East County Observer 8.24.23

YOUR TOWN

Cuts in wetlands protections advance

Little ray of sunshine

Lakewood Ranch’s Kaylee

Scarpias carefully painted around the detailed flowers she drew on a triangle-shaped paper.

Scarpias, who is 9, said she loves flowers so she had to incorporate them into one of the triangles she had painted to be included in a mural during a Lakewood Ranch Community Activities event — the Mural Project — Aug. 19 at Bob Gardner Park.

Scarpias joined with Lakewood Ranch 9-year-old Coraline Griseto, 6-year-old Lola Lagos and 9-year-old Lukas Lagos to make numerous triangle creations that eventually were all combined to make a sun mural.

“I liked how it was creative,” said Scarpias (above with Griseto). “I love painting, so it was really fun.”

In the zone

The Farmers Market at Lakewood Ranch offers more than just vegetables as it gives families a place to hang out on Sundays to enjoy some of the small “parks.”

If it happens to be the third Sunday of the month, Grace Community Church sets up a Kids Zone in the small park by the Good Liquid Brewing Co. The church changes up the activities in the Kids Zone each month.

On Aug. 20, they brought free water, candy and a facepainter. Nine-year-old Greenbrook resident Jocelyn Petty (above) stopped by to play cornhole with her family. But cornhole wasn’t the only reason Jocelyn was enjoying her day.

“I like the Wow Wow Lemonade Stand,” Petty said. “I’ve been to their store before but not their little stand here.”

Once

Heater

Janjay Gehndyu says his education at Lakewood Ranch High School paved the way for his success in life.

Liz Ramos

Lesley Dwyer

Acting administrator surprise finalist for top post

300,000 in Chatham, Georgia.

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

Despite being hosted last week at a Manatee County meetand-greet as the final four finalists to become county administrator, the four supposed finalists discovered on Aug. 22 that there were actually five finalists.

Commissioners Jason Bearden and Kevin Van Ostenbridge added current Acting Administrator Charlie Bishop to the finalists at the County Commission meeting.

Then, after a break in which Bishop confirmed he would interview for the position, commissioners announced that Bishop and Andrew Butterfield would be the two remaining candidates for the position. Butterfield has been the St. Petersburg operations manager since 2019. He is a 36-year veteran of the U.S. Navy.

Bishop was named acting administrator on Aug. 3. He joined the county in 2001 and has served as a project manager, facilities services manager, infrastructure division manager, construction services division manager, and, for nearly 12 years, as the director of property management for Manatee County. Bishop was named deputy county administrator in August 2021.

Commissioners said they would pick between the two at the Sept. 12 commission meeting.

STRANGE ENDING

It was a strange ending to the meeting, as none of the commissioners questioned the late addition of a candidate who wasn’t presented by a search firm tasked with narrowing the field.

Except for Bishop, the other four finalists were recommended by Colin Baenziger & Associates, the firm hired by Manatee County to conduct the job search.

Butterfield, Dale “Doc” Dougherty, William “Lee” Smith, and Don Rosenthal were named, and Dougherty, Smith and Rosenthal were eliminated from consideration Aug. 22.

The original top four finalists spent Aug. 17-18 touring Manatee County and meeting the citizens.

“We had leadership on a transit bus (with the candidates) for approximately five hours. We did a windshield tour of all areas and almost all four corners of Manatee County,” said Bishop, who at the time wasn’t considered in the running for the position, at least by the citizens.

The finalists had lunch at Public Safety, and then spent their dinner hours with key staff and residents at a meet and greet held at the Manatee Performing Arts Center. About 65 staff members and 25 residents attended.

On Friday, one-on-one interviews between the finalists and commissioners began at 8 a.m., followed by

a publicly held panel interview in the afternoon.

At the time, none of the candidates seemed daunted by the fact that this will be the county’s fourth full-time administrator since 2016.

“I read this once years ago about city and county managers that they always believe they can be the one to make it better,” Dougherty said.  “I feel like I could walk into it, and I’m sure the other guys would say the same thing, while it’s been that way, I think I’m the one who could make it better.”

Smith said there’s going to be issues wherever you go.

Butterfield said he thought he could bring stability, and Rosenthal said you don’t even apply for the job if you’re afraid of being fired.

So what did citizens and commissioners think?

Manatee County residents Keith and Sharon Bateman said they were pleased with the final four candidates, but disappointed to have only

met two in person. Rosenthal was tied up in conversation with others, and Butterfield had left before the couple arrived later in the evening.

“We liked the two we met,” Sharon Bateman said. “We like that Doc was conservative and has a military background in his family.”

“Good roots,” interjected Keith Bateman.

The Batemans have a lot in common with Dougherty, who is the current city manager of Garden City, Michigan. They both homeschooled their children, and their children went into branches of the military. The Batemans described Smith as personable.

While Smith was the only candidate without work experience in Florida, commissioners discussed him as someone who has already dealt with a lot of the issues Manatee County is facing. Having worked in both North Carolina and Georgia, he’s dealt with hurricanes and coastal areas, also a population of almost

In addition, he has experience with differing opinions and unharmonious boards. Smith entered into a severance agreement with Chatham County last year after he was suspended from his role as county manager. The reason for his dismissal wasn’t made public.

Commissioner Mike Rahn mentioned Manatee County’s “drama” and asked how he would avoid getting to the same place if conflict and confusion were to arise. Smith replied that it was just business. The board was headed in a different direction, and the agreement was mutual.

For Rosenthal, county administrator is the next natural step after serving five years as assistant county administrator in Pasco County.

In February, he was among the top five candidates for the county administrator job in Indian River County, along with Dougherty. Rosenthal advanced to the top two in March. The first vote was deadlocked, and he lost in the second. When Manatee commissioners initially chose their top four, Butterfield was the only candidate selected by all seven commissioners, and he came out on top again as they were sorting out their top two.

CLICKING WITH BUTTERFIELD

On advice from the county attorney, William Clague, commissioners were not to officially vote on anything. It was only a discussion. Still, Butterfield was at the top of everyone’s list except for Commissioner Jason Bearden, who went with Rosenthal and Dougherty.      Rosenthal stood out among commissioners for his government experience, and both commissioners Amanda Ballard and James Satcher commented on Dougherty’s energy.

The commissioners, as a whole but using Ballard’s words, simply “clicked” with Butterfield.

“Without trying to wade into politics, I think ideologically he’s pretty well aligned with this board as well,” Van Ostenbridge said.

Charlie Bishop added as one of two finalists for Manatee County administrator job.

Lesley Dwyer

Commissioner Ray Turner and candidate Andrew Butterfield get to know each other at a meet and greet at the Manatee Performing Arts Center. Butterfield emerged as one of two finalists Aug. 22 to become Manatee County administrator.

Wetlands protection cuts anger some citizens

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

After listening to hours of public comments opposed to reducing wetland regulations Aug. 17, the Manatee County Commission approved a measure 6-1 to cut text in the Comprehensive Plan to align it with state standards.

Commissioner George Kruse was the dissenting vote.

One week earlier, the matter came before the Planning Commission and was voted down 4-2 because board members felt they didn’t have the scientific evidence to back a move to remove additional county protections for wetlands in reference to new construction.

“I’m glad you want science,” said Abbey Tyrna, the executive director of Suncoast Waterkeeper in an attempt to persuade commissioners not to dismiss the additional protections. “I came to bring it.”

Tyrna was not alone. A stream of Manatee County residents, fishermen, local business owners and a scientist offered research and observations to the commissioners that reducing wetland protections would harm Manatee County’s wetlands. They pleaded with commissioners not to reduce the buffers between wetlands and construction from 50 feet to 15 feet.

But commissioners were not convinced that 50-foot buffers are the best means to protect wetlands.

“I talked to other folks who are engineers and wetland scientists, and I based my vote on the science

I found and what the surrounding areas are doing,” Commissioner Mike Rahn said. “I don’t believe reducing the buffer by 25 feet would dramatically damage wetlands. If we really want to protect wetlands, we need to be at 200 feet.”

Rahn took into consideration that the county’s barrier islands follow state standards, but residents were focused on the overall development happening within the county as a whole.

Manatee County resident Shane Wedel said he read wetland codes from every coastal county in Florida before attending the meeting. He said 63% of the 35 coastal counties require at least 50-foot buffers, if not more.

“If you want to turn Manatee County into Miami-Dade County or Broward County, then please, go ahead and transmit this policy,” Wedel said. “I don’t know if you want that. I don’t believe any of the citizens want that.”

Audible anger broke out in the chambers when Chairman Kevin Van Ostenbridge read the vote approving the cut in protections. He quickly banged his gavel and took a fiveminute recess.

“We had five hours of testimony against it, everybody, not one person in favor of it, and they voted just like

that,” Longboat Key resident Rusty Chinnis said. “They had their minds made up before they went in.”

Commissioner Jason Bearden didn’t speak during the meeting until making a motion to pass the measure. Van Ostenbridge seconded it.

Van Ostenbridge cited property rights and overregulation as reasons for reducing the protections to state levels. He also emphasized that the commission wasn’t voting on the changes. The vote was only to transmit the changes to the state Legislature to receive advice and feedback.

Manatee County Consultant Daniel DeLisi, who was hired to review the Comprehensive Plan, had his findings questioned, and at times, outright mocked.

“These amendments do not cause impacts to wetlands,” DeLisi said.

His statement caused laughter to erupt from inside the chambers until Van Ostenbridge banged his gavel and reminded everyone of the rules of decorum. Later, Tyrna’s comments received a round of applause.

“We’re taking everything based upon one consultant who was against us on the exact same policy twice, and that’s what we’re hanging our hat on here,” Kruse said. “It’s like we just won the Super Bowl, and we went out in the off-season and hired the quarterback from the losing team to run our team.”

Kruse was referring to what several citizens stated during comments that DeLisi is a former expert witness against the county on behalf of developers, a major bone of contention in the room.

Sarasota resident Michael Barfield said he didn’t want to drink “Beruff water,” referring to developer Carlos Beruff, who used DeLisi’s testimony in two different lawsuits against Manatee County. The county won both suits, which is why Kruse compared him to a losing quarterback.

“What do you do when you can’t beat them in court,” Samantha Wassmer, with Suncoast Waterkeeper, asked. Then, she answered her own question. “You try to buy the government.”

A DIFFERENT VIEW

Rahn refuted the statements that commissioners are on developers’ payrolls, saying it simply isn’t true because developers aren’t the only entities impacting wetlands. The government deals with the same hurdles when putting in roads.

He also emphasized that this was only a transmittal asking for guidance, and he has voted against transmittals in the past. He said the real vote will come in October.

Outside of Kruse, who voted against the measure, Van Ostenbridge was the most vocal commissioner during the meeting’s discussion. His vote was based on his view of property rights, that the

SUMMARY OF CUTS

WETLAND MITIGATION DUE TO DEVELOPMENT

Before: The type of mitigation is determined by the county based on the site conditions.

After: The type and quantity of mitigation is determined by the Uniform Wetland Mitigation Assessment Method.

ESTABLISHMENT OF BUFFERS

Before: Buffer requirements are between 30 and 50 feet.

After: Buffers are provided in accordance with the state

government shouldn’t take anything unnecessarily from citizens.

When Kruse argued that additional protections should remain in place because developers have the right to request reduced buffers with the language as is, Van Ostenbridge countered.

“We should have to justify to (property owners) why it is inherently necessary for the public good to take their land from them, and we should have the onus of providing scientific data to back up our claim that we’re going to take your private property from you by force,” he said.

“I feel like we all have the same intentions. We all want clean water. We all want to protect our environment. But at the same time, we also have to protect private property rights, which are part of the foundation of this country.”

Van Ostenbridge serves on the policy board for the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program. He said he sees a lot of passion and good intentions from those who opposed the changes but no data to back them up.

Commissioner Amanda Ballard expressed another reason for voting the transmittal through.

“When we’re looking at the state, they have significant resources to put toward ecological protection, wetlands, all of those things. They have resources that we don’t have on the county level,” Ballard said. “I think referring to those state standards is completely appropriate, and it also reduces duplication and saves the taxpayers money.”

standard of 15 feet.

