East County Observer 5.23.24

EAST COUNTY

Commission road show hits Lakewood Ranch

YOUR TOWN

S’more fun at Camping Day

Tiffany Barrett-Greer (above with Klyde Hall), a second grade teacher at Braden River Elementary School, followed instructions to the letter.

Her student, Klyde Hall, wrote how he wanted his s’more to be created. Students learned it was all in the details as some s’mores were put together, or not put together, based on their written instructions.

Barrett-Greer followed Hall’s instructions exactly as written: graham cracker, then chocolate with a marshmallow last.

She put the s’more on a plate and handed the creation to Hall. Her class enjoyed their s’mores during Camping Day May 17.

County exeutive honored

The Lakewood Ranch Young Leaders Alliance honored Courtney De Pol (above), a Manatee County deputy county administrator, with the Next Gen Young Leaders Award on May 16 at Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club.

The award recognizes young professionals in the Lakewood Ranch area who “strive toward the highest level of personal and professional accomplishment and who are making a difference and forging paths of leadership for others to follow,” according to a news release.

“We were honored to recognize Courtney De Pol as our first-ever Next Gen Award recipient,” said Brittany Lamont, president and CEO of the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance, in a release. “Her leadership within Manatee County continues to push the County forward and provide support to our many businesses who call Manatee County home.”

Ramos

Dustin Dahlquist, principal at Lakewood Ranch High School, congratulates Karina Lee.

photo Steve Lubrino, shown here on the Day of Remembrance in 2021 at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch, says it’s important to tell the stories of veterans and first responders.

More additions planned for East County schools

However, the future of a new high school in Lakewood Ranch is uncertain.

LIZ RAMOS SENIOR EDITOR

More East County schools could see construction over the next five years if the School Board of Manatee County approves the proposed 2024-2025 through 2028-2029 capital plan.

Under the proposed capital plan, Braden River High School and R. Dan Nolan Middle School are slated to have additions in 2027-2028.

Braden River High is expected to have a 10-classroom addition, while an eight-classroom addition is scheduled for Nolan Middle.  But the biggest question is whether the district should, at this time, spend $200 million on a new high school in Lakewood Ranch on approximately 103 acres south of Rangeland Parkway and west of Post Boulevard.

The new high school is expected to help alleviate overcrowding at Lakewood Ranch High School.

If the school board approves the capital plan as proposed, the high school would be scheduled to open in August 2027.

Joseph Ranaldi, the deputy superintendent of operations for the School District of Manatee County, said the school plan is in its early stages and the district has yet to begin design work for it.

Chad Choate, a member of the school board, questioned the timing and necessity of the potential new high school.

“I want to make sure we turn every stone before we take on more debt,” Choate said.

Choate said there are high schools in west Manatee County that are under capacity. Although rezoning would be a difficult and unpopular decision, he questioned whether

rezoning the high schools to better balance the capacities among the schools would be a better option than spending $200 million on a new school.

“The reality is west of (Interstate) 75 is not where the growth is happening, and we have classrooms empty on a lot of campuses, and it’s hard for me to swallow taking on $200 million worth of debt,” Choate said.

He also questioned whether additions at other high schools will be enough to address the growth in the area.

A 16-classroom addition at Parrish Community High School will add 400 students to the school’s 2,043-student capacity. A proposed 10-classroom addition will add 250 students at Braden River High.

The addition at Parrish Community High School was constructed earlier than previously expected.

The school opened in 2019 with 5,353 students enrolled in ninth and 10th grades. A grade level was added each year over the next two years. The district wasn’t expecting to have to construct the addition until at least six years after the school’s opening.

The 22-classroom addition at

Lakewood Ranch High School opened in January, giving the district the opportunity to remove the 20 portables on the campus.

Jason Wysong, superintendent of the School District of Manatee County, said the district will have a plethora of discussions regarding future construction plans as the district progresses on the new K-8 school in East County, as well as the elementary schools planned for Rye Ranch and Artisan Lakes. The K-8 school is expected to open the elementary portion in 2025 and the middle school in 2026. The elementary schools are expected to open in 2026.

Wysong said the board will need to discuss geography, growth, transportation patterns and more.

“Another layer of that conversation is discussions about how big do we want schools to be, how small do we want schools to be, what are the budgetary and programming impacts of that, how are parent and family expectations changing relating to large high schools versus small high schools,” Wysong said. “If we have some of those conversations, that might illuminate whether (building

a new Lakewood Ranch High School) makes sense or not. For now, it’s just a line on the capital plan but without the board approving funding, we can’t afford that campus just from our regular budget.”

School Board Member Cindy Spray said the schools are an important factor in where people will buy their homes.

“The real challenge for us as a district is to make every school desirable. That is the real goal so we don’t have to look at one school’s overcrowding and another school with capacity,” Spray said.

Besides new construction, the proposed capital plan includes a renovation at Myakka City Elementary School that is slated for fiscal year 2025-2026 at $24.6 million.

The district also has allocated $400,000 every year for security fencing at schools. In the 2024-2025 school year, security fencing will be put up at Gilbert W. McNeal, Braden River, Freedom and Gene Witt elementary schools as well as Nolan Middle.

Construction will continue on the new K-8 school being built on an approximately 40-acre site off

PROJECTS IN EAST COUNTY

PROJECTS IN PROGRESS

■ Carlos E. Haile Middle School renovation

■ New K-8 School on Academic Road

■ Manatee Technical College Law Academy Range

■ Manatee Technical College Aircraft Maintenance Technical School

■ Parrish Community High School addition

■ Tara Elementary School renovation and addition

PROJECTS COMPLETED IN 2023-24 SCHOOL YEAR

■ Lakewood Ranch High School addition

■ Carlos E. Haile Middle School addition

■ Freedom Elementary School addition

PROJECTS PROPOSED FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS

■ New high school

■ Braden River High School addition

■ R. Dan Nolan Middle School addition

■ Myakka City Elementary School renovation

■ Manatee Technical College expansion

■ New elementary school- Rye Ranch

Uihlein Road.

The elementary portion of the school is expected to open in August 2025. It includes the classrooms for kindergarten through fifth grade as well as the core facilities such as the administration area, media center, kitchen, dining area and classrooms for art and music.

The middle school portion of the school is expected to be complete in February 2026, and the school will welcome middle school students in August 2026.

The school is projected to have 1,620 students, with the potential for an expansion that would add 250 students to the capacity.

Courtesy rendering

The School District of Manatee County is making progress toward building a K-8 school in Lakewood Ranch.

Commissioners take stage in Lakewood Ranch

Special ‘All Things LWR’ Commission meeting lets some residents bring up issues.

JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR

With approximately 100 people in the audience at the Lakewood Ranch High auditorium, Lakewood Ranch resident Carol Lucas walked up to a podium to address Manatee County commissioners.

It was May 18, a Saturday, which is a rare day for a Manatee County Commission meeting. However, the special session was arranged to give those residents in the Lakewood Ranch area easy access to commissioners in case their work schedule prevented them from attending the normally scheduled meetings in downtown Bradenton.

The meeting was titled, “All Things Lakewood Ranch.”

While much of the subject matter didn’t follow the billing and amounted to a review of county accomplishments, many of those in attendance said they did, indeed, appreciate not having to drive to the Manatee County Administration Building for a meeting.

Lucas wanted to speak during the Citizens Comments section of the meeting to address the lack of public pickleball courts in the Lakewood Ranch area.

She was one of nine speakers who had an opportunity to address specific issues in Lakewood Ranch.

Commissioner Chair Mike Rahn told those in the audience they had to limit the amount of speakers due to time constraints.

Lucas told commissioners that she had attended a similar 2018 meeting in Lakewood Ranch at the former Red Cross building in which county staff members outlined plans for public pickleball courts.

“Then nothing,” Lucas said.  Lucas, and Bob Haskin, who also spoke to commissioners during the public comment session, started the Lakewood Ranch Pickleball Club and have been closely following the county’s plans to build new courts at Lakewood Ranch Park along with a swimming/pickleball complex at the

ALL THINGS LWR

Highlights of Manatee County’s presentation to Lakewood Ranch-area residents during All Things LWR:

■ Twenty-six pickleball courts and the aquatics center are scheduled for completion in summer 2026 at Premier Park North.

■ LED lighting, which won’t bleed into bordering neighborhoods, for all fields will be finished at Lakewood Ranch Park by summer 2025.

■ Country Club East Park will get three new youth baseball fields and a treehouse playground.

■ Greenbrook Park will see its sports fields converted to Bermuda grass to be finished in August and LED light for the fields will be completed in summer 2025.

Premier North Park. CONCERNED ABOUT 2024

The Premier North Park pickleball complex has been delayed as plans have changed and something that was planned to be open already is now scheduled to be finished in 2026.

Compounding the problem, the pickleball courts at Lakewood Ranch Park have been torn up during a replacement project.

“We have zero public pickleball courts,” Lucas said. “We need the commissioners to hold the staff accountable for delivering on the plans.”

Although Lucas has little confidence the commissioners will deliver on the 2026 date, she said at least the commission meeting at Lakewood Ranch High provided the opportunity speak to the department heads so she could meet those responsible.

Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge assured those interested in pickleball that the new complex would be delivered in 2026.

“But I’m concerned about 2024,” Lucas said.

Others in the crowd voiced similar viewpoints that, being seniors, they might not be around by the time Manatee County delivers on many of the amenities it promised to build at Premier Park North after purchasing the land from Schroeder-Manatee Ranch in 2017 and 2018.

A slide on future plans for the park included a baseball/softball complex, a recreational trail and expanded parking. However, nothing was mentioned about the previously planned event lawn (pavilion), basketball court, skate park, volleyball courts, playgrounds or dog park.

“I want all the park amenities,” Lucas said. “I want the amphitheater.”

She noted the pickleball courts at Lakewood Ranch Park were “horrible,” but at least the players had something.

She said once the county dug those up to be replaced, “They didn’t have the common courtesy or foresight to replace them (temporarily).”

She has been told the new courts at Lakewood Ranch Park will be done in August.

But she and Haskin told commissioners that lights should have been included when building new courts.

“They didn’t budget for lights,” she said. “How can you do that?”

Haskin added, “There’s no lighting for people who want to play after work in the winter.”

CITIZEN COMMENTS

Other citizens voiced complaints

during the meeting, as well, but didn’t have an opportunity to engage with commissioners. They had three minutes to cover their topic, and then commissioners (mostly Rahn) ran through their issues in rapid-fire succession, mostly indicating their comments would be considered at a later date.

One citizen said she thought the Lakewood Ranch area fell a bit short when it came to the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Another said the noise and speeding problems on University Parkway were making living along the road unbearable. A homeowner complained that approving the commercial development request coming up in front of the commission would have a negative impact on the Sapphire Point community. A Tara resident wanted to know what the county has planned for the 55 acres it purchased from developer Lake Lincoln in a 2023 settlement. A homeowner questioned the rising density being allowed along Lorraine Road and if the commissioners could limit that growth to help those neighbors “maintain their quality of life.”

One citizen asked whether the county had paid a price in terms of ranches and agriculture and whether the commissioners were willing to draw a line where they would say “no” to development. The commissioners were asked about help cleaning up after a hurricane as many residents continue to wait for FEMA funds. Traffic around the Central Park neighborhood is a concern once the 44th Avenue extension opens.

There was little time for commissioners to respond to any of the questions. Commissioners gave comments such as “We sit in the same traffic as you do,” and “We are frustrated, too, with how slow government moves at times.”

District 5 Commissioner Ray Turner, who represents the Lakewood Ranch area, said the meeting might not have been perfect, but it’s a start toward more accessibility and accountability.

“We wanted to offer something unique,” Turner said. “We wanted the folks to be able to meet those behind the scenes. We wanted to bring the government to you.”

Turner was the last one to leave the high school, staying to answer any questions from his constituents.

