Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch member Dan McAllister was waiting in anticipation as Manatee Technical College’s Heather Hollingsworth (above with McAllister) was adding ingredients for her chocolate chip cookies.
McAllister was visiting MTC’s baking and pastry arts students Oct. 1 to get a behindthe-scenes look at what the students do to prepare for the Rotary Club’s annual Suncoast Food and Wine Fest.
MTC provides desserts each year at the event, which is Nov. 2 this year.
“It’s great and educational for us,” McAllister said of the visit. “I’m impressed with this quality of work and the kitchen. The presentation they do on Food and Wine is second to none.”
New year celebration
Palm Aire’s Alice Cotman and Sarasota’s Ethel Gross (above) welcomed Temple Emanu-El members to Palm Aire Country Club for a celebratory lunch Oct. 3. Members came together after morning services to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. There were 199 people in attendance, bringing the country club’s main hall to capacity.
“It’s satisfying to see everyone come together,” Gross said. “It’s been hard with everything Israel is going through. We came together to celebrate a new year with a hope for peace and tranquility in the new year here and in Israel.”
heavy financial blow
Surge in manatee interest
snook, primarily a saltwater or brackish water fish, in the reservoir.
MANATEES IN THE BRADEN RIVER
Can manatees live in fresh water? (Answer by FWC)
“Yes. Warm water refuges. Manatees seek out warm freshwater areas whenever the water temperature drops below 68 degrees. The water temperature in a refuge must be consistent and reliable for manatees to seek out and reuse these sites on an annual basis.”
What do manatees eat? (Answer by FWC)
“Aquatic vegetation. Manatees are herbivores and feed on a variety of submerged, emergent and floating plants. Examples are
possible.”
It was a little entertainment provided by Helene, which had flooded many of the homes on Quonset Road. Ordonez said she only had minor damage.
She said seeing manatees was a shock because many people have told her that manatees can’t live in the fresh water and couldn’t possibly get past the dam.
“The storm brought them in,” Kleiner said. “They usually go the opposite direction from where the storm is coming. We had six to seven feet of tidal surge, and at midnight on Thursday night, the river was moving backward.”
eelgrass, coontail, water hyacinth and hydrilla.
Can alligators and manatees coexist? (Answer by Save Our Manatees)
“Yes. Alligators don’t eat manatees because they are too large. Manatees have no natural predators.”
What do manatees do in a hurricane? (Answer by MutualOfOmaha.com)
“They’ve been known to make risky moves during or after storms, finding themselves caught in a surge.”
stress. That’s a real concern. The lakes and canals can get colder (than the gulf and bay). That’s the main concern when they get stuck.”
Veach said FWC has eight manatee rescues pending, not counting the two or three manatees in the Braden River.
“It’s something we are prioritizing,” he said of the rescues.
He said it won’t be easy tracking down the manatees with all the fingers of the Braden River.
“It’s probably going to be a tough rescue,” he said. “We will be using drones.”
JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR
East County’s Terri Ordonez was questioning her sanity as she looked over the Braden River that flows past her Quonset Road home.
Her German shepherd, Shelby, was looking into the water and barking. Ordonez saw swirls of bubbles.
“I saw two manatees, maybe three,” Ordonez said. “I thought I was losing my mind.”
Manatees have been absent from the Braden River since the mid-1930s when the river was dammed to form
Ward Lake, which eventually became Evers Reservoir. The dam effectively blocked the manatees’ access from the fresh water portion of the Braden River to the brackish water and then the Manatee River and gulf.
However, the storm surge from Hurricane Helene sent saltwater back up the Braden River, over the dam and into the Evers Reservoir.
Those who live along the Braden River called Jiggs Landing concessions owner Denise Kleiner and told her the water in the Braden River was running in the opposite direction.
Besides seeing manatees, local fishermen said they had caught
On Sept. 27, the city of Bradenton issued an alert that brackish water had been over the Evers Reservoir dam by the Helene surge but that “the water still meets all primary drinking water standards.”
Restaurants and taverns in the city were using canned beverages for mixers because their taps beverages had a salty taste.
The storm surge has made for some unusual sights for residents along the Braden River like Ordonez.
“When I saw the bubbles, I knew it was something unusual,” Ordonez said. “I was so excited, ‘Am I really seeing manatees?’ They were fairly good sized. We have alligators, bobcats, otters and you name it, but no manatees. Everyone says it is not
Kleiner said besides the snook, a fisherman told her he saw tarpon “rolling” near the dam.
Kleiner, who captains tour boats out of Jiggs Landing around the reservoir and the river, said it has been a thrill to know manatees have been back east of the dam.
“It’s more than a thrill,” she said. “I always have loved manatees. You don’t always see them.”
The thrill should be gone soon.
Jonny Veach, of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said rescue operations for the manatees were set to begin as early as Monday, although incoming weather could postpone that effort.
“Every situation is unique,” Veach said. “But they can’t live long term in fresh water. It’s about cold water
Reports from fishermen on Sunday said the manatees were hanging out by the dam, which would make locating them easier.
Besides water temperature, Veach said boat strikes are a concern in the river. Kleiner was working to put out signs to alert boaters to be careful of the manatees.
When the manatees are located, they will be put into a sling and lifted onto the boat with a wench. Once on shore, they will be checked by a biologist and will have a blood sample taken. About 30 people will carry the manatees on to a special transport truck, which can handle two manatees at a time.
Veach said the manatees are likely to be released just on the other side of the dam.
The manatees, pushed into the fresh water habitat by the Helene surge, will be moved back to brackish water.
Miri Hardy
Almost all Florida manatees, such as these from a previous East County Observer story, have propeller scars. Boat strikes are one of the concerns for the manatees who have made their way into the Braden River and Evers Reservoir.
Manatee taxpayers deal with financial hit from hurricane
Federal, state funds should help with the repairs, although reimbursements could take years to arrive.
LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER
The estimate for damage from Hurricane Helene in unincorporated Manatee County alone is $350 million and climbing, but taxpayers can expect insurance companies, state funds and federal funds to cover a large portion of the damage.
“The question is, when will those federal and state dollars get to us?”
Commissioner George Kruse said. “It’s certainly never good when a storm is so significant that it meaningfully affects five states because now you’re waiting in line (for federal funds).”
That line could get even longer with Hurricane Milton headed toward Florida and expected to arrive Oct. 9.
The state already is assisting Manatee County with manpower because it owns some of the infrastructure that was damaged. Kruse called Gulf Drive “the single biggest infrastructure issue” left behind by the storm.
Much of the corridor was indistinguishable from the beach because so much sand had washed over it. Underneath, the asphalt was torn and cracked in spots. Gulf Drive is not Manatee County’s responsibility. It’s a state road, along with Cortez Road and Manatee Avenue.
By Sept. 30, a press release from Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office said more than 2,100 Florida Department of Transportation employees were working directly on storm response, and approximately 60,000 dump trucks worth of sand and debris had been cleared from roadways in Manatee, Sarasota and Pinellas counties.
Kruse said the county roads, such as Palma Sola Boulevard, could have some damage, but he’d been driving around for four days at that point and hadn’t noticed anything major.
“Our infrastructure, that we are responsible for, seems to be in decent shape,” he said. “We didn’t have anything, that I’ve seen either a picture of or visibly, that was an extreme infrastructure event that would cause a significant financial hardship.”
Out of the county’s $735 million of reserves, $62.69 million is earmarked for contingencies. That money will be used to float the cost of repairs until the Federal Emergency Management Agency reimburses the county.
Kruse knows people who worked in recovery after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005. He said those reimbursements came in about five years later.
Manatee County also carries insurance, so FEMA works similarly to a secondary insurance policy in that once the damages are assessed and the insurance company determines its payout, the county applies
DAMAGE ESTIMATES
Damage estimates for Anna Maria Island, Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach and Longboat Key have not been released. These estimates were provided by Manatee County on Oct. 1.
TOURISM REVENUES BY MUNICIPALITY
This is what each municipality collected in 2023, as reported by the Manatee County Tax Collector Ken Burton Jr.
to FEMA for the difference.
Cost sharing comes into play, too, but the percentages haven’t yet been determined by FEMA. After Hurricane Ian, FEMA covered 75% of costs, leaving 12.5% to the state and 12.5% to individual counties. Those percentages for Helene could come back at a 90% share for FEMA, leaving only 10% to split between state and county.
The county’s Risk Management Department opened a claim with its insurance company to get the process started, but Information Outreach Manager Bill Logan said it’s too early to submit a claim because damages are still in the discovery process.
The initial damage estimates came from “drive-by” assessments. The county is in the process of undertaking a “Substantial Damage Assessment,” as required by the National Flood Insurance Program, Florida Building Code and a local ordinance.
Logan said if the cost to repair the structure is more than 50% of its market value, the structure is
deemed “substantially damaged” and has to be brought into compliance with current floodplain management standards.
Substantially damaged structures will require permits, so Manatee County is waiving building permit fees for storm related repairs through Feb. 1, 2025.
EVERY TAX DOLLAR AND PENNY COUNTS
While FEMA and the state will cover the lion’s share of damages, county taxpayer dollars will also be used.
Kruse and Commissioner Ray Turner voted against a reduction of the millage rate on Sept. 24, and according to Kruse, the rest of the board made a mistake not to do the same.
“(Turner and I) are not geniuses. We didn’t guess the storm surge, but we were already pretty tight,” Kruse said. “It wasn’t a good idea to take $10 million out of already depleted reserves. By pure chance, an event that could use the reserves happened.”
However, Kruse said there is a way to recoup some of that lost revenue: Vote to increase the tourist development tax by 1% in November.
Only Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge voted not to put the referendum on the ballot. His reasoning was that he vowed to never raise taxes.
However, county residents rarely pay the tourism development tax.
Also known as the “bed tax,” the tax is levied on short-term rentals under six months, including hotels and motels.
Since 1986, 1% of the tax has been earmarked for beach restoration and erosion control. Elliott Falcione, the executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, said an additional $750,000 each year goes toward beach maintenance.
The county also issues grants to municipalities for projects using that revenue. In 2019, the county granted the city of Anna Maria $1,935,000 to
“All these people that are saying, ‘Don’t vote for it; it’s a tax,’ are idiots, and you can quote me on that.”
Commissioner George Kruse
renovate the Anna Maria City Island Pier.
“All these people that are saying, ‘Don’t vote for it; it’s a tax,’ are idiots, and you can quote me on that,” Kruse said. “Every county that surrounds us charges that sixth penny. It just makes sense to improve things for your citizens without using citizen dollars.”
The tax doesn’t only pay for the beaches. Revenues from the bed tax covered $4 million of the $5.2 million Premier Sports Campus purchase. Impact fees paid for the rest. The tax is also contributing over $8 million to the multiuse building, locker rooms and parking lot being added to the campus.
When the commission voted to put the tourism tax referendum on the ballot, Turner said it would accelerate the future work at Premier Park, too.
Kruse said it’s more important than ever to collect the extra 1% because the overall collection will be lower over the next year or two while the islands rebuild.
Anna Maria Island, Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach and Longboat Key account for more than 50% of the countywide collection.
Before voting against the millage reduction, Turner said the county had too many commitments to cut the tax. Kruse said, in this case, the county has too many commitments to not raise the tax.
“We pledged bed taxes for the Convention Center, and we have plans for LECOM Park and all kinds of other things that are all anticipated based upon an assumption of a continuously increasing bed tax,” he said. “This extra penny will at least allow us to capture some of that loss from Palmetto and Lakewood Ranch and from other places.”