IMPLEMENTATION

MECHANISMS

Before: County staff reviews applications for compliance, amends and develops land development regulations consistent with the wetland protections policies and reviews development proposals adjacent to coastal wetlands.

After: County staff coordinates with state agencies.

She also added that the county will be looking into more effective ways to improve water quality. During her briefings with DeLisi, she was told there was no discernible difference in ecological diversity or water quality among counties with additional protections versus those deferring to state standards.

“I want to make sure that the things we’re doing are based on the best research and science possible, and not just saying, ‘A bigger buffer is better, so we’re just going to do it,’” Ballard said.

TO THE FUTURE

LOOKING

While commissioners are looking ahead to alternative and superior solutions beyond buffer widths, such as stormwater and wetland mitigation efforts, residents are concerned about possible repercussions of the reductions.

“When I talk with long-time residents of our area, they tell me I should’ve seen Manatee County 50 years ago. Back then, there were bountiful fish, few toxic algal blooms, expansive wetlands and an overall healthier landscape,” 15-year-old Longboat Key resident Brice Claypoole said. “When I imagine raising my children here, I envision taking them to our beautiful beaches. But I increasingly fear that the things I love about Manatee will be gone by then.”

The changes are now being transmitted to the state Legislature and will either be adopted or rejected on Oct. 5 at a Manatee County Commission meeting.

Manatee County commissioners defend their decision to transmit cut in wetlands’ protections to the state.

Photos by Lesley Dwyer Holmes Beach City Commissioner Greg Kerchner was among the swarm of citizens speaking out against cuts to the comprehensive plan regarding wetlands.

Samantha Wassmer and Abbey Tyrna wait to speak on behalf of Suncoast Waterkeeper.

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New pizza restaurant opens in Lakewood Ranch

Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza opened Aug. 21 on the northeast corner of State Road 70 and Lorraine Road in Lakewood Ranch.

The 3,600-square-foot restaurant said it specializes in the stone-fired pizzas, calzones stuffed with different flavor combinations and pastas. Piesanos also offers its signature rolls. The new restaurant will make its pizza dough fresh daily, while its rigatoni alla vodka and rigatoni bolognese are prepared with pasta imported from Italy.

Desserts include spumoni, cheesecake, cannoli, tiramisu and cakes.

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“We believe quality is at the heart of great experiences,” co-owner Jerry Roberts said in a release.

The restaurant, which will offer both indoor and outdoor seating, has a selection of 12 draft beers and assorted wines.

To-go orders can be placed at 2167980 or by going to Piesanos.com.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

The restaurant was established in 2009 and has grown to 12 restaurants in Florida.

Waterside Place adds two new tenants

Eatalia, an Italian market, and The Wellness Space health center have signed leases to join the lineup at Waterside Place in Lakewood Ranch.

A Schroeder-Manatee Ranch press release on Tuesday said both businesses are scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2024.

Eatalia specializes in imported meats, cheeses, olives, nuts, bread, fresh pasta and other items. It will have a cold bar with various salad items.

The store bills itself as a place for anyone “passionate about Italian cuisine or anyone looking for a quick, quality-made bite to go.”

The release said The Wellness Space will offer an array of services, “including mentoring and meditation with different modalities to cre-

ate clarity. There will also be private and group coaching services for individuals, couples, family and children, as well as corporate services.”

Other businesses on the way, according to the release, are Agave Bandido, a Mexican-American restaurant and tequileria; Deep Lagoon, a seafood & oyster house; Good Liquid Distilling Co., Duck Donuts, Cileone Jewelers, The Black Dog store, which will sell resort wear, and La Chic Boheme, offering spa services and treatments.

“We have gathered the best of the best in local and regional retailers and restaurateurs into a truly unique setting,” said Kirk Boylston, president of Lakewood Ranch Commercial, in the release. “A number of additional openings will occur during September and October; the majority of the tenants will be open for business by year’s end.”

Pura Vida cafe plans opening at UTC

The Pura Vida cafe, which has built a reputation for being a wellness and lifestyle brand, will open a 2,000-square-foot cafe in the UTC West District in the first quarter of 2024.

The Miami-based business began in 2012, founded by co-owners Omer and Jennifer Horey.

The menu, which offers all-day breakfast, is known for its local and organic ingredients. Menu items include avocado toasts, pasture-raised egg sandwiches, fresh bagels, salads and raw organic acai bowls. Wraps, sandwiches and bowls feature a variety of bases and proteins and the cafe also offers an array of glutenfree and vegan sweet treats.

The restaurant also features coldpressed juices and wellness shots, superfood smoothies, kombucha, and artisanal coffees and teas.

Other new businesses coming to UTC include Naked Farmer, Foxtail Coffee Co., The Breakfast Co., J.Crew Factory, REI Co-op, Drybar and the Blu Kouzina Greek restaurant.

Pura Vida has 15 locations, but the UTC location will be the first in Sarasota.

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Proposed Creekwood roundabout stirs mixed emotions

After learning more about the proposed plans for a roundabout on Creekwood Boulevard, Elizabeth Martin was cautiously optimistic after a countysponsored public meeting Aug. 16 at Manatee Technical College.

Manatee County’s plans for a roundabout on Creekwood Boulevard and 73rd Street East are 90% complete, and construction could begin by the end of the year, although a contractor has yet to be hired for the project,.

Although Martin, who has lived on 72nd Street East in Creekwood for 18 years, isn’t sure the roundabout will ease traffic congestion, she hopes it will at least stop drivers from speeding.

The traffic congestion often forms at Creekwood Boulevard and 52nd Place East, which is an entrance to the Creekwood Crossing shopping center. Those coming out of the shopping center often have a rough time turning left on Creekwood Boulevard, and traffic backs up into the shopping center.

Motorists leaving the shopping center on 52nd Place East often turn right on Creekwood Boulevard then make a U-turn at 73rd Street East to return toward State Road 70. The county has received many complaints about that section of road being unsafe for those trying to exit the shopping center.

The proposed plans would force residents to turn right off 52nd Place East and use the roundabout if they wanted to access S.R. 70. The construction project includes a right turn lane into Creekwood Crossings off Creekwood Boulevard.

Ogden Clark, the strategic affairs manager for Manatee County’s Public Works department, said the roundabout was the best solution for

THE NUMBERS

the area as a four-way stop sign or a traffic light at the Creekwood Boulevard and 52nd Place East intersection would cause more traffic and the intersection is too close to the State Road 70 stop light.

As Martin, who has lived on 72nd Street East in Creekwood for 18 years, looked at the renderings for the proposed roundabout, she expressed one concern. She would

like to see the sidewalk on 73rd Street East expanded all the way to 52nd Drive East.

Martin spent 11 years walking a loop around 72nd Street East, Creekwood Boulevard, 73rd Street East and 52nd Drive East. She said several residents walk with their dogs and children in the area, and pedestrian safety should be a priority.

While Martin remains hopeful about the roundabout, other Creekwood residents continue to oppose the project.

Clark said the change that was made after hearing residents’ concerns was making the sidewalk five feet wide rather than the previously planned eight feet to limit the impacts to private property.

Clark said about 90% of the project is in a common area, but the county will need to acquire some private property to construct the roundabout.

“The functionality of the sidewalk wasn’t reduced by making it small, and that’s just one way we’re trying to accommodate residents,” Clark said. “Our team was willing to work to figure out what we could do to still

provide the safety we wanted but also accommodate the homeowner.”

The home of Creekwood’s Tom Carter and his wife, Diane, on 52nd Terrace East, is the most susceptible to change as a result of the roundabout. Due to the roundabout, Tom Carter said the couple has considered moving from the home, which has been in the family for 19 years.

“Most likely, the home becomes unlivable because you’re going to have this traffic right outside your window,” Tom Carter said. “Maybe it’s going to be 20 feet away, where it was going to be 10 feet away, but it’s still outside your window.”

Jan Wencel, who lives on 51st Place East, said the roundabout will cause her to reroute her drives to and from her home because it will make it more difficult for her to leave her neighborhood from the main entrance on 72nd Street East. There will be a median constructed on Creekwood Boulevard that would require motorists to only turn right from 72nd Street East.

If she wants to go north on Creekwood Boulevard, she will have to either make a U-turn at the traffic

light on S.R. 70 or travel through Creekwood, adding traffic to other parts of her neighborhood.

Sally Schule, who lives on 49th Avenue East, said having more traffic going through the community poses a safety concern.

Schule said the roundabout will cause more traffic problems at the intersection of Creekwood Boulevard, State Road 70 and Tara Boulevard because there are only two entrances/exits to the Creekwood Crossing shopping center — the entrance off S.R. 70 and the entrance on 52nd Place East.

“I feel like the real solution is the mall should have another exit,” Schule said. “That mall is the one that should be spending money to solve this.”

The county’s next steps are to appraise the property needed for the roundabout before the Manatee County commissioners give approval and the property is acquired. Once the property is acquired, construction can begin.

Some Creekwood residents say the county’s plan will harm their property’s value or create inconveniences.

Courtesy rendering

Manatee County is proposing a roundabout at Creekwood Boulevard and 73rd Street East to address traffic congestion.

Budding friendships

ABOUT THE NONPROFIT GARDENERS OUT EAST

Mission statement: Gardeners Out East shall promote the beautification of gardens and the general area, shall educate ourselves and others concerning Florida gardening and shall be advocates for environmental issues. Get involved: Visit GardenersOutEast. com.

If members of the Gardeners Out East club aren’t feeling well, one thing they don’t have to worry about is not being able to tend to their garden. Their fellow club members have their back.

“We go pull weeds. We take care of it,” President and founder Carolyn Lowry-Nation said of the club members. “We’re good to each other. It’s nice because you don’t see a lot of reaching out in this day and age. We started as a friendship club.”

What started with six friends blossomed into an official 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization with 40 members. When the club gained its nonprofit status in 2014, it only had 10 members, the minimum required to join the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs.

“It was all about long-lasting relationships. That’s what I wanted,” Lowry-Nation said. “I love my garden buds, but you’ve got to have a true purpose.”

The purpose of Gardeners Out East is now environmental education and veteran appreciation. The club has been leaving its mark around the Lakewood Ranch area since forming.

Those who drive through the circle in front of Town Hall will see a Blue Star Memorial plaque donated by the club. The plaques are part of a program through the National Garden Clubs to honor men and women serving in the military.

When the Lakewood Ranch Library opens, the club will be dedicating a Gold Star plaque to honor fallen soldiers and their family members.

One of the club’s first projects in 2015 was to restore and expand the butterfly garden in Summerfield Park. In conjunction with Lakewood Ranch Development District 1, and with help from students at the Pinnacle Academy, Gardeners Out East designed a garden layout and added new plants, a trellis and a shell path.

Native gardening and water con-

servation are two things members learn about and discuss in the club. Expert gardening skills are not a prerequisite for joining, just a $35 membership fee and an appreciation for gorgeous gardens.

Lowry-Nation is a certified Master Gardener.

One step onto the lanai of her Esplanade home displays her skills. Where a pool would normally sit, water trickles down over mossy rocks in a massive water feature surrounded by a garden.

A thick patch of bromeliads anchor the front right corner, while tall begonias and hibiscus flower along the left side. The stunning centerpiece has evolved over the six years since it was installed.

Lowry-Nation usually has a little dirt under her fingernails as she said gloves take away from the feel of dirt in her hands. She gardens and tends to the water feature a couple hours each day.

“I wanted something that I could tend to,” she said. “Gardening is excellent exercise. It makes you feel you’ve accomplished something.”

The club is open to new members and meets the 1 p.m. the second Monday of each month from October through May at the Robert Toale & Sons Celebration of Life Center.

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

The 40-member club was founded on friendship and stresses environmental education.

Lesley Dwyer

Carolyn Lowry-Nation is the president and a founding member of the Gardeners Out East club.

The Blue Star Memorial plaque in front of Lakewood Ranch Town Hall was donated by Gardeners Out East.

More East County rezones considered

An extension to the Hiillwood development was approved, while a development on Linger Lodge Road was pushed to September.