“This was set up as a workshop, and we changed it into a town hall to allow more interaction,” he said. “Do we shift it into a meeting? I don’t know. But this was a unique opportunity. Perhaps we do it in the

evening?”

Cary Knight, the director of property management for Manatee County, said he was impressed with the crowd.

“Seeing this many people tells us how invested this community is,” he said.

However, Turner said the county needs to find ways to get even bigger crowds to adequately address the Lakewood Ranch issues.

He said he sees bigger crowds at the HOA meetings when he holds a town hall. Turner noted that he will talk with SMR about sound abatement along University Parkway to see if there are solutions. He said commissioners are working hard to push road projects through that would ease traffic congestion.

Getting amenities built at Premier is a priority.

“We are on the gas to get all these projects done,” he said.

For projects such as the aquatics/ racket sports complex, Turner said it is a matter of just being more decisive.

“Make a decision ... and let’s get it done!” he said. “People are overanalyzing, and we keep changing the cooks.”

He noted that the makeup of the commission can change every two years.

“One board doesn’t necessarily have the same priorities as another,” he said.

While all Manatee County’s main department heads were present, Turner said he hopes residents will use the commissioners as the point people in the projects. That way staff

“Make a decision ... and let’s get it done! People are overanalyzing, and we keep changing the cooks.”

Ray Turner, District 5 Commissioner

members will be free to concentrate on their jobs.

MEETING NOTES

Public Works Director Chad Butzow said his department is working hard to streamline the last segment of 44th Avenue, which crosses Interstate 75 and will provide Lakewood Ranch with a direct route to west Bradenton. He said the initially agreed-upon finish date is April 2026, but his department is shooting for an end-of-year 2025 finish.

The Lena Road connection, that will allow motorists to drive from State Road 64 to State Road 70 on Lena Road, is not quite as high a priority, but Butzow said the hope is that it will be finished “As close to the opening of 44th Avenue as possible.”

While Turner said nothing is set in concrete, he said proposals are being considered for a possible arts or events center at Premier Park North. He said the center could be used as a multipurpose facility. He also said a major Lakewood Ranch Boulevard resurfacing project is scheduled to start this summer if approved in the 2025 fiscal budget. In the meantime, a patching project will be used to make life easier on the motorists. The goal is that the resurfacing would be finished by Labor Day.

A fence surrounds the area that hosted pickleball courts at Lakewood Ranch Park. New courts are expected to be finished this summer.

The Manatee County commissioners literally were on stage May 18 in the Lakewood Ranch High auditorium.

Photos by Jay Heater

PATIENT BEATS COLON CANCER WITH ROBOTIC SURGERY

Life was good for Michael Shatto, of Terra Ceia. The 73-year-old retiree enjoys swimming and tending to his orchid collection. Life took a turn, however, when he was diagnosed with colon cancer. After doing his research, he chose general surgeon Samuel Yelverton, MD, at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center to remove his cancer.

Following his procedure, a robotic sigmoid colon resection, Shatto was able to go home the next day. He credits Dr. Yelverton’s extensive experience with robotic procedures –(200+) – his calm bedside manner, the kindness of the nurses and the helpfulness of the physical therapist for encouraging the confidence he needed to recover quickly. He is back to water aerobics and tending to the flowers he loves.

“I am so thankful for everyone who cared for me,” says Shatto.

Ranch Medical Center offers a comprehensive variety of open and minimally invasive laparoscopic treatments, as well as robotic procedures with the DaVinci® robotic system, including colorectal, gynecologic and urologic surgery. Visit lwrmc.com/surgery.

Four East County schools assigned new principals

our East County schools will have new principals in the 2024-25 school year.

Freedom Elementary School

Principal Guy Grimes is leaving the school to become the principal at Johnson K-8 School.

Juliette Gjini will replace Grimes as principal. She is coming from Orange County, where she served as principal at Chickasaw Elementary since 2019.

From 2017 to 2019, Gjini served as an assistant principal at MetroWest Elementary. She also served as an instructional literacy coach at Riverside Elementary from 2016 to 2017 as well as an instructional literacy coach at Forest City Elementary in Seminole County from 2013 to 2016.

Braden River Elementary School

Principal Joshua Bennett is leaving the school to become director of exceptional student education.  He became principal at Braden River Elementary School in 2019 after serving as the principal at William H. Bashaw Elementary from 2010 to 2019.

Mary Oliva, who has been with the School District of Manatee County for 17 years, will replace Bennett at Braden River Elementary.

Oliva comes from Ballard Elementary School, where she was assistant principal since 2021.

She previously served as a Hope Grant school coordinator from 2019 to 2021 as well as a Title I federal and state programs specialist for the district from 2014 to 2018.

From 2007 to 2014, Oliva was an elementary school teacher.

Scott Cooper, current principal at R. Dan Nolan Middle School, is leaving his post to become the principal of Bayshore High School.

Cooper has been with the district for 24 years, serving as principal at Nolan Middle since 2020, principal at Lee Middle from 2014 to 2020 and principal at Buffalo Creek Middle for two years.

He also served as an assistant principal at Bayshore High School

for four years.

Carl Auckerman, the current principal at Braden River High School, will replace Cooper. Auckerman has been serving as principal at Braden River High since 2021.

A 26-year veteran of the district, Auckerman has also previously served as principal at Palmetto High School from 2016 to 2021, Johnson Middle School from 2013 to 2015 and Central High School from 2010 to 2013.

Auckerman also served as director of personnel services for the district from 2015 to 2016 and was an assistant principal at Bayshore High School from 2002 to 2010.

Wendell Butler, who has been with the district for 19 years, will be the new principal at Braden River High.  Since 2017, Butler has been principal at Bayshore High School.

Before then, he was an assistant principal at Southeast High from 2011 to 2017.

Butler started his career at Southeast High, where he graduated high school, as a teacher in 2005. He taught at the school until 2011.

Juliette Gjini

Carl Auckerman

Wendell Butler

Mary Oliva

Additional school zone approved for Greenbrook Boulevard

LESLEY DWYER

An anomaly exists on Greenbrook Boulevard where parents enter the car line for Gilbert W. McNeal Elementary School and R. Dan Nolan Middle School.

While that stretch of road is directly in front of the two schools, it is not designated as a school zone.

The corner of Greenbrook Boulevard and Lorraine Road is a school zone, but when turning east on Greenbrook Boulevard, drivers are immediately met with “End School Zone” sign. On Greenbrook Boulevard, the school zone picks up again in front of Greenbrook Park.

By the start of the next school year, Manatee County has designated the entire stretch between Lorraine Road and Greenbrook Park to be a school zone with a posted speed limit of 15 mph when the lights are flashing.

Parents say the speed limit is a good start, but they’ve also requested the county make the intersection of Greenbrook Boulevard and Ladyfish Trail, where the car lines forms, a four-way stop.

“We have cars that are speeding from Lorraine and from Premier Sports Campus to cut through,” Jaime Marco said. “It’s a cut-through, so they’re going way faster.”

Marco is chair of the School Advisory Council for McNeal, which initiated the action to extend the school zone. While the group asked for the stop signs, too, the county is only moving ahead with the 15 mph speed limit signs for now.

“The traffic count that Public Works did there didn’t quite warrant stop signs,” Commissioner Ray Turner said. “We all agree that (extending the school zone) might help out quite a bit. If it doesn’t work, I will not hesitate to press for the stop signs.”

EXTENDED SCHOOL ZONE

IN PRACTICE

Elena Vergnais, a Preserve resident, said not having a school zone in front of two schools is “insane.”

For the most part, only cars enter and exit the school through that lane. Students walking or riding their bikes usually enter and exit the schools through Greenbrook Park. That’s where crossing guard Sharon Danna is stationed on Greenbrook Boulevard.

McNeal opened in 2003, and Nolan opened in 2004. Lakewood Ranch was an entirely different landscape back then. There wouldn’t have been over 2,300 cars on the road during a school week as currently measured by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office has had a speed sign posted in the area over the past several weeks.

From April 29 through May 3, the sign clocked 147 out of 2,349 cars speeding, 33 of which were exceeding 40 mph. The high speed for the week was 47 mph at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday morning.

“That’s a good sampling of what we see,” said Randy Warren, who is the public information officer for the Manatee County Sheriff’s

Office. “But most people slow down when they see our (speed signs) in the area.”

Twenty years since the schools opened, the car line now sits opposite of the entrance to The Preserve in Greenbrook, so there’s more traffic on the road.

Currently at Greenbrook Boulevard and Ladyfish Trail, the traffic can be so bad at the drop off time that the drivers have to put down their windows to wave at each other in an attempt to direct traffic.

“We rely on each other’s kindness,” Vergnais said. “People start waving to each other because there is no other way.”

Vergnais said she doesn’t even try to get out of the neighborhood using that exit in the morning because she has to sit so long trying to make a left turn. On the rare occasions she does go that way, she usually ends up

turning right and makes a U-turn.

But that’s only an inconvenience. Her concern is for the safety of students and parents who are walking and riding bikes.

Vergnais’ two daughters were in a minivan that was T-boned in December after a driver blew through a stop sign out onto Greenbrook Boulevard. Another mom was driving the minivan, and there were four children in the car. The passengers suffered bruises and minor injuries. All are recovered now, but Vergnais said it was traumatic for everyone.

“I’m hoping to get a (four-way stop), but even stop signs don’t guarantee that the driver will respect it,” Vergnais said.

Neighbors have bounced around other ideas, too. They have talked about speed tables or a red light that only operates during school hours, but they recognize those are more

expensive options the county would be less responsive to installing. Stop signs are relatively inexpensive and easy to install. They also don’t require maintenance.

As far as getting stop signs installed, the county relies on traffic counts to determine if they’re warranted or not. Marco said common sense needs to override a traffic count in this case.

“I do know is that if you just sit here, you will see cars speeding,” Marco said.

Turner agreed that common sense can overrule a traffic count.

“If we’ve got a problem, obviously, common sense then overrides everything,” he said. “If we’ve got a legitimate safety concern, then I’ll press it. And I won’t get resistance. When it comes to safety, the board takes that very seriously.”

Courtesy image

The new school speed zone on Greenbrook Boulevard will connect the two existing school zones.

McNeal Elementary School

Nolan Middle School

Greenbrook Park

Parade honors former NYC fireman

JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR

Approaching Memorial Day each year, Lakewood Ranch

High Swim Coach Steve Lubrino tells his swimmers they need to do “The Murph.”

Those new to the program just stare back at him.

“The Murph” is a CrossFit exercise that combines running a mile, doing 100 pullups, 200 pushups, 300 squats, and then running another mile. Those serious about it wear a 20-pound vest.

Lubrino alters the exercises a bit to fit his swimmers.

It’s an endurance test that was put together to honor the late Lt. Michael Murphy, a Navy SEAL who died serving in Afghanistan in 2005. It has come to be an exercise regimen on Memorial Day that honors all fallen U.S. soldiers.

It was started by Dr. Joshua Appel, the Air Force para-rescue soldier whose team rescued Marcus Luttrell, a member of Murphy’s team, along with recovering the bodies of Murphy and fellow soldier Danny Dietz. Eventually, “The Murph” became a fundraiser for the Lt. Michael P. Murphy Memorial Scholarship Foundation. Those who do it are asked to make a donation to the foundation.

When Lubrino is asked about “The Murph,” by his swimmers, he tells them to go research it. Inevitably, they do.

It’s the education aspect that Lubrino loves, and a good example of why he said “yes,” when asked to be the 2024 Tribute to Heroes Parade grand marshal.

As Lubrino travels on a float through Main Street at Lakewood

Ranch on May 26, he will be looking into the eyes of many children lining the parade route. His hope is that at least some of those children will ask their parents “Who are these guys being honored in the parade, and what it all is about?”

“I am very big on keeping the history alive,” Lubrino said. “Even if a little kid asks Mommy and Daddy, ‘Why are we here?’ That’s great. Then they can explain it.”