Based on projections prior to Hurricane Helene, if approved, the extra penny would have generated about $8 million more in revenues next year. The county lost about $10 million by cutting the millage.
“I’m an optimist,” Falcione said. “We have the wherewithal to weather this storm and pay for the commitments that are in place. The mainland is open for business, and there is incredible work going on out on Anna Maria Island.”
Courtesy images Commissioner George Kruse says Gulf Drive is “the single biggest infrastructure issue” left behind by Hurricane Helene. The tourism development tax will take a hit from Hurricane Helene because it’s levied on short-term rentals. Voters have the option to increase it by 1% in November.
LAKEWOOD RANCH DELI
Big celebration in store for mall
Here is a look
the number of new tenants (businesses) that Benderson Development added every year since the mall opened.
t was Oct. 16 in 2012, and Todd Mathes was attending the groundbreaking ceremony for the Mall at University Town Center.
He remembered thinking the plan by Benderson Development and the Taubman company to build an 880,000-square-foot shopping mall in two years was “ambitious.”
The partners announced to the crowd the new mall would be open two years to the day after the groundbreaking.
“I remember that day,” said Mathes, who is the director of development for Benderson Development.
“I thought everyone was nuts.”
But like most things connected with the mall, everything went according to plan, and a ribbon cutting was held Oct. 16, 2014.
On Oct. 16, the mall will celebrate
gest drivers of economic impact the region ever has known.
“My father, Nathan Benderson, had the early vision to create a regional shopping destination here,” said Randy Benderson, the managing director of Benderson Development. “At the time, Lakewood Ranch was just starting to take shape. The growth in Southwest Florida has been extraordinary. It has allowed UTC to become a superregional shopping destination.”
tionable
and
a
“That was a goal of
were flounder-
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when we took the risk coming out of the
recession to start construction of the mall,” Randy Benderson said. “What we probably could not have envisioned was the sense of community that developed around UTC in the years after we opened the mall.”
The Mall at UTC became not only a shopping destination, but a place where families could meet for social events and gather for the holidays. The mall came to life with an amazing holiday lights display, a holiday parade, a recreation area — The Green — for weekly events, a bevy of workout-related programs inside the mall and much more. The next-door Nathan Benderson Park allows people to combine a day at the park with shopping and/or a nice meal at one of the mall area’s many restaurants.
“The mall energized our region,” Randy Benderson said. “Taubman had perfected the mall model by the time we partnered at UTC, and they were widely recognized throughout the industry for their commitment to innovative architecture and excellence in design. That’s exactly what we wanted to bring to the region.
“The mall reflects our commitment that UTC would be a special place. We made the same commitment to Nathan Benderson Park, next door, and now Mote Marine is poised to open its new Science Education Aquarium. These are all iconic, placemaking projects which in and of themselves have transformational potential. To put them all in one place creates a powerhouse of a destination.”
Vanessa Baugh was commissioner of the Lakewood Ranch area’s District 5 at the time.
Baugh, who retired from the commission in 2023, said she was excited but worried about how the mall would fare.
“I was concerned,” Baugh said. “Who wanted an indoor mall at that time? Everyone wanted to be the (outdoor) Lincoln Mall in Miami. Even so, the potential, if success-
ful, was enormous. “I was involved with Benderson Development at the time, even though the mall was in Sarasota County,” Baugh said. “Randy Benderson and Todd Mathes always made sure Manatee County had a place at the table. When it came to roads, they always wanted to do whatever they could to help.”
A jewelry store owner in Lakewood Ranch, Baugh said she was like many East County business owners who
thought the mall could hurt their businesses by taking away their customers.
“I was leery,” she said. “But it actually helped us. It brought more people this way.”
She said other benefits were that the Cooper Creek area would change and grow into a strong retail center and the diverging diamond project at Interstate 75 and University Parkway was speeded up to meet the traffic needs.
MALL AT UTC
Opened: Oct. 16, 2014
Location: Southwest corner of I-75 and University Parkway in Sarasota
Retailers at time of opening:
70
Retailers now inside mall: 140
Leased percentage: 99% occupied (one vacancy)
Cost to build: $315 million
Anchors: Dillard’s, Macy’s, Saks Fifth Avenue
Size: 880,000 square feet (1.1 million square feet including corridors)
Mall acreage: 73
UTC mall and districts
acreage: 276
Parking: 4,100 spaces and valet parking
Sales: The UTC sales corridor does more than $1 billion in sales annually
Owners: Benderson
Development (which purchased the land) and Taubman
Website: MallatUTC.com
Did you know: The Mall at UTC was the first mall built in Sarasota in 35 years
The UTC mall and its surrounding districts grew right along with the nearby Lakewood Ranch community.
“UTC and Lakewood Ranch have complemented each other’s growth over the years, offering our residents, the region and visitors a diverse and unmatched mix of entertainment, shopping and dining options,” said Laura Cole, senior vice president of Lakewood Ranch Communities, in an email.
The $315 million mall itself is a work of art with a light-changing, barrel vault ceiling and a 1,100-footlong skylight that allows shoppers to feel that they are outside even though they are in a climate-controlled environment.
“We are in the tropics,” said Jose Ayala, the Mall at UTC’s general manager for the past five years.
“We wanted the sunlight to come through. It was a specialty design.
Not many malls have the skylights that we have.”
Ayala, who was the general manager of the Mall of San Juan (Puerto Rico) in his previous post, said Taubman has been known for “boutique malls” and being selective in choosing tenants. He said that has been a key to the Mall at UTC’s popularity.
“The type of tenants complement each other,” he said. “We have changed some brands because we trade up. We are very careful selecting the right tenants. We share (with Benderson Development) what we see in new trends. This center has evolved.”
When talking about the mall’s impact on the region, Ayala notes that the Mall at UTC has more than 2,000 employees along with the tax revenue it generates.
Mathes, who joined Benderson Development in 2011, said there is a synergy with Taubman and with the surrounding communities that has made the mall and the shopping districts so successful.
He also complimented the mall’s anchor tenants, such as Dillard’s, for the success.
He said the mall and shopping districts share needs and trends, such as the amount of fast casual food and sporting goods that are available.
The number of people who schedule family time at UTC and the surrounding districts also has amazed him.
“People want to spend their leisure time here,” he said. “None of us could have put their arms around that.”
It’s been a decade since the mall opened, but Mathes still remembers the time two months before the scheduled opening when he thought everyone was nuts to complete such a massive project in two years. Unfortunately, it looked like he was going to be right.
“Ninety days before we opened, you would have said, ‘No way!’” he said. “We had hundreds of electricians, plumbers and construction workers.”
But they made it.
“Opening day was a huge party,” he said.
Even if they were nuts.
The Mall at UTC’s skylight is 1,100 feet long. The mall turns 10 on Oct. 16.
Saks Fifth Avenue has been a key tenant through 10 years at the Mall at UTC,
Marlin Bar ready to ‘wow’ Lakewood Ranch
The bar was set to open Oct. 9 in the Center Point plaza off University Parkway.
LESLEY
The Tommy Bahama corporate headquarters is based out of Seattle. However, CEO Douglas Wood said the Sarasota region is ground zero for the company’s restaurant division.
Staff is especially excited to be opening a Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar in the Center Point plaza in Lakewood Ranch on Oct. 9.
“When (the Lakewood Ranch location) came up, my entire restaurant division gave a giant cheer,” he said. “There’s a real feeling of home when it comes to (the area).”
Both the executive chef and restaurant manager for the region live in Sarasota. The St. Armands Circle location opened in 1997. Lakewood Ranch will be the 11th Tommy Bahama restaurant in Florida.
The Marlin Bar is a newer concept for the chain. The bar offers “upscale counter service,” where a diner can be in and out in 45 minutes.
Wood said it’s something the Tommy Bahama clientele have been asking for because they don’t always want to commit to a two-hour, full dining experience. Especially during the week, people are often looking for a glass of wine and a quick bite to eat.
At 8,700 square feet, the Lakewood Ranch location features an indoor bar, patio seating and a retail store.
“We didn’t have to try to squeeze into a preexisting building,” Wood said. “We got to build exactly what we wanted. You’re going to get the top-tier of what we do with the Marlin Bar in Lakewood Ranch.”
The indoor bar is centrally located on the first floor with patio seating on either side. The capacity is about 150 diners, and the experience is streamlined like a fast casual restaurant. Guests go to the bar to get drinks and place their orders, and the food is served in about 10 minutes.
IF YOU GO
Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar, 6562 University Parkway, Suite 110. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Happy hour runs from 3-6 p.m. daily.
A few favorites from the restaurants made it onto the bars’ menu, including the coconut shrimp and the ahi tuna tacos.
The menu reads like an all-day lunch menu until you reach the section dedicated solely to “Tacos and Tequila.”
“We want it to be a bar first,” Wood said. “Maybe people haven’t been to one of our Marlin Bars, or maybe they’ve been down to Fort Myers, but they’re going to immediately say, ‘Wow, this bar is great.’”
The “Guava Rita” is made with El Tequileno Reposado, Cointreau, guava-serrano syrup and lime.
The rest of the menu offers a selection of appetizers, handhelds, salads, bowls and a long list of cocktails and wine. An “Island Time Happy Hour” and live music are part of the bar’s daily offerings, too.
The retail store takes up about 3,500 square feet of space, which will have items for men, women, the beach and home. Tommy Bahama has a retail store at the Mall at University Town Center, as well.
Wood said portions are smaller, so menu prices are about half of what many restaurants would charge.
For example, the restaurant on St. Armands Circle offers an “all-American burger” topped with American cheese, house-made dill pickles and garlic aioli for $22. That menu item was pared down into the all-American burger sliders for $14 at the Marlin Bar.
“We started looking at communities growing in Lakewood Ranch and said there’s enough of our guests here to support a Marlin Bar and support the store down the street,” Wood said.
Plus, the company already had a relationship with Casto, the developer of Center Point, because Tommy Bahama has a restaurant in a Casto plaza in Winter Park.
Lesley Dwyer
The Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar will open in the Center Point plaza off of University Parkway on Oct. 9.
The six amendments
MATT WALSH
Every four years, Florida voters face a flurry of proposed amendments to the state constitution. This year, six amendments are on the ballot.
The Legislature proposed four of the amendments; citizen initiatives were behind the abortion and marijuana amendments. Each amendment requires 60% or more approval to be adopted.
We have made a practice of trying to help voters understand some of the rationales, nuances and special interests behind the amendments. And in a similar vein, we have made a practice of recommending a yes or no vote. We take into consideration the context and the motivations for the amendments.
But to a great extent, we make our recommendations on the basis of a simple litmus test: Will it increase or decrease individual liberty? Will it protect your individual liberty or give more power to the government to restrict your liberty?
Here is our analysis of Amendments 3 and 4 (see box).
Amendment 3
Adult personal use of marijuana
This may be the truest statement about legalizing recreational marijuana use: Almost nothing good results from it.
Yes, people who smoke weed or eat marijuana-laced gummies and cookies will have more freedom to use it; they will be happy. The people who grow and sell it will be happy. And governments will have more tax money to spend or to shift the tax burden from one group onto the potheads (less freedom).
But overall, here are questions to consider: What is the benefit of recreational marijuana for individuals and for society? How does it make life better for the vast majority of people?
Of course, there is a good libertarian case for legalizing marijuana and drugs. Milton Friedman, the U.S. king of libertarian economic thinking, consistently advocated for legalizing all drugs. He made a convincing argument in a 1991 interview (watch: Ukcia.org/Research/ Argue/Milton.htm).