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

Two more rezones for developments in East County were discussed at the county’s Aug. 17 land use meeting.

The developments are a D.H. Horton project to build 99 townhomes on Linger Lodge Road and a Sand Branch LLC project to add 57 single-family homes to the previously approved 195 homes in the Hillwood development along Waterline Road.

The Hillwood extension passed unanimously without many objections, but Mark Vanderee for the Waterline Road Preservation Group asked commissioners to require Sand Branch to fill out a new application instead of adding to what’s already been approved.

“We’re not opposed to the development,” Vanderee said. “My concern here is that when you approve this, we’re going to lose the intent and the language of the original rezone, and the developer can go back and clearcut all that buffer that was originally required. We don’t want that.”

While his request wasn’t granted, Vanderee’s concerns were addressed by county staff and lawyers for Sand Branch, who stated that once a parcel is platted, any changes would need to go before the commission again. The approximately 20-acre extension does not extend to the agreement for the 78 acres already platted.

The Linger Lodge Road project was continued to Sept. 7 per the applicant’s request.

Barbara Pring, president of the Braden Woods Homeowners Association, Phases 1-4, spoke at the planning committee meeting when

the application was first presented. Five residents joined her, but she’s hoping more will attend the commission meeting.

Braden Woods resident Gary Hebert started a petition on Change. org that has received more than 2,100 signatures asking the commissioners to vote down the project. Speeding on Braden Run, displaced wildlife and a disappearing canopy are the major concerns for residents.

“We don’t live in Braden Fields. We live in Braden Woods,” Pring said. “Our oak trees are a precious commodity. You can’t grow those in a lifetime.”

Pring has lived on Braden Run for 10 years. She already sees cars speeding by her house, and said added cars from another development are concerning. Pring asked for and received some advice from Commissioner George Kruse.

“She can request that the county look into solutions such as speed tables,” Kruse said. “I used the example of Twin Rivers. They asked for us to review and we did a full study. They put together their own data and a petition. Once the study was done, we installed temporary speed tables to test it out.”

D.H. Horton is requesting to rezone 17.8 acres out of the 34.5acre site. The project will go before the commission on Sept. 7.

A 34.5-acre D.H. Horton project (in yellow) to build 99 townhomes on Linger Lodge Road will go before the Manatee County Commission on Sept. 7 at the land use meeting. The request is to rezone 17.8 acres.

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YourObserver.com

HUMANITARIAN NOMINATIONS

What: The Lakewood Ranch Community Fund Junior Humanitarian of the Year and Humanitarian of the Year awards

Who is eligible: East County students ages 8-19 for Junior Humanitarian of the Year, and for the Humanitarian of the Year award, anyone of any age Qualifications: For Junior Humanitarian of the Year, a student who gives back to the community. “They just don’t take and they aren’t selfish,” Janjay Gehndyu said. “You don’t need to have a 4.5 GPA. But they volunteer at Meals on Wheels, or at the Cat Depot, or at their church, or their school.” For the Humanitarian of the Year, someone who goes above and beyond to help the community

How to nominate someone: To receive a Junior Humanitarian of the Year nomination form, contact Gehndyu at DRJ@ AcademicEmpowermentAgency.org and for a Humanitarian of the Year nomination form, contact Jay Heater at JHeater@YourObserver. com.

Avenue E., property are held in portables, the school is hoping to secure the property next door (donated to the school by Manatee County) for a permanent building.

Naiema Frieson, the chair of the board for Visible Men Academy, said Gehndyu is vested in the area having grown up in Manatee County.

“We benefit from his understanding of his own personal experience,” she said. “He has a real passion for education, and that assures that our sons are getting excited about education.”

A path created with passion

Panther Ridge’s Janjay Gehndyu is proof that caring teachers can alter a student’s path in life.

JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR

Panther Ridge’s Janjay Gehndyu is in demand.

He is one of the region’s top academic tutors and in July became a board member for the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund, quickly setting up the Junior Humanitarian of the Year award that debuts this year.

His value as a school administrator has risen quickly, and it is likely he could have his pick of jobs.

But taking his current post was a somewhat odd decision.

He became the principal at the Visible Men Academy for K-5th grade students in Bradenton.

Those who know the School District of Manatee County charter school know that it takes kids who have struggled elsewhere. It wouldn’t be too harsh to say other schools didn’t want them.

The overall school rating, when Gehndyu arrived in September of 2021, was an F.

GETTING INVOLVED

So why would Gehndyu jeopardize his budding career by taking over what some would consider an impossible situation?

“I was that kid,” Gehndyu said. “I talked too much, and I couldn’t sit down in a seat. In elementary school I struggled, going to five different schools.”

MEET DR. J

Who: Janjay Gehndyu (he has a doctorate so his nickname is Dr. J.)

Age: 39

Lives: Panther Ridge

Family: Wife Jackie, children Ellie (8) and Emmitt (5)

Job: Principal at Visible Men Academy,

Bradenton

Previous jobs: Taught biology and chemistry at Braden River High from 2007-2014; taught physical science and life sciences at Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences from 2014-2021 along with being the department chair of the science department Owns: Academic Empowerment Agency. AEA “prepares students for college entrance exams and high stakes testing; in addition, provides valuable information for parents and students to help them understand the higher education admission process. Gehndyu’s focus is that he believes “all students, with the right guidance, can accomplish great things.”

Contact: DRJ@ AcademicEmpowermentAgency.org

His parents, Sondra Lee and Hussay Gehndyu, eventually guided him to Tara Elementary School, and things began to turn around.

“About fifth grade, I started to pull out of having trouble,” he said. “People kept saying, ‘We believe in you.’ Becoming a member of the safety patrol — I know that might sound funny — was a huge thing for me. I wanted to help people, and I was helping by showing little kids to their class. Having leadership tasks was important.”

Eventually, he attended Braden River Middle School and Lakewood Ranch High School. The teachers changed everything for him.

“When I got into middle school, I was heavily involved in sports,” he said. “So that was a carrot to do well in academics.”

KEEPING HIS NOSE CLEAN

By middle school, he knew he had to “keep my nose clean.”

“I learned not to blurt out answers,” he said. “I learned to not walk around the classroom to get my energy out.”

Things became even better at Lakewood Ranch High, where he had instructors like history teacher Don French.

“I was very lucky because I had mentors,” he said. “(Don French) said, ‘Just choose something you want to do in life. Is that to go to college ... the military?’ He told me that someday I could come back and work with him in the district. That’s what I did.”

He credits much of his success as an adult to Lakewood Ranch High.

“If it wasn’t for LWR, I wouldn’t be here now,” he said. “It opened up a whole new world for me. I never had seen that much land and that blew my mind. There were cows roaming around.”

Now at Visible Men Academy, he is trying to provide the kind of support he received. Without that support, he said it is scary to consider where he might have ended up.

The school itself has made major progress, receiving a “preliminary” overall grade of C for the last school year. Gehndyu said schools haven’t received an official grade since COVID-19.

“We are only going up,” he said. “We have more time on task for our academic students. We have been modifying our disciplinary actions. Instead of sending kids home, we put them on flexible or action seating. They can pedal and balance themselves while they are completing math problems. It helps.”

While the classes on the 921 63rd

“These kids need somebody,” Gehndyu said. “It’s about giving them opportunities, things they don’t know about. It could be as simple as teaching them about archery or golf, or sewing, or cooking.”

Currently, the school has 72 students, but Gehndyu is hoping that builds to 400 boys in the future.

TIME FOR SPORTS

The school could use the numbers as Gehndyu has added football, soccer and golf programs. He said parents ask him to make sure their sons get to practice for whatever the sport might be.

Gehndyu counters by asking, “Can you make sure he is there for the school day, too?

Gehndyu credits sports as an important part of his growth. As a freshman at Lakewood Ranch High in 1998, the school’s first year, he said he scored the first Mustangs touchdown on the home field.

“We were playing Manatee the second game of the year,” he said. “It was the third quarter and we were down 21-0. In the first game (on the road), the team scored 76 points against us.”

Both coaches and players in the new program were frustrated. Manatee had just scored another touchdown and was preparing to kick off.

“The coach said, ‘Return this to the house,” Gehndyu said. “I just caught it, and ran up the middle. It was the fastest I ever had run in my life. My mom still has that article in a shrine.”

He gave up football the following year because “I’m 5-foot-6 on a good day.”

All through his school days, he said his mother and father continued to believe in him.

“I am just happy that now I can have an impact on the lives I see,” he said. “I try to find a way to get more parents involved.

“My mother says, ‘You have found your purpose.’ I don’t think I could go back into a regular school.”

Jackie Gehndyu said her husband has, indeed, found his purpose.

“Some people are born with a gift of being social,” she said. “He is charismatic and he connects well with people wherever he is. People are attracted to his personality.

“He has worked in successful schools and he knows what it takes to be great. He knows what an A school looks like.”

He also knows his own image is important to his students.

“I just try to live by a set of values and principles, and let the kids see me live by those principles.”

His principles include being a family man. Jackie works with him every day both at home and at Visible Men’s Academy, and at their Academic Empowerment Agency. They have two children, 8-year-old Ellie and 5-year-old Emmitt.

Despite his responsibilities, Gehndyu joined the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund to give back to a community which has meant so much to him. With the Community Fund, he has started the Junior Humanitarian of the Year award to go with the fund’s already established Humanitarian of the Year award.

“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.”

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Courtesy photo

Panther Ridge’s Jackie and Janjay Gehndyu stand with their children, Ellie, 8, and Emmitt, 5.

Commissioners’ actions elicit anger, joy

So here’s an offering of the good and the bad from Manatee County.

Let’s start with the bad, kind of like eating your Brussels sprouts first.

No matter how it is sliced and diced, Manatee County commissioners, with the exception of George Kruse, turned a deaf ear to their constituents when they voted 6-1 on Aug. 17 to transmit proposed changes to the county’s Comprehensive Plan that will effectively weaken wetland protections in the face of encroaching development.

While the commissioners, who voted in favor of the changes, explained their actions by saying they wanted to protect land owner rights and they wanted to align with state standards, which Commissioner Amanda Ballard said would ultimately save taxpayers money, it smacks of Father Knows Best.

So think of those days when your parents made you eat the aforementioned Brussels sprouts, which completely gagged you, because they were good for you. It probably made you yearn for the day when you could make your own decisions at the dinner table.

In this case, Manatee County commissioners are saying they know better than the taxpayers who voted for them. This decision might gag you, but, well, you know, just eat it.

Now note that we do live in Republican-heavy East County, and those here support Republicans who support business and growth. Nevertheless, you would have thought the commissioners would have flinched when support for their move could be measured by using your fingers to make the count.

I, personally, have not polled a couple of thousand voters to check opinions, but I have talked to dozens of voters on this topic. I have not gotten anyone to say they would

support such changes. No one. Zipa-Dee-Doo-Dah.

The question that comes up constantly is why these changes need to be made now, when the climate in Manatee County favors environmental protections? Was there a line of landowners who were picketing the Manatee County Administration Building because they wanted to build a workshop next to a recognized wetland area?

Was Manatee County’s staff so overwhelmed because workers needed to go to properties with a tape measure to make sure no construction was within 50 feet of a wetland area?

Or was this just a case of certain builders wanting to use every available inch for construction?

In case the commissioners didn’t notice, people are angry.

I get it, the vocal minority can be loud at times, packing the chambers

with hyper-irritated citizens who will scream down a proposed move that threatens change in any form. That noise can be drowned out over time because the project is for the greater good.

Whether this noise dies remains to be seen. If it grows, Commission Chairman Kevin Van Ostenbridge can bang his gavel all he wants, and he won’t be able to stop it.

It could be a case of getting the generally disinterested residents interested.

The final round of this action will play out Oct. 5 at the Manatee County Commission meeting. It will be interesting to see if those opposing the changes will give up, or if they will rally other residents to join them in their desire to change the commissioners’ minds.

OK, then, how about the good?

It can be hard to remember, especially when commissioners

have made a distasteful decision, that this same group can be making positive changes as well.