The Tribute to Heroes Parade not only honors those who have died in service to their country, but those veterans and active soldiers and first responders who have served or are currently serving their country.

Lubrino fits both in the veteran and first responder categories.

He served in the Air Force from 1986-89 as a security policeman and a para-rescue soldier. He wasn’t deployed, and his more dangerous service came later as a fireman in New York City.

He served with Ladder 102 from 1996 through 2005 in BedfordStuyvesant and as an officer for Ladder 162 in Queens from 2005 through 2014, when he was forced into retirement and placed into the World Trade Center Health Program. He only has about 65% percent functioning lung capacity and doctors have said it was caused by working on 9-11. He has had surgery without much benefit.

While Lubrino’s World Trade Center service was harrowing — he had just gotten out of the North Tower when it collapsed, the force blowing him through a Burger King window — it wasn’t the only dangerous moment during his career as a firefighter.

He remembered being called to one of his first fires in Bedford–

Stuyvesant of Brooklyn, New York. He entered the two-story brownstone and was on the second floor when a fellow fireman, Ray Pollard, yelled at him to “get down!”

“I didn’t know what was going on, so I laid down on the floor and this huge fireball blew over me and out the window. It was some type of propane thing.”

Pollard had heard the fireball coming or Lubrino would have been toast.

“Firemen are funny,” Lubrino said. “They make jokes about everything. But that was one of my first true scary moments.”

Lubrino said most firemen are well trained and take such experiences in stride. Even after the horrific World

Trade Center attack on Sept. 11, 2001, he never considered leaving the fire department.

More than 2,600 people died in the attack and in its aftermath at the World Trade Center.

“A couple of our guys did get hit and killed (by falling bodies),” Lubrino said in the 2021 article.

Three-hundred-and-forty firefighters and 72 policemen died on 9-11.

Lubrino lost two of his best friends in Engine 230’s Mike Carlo and Gene Whelan, who died in the collapse of the South Tower.

He noted in the earlier article, “I feel the younger generations should know what this country, my friends, my brothers, went through,” he said.

IF YOU GO

Now 57, Lubrino said he was surprised to be the parade’s grand marshal. However, he is glad the parade honors both the military and first responders.

“I look at first responders and military in the same window,” he said. “I look at firemen as being a paramilitary organization.”

He said he is glad many businesses still take time to honor first responders on Sept. 11 and to post photos and memorabilia of solders and first responders on their walls.

He said he does feel lucky to have survived through his experiences.

“There are lots of fires and things happen,” he said. “You are not sure how it will go. Sometimes, the roof doesn’t give out. For other people on the same roof, it gives out. Sometimes, it is just luck. My sister says you have to be a certain kind of crazy.”

He said his wife, Michelle, has given him unwavering support through it all. They have two kids, a son, 31-year-old Brandon, and a daughter, Jenna, who graduated last week from Lakewood Ranch High.

“For me, it’s all about the stories I’ve always been about the kids. Kids used to come to the firehouse, ‘Can you fix my bike?’ ‘Is Mr. Steve here today?’ I’ve always been about the kids.

“I want them to know, not only about what the New York City Fire Department did, but what everyone did. This country was one big country (in the aftermath of 9/11). You couldn’t buy a flag anywhere.”

Denny Wong The Island Collection

Steve Lubrino, who served at the World Trade Center, lands Lakewood Ranch parade’s top honor.

File photo

Former New York City firefighter Steve Lubrino, who lives in Lakewood Ranch, will be the grand marshal of the 2024 Tribute to Heroes Parade on May 26 at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch.

Bittersweet

Lakewood Ranch and Braden River high school graduates say ‘goodbye’ to high school and ‘hello’ to the next chapter.

LIZ RAMOS SENIOR EDITOR

Samuel Barr, a Lakewood Ranch High School graduate, heard his name called.

He took a few steps onto the baseball field at LECOM Park and unzipped his graduation gown to unveil a World Wrestling Entertainment belt.

He showed off the belt as he made his way to receive his diploma May 16.

Although he’s not sure what college he will attend, Barr knows he wants to study broadcast journalism so he can make his dream of becoming a WWE commentator a reality.

For now, Barr is grateful for the support of his friends, family and Lakewood Ranch High teachers.

“I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in high school, but I’m really happy I made it, and I get to see everyone I grew up with come together to celebrate,” Barr said.

It was a bittersweet goodbye for Braden River High graduates on May 14 and for Lakewood Ranch High graduates on May 16. Although they

were celebrating their accomplishments over the past four years, many were sad to be leaving the friends and teachers they’ve come to know over the years.

Lakewood Ranch High’s Kayla Mayrina said she watched “High School Musical,” a coming-of-age Disney movie, with her friends Emersen Turner and Ashley Taylor as graduation approached. Mayrina, Turner and Taylor have been friends since they were freshmen.

“We all cried,” Mayrina said. “It’s sad to be saying goodbye, but we have all summer to hang out. My friendships were important because without any of us, I don’t think we would be here.”

Braden River High’s Emilie Colas, Naydeli Palacios and Marsha Joseph have been friends since fifth grade. They held back tears thinking about how they wouldn’t get to see each other at school anymore.

“It’s not really goodbye; It’s more ‘see you later,’” Palacios said, reassuring her friends they would reconnect in the future.

After four years of making and losing friends and having to persevere over any challenges, Braden River High’s Ian Gonzalez was relieved to make it to graduation.

“I’m proud to say I’ve done it, and I’m moving onto the next stage,” Gonzalez said. Now graduates are looking to the future.

Gonzalez hopes to someday be a voice actor, but in the meantime, he plans to enroll at Manatee Technical College to focus on information technology and computers.

Lakewood Ranch High’s Kaylie Adams said as excited as she is to graduate, it’s also nerve-wracking because it

means she’ll be going to the University of South Florida.

She looks forward to having a more flexible schedule, but she knows the classes will be more difficult and she will have to adjust to living without her parents.

Lakewood Ranch High’s Evan Fisher celebrated with his parents, Jason and Sophie Fisher, after graduation. He said it’s fantastic to have graduated.

“It’s a little scary to move on but also relieving,” Evan Fisher said. “I’m starting a new chapter.”

Evan Fisher will attend the University of Central Florida to study mechanical engineering.

Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944

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Photos by Liz Ramos

Ava Horne, a Lakewood Ranch High School graduate, dances her way across the field.

Braden River High’s Emilie Colas, Naydeli Palacios and Marsha Joseph have been friends since fifth grade.

Jeannie Galindo, an assistant principal at Lakewood Ranch High School, congratulates Andrew Boudreau and hands him his diploma.

Braden River High graduate Dylan Brown waves to the audience after receiving his diploma.

Braden River High graduate Adanna

Wharton hugs Principal Carl Auckerman. Wharton is going to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

District 72 Republican candidates launch campaigns

In many ways, political strategist Anthony Pedicini has become the Darth Vader of Manatee County politics. He is thought of, by many, as the bad guy. But he is also like the Yankees. He wins. I would imagine that is his No. 1 job goal. It was interesting on May 15 when I went to the Florida House District 72 Candidate Forum, hosted by the Lakewood Ranch Republican Club, at Lakewood Ranch Country Club, to hear the anti-Pedicini sentiment. This was somewhat of a meetthe-candidates type of event rather

than a public forum to discuss issues. All four Republican candidates — Bill Conerly, Alyssa Gay, Richard Tatem and Richard Green — were asked questions by club Vice President Bruce Stamm relating to the election, but most were relative softballs.

They are all Republicans (Lesa Miller is the lone Democrat in the race so far), so it’s not surprising if they are asked about who they admire, they all might say former President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis, among others. Yes, they are conservative Republicans. Yes, they believe in less government being more. Yes, they share conser-

vative values.

The event was like a sizing opportunity for shoes. Sure, this candidate looks good, but does it feel right after walking around a bit?

So back to the Pedicini connection. Pedicini, or Darth Vader, is representing Conerly, who by association is now part of the Imperial forces.

Tatem started the proceedings by telling the crowd of approximately 100 Republicans that he already had experienced election intimidation, and that an unnamed person had called him and threatened him by saying that this particular team was going to raise a lot of money and

therefore be able to find out everything negative about him.

Tatem said he was told that the unnamed team was going to “buy the seat” and that he was no match.

He talked about election intimidation.

“This is not how we want our county to be run,” Tatem told the crowd.

When it was Conerly’s time to speak, he noted that “Mr. Tatem is talking about me.”

It wasn’t that Conerly had made such a call himself, but he intimated that Tatem was saying it was a member of Conerly’s team who had made the call and that his Pediciniled team would buy the election.

So it comes down to electionspeak, where those who raise lots of money are somehow burdened by granting favors to those who make the large contributions.

It is the real world, so we know there can be some truth to that.

But that being acknowledged, why wouldn’t it be the case for every dollar raised, no matter the total? Would a candidate who raised $50,000 be less connected to his or her contributors than someone who raised $100,000?

Conerly stressed that no matter how much money he raises, “I make my own decisions.”

That tit-for-tat exchange began the forum, but it soon leveled out into more of an introduction than an exploration of strengths and issues. There was quite a bit of mutual admiration among the candidates.

As far as broad observations, it was obvious that Conerly and Green are powerful public speakers who are going to demand attention whether they are speaking at a campaign event or trying to persuade fellow legislators to back a bill.

Conerly appears to be a more behind-the-scenes kind of force, the engineer who served 12 years on the planning commission and who specializes in being a problem solver. His task will be to convince voters he has the interpersonal skills to persuade fellow representatives to join his causes.

Tatem is a natural leader, with

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his military background, but he will have to convince voters that his brief run as a member of the board of education will make him effective in Tallahassee. Green has his experience with land uses as an attorney, making him a prime choice because he, indeed, knows about making law.

Gay is the wild card, telling the crowd that she will out-work anyone else to represent their values in the House.

Tatem, Green and Gay all will be challenged to get in front of the public as much as possible before the primary on Aug. 20, because they aren’t likely to match Conerly’s machine in terms of mailers or advertisements. But, of course, perhaps one of the three can rally contributors.

It should be noted that in 2022, both Mike Rahn and Jason Bearden won Manatee County Commission seats despite raising less money than their incumbent opponents (although that didn’t include Political Action Committee money). So voters do listen.

My advice for Lakewood Rancharea voters is to seek out and talk to all the candidates. Don’t rely on something that comes in the mail to determine your vote, and a representative you will have to live with for the next two years. Richard Green’s website is VoteRichardGreen.com. Gay’s website is VoteAlyssaGay.com. Conerly’s website is ElectConerly.com. Tatem’s website is RichTatem.com. Go to the websites; ask for a chance to meet. Have a conversation on how they expect to represent you.

And may the force be with you.

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

Jay Heater

District 72 candidate Alyssa Gay tells the Lakewood Ranch Republican Club why she is a solid candidate for the Florida House.

CERT members gear up

Annual refresher courses prepare volunteer members to potentially save lives.

ynthia Olcott walked into the crowded living room at her Summerfield home May 17 carrying a Community Emergency Response Team backpack.

Olcott is team leader of Team No. 8 of Lakewood Ranch CERT, and she was hosting an annual refresher course on many of the potential lifesaving techniques they are taught to use in case of a disaster situation.

The Atlantic hurricane season has a starting date of June 1, set in 1965 by the National Hurricane Center.

If anyone needed a reminder that these are not professional emergency workers or paid employees, they needed only to look at Olcott’s backpack.

It was covered with secured stickytype notes to remind Olcott, if she ever finds herself in a high-stress situation, what is in each compartment in the backpack.

Besides different sizes of gauze and bandages and tape, there are medical gloves, dust masks, a flashlight, nylon line, an emergency survival blanket, a portable stretcher, tourniquets, body bags and more.

While the volunteers might not be experts in rescue operations, they are well trained and they might be the only chance for an injured person to survive in case a hurricane or some other disaster hits the Summerfield neighborhood.