“I have estimated statistically that the prohibition of drugs produces, on the average, 10,000 homicides a year,” Friedman said. “It’s a moral problem that the government is going around killing 10,000 people. It’s a moral problem that the government is making into criminals people who may be doing something you and I don’t approve of, but who are doing something that hurts nobody else.”
He also said there are many more (innocent) victims from the prohibition on drugs than the 10,000 homicides. “You’ve got the people whose purses are stolen, who are bashed over the head by people trying to get enough money for their next fix. You’ve got the people killed in the random drug wars. You’ve got the corruption of the legal establishment. You’ve got the innocent victims who are taxpayers who have to pay for more and more prisons, and more and more prisoners and more and more police.
So far, 24 states and Washington, D.C., have legalized recreational marijuana; seven more have decriminalized it. Next month, voters in Florida, North and South Dakota will decide whether to legalize recreational marijuana.
With so many already legalizing it, how has it worked out?
In 2021, the CATO Institute, a libertarian think tank, conducted its second widespread study of the effects in the states that legalized it. Its conclusions were the same in both: inconclusive.
“We found that the strong claims made by advocates and critics are substantially overstated and
ELECTION ’24
in some cases entirely without support; mainly, state legalizations have had minor effects.” Its assessment, CATO said, “remains tentative because of limitation in the data.”
Even so, in a 535-page report for the Florida secretary of state examining possible consequences of recreational marijuana use, among the data, statistics and estimates, here are a few noteworthy citations:
■ The Florida Sheriffs Association: “(T)he lessons learned from other states suggest that there are some common trends — potency increases in marijuana available for use; upticks in homelessness; emergence of illegal markets and criminal cartels; impaired driving and traffic fatality increases; and hospitalization as a result of marijuana use …
“According to a recent National Survey of Drug Use and Health, the number of Americans who heavily use marijuana (at least 300 times a year) has risen from 3 million in 2006 to 8 million in 2017, coming close to the alcohol abuse numbers.”
The sheriffs also cited statistics from Colorado and Washington, both of which legalized recreational marijuana in 2012, and from California, which legalized it in 2016:
■ Colorado: From 2013 to 2019, marijuana related traffic deaths increased 140%.
■ Washington: In 2017, fatal crashes involving drivers who tested THC positive doubled before marijuana legalization.
■ California: 80% of the marijuana sold came from the illegal black market.
The sheriffs concluded: “Based on the experience of other states, we know that law enforcement resources, as well as public health and other governmental services, will be taxed with new call volume due to the nature of marijuana impairment and its relationship to criminality (including victimization) as well as mental health.”
Here’s another cost: A whole new bureaucracy of regulators.
The Florida Department of Health estimates it will need 100 full-time employees at a cost of about $9.25 million a year; startup equipment cost of $3.24 million; $2.5 million in litigation expenses; $720,000 for automobiles; and $360,000 for office rent. All of which will grow as usage and sales grow.
This is not an issue that is as simple as lighting a joint. But as legislators often do, rather than address this matter as they should with thoughtful legislation, they take the politically safe route. They let impatient special interests force the issue with a voter-initiated constitutional amendment.
This is what we have argued on this page the past two weeks: The matter is now in the hands of the democratic majority mob, so that the lowest common denominator will make a decision that will have lasting consequences on Florida’s social and economic core. And they will be deciding this without lawmakers having conducted intelligent and educational discussions across the state with voters.
Had lawmakers done their job they would be handling this issue the way it should be: Legalizing marijuana should be treated the same as alcohol and cigarettes. As Friedman noted in 1991: “I would
OBSERVER RECOMMENDS
Amendment 1 — Partisan election of school board members. Vote yes
Amendment 2 — Right to hunt and fish. Vote yes
Amendment 5 — Annual adjustments to the value of homestead exemptions. Vote no
Amendment 6 — Repeal of public campaign financing. Vote yes
■ To read the full text of each amendment and Matt Walsh’s unabridged analysis of all six amendments, go to: YourObserver.com/OpinionAmendments
legalize drugs by subjecting them to exactly the same rules that alcohol and cigarettes are subjected to now. If only legislators would do their job. But on this, it’s probably too late. Even though the potheads will enjoy more freedom, this is another issue that should not be engraved in the constitution. It should be handled statutorily.
We recommend: No
Amendment 4
Limit government interference with abortion
This amendment is as deceitful, diabolical and extreme as one could be on this subject.
“If this thing passes, then Florida will become a mecca for abortion,” said Matt Walsh Aug. 30. Walsh is the podcaster on the Daily Wire (and no relation to this Matt Walsh). “You’ll have abortion tourism. Abortion rates will skyrocket by like a 1,000% … It is a pro-infanticide measure.”
Walsh is known in the podcast world as uncompromisingly prolife. His assessment, nevertheless, is plausible — and likely.
But rather than engage first in the debate over a woman’s alleged “right” to determine the outcome of her pregnancy, let’s first focus on the egregious flaws in this amendment: its wording. Even moderate defenders of abortion should agree the authors who crafted this amendment deviantly worded it to sound moderate.
Start with “No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability…” (italics added)
What is viability? Who decides what is viable? What are the criteria to determine viability?
In standard legislation, lawmakers define every important term to avoid ambiguity. The authors of this obviously and deceptively avoided defining viability. Vagueness is akin to no fence around the cow pen.
But even worse than the vagueness is what comes after “before viability”: No law to prohibit before viability “or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s health care provider.” (italics added)
This is an open invitation. Again: What defines “necessary”? What defines “patient’s health”? That could be anything — physical, mental, emotional, financial. Prior to this, most legislation was worded to “protect the life” of the mother, not just “health.”
What’s more, what and who is a health care provider? Your cousin,
84,052 ABORTIONS IN FLORIDA
■ Florida reported 84,052 abortions were performed in 2023, +2% over 2022.
■ 46,635 (55%) drug-induced, +3 over 2022.
■ Abortion rate: Estimated at 20.8 per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44, +2% over 2022.
■ 1,344 abortions at 15 weeks or later, -33% from 2022.
■ 91% performed on state residents; 9% on women from other states.
■ 7% of Florida abortions performed on girls under age of 20; 27% on women 20 to 24; 28% on women ages 25 to 29; 34% on women in their 30s; 4% on
the dentist? Your psychic health tarot-card reader?
Finally, and this is just so deceitful and despicable, there is the confusing vagueness of the final sentence in the amendment:
“This amendment does not change the Legislature’s constitutional authority to require notification to a parent or guardian before a minor has an abortion.”
Various interpretations of that sentence say the amendment would abolish current law that requires parental consent beforehand.
It just says the Legislature could still pass a law requiring that parents be notified before their minor daughter undergoes the abortion.
Surely, rational, responsible parents and grandparents of young girls see this proposed amendment as yet another step of taking away parental control and responsibilities and putting them in the hands of the State.
To be sure, this amendment is being sold to enshrine in Florida a woman’s right to choose what happens to the life of the child in her womb — with no restrictions at any time all the way up until birth.
While we repeatedly have stated our litmus test is whether a proposed amendment increases or decreases individual liberty — and certainly this would allow untethered freedom for any woman, this measure totally negates any moral considerations. It is extreme.
And yet, most Americans are not morally or immorally extreme.
Pew Research repeatedly has found that while 61% of Americans it polled say abortion should be legal in all or most circumstances, 56% of those respondents “say the timing of an abortion (i.e., how far along the pregnancy is) should be a factor in determining its legality.”
But the sponsors of this amendment are counting on the lowest common denominator of voters not to think and just reflexively approve this vaguely worded measure. That is democratic, majority mob rule at its worst.
Given the emotional nature and importance of this issue — human life — this subject requires much more careful consideration than a deceptive, 50-word proposal.
Heretofore in the U.S., that has been almost totally absent. The focus is always on the two extremes, rarely an alternative or an acceptable in between. Indeed, in the Western World, the United States’ treatment of abortion has long been the most radical.
In her amazing 1987 book, “Abortion and Divorce in Western Law,” Harvard law professor Mary Ann Glendon authored an extensive comparison of how European countries address abortion. We don’t have the space to show the details of each country’s rational approach, but Glendon summarizes:
“West European laws, while permitting abortion on a wide variety ground, communicate that fetal life is an important interest of the society and that abortion is not a substitute for birth control.”
And, she astutely concludes:
“Over time, I would say to my pro-life friend, compromise legislation may aid your cause, because it is what goes on in people’s hearts and minds that you really care about. The mores, not the law, are the best protection of the weak and dependent.
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women ages 40 and older.
■ Florida’s Black abortion rate was 36.8 per 1,000 women of childbearing age; 14.3 per 1,000 on white women.
■ 62% of Florida abortion were on non-Hispanic women; 31% on Hispanic women; 7% on unknown ethnicity.
■ 74% were performed on unmarried women; 16% on women whose marital status not reported; 10% on married women.
■ 58% reported zero prior abortions; 23% reported one prior; 18% more than one.
Source: Charlotte Lozier Institute
“A law which communicates that abortion is a serious moral issue and that the fetus is entitled to protection will have a more beneficial influence on behavior and opinions, even though it permits abortion under some — even many — circumstances, than a law which holds fetal life to be of little or no value and abortion to be a fundamental right …
“In a similar vein, I would say to my pro-choice friend: Please consider what a set of legal arrangements that places individual liberty or mere life over innocent life says about, and may do to, the people and the society that produces them.
“In the long run, the way in which we name things and imagine them may be decisive for the way we feel and act with respect to them, and for the kind of people we ourselves become.”
This amendment is not how this matter of life should be decided. We recommend: No
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Business Alliance digs deep to give back
They had to be wondering who made this schedule.
Employees of the Legler, Murphy and Battaglia law firm of Bradenton were busy digging and scraping and raking on a high-80-degrees morning near the Rye Preserve.
Manatee County owns the property at 751 Rye Wilderness Trail, but the county handed over the keys to the Foundation for Dreams in early August.
The 62-acre site, which had been occupied by the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches from 1988 through 2022, is rough, indeed, having gone through some violent storms with reduced maintenance.
The Foundation for Dreams serves children, ages 7 through 17, with special needs. Currently, the foundation offers sleep-away weekend and summer camps at Camp Flying Eagle off Upper Manatee River Road.
The hope is that the property is ready to go for camps by next summer and it is going to take a Herculean effort by volunteers to make it happen.
The Legler, Murphy and Battaglia employees were helping to make that happen as part of the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance’s annual volunteer program, Alliance Gives Back.
While the work was hard and sweaty, the volunteers — Lisa Hastings, Ed Murphy, Kelly Jones, Hannah Nese and Alyson Battaglia — were all smiling.
“We love this organization,” Lisa Battaglia said of Foundation for Dreams. “It is amazing what they do.”
Becky Schellinger, the officer manager for Foundation for Dreams, was on hand to direct volunteers toward the needed tasks.
“We need mostly outside work,” Schellinger said. “We have a lot of old roots (to be dug up) and general
landscaping to be done.”
Schellinger watched as a lot of white-collar workers were giving a blue-collar effort.
“It is an amazing feeling,” Schellinger said. “We couldn’t do what we do without the support of the community.”
Camp Director Devonte Ousley seconded that thought.
“It’s great to see this because this is such a big project,” Ousley said.
“Getting this kind of assistance is amazing. But with help, it is mind boggling to think what this can become here. We have so much space.”
Not all the LWRBA’s volunteer efforts Oct. 3-6 involved such hard manual labor, but all were much appreciated by nonprofits that
sometimes can feel like they are on an island.