Theoretically, the current commissioners were voted into office (with the exception of Raymond Turner, who was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to replace Vanessa Baugh in District 5) to enact positive change. Transportation is an area where commissioners have been aggressive.

When I have been driving lately from Lakewood Ranch to Anna Maria Island, I have been using the 44th Avenue extension. It’s been faster and less hectic than driving State Road 64 or State Road 70.

With the opening of the 44th Avenue Bridge on Aug. 7, Lakewood Ranch area residents will now give more than a passing thought to using the stretch of road that runs west from Morgan Johnson Road/57th Avenue East (if you

are driving from S.R. 64), or 57th Avenue East/Caruso Road (if you are driving from S.R. 70) to head toward the beach.

While I have enjoyed driving that stretch of road, I do want to warn those who are unfamiliar with it, that although it is billed as an eventual Lakewood Ranch to the beach artery, that’s not the case.

Those driving west on 44th Avenue will find that it connects with Cortez Road a good 15 to 20 minutes from the beach. That particular section of Cortez Road, going west, is stressful to drive.

Nevertheless, 44th Avenue allows you to bypass the downtown Bradenton craziness, and for that, I am thankful to commissioners (present and past) for putting the finishing touches on a project that was decades in the making. It was first considered in 1968.

We need more such arteries and the commissioners have proven they can deliver it despite the $250,801,879 price tag. We will see how they do with widening of Upper Manatee River Road, the building of another Fort Hamer span, and the widening of Lorraine Road.

My hope is that 44th Avenue, which narrows to three lanes near its connection with Cortez Road, eventually will be widened to four lanes all the way through. Then, if enough cars are pulled off S.R. 70, I can use that road to regularly drive to the beach. S.R. 70 takes you to 75th Street, which cuts out most of that Cortez Road stress.

well as FaceBook, Instagram, YouTube and much

Jay Heater

Manatee County commissioners Raymond Turner, James Satcher, Kevin Van Ostenbridge, Jason Bearden and George Kruse celebrated the opening of the 44th Avenue Bridge over the Braden River on Aug. 7. Commissioners Amanda Ballard and Mike Rahn were not in attendance.

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

Sweet lessons at Haile Middle

LIZ

RAMOS SENIOR EDITOR

Lakewood Ranch’s Brian Lee, who has worked 30 years in manufacturing, always dreamed of touring the Lindt chocolate factory and Lindt Home of Chocolate Museum in Zurich, Switzerland.

In March, Lee and his family were able to cross the trip off his bucket list.

As he toured the chocolate factory, Lee learned all about the technology and machinery used to make different types of chocolate.

He didn’t understand at the time, though, that he was doing research for a potential future lesson plan. Lee just started his first year of teaching engineering at Carlos E. Haile Middle School.

He will be using his experience at the Lindt factory as a real-world example of the engineering design process for his students at Haile.

While director of operations the past three years at Innovative Optics of Sarasota, Lee became inspired to teach.

He was impressed with the impact Manatee Technical College instructors, such as Advanced Manufacturing Instruction Gil Burlew, had on his son, Jeremy.

Now he looks forward to taking his years of manufacturing experience and applying it in the classroom. He will show students how to take an idea and create a prototype from it before deciding to manufacture it.

In the case of Lindt chocolate, Lee will show students how a product goes from the testing stage to mass production. That lesson will include videos of his tour, as well as a look at his personal chocolate bunny he

MEET THE TEACHER

Who: Brian Lee

Lives: Lakewood Ranch

School: Carlos E. Haile Middle School

Subject: Engineering

Years teaching: First year in education

Years in manufacturing industry: 30

made at the factory and brought home with him.

“That was the cool thing; we got to see the equipment,” he said. “It’s all designed by engineers. There’s a mix (in the process) of machines and people. Some of it is mechanical for mass production but then it’s not completely mechanical. You have people who make the little red bow that goes around a (chocolate) bunny’s neck. That’s done by hand.”

In Lee’s classes, students will be able to design their ideas on a computer-aided design program before creating their design using 3D printers and other technology. Finally, they will build their products.

“It’s all about the excitement of creating something and getting to see the final product,” Lee said.

Haile Middle School teacher plans to use experiences from the Lindt chocolate factory to provide a realworld example of the engineering process.

Liz Ramos Brian Lee is looking forward to incorporating his 30 years of manufacturing experience into his classroom during his first year of teaching.

A+E INSIDE:

< GALLERY GONE: Art Uptown is closing after 43 years on Main Street. 13

EATING WITH EMMA: Bring your bibs and wipes for the best barbecue in town. 14>

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

Actress Katherine Michelle Tanner launches her own theater company.

MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

So far, 2023 has been a good year for Katherine Michelle Tanner.

In March, KT Curran’s “Bridge to the Other Side,” featuring Tanner as a distraught mother of a mentally ill son, screened at the 25th Sarasota Film Festival, where it won the local audience award.

In May, Michelle Pascua’s “In Remembrance,” which Tanner directed, won the best play award at Theatre Odyssey’s Ten Minute Play Festival.

When they handed out awards for the festival, Tanner couldn’t be there. She was on stage at the Sarasota Opera House performing in the ballet “Cinderella.” The ballet was presented by The Diane Partington Studio of Classical Ballet, formerly the Russian School of Ballet.

In June, Tanner’s play, “Shakespeare’s Lovers,”  appeared at the first Squeaky Wheel Fringe Festival in Sarasota. The play, about a male poet and a female painter who meet in a river, incorporates 29 of Shakespeare’s sonnets and 19 of Tanner’s own.

At the Squeaky Wheel Fringe Festival, the revelation of the body of water on stage elicited a collective gasp from the audience, but it’s

SEE TANNER, PAGE 12

Multitalented performer Katherine Michelle Tanner chose Barbie pink for her professional headshot, but red is in her future.

Courtesy photos Katherine Michelle Tanner and Blake Lafita appear at the Lady Filmmakers Film Festival in Los Angeles to promote KT Curran’s “Bridge to the Other Side.”

—

Katherine Michelle Tanner

impossible to steal the show from Tanner.

KMT, as those close to her often call Tanner, has been performing in Sarasota for about 20 years, give or take a few. (You know how sensitive actors are about their age.) But suddenly, she’s everywhere all at once, to borrow from this year’s Oscar-winning indie film, “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” or EEAAO, since we’re talking acronyms here.

The latest place Tanner happens to be is at the head of her own theater company, Tree Fort Productions. Tree Fort has existed in some form for about 10 years, but in April, Tanner completed the paperwork for a 501(c)(3). That made the theater company a nonprofit officially recognized by the IRS, easing the way for donations since they become taxdeductible, more or less.

Yes, Sarasota already some wellestablished theater companies (Asolo Repertory, The Players, Florida Studio Theatre, Urbanite, to name just a few). Regional theater in other parts of the country is struggling post-pandemic due to smaller audiences and rising overhead, but Tanner isn’t discouraged.

“Call me the salmon of Sarasota,” she quips, as she is wont to do. “I’m swimming upstream.”

As Tanner hypnotically details the upcoming season for Tree Fort Productions, which is housed right now in the The Crossings at Siesta Key, and the reasons why she’s launching her own company, one is apt to fall under her spell.

Told her powers of persuasion are so great that she could easily be marketing multimillion-dollar condos if she weren’t artistically bent, Tanner laughs and says, “I have a friend in real estate who says the same thing.”

But back to the business at hand: Tree Fort Productions. To make sure she gets her message across, Tanner says not once, not twice, but three times during a brief interview: “The best way to support a theater company is to buy a subscription.”

Duly noted. The price of a Tree Fort 2023-24 season subscription is a modest $140 for four shows, or $20 less than if tickets for each show were purchased separately.

Tree Fort’s season opens Oct. 13, with “Red,” John Logan’s play about the artist Mark Rothko, which made its debut in London in 2009. The play takes place in Rothko’s New York studio in the late 1950s as he wrestles with the ethics of fulfilling a brashly commercial commission — murals for the elite Four Seasons restaurant. His misgivings are fueled by his assistant.

At Tree Fort, Lee Gundersheimer will star as Rothko, a role that garnered Alfred Molina a 2010 Tony nomination for best actor when he performed it on Broadway. Alex Teicheira will play Rothko’s skeptical assistant. The play runs through Oct. 29.

The play “Red” holds a spot close to Tanner’s heart because her father was an artist. In some households, parents might ask children what they did at school that day. When Tanner was growing up, her dad would ask her, “What are you working on?”

Tanner’s father had a day job, but he was a painter, sculptor and jewelry maker. “There was always a project in the corner,” she recalls. “We were told, ‘Don’t touch Dad’s things.’”

Since Tanner’s father was a bit of a juggler, it’s not surprising to see she had a triple major (theater/dance/ education) at St. Olaf’s College in Minnesota. She earned an MFA from Asolo Theatre Conservatory-Florida State University and has been applying her talents in dance, theater, film and music at lightning speed ever since.

Asked where she gets her energy from, Tanner replies without hesitation: “Starbucks.”

The color red would appear to be the perfect theme for a black-tie event. Instead of telling guests to dress in black-and-white, as author and social butterfly Truman Capote did for his party of the century in 1966, KMT’s event could be scarletthemed.

Not a bad idea, Tanner says, but she’s keeping her fundraising finesse under wraps for now.

Besides the challenges of raising money and building an audience, Tree Fort also faces uncertainty about its home, The Crossings mall, which is in transition.

Some arts-oriented tenants in the mall have been forced to vacate because of higher rents. For now, Tree Fort’s theater is walking distance from CMX CinéBistro, a small, but popular destination for moviegoers.

Tanner isn’t anchored to a space for her new venture. She recalls doing readings for “Shakespeare’s Lovers” at Home Resource, Kathy and Michael Bush’s upscale modern furniture store. In Tanner’s book, the play’s the thing, not the stage.

“No space is long term,” she says. “If we did move, it would be our fifth move. No one really knows what’s going to happen.”

What is certain is the lineup for Tree Fort’s 2023-24 season. In addition to “Red,” the lineup includes a reprise of “Shakespeare’s Lovers” starring Tanner from Dec. 1-17.

Also on the bill is Jessica Dickey’s “The Amish Project,” in which Tanner performs all roles in the play

about the 2006 shootings at the West Nickel Mines School for Amish girls in Pennsylvania. The massacre, which included a hostage situation, left six dead, including the gunman, and five injured.

Heavy stuff to be sure, but “The Amish Project” won favor with audiences off Broadway and on tour in its previous incarnations. It will run in Sarasota from Jan. 12-Feb. 11.

Tanner will also appear in “Lark Eden,” a one-night reading on Nov. 10, along with Roxanne Fey and Lauren Wood.

Wherever it ends, Tree Fort’s season will conclude on an upbeat note, with a cabaret devoted to the women of Broadway, not the performers, but the often overlooked female composers of the Great White Way. That show runs March 8-14.

Other events are in the works. Tanner isn’t waiting for Broadway or Hollywood to call, especially during a writers’ and actors’ strike. She’s making things happen right here in Sarasota, one latte at a time.

Courtesy photo

Katherine Michelle Tanner performed her sonnet-filled play, “Shakespeare’s Lovers,” at Sarasota’s first Squeaky Wheel Fringe Festival in June. She will reprise it for Tree Fort Productions’ 2023-24 season.

THIS WEEK

THURSDAY

JOHN PIRMAN: ‘DIVING INTO NATURE’

10 a.m. at Selby Gardens, 1534 Mound St.

$18

Visit Selby.org.

The retrospective presents the works of Sarasota-based designer and illustrator John Pirman both inside Selby Gardens’ Museum of Botany & the Arts and outside throughout the bayfront gardens. Runs through Sept. 17.

OPENING NIGHT CELEBRATION FOR ‘AN ABSTRACT VIEW’

6-8 p.m. at Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami Trail

Free Visit ArtCenterSarasota.org.

See the work of artists Lauren Mann, Iren Tete and Ry McCullough, plus Art Center Sarasota’s juried show, “An Abstract View.” Beer and wine will be available for purchase.

‘CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REMIXED!’

