Longboat Observer 7.7.22

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Longboat Key’s weekly newspaper since 1978

YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

VOLUME 44, NO. 49

FREE • THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

YOUR TOWN

Stage donors fill the gap Town Center plans advance with the help of private funds, budget tweak. PAGE 3A

AN AIR OF FREEDOM PAGE 1B

Lesley Dwyer

Mystery artist leaves mark A sign at Quick Point Nature Preserve was given an upgrade recently, though it was no typical government contract.

There’s no word on who did the work or when, but the where is the boardwalk on the birding trail. Save Our Seabirds posted a sign encouraging visitors to fish responsibly to protect the pelicans. Pelicans are known to go after bait and get hooked on fishing lines.

It’s important to net them and remove the hook versus cutting the line.

SOS posted the informative sign, but they don’t know who posted the eye-catcher underneath. The colorful and skilled rendition of a pelican was painted on a wood board and screwed into the boardwalk. Longboat Key graffiti is artistic, socially responsible and doesn’t damage town property.

File photo

Manatee County values rose 14.13%, while values in Sarasora

Tax values soar past $7.4 billion Lesley Dwyer

Tony and Nancy Roberts and Biscuit took home a Hot Diggity Dog award at Freedom Fest on July 4.

Courtesy photo

Picture perfect

Amy gave John a camera, and John gave Amy a ring. The Harknesses married on the beach across from their Longboat Harbour condominium, June 21, four years after the day they met.

A friend took pictures using John’s camera. Mostly, he didn’t mind being on the other side of the lens. “I was caught up in the moment except for when the black skimmers flew by.” When friends asked if he saw them, he laughed and said, “That’s the shot I was going for!”

He missed the shot but got the girl. Amy moved from Pennsylvania three years ago.

She works as a nurse practitioner while John looks for his next shot as a photographer.

Come in, the water’s fine

Town sets 1.99 per $1,000 limit on property taxes for next budget. PAGE 2A

A+E

Firefighting staff refreshes techniques for pool, gulf rescues.

PAGE 4A

Lesley Dwyer

Alan Jenkins takes a turn operating Longboat Key Fire-Rescue personal watercraft from the beach.

Woven art.

PAGE 11A

2A

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THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

THREE KINDS OF MILLAGE

EARLY LOOK AT YOUR TAXES

Based on a maximum property tax millage rate of 1.99 for the coming budget, beach-district rates of .7115 (Gulfside) and .1779 (Bayside), and a fire-station debt rate of .0494, town finance staffers forecast the potential for some residents to see a lower town tax bill. Here’s the breakdown, based on a formula using a 3% cap on property-value increases for homestead properties and a 10% cap on non-homestead properties.

Longboat Key property owners pay three different (actually four) millage rates. Here are the proposed rates for the 2023 budget.

HOMESTEADED GULFSIDE PROPERTIES TAXABLE VALUE $500,000 $750,000 $1 million

File photo

Property in town was valued at $7.4 billion.

Millage vote sets up tax cut for some

1.99

Operating millage

Town’s property gained more than 14% in value, tax assessors say.

ERIC GARWOOD MANAGING EDITOR

L

ongboat Key property owners who hold a homestead exemption will see the biggest reductions in town taxes in the coming budget, but the cash saved each taxpayer likely would be the equivalent of two or three trips to the gas station.

Town Commissioners on July 1 set the maximum millage rate for 2023 property taxes at 1.99, a reduction of nearly 6% from the previous year’s rate of 2.1144 per $1,000 of taxable value. Commissioners found themselves able to back down the tax rate while still generating more in revenue because of an extraordinarily high increase in the taxable values of homes and businesses in town in 2022. Town leaders have said the effects of economic uncertainty on the 2024 budget cycle and beyond still concern them, even though the town is in strong financial shape now.