Since the LWRBA began Alliance Gives Back seven years ago, it has shown that it is not willing to sit back and wait for somebody else to help.
LWRBA President and CEO Brittany Lamont is proud of her members’ willingness to get out of their comfort zone to make a difference.
Alliance Gives Back gets bigger each year.
“We are seeing more nonprofits wanting us to participate (in receiving help),” Lamont said. “All their needs are different, so every year we find there is a different need.”
As the needs grow, Lamont has found that more Alliance members have been willing to step up.
One of the interesting aspects of Alliance Gives Back this time around was that Tidewell Hospice, a nonprofit, had three of its employees go to Meals on Wheels Plus’s Daybreak Adult Day Center in Lakewood Ranch.
“I love that they realize that just because you are a nonprofit doesn’t mean you can’t go out and help other nonprofits,” Lamont said.
The volunteers — Stacy Groff, Lisa Aaronson and Linda Dodson — were painting the interior of the building along with other volunteers.
“It just makes you feel like you are doing something tangible,” Dodson said. “This is nice to see, and to be part of. We (at Tidewell Hospice) are used to working with an elderly population.”
Aaronson said she never has been a painter.
“But I am today,” she said with a laugh.
Gross said there was a nice aspect to their work, as opposed to those who were working at the Foundation for Dreams site.
“We didn’t want to be outside,” she said with a smile.
While the nonprofits reap the rewards of the volunteer work from Alliance Gives Back, the benefits go both ways. Lamont said awareness and exposure are important byproducts of the effort.
In the case of the Tidewell Hospice volunteers, they said they were aware of the Daybreak Adult Day Center and its mission.
Lamont said that is the case over and over as the LWRBA volunteers come back and say they want to support a nonprofit that they learned about through the effort.
Besides the willingness of the volunteers to give their time, Lamont said it is impressive that their companies allow them to work during Alliance Gives Back on company time. That’s an impressive commitment as well.
Lamont wanted to give her staff member, Lindsay Hartman, a tip of the hat for her organization of the event, calling her the “mastermind” of the effort. Keith Pandeloglou is the community engagement chair.
“It’s a feel-good, positive thing,” Lamont said of Alliance Gives Back. “We get a lot of ‘thank-yous.’”
The LWRBA now will change gears with its attention turning to one of its major events — The Hob Nob.
“This will be the first big event on the grounds of the Lakewood Ranch Library,” Lamont said of the Hob Nob, which will be held 4:40-7:30 p.m. Oct. 30 “We’re going to have a big space under a tent.”
The networking event, which is geared toward business professionals, is going to have a Western theme.
“The Hob Nob is like a Who’s Who in the region,” Lamont said.
“It’s a way to unite the community.”
The Hob Nob previously was run by the Bradenton Area Economic Development Corp. The LWRBA took it over and drew 400 attendees in its first Hob Nob.
Besides the networking, Lamont said the event “showcases some of the best food and drinks our region has to offer.”
LWRBA members are asked to showcase their business by partnering with a restaurant to offer a food booth or “Grill Team.”
Go to LWRBA.org for more information or to register.
Jay Heater is the managing editor for the East County Observer. Contact him at JHeater@ YourObserver.com.
Jay Heater
Lisa Hastings, Ed Murphy, Kelly Jones, Hannah Nese and Alyson Battaglia, of Legler, Murphy and Battaglia, were sentenced to hard labor during Alliance Gives Back.
One mill school tax is necessary
RICH TATEM MANATEE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, DISTRICT 5
Probably most property owners in Manatee County do not want to pay any more taxes than are necessary. However, the renewal of the 1 mill school property tax is necessary.
Unfortunately, the current state of the world requires significant safety and security measures at our schools. Some of these measures are required by state law — but those are the minimums.
The leaders of the Manatee County school system know that more than the state required minimums are necessary to keep our schools secure. For instance, in the 2023-2024 school year, three known loaded guns (there were probably more — these are just the ones we located) were found on our school campuses. That situation is unacceptable, so the school system decided to put Evolve artificial intelligence weapon detection systems at all of our high schools and randomly at our middle schools.
With the extra security personnel needed to operate these systems, along with other security measures, annual security costs are millions of dollars per year, and the annual state allocation for safety and security covers only a small percentage of the county’s needs in this area.
The Florida Constitution also has minimum class size requirements that drive a certain number of teachers and support personnel
that is legally required by state law. Employee pay and benefits make up the majority of the expenditures from the school system general operating fund. So, while the school system did eliminate a few hundred positions for the 2024-2025 school year as a cost saving measure, the ability to simply cut jobs to reduce expenditures is very limited.
Some constituents have told me that the school board should “cut administrative staff” to reduce costs. For the 2024-2025 school year, several administrative positions were eliminated throughout the school system, and those include reducing the superintendent’s personal staff from three to two positions.
The school system has approximately 6,250 employees (by far the largest employer in the county), 43,000 students, has 51 schools and many other facilities that it must operate and maintain (to include our transportation system), and has a plethora of laws and Florida Department of Education rules that it must follow.
Florida does provide a significant amount of money to the school system every year for its operations, although most of this money is put into “buckets” that, more often than not, cannot be legally poured into one another.
I have observed firsthand that millage money used for STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) is making a “higher quality” education for our students, often with winning results.
As a property owner in Manatee County, I pay property taxes. I do not have children or family members in the school system, but I know that the millage is necessary for a competitive, safe and highquality school system in Manatee County.
Please join me in voting “yes” on the renewal of the 1 mill school property tax.
LETTERS
Disappointed in Observer
I have enjoyed reading the East County Observer since moving to Lakewood Ranch in 1999. The community articles and local focus added reading enjoyment to my Thursdays when it showed up at the end of my driveway. That said, I am deeply disappointed and upset after reading (Sept. 26, The Republic that’s failing) in this week’s edition. The twopage opinion piece by Mr. Walsh, though well written, was deeply one sided and myopic in facts.
As an entity that has “committed their efforts to editorial excellence,” the editors must have forgotten the ethical journalism concepts of balance and fairness, much less of diversity.
My core issue is that this was a purely political divisional piece, and that has no place in a newspaper that bills itself as serving our community. If this is the future content and editorial direction of the Observer, save a tree and don’t throw it at the end of my driveway.
JOHN MCDANIEL
LAKEWOOD RANCH
School district should respect
Jewish holidays
We live in Lakewood Ranch, and my daughter attends Manatee School for the Arts. We are Jewish and have had a very difficult time with the school scheduling important events on Jewish holidays. This has happened repeatedly over the last three school years. I complain each time, but it keeps happening.
In the fall of 2022, auditions for a theatrical production were scheduled for one of the two days of Rosh Hashanah. My daughter had to arrange for a private audition. In the spring of 2023, the orchestra concert was scheduled for the second night of Passover, one of the two nights when Jews attend a Seder. My daughter, who played violin and had been part of the orchestra the entire year, had to miss her own concert.
I complained to then-principal, Dr. Bill Jones. He apologized, but nothing improved. The following school year (20232024), the auditions for chamber choir were scheduled for the first night of Passover. I complained to the new principal, Dr. Steven Marshall, by e-mail and later by phone. I even provided him in advance of the next school year the dates of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Passover. My only request was that important things (such as auditions, concerts and exams) not be scheduled on those specific dates. His written response was, “I will get with our team to see how we can coordinate and implement.” I was encouraged. But when the fall 2024 semester arrived, it was more of the same. I realize that Jews are a minority in Manatee County. I’m not asking that schools be closed for Jewish holidays like they are for Christian holidays. I’m simply asking that important events not be scheduled on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and the first two nights of Passover. Jewish students shouldn’t have to choose between their cultural/ religious traditions, on one hand, and important school events, on the other.
STUART LURIE GREENBROOK
Please consider sandbag-filling machines
Here we go again, another storm on the way. It infuriates me that the counties around us tell everyone if they need sandbags, come and fill up. I see folks using shovels. Dear God help me. I went on the internet and found manufacturers that build sandbag filling machines, top of line — fill and stitch — around $40,000. I think most of our leaders can scrounge up enough funds to get two of these for us so some of us seniors can survive a storm and not drop dead of a heart attack.
ROBERT FRANCO LAKEWOOD RANCH
Beyond First Class™
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
NO REFUGE FROM THE STORM
MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
As the waves leisurely lapped the shore of Manasota Beach on a late Friday in August, Daniel and Patrick Lazour sang songs from their show, “We Live in Cairo,” which opens this week Off Broadway in New York City.
Members of the audience at the Hermitage Artist Retreat watched the Massachusetts-bred brothers play guitar and sing songs inspired by the Arab Spring uprisings of the 2010s as they lounged in beach chairs and sipped wine. Stage right, the last rays of the day’s sun danced off the clouds over the water.
Just an hour earlier, it seemed as if a storm was heading toward the area.
Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg had to decide whether to cancel the evening’s performance. But at the last minute, the showers moved elsewhere and Sandberg gave the show the green light.
The Hermitage was lucky on Aug. 23. It wasn’t as fortunate Sept. 26, when Hurricane Helene thrashed the beaches of Sarasota’s barrier islands, dumping tons of sand onto the Hermitage’s grounds and parking lot.
It was the second time in as many years the Hermitage was hit by a devastating storm. In 2022, high winds from Hurricane Ian pummeled its roof, which cost nearly $1 million to repair.
As this article is being written, Hurricane Milton is heading for Tampa Bay. Batten down the hatches, folks.
Speaking by telephone on Oct. 4, Sandberg said it was impossible to
estimate the cost of removing the sand that has engulfed the Hermitage’s buildings because it cannot simply be dumped back on the beach. Having said that, he expects the price tag will be higher than it was for the Hurricane Ian cleanup.
As in other places in the Sarasota area, sand moved by the storm first must be remediated.
“We have to figure out what to do with the sand,” Sandberg said. “We’re waiting on guidance from Sarasota County and the state of Florida.”
THE ARTFUL LOBSTER IS ON
Wearing his development hat, Sandberg wants everybody to know the Hermitage’s annual Artful Lobster fundraiser will take place this year on Nov. 9 at a location that will soon be revealed.
Sitting on the Hermitage beach in August, listening to the Lazours, the word that came to mind was “magical.”
But “magical thinking” can be dangerous. The late Joan Didion popularized the term when she wrote “The Year of Magical Thinking.”
In the medical trade, “magical thinking” is defined as: “when a person believes that specific words, thoughts, emotions or rituals can
“The Hermitage needs to exist. It is a magic, unique, inspirational location that we are committed to rebuilding.”
Andy Sandberg, Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO
Hermitage Artist Retreat CEO Andy Sandberg vows to rebuild after being hit by a hurricane twice in two years.
influence the external world.”
Is it magical thinking to believe the Hermitage Artist Retreat can withstand the storms that buffet its Manasota Key campus with seemingly greater frequency?
According to Sandberg, the answer is no. “The Hermitage needs to exist. It is a magic, unique, inspirational location that we are committed to rebuilding,” he says.
He adds: “Weather is impacting the entire world. Look what happened to the arts district in Asheville. This campus and buildings have withstood a century.”
Sandberg and the Hermitage’s board of trustees are hoping it will be around on its current premises for at least another 30 years. In July, the Hermitage announced that the Sarasota County Commission unanimously approved an extension to its lease through 2045.
The agreement also included an option to extend the lease through 2055 upon the completion of planned improvements to the Hermitage facilities. The amendment also “confirmed” the Hermitage providing greater access to parking for the retreat’s community programs, according to a statement at the time.