7:30 p.m. at FST’s Goldstein Cabaret, 1239 N. Palm Ave.

$18 and up

Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

“The Jersey Tenors” and “The Surfer Boys” veteran Vaden Thurgood has

DON’T MISS

‘A COMEDY OF TENORS’

Set in 1930s Paris, “A Comedy of Tenors” is a madcap romp about a concert producer trying to keep an Italian superstar from falling prey to temptation.

IF YOU GO

When: Through Aug. 27

Where: FST’s Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St.

Tickets: $18 and up Info: FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

OUR PICK OPEN HOUSE ON SARASOTA SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE

In connection with a free exhibit in the City Hall lobby, a lecture on the Sarasota School of Architecture will be held featuring Sarasota County Division of Historical Resources Manager Joshua Goodman, Architecture Sarasota President Morris Hylton III and Sarasota County Libraries and Historical Resources Director Renee Di Pilato.

The exhibit is on display through June 2024.

IF YOU GO

When: Thursday, 5:30 p.m.

Where: City Hall, 1565 First St.

Tickets: Free Info: SarasotaFl.gov.

created his own musical revue for FST. The show, which features a rotating cast with three men (including Thurgood for at least a month) and a woman, follows the life of Creedence Clearwater Revival founder John Fogerty through hit songs such as “Proud Mary” and “Bad Moon Rising.” Runs through Oct. 15.

‘THE GRADUATE’

7:30 p.m. at The Players Centre, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail

$30

Visit ThePlayers.org.

Directed by Elliott Raines, “The Graduate” is a stage adaptation of the classic novel and film that explores the unlikely sexual affair between a recent college graduate, who is adrift in life, and a friend of his parents, who knows exactly what she wants. Runs through Aug. 27.

SATURDAY

‘WORKING CONDITIONS:

EXPLORING LABOR THROUGH THE RINGLING’S PHOTOGRAPHY COLLECTION’

10 a.m. at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bayshore Road $25 (includes museum admission) Visit Ringling.org.

The Ringling debuts a photography exhibit that explores myriad views of labor, from the celebration of industrial progress to the exploitation of society’s most vulnerable. Among the photographers whose works are on display are Lewis Hine, Dmitiri Baltermants, Endia Beal, Walker Evans, Arthur Rothstein, Manuel Álvarez Bravo, Margaret Bourke-White, Danny Lyon, Lewis Baltz, Sebastião Salgado and Bill Owens. Through March 3.

WEDNESDAY

DENNIS BLAIR

7 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd. $19 and up Visit McCurdysComedy.com.

If you like your humor adult style, Dennis Blair is sure to deliver. Blair toured with iconic raunchy comedian George Carlin for 18 years, performed on “The Tonight Show” and has appeared at venues ranging from Carnegie Hall to the Kennedy Center. Through Sept. 3.

Art Uptown Gallery to close after 43 years in Sarasota

MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Long live visual arts in Sarasota. Rising rent is forcing the Art Uptown Gallery to close after 43 years at 1367 Main St. Despite its name, Art Uptown is the second downtown gallery to close this year. At the same time, new visual arts destinations are expanding in more affordable parts of town.

Art Uptown, which houses local artists in studios upstairs, will close permanently at 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26.

“The building has been sold, and the gallery was unable to negotiate a lease price that would allow us to continue,” said Melanie Carlstein, gallery board president, in a statement.

Carlstein said the gallery has stocked up on the works of its artists to give patrons the opportunity to buy in the final days of operation.

In June, Dabbert Gallery closed after 18 years in business at 46 S. Palm Ave. Husband-and-wife owners David and Patricia Dabbert have maintained a sales presence online, selling fine painting and sculpture. The Dabberts were fixtures at the First Friday Gallery Walk downtown. In a Facebook post, the couple cited rising rent as well as new development downtown as reasons for their gallery’s demise.

“The Sarasota art scene is changing,” artist Virginia Hoffman wrote on Facebook. “High-end or highrent galleries are fading away, and more artists are finding alternative means to present their art. This is a good thing. My only concern is the market might price artists out of the alternative locations.”

While art galleries are getting pushed out of downtown, some are migrating to the nearby Limelight District, which runs along North Lime Avenue between 12th Street and Fruitville Road. The up-andcoming arts district is anchored by the popular shopping emporium, The Bazaar at Apricot and Lime, at 821 Apricot Ave.

Recent arrivals and expansions in the Limelight District include the March 30 opening of the Palmer Modern at 925 N. Lime Ave. and the addition in February of a second space by arts collective Creative Liberties at 927 N. Lime Ave. Its flagship is nearby, at 901B Apricot Ave.

Not far away from the recognized district, Marianne Chapel’s SPAACES gallery at 2051 Princeton St. is seeking to raise $20,000 in a capital campaign it has dubbed the Major Arts District Expansion. MADE, for short, will expand the gallery’s footprint from 4,500 to 7,000 square feet and will include street frontage exposure, which SPAACES currently lacks.

Founded in 2018, SPAACES became a not-for-profit in 2020. According to Chapel, the gallery’s vision is to “see Sarasota recognized as a cutting edge, visual arts town, a place where contemporary art and artists thrive.”

To raise awareness of the visual arts in Sarasota, a town where the performing arts need no help gaining attention, the Sarasota Studio Artists Association has organized Second Saturdays, where artists open their studios to the public and host other events.

Second Saturdays has been spearheaded by Jen Palmer, whose husband, Craig Palmer, owns Palmer Modern.

SSAA has published a map of local art galleries on its website, SRQArtists.com, to encourage buyers and browsers alike to come out for Second Saturdays. That’s a hard slog when temperatures are approaching 100 degrees, but foot traffic is expected to pick up during season.

One way to beat the heat is to hold evening events. In late July, Creative Liberties co-founders Barbara Gerdeman and Elizabeth Goodwill hosted a Magic & Mystery Night Faire.

The faire featured performances including stilt walking and illusions, foods including kebabs and candy apples, and sometimes spooky work by local artists. Instead of Christmas in July, the popular event hosted by Main Street retailers in Venice, think Halloween in July.

There’s no question that fine arts galleries are facing pressure from higher rents and encroaching development. But the arts are thriving in Sarasota in unexpected places — church art galleries, pop-up events at Art Ovation Hotel and even the Saturday Farmers Market, where it’s not unusual to see a plein air practitioner armed with paintbrush, palette and an easel.

Over at the Bayfront, Art Center Sarasota is making a push to get the word out that the artworks it displays are for sale. Admission is free to the center, a nonprofit that offers curated and juried exhibitions, workshops and classes.

Rising rents are pushing art galleries out of downtown, but new and sometimes unexpected spaces beckon.

File photo

Art Uptown Gallery artist Elisabeth Trostli displays digital paintings of powerful women of varying races and ethnicities in 2018.

Get smokin’ with the best barbecue in town

BY EMMA JOLLY CONTRIBUTOR

One of the first nights that my now husband came over to my parents’ condo on Longboat Key, my mom asked, “Do you know how to use the grill?” My husband nodded; grabbed the meat, tongs and cutting board and proceeded down to the Gulf-facing grill with my dad.

After everything was situated on the grill my dad looked at Patrick, laughed and said, “You should have never told my wife you know how to grill. This will be your job forever now.”

Patrick now mans the grill while Dad sits back, pours a Jack Daniel’s and reminds his son-in-law of his new forever role and the one lie he should have told my mom.

In honor of this story, I set my sights on finding the best barbecue joints in town.

Whether it be for Labor Day weekend or just a family grilling night like the many I’ve experienced, these spots are beyond bar-be-cute for any foodie with a hankering for that sweet (or tangy, or hot) sauce.

MOUTHHOLE BBQ

Locations vary; 941-544-1361, Facebook.com/InYourMouthhole

Our first stop on this mouthwatering expedition isn’t brick and mortar, but I will follow the nonwinding roads of Sarasota as long as they lead to this fantastic food truck. You can follow the barbecue smells to Calusa Brewing on most Tuesday evenings. Check out Mouthhole’s Facebook page for other dining destinations (and photos that will have you drooling over your keyboard).

Flippin’ Grate: The Calusa Meat Locker is what BBQ badasses like us beg for and Mouthhole definitely delivers. Righteously tasty ribs, beautiful brisket, perfectly pleasant pulled pork, yummy mac ’n’ cheese, sensational smoked beans, awesome slaw and can-I-fit-more-inmy-belly cornbread ($43).

All Fired Up Over: Mouthhole’s Hawaiian menu. These offerings have me feeling like I could like pineapple ever after. If you’re lucky enough to happen upon Hawaiian night at the truck, you can choose from the Shoyu chicken bowl ($14), Kalua pork plate ($15), Teriyaki tri tip bowl ($18) or the Hawaiian mixed plate ($20).

STOTTLEMYER’S SMOKEHOUSE 19 East Road, Sarasota; 941-3125969, StottlemyersSmokehouse.com

Steve and Terry Stottlemyer are pioneers when it comes to the Sarasota eat-and-drink history pages. Steve’s father developed the property where the smokehouse stands in 1955. In 1995, Steve and Terry served home-cooked breakfast and lunch at the adjoining Fruitville Texaco that they built, and in 2009, the Chickee Hut was formed. With Old Florida charm being hard to come by these days, it’s a sure bet that this pecan-wood smokery will always carry on tradition — and treat our tastebuds time and time again.

Flippin’ Grate: The BBQ sampler ($26.99). Ready for a list of lipsmacking, finger-licking deliciousness? Order long bone ribs or a half-rack of baby backs, 6 oz. brisket and half a smoked chicken. Or choose the BBQ pork combo ($28.99) with two long bone ribs or a half-rack of baby back ribs and the 6 oz. pulled pork.

All Fired Up Over: The smoke stuffed bacon-wrapped jalapenos ($8.99). Filled with savory seasoned cream cheese, wrapped in beloved bacon and as it says on the menu, “smoked to perfection.” I wish that these little bites of sweet heat were on every restaurant menu, but this Stottlemyer starter is special and should be devoured by all patrons.

SMOQUEHOUSE

1701 Gulf Drive N., Bradenton Beach, 941-242-5340, SmoqueHouse.com

This is not your average smokehouse. Based on Anna Maria, the Kubes family has conceptualized their restaurant menu in a unique fashion — it depends on what the cook is inspired by that day. The fast, casual atmosphere is tran-

scended by the barbecue fusion food smells as you walk up to the front door. The menu, in addition to daily delectable specials, has seven craft sandwiches accompanied by a choice of seven craft sides that will make you wonder why it took you so long to get to the island.

Flippin’ Grate:  If any of the specials I’ve bitten into over the years are offered when you plop down to partake in BBQ, order them all. Leftovers are always a good decision. Grab a fork for the Piggy fries tossed in signature rub, Andy’s BBQ beans, house smoked pulled pork, smoked cheddar and BBQ drizzle. Fancy a sammy? The mushroom Swiss brisket burger is a culinary treasure. Each bite brings garlic sauteed crimini mushrooms, smoked Swiss, red onion and a gracious heap of garlic and thyme aioli.

All Fired Up Over: The Pimento burger. It blends the beyond

bonkers-tasting brisket patty, ooey-gooey cheddar cheese, crisp red onion, phenomenal fried banana peppers and house-made pimento into a perfect package for the senses.

MISSION BBQ

5231 University Parkway #109, Sarasota; 941-841-9279, MissionBBQ.com

In seventh grade, growing up outside of New York City, I witnessed the Twin Towers fall on Sept. 11, 2001. Two boys in my class lost their fathers that day. I tell this story because Mission BBQ opened exactly 10 years later when two patriotic friends wanted to run “a business with meaning and purpose.” They drove all over the nation from Texas to Kansas City and St. Louis to the Carolinas to give us foodies the best BBQ. I am here feeling patriotic (and stuffed to

the gills) for every offering they got. Flippin’ Grate: Keep it simple, keep it sweet. That’s what makes this pulled pork sandwich ($8.89) great. Slather the tender pork with sauce that will effortlessly drip down your fingers and more than likely onto your shirt. Be sure to ask for the Smokey Mountain sauce and make it an XL combo ($5.25) with a side and drink or an XXL combo ($7.25) for two sides and a drink. Sides include Maggie’s Mac N Cheese ($2.99-$13.39) and baked beans with brisket ($2.99-$13.19), to name a few.

