Rejoice!

As our tenants continue to open their doors, come experience all Waterside Place has to offer. Grab a bite to eat under the stars while enjoying live music and an ice-cold beverage. Break a sweat in a morning workout class before hitting up the Farmers’ Market for your favorite goods. Or, simply take a sunny stroll along the water’s edge.

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P

eople in Florida usually have a good reason not to take up a new activity in the summer.

It is scorching outside.

On July 10, it was approximately 96 degrees at midday. The last thing I wanted to be during in that temperature was strenuous exercise in the sand.

Yet, that is what a brave group of athletes do on a regular basis at Waterside Park in Waterside Place at Lakewood Ranch.

They play beach volleyball.

These were not pros. They were barely amateurs, in fact. They were participants in Lakewood Ranch Community Activities’ Volleyball for Beginners class, which is run

by MVP Sports and Social’s Chris McComas.

I was curious what type of person would sign up for such a class in the heat.

Would people seriously go to this length to make friends? Would older residents brave such heat to ease into a new activity? Would younger people who, for whatever reason, never learned the game in gym class choose such a time to learn?

Turns out the answer is yes.

The class started with the absolute basics — bumps and sets.

McComas took a group of seven participants through each type of pass, noting that they want to use the flat part of their forearms for bumps. For sets, they want to form a spade pattern with their thumbs and pointer fingers and spread the rest of their fingers wide, getting under the ball and tapping it toward the sky, not at their teammate’s chest.

After some initial struggles, the players began to learn and eventually delivered some perfect passes

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

BUSY BEE TUTORING Private Tutoring Grades K-College Let’s go from Good to Great this Summer.

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SWIMMING LESSONS Join the School Of Fish Today!

We are open for private & Group Lessons at home, community pools, and at the John Marble Aquatic Center!

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Home Sellers...

Jacqueline Putrino Lakewood Ranch’s Jacqueline Putrino is signed to play women’s golf for Florida State University this fall. Putrino finished tied for fifth (76-70-69—215) at the 2022 Florida State Golf Association Women’s Amateur Stroke Play Championship, held July 8-10 at the Coral Creek Club in Placida. Putrino also reached the quarterfinals of the 2022 FSGA Women’s Amateur Championship (match play), held June 15-19 at Streamsong Resort.

When did you start playing golf?

My mom (Regina Putrino) played college golf at Auburn, so I had plastic clubs in my hand as soon as I could walk. I started playing tournaments when I was 9 years old.

What is the appeal to you?

I always say that golf is the best because of the feeling you get after hitting a great shot. There’s nothing like it. My mom and I talk about it all the time.

How would you like to pay ONLY 4% or less* to sell your home, while enjoying CONCIERGE-LEVEL Full Service?

How have you been spending your 2022?

I have been working on my game as much as I can. I was not feeling that confident going into the Women’s Amateur Stroke Play Championship.

I did not think I was prepared. Over the course of that event I started to feel good. Everything started working for me again and my scores got lower each round.

*3% if I am the only agent involved in the sale.

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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.

game got worse for a while. I had to fight through that period in order to get the timing down. It was tough putting in so much work and not seeing results right away, but it has definitely helped in the long run.

What is the best part of your game right now?

I think it has been my irons. My swing is much more consistent with them now than it ever has been. My drivers have been good, too.

What is your favorite food?

I love chicken Marsala. I don’t know why. I didn’t used to, but now I do.

It’s my go-to (before a big event).

What is the best advice you have received?

Live in the moment. I think that applies as much to golf as it does to life. You cannot think about your last shot or a future shot, only the current shot.

Finish this sentence: Jacqueline Putrino is … … Driven.

What has been your biggest challenge recently?

My coach David Whelan and I, we made significant changes to my swing (getting a stronger grip). At first, even though my swing was looking and feeling much better, I did not know how to time it. My

• Call me today to find out what your home is worth in today’s market!

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Welcome David Rubins, MD, BSME, FAAOS Orthopedic Surgery

David Rubins, MD, BSME, FAAOS Orthopedic Surgery

Dr. Rubins is a board-certified joint replacement surgeon with a special certification in adult reconstructive surgery. He specializes in hip, knee and shoulder replacement.

His areas of expertise include: • Direct anterior total hip replacement

• Reverse shoulder replacement

• Total knee replacement

• Geriatric hip fracture care

• General adult fracture care

• Partial knee replacement • Anatomic shoulder replacement Dr. Rubins attended Tufts University School of Mechanical Engineering in Boston before he went to medical school at New York Medical College.

He then completed his residency at the Long Island Jewish Hospital/ Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He rounded out his medical training with a fellowship at the Florida Knee Center in Clearwater.