The Hermitage Retreat, which Sandberg likes to call an “incubator,” hosts nearly 100 artists in various
disciplines whose diverse works end up in concert halls, theaters, museums and galleries, both locally and around the world.
DON’T CALL IT A ‘RETREAT’
“Even though it’s part of our name, I don’t really like the word ‘retreat,’” Sandberg says. “The biggest misrepresentation about the Hermitage is that it’s like a beach vacation for retired artists. But our fellows always say they get more work done here in their time than anywhere else.”
In New York alone, this past season saw performances and works by Hermitage alums such as Craig Lucas (“Days of Wine and Roses”), Lynn Nottage (“MJ: The Musical”), Jeanine Tesori (“Kimberly Akimbo”), Dennis O’Hare (“Merrily We Roll Along”) and Joshua Harmon (“Prayer for the French Republic”). Closer to home, a collaboration between the Hermitage and Sarasota Art Museum brought “Impact,” a cutting-edge show of 10 world-class artists to SAM, an arm of Ringling College of Art and Design housed in the old Sarasota High School. Unlike some other fellowship programs, the Hermitage has no work requirement. But its fellows are required to interact with the community in a program of some kind.
The Hermitage hosts some 50 of
The Hermitage Artist Retreat in Manasota Key brings worldclass artists to Sarasota to develop their work and to interact with local audiences.
Image courtesy of Barbara Banks
Sand dunes rise to nearly the top of the first floor at one of the Hermitage Retreat’s historic buildings following Hurricane Helene.
Courtesy images
these events a year, on its beach and at Sarasota cultural institutions such as Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.
Following Hurricane Helene, the Oct. 18 program, “Zeniba Now: The Heartsong and Other Experiments” has been moved to the roof of Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe.
Hurricane Milton notwithstanding, all systems are go for the Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens program, “Let the Music Set You Free,” on Oct. 17 with Britton Smith, the leader of the alternative soul band Britton and the Sting.
PROGRAMS ARE FREE WITH $5 FEE
The cost to attend a Hermitage program is nearly free. The only requirement is that attendees register on the Hermitage website and pay a $5 fee.
No one disputes the high caliber of arts performance in Sarasota, but one thing that makes Hermitage shows stand out is they present new work on its way to major stages.
But after hunkering down in a Hermitage bungalow and working out a block on their latest project, not every artist is in the mood to dance and sing. Sandberg, who recently starred in the World War II drama “Operation Epsilon” in London, understands.
When Tesori told him that she didn’t want to spend her time at the Hermitage worrying about her performance, he gave her the OK to do a casual Q&A with the audience, replete with a glass of wine.
“The audience just loved it,” Sandberg says. “Because as cool as it is to
hear new work from Jeanine Tesori, it’s even cooler to hear about her perspective sitting in an editing booth with Sondheim working on the ‘West Side Story’ movie while trying to launch her opera that started here.”
That opera, “Grounded,” just premiered at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
FINDING THE RIGHT FELLOWS
But it’s not just the perfect setting that makes the alchemy happen. The other ingredient is the artist. Here’s where Sandberg gets really excited telling a visitor the Hermitage story.
Just like with the MacDowell Genius Award, artists can’t apply for a Hermitage fellowship: They have to be nominated. But it’s not Sandberg or the board of trustees that do the honors. The Hermitage’s National Curatorial Council of 14 superstars in their respective creative fields, nominates prospective fellows, who must be unanimously approved.
In addition to fellowships, each year, the Hermitage hands out its Greenfield Prize, a $35,000 cash stipend awarded across disciplines, in concert with the Greenfield Foundation of Philadelphia. This year’s Greenfield Prize winner is Deepa Purohit, who made her Off-Broadway debut last season with her play “Elyria” in New York.
Another thing that arouses Sandberg’s childlike enthusiasm is talking about what happens when you put four or five Hermitage Fellows of differing creative backgrounds around a barbecue or firepit.
One local manifestation of that
cross-cultural collaboration at the Hermitage was the recent SAM exhibit, “The Truth of the Night Sky.” The show was the creative offspring of multimedia artist Anne Patterson and composer Patrick Harlin, who met at the Hermitage in 2014.
KEEPING A FOOT IN THEATER
One reason why Sandberg is happy to be surrounded by artists is that he’s one himself. A Yale graduate, Sandberg joined the Hermitage in December 2019 after directing such off-Broadway shows as “The Last Smoker in America,” “Shida” and “Straight.”
When Sandberg took the job at the Hermitage, it was with the understanding that his freelance theatrical work could continue.
But his main role is serving as ambassador for Hermitage. “When I came here from New York and asked people what they knew about the Hermitage, people had so many specific or limited views. ‘Oh, you do a poetry reading once a year. Oh, you do a gala in Sarasota once a year with a commission for visual art. Oh, you do a few cute beach programs,’” he recalls.
Well, let’s set the record straight then: What is the Hermitage Artist Retreat, anyway? Sandberg doesn’t hold back. “I think we are perhaps the most innovative and exciting arts and cultural organization in the state of Florida and one of the top in the country. We need to exist.”
SARASOTA ARTS VENUES PLAY IT SAFE
Hurricane Helene had wreaked havoc on Sarasota’s barrier islands the day before, but all seemed in order on Friday, Sept. 27, at Holley Hall, where the Stiletto Brass was scheduled to perform at 7:30 p.m.
However, at 6:30 p.m., ticket holders received an unexpected email: The much-anticipated concert of the female quintet, which was to be accompanied by Bradenton virtuoso trumpeter Vince DiMartino, was canceled.
The email from Robyn Bell, music director of the Pops Orchestra, the show’s sponsor, explained the power had gone out at Holley Hall. “Your Pops Orchestra Team is waiting at Holley Hall just in case you didn’t get this email,” the missive read. “We love you all and are so sorry we didn’t get to relax with wonderful music tonight.”
For Sarasota arts organizations and their patrons, Hurricane Helene brought mostly disappointment, not devastation. The exceptions were those cultural venues with waterfront exposure, such as Marie Selby Gardens Botanical Gardens downtown and Selby’s Spanish Point campus in Osprey, and John Ringling’s historic C’a d’Zan on the grounds of The Ringling at 5401 Bay Shore Road.
The 36,000-square-foot mansion, built by the circus magnate in 1926, sustained flooding to its basement and damage to tiles on its waterside terrace. Owned by Florida State University after being left to the state’s citizens in Ringling’s will, the chateau is closed to the public and all tours are suspended until repairs can be made.
The rest of the Ringling complex, including the John and Mable Art Museum and the Tibbals Learning Center and Circus Museum, remained open to the public last week.
Parts of Selby Gardens’ downtown campus near its waterfront mangroves were cordoned off after Hurricane Helene, but the facility was able to open its 2024 Orchid Show, titled “Purple!” to the public on Saturday, Oct. 4. At Spanish Point, a seawall collapsed and a small bridge was damaged. Its annual “Lights at Spooky Point” exhibition, originally set to open Oct. 9, is now scheduled to go live on Oct. 12. That is, if Hurricane Milton doesn’t get in the way. By the afternoon of Sunday, Oct. 6, some Sarasota arts groups were playing it safe and announcing closures ahead of the hurricane heading toward the Tampa Bay area.
The Sarasota Art Museum will close from Monday, Oct. 7, through Friday, Oct. 11, out of “an abundance of caution for the approaching tropical storm.”
The Sarasota Ballet announced plans to reschedule the 100th anniversary tour of the Martha Graham Dance Company scheduled for Oct. 11-13 at FSU Performing Arts Center. More closures and cancellations are sure to follow as the track and force of the storm becomes apparent.
Even if you don’t receive emails or texts with cancellation or closure notices, arts patrons are still advised to check websites or telephone to find out whether their destination or performance is still happening.
It goes without saying that ticket holders should stay home if they have to travel through dangerous conditions to reach a performance or an exhibition. The arts bring joy, but they are not worth risking one’s life for.
Courtesy image
The Hermitage Artist Retreat hosted “Stealing the Show: Broadway, Beach and Beyond” with Hermitage Fellow Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer on June 26.
THIS WEEK
THURSDAY
OPENING RECEPTION FOR FALL EXHIBITIONS
5 p.m. at Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami Trail Free Visit ArtCenterSarasota.org.
Raise a toast to the four new shows opening at Art Center Sarasota. They include Gabriel Ramos’ “Echoes of Belonging,” Amy Sanders’ “Pouring, storing and ore-ing,” David Fithian’s “Faces & Places” and the juried show, “Euphoria!” Runs through Nov. 16.
CREATIVE LIBERTIES ARTISTS
OPENING RECEPTION
5 p.m. at 901B Apricot Ave. and 927 N. Lime Ave. Free Visit CreativeLiberties.net.
Meet artists whose work is on view and available for purchase while noshing on light bites and sipping refreshments. Artists at Creative Liberties’ 901B Apricot Ave. location include Carol Hartley-Pinter, Cindy Barbenera-Wedel, Barbara Benjamin, Steve Blumenthal and Eileen Saunders. Artists showcased at 927 N. Lime Ave. include Jess Nagy, Judy Levine, Rick Cardoza, Paula Colman, Lynn Cooke and Ronnique Hawkins.
NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE: ‘HAMLET’
6:30 p.m. at The Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Road $10-$20 Visit Ringling.org.
Live from the Barbican in London, Benedict Cumberbatch plays the title role in Shakespeare’s tragedy. Cumberbatch is a star of stage and screen best known for his role in TV’s “Sherlock” and his Oscar-nomi-
OUR PICK
‘THE ORCHESTRA GAMES’
When was the last time you attended a concert inside the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall for free? For most people, the answer is “never.” Grab grandma and round up the cousins for this gratis concert featuring “The Orchestra Games” by Gregory Smith, a lighthearted, symphonic competition conducted by Rei Hotoda. No strings attached — except the ones on the instruments.
IF YOU GO
When: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11
Where: Van Wezel Performing Arts Center, 777 N. Tamiami Trail
Tickets: Free Info: Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org.
DON’T MISS
nated performance in “The Power of the Dog.” Runs through Oct. 11.
‘OFF THE CHARTS’
7:30 p.m. at FST’s Court Cabaret, 1265 First St. $18-$42 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
The creative team behind Florida Studio Theatre’s popular cabaret series is at again with “Off the Charts.” Richard and Rebecca Hopkins and Sarah Durham take the audience on a tour of 20th-century pop music with arrangements by Jim Prosser. Take a stroll (or a hum) down Memory Lane with hits that ruled the Billboard Top 100 ranking, which debuted in 1958. Runs through Feb. 9.
‘AGNES OF GOD’
7:30 p.m. at Venice Theatre’s Pinkerton Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave. W., Venice
$15-$35 Visit VeniceTheatre.org.
When a dead baby is found in the room of a young nun at a convent, all hell breaks loose. One of Venice Theatre’s revivals for its 75th season, “Agnes of God” features riveting performances by Shannon Maloney as the novice Agnes, Vera Samuels as a court-appointed psychiatrist and
Lynne Doyle as the mother superior. Runs through Oct. 20.
‘SOUL CROONERS:
SOLID GOLD EDITION’
7:30 p.m. at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N. Orange Ave. $22-$52 Visit WestcoastBlackTheatre.org.
Created and directed by Nate Jacobs, “The Soul Crooners” returns to Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s main stage for the first time since its 2009 premiere. The new and improved “Solid Gold Edition” was a hit at this summer’s International Black Theatre Festival in WinstonSalem, North Carolina. Runs through Nov. 17.
FRIDAY
‘NINETEEN’
7:30 p.m. at Tree Fort Productions, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail $40 Visit TreeFortProductionsProjects. com.