All Fired Up Over: The ribs. You can order by the bone, by five bone or by 10 bone. Trust me, you might want to order more. Choose from BAY-b-Back ribs that fall off the bone, spare ribs St. Louis style and more. It makes for a finger-lickin’ good time.

These Sarasota and Manatee hot spots are un-grill-lievable.

Emma Jolly

Can I have some more of Mission BBQ’s pulled pork with Smokey Mountain sauce?

YOUR NEIGHBORS

A grape experience

with a laugh. “It feels squishy … and wet.”

Kristin Hokanson said the grapepicking experience is a result of the community demonstrating an interest in learning and being a part of the wine-making process.

IF YOU GO

grape harvest to the public also gave people an opportunity to learn about agriculture in East County.

“There are so many wonderful agritourism properties out here and the fact that our community wants to be a part of that agritourism and those local farming activities just shows what a great community we live in,” she said.

FIORELLI WINERY AND VINEYARD GRAPE-PICKING EXPERIENCE

When: 8 a.m. to noon

Aug. 26

LIZ RAMOS SENIOR EDITOR

Kristin and John Hokanson, owners of Fiorelli Winery and Vineyard, loved seeing the excitement on people’s faces as they picked grapes in a race to see which team could collect the most.

The winners during Fiorelli Winery’s grape harvest June 17 had the opportunity to crush grapes with their feet with the must (the term for stomped grapes and the juices) being produced into a wine customized for them.

The Hokansons are looking forward to their next harvest Aug. 26 and another contest.

During the grape-picking experience, Kristin Hokanson said participants will learn about the process of wine making, from vine to bottle. They’ll also enjoy breakfast, lunch

and a wine tasting. After lunch, the group will tour the winery to learn about what happens to the grapes after they’ve been picked.

Once again, winners of the grapepicking contest will crush grapes that will be made into a wine. That wine will be bottled with a photo of the winning team on the bottle and a special label for the team.

“You don’t quite know what to expect when you step in a bucket full of grapes,” Kristin Hokanson said

“We knew people love wine, and they love to come out and drink wine, but we had no idea there was so much interest in people learning the entire process,” she said. “We had people calling to say it’s been on their life bucket list to be able to be a part of a grape harvest. To be able to come out here and do that, they were able to check it off.”

John Hokanson said some people on social media were posting about how the winery wanted free labor, but he disputed the claim. He said the winery’s staff can harvest the grapes faster and more efficiently, but they wanted to involve the community.

“While (the grape-picking experience) was a little bit more work, it was more fun,” he said.

Throughout the picking experience in June, Kristin Hokanson said the group built camaraderie and many people made new friends.

Kristin Hokanson said opening the

The Hokansons are in their third year since taking ownership of the winery and vineyard. The vineyard had six types of grapes, and the staff harvests the grapes three times per year, harvesting two varieties of grapes at a time.

John Hokanson said the work they’ve done over the past two years has prepared them to be able to host an exclusive grape-picking event. For example, the Hokansons have worked with the University of Florida to learn about trimming, pesticides, fertilizers and more to ensure the best and easiest harvest.

“Every year, it’s just been educating ourselves on the vines and what we could do better to produce a better yield from year to year,” Kristin Hokanson said. “We didn’t want to put this event together until we were fully confident that we were able to give a fun and educational experience and make it as easy as possible to pick the grapes.”

Where: Fiorelli Winery and Vineyard, 4250 County Road 675, Bradenton

Cost: $70 (Tickets are limited and must be pre-purchased)

Details: Enjoy a continental breakfast before listening to an educational presentation on grape picking. Get your hands dirty while picking grapes before enjoying a lunch and wine tasting. Tour the facilities and learn about the winemaking process.

Register: FiorelliWinery.com/ Event/Exclusive-GrapePicking-Exerience

More information: 322-0976

Fiorelli Winery offers a chance for people to get hands-on experience with the winemaking process.

Photos by Liz Ramos

Kristin Hokanson, who owns Fiorelli Winery and Vineyard with her husband, John, is looking forward to the winery’s next grapepicking experience where participants help with the harvest.

Lori Lordachescu and Michelle Ulman stomp the grapes that will go into their customized bottle of wine after winning the grapepicking contest at Fiorelli Winery and Vineyard in June.

Courtesy photo

John and Kristin Hokanson, owners of Fiorelli Winery and Vineyard, look forward to educating people on the winemaking process during the winery’s grape-picking experience.

Some of the grapes at Fiorelli Winery and Vineyard are almost ready for harvest.

First Physicians Group Welcomes Jennifer Holl, MD

We are pleased to welcome Jennifer Holl, MD, colon and rectal surgeon, to First Physicians Group. She performs advanced surgery for rectal, anal and colon cancers, Crohn’s disease, colitis and diverticulitis. Dr. Holl focuses on personalized treatment strategies that address global wellness in all phases of care while using the latest minimally invasive techniques including robotic, laparoscopic, single-incision and no-incision transanal procedures. She takes pride in beginning patient recovery prior to surgery with a goal to get each patient home and on the road to recovery as quickly as possible.

Specialty: Colon and Rectal Surgery

Board Certifications: American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery and American Board of Surgery

Medical School: University of Mississippi School of Medicine, Jackson, MS

Residency: University of North Carolina Hospitals, Chapel Hill, NC

Fellowship: Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Towson, MD

To schedule an appointment, please call (941) 262-1400

First Physicians Group Colon and Rectal Surgery 1921 Waldemere Street, Suite 401, Sarasota, FL 34239 firstphysiciansgroup.com

Back to School Bash a hit

Lakewood Ranch’s Bennett Butler sat at a table at Music Compound’s Bradenton location strumming away.

After starting guitar lessons only a month ago, he already was practicing Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man.”

Later, Butler sat in front of a group to demonstrate the new chord he learned during Music Compound’s Back to School Bash Aug. 19.

“I like learning all of the chords,” Butler said.

The Back to School Bash gave children an opportunity to try various instruments including drums, piano and guitar.

East County 8-year-old Ellie Hatch is considering piano lessons, while her 6-year-old sister Lauren Hatch is thinking of participating in the kids’ jam session.

Protecting the President on 9/11

The unknown backstory from the cockpit of Airforce One

The Commander and Pilot for Air Force One on 9/11, Col. Mark W. Tillman, will share his experiences on that day, and in the days that followed,

from

through the Walter Haskins Fund in memory of Stacey K. Haskins, and a gift from the Eluned and Edward Russell Charitable Foundation.

— LIZ RAMOS

Music Compound music instructor Caitlyn Healey teaches Palmetto 6-year-old Jason Kirk how to play a C chord on the piano.

Photos by Liz Ramos

Lakewood Ranch 6-year-old Bennett Butler practices “Iron Man.” He started playing guitar a month ago.

By: Staff at Florida Lakes Vein Center

Varicose veins are enlarged, twisted, and often painful veins that usually appear on the legs and feet. They develop when the valves within the veins, which are responsible for preventing blood from flowing backward, become weak or damaged. This causes blood to pool in the veins, leading to their characteristic appearance and potential discomfort.

Treatment for varicose veins is recommended for several reasons:

Relief from Symptoms: Varicose veins can cause symptoms such as pain, aching, throbbing, itching, and a feeling of heaviness in the legs. Treating the veins can provide relief from these discomforts.

Prevention of Complications: If left untreated, varicose veins can lead to more serious complications such as blood clots,

ulcers, and skin changes. Treating varicose veins early can help prevent these complications from developing.

Improved Appearance: Many individuals seek treatment for varicose veins due to their unsightly appearance. The enlarged and twisted veins can be cosmetically undesirable, and treatment can help improve the appearance of the affected areas.

Enhanced Circulation: Treating varicose veins can improve blood circulation in the legs, which can reduce the risk of blood pooling and related issues.

It is important to consult a doctor on proper diagnosis and treatment because there are several treatment options available for varicose veins, depending on the severity and symptoms.

Treatments May Include:

Luckily, treatment is in your favor. FDA approved, minimally invasive treatments have a 99% success rate with far less risk and fewer side effects when compared to the now-antiquated vein stripping techniques of the past.

At Florida Lakes Vein Center, all treatments are performed in the office. There is no downtime, and normal activities can be resumed as soon as you leave our office.

Procedures are covered by most insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid.

Music Compound music instructor Alicia Schiavone offers Palmetto 6-year-old Bennett Blumer a beginner’s guitar lesson. “He has some type of performer in him. We just don’t know how to channel it yet,” says Hilary Blumer, Bennett’s mother.

Palmetto 2-year-old Ocean Whay applauds after listening to a song at Music Compound. He has taken an interest in playing drums and guitar.

Patrick Ensslin, an instructor at Music Compound’s Bradenton location, freestyles on the guitar.

COMMUNITY

THURSDAY, AUG. 24

TREE TOPS STORYTIME Runs from 12:30-1:15 p.m. at the Braden River Library, 4915 53rd Ave., E., Bradenton. Children ages 4-6 are welcome to enjoy stories and crafts in this free event. For more information, go to ManateeLibrary.Libcal. com.

THURSDAY, AUG. 24 THROUGH

SUNDAY, AUG. 27

LIVE MUSIC AT JIGGS LANDING

Runs from 5-8 p.m. at Jiggs Landing, 6106 63rd St. E., Bradenton. The live music lineup at Jiggs Landing includes Donnie Bostic (Thursday), Soundwave (Friday), Blue Grass Pirates (Saturday), and Nat Langston (Sunday). The Friday show has a $5 cover; the rest are free. For more information, go to JiggsLanding.com.

FRIDAY, AUG. 25

TECH HELP AT THE LIBRARY

Begins at 3 p.m. at the Braden River Library, 4915 53rd Ave., E., Bradenton. Free technical help is available for those who need it regarding androids, iPhones, tablets, laptops, e-books/audiobooks, and more. For more information, go to ManateeLibrary.Libcal.com.

SATURDAY, AUG. 26

FAB AND FIT JAZZERCISE

Begins at 9 a.m. at the Macy’s Court at the Mall at UTC, 140 University Town Center Drive, Sarasota. Join Fabletics and Jazzercise South Sarasota for a free 60-minute Jazzercise class. It will be a high-intensity dance party that will fuse cardio, strength, Pilates, hip hop, yoga and kickboxing. Bring water, a towel and hand-held weights. The program is sponsored by Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. For more information, go to MallatUTC.com.

SUNDAY, AUG. 27

FARMERS MARKET

Runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Lakefront Drive in Waterside Place, Lakewood Ranch. The Farmers Market at Lakewood Ranch will run year-round every Sunday. Vendors will be offering seafood, eggs, meats, dairy products, pastas, bakery goods, jams and pickles, among other items. Other

BEST BET

FRIDAY, AUG. 25 AND

SATURDAY, AUG. 26

MUSIC AT THE PLAZA

Runs from 6-9 p.m. at Waterside Place, 1561 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch. Singer/musician Ektor Keys provides the entertainment on Friday, while singer Mylon Shamble performs on Saturday. The entertainment is free. For more information, go to WatersidePlace.com.

features are children’s activities and live music. For more information, visit 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; $10 for nonresidents. For more information, go to MyLWR.com.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 30

BINGO FOR ALL

Begins at 10 a.m. at Greenbrook Adventure Park, 13010 Adventure Place, Lakewood Ranch. Lakewood Ranch Community Activities hosts Bingo. For more information, go to MyLWR.com.

File photo

Singer Mylon Shamble will perform at Waterside Place on Aug. 26.

A grand luau

Usually, when the Royale Polynesian Revue performs, it’s all smiles.

On Aug. 17, though, before the group entertained residents of Grand Living at Lakewood Ranch, revue leader Pesi Mauga talked about the wildfires that ripped through Lahaina on Maui, Hawaii. “I spent some time there, and it’s so sad to see what’s happening,” Mauga said of the devastation. “Lahaina is a beautiful town. It breaks my heart to talk about it, but God will take care of it.”