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Everywhere

Dr. Rubins has directed multiple Joint Replacement Programs, all leading to Joint Commission certification, and has been Chief of Surgery at multiple centers.

To make an appointment, call 941-900-4600.

Bring the Observer with you on your next trip!

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Go to yourobserver.com and click on the Contest tab.

Click the It’s Read Everywhere Contest and submit your photo!

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For language assistance, disability accommodations and the nondiscrimination notice, visit our website. 22681583-1007597 5/22 374577-1

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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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12B

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

13B

HAPPY

NEWSIVERSARY NEWSIES TURN ONE TODAY! Time flies when you are having fun.

HAPPY FIRST ANNIVERSARY to our Newsies members.

Thank you for supporting local journalism in our community.

We have some exciting NEWS to share: Shortly, we will be launching a new digital app and website and Newsie members will be the first to know.

383300-1

Here’s to another year of great reading together!

What’s a Newsie? Visit YourObserver.com/newsies to find out.

14B

WEATHER

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH

FORECAST THURSDAY, JULY 14 High: 91 Low: 73 Chance of rain: 58%

FRIDAY, JULY 15 High: 91 Low: 73 Chance of rain: 58%

SUNRISE / SUNSET Sunrise Sunset Thursday, July 14

6:43a

8:26p

Friday, July 15

6:44a

8:26p

Saturday, July 16

6:44a

8:26p

Sunday, July 17

6:45a

8:25p

Monday, July 18

6:45a

8:25p

Tuesday, July 19

6:46a

8:25p

Wednesday, July 20

6:46a

8:24p

MOON PHASES

SATURDAY, JULY 16 High: 91 Low: 73 Chance of rain: 56%

SUNDAY, JULY 17 Gordon Silver captured this adult male cardinal watching over a newly built nest in Del Webb.

High: 91 Low: 75 Chance of rain: 58%

July 20 Last

July 28 New

Aug. 5 First

Aug. 11 Full

RAINFALL Monday, July 4

0

Tuesday, July 5

0

Wednesday, July 6

0.01

Thursday, July 7

1.26

Friday, July 8

0.04

Saturday, July 9

0.04

Sunday, July 10

0

*Rainfall totals from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport

Submit your photos at YourObserver.com/Weather. All submissions will be entered for the 2022-23 Weather and Nature photo contest. In February 2023, you will vote for your favorite photo, and the submission with the most votes will win a $500 gift card.

YEAR TO DATE: 2022 19.45 in.

2021 22.72 in.

MONTH TO DATE: 2022 1.46 in.

2021 4.41 in.

MANASOTA FLOORING INC 383368-1

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crossword

celebrity cipher

JUMBO FREESTYLE 2 by Adrian Johnson. Edited by Amanda Rafkin 108 Grow weary 109 Certain outdoor art exhibit 110 Dedicated poem 111 Think too much (about) 112 To boot

48 “Duck!” and “Think fast!,” e.g.

49 Like a thick fog 50 Bible distributor 51 Bit of throat tissue 52 Zodiac sign for Halloween birthdays DOWN 53 Pigs’ digs 1 Russian dough 55 “Go introduce yourself!”

2 Wretched 56 Caught on 3 “Gotcha” 57 The Hulk’s emotion 4 Where two pairs is better 61 Part of a stock exthan three of a kind? change?

5 CPR expert 62 Foley artists’ specialties 6 Mo. with the longest 65 Pull off the ultimate name diamond heist?

7 Spanish painter Joan 68 Eastern Indian state 8 Jouster’s getup 69 Portrayer of Elle in 9 Government vehicle “Legally Blonde” 10 Seek advice from 72 ___ grease 11 Any number to the 74 Backyard pool fillers power of zero 76 Have a crush on 12 Like some windows 78 Grow pessimistic 13 “Nothing new, I’m 79 Country where the afraid” Amazon river begins 14 Forward-thinking 81 Number of U.S. states person? that start with O 15 Al ___ (firm) 83 Legumes in dhansak 16 Flag maker Betsy 84 Microblogging site 17 Vehemently dislike since 2007 ©2022 Universal Uclick 18 Big 12 sch. in Fort Worth 85 iPhone-unlocking 28 Really urgent 78 ___-Manuel Miranda 56 ___ fiction (“FrankenACROSS 19 Music style that means technology 79 Exemplified model stein” genre) 1 ___ the roof (makes lots 31 Reduce, ___, recycle “new wave” in Portuguese 86 Ornate furniture style 33 Shoe cushion 58 “I pity the fool” speaker behavior? of noise) 21 Live and breathe 88 Groups of three 80 Ways of walking 59 “Ain’t that the truth!”