Move over, “Suffs.” Sarasota’s got its own musical about women’s suffrage. With her musical “Nineteen,” multitalented Katherine Michelle Tanner celebrates the road to the 19th century. Runs through Oct. 27.
‘PURPLE! THE 2024 ORCHID SHOW’ It’s the most wonderful time of year — when Marie Selby Botanical Gardens unveils its latest orchid show. The theme of this year’s show, presented by Better Gro, is “Purple!” Don’t be a shrinking violet; Come see an astonishing display of purple orchids in the Tropical Conservatory along with an exhibition of books, prints, photographs and other materials in the Museum of Botany & The Arts. Stop by the Green Orchid, the world’s first net-positive energy restaurant, for a tasty lunch presented by Michael’s On East.
IF YOU GO When: Runs through Dec. 5.
Where: Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 1534 Mound St. Tickets: $28 Info: Visit Selby.org.
‘A SYMPHONIC SPOOKTACULAR’
7:30 p.m. at Venice Performing Art Center, 1 Indian Ave. Building 5, Venice $38-$70
Visit TheVeniceSymphony.org.
For some people, pumpkin spice latte and donuts usher in the Halloween season. For others, it’s spooky music. If you’re a fan of the latter, grab your broomstick and fly down to Venice for a “A Symphonic Spooktacular.” Troy Quinn leads the Venice Symphony as it performs Bernard Hermann’s “Psycho: A Short Suite for String Orchestra,” the theme from “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” and more. Runs through Oct. 12.
SATURDAY
‘JUNIE B. JONES: THE MUSICAL’ Noon at FST’s Keating Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave. $12 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
Who says musical theater is just for old folks? There’s plenty of song and dance for kids at Florida Studio Theatre. FST’s new production, “Junie B. Jones: The Musical,” follows our heroine as she starts a new school year, recording her adventures in her Top-Secret Personal Beeswax Journal. Runs weekends through Oct. 26.
Courtesy images
“Purple! The 2024 Orchid Show” runs at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens through Dec. 5.
SUNDAY CHAMBER SOIRÉE 2 —
MENDELSSOHN AND MASLANKA
4 p.m. at Holley Hall, 709 N. Tamiami Trail
$42-$52
Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org.
Sarasota Orchestra presents a chamber music program pairing the music of 18th-century wunderkind Felix Mendelsohn with 20th-century master David Maslanka, whose fourth wind quintet was composed expressly for the Sarasota Wind Quartet. Opening the program is a selection of celebratory music for brass quintet.
TUESDAY
‘FROM BACH TO BLUEGRASS’
5:30 p.m. at Plantation Golf & Country Club, 500 Rockley Blvd., Venice
$78
Visit ArtistSeriesConcerts.org.
Too hungry for dinner to attend an early evening concert? Artist Series Concerts solves the problem for you with this tempting recital and dinner. First on the menu is a performance by Kayla Williams, who crosses genres effortlessly on viola and vocals. She will be joined by jazz pianist Chris McCarthy. Feast on black and bleu salad, steak medallions with caramelized onions, roasted red potatoes and green beans, followed by chocolate mousse cake. (Insert chef’s kiss emoji here.)
BILLY OCEAN
7:30 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail
$48-$88
Visit VanWezel.org.
If you’re familiar with Billy Ocean’s 1984 hit, “Caribbean Queen,” you know how infectious the music of this Trinidadian-British performer is. Ocean is still at it 40 years after his pulsating ditty climbed to the top
Kayla Williams
of the Billboard 100. Come see why he has sold more than 30 million records in a career that has included a Grammy and a role in the 1984 Live Aid concert.
WEDNESDAY
GREAT ESCAPES 1 — REEL INTRIGUE
5:30 p.m. at Holley Hall, 709 N. Tamiami Trail
$46-$63
Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org.
It’s the time to revel in the spooky season, whether your choice of holiday is Halloween, Samhain or Day of the Dead. Matthew Troy conducts the Sarasota Orchestra in a program of thrilling and chilling music from movies such as “Chicago,” “Phantom of the Opera,” “Murder on the Orient Express,” “Vertigo” and more.
EATING WITH EMMA
Give ’em pumpkin to talk about
Here’s where to get into the fall spirit, even when it’s 90 degrees outside.
EMMA BURKE JOLLY CONTRIBUTOR
It’s that time of year when I contemplate deleting all social media platforms. Even though I moved to Florida nearly nine years ago, it still happens.
Come September and early October, I battle seasonal depression. While the heat prevents me from escaping into the outside world, my thumb works overtime skimming social media.
I lose endless hours of my life following friends on Facebook to see their babies’ milestones, eyeballing Instagram to see how people spend their time in low-humidity environs and perusing Pinterest for ideas about what my Halloween costume might be if it wasn’t hotter than Hades outside.
Then the first fall photo pops up, and I sink into my couch harder than before.
Apple-picking families at the orchard, leaves changing into stunning autumn hues and pumpkinflavored confections consumed in colorful settings make my Connecticut-born-and-bred heart shatter.
But I can’t let go of that fall feeling completely, so I sip and smash pumpkin-flavored staples in the sweltering Sarasota sun. Here are the local spots where I choose to embrace the change of seasons, sans turtleneck and boots.
THE CLEVER CUP COFFEE SHOP 6530 Gateway Ave., Sarasota; 941284-5503; TheCleverCup.com.
Hello Gourd-geous: As seasons come and go (in most places), so do seasonal flavors at this Gulf Gate coffee shop. Still, their fall flavors are here for a while — at least until the temperature breaks 80. Treat yourself to a pumpkin spice latte ($5.25 and up), perfect for any WFH employee looking to change up the morning routine, or to a pumpkin caramel latte — available both iced and hot. Here’s to toasting (not roasting) to fall.
Feeling Pump-ed: While I normally would be sure to apprehend an almond croissant for being dangerously delicious, we are here
for the pumpkin. Be sure to order a pumpkin cheesecake muffin ($5) to pair perfectly with your pumpkin coffee. It’s gluten-free and vegan, so all-almond moms can cool it on the breakfast-time guilt.
Hello Gourd-geous: Ask the Addams Family to come or beg Beetlejuice to join — but just once, not three times — because this beer is one of the best pumpkin adult beverages in Sarasota. Pumpkin Stiltskin ale, at 8.9% ABV, blasts your palate with baked pumpkin, cinnamon, roasted honey, brown sugar and fresh vanilla beans. With one, you’ll be feeling fine. After two, you’ll be walking like Frankenstein. Feeling Pump-ed: For a pleasing plate packed with flavor for football Sundays, order the chicken chili ($16). I know, there is no pumpkin here, but this dish that delivers fall vibes had to creep into a gourddriven piece. White meat chicken, white beans, roasted green chiles, with all the fixings, served over
smashed cauliflower and topped with fried corn tortillas — I can already hear myself singing, “Bear Down, Chicago Bears!”
YODER’S RESTAURANT & AMISH VILLAGE 3434 Bahia Vista St.; 941-955-7771; YodersRestaurant.com.
Hello Gourd-geous: It’s the most wonderful time of the year because the pumpkin cream pie (whole pie, $20.95) is back in town. Yoder’s famous pies are baked from scratch, of course, every morning. Like they say, “No meal at Yoder’s is ever complete without a piece of homemade pie.” So save some room for this pie that will transform your tastebuds. Not feeling the fluffiness? I might not agree with you, but the classic pumpkin baked pie (slice, $7.95 or 10-inch pie to take home, $28.95) is also an option at the Amish Village eatery. Feeling Pump-ed: Not a pie fan? Don’t tell anyone, but neither is my mom. When she flies down to Sarasota for Thanksgiving, I’m taking her to Yoder’s for her pumpkin fix in the morning. We’ll order pumpkinstuffed French toast ($8.95) and pumpkin pancakes (one, $6.95 or two, $7.95). See? There really is pumpkin for everyone.
Biergarten take place at
5-
Four amazing concerts featuring a star-studded cast of performers, chamber orchestra, and concluding with an authentic Biergarten Experience with German food, beers from Calusa Brewing, and dancing to the Bill Miner’s Oompah Band.
Featuring Guest Artists Nicole Estima, John Grau, Thea Lobo, Milene Moreira, Stephen Mumbert, Sam Nelson, Yulia Van Doren
Billy Ocean
Courtesy image
We can live like Jack and Sally if we want, with Pumpkin Stiltskin ale, at 8.9% ABV.
Kara Wootson and Lissa Murphy
Photos by Lori Sax
Felice Schulaner, Jan Chester, Pam Brown and Lauren Kurnov
Norma Kwenski, JoAnn Tomer, Kay Kwenski, Betsy Nelson and Deborah Huntley
A FIN-TASTIC DAY
Orlando 10-yearold Parker Ramos shows off his catch. The Youth and Teen Fishing Tournament is a tradition for his family. His 20-yearold brother, Peyton Ramos, participated in the tournament when he was a child.
akewood Ranch 14-year-old Kevin Anderson has participated in the Youth and Teen Fishing Tournament for seven years.
Anderson has fished at Lake Uihlein several times, the last being in August and he caught five fish.
et, year after year at the tournament, he came up empty.
But during this year’s tournament Oct. 5 at Lake Uihlein, Anderson’s luck changed. eeled in a 15-inch largemouth bass with 15 minutes left in the tournament.
Anderson smiled as he held the fish in his hands while waiting for a volunteer ranger to measure it.
As soon as the measurement was done, Anderson returned to the lake and cast his line.
Within three minutes, Anderson was speedily reeling his line in once again, but at the last second, the fish broke free.
ook everything,” he said looking at the cut line on his pole.
e was still 10 minutes left in the tournament, so Anderson was quick to fix his fishing line, put on bait and get his line back in the water with hopes of capturing another fish.
— LIZ RAMOS
Photos by Liz Ramos
Mill Creek’s Lindsey Carr helps her 9-year-old daughter, Joslyn Carr, cast her line. “It’s a nice rest from all the storms. We want to enjoy it while it lasts,” Lindsey Carr says.
Ed Catalane, a volunteer ranger, helps Lakewood Ranch 8-year-old Avery Green work on his casting technique.
Taylor Miller, an 8-yearold visiting from St. Petersburg, prepares his bait and fishing rod.
Lakewood Ranch
8-year-old Avery Green, his dad, Steve Green, and 13-yearold brother, Ashton Green, are new to fishing after moving from New Jersey to the area three months ago. Steve Green says the tournament will become a new family tradition.
Swing at Awareness
The benefit golf tournament at Tara Golf and Country Club supports Selah Freedom.
On a beautiful Saturday morning at the Tara Golf and Country Club in East County, Selah Freedom Executive Director Stacey Efau was talking about efforts to stop sex trafficking.
For Tara Golf and Country Club’s Drew and Pamela Lalor, that was perfect. While the 88 golfers who signed up for the first Fairway to Freedom tournament were headed to their opening holes Oct. 5 to raise money to support the nonprofit, Efau was raising awareness. That was the Lalors’ goal when they decided to organize the tournament. It wasn’t easy, though. As they went to local residents and businesses to build support through sponsorships and golf sign-ups, they
found that many of the people either didn’t know about the organization at all or didn’t know what it does.
Pamela Lalor admitted she and her husband weren’t aware of the organization either, until after they watched the movie “The Sound of Freedom,” which is about child sex trafficking.
“It is like we live in a bubble,” Pamela Lalor said.
Even on the golf course at Tara County Club, there was plenty of information about the cause and about Selah Freedom.