Olcott and her group take this responsibility seriously, even though most have never had to offer lifesaving care to this point. Almost all, however, have been “deployed” during the aftermath of hurricanes when the need might well have existed.

Team 8 members, based in the Woods and Bluffs neighborhoods of Summerfield, go out in groups of two when they are deployed. Olcott’s team has only eight members, which

she stressed isn’t enough if Summerfield takes a serious hit from a hurricane. When you combine the fact that some CERT volunteers also are snowbirds, the need for more members is apparent.

Before someone can be a certified CERT member, they must have 20 hours of training as required by FEMA. Then they should participate in the different avenues of training offered by the group as well as refresher courses.

Pat Knowles, a chemical engineer who has become a CERT instructor on emergency medical techniques and procedures, taught the refresher course. It started with a jaw thrust maneuver to clear the airway if someone isn’t breathing, and went on to cover techniques to deal with arterial bleeding, shock, burns, anaphylactic shock, insect bites in more. Is such training important?

Mike Staley talked about his late wife, Pat, who was a CERT member, and how she once came upon a serious accident on State Road 70. Upon arrival at the scene, he said Pat “knew how to take charge and how to respond.”

Her CERT training prepared her for that moment.

Anyone who would like to become a CERT member can go to LWRCERT.org/Join and follow prompts. Many other neighborhoods around East County also have CERT teams. You can go to Community.FEMA.gov to find a CERT program near you.

Gulfside Bank has broken ground on a new location off Fruitville Road, east of I-75.

It’s hard to believe that just five short years ago, Gulfside Bank opened its doors to Sarasota’s business community for the first time. We’ve been growing to meet the financial needs of a vibrant, thriving community ever since.

Today, Gulfside can do anything the big banks can do, only faster, with local decision making and a true personal touch you won’t find anywhere else. And we’re just getting started. Come grow with Gulfside.

Jay Heater CERT instructor Pat Knowles directs Cynthia Olcott on the proper way to clear an airway during a refresher course May 17 in Summerfield.

Relax in Tommy Bahama style and comfort.

IT’S READ EVERYWHERE

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

CARRDINAL MOONEY Y

TOURISTS FIND SILVER IN ALASKA: Gordon Silver and Cydne Riley took the East County Observer with them on a trip to Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska.

Performers

Lakewood Ranch fraternal twins Nolan and Trey Naese, who graduate from the Out-of-Door Academy on May 24, never particularly liked being compared to each other. They said the comparisons from teachers and classmates has become annoying throughout the years as they’ve found their own passions and interests and become their own individuals.  Still,

LIZ RAMOS SENIOR EDITOR

Lakewood Ranch’s Nolan and Trey Naese are graduating from The Out-of-Door Academy.

They said it was difficult to say goodbye to their older brother, Jake, who is a junior at Temple University in Pennsylvania. So they can’t imagine how difficult it will be not seeing each other every day.

When Trey Naese goes to the University of Notre Dame and Nolan Naese goes to Towson University next school year, it’ll be the longest time the twins have been apart. While they have been side by side for most of their 18 years, their parents, Laura and Brian Naese, did agree to allow ODA to put them in different homerooms when they started school first grade. The boys weren’t in the same classes at ODA throughout most of their school careers, although it happened at times in high school.

Trey said the high school classes they had together were more fun knowing they were in it together. They said having each other in class was like having a built-in study buddy to compare notes and talk over lessons.

When they weren’t in class together, they spent time on campus together. They had lunch together and sometimes saw each other during free periods.

So, in August, when Nolan heads to Maryland and Trey goes to Indiana, it will be an adjustment.

Even so, their family has double the excitement as they go their separate ways and begin new adventures.

“It meant a lot to know that I wasn’t going through this process alone and someone could see that I needed some help.”

Trey Naese

Looking back at their ODA careers, the twins said that being in different classes allowed them to expand their individual horizons. They met new people, which gave both of them the opportunity to add new friends to their group. They both love sports, but Nolan is all about baseball. His dream is to play baseball in college, which will come true after he signed a scholarship with Towson University. Trey quit playing baseball in second grade when he picked up lacrosse.

Nolan has a mind more for finance and business with the desire to become a financial advisor while Trey is all about the sciences. Trey will be on the pre-medical track at the University of Notre Dame.

Laura Naese said it’s been rewarding to see the individuals her sons have become. She said their different passions gave them varying and positive experiences. For example,

Noah played on a travel baseball team while Trey played on a travel lacrosse team, where they each made their own friends and traveled to different places.

As the case with many siblings, there is sometimes a sense of competition among them, especially when it comes to “friendly” games in the backyard.

There has been a time or two when a calm game of playing basketball on their hoverboards turns to a game of who can push the other off his hoverboard.

The parents sometimes have seen it get to the point where they were worried they would have to take one of them to the emergency room.

“That’s when we say it has escalated probably as much as we want it to,” Laura said.

However, the competition never stopped the boys from supporting each other. Any chance they had, the twins would be at each other’s game cheering, even if it was after their own practice or competition.

The most support came during the college application process. The process was different for Trey and Nolan as Trey spent hours writing at least 40 essays for 13 college applications, while Nolan was being recruited by approximately 15 college baseball programs.

“Putting all your hard work into these schools just to get 10 minutes of your life looked at by the admissions officer to decide whether or not you’re the right fit definitely takes a lot out of you,” Trey said.

But the brothers always were there for each other.

Trey and Nolan found ways to distract each other during their college searches. They would hang out together with friends or go outside to play games or simply just make each other laugh.

“It meant a lot to know that I wasn’t going through this process alone and someone could see that I needed some help,” Trey said.

Although soon they will be separated by three states and more than 600 miles, Nolan and Trey both know they’ll still have someone who’s going through the same thing, someone who understands. Despite the newfound distance, they know they will never really be alone.

TRIBUTES

Jenny Ann Magarelli 1937-2024

Jenny Ann Magarelli passed away peacefully in Bradenton, Florida on the 7th day of May, 2024 at the age of 86, She was born in Brooklyn, NY, and lived there as well as in East Northport, NY before settling in Bradenton in 2004. She will be sadly missed by her loving family, her daughters Kathreen Ann Giannone (Blase) of Bradenton, FL and Grace Ellen O’Sullivan (Barry) of Wallingford, PA, and her adored grandchildren, Joseph Charles Giannone and Kasey Lyn O’Sullivan. Jenny Ann is also survived by two brothers and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. She is predeceased by her

husband, Joseph, and her parents, Vincent Orsolino and Grace (DeGennaro). Jenny will always be remembered for her kind-hearted nature, her generous heart and her love of family and friends — and of course, her amazing Italian cooking and her loving hugs.

SERVICE: Friends and family are welcome to join us at a Celebration of Life for Jenny Ann Magarelli on May 31 from 2-4pm at: Baldwin Brothers 3825 East State Road 64, Suite 300, Bradenton, FL 34208

DONATIONS: Tidewell Hospice, Philanthropy Dept, 5955 Rand Blvd, Sarasota, FL 34238 tidewellhospice.org/welcome/ donors/donate-now Or, please consider a donation in Jenny’s name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Courtesy image

Nolan Naese poses with his father, Brian Naese, mother, Laura Naese, and brothers, Trey Naese and Jake Naese.

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

SEND IN THE CLOWN

ROMAN GAGNIER

& ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Ayear ago, when actor Scott Ehrenpreis and writer/ director Jason Cannon staged the one-man play, “Clowns Like Me” at FSU Center for the Performing Arts’ Cook Theatre, New York was the last thing on their minds.

True, Scott’s father Joel Ehrenpreis, producer of the show, had a successful career in marketing, and is known for thinking big. But a year ago, Joel’s plans included a video production and possible outof-town engagements in places like Tampa for the scripted play about Scott’s struggle with mental illness.

What a difference a year makes. An updated version of “Clowns Like Me” is headed back to the Cook Theatre from May 23- 26. The run is a “sneak peek” of the show that will play June 21 to August 18 at DR2, a 99-seat Off Broadway theater in New York.

The New York production follows a film version of “Clowns Like Me,” made by Sarasota videographer Brad Bryan that unspooled in April at the 26th annual Sarasota Film Festival. The video of the play has been a calling card to help Lifeline Productions, the nonprofit behind the show, raise money and make connections.

One of those connections is Tom Kirdahy, the successful Broadway producer who has a house in Longboat Key. Kirdahy was recently in Sarasota for the run of “Hadestown” at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall from Jan. 30 to Feb. 4.

Kirdahy is the producer of the Broadway, West End (London) and touring productions of the smash hit “Hadestown,” among many other shows. Not a bad guy to know if you’re trying to open doors in the world of legit theater.

Joel Ehrenpreis doesn’t know Kirdahy, but one of his former neighbors does. Explains Ehrenpreis: “I used to live on Longboat Key. One of my former neighbors asked me if I knew Tom Kirdahy. I didn’t. He wrote to Tom, who put us in touch with Jonathan Demar.”

Scott Ehrenpreis’ oneman show, ‘Clowns Like Me,’ is heading to New York City in June.

After watching the video “Clowns Like Me,” Demar, who is part of the producing team for “Hadestown” and the revival of Stephen Sondheim’s “Merrily We Roll Along,” came on board as executive producer and got the show booked in New York. (Note to self: You never know who you’re going to meet on Longboat Key.)

IF YOU GO

‘Clowns Like Me’ When: May 23-26

This is a tale of a Sarasota fatherand-son team who made good, but it’s also the story of a dedicated writer and director. To write the show, Cannon moved into Scott Ehrenpreis’ condo and lived with him for nine

Where: at the Cook Theatre, FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail.

Courtesy images

Scott Ehrenpreis stars in “Clowns Like Me,” a one-man show about the actor’s struggle with mental illness.

Florida Studio Theatre veteran Jason Cannon wrote and directs “Clowns Like Me,” a one-man show starring Scott Ehrenpreis.

MONICA

ARTS

months while he gathered material from and wrote several drafts of the script. Cannon and Scott Ehrenpreis will also be roommates during the New York run of “Clowns Like Me.” Before the debut of the first “Clowns Like Me,” the two also attended a Comedy Boot Camp run by McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, at Cannon’s behest.

Ehrenpreis had stage credits under his belt such as a high-strung TV technician in “Network” and a hardboiled police reporter in “The Front Page,” but Cannon felt like he needed to learn how to do stand-up comedy and comfortably banter with audiences to convey his life story in a humorous fashion.

Scott Ehrenpreis can do a lot of things, but his dad doesn’t want him doing press, which is why he’s not quoted in this article. If we had the chance to interview him, we would have asked about his recent performance in FST’s production of “The Lehman Trilogy,” directed by Richard Hopkins.

Until recently, Joel Ehrenpreis was the exclusive publicist for “Clowns Like Me,” but he’s hired a professional to assist with the New York premiere.

To prepare for the New York run, Cannon says “we did a fine-toothed comb rewrite and made some changes to the set. We’ve updated the clinical language.” In the time since the show was first written, the term “Asperger’s Syndrome,” part of Scott’s diagnosis (along with OCD, bipolar disorder, social anxiety and depression) has been replaced with “Autistic Spectrum Disorder.”

For Cannon, going to New York with “Clowns Like Me” is a “lifelong dream come true for career theater people. It feels surreal. We went into this with zero expectations.”

But Cannon has been preparing for this moment for a long time. According to his official bio, he has more than 100 credits as an actor, more than 120 as a director and has had 10 plays produced that he’s written.

Some of those were at Florida Studio Theatre, where he spent about a decade. Cannon was the lead developer on the FST cabaret “A Place in the Sun: A Tribute to Stevie Wonder” and created “Old Enough to Know Better,” a documentary theater piece

based on 100 interviews with Sarasota residents between the ages of 55 and 101. He continued the project with “Last Rights,” a work that explored end-of-life issues.