7 Mr. Peanut, for Planters, 35 Cosmic specks 29 Actor Elba 89 Power spikes 38 Scottish horse 60 Spots for restaurants, 82 Exams loathed by those e.g.

30 Really regrets 90 Resulted in afraid of needles say?

13 Cover, as some ground? 40 Unexpected delights 32 Titan of food distribu- 92 Smallest ones in litters 42 Bring up the rear?

61 Large, unsightly building 85 Romanticized figures 16 “Tough this one out!” tion 95 Serena Williams, 43 Formula One racer 87 Guaranteed winners 63 Triage sites in hosps.

19 Like athletes in ESPN’s 34 Secrecy contracts, for agewise, when she won her Hamilton 90 Shaving foam 64 Desires “The Body Issue” short first Grand Slam 44 Cause of inflation?

66 When ties are untied? 91 Deed holder 20 Ability to know things 36 Minneapolis’ Target 98 Texting letters 45 Royals’ headwear?

93 Artists’ inspiration (Abbr.) exist even when they can’t Center, e.g.

100 Graphic novel about 47 “That’s a bummer ... ” 94 Humdrum routine 67 Wading birds be seen 37 Characteristics WWII 96 “HELLO ... Hello ... hello” 22 Its national animal is the 50 Inheritance from one’s 68 “Murder, She ___” 39 Competitive video 102 Shrek, e.g. parents? effect 70 “Hi! I’m an owl!”

Arabian oryx gaming 105 Where many home 51 Comedian Notaro 97 Upper-left PC key 71 Boo-boos 23 Aerodynamic 41 Pie slices, often births take place 52 Palindromic philanthro- 73 Wrinkly-faced dog 99 ___ a ride (hitchhike) 24 Tugboat sounds 43 “Time to change the 106 Big ___ (London 101 French for “black” 74 Shoes worn in many pist George 25 Prom attire for some subject” landmark) 103 Judge to be drag shows 54 Low-lying land women 46 Enabling, like a security 107 A long time ___ 104 You might unpack it 75 Spy’s info 55 Hindustani classical 26 Religious offshoot system with a therapist 77 Under the weather music instrument 27 Brief moment

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

Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

“T WTHL IEL TXLD ZO EDKTPF GSTWI IETJ GLDSITOSW LVUTNL, GSI T JITWW WTHL IZ IETPH ZO VAJLWO DJ D JIDGWL GZA.” – FTZNFTZ DNVDPT

“EKBOEWTIBTSL TD CS CXZ, OKWX EKBO TD ZJP YCSNCD, VPTLJZD CXP OKWX EXWDJ CSB SWZXTZTKS TD OKWX RCTSZ.”

– GCT LXPPSP

“NL NU ASUUNRCX LS PSJJNL VS JNULMOXU MVG ULNCC CSUX. LZML NU VSL DXMOVXUU; LZML NU CNHX.” – AMLTNPO ULXDMTL Puzzle Three Clue: Z equals M

941.355.8437 | Bradenton

Puzzle Two Clue: N equals V

Sarasota

KARASTAN, MOHAWK, ARI. O, SMARTSTRAND, ALL PET

Puzzle One Clue: X equals D

CARPET

© 2022 NEA, Inc.

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

©2022 Andrews McMeel Syndicate

7-14-22

Made for where you live. Here!

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

RED PAGES INFORMATION & RATES: 941-955-4888

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Condos/Apts. for Rent

Adult Care Services

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DEADLINES: Classifieds - Monday at Noon Service Directory - Friday at 3PM • PAYMENT: Cash, Check or Credit Card The East County Observer reserves the right to classify and edit copy, or to reject or cancel an advertisement at any time. Corrections after first insertion only. *All ads are subject to the approval of the Publisher. *It is the responsibility of the party placing any ad for publication in the East County Observer to meet all applicable legal requirements in connection with the ad such as compliance with towncodes in first obtaining an occupational license for business, permitted home occupation, or residential rental property Notice: All real estate advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis..

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

Ad runs 2 consecutive weeks in 1 Observer.

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941809-3660, 941-809-3662.

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

Call Hawley Motors: 941-923-3421.

Cleaning

www.braziliancleaningbymk.com

Visit the RED PAGES

YourObserver.com/RedPages

CLAUDIA C. Cleaning Services.

Experienced, dependable, and ready to begin!

Residential.

Excellent references.

941-773-6895.