Then, the luau and show went on, with an extra number, “Lahaina Luna.”

Mauga told the audience they were about to embark on an “imaginary journey to some of the beautiful islands of the Polynesian people.”

He played his ukulele and sang renditions of the Hawaiian Wedding Song, Tiny Bubbles and Blue Hawaii. Maya Taeoalii danced around the stage, shaking feathered rattles and banging on a gourd drum called an uli uli.

Before the show, Taeoalii gave a lesson in hula dancing to any ladies who wanted to learn, and Mauga told the audience during the show that hula is good exercise for the hips.

Guests were greeted with leis and offered lilikoi juice, which comes from passion fruit and is a popular flavor in Hawaii. But if looking for more of a kick, mai tais and electric blue lemonades were also being served.

“Keep drinking; it’ll make me look good,” Mauga joked.

— LESLEY DWYER

LARGEST SELECTION OF FANS ANYWHERE!

Facet Assistant Crow Barnett serves mai tais to residents.

Barbara Allen, Tyler Smith and Debbie Bonnes trade their normal work attire for Hawaiian shirts.

Photos by Lesley Dwyer

Pesi Mauga sings as Maya Taeoalii plays the gourd drum.

Country Club home tops sales at $2.75 million

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

ACountry Club home topped all transactions in this week’s real estate. Alan and Cynthia Silverglat, trustees, of Bradenton, sold the home at 13302 Palmers Creek Terrace to Theodore Bryan and Ana Paula Bryant, of Bradenton, for $2.75 million. Built in 2005, it has four bedrooms, five baths, a pool and 5,459 square feet of living area. It sold for $340,000 in 2020. It sold for $2 million in 2008.

LAKE CLUB Sandra Clarke, of Sarasota, sold her home at 16742 Verona Place to Albert Fierro Jr. and Kathleen Fierro, trustees, of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, for $1,575,000. Built in 2019, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,638 square feet of living area. It sold for $746,000 in 2019.

COUNTRY CLUB EAST TX RE Opportunity 0224 LLC sold the home at 14206 Bathgate Terrace to Anne Mahalik, trustee, of Delray Beach, for $1,515,000. Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,737 square feet of living area. It sold for $950,000 in March.

Jennifer Shook, Guardian, of Duluth Georgia, sold the home at 7011 Whittlebury Trail to Stephen Kent Jones and Mary Patricia Jones, of Bradenton, for $1,125,000. Built in 2019, it has four bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,221 square feet of living area. It sold for $570,000 in 2020.

COUNTRY CLUB

Mark and Amy Moore sold their home at 13415 Montclair Place to William and Ida Nicholson, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1,475,000. Built in 2003, it has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,850 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,201,000 in 2021.

William and Ida Nicholson sold their home at 6819 Turnberry Isle Court to Spencer and Leigh King, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1,215,000. Built in 2001, it has five bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,505 square feet of living area. It sold for $967,500 in 2021.

Kenneth Decker and Donna Quinn, of Bradenton, sold their home at 13897 Siena Loop to Barbara Beth Moore, trustee, of Bradenton, for $955,000. Built in 2004, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,680 square feet of living area. It sold for $121,000 in 2004.

UNIVERSITY PARK

Scott Fitzgerald, trustee, of Bella Vista, Arkansas, sold the home at 8423 Grosvenor Court to Ina Sue Romick and JM Romick, of University Park, for $1,269,000. Built in 2013, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,029 square feet of living area. It sold for $722,700 in 2013.

SOUND AT WATERLEFE

Richard and Cheryl Reyenger, trustees, sold the Unit 6 condominium at 1035 Fish Hook Cove to Dennis and Mary Pat Williams, of Mission Hills, Kansas, for $1.25 million. Built in 2007, it has four bedrooms, two-and-three-half baths, a pool and 3,240 square feet of living area. It sold for $349,400 in 2010.

PRESERVE AT PANTHER RIDGE

Donald Edward Kirchman, trustee, of Bradenton, sold the home at 23312 Red Robin Place to Mark Cahill Investments LLC for $1.2 million. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,840 square feet of living area.

HARBOUR WALK Shamrock Investors LLC sold the home at 577 Mast Drive to Craig Youngdale and Christine Graham for $1,185,000. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,375 square feet of living area.

DEL WEBB

L. James Soma and Jeanine Harton Soma, trustees, of Bradenton, sold the home at 17506 Colebrook Circle to John Mather and Roberta Mather, trustees, of Bradenton, for $900,000. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,107 square feet of living area. It sold for $595,100 in 2020.

Pulte Home Co. LLC sold the home at 6758 Alstead Circle to Larry Depriest, Leann Depriest and Drew Depriest, trustees, of Lakewood Ranch, for $868,800. Built in 2019, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,127 square feet of living area.

RIVER CLUB SOUTH David and Josielyn Walker, of Bradenton, sold their home at 10507 Cypress Point Drive to Chad and Laura Scurlock, of Bradenton, for $831,200. Built in 1998, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,127 square feet of living area. It sold for $495,000 in 2020.

TREYMORE AT THE VILLAGES OF

PALM AIRE

Debra Jacobs Buttaggi, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the home at 4807 Carrington Circle to Alexander Baranov and Elena Baranova, of Hartsdale, New York, for $820,000. Built in 2000, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,348 square feet of living area. It sold for $470,000 in 2019.

MOTE RANCH

Francisco and Thelma Merino, trustees, of Lake Elsinore, California, sold the home at 6104 Stillwater Court to Thomas James Rose and Kimberly Ann Rose, of Bradenton, for $770,000. Built in 2000, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,625 square feet of living area. It sold for $680,000 in 2021.

RIVERDALE REVISED

Robert Tyler Atherton and Rebecca Elizabeth Atherton, of Key Largo, sold their home at 4412 Shark Drive to Jeff Brannon, of Bradenton, for $760,000. Built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,684 square feet of living area. It sold for $505,000 in 2020.

Paul and Dorothy Wiencek, of Bradenton, sold their home at 4727 Compass Drive to David Roney and Robin Krieger, of Bradenton, for $750,000. Built in 2001, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,653 square feet of living area.

CENTRAL PARK

The American Seagulls Inc. sold the home at 4820 Central Park Blvd. to Madison FL Properties LLC for $750,000. Built in 2015, it has five bedrooms, four baths and 3,300 square feet of living area. It sold for $445,000 in 2018.

HERITAGE HARBOUR

Deborah and Kevin Hawkes, of Brandon, sold their home at 7019 Quiet Creek Drive to Juan Jose Herrera and Sarka Vitkova, of Bradenton, for $735,000. Built in 2014, it has five bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,463 square feet of living area. It sold for $504,000 in 2021.

HARMONY David Quigley and Laura Schmitt, of Milford, Connecticut, sold their home at 11308 Spring Gate Trail to Graham King and Janette Girod, of Bradenton, for $725,000. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, twoand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,697 square feet of living area. It sold for $404,400 in 2018.

Russell and Maria Sinacore, of Bradenton, sold their home at 11835 Meadowgate Place to Anastasia Olegovna Zubkova and Stanislav Olegovich Vovk, of Bradenton, for $429,000. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,955 square feet of living area. It sold for $261,000 in 2016. Kevin Ryan Miller and Jennifer

Mayne Miller, of Senoia, Georgia, sold their home at 12423 Trailhead Drive to Rebecca Nicole Reinhardt, of Bradenton, for $410,000. Built in 2017, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,746 square feet of living area. It sold for $275,000 in 2020.

Darrik Jackson and Lauren Ricchiuti, of Bradenton, sold their home at 11630 Meadowgate Place to Donald Joseph Dillon and Christine Dillon, of Farmingdale, New York, for $395,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,904 square feet of living area. It sold for $299,000 in 2021.

WATERBURY GRAPEFRUIT

Austyn and Bryan Revell, of Blairsville, Georgia, sold their home at 21705 61st Ave. E. to Alexandria and Joshua Warta, of Bradenton,

for $715,000. Built in 1993, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 1,666 square feet of living area. It sold for $340,000 in 2020.

TARA Ronald and Mary Skweres, of Sarasota, sold their home at 6218 Cormorant Court to Gennadiy Volynskiy and Tatyana Volynskaya and Artem Volynskiy, of Bradenton, for $695,000. Built in 2003, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,017 square feet of living area.

See more transactions at YourObserver.com

Courtesy photo

This Country Club home at 13302 Palmers Creek Terrace sold for $2.75 million. It has four bedrooms, five baths, a pool and 5,459 square feet of living area.

GO TO HALE® - We Can Help

If you’ve been injured in a car accident or suffered injury due to another’s negligence, you need strong, effective legal assistance at your side to make sure you get the care and compensation you deserve to recover from your injuries to the fullest extent possible. Hale Law exists to provide the people of Lakewood Ranch with high-quality legal services and a focus on client needs and concerns.

Community Fund on the move

ers Give Back program, where area builders donate funds to the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund for each home they sell and hand out information about the fund to buyers.

FL

JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR

When former Schroeder-Manatee Ranch President and CEO John Clarke entered the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund special event Aug. 14, he was hoping to find out more about the direction of the fund.

Like many of the other people invited to the special event hosted by Short Par 4 and the Hidden Ranch social club (which is planning to open soon), Clarke said he was impressed with what he heard and saw.

Clarke, who founded the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund in 2000, was met by several Community Fund board members, including President Mark Clark.

“It is great that he still is engaged,” Clark said of the founder.

“There is (energy) in this room, and that is exciting,” Clarke said of the board members.

Clark talked to him about events and programs, such as the Build -

“We started (the community fund) with that,” Clarke said. “It was our first funding. But it sort of died.”

Short Par 4 owner Martin Haas and CFO Todd Stires have been impressed with the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund and they wanted to help by hosting the event.

“We want to find ways to give back,” Haas said.

The Lakewood Ranch Community Fund received its 501(c)3 exemption in 2021, splitting from the Manatee Community Foundation.

Northern Trust, a financial services company, will handle its funds.

“I absolutely love it,” said Northern Trust Managing Director Chris Romine of doing business with the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund.

“They want to go to the next step.”

Northern Trust Senior Vice President Jim McClure added, “Anytime you can take someone who wants to help in a community and has the resources, who would not want to be involved? We are going to manage their fund and we’re thrilled to help.”

A special event at Short Par 4/ Hidden Ranch offered information about the nonprofit’s direction as it moves forward.

Jay Heater

Short Par 4 owner Martin Haas and CFO Todd Stires talk to Lakewood Ranch Community Fund Board member Debbie Urban about the nonprofit’s upcoming events.

Fast

Mustangs flash potent passing attack

New head coach Scott Paravicini leads Lakewood Ranch High to an easy victory in its preseason opener.

RYAN KOHN SPORTS EDITOR

The neon green Gatorade landed on Scott Paravicini’s head and also splashed on the Lakewood Ranch High football players who had gathered around him in a circle.

Paravicini wiped the liquid away from his face and flashed a smile.

It was as much emotion as the Mustangs head coach would allow himself to show, at least on the field, after the Mustang’s 40-14 preseason home win over Dunedin High on Aug. 18. The win won’t count in the record books, but it meant something to Paravicini and his team, despite his reticence to show it.

“That was awesome,” Paravicini said.

The Pickleball Club at Lakewood Ranch has named Scott Brynski as its new general manager. Brynski brings more than 10 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, including five years at Bird Key Yacht Club in Sarasota. Brynski will formulate the club’s overall strategy and manage its team.

… The high school football regular season kicks off this week, and two East County teams are at home. Braden

River High hosts Gainesville

High at 7 p.m., while The Outof-Door Academy hosts Berean Christian at 7 p.m. Both teams have a strong chance to win, as Gainesville was 0-10 in 2022 and Berean Christian was 1-8. Meanwhile, Lakewood Ranch

High is on the road against Lemon Bay High at 7 p.m.; the Mustangs beat the Manta Rays 7-0 at home in 2022.