According to property appraisers offices in Sarasota and Manatee counties, Longboat Key’s property

.0494

Facilities bond (fire station)

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.1779

Beach special taxing district (Bayside)

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HOMESTEADED BAYSIDE PROPERTIES TAXABLE VALUE $500,000 $750,000 $1 million

TAX IN 2022* $1,192.35 $1,788.53 $2,384.70

TAX IN 2023* $1,141.91 $1,712.86 $2,283.82

CHANGE -4.2% -4.2% -4.2%

NON-HOMESTEADED GULFSIDE PROPERTIES $500,000 $750,000 $1 million

$1,512.50 $2,268.75 $3,025

$1,513 $2,269.49 $3,025.99

-0% -0% -0%

NON-HOMESTEADED BAYSIDE PROPERTIES TAXABLE VALUE $500,000 $750,000 $1 million

TAX IN 2022* $1,192.35 $1,788.53 $2,384.70

TAX IN 2023* $1,219.52 $1,829.27 $2,439.03

CHANGE +2.3% +2.3% +2.3%

* 2022 tax rate 2.1144; maximum 2023 tax rate 1.99

Bayside residents pay for the town’s beach bonds. The debt payments for the townwide underground utilities project are not based on property values and do not have an ad valorem tax rate attached to them.

Based on calculations furnished by the town’s finance department, which are based on a millage rate of 1.99 per $1,000 of taxable value, the biggest winners when next year’s tax bills arrive will be those who live west of Gulf of Mexico Drive in a homesteaded property.

Those homeowners will see property insurance cuts of 6.2%, ranging from $95.79 for a property with a taxable value of $500,000 to $191.57 for a property valued at $1 million.

Bayside owners of homesteaded properties will see a 4.2% decrease.

Gulfside residents who own nonhomesteaded properties will see nearly flat tax bills, and similar Bayside residents will see increases of 2.3%, which range up to $54.33 for a $1 million property.

According to the town’s charter, Harmer must deliver the recommended budget by Aug. 1. along with his budget message to the Town Commissioners.

Town Commissioners are scheduled to take their first vote on the budget at 5:01 p.m. on Sept. 12. A second vote and adoption of the budget is scheduled for the same time on Sept. 27.

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The

rose a combined 14.39% to $7.4 billion — gaining nearly $1 billion in 2022 to $7.4 billion.

Values rose so much that increases hit the maximum-allowed-bystate-law limits, as laid out in Florida’s Save our Homes amendment to the state constitution. By law, taxable values of homesteaded properties can rise a maximum of 3% a year, no matter what market forces are at work, and non-homesteaded properties can rise 10% a year. In 2022, the increase cap was set at 1.4%, which falls into the typical range.

Generally, new construction values are set near market, and buyers of resale properties who aren’t able to bring Save our Homes protections with them from a previously homesteaded property, pay tax based on 85-88% of value, which is what fueled Longboat Key’s value growth.

About 37% of the town’s properties are homesteaded, records show.

From here, Town Commissioners could still reduce the millage rate when they next meet in September.

As it stands, the 1.99 millage rate will produce just under $1 million in additional revenue when compared to last year ($14.138 million vs. $13.139 million).

Tax rates assigned to pay for the renovation and reconstruction of the town’s two fire stations also was reduced, as was the rate Gulfside and

TAX IN 2022* $1,512.50 $2,268.75 $3,025

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THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

3A

WHERE WE’VE BEEN March 2014: The Town Commission unanimously approves the purchase of a 2.8-acre parcel of land behind the Longboat Key Publix and SunTrust bank for $1,508,000. It is the site of a luxury condominium project nixed in 2008.

January/February 2016: The town of Longboat Key and Ringling College of Art and Design announce the signing of a memorandum of understanding to provide the framework for a future contract between the town and Ringling for a proposed cultural center.

August 2017: The Longboat Key Foundation begins spearheading efforts to raise money to construct a 40,000-square-foot facility, which was expected to include a 299-seat black box theater and art classes, galleries and events.

December 2014: The town holds its first public workshop for the Town Center concept.

January 2017: Former Vice Mayor Dave Brenner and Ringling College President Larry Thompson share what they envision for the proposed Arts, Culture and Education Center.

Later in the month, the Town Commission votes to buy the adjoining 2-acre Amore property for $2.2 million.

March 2019: The Longboat Key Town Commission drops the idea of a black box theater for its proposed Arts, Culture and Education Center to cut costs.

File rendering

DONORS STAGE

A REVIVAL April 2018: The Sarasota County Commission approves a $400,000 request from Longboat Key to fund 2019 demolition and site design in preparation for the proposed Arts, Cultural and Education Center.

April 2019: Longboat Key Town Commission rejects an updated memorandum of understanding with Ringling College over the proposed Arts, Culture and Education Center.