Clearly, Cannon is no stranger to crafting stories about disabilities and heartache into something audiences want to see and are willing to pay for. It may appear that “Clowns Like Me” is the product of three hardworking individuals with a vision. That’s not a lie. But the journey from the Cook Theatre to DR2 wouldn’t have been possible without local benefactors and champions of the production.

Joel Ehrenpreis credits his “amazing board,” including Rose Chapman, former executive director of Jewish Family and Children’s Service, for

helping Lifeline Productions take “Clowns Like Me” from an idea to a New York run in just two years. “We owe Rose so much,” he says. “She got Scott the right diagnosis.”

Another lifeline was Colleen Thayer, executive director of the National Alliance for Mental Illness of Sarasota and Manatee Counties.

“She was all in,” Ehrenpreis recalls. “I created a nonprofit, but we weren’t a 501(c)3 right away and couldn’t accept donations directly. NAMI accepted contributions on our behalf and channeled them to us. We wouldn’t be here without NAMI’s love and support.”

“Gulf Coast Community Foundation and Community Foundation of Sarasota have been kind to us,” adds Ehrenpreis. Their support will enable Lifeline to do a college tour

of “Clowns Like Me” once the dust settles after the New York run. Other invaluable donors include Michael Saunders & Co. and Aviva Senior Living, to name just two, Ehrenpreis says. Pressed for other names, Ehrenpreis demurs. “Some of the major benefactors don’t want notoriety.

One of my biggest donors lost her son to suicide more than 15 years ago. When she came to the first of five readings and said, ‘You have given me closure,’ I knew we had something,” he says.

Scott Ehrenpreis and his father, Joel Ehrenpreis, who helped him mount his one-man show, “Clowns Like Me,” which is heading to New York City.

THIS WEEK

THURSDAY

TOM RHODES

7 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd. $26 Visit McCurdysComedy.com.

International touring comedy star Tom Rhodes has an impressive list of credits that includes the NBC sitcom “Mr. Rhodes,” “The Joe Rogan Experience” and “The Artie Lange Show,” to name just a few. Runs through May 26.

‘THE FLIP SIDE’

7:30 p.m. at FST’s Court Cabaret, 1265 First St.

$37-$42 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

With songs like “The Ballad of Sigmund Freud” and “Killed by a Coconut,” the latest cabaret creation of Richard and Rebecca Hopkins tips its musical hat to comic songwriters. The quirky show features arrangements by Jim Prosser. Runs through June 16.

‘12 ANGRY MEN:

A NEW MUSICAL’

7:30 p.m. at FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail $35-$95 Visit AsoloRep.org.

OUR PICK

‘BEYOND COMFORT’ ART OPENING

Come celebrate the opening of Art Center Sarasota’s annual juried regional show, “Beyond Comfort.” The juror is Sarasota Art Museum Executive Director Virginia Shearer. In “Beyond Comfort,” artists express their idea of beauty or the grotesque in contemporary art and society. The exhibition runs through July 27.

IF YOU GO

When: 6 p.m. Thursday

Where: Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami

Trail Tickets: Free Info: Visit ArtSarasota.org.

DON’T MISS

‘UNITED WE STAND: A MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT’

Come see Choral Artists of Sarasota before they head off to France to participate in the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of D Day, when Allied troops invaded Normandy to liberate France from the Nazis. Choral Artists wraps its 45th season with “United We Stand,” a Memorial Day tribute to the military veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Performing with Choral Artists is the Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble, conducted by Joe Martinez.

IF YOU GO When: 4 p.m. Sunday Where: Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. Tickets: $30-$60; students $5 Info: Visit ChoralArtistsSarasota.org.

Asolo Repertory Theatre Producing Artistic Director Peter Rothstein directs an innovative musical adaptation of the classic courtroom drama. Rothstein first directed “12 Angry Men: A New Musical” at Theatre Latté Da in Minneapolis, where it made its world premiere in 2022. Runs through June 9.

MATTHEW FROST BAND

8 p.m. at Fogartyville, 525 Kumquat Court $7.50-$12 Visit WSLR.org.

Sarasota quartet Matthew Frost Band plays alternative blues, soul rock and fusion with Frost on keyboards and vocals, Barry Williams on bass, Josh Nelms on guitar and Michael Finley on drums.

FRIDAY

FRIDAY FEST: HOT TONIC ORCHESTRA

5 p.m. on the lawn and terrace of Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail Free Visit VanWezel.org.

The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall kicks off its free Friday Fest series of outdoor concerts with Hot Tonic Orchestra. Led by band leader Victoria Woods, Hot Tonic plays swing, Latin Jazz and its own interpretations of popular songs designed to get people up on their feet. Bring your dancing shoes as long as they don’t have heels, which are apt to get stuck in the Van Wezel’s lawn.

THE FUNKY BONES

8 p.m. at Joyland Live, 8341 Lockwood Ridge Road

$10.45-$26.13 Visit JoylandSarasota.com.

The Funky Bones make their debut at Joyland Live. The bank will play soulful melodies from artists such as Earth, Wind & Fire, Bruno Mars and Dua Lipa in a performance that promises to be a musical tour of the decades.

SUNDAY

JAZZ ON THE WATER

3 p.m. at The Marina Jack II, 2 Marina Plaza $35-$40 Visit JazzClubSarasota.org.

Set sail with Jazz Club of Sarasota, which presents Suzanne Lucas & The Hot Boyz. Boarding begins at 2:30 p.m.

MONDAY

SHINIQUE SMITH: ‘PARADE’

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The Ringling Art Museum, 5401 Bayshore Road Free (Mondays only) Visit Ringling.org.

It’s Memorial Day, and there aren’t many indoor places that you can go for free on a holiday. Why not take advantage of The Ringling Art Museum’s Monday free day and see Shinique Smith’s “Parade?” Smith’s large-scale sculptures are on display in galleries that house the museum’s permanent collection of European art. The juxtaposition of styles and themes and the interplay of color is breathtaking. Please note, admission is free on Monday only to the Museum of Art, Bayfront Gardens and Glass Pavilion, not to the Circus Museum or Ca’ d’Zan mansion. “Parade” runs through Jan. 5, 2025.

Image courtesy of Dot Editions

The jury meets jazz in Asolo Rep’s ‘Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical’

Shouting matches give way to bursts of song.

MARTY FUGATE

The jury of Reginald Rose’s “Twelve Angry Men” has been in session since 1954. Counting various plays and movies, I’ve seen it at least five times.

But I’ve never seen anything like “Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical” — a 2020 musical adaptation. David Simpatico penned the script; Michael Holland wrote the music and lyrics. These two brilliant minds created a brilliant new musical.

In case you somehow missed the American classic it’s based on, here’s the story: A 16-year-old Puerto Rican boy is accused of murdering his abusive father. The case against him seems open-andshut. Twelve angry dudes accept the jury summons. After the trial, they gather in a stifling room to deliberate.

Most jurors have a verdict in mind. They first hold a straw vote; 11 jurors say the kid’s guilty. But Juror No. 8 (Curtis Bannister) has a reasonable doubt. For the rest of the story, he argues with the others.

Simpatico and Holland’s 2020 “new musical” sticks fairly close to Reginald Rose’s drama. That said, its new jury is a multicultural mix. The diversity adds nuance to the jurors’ arguments.

Asolo Rep Producing Artistic Director Peter Rothstein directed this musical’s premiere in Minneapolis. This is his second time around. But I figure it’s not a cakewalk. This show has a tricky scene structure — a constant counterpoint of gritty reality and trippy musical interludes.

The jurors will have a normal discussion (or shouting match) for a minute or two. Bang! Without warning, they’ll burst into song. These leaps from realism to musical fantasy could easily get confusing. But Rothstein keeps your eye on the ball.

This musical’s 12 angry men come to life thanks to 12 talented actors. They’re all in top form.

Benjamin Olsen’s mercurial set design serves this musical’s worldbuilding. Center stage: a huge turntable with a long conference table on top. Throughout the angry action, Rothstein uses the chairs for bits of business and constantly

IF YOU GO

‘Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical’

When: Through June 9

Where: at FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail Tickets: $35-$95 Info: Visit AsoloRep.org

turns things around.

Holland’s jazzy music is whipcrack smart. It’s smartly realized by conductor and musical director Jenny Kim-Godfrey, and her band. As to Holland’s songs, this lyricist/ composer is skilled at both jobs. His lyrics serve the musical’s story; his music matches its mood.

Holland’s score combines a syncopated Be-Bop beat with subtle echoes of 1950s detective shows. (Like the dangerous themes from “Perry Mason” and “Peter Gunn.”) Holland’s tunes are like ticking bombs. They hint of blow-ups to come.

Mathew LeFebvre’s costumes capture the era’s wearable signifiers of class, race and status. Paul Whitaker’s lighting has an apt film noir feel. Jurors disappear into the shadows at times. At other times, the lighting gets as harsh as a police interrogation.

Having considered this evidence, here’s my verdict … “Twelve Angry Men: a New Musical” is a very moving musical. Is it a faithful adaptation of Rose’s American classic? Not so much.

Rose’s original drama was claustrophobic. Twelve angry jurors were locked together in one room. They’re trapped and fighting to breathe. The musical’s jazzy interludes let oxygen into the room. And that kills the pressure cooker vibe.

Rose’s story was also an outsidein character study. You heard the juror’s words, but didn’t enter their minds. In Holland and Simpatico’s musical adaptation, the jurors sing their feelings out loud — along with a few civics lessons.

Thanks to these radical revisions, “Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical” goes beyond mere adaptation — and enters the realm of re-imagination. Sure, it remains fairly true in its spirit. But it’s not the claustrophobic crucible of the original play. This new musical is a very different animal.

Don’t miss it. Then just for fun … stream the 1957 Henry Fonda movie.

Horsing around M

acie Connours, a fourth grader at Myakka City Elementary School, was beaming with pride as she rode her horse, Dibs, around the outside of the Winding Trails Ranch Arena. She had just competed in the barrel race in front of hundreds of Myakka City Elementary students, teachers and staff members.

Connours said she was not only happy to participate in the rodeo but proud of herself for achieving the goals necessary to be able to compete.

Carol Ricks, principal at Myakka City Elementary School, said at least 250 students met three out of four quarterly goals and earned the opportunity to attend or participate in the rodeo. The goals were in reading, math, behavior and attendance.

Students were able to see 21 of their classmates show off their skills in the rodeo, which included events such as barrel racing and goat tying.

First grader Dakota Bryant said she couldn’t wait to try riding a sheep for the first time.

Jackie Blue, a fourth grade teacher, said she loved seeing her students, past and present, participating in the rodeo. She said she’s learned all about fourth grader Annabelle Wendell’s horse, Lucky, as Wendell has written or spoken about Lucky in many of her assignments.

“I live on the west part of the county, so it’s great to see the kids be a part of something they do every day,” Blue said. “We get to see what they love to do.”

— LIZ RAMOS

Photos by Liz Ramos

First grader Dakota Bryant is ready to compete in front of her friends and classmates. She is one of 21 Myakka City Elementary students participating in the rodeo.

Harper Davis, who is 5 years old, races through the arena in the barrel racing competition.

Fourth grader Jerson Olivera touches a horse for the first time.

First graders Kaylie Connours and Dakota Bryant were students who achieved at least three of their four quarterly academic goals needed to attend the rodeo.

Fourth grader

Annabelle Wendell loves showing off her skills to her teacher, Jackie Blue, and her classmates.

Eli Masse does his best to get his horse around the barrels in the barrel race. He completed the race in 40.851 seconds.

Race to the finish

Sammy’s Run is in its eighth and final year in Lakewood Ranch.

LIZ RAMOS SENIOR EDITOR

For the last 15 to 20 yards before the finish line, Lakewood Ranch’s Ricardo Lomas helps his son, Sammy Lomas, out of the wheelchair bicycle and walks with him to the finish line.

People cheer for them as they complete Sammy’s Run, an annual 5K that honors of Sammy Lomas.