Lakewood Ranch High football is looking for two coaches to help with its junior varsity program for the 2023 season. If interested, send an email to assistant coach Chris Monoki at ChrisMonoki@gmail. com for more information.

… Lakewood Ranch High is also looking for a junior varsity softball coach for the 2024 season. If interested, send an email to varsity head coach Taylor Gould at GouldT@ ManateeSchools.net for more information.

Alynna Fricke (18) won the Nine Hole Ladies Golf Association “Putting Around” event (individual low total scoring) held Aug. 17 at University Park Country Club, while Susie Melum (64) won the Nine Hole Ladies Golf Association “Sweet 16” event (individual low net scoring) held Aug. 15 at University Park Country Club.

Paravicini, a 2012 graduate of Lakewood Ranch, came to the Mustangs from Bradenton Christian School after the departure of Rashad West to Palmetto High. Paravicini spent one season as the Panthers’ head coach, going 2-7, after three years as the Panthers’ defensive coordinator.

Before his time at BCS began, Paravicini was an assistant coach with the Mustangs for three seasons, coaching the special teams unit and the defensive secondary.

Paravicini said he is thankful for his time at BCS and enjoyed it. Lakewood Ranch was the school he would have left BCS to coach, he said — and the Mustangs had an opening he couldn’t turn down.

Paravicini said his goal in his first year is to set a baseline for the program, both in terms of on-field performance and off-the-field culture and fun. Paravicini has talked to the team about “atomic changes.”

“If you get 1% better every day, it’s hard to see the effect it has in real time, but those percentages eventually add up to something meaningful,” he said.

After months of making those changes, the Mustangs had a chance to show what they could do against Dunedin, and they made it count.

The Mustangs’ passing game shined, as senior quarterback Sebastian Mejia connected with senior wide receiver/defensive back Jayden Munoz for two touchdowns, one of 75 yards and one of 20 yards.

Munoz has previously been used exclusively in the defensive secondary, but Paravicini said it didn’t take him long to figure out that the 5-foot-9 Munoz’s athleticism is too good to limit to one side of the ball.

The offense will also feature senior receiver Connor Anthony, whose 6-foot-5 frame is an advantage over most defensive backs he will face, particularly in the red zone. Anthony caught a two-point conversion against Dunedin.

As for Mejia, Paravicini said he played like a quarterback who had waited his turn and spent three seasons learning as much as he could. While Mejia missed on some intermediate throws, he showed an ability to get the ball out quickly on screen passes as well as connect on deep passes. He showed a fearlessness to attempt the long passes in the face of pressure. For a team that plans on featuring its passing attack, that’s what Paravicini wanted to see.

“He stayed true to who he is and to the offense,” Paravicini said of Mejia. “He’s paid his dues here. He earned the job this offseason. A few things we have to shape up, but for the first start of the year, you can’t ask for much better.”

Senior running back Simon Freed also ran for two touchdowns, one of 35 yards and one of seven yards.

He split carries with junior Cullen McRae and senior Teagan Randall. Freed is a power back while McRae and Randall are speed backs. The

AT A GLANCE

LAKEWOOD RANCH HIGH

FOOTBALL

2022 record: 6-4 (did not qualify for the postseason)

Head coach: Scott Paravicini, first season

Key to the season: The passing game. If senior quarterback Sebastian Mejia can find skill players like seniors Jayden Munoz and Connor Anthony with consistency, the Mustangs have a chance to pile on the points — and a talented enough defensive secondary to prevent teams from coming back.

trio give the Mustangs options in the backfield.

On defense, the Mustangs held Dunedin to a lone touchdown until late in the fourth quarter. The secondary has the most experience of the defense’s three units, as Munoz patrols the field at safety and senior Dalin Koscielski and junior Trey Schwartz are also talented defensive backs. The trio combined for 10 interceptions and 10 passes defended in 2022.

In the front seven, senior defensive lineman Nate “Oklahoma” Smith can clog running lanes and create havoc for offenses. Smith, who also a state title contender on the school’s wrestling team, had 29 tackles in 2022. The linebacker corps also has potential, as senior Levi Freed is back after a team-high 82 tackles in 2022, and players like senior Evan Bolick (18 tackles) step into more meaningful roles.

The schedule will do the Mustangs no favors in getting settled into Paravicini’s system. A season-opening road game against Lemon Bay High, a team the Mustangs beat 7-0 last season, leads into matchups against Cardinal Mooney High, Braden River High, IMG Academy Blue, Manatee

SCHEDULE

All games at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted:

High and Palmetto High, among other competitive opponents. Paravicini and his team are not worried about that. To them, who they play is less important than how they play.

“We’re going to set ourselves up to be successful in the things we can control,” Paravicini said. “All I can worry about is the guys I have in my building and how we’re going to make them successful each week.”

■ Aug. 25 at Lemon Bay High

■ Sept. 1 at Cardinal Mooney High

■ Sept. 8 at Braden River High

■ Sept. 14 at IMG Academy Blue

■ Sept. 22 vs. Lyman High

■ Sept. 29 vs. Manatee High

■ Oct. 13 vs. Palmetto High

■ Oct. 20 vs. Gibbs High

■ Oct. 27 vs. Bayshore High

■ Nov. 3 at Booker High (7:30 p.m.)

“ I have more endurance than speed. And I like running on all the different terrains. ”

— Mustangs cross-country runner Olivia Spiegel SEE PAGE 25

Courtesy photo

Scott Brynski is the new general manager of The Pickleball Club at Lakewood Ranch.

Photos by Ryan Kohn

Lakewood Ranch senior quarterback Sebastian Mejia threw two touchdowns and ran for one touchdown against Dunedin High on Aug. 18 in a preseason game.

Lakewood Ranch High football head coach Scott Paravicini is a 2012 graduate of the school.

PROSE AND KOHN RYAN KOHN

Former Concession exec lands job with Soleta

The 7,400-yard course is being built in Myakka City on pastures, prairies and saw palmettos, it’s designed by World Golf Hall of Fame member Nick Price and it’s being built by Heritage Links, which has Chambers Bay Golf Course in University Place, Washington, and The Estancia Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, on its resume.

That’s some impressive stuff.

Then note the practice and training facility is being designed by world famous golf instructor David Leadbetter.

Oh, and tennis courts, pickleball courts and a lagoon-style pool will be featured in the new community, which will offer access to two miles of the Myakka River for canoeing, fishing and other activities.

Who wouldn’t be excited about all that?

The new community is called Soleta Golf Club, and while all of these features will draw the interest of many prospective members and home buyers, they also draw potential staff members.

Alan Pope is one such staff member, and he figures to be a key one. Pope was named the club’s membership and sales director July 31, though Pope said he’s been working for the club since November. Pope comes to Soleta from The Coral Creek Club in Boca Grande, but he previously served as membership director at The Concession Golf Club, so he knows the East County area well.

When Soleta Managing Partner David Turner and others contacted Pope about the club, he knew right away it was an opportunity he couldn’t turn down. Pope worked with Leadbetter at Coral Creek, and the idea of a golf-focused club around and through wetlands was appealing. When the club told him

it was hiring Price to design the course, that was gravy on top of a already-delicious meal.

“I knew it was going to be stateof-the-art,” Pope said. “It’s going to be a place people want to be.”

That’s where Pope comes in. His job is to get people to buy into Soleta’s vision, just like he did.

Besides the big names involved in the club — which Pope said are a big selling point to prospective members — Pope is advertising the club as a place where the sport of golf comes first, along with the family experience.

“A lot of clubs in the area might be focused on the family aspect — the dining, the pool, the tennis,” Pope said. “(Soleta’s) vision is to have both. We want a great family experience but also a great

golf course. I think it’s going to be impressive.”  Another selling point? Pope said the club will initially focus on its member experience as opposed to luring events from the PGA Tour or Korn Ferry Tour. Pope understands that approach, he said, but as a brand-new club, Soleta is more concerned with creating a great environment for the people who are there every day. Many years down the line, could the club host something? It’s possible, Pope said, but not in the foreseeable future.

Soleta will feature 93 custombuilt homes separated into three enclaves. Pope said the club’s ultimate goal is to have 275 fulltime members and another hundred “national” members, defined as members who live 60 miles or more from the club, who stop in a handful of times a year to play a round. There will also be sports memberships available for people who don’t play golf but are interested in using the club’s tennis, pickleball or fitness amenities. Pope said the club has not set a target number of

sports memberships yet.  Prospective members can apply on SoletaGolf.com, but don’t think applying means an automatic spot. It doesn’t. Pope said the club will go through each application carefully and only accept members who fit the culture that Soleta is trying to create.

“We’re looking for that family that wants to meet new people and be around a place that has a great atmosphere,” Pope said. “We want people who will wear the club logo with pride when they travel or go out on the town. We want people to let others know they’re members at Soleta. That’s how you build culture. You find people that fit what you’re looking for.”

Besides creating a desired and consistent culture, Pope said, the main concern of the club is not expanding too quickly. Pope said he hopes every member can secure tee times with ease and have the ability to finish a round in approximately four hours. When you can’t do those things, Pope said, members understandably get frustrated.

There’s a long way to go before Soleta is ready to host rounds of golf — the plan is for the course to open in late 2024 — but Pope is counting down the days. He’s excited for the members he’s courting, of course, but also for himself.

He’s got a job to do, but playing on Price’s course and Leadbetter’s practice facility will be a nice perk.

“Nick likes that natural feel of golf,” Pope said. “It’s got a different play to it than other courses you’ll see around Sarasota. It’s old Florida. It’s a wonderful piece of property and he’s not touching the wetlands at all. It’s going to be unique. I’m excited to get to play it.”

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

Courtesy photos

Soleta Golf Club membership and sales Director Alan Pope said the club will focus on creating the best possible golf experience for its members, while also having family amenities.

A look at Soleta Golf Club’s conceptual master plan as of Aug. 19.

Olivia Spiegel

Olivia Spiegel is a junior on the Lakewood Ranch High girls crosscountry team. Spiegel finished 30th overall (19:58.20) at the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 4A state meet in 2022 as a sophomore. The 2023 cross-country season kicks off Aug. 27 with the Jim Ryun Invitational in Lakeland.

When did you start running cross-country?

I started taking it seriously as a freshman. Before high school, I used it as a way to stay in shape for soccer. But as a freshman, I decided to try out for the team and I fell in love with the sport, as well as my teammates and my coach (Rae Ann Darling Reed). I decided that I was good at it because I kept getting progressively better. Now I’ve stopped playing soccer to focus on cross-country and track and field.

What is the appeal to you?

It’s an outlet to get rid of all my stress and all the thoughts in my head. Because I run with my teammates, whom I love, I put everything in my heart out there and I just go.

What is your preferred running sport?

I like cross-country the most. It’s one race. You get it over with. You don’t have to be anxious waiting for multiple races. I also think distance is my preferred type of running. I have more endurance than speed.

And I like running on all the different terrains.

What is your favorite memory?

Running at the state meet last sea son. The team was mostly seniors and we were so happy to be racing together.

What was your focus this offseason?

Building my endurance as much as possible. I was running 10 miles a bunch. I wanted to get that distance under my belt. I know the speed will come with time. I just wanted to make sure I

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.

was getting in the miles I needed to perform the way I want this season.

What are your goals for the season?

I’d be happy with any low-19 minute time, but if I could get sub 19, that would be amazing.

What are your hobbies?

I hang out with my friends and go to the beach with them. I love the ocean. I like to shop and hang out with my family. And I walk my dog, Bailey. She’s a Havanese.

What is the best advice you have received?

Trust the process. Eventually, I will reach my goals. Running challenges you physically and mentally. Knowing that, you have to trust that you have a plan. It is motivating in the toughest times.

Finish this sentence: “Olivia Spiegel is …” … Determined. Whether it is running, school, maintaining relationships, studying, I’m always determined to push myself and to be better.

OF THE WEEK

All submissions will be entered for the 2023-24 Weather and Nature photo contest. In February 2024, you will vote for your favorite photo, and the submission with the most votes will win a $500 gift card.

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TEMPUS FUGIT by Paul Coulter, edited by Jeff Chen

By Luis Campos

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

RED PAGES

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