June 2019: Town Commission and members of the public tour the Town Center site.

October 2019: Plans advance on a basic village-green site at the Town Center, which is useful for a range of low-impact outdoor activities.

March 2020: Longboat Key staff and Hoyt Architects hold a forum to get public feedback on possibilities for an open-space site and Town Center.

February 2021: After Town Commissioners express a desire to rekindle the relationship with Ringling College, the school’s President Larry Thompson cited several reasons why it’s “not probable” for a partnership to resume.

October 2021: Completing the outdoor Town Center venue along with phase two improvements and building a stage are among the town’s 2022 strategic plan initiatives. Phase two work includes walkways, lighting, bathrooms and land preparations for the planned addition of a performance stage.

December 2021: Town Commissioners unanimously approve calling the to-bebuilt outdoor stage of the Town Center Green the Karon Family Pavilion. In exchange, Sarah and Paul Karon agreed to donate up to $500,000 to the town.

July 2022: Commissioners reset capital budget to coverage spending for site work and hear private donations are in line with new costs.

The stage will likely be finished in 2023.

April 2020: Crews clear the 4.8-acre town-owned site.

July 2021: The Town Commission approves $50,000 for planning to complete design and construction plans for an outdoor stage at the Town Center site.

November 2021: Town Manager Tom Harmer announces Longboat Key residents Paul and Sarah Karon would donate up to $500,000 to fund construction of the Town Center stage in exchange for its naming rights.

June 2022: Two bids opened for site work and stage construction. Both bids are over budget. One contractor subsequently withdraws.

Town Commissioners agree to press on with site work while seeking additional private donations to cover stage construction costs.

After a over-budget bids for Town Center land work and stage, town resets spending plan and attracts new private donations.

ERIC GARWOOD MANAGING EDITOR

L

ongboat Key leaders got just what they wanted last week, and they got it pretty much on the timetable for which they were hoping.

At their last meeting before two and a half months of summer break, Town Commissioners not only approved a five-year capital budget shift to proceed on site work at the Town Center Green property, but they also learned that private donations have reached a level sufficient to pay for the construction of a stage as a centerpiece for the site.

On July 1, Town Commissioners agreed to push forward with construction of a covered stage on the northern boundary of the Town Center, based on the news delivered

by Jim Brown, the chair of the Longboat Key Foundation, that private fundraising had gone well enough to see the finish line.

In June, when town leaders opened a pair of sealed bids for the stage and related site work, they found both bids higher than originally budgeted. The spending plan included up to $500,000 from residents Paul and Sarah Karon for stage construction and about $80,000 in design work already accomplished.

Based on bids, the town found itself $360,735 short on the stage project with no real desire to pay the remainder out of tax dollars. Brown left a town meeting in early June joking that he “had some phone calls to make’’ to help close the gap.

He returned on July 1 with good news, saying the gap was down to about $1,000 with likely a few more donations outstanding.

“I want everyone to recognize what a wonderful place you live and the people who live on Longboat Key and how generous they are,’’ Brown said.

“We’ve had significant, I think six, $50,000 donations and they weren’t begged for. In some cases, they called us. It’s a remarkable place.’’

Brown said the donations have been pledged, and larger donations have been done through money management companies. In some cases, letters confirming the financial transfers have been sent and that if time becomes short as the July 11 deadline approaches, further confirmations can been made.

“It’s been rewarding to be involved in this,’’ he said. “I’m not the only person who has worked on this, many people have, and it’s been very successful.’’

Mayor Ken Schneier thanked Brown for his role and also thanked the Karons, commissioner Mike Haycock, who has been on an extended RV holiday for weeks, and others for their help.

“I would say from my role in this and from what I’ve heard, on a day to day and hour to hour basis, it’s very possible that we will have enough

funds in place in any acceptable form by the contract deadline,’’ he said.

Town Manager Tom Harmer said last week that even though the funding, both private and public, seemed to be lining up, the town not only had to do its due diligence to confirm the donations but also set in motion the 10-day cycle of a required notice of recommended award before signing a contract with contractor Jon Swift.

In the intervening days, town officials said they felt confident based on frequent conversations with Brown that everything would add up.

“Talking with the staff, the absolute soonest we could enter into a contract would be July 11,’’ Harmer said. “And so that’s when we think we really need to have out confirmation of the funding in place, then we would work with the finance staff, the town attorney and the Foundation to get all that documentation in place so that we could proceed.’’