“(Sammy Lomas) hears that and feels that, so he’s happy,” Ricardo Lomas said. “It’s a great moment.”

Ricardo and Sammy Lomas are looking forward to crossing the finish line of Sammy’s Run for the eighth and final time May 25.

Ricardo Lomas and his wife, Sue Lomas, started Sammy’s Run in 2009 in honor of their son, who has Phelan-McDermid Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder.

Sammy’s Run includes a 5K run or walk, a mile fun run or walk and kids dashes. There is also an option to participate in the race virtually.

The race not only spreads awareness about Sammy Lomas’ genetic disorder, but it also serves as a fundraiser to purchase adaptive sports equipment for individuals with special needs.

This year, Ricardo Lomas hopes Sammy’s Run can raise the $8,000 needed to purchase a wheelchair bicycle for a girl with special needs.

Riding in his wheelchair bicycle with his father pushing him while running is Sammy Lomas’ favorite activity, Ricardo Lomas said.  Ricardo Lomas recalled when someone donated a wheelchair bicycle to his family. They were previously using a large baby jogger and considering taking out a loan to be able to buy the wheelchair bicycle.

The wheelchair bicycle allowed

FLORIDA LAKES VEIN CENTER

IF YOU GO

SAMMY’S RUN

When: 6 p.m. May 25

Where: Main Street at Lakewood Ranch, 8100 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Lakewood Ranch

Cost: $40 for the 5K run/walk; $35 for the mile fun run/walk;

$45 for the 5K wheelchair team duo; $20 for kids dashes

Details: Participate in a run or walk to raise awareness about Phelan-McDermid Syndrome while also raising money to purchase a wheelchair bicycle for a girl with special needs. Following the race, there will be food, drinks, music and a live awards presentation.

Donate: SammysRun.com

More information: SammysRun.com

Sammy Lomas to continue enjoying his favorite activity.

“We know how it felt for us to receive it and the enjoyment he gets from it, so we love to pass this on to other families,” Ricardo Lomas said.

“Once we tell them they’ve been selected, we can feel the enjoyment they’re getting and going to get. Now they’re able to do something outdoors with their child they weren’t able to do before. It’s a great feeling.”

But with fewer sponsors and runners, Ricardo Lomas said it’s getting more difficult to raise the money needed.

Logistical challenges and Sammy Lomas’ declining health are causing the Lomas family to make this year’s run the last. Ricardo Lomas said his son, who turned 30 on May 7, has been experiencing more seizures.

He said the race has to compete against the numerous other races being held for sponsorships, and people are being selective in the races in which they choose to participate.

Ricardo Lomas said the cost of putting on a race has increased

because of higher costs for shirts, medals, police presence and more.

On top of that, Lakewood Ranch has become busier, which makes it harder to create a route that will be safe for runners.

“There’s just more traffic, and it’s difficult to find or keep the same route we’ve been using,” Ricardo Lomas said. “If we were to continue, we’d have to go somewhere else, but right now, everybody’s going over to (Nathan Benderson Park), but it’s not something that’s going to work out for us.”

The race starts and finishes on Health Park Way near Lakewood Ranch Medical Center and continues

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down Town Center Parkway before the turnaround near Manor Loop.

Sammy’s Run is an opportunity for the Lomas family to reunite with families they haven’t seen in awhile.

Since Sammy Lomas graduated Oak Park School in Sarasota in 2015, the race helps the Lomas family reconnect with the other students and their families who were there at the same time as Sammy Lomas.

The race also connects the Lomas family with other families who have individuals with Phelan-McDermid Syndrome.

“It’s like a little family reunion,” Ricardo Lomas said.

Sue

and Ricardo Lomas started Sammy’s Run to spread awareness about their son, Sammy Lomas, who has Phelan-McDermid Syndrome. This year will be the race’s eighth year, and proceeds will go toward a wheelchair bicycle for a girl with special needs.

Courtesy image Lakewood Ranch’s

Lomas

COMMUNITY

THURSDAY, MAY 23 THROUGH

SUNDAY, MAY 26

LIVE MUSIC AT JIGGS LANDING

Runs from 4:30-7:30 p.m. each day at Jiggs Landing, 6106 63rd St. E., Bradenton. The live music lineup at Jiggs Landing includes Steve Arvey (Thursday), Soundwave (Friday), Bluegrass Pirates (Saturday) and Al Fuller’s Moonlight Movers (Sunday). The Friday and Saturday concerts have a $5 cover; the other concerts are free. For more information, go to JiggsLanding.com.

FRIDAY, MAY 24 AND

SATURDAY, MAY 25

MUSIC AT THE PLAZA

Runs 6-9 p.m. at Waterside Place, 1560 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch. Singer/songwriter Sara Nelms is the featured artist on Friday, entertaining those who stroll through Waterside Place. On Saturday, country music artist Jesse Daniels performs. For more information, go to WatersidePlace.com.

SATURDAY, MAY 25

FIT WITH FABLETICS

Begins at 9 a.m. at the Macy’s court at the Mall at University Town Center, 140 University Town Center Drive, Sarasota. The workout is hosted by zumba instructor Juan Baquero. For information, go to MallatUTC.com.

SUNDAY, MAY 26

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. For more info, visit MyLWR.com.

YOGA IN THE PARK

Runs 9-10 a.m. at Waterside Park, 7301 Island Cove Terrace, Sarasota. Start the morning off with gentle yoga with lake views. For more information, go to LakewoodRanch.com.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 29

RANCH NITE WEDNESDAYS

Runs from 6-9 p.m. at Waterside Place, 1561 Lakefront Drive, Lake-

BEST BET

SUNDAY, MAY 26

TRIBUTE TO HEROES PARADE

Begins with a block party at 5 p.m. with the parade starting at 6:30 p.m. at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch. Join thousands who line the streets at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch to honor our military veterans and first responders. The free event, presented by Veteran Air and Tommy’s Express Car Wash, begins with a block party that features entertainment, food and drinks, kids activities and more. For more information, go to LakewoodRanch.com/ Event/TributeTo-Heroes-Block-PartyParade/.

File photo

Dave Daily, Ken Green, Graham Ellis and Chuck Slenker, all of Braden River VFW Post 12055, serve as the honor guard during the 2023 Tribute to Heroes Parade in Lakewood Ranch.

wood Ranch. The weekly event includes food trucks, live music, a night market, a vintage mobile bar and a recreational cornhole league. No outside food or beverage is allowed. Kettle of Fish will perform. For more information, go to LakewoodRanch.com.

THURSDAY, JUNE 6 THROUGH SUNDAY, JUNE 9 US ROWING YOUTH NATIONALS

Begins at 8 a.m. each day at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota. The regatta features more than 3,500 rowers competing in 43 events. The event has attracted 778 entries from 210 clubs across the U.S. All the participants had to qualify for the event through regionals. For more information, go to NathanBendersonPark. org or to RegattaCentral.com.

YOUR CALENDAR

“I’m not afraid to smile anymore!”

Doctor Jeffrey Martins has changed my whole life. I’m so much more confident now and I feel better about myself. You see, I’ve always had such small teeth, and I was self-conscious about it. I didn’t like how they looked, so I never wanted to smile.

I tried to have my teeth fixed once before. I got some dental work done at another place about five years ago and it helped the situation some, but I wasn’t happy with the results. What they did to fix my teeth didn’t look natural and although I put up with it, the work they did was really only a temporary fix. I put up with it for a long time, but I was still always self-conscious about the way my teeth looked.

When I decided to visit Paradise Dental, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’ve always been nervous about having my teeth worked on, but everyone there was so friendly and the team really put me at ease. They took the time to listen to all of my concerns and what I hoped to accomplish, then recommended veneers for my front teeth. I liked that they took their time and helped me choose just the right color so my teeth would look more natural and not fake.

Now, everyone comments on my nice smile. I’m so happy about the results, but the best part is that I’m not afraid to smile anymore! They did a wonderful job.” - Rowena B.

PARADISE DENTAL

Rowena B.

ALL FOR HOPE

LIZ

hen Lake Club’s Marcia Barkell learned that the walls of Hope Family Services’ bedrooms and outreach facility were bare, she knew she wanted to do something.

“For me, not to have a painting up and have a plain wall is just wrong,” Barkell said.

As an artist and a member of the Lake Club Artist Guild, Barkell decided to donate two of her paintings to the nonprofit.

Eight members of the Lake Club Artist Guild are donating at least 45 pieces of artwork to Hope Family Services.

Hope Family Services is a nonprofit that supports and provides services for those who are affected by domestic violence in Manatee County. It is the only state certified domestic violence center.

Tiffany Ogline, an executive assistant with the nonprofit, said the artwork will provide comfort to those who go to the nonprofit for help.

“They’ll feel loved and like someone cares for them,” Ogline said. “Hopefully, it will bring them some joy and some comfort whenever they see (the artwork).”

The Lake Club Artist Guild started collecting artwork after Nancy Lepain, the grants chair for the Lake Club Women’s Giving Circle, reached out to the guild to combine efforts to support Hope Family Services.

Barkell considers her donation as a

responsibility to help others.

“We have to support each other,” she said. “If we don’t, there’s something wrong with the world.”

So Barkell decided to support others with her artwork. She said she loves challenging herself, so she tackles various mediums, including watercolor, acrylic pour and alcohol ink.

The most challenging is watercolor, she said, as it can be “very unforgiving.”

Lake Club’s Claire Osborne has been painting using watercolors since 2015, when she was perusing art shows and fairs. She decided to donate her painting of a fuchsia because she knew it would be hanging on the wall of a bedroom for a woman.

“I thought what could be more feminine than a floral?” she said.

“The colors are all pinks. I thought that would be a beautiful piece for hopefully someone to enjoy in their bedroom.”

Margie Meyer, the founder of the Lake Club Artist Guild, focuses on mixed media acrylic abstract paintings. Meyer, who has been painting since 2005, donated 21 pieces of artwork.

“I love the opportunity to be able to make someone else smile,” she said. “I try to paint very colorful and happy pieces.”

Lake Club’s Lisa Sweeney, who has been painting for at least five years, wanted to donate the paintings she created of children and animals. She donated 11 pieces.

Looks good on paper...

NEIGHBORS NOTES

Quilting for a cause

Cascades’ Bev Wiberg and Caroly Byrnes created a quilt that was raffled to raise money for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Sarasota/Manatee.

The quilt was raffled off during the Women’s Club of Cascades of Sarasota event. Marily Green won the quilt in the raffle.

The women’s club presented a check for $2,500 to Emily Rhoads, the senior development manager for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Sarasota/Manatee.

Members of the women’s club will be participating in the nonprofit’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk at Nathan Benderson Park in October.

Neal Communities Sponsors Taylor Emmons Memorial

For the fifth consecutive year, Neal Communities has sponsored the Taylor Emmons Memorial Classic baseball game held on March 26.

The $5,000 sponsorship offset the cost of hosting the game so the proceeds from the game could go toward the Taylor Emmons Scholarship Fund, which provides four years of tuition at The Out of Door Academy’s upper school to a student.

The ODA varsity baseball team won the game 11-0 against Mariner High School.

The 14th recipient of the scholarship is Maayan Tedeschi, who was selected based on his dedication, academic prowess and embodiment of

ODA’s core values of respect, integrity, service, excellence and responsibility, according to a release.

St. Andrew Society of Sarasota funds scholarships

The St. Andrew Society of Sarasota awarded nine $1,500 scholarships to college-bound high school students from Sarasota and Manatee counties.

Students from St. Stephen’s Episcopal School, Suncoast Polytechnical, Riverview, Parrish Community, Manatee and Palmetto high schools received the scholarships during a High Tea buffet luncheon April 7.

Since 1990 when the scholarship fund was created, the St. Andrew Society of Sarasota has awarded 160 scholarships totaling $180,500.

Party on the block

Club’s

River

Jane Ebury and Mark Sinclair hosted a neighborhood block party for friends and neighbors in April.