This week’s Crossword answers

Advertise your business or service in the Observer

RED PAGES CALL TODAY 941-955-4888

FIND IT IN THE RED PAGES 941-955-4888 YourObserver.com/RedPages

This week’s Celebrity Cipher answers Puzzle One Solution: “I like the idea of having built this beautiful empire, but I still like to think of myself as a stable boy.”

Giorgio Armani Puzzle Two Solution: “Bodybuilding is an art, your body is the canvas, weights are your brush and nutrition is your paint.”

Kai Greene Puzzle Three Solution: “It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not weakness; that is life.”

Patrick Stewart

This week’s Sudoku answers

©2022 Universal Uclick

941-251-7916, Ext 1

SEARCH the RED PAGES for GREAT DEALS Visit YourObserver.com/RedPages

©2022 NEA, Inc.

BUYING BASEBALL card collections! Looking to free up space and make $$? Need to sell sports cards? Collector looking to expand collection.

Pay top dollar. Text/call 941 548 6492 with photos.

You’re only cheating yourself.

Merchandise Wanted

peekers’ place

stuff

Emiline’s Antique Mall July Firecracker Sale 35 dealers with antiques & unique gifts ideal for any occasion.

Each dealer will have special pricing for July. Register for the $100 gas card drawing.

1415 10th St West Palmetto, FL 941-729-5282 Monday-Saturday 10-5 Sunday 12-5

auto

Antiques/ Collectibles

Paint the town RED!

real estate

redpages@yourobserver.com • yourobserver.com/redpages

16B

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

Aluminum

Doors

Home Services

Sliding Glass Door Repair Are You Having Dryer Difficulties?

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

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

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

“FIX IT - DON’T REPLACE”

941.650.9790 941.650.9790 YoderAluminum.com

YoderAluminum.com

ESTATE SALES • DOWNSIZING SENIOR TRANSITIONS • ONLINE AUCTIONS

384252

WE COME TO YOU

We get you the highest rate of return on your items gulfcoastestateauctions.com • Free Consultations 941-274-6537

Irrigation

Furniture Repair 5-Star Rated

ED’S RAIN MAKER IRRIGATION

Patio Furniture Repairs.com Furniture Sales & Repairs Cushions • Slings • Re-powdercoating

383879

941-504-0903

384838

HoHoBuysCars.com

IRRIGATION (941) 725-8100 REPAIR edsrainmakerirrigation@gmail.com MAINTENANCE Insured

FREE PICKUP / DELIVERY • FREE ONSITE QUOTES

Beauty SERVING YOU IN THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME

Health 384837

GET YOUR LIFE BACK!

Kitchen/Bath Remodeling

Custom Granite Services, llc

Give Us a Call - We Can Help

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

FREE CONSULTATION 941.358.2224 Recognized Among the Best Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Physicians in America

Computer

941-400-4912

CustomGraniteServicesLLC@gmail.com 384255

Board Certified in the specialty of non-surgical spinal decompression

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

University Health Park 2415 University Parkway Bldg. 3, Suite 216 Sarasota, FL 34243

CALL BEFOREYOU YOU FALL CALL BEFORE FALL

GRAB BARS GRAB BARS

www.SarasotaDiscCenter.com DrCifra@SarasotaDiscCenter.com

COMPLETE INSTALLATION PACKAGE

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

Landscaping & Lawn

LIFETIME GUARANTEE • LICENSED • BONDED • INSURED COVERAGE AREA: RANCH TO S. VENICE COVERAGE AREA:LAKEWOOD PARRISH TO NORTHPORT

$10 off New Customers Only

Free

Weed & Crab grass Control

www.FGLAWN.com | 941-404-6601

$47

New Customers Only

Ticks, Fleas, Fire Ants, Chinch Bugs, Mole Crickets, Grubs, Sod Worms and more. PLUS - Fungus & Weeds and Premium Fertilizer. *For average size lawn of 5000 sq. ft.

Larger lawns slightly more.

GLENN KROECKER

Licensed & Insured

954-1878 (cell) 780-3346 384259

Doors

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

Licensed & Insured

SHOWER & BATH MAKEOVERS Cleaned - Regrouted - Caulked - Sealed

Call John 941.377.2940

Free Estimates • Sarasota Resident Since 1974

www.showerandbathsarasota.com Landscaping & Lawn

Window Repairs • Sliding Glass Door Repairs Sliding Glass Door Deadbolts

GARDENS BY ALLISON No Job is too Small!

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

Call us today! 941.628.8579 www.ezslider.com

Allison J. Abizaid, M.A.