“The cause is a topic that people are uncomfortable talking about,” said Brandy Zimarino, sales manager for Mid-Coast Roofing, a tournament sponsor.
Mid-Coast Roofing’s Zimarino, Chris Barnes and Bill Hawkins manned a booth on the first hole to provide drinks and information.
“It’s a serious issue,” Zimarino said.
After watching “The Sound of Freedom,” the Lalors decided they would host a golf tournament to raise awareness and funds for Selah Freedom.
“It was scary slow,” said Drew
Photos by Jay Heater
Palmetto Bait and Tackle’s Jen Wilson sends her pink ball down the fairway during the Fairways to Freedom event that supports Selah Freedom.
SELAH FREEDOM MISSION
Lalor of trying to get sign-ups and sponsors for the golf tournament.
But they kept at it, explaining to anyone who would listen about the cause and what is being done. On Saturday, the Lalors felt the tournament would raise more than $10,000 for the nonprofit.
“This was something that is very dear to our hearts, helping children” said Drew Lalor, a 12-year Navy veteran. “Years ago, we had a sick child (Drew Lalor Jr.), and children’s hospitals saved his life. We have been blessed, and we wanted to give back.”
The Lalors, who have grandchil-
dren from age 8 to 23 years old, found Selah Freedom and were impressed by the nonprofit’s “professionalism and organization.”
They toured Selah Freedom’s two safe houses for women in Manatee and Hillsborough counties. They met with those in the program and listened to their stories. They took a volunteer program run by Selah Freedom.
The Lalors then approached Selah Freedom with the idea for a golf tournament. The event at Tara Country Club was the nonprofit’s first benefit golf tournament.
Efau said the tournament has been a blessing in terms of awareness.
“No one is talking about this,” Efau said of sex trafficking. “The average age that these children are targeted is 12 to 14. And it’s not what you think. They aren’t out there snatching kids. They make a connection online and befriend them. They often get the kids on drugs, and then give them everything they need, until they say, ‘You have to help bring in money.’”
Pamela Lalor said it can take a lot of money to run the safe houses for recovering victims.
The tournament was scheduled for Sept. 28 but was moved to Oct. 5 due to the aftereffects of Hurricane Helene, with downed branches and limbs.
“Tara Country Club’s staff has been amazing,” Drew Lalor said of supporting the move to a new date.
Drew Lalor, Selah Freedom Executive Director Stacey Efau, and Pamela Lalor say Fairways to Freedom at the Tara Golf and Country Club was a big boost in spreading awareness of the Selah Freedom mission.
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This
Those at the Sirius Day Spa’s sixth anniversary celebration Oct. 6 in Lakewood Ranch were in agreement with Ovation School of Musical Theatre owner Michelle McCord when she talked about the performers she brought to the event.
“These ladies are amazing,” McCord said.
Sirius owner Karen Medford picks a different theme each time she holds an anniversary party for her business, and this year’s selection was a natural.
Ovation begins the run of “Six: Teen Edition” on Nov. 1 in its Blackbox Theatre and the “75-minute rock concert” that tells the story of the six wives of Henry VIII runs through Nov. 10. Tickets can be purchased by going to OvationFLA.com.
McCord has been looking to get the word out about the show, so her collaboration with Medford was a natural.
The six Ovation performers — Liv Holden, Morgan Kessler, Emma Mandzik, Elizabeth Nieves, Gabriella Cruz and Kila Sons — knocked it out of the park.
— JAY HEATER
Profiles
Mya Medford, the daughter of Sirius Day Spa owner Karen Medford, gets ready to pick out a snack at the spa’s sixth anniversary party.
Elizabeth Nieves performs during a number from “Six: Teen Edition.”
Photos by Jay Heater
Ovation’s Liv Holden, Morgan Kessler, Emma Mandzik, Elizabeth Nieves, Gabriella Cruz and Kila Sons play the six wives of Henry VIII, during the sixth anniversary of Karen Medford’s Sirius Day Spa.
Ranch Nite returns
Ranch Nite Wednesdays made its annual debut, and it is even bigger this season.
The weekly gathering of food trucks and vendors has expanded into Gateway Park, with different activities each week.
The first Wednesday of the month now features a themed-night market. On Oct. 2, the theme was “Bark-tober Fest,” so all the vendors were selling products for dogs.
Pet Wants was selling natural dog treats, and dog trainer Olivia Meger was on-hand in the tent if anyone needed training advice.
“Training the people is the biggest part,” she said. “I train the people as much as the dogs.”
Meger’s perfectly behaved Doberman Pinscher, Thea, acted as the perfect advertisement for her services at K9 Connections.
Next month’s market will feature an entirely different set of vendors, in keeping with the theme “International Foodie Fest.”
For the remainder of the month, the park will host drop-in Pilates on the second Wednesday, drop-in line dancing on the third Wednesday and nine-hole mini golf on the last Wednesday.
“We were just looking for different ways to activate the entire street,” said Nicole Hackel, the events and resident experience manager for Lakewood Ranch.
— LESLEY DWYER
IF YOU GO
Ranch Nite Wednesdays, 1561 Lakefront Drive. 6-9 p.m. Wednesdays through until May 28. Each week features a different activity. Visit LakewoodRanch.com/Event/Ranch-NiteWednesdays.
First Wednesday: Themed night market
Second Wednesday: Sunset Pilates
Third Wednesday: Line dancing
Fourth Wednesday: Nine-hole mini golf
The Empanada Girl truck is only the first stop for Sarasota’s Brandon Porter, 9-month-old Remington Porter and Tianna Porter. Next up are the Big Blue Grilled Cheese Co. and the Island Fin Poke Co. trucks.
Lakewood Ranch residents Carly Palkovich and Dino Alazo relax near the pavilion.
Photos by Lesley Dwyer
Shari Carpenter tends bar outside for Good Liquid Brewing Co. on Oct. 2 for Ranch Nite Wednesday.
Country Club East home tops sales at $1.05 million
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
Ahome in Country Club East topped all transactions in this week’s real estate. James and Diane Brown, trustees, of Lakewood Ranch, sold the home at 7031 Whittlebury Trail to Scott and Susan Stafford, of Bradenton, for $1.05 million. Built in 2019, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,407 square feet of living area. It sold for $563,000 in 2019.
LAKEWOOD NATIONAL
Maria Jose Salazar Barazarte and Yomadiczon Joseth Lameda Granadillo, of Bradenton, sold their home at 16705 Bwana Place to Cliford Citrano, of Bradenton, for $875,000. Built in 2019, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,006 square feet of living area. It sold for $735,000 in 2021.
POMELLO PARK
Glenn and Mary Wiecek, of Tifton, Georgia, sold their home at 6215 217th St. E. to George Erik Oberg and Lucie Oberg, of Bradenton, for $825,000. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,324 square feet of living area. It sold for $345,000 in 2013.
RIVERDALE REVISED
Michael Traeger, of Bradenton, sold his home at 4727 Halyard Drive to Ronald and Karen Espenshade, of Bradenton, for $800,000. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, twoand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,356 square feet of living area. It sold for $430,000 in 2002.
ESPLANADE
Barbara Joseph, trustee, of Bradenton, sold the home at 5115 Napoli Run to William and Nancy Ann Cooper, of Bradenton, for $780,000. Built in 2015, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,896 square feet of living area. It sold for $460,000 in 2015.
CENTRAL PARK
Donald and Lynda Zettlemoyer, of Sewickley, Pennsylvania, sold their home at 12054 Forest Park Circle to Ann Marie Davis and Daniel Zubizarreta, of Sarasota, for $760,000. Built in 2014, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,451 square feet of living area. It sold for $375,000 in 2014.
GREYHAWK LANDING WEST
Mark and Sarah Lowry, trustees, of Sarasota, sold the home at 12515 Goldenrod Ave. to Ernest and Jessica Gilbert, of Bradenton, for $743,500. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,371 square feet of living area. It sold for $360,300 in 2016.
HARMONY
Douglas and Brenda Morris, trustees, of Bradenton, sold the home at 11435 Spring Gate Trail to Taylor Joseph Cecil Morris, of Bradenton, for $550,000. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,431 square feet of living area. It sold for $541,000 in 2021.
PALISADES
William Wilcox Darby and Chris Ann Darby, of King George, Virginia, sold their home at 14014 Mount Laurel Trail to Thomas William Regan, of Bradenton, for $515,000. Built in 2020, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,821 square feet of living area. It sold for $330,000 in 2020.
SILVERLAKE
Lap Xuan Le and Minh Tran Le, of Westminster, California, sold their home at 5015 60th Drive E. to Corrie Killingsworth, of Bradenton, for $440,000. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 1,964
square feet of living area. It sold for $445,000 in 2022.
SONOMA
Terence Lamont Radford and Melissa Marie Radford, of Bradenton, sold their home at 5512 Napa Drive to Vicki Raeburn, of Sarasota, for $435,000. Built in 2009, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,806 square feet of living area. It sold for $273,000 in 2019.
TERRACE AT TIDEWATER
PRESERVE
1025 Realty Holdings LLC sold the Unit 441 condominium at 1010 Tidewater Shores Loop to Laura and Bernard Huckestein, of Apopka, for $420,000. Built in 2019, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,151 square feet of living area. It sold for $234,000 in 2019.
CREEKWOOD
TOWNHOMES
Kenneth Adam Baker and Cindy Coffey-Baer, of Bradenton, sold their home at 7825 52nd Terrace E. to David Russell Crist and Angela Joy Crist, of Nashport, Ohio, for $395,000. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,181 square feet of living area. It sold for $269,500 in 2017.
UNIVERSITY PINES
Yvonne Terry, of Frostproof, sold her home at 5104 Brandeis Circle N. to Ana Tegadze, of Staten Island, New York, for $390,000. Built in 1985, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,677 square feet of living area. It sold for $150,000 in 2003.
WOODBROOK
Bryan and Kaitlyn Rogers, of Bradenton, sold their home at 6440 Autumn Woods Way to Doreen Brown, trustee, of Sarasota, for $380,000. Built in 2014, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,258 square feet of living area. It sold for $231,000 in 2016.
BRADEN
CROSSING
Stephen and Aubrey Rissler, of Bradenton, sold their home at 5524 47th Court E. to William Johnson and Andrew David Suarez, of Sarasota, for $379,000. Built in 1998, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,394 square feet of living area. It sold for $132,000 in 2012.
VINTAGE CREEK
Partha Banerjee, trustee, of Englewood, Ohio, sold the home at
Courtesy image
This Country Club East home at 7031 Whittlebury Trail sold for $1.05 million. It has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,407 square feet of living area.
YOUR CALENDAR
THURSDAY, OCT. 10
SIGHTS AND SOUNDS
Begins at 6 p.m. at 1560 Lakefront Drive, Waterside Place. The monthly free Sights and Sounds series at Waterside Place features the Asolo Rep on Tour production of “Much Ado About Nothing.” Fall in love with the witty and charming story, designed to connected communities through Shakespeare. Limited seating is available, so bring a lawn chair. For more information, go to WatersidePlace.com.
FRIDAY, OCT. 11
MOVIE IN THE PARK
Runs from 7-10 p.m. at Waterside Park. This month’s edition of Movie in the Park features the film “Inside Out.” The free movie begins at sunset. The event is sponsored by Grace Community Church, which will give the first 300 people who attend one Carousels ice cream. Seating is available on a first-come, firstserved basis, so bring a lawn chair and/or a blanket. Concessions are available from We B’ Poppin Popcorn and Kettle Corn. Inflatables for the kids will be available from 7-8:30 p.m. For more information, go to WatersidePlace.com.