The couple hosted the block party on their street, Glen Abbey Lane, after having a successful block party last November. They wanted to foster a sense of community within the neighborhood.

“It’s a great way to meet your neighbors,” Ebury said in a release.

The block party for all ages featured the Pappa Stack Food Truck, and residents brought lawn chairs and coolers for a fun-filled afternoon.

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Club of Cascades

Susan Braunstein and Emily Rhoads of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer.

Lake Club home tops sales at $2.45 million

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

Ahome in Lake Club topped all transactions in this week’s real estate. Sharyn and Richard Nassau, of Bradenton, sold their home at 8019 Bounty Lane to Wendy Ellis, of Lakewood Ranch, for $2.45 million. Built in 2008, it has four bedrooms, three-and-ahalf baths, a pool and 3,791 square feet of living area.

COUNTRY CLUB EAST

Craig and Cynthia Tate, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 15112 Camargo Place to Rajesh and Donna Israni, of Lakewood Ranch, for $2.15 million. Built in 2008, it has six bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 4,520 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.1 million in 2018.

John and Brenda Fields sold their home at 15605 Linn Park Terrace to Adam and Sheila Getzels, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1,465,000. Built in 2013, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,174 square feet of living area.

David and Virginia Lamb, of Bradenton, sold their home at 14614 Castle Park Terrace to Stephanie and Robert Gates, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1,255,000. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, twoand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,537 square feet of living area. It sold for $590,500 in 2016.

Douglas and Joyce Arscott, of Ontario, Canada, sold their home at 14806 Castle Park Terrace to Angela Lynn Chandler, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1.16 million. Built in 2014, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,455 square feet of living area. It sold for $162,600 in 2014.

SHOREVIEW

Pulte Home Co. LLC sold the home at 7816 Grande Shores Drive to Daniel and Kourtney Keough, of Sarasota, for $1.86 million. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, fourand-a-half baths, a pool and 3,919 square feet of living area.

RIVERDALE REVISED

Michael Ruth and Dawn Dodge, trustees, of Bradenton, sold the home at 541 Fore Drive to Shawn and Dawn Lyn Heinen, of Bradenton, for $1,765,000. Built in 2007, it has five bedrooms, three-and-ahalf baths, a pool and 4,296 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.6 million in 2021.

John Emil Russo Jr., of Bradenton, sold his home at 4766 Mainsail Drive to Michael and Jennifer Polan, of Bradenton, for $1.35 million. Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,483 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.2 million in 2022.

DEL WEBB

Stephen and Patrice Wetzel, of Brentwood, Tennessee, sold their home at 7428 Summerland Cove to Mark and Janet Kalin, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1.36 million. Built in 2023, it has three bedrooms, threeand-two-half baths, a pool and 2,893 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,166,100 in 2023.

Peter Cohen and Denise Victoria Cohen sold their home at 7575 Summerland Cove to Joseph Michael Rinaldis and Judith Lee Segal, trustees, of Lakewood Ranch, for $650,000. Built in 2023, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,650 square feet of living area. It sold for $653,800 in 2023.

PALM AIRE AT SARASOTA

James Alan Taylor and Stacy Lee Cannon, of Central, South Carolina, sold their home at 5410 Country Lakes Lane to B&B 38 LLC for $1,175,000. Built in 1985, it has four

bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,430 square feet of living area. It sold for $428,000 in 2019.

Roger Coleman and Pamela Weisse, of Santa Fe, New Mexico, sold their home at 6959 Country Lakes Circle to Kara Keane Alexander, of Sarasota, for $695,000. Built in 1983, it has three bedrooms, twoand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,615 square feet of living area. It sold for $310,500 in 2013.

GREENBROOK

Aaron Verschoyle Jordan, of Palmetto, and Sheena Jordan, of San Antonio, sold their home at 6470 Indigo Bunting Place to Anthony Orrick Alixandrea Orrick, of Overland Park, Kansas, for $1,099,000. Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,038 square feet of living area. It sold for $975,000 in 2022.

Charles Wachob, trustee, of Auburn, California, sold the home at 6328 Royal Tern Circle to Joseph Madigan and Nora Sudars, of Bradenton, for $665,000. Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,452 square feet of living area. It sold for $349,800 in 2004.

Luke and Ashley Demichiel sold their home at 15331 Skip Jack Loop to David and Amanda Cook, of Lakewood Ranch, for $520,000. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,083 square feet of living area. It sold for $320,000 in 2020.

LAKEWOOD NATIONAL

Robert and Mary Rothacker sold their home at 5622 Cheech Glen to Steven and Susan Carroll, of Warwick, New York, for $1,025,000. Built in 2022, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,207 square feet of living area. It sold for $886,000 in 2022.

TIDEWATER PRESERVE

Darrin and Tammy Shelton, of New Port Richey, sold their home at 924 Riverscape St. to Richard Thomas Grimme and Cynthia Ann Grimme, of Bradenton, for $995,000. Built in 2013, it has three bedrooms, fourand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,840 square feet of living area. It sold for $915,000 in 2022.

GREYHAWK LANDING WEST

Martha Beall Keller, trustee, of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, sold the home at 820 Honeyflower Loop to Eric Hoonhout and Koleen Hoonhout, trustees, of Bradenton, for $925,000. Built in 2014, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,331 square feet of living area. It sold for $400,000 in 2023.

Kenneth and Tara Broderick, of Bradenton, sold their home at 11804 Petunia Terrace to Ronald Kenneth Lee and Olivia Arriaga Lee, of Bradenton, for $785,000. Built in 2019, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,662 square feet of living area. It sold for $485,200 in 2019.

POLO RUN

Danniel Rady and Nora Rady, trustees, of Huntley, Illinois, sold the home at 17724 Polo Trail to Youssef Abdulghany Hegazy and Eman Tawfiq Sadoun, trustees, of Bradenton, for $850,000. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,455 square feet of living area. It sold for $825,000 in 2023.

ESPLANADE

Phyllis Robinson, trustee, of Chesterfield, Missouri, sold the home at 12819 Sorrento Way to Billy Rowe Jr., of Apex, North Carolina, for $825,000. Built in 2019, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,130 square feet of living area. It sold for $538,900 in 2019.

Gerard and Ida Coraggio, of Old Bridge, New Jersey, sold their home at 5363 Vaccaro Court to James Altschuler, of Lexington, Massachusetts, for $645,000. Built in 2012, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,912 square feet of living area. It sold for $335,000 in 2016.

Dane Ludolph, trustee, sold the home at 13026 Prima Drive to Lisa Jayne Shears, of Bradenton, for

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS MAY 6-10

Lake Club home at 8019

Lane sold for $2.45 million. It has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,791 square feet of living area.

$625,000. Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,847 square feet of living area. It sold for $800,000 in 2022.

LAKEHOUSE COVE AT WATERSIDE

HBT at Waterside LLC sold the home at 1140 Waterline Court to Gary and Janet Handley, of Sarasota, for $799,900. Built in 2023, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 2,076 square feet of living area.

HERITAGE HARBOUR

Fred and Arlene Lansky, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 8823 River Preserve Drive to Charles and Carolee Abraham, of Ontario, Canada, for $790,000. Built in 2009, it has four bedrooms, twoand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,670 square feet of living area. It sold for $360,000 in 2009.

ROSEDALE

James and Linda Maloney, of Bradenton, sold their home at 8730 54th Ave. E. to Duane Allen Crandall and Lisa Crandall, of Bradenton, for $725,000. Built in 1994, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,627 square feet of living area. It sold for $370,000 in 2014.

Nora Jean Boulware and Mark Boulware, of Arlington, Virginia, sold their home at 5257 88th St. E. to George Breslin III and Valerie Serijan, of Plymouth, Massachusetts, for $670,000. Built in 1994, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,595 square feet of living area. It sold for $433,000 in 2017.

Courtesy image

This

Bounty

Specialized Dental Care

BRADEN WOODS

Dennis Kern sold his home at 9006 60th Ave. E. to Anthony Hueston III, of Bradenton, for $705,000. Built in 1991, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,922 square feet of living area. It sold for $670,000 in 2023.

JC Realty Group Florida LLC sold the home at 9307 65th Ave. E. to Gabriel and Vanessa Yoder, of Bradenton, for $630,000. Built in 1985, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,914 square feet of living area. It sold for $405,900 in 2023.

STONEYBROOK AT HERITAGE

HARBOUR

Anthony and Phyllis Arenella, of Mount Kisco, New York, sold their home at 104 New Briton Court to Scott and Janet Serraro, of Bradenton, for $680,000. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,791 square feet of living area. It sold for $352,600 in 2003.

MOTE RANCH

Joseph Richey and Marilyn Richey, of Cincinnati, sold their home at 5853 Carriage Drive to Tim Burkholder and Mary Catherine Taylor, of Ontario, Canada, for $675,000. Built in 1993, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,126 square feet of living area. It sold for $360,000 in 2019.

WATERFRONT AT MAIN STREET

Elizabeth Rose Dean, trustee, of Lakewood Ranch, sold the Unit 2-304 condominium at 10520 Boardwalk Loop to Debra Bowis, of Sarasota, for $665,000. Built in 2018, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,400 square feet of living area. It sold for $445,000 in 2020.

GREYHAWK LANDING

Daniel and Elena Marino, of Sanford, sold their home at 12024 Aster Ave. to Madeline and Ina Morrill, of Bradenton, for $660,000. Built in 2008, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,368 square feet

of living area. It sold for $380,000 in 2014.

GREENFIELD PLANTATION

Stephanie Fox and Redouane Errachidi, of Nashville, Tennessee, sold their home at 523 Hunter Lane to Gary and Romona Dodd, of Bradenton, for $625,000. Built in 1998, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,230 square feet of living area. It sold for $461,000 in 2021.

TARA Maria and Jeff Pieper sold their home at 6401 Turners Gap Road to Denise Missonak, of Bradenton, for $625,000. Built in 1995, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,183 square feet of living area. It sold for $287,500 in 2019.

PERIDIA

Patrick and Marilyn Moran, of Sarasota, sold their home at 4236 Presidential Ave. Circle E. to Bianca Prather-Jones, of Bradenton, for $580,000. Built in 1992, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,536 square feet of living area. It sold for $220,000 in 2013.

AZARIO AT ESPLANADE

Norman and Kimberly Levy, of Saratoga Springs, New York, sold their home at 4722 Tortona Court to Darin and Tina Revermann, of Breese, Illinois, for $540,000. Built in 2023, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,558 square feet of living area. It sold for $489,900 in 2023.

COUNTRY OAKS

David Fernando Arauz-Marin, of Sarasota, sold his home at 4716 Country Oaks Blvd. to Marlene Mandulak, of Sarasota, for $537,500. Built in 1987, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 1,899 square feet of living area. It sold for $330,000 in 2020.

SPORTS

Fast Break

for

Former Lakewood Ranch

High softball star Claire Davidson and Duke University, as well as former Mustangs Avery Goelz and Cassidy McLellan and the University of Florida, have advanced to the Super Regional round of the 2024 NCAA Division I Softball Championship tournament. Duke (486) will play a best-of-three series against the University of Missouri (45-16) at Missouri. Game one is at 2 p.m. May 24 on ESPN2. Florida (47-12) will host a series against Baylor University (34-21). Game one is at noon May 24 on ESPN2. The winners of each series will advance to the eight-team Women’s College World Series.

… The Out-of-Door Academy sophomore Kevin Gyurka finished third in the 3,200-meter run (9:28.28) at the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 1A state meet, held May 15 at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. Gyurka finished approximately 10 seconds behind winner Henry Stark, a senior from Palmer Trinity School.

Former Lakewood Ranch High baseball star Grant McCray, now an outfielder with the AA-level Richmond Flying Squirrels (San Francisco Giants), went 2-4 with a solo home run in the team’s 2-0 win over Reading Fightin’ Phils (Philadelphia Phillies) on May 18. McCray is hitting .168 with five home runs, 18 RBIs and five steals.