FREE IN-HOM ESTIMATEE S

Personal Gardening Services | Designer

941.400.0431

384256

384250

DRGRABBARS.COM

THE GRAB BAR GUY

PER MONTH*

383890

385159

Family Owned and Operated • Commercial & Residential • Weed Control • Fungicide • Tree & Shrub Treatment • Fertilizing • Insecticide

Any Treatment Dry Or Liquid

You Get NOW Protection!

166554

lawn & pest control, llc.

INCLUDES22MOEN MOEN STAINLESS INCLUDES STAINLESS STEEL STEELANTI ANTISLIP SLIP CONCEALED PEEN CONCEALED SCREW GRAB BARS (16”BARS & 24”)(16” & 24”) SCREW GRAB

941.966.0333

NO MORE TICKS, FLEAS OR WEEDS! You We Make

249 235 235

$$

$

384839

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

Pegatronics.com

PROUD!

CJ COOLEY OWNER/OPERATOR

DR. DAVID CIFRA, DC

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

941-735-3362

Servicing LWR, Parrish and NE Bradenton

Do You Have Neck or Low Back Pain?

Do You Want To Avoid Surgery?

AMANDA

384840

Call or text: 941-900-8111 | Email: Newparrishfl@gmail.com

384841

FAST • EASY • SAFE

941.270.4400

FULLY INSURED

RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL

Gulf Coast Estate Auctions

SELL YOUR CAR!

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

Specializing in Cleaning Exterior Home, Windows, Roofs, Solar Panels, Driveways, Sidewalks, Garbage Cans and Gutters. Paver Sanding and Sealing.

Estate Sales

Auto Service

384254

384842

385136

Owner /Insured Operator Insured

Commercial

384258 364556

Dustin Yoder

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

941-705-5468

384845

“Specializing inin6” Gutters” “Specializing 6” Seamless Seamless Gutters”

Dustin Owner Yoder/ Operator

Residential

gbyallison@yahoo.com gardensbyallison.com

YourObserver.com

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

Painting

Rescreening & Repairs

Building & Roofing Contractor

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

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

383891

• Aluminum, Vinyl, & Wood Soffit & Fascia Repair & Installation • Roofing Repair & Installation • Metal Roofing & Tile Roof Repair Specialists 384844

Personal Services

Bisson Roofing Inc.

Power Washing $100 COUPON

$100 COUPON $100 COUPON

384299

$100 COUPON $100 COUPON

FREE INSTANT ESTIMATES when you Call RICK for SCHEDULING

Res./Com.

Form Serving Longboat Key Since 2005

941 - 748 - 7400 RC0067420 • Lic. & Ins. Owner Supervises Every Job

$100 COUPON

384247

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

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

Advertise your business, starting at only $85 per month.

OBSERVER RED PAGES

Call 941-955-4888 YourObserver.com/RedPages

specialty screens / screw replacement / paint Doors and more!

Manufacture and workmanship Warranties

(941) 345-5264

HEROES found here.

Relax. You’ve got better things to do.

Find a professional here in the Red Pages.

RED PAGES Made for where you live. Here!

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

www.bissonroofing.com

RIGHT ON TARGET

385150

Lic./Ins.

& Pressure C Window lean t e s ing n s a S u n u n w r o i s n e k Wind S erly

Specializing in Reroofs and Repairs FREE Estimates • 30 Years Experience

Rescreening & Repairs

941-345-5264

Windows

384257

384843

941-920-8221

941-CLEAN IT 2 5 3 - 2 6 4 8

385156

Roofing

RELIABLE • INSURED

House Washing, Roofs, Screen Cages, Pavers, Driveways and Walkways.

Insured

385158

Small plumbing repairs. Replace toilets, faucets, water filters, water softeners and repair leaks.

$100 COUPON $100 COUPON

“No Job Too Small”

941-270-1561

Mark’s Plumbing Service

PRESSURE WASHING

Screening

25

UP TO

STANDARD WINDOWS

ows

150

$

INCLUDING SCREENS, TRACKS, MIRRORS & FANS

SPECIAL 00 5

$

senior citizen discount. www.sunsetwindowcleaningsrq.com

Purified water window cleaning available!!

Call Tibor for FREE ESTIMATES | 941- 284 - 5880

384261

384246

Plumbing

WE ARE THE SOFT WASH PRESSURE WASHING PROS

941-626-3194

Licensed & Insured CCC - 058059 CBC - 1253936

Eldridge Re-Screen Licensed

SOFT WASH

17B

Kenneth Fuhlman Inc.

Complete Interior & Exterior Painting

$100 COUPON

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

Roofing

UNIQUE PAINTING & PRESSURE WASHING SERVICES

$100 COUPON

|

EAST COUNTY OBSERVER

|

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2022

YourObserver.com

385128-1

18B