FRIDAY, OCT. 11 AND SATURDAY, OCT. 12
MUSIC AT THE PLAZA
Runs 6-9 p.m. at Waterside Place, 1560 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch. Singer/songwriter Paul Fournier will entertain those strolling through Waterside Place on Friday night, while singer/songwriter Justin Layman performs on Saturday. For more information about the free music series, go to WatersidePlace. com.
SATURDAY, OCT. 12
ACTIVE SHOOTER SEMINAR
Runs from 10 a.m. to noon at Living Lord Lutheran Church, 11107 Palmbrush Trail, Lakewood Ranch. An Active Shooter seminar is being presented by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Department. Admission is an unopened bag of Halloween candy for the Sheriff’s Annual Trunk or Treat event. For more information, call 753-9365.
It’s
“Dr.
BEST BET
THURSDAY, OCT. 10 THROUGH SUNDAY, OCT. 13
LIVE MUSIC AT JIGGS LANDING
Runs from 4-7 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), Blue Grass Pirates (Saturday) and Al Fuller (Sunday). The Friday and Saturday concerts are $5, while the others are free. For more information, go to JiggsLanding.com.
SATURDAY, OCT. 12 AND SUNDAY, OCT. 13
LINGER LODGE MUSIC
Runs Saturday from 6-9 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. at Linger Lodge Restaurant, 7205 85th St. Court E., Bradenton. Live, free music at Linger Lodge restaurant includes Schmitz Brothers on Saturday and Tom Selletti on Sunday. For more information, call 755-2757
SUNDAY, OCT. 13
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, which was voted as the top farmers market in Florida for the second year in a row, will run year-round every Sunday. For more information, visit MyLWR.com.
File photo
Al Fuller plays Jiggs Landing on Oct. 13.
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“The only two people on the planet who might have believed that I was capable of that at the time were my parents.”
NBP unleashes dragon in Italy
Sarasota- and Lakewood Ranch-area paddlers thrive on competition, friendships.
JIM DELA STAFF WRITER
An elite group of dragon boat paddlers from the Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch and Bradenton areas made their mark on the international scene, winning six medals, including two gold medals, at the International Dragon Boat Federation Club Crew World Championships in Ravenna, Italy, in September.
Five Nathan Benderson Park teams — made up of 73 paddlers, all over 50 years old — made the trip to Italy to compete with 162 other teams in various age groups from 30 countries. For the paddlers themselves, it’s a lifestyle that allows them to travel the world.
“You’re able to do something at a fairly elite level, go to places that you probably would not be able to do otherwise,” said Don Bickel, who was captain of the Senior B Mixed team. “I was with Team USA in Thailand … This year, Italy. Next year, we’re going to Germany, where the 1936 Olympics was.”
“This is an incredible experience,” said Mandy Boyers, a member of the Senior B Mixed team and captain of the Senior B Women’s team. “It’s been a great way to get to travel, to do something fun and to stay fit.”
COMPETITIVE SPIRIT
Paula Murray, a member of the Breast Cancer Survivors team that won gold in the 200-meter race, said when they arrived in Ravenna, teams were sizing each other up before the races even started. “You’re looking around and trying to figure out who’s really good,” she said.
“You’re competitive, and, you know, I want to beat these guys,” Bickel said. “And then after a race, you know that you worked as hard as you could, and they beat you by six-tenths of a second. And you’re like, oh, man, there’s that fire to compete.”
Besides winning the Breast Cancer Survivors 200 meters, Nathan Benderson Park also brought home gold in the All Cancer Survivors 500 meters.
Angela Long, the coach of Nathan Benderson Park’s dragon boat program, said the Canadian teams still hold the edge on the world level.
“The Canadians are tough. They are born with a paddle in their hands,” Long said. “It’s a bigger part of their culture.”
Long said because the Canadians are only on the water half of the year due to weather, they spend more time in the gym getting stronger.
Even so, Long said Nathan Benderson Park teams performed well in all their events.
“We were the best from the U.S.,” she said. “It was our first world championship traveling as a full program and we were very competitive in our divisions.”
The fact that the Nathan Benderson Park paddlers are competing against the best in the world as seniors is not lost on the athletes.
“I’ve played all kinds of sports,” said Tim DiMenna, who was captain of the Senior C Mixed team. “I never thought I’d be competing in a sport at such a high level at this point in my life.”
Bickel agreed.
“At this age, you start to respect and appreciate the competition and our health,” he said. “I’m 58 years old. I’m able to get out here and I’m able to do this … and be active and train and have the strength and have the endurance and everything that we put into it.”
There’s more competition on the horizon.
Several members of the Nathan Benderson Park group will be trying out for Team USA, competing for
spots in the over-40, over-50 and over-60 teams.
After the competition in Italy, many team members had the chance to spend additional time in the country. For Boyers, it was her first time there.
“Italy was awesome,” she said. “I did a week after, just for fun. I got to see Tuscany and Florence, and it was lovely. Can’t wait to go back.”
The best thing about Italy? “The gelato,” she said. “Oh, my God, I loved it.”
“All the food was good,” Murray said.
BUILDING A COMMUNITY
Bickel says while the teams strive for gold medals, the hard work and training has made them a tight-knit community.
“We will always like to be recognized as far as how well we did. But we’ve all become very close as friends, and not only that, so has our club. We’ve got 150 members in our club now.”
Don Bickel
“We will always like to be recognized as far as how well we did,” he said. “But we’ve all become very close as friends, and not only that, so has our club. We’ve got 150 members in our club now.”
He said they do things together outside Nathan Benderson.
“If something happens like a hurricane, we’re all helping each other. You know, it’s just our own little church, almost. You know, we’re committed to helping each other. It’s a very positive energy group.”
As the teams gathered for a recent practice, storms in the distance convinced some to decide not to get on the water. As the storms drifted away, a small group decided to put a six-person outrigger canoe in the water for a short workout.
It was all just a reflection of their commitment to training as a team, Boyers said. “To find a cohort of people that are like minded, and as crazy as us,” she said, “to get to do early morning practices and all the stuff that it takes to make it happen.”
— Olympian Richard Thompson SEE PAGE 31
Courtesy images
Dragon boat paddlers lower an outrigger canoe into the water at Nathan Benderson Park in preparation for a training run.
Mandy Boyers, a member of the Senior B dragon boat team that competed last month in Ravenna, Italy, prepares to go out on a training run at Nathan Benderson Park.
Dragon boat paddlers from Nathan Benderson Park show their patriotism in Ravenna, Italy, during the world championships.
Sprinting toward success
Richard Thompson, an Olympic track gold medalist for Trinidad and Tobago, shared his success story with Haile Middle Advanced Scholar Program students.
LIZ RAMOS SENIOR EDITOR
Lauren Otterness, a sixth grader at Carlos E. Haile Middle School, has a passion for competitive cheerleading and running.
As she gets older, Otterness said it will be difficult to choose between cheerleading and track, and she ultimately will have to decide which passion to choose as her main focus.
But she said Olympic gold medalist Richard Thompson’s advice about following passions and making goals will help her make a decision when the time comes.
Thompson, who won Olympic gold in the 4x100 meters for Trinidad and Tobago alongside Emmanuel Callender, Keston Bledman and Marc Burns in 2008, also was the silver medalist in the same Olympics in the 100 meters. He also took silver in the 4x100 in the 2012 Olympics with the same teammates.
Thompson told students he had to decide when he was a senior in high school whether he should pursue running or soccer.
He worked with his soccer team to build a successful program, but he had a passion for running.
Thompson talked to Haile Middle School’s sixth graders in the new Advanced Scholar Program about goal setting and achieving goals.
The Advanced Scholar Program is for students seeking advanced rigor in their academics through crosscurricular instruction and projectbased learning.
Thompson said he wasn’t always a star runner or the best sprinter in Trinidad and Tobago.
“Did I have talent and did I have the ability? Absolutely,” He said. “But if you had asked anyone, or even myself, if I would be an Olympian, somebody who would win Olympic medals, anyone probably would have doubted that. I myself might have doubted it too.
“The only two people on the planet who might have believed that I was capable of that at the time were my parents.”
Thompson had two rival sprinters in Trinidad and Tobago — Darrel Brown and Mark Burns — to compete against in the early 2000s before he came to the U.S. to begin his collegiate track career. Brown and Burns were the first- and second-fastest junior athletes in the world.
Thompson said at the time, he questioned whether he could dream of competing at the Olympics or being a successful competitive runner in Trinidad and Tobago when he had to compete against runners like Brown and Burns.
To this day, Thompson recalls what his father told him: Comparison can be the thief of joy.
“A lot of times we look at what the person next to us is doing, and we take away from the small gains that we have,” Thompson said to the group of sixth graders. “It’s important for you guys, regardless of who’s doing what next to you, to ensure you take care of what is necessary for you to be successful.”
Thompson didn’t let his competition keep him from reaching his goal of becoming an Olympian.
The journey to the 2008 Olympics
MEET THE OLYMPIAN
RICHARD THOMPSON
■ Country represented: Trinidad and Tobago
■ 2008 Beijing Olympics: Won a silver medal in the 100 meters with a personal best time of 9.89 seconds and a gold medal in the 4x100meter relay
■ 2012 London Olympics: Won a silver medal in the 4x100meter relay
■ 2004: Moved to the U.S.
■ Four-time NCAA Champion
■ Eight-time All-American
■ Four-time NCAA Mideast Regional Champion
■ Five-time SEC Champion
■ Eight-time All-SEC
■ 2008 NCAA Men’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year
■ 2008 SEC Male Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year
wasn’t an easy one for Thompson. He was not offered a scholarship by his top three choices for a university — including Florida State University and the University of Florida — and eventually attended Louisiana State University.
At LSU, on Friday nights when his roommates were attending parties and having fun, Thompson was in bed so he could wake up at 7 a.m. on Saturdays to train. His friends would eat junk food that Thompson couldn’t have because he was a runner.
He told the students he had to be disciplined and dedicated and make sacrifices to accomplish his goals. He said that lesson could help anyone achieve their goals.
“I had to do all those things to give myself a chance to be really successful,” Thompson said. “What it means as well is it’s not just doing those things — the discipline, dedication and commitment — but also about doing those things consistently.”
Through his four years at LSU, Thompson remained dedicated to his training. His success came slowly and not without failures, he said.
“The true character of a real champion or a successful person is someone who understands that if I don’t get it right this time, I’m going to come back at it, I’m going to continue to work and I’m going to continue to try it until I get the result I desire,” he said.
After his hard work and determination, Thompson had made it to the finals in the 100-meter sprint in the NCAA Championships. His senior year at LSU, he placed first and went on to win the two medals at the Olympics in Beijing, China. He also set a collegiate record (6.51 seconds) in the indoor 60 meters in 2008.
Otterness and sixth graders Lillian Toppett and Jordan Mayfield all said hearing Thompson’s story was inspiring and motivational.
Otterness said she’s learned not to compare herself to others, which she finds herself doing in cheer when someone else has the opportunity to be in a spot she wants or when she’s in the classroom comparing grades.
Photos by Liz Ramos
Olympian Richard Thompson talks to sixth grader Lauren Otterness after he talked to Otterness and her fellow scholars about setting goals.
Olympian Richard Thompson speaks with Advanced Scholar Program students about his road to success, which includes three Olympic medals.
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OUT WITH IT! by Michael Schlossberg, edited by Jeff Chen
By Luis Campos
Lesley Fager captured a Hawaiian sunset hibiscus in full bloom in Lakewood Ranch.
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