Braden River High senior track and field athlete Marcus Schade finished 14th in the 400-meter hurdles (57.13 seconds) at the FHSAA Class 3A state meet, held May 17 at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.

Lakewood Ranch High senior track and field athlete James Cummings finished 15th in the discus (139 feet, 1 inch) at the FHSAA Class 4A state meet, held May 18 at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.

“I’m a smaller back, so it is hard for me to do power back things sometimes.”

THUNDER FOOTBALL ROLLS INTO SUMMER

The ODA football program wants back-toback SSAA titles, and the journey begins now.

RYAN KOHN SPORTS EDITOR

After capturing the Sunshine State Athletic Association Class 4A title in November, The Out-of-Door Academy football program had question marks entering this spring.

There were key players to replace.

Charlie Tack, the team’s top linebacker and leader, graduated and is headed for Furman University in the fall. Starting offensive linemen

Blake Neumann and Blaine Bentley also graduated, as did linebacker

Chase Taraska, safety Jack Taraska and linebacker Brandon Beasley on defense. The program also lost one of its special weapons, kicker/punter

Mika Levy, who graduated and will play for Howard University.

Outside of graduating players, brothers and offensive linemen

Chase Polivchak, a rising senior, and Max Polivchak, a rising junior, transferred to Cardinal Mooney High, which won the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 1S state title in 2023.

In having to replace four starters on the offensive line and several more on defense, a step back, at least in spring, could have been expected. Instead, in the Thunder’s home spring game against Sarasota Christian School on May 18, the program looked like nothing had changed.

The Thunder ran the football to the left, to the right and up the middle on the Blazers, thanks mostly to rising junior running back Allen Clark and rising senior Josey Rubinstein — who played quarterback for ODA this spring but could move somewhere else come fall, head coach Rob Hollway said. Against SCS, Clark had a five-yard touchdown run and Rubinstein had two touchdown runs, of 15 and 30 yards, in a 20-0 win.

The margin of victory could have been even bigger, but the programs agreed to stop keeping score in the second half, turning the game into a glorified practice, with each team letting their more inexperienced players learn the game. The Thunder’s defense also got to shine, with rising junior linebacker Heath DeRusso recovering a fumble that led to Clark’s touchdown.

It’s exactly how the Thunder expected to play, changes and all.

“I think we have a good expectation of what the fall is going to look like,” DeRusso said. “We’re ready to work. I actually think we’re starting off a little stronger than we were last year. There have been some changes, but we’re still using a lot of the same concepts, so it has been good.”

Though the team did lose four offensive linemen over the winter, the one returnee is a key cog in the Thunder running machine. Marvin Palominos, a rising senior, is 6-foot-3 and 300 pounds. He’s adept at opening holes for ODA runners. After the spring game, Hollway praised both Palominos and Clark, who had 1,104 yards (6.8 yards per carry) and 17 touchdowns last season, for sticking around the

“Every school in the county would take Marvin and Allen,” Hollway said. “Those guys made a decision to stay. I believe the kids that stay and commit to a team are more recruitable because coaches feel like they are getting a four-year guy, not someone who is going to flip on them in the middle of the night.”

ODA is probably not ever going to be the biggest team, Hollway said, or the team with the most top athletes, but the Thunder will always play hard, physical football. The players believe in that identity, Hollway said,

EAST COUNTY SPRING GAME SCOREBOARD

THE OUT-OF-DOOR ACADEMY 20, SARASOTA CHRISTIAN 0

■ ODA rising senior Josey Rubinstein had two touchdown runs and rising junior Allen Clark had one touchdown run. Rising junior linebacker Heath DeRusso recovered a fumble.

LAKEWOOD RANCH HIGH 7, GEORGE JENKINS HIGH 0

■ Lakewood Ranch rising senior Cullen McRae had a touchdown run and rising sophomore cornerback Ka’marion Jones had an interception.

BRADEN RIVER HIGH 10, BOCA CIEGA HIGH 6

■ Braden River rising senior Marcus Galloway had a touchdown run and rising senior kicker Brunno Reus hit a 40-yard field goal. The Braden River defense forced five turnovers.

PARRISH COMMUNITY HIGH 21, OSCEOLA HIGH 0

■ Parrish rising sophomore Cameron Houston and rising junior Keyon Maxwell each had rushing touchdowns while rising senior Jermaine Edwards had a receiving touchdown.

which in turn creates more focus and energy during practice. The Thunder is always ready to play, Hollway said.

Not all of the team’s starting positions are settled. Rubinstein, for example, is a soccer and lacrosse player who will play varsity football for the first time this fall.

Rubinstein threw just one pass against SCS, which fell incomplete, but looked comfortable running with the ball. Even if his ultimate position is not quarterback, Hollway said, Rubinstein proved that there is a spot for him on the offense somewhere. Second-string quarterback Winston Crisci, a rising junior, also looked comfortable running with the ball, and had a 25-yard touchdown run in the practice session of the spring game.

While there is still work to do, the team is not afraid to have fun while that work is done. After the two teams stopped keeping score, several ODA players danced and laughed on the sidelines to Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” and other songs. It was the look of a team that accomplished what it wanted to accomplish.

DeRusso summed up the team’s confidence heading into summer.

“We’re ready to go back-to-back,” DeRusso said.

— Braden River High’s Marcus Galloway SEE PAGE 13B

Courtesy image

Former Lakewood Ranch High softball star Claire Davidson gave up pitching

Duke University this season — and it has led to the best hitting results of the senior’s career.

ODA linebacker Heath DeRusso holds a football after recovering a fumble against Sarasota Christian in the team’s spring game. DeRusso said the team is feeling no extra pressure after winning a SSAA Class 4A title this past season.

ODA running back Allen Clark runs up the middle against Sarasota Christian in the team’s spring game. Clark ran for 1,104 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2023.

Photos by Ryan Kohn

Mustangs grad earns leadership award

Grant Hutchinson, a recent graduate, will also receive free food from Chick-fil-A for a year.

Grant Hutchinson has his Chickfil-A order ready to go.

“The chicken sandwich meal,” Hutchinson said. “No pickles. I’m not a big pickle guy. A large fries and a large Sprite. And then an extra 12-piece nuggets on the side.

“You’ve got to bulk up, you know?”

It’s a meal Hutchinson, a justgraduated Lakewood Ranch High football player, will be ordering from Chick-fil-A frequently in the next 12 months. Hutchinson will receive free food from the chickenfocused chain restaurant for a year as a perk of receiving the Green 13 award, which is handed out by Lead ’Em Up, a leadership program used by youth, high school and college sports teams across the country.

Of the approximately 50,000 athletes in the program, just 13 receive

the Green 13 award each year, the program’s highest honor. To be eligible, athletes first have to be nominated by their coaches, then Lead ’Em Up representatives go through each candidate and hand select the winners based on their stories and their coaches’ testimonials.

According to Lead ’Em Up, the Green 13 award goes to “young leaders who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and character both on and off the field.”

What set Hutchinson, a linebacker, apart was how he viewed leadership as a separate skill from

football. On the field, Hutchinson did not always see a lot of playing time in 2023. At 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds, Hutchinson was on the smaller end of the linebacker spectrum. When head coach Scott Paravicini arrived before the 2023 season, Hutchinson found himself low on the depth chart — but his work ethic and attitude impressed coaches and eventually earned him playing time.

Hutchinson finished the year 11th on the team with 22 tackles (three tackles for loss).

He never let his playing time, or a lack thereof, stop him from being a good teammate. During Hutchinson’s award ceremony May 17, Paravicini said he was always the first player jumping in when it was time to clean the locker room. He was consistent in his approach to the sport, Paravicini said, and was the same guy whether he was getting playing time or not.

When he did start playing more, his literal voice got louder, and he started leading with his words as much as his actions. In Lead ’Em Up’s release on the award, it noted that Hutchinson once broke up an argument between offensive and defensive players, demanding a resolution to the situation and preaching the importance of team unity. That, Lead ’Em Up said, is exactly what they want to see in their award recipients.

“I tell our team, their job is to love each other,” Paravicini said during the announcement. “I think he (Hutchinson) embodied that. He rose to our standards and bought in. That is what I want to happen here.”

The team kept Hutchinson in the dark about the award. When he arrived at the school May 17, he thought he would be giving a speech to the football team before its spring game against George Jenkins High, a final chance to send off his former teammates before he heads to college. Instead, he was greeted by a wave of applause, family members in attendance, and representatives waiting to congratulate him both in person and via a Zoom call.

Oh, and the Chick-fil-A cow was there, too.

Hutchinson will not be playing football at his next stop. Instead, he will attend the University of Central Florida for mechanical engineering. Hutchinson said the things he learned through the Lead ’Em Up program, and through football, will stick with him even though he’s done with the gridiron.

“It will help me with my social skills, talking to people when we’re working on projects,” Hutchinson said. “Engineering is a vocal thing. You have to talk to a lot of teammates. I feel like it (leadership skills) will help in setting myself up for a better future: Getting a better job or getting better pay.”

Hutchinson said his favorite football memory was the 2023 homecoming game against Lyman High, which Lakewood Ranch won 22-12. Hutchinson had just one tackle in the game, but getting the win with his teammates in that homecoming atmosphere was unforgettable, he said.

He also has advice for people still in high school: Take in everything, and live in the present.

“You spend so much time worrying about college or thinking, ‘What if I could change this? What did I do wrong?’” Hutchinson said. “Just live in the moment. You only get one life. You have to live it.”

Over the next 12 months, Hutchinson’s life will be full of new experiences as he settles into college living. He’ll take his football memories and lessons with him.

As he ventures into the unfamiliar, there will be at least one constant:

A whole lot of Chick-fil-A.

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

Ryan Kohn

Lakewood Ranch High football head coach Scott Paravicini and Grant Hutchinson pose with the Chick-fil-A cow. Hutchinson won free food from the chicken restaurant via Lead ’Em Up’s Green 13 award.

Marcus Galloway

Marcus Galloway is a rising senior on the Braden River High football team. Galloway, a 5-foot-10, 165-pound running back, has offers from the University of Pittsburgh and Cornell University among others. Galloway had the Pirates’ lone touchdown in their 10-6 road spring game win against Boca Ciega High on May 17. Galloway had 627 rushing yards (4.7 yards per carry) and three rushing touchdowns in 2023, plus 104 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.

When did you start playing football?

I started when I was 6 years old. My family just plays football. As soon I was that age where I could play, they signed me up.

What is the appeal to you?

I like the competitiveness of the game. I like going out there and competing against others who like football just as much as me.

What is your best skill?

My versatility. I feel like I can do a lot. I can run the ball and I can be a receiver, catching the ball out of the backfield. I can make plays.

What have you been working to improve? I am mainly focused on getting bigger and putting on weight. I’m a smaller back, so it is hard for me to do power back things sometimes. Adding some weight will make my over all game better.

What is your favorite memory?

My sophomore year when we played Palmetto High. I was playing cornerback at the time. It was the first game of the season. Everyone thought we were going to get blown out, but we did not. We won (27-20 in overtime). That one felt good.

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

What has this spring season been like for the team?

It’s been good. Everyone is working hard. Coach (Eric) Sanders is getting everyone going. We are feeling confident about next season.

What are your goals for the 2024 season?

My goal is to hit 1,200 all-purpose yards.

What is your favorite school subject?

I like history classes. I just like learning about the past. I wasn’t there, so I get to see how things happened, like the Industrial Revolution.

What is the best advice you have received?

My family is always telling me to go out there and have fun. That’s the best advice.

Finish this sentence: “Marcus Galloway is … ” … Enthusiastic. I’m fun person, and I like being energetic.

ATHLETE

NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH

RISING THROUGH THE RANKS by Daniel Hrynick, edited by Jeff Chen

By Luis Campos

Sherry Packard took this photo of an eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly in Summerfield Glades.

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