Harmer also said that had the town decided to set aside the stage project and move forward solely on the site work, an additional cost of about $40,000 would have been added to the total since Swift spread some associated charges across both components of the job.

On July 1, Town Commissioners also agreed to add about $530,000 to the site work portion of the project, pulling $445,000 from the town’s land-acquisition account, which is funded through fees charged to developers, and $85,381 from the town’s share of Sarasota County Infrastructure Surtax funds, which are funded by an additional penny sales tax charged countywide.

That budget shift, combined with a $53,000 contingency fund, means the town will pay $1.5 million for the site work when it originally intended to pay about $969,000. Contractor Swift’s $1.44 million bid for that site work was about $477,000 over budget without the contingency fund added.

Swift ended up the sole bidder on the project after Stellar Development Inc. withdrew its also-over-budgetbud after discovering a six-figure error.

Work could begin this fall, though the stage is not expected to be complete until the first half of 2023.

“I want everyone to recognize what a wonderful place you live... We’ve had significant, I think six, $50,000 donations and they weren’t begged for. In some cases, they called us. It’s a remarkable place.’”

— Jim Brown

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THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

Roy Routh instructs Jason Berzowski and Jeff Bullock on water rescue techniques.

Photos by Lesley Dwyer

Jason Berzowski, Timothy Haas, Ryan Corso, and Jeff Bullock practice life-saving techniques in the pool.

Firefighters dive into training

O Ron Koper and Alan Jenkins perform water rescue training in the Gulf of Mexico.

Jeff Bullock, Ryan Corso, Timothy Haas, Jason Berzowski, and Roy Routh work in the swimming pool.

n an island with hundreds of swimming pools, there are no lifeguards on Longboat Key. Still, Longboat Key Fire Rescue has its residents covered.

“We are the lifeguards for Longboat Key,” Assistant Chief Mike Regnier said.

Regnier was overseeing the fire department’s annual water rescue refresher training at the Sand Cay Resort last week.

The resort’s lush lawn abutting the sand and sea set a stage for relaxation, but there was no rest for fire department personnel.

Spread over three mornings, the staff of 33 took shifts performing rigorous lifesaving drills in both the resort’s pool and the Gulf of Mexico.

“I think the biggest thing I took away from it is that when you get out there and you’re swimming in the gulf or when you’re doing rescues in the pool, it takes a lot

of exertion,” Ron Koper said. “It’s a good reminder that if you have to go out there, it’s going to be some work. Keep yourself in shape.”

Koper has been with the fire department for seven years and had just returned to shore after training on the department’s personal watercraft. He said the main vehicle used for marine rescues is the department’s boat, but if there’s a swimmer within 100 yards of the beach, the smaller machine cuts response time in half.

“We keep our boat on the Intracoastal side at the Longboat Key Marina, so regardless of which way you go, south or north, it takes you 30 minutes to get out to the gulf,” Koper said. “This thing can be deployed within 10 minutes and be out here in five.”

Sarasota County lifeguards from Siesta Key led the training.

“Even though they’re firefighters, because they work on Long-

boat Key, they’re surrounded by water,” Lifeguard Captain Roy Routh said. “They may get a call where they have a distressed patient out in the water, so they may have to actually go out in the water to get their patient.”

Regnier stressed what a collaborative effort both training and rescues are between Longboat Key, Sarasota and Manatee counties.

The departments cover each other during training sessions and work together on rescues.

“We are concerned about the community. We work with each other and utilize the best practices from other entities, so that we are on top of our game as well as they are,” Regnier said. “We work together. In case there is a true emergency, we can do it seamlessly.”

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THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

5A

Sarasota aims to hire in 2023 Flush with property tax revenue, county departments ask to create more than 100 jobs to keep up with growth.

over a decade — from 2008 to 2020 — for our gross taxable property values to recover after plummeting nearly 38% during the Great Recession. Sarasota County has remained focused on our financial priorities related for maintaining a very high level of service despite the ups and downs of the housing market.”

The ad valorem tax increase increments property owners will pay will not be equivalent, percentage-wise, to their corresponding increase in tax value assessments. By Florida statute, homestead property values are capped at 3% percent growth on their property tax bills, and nonhomestead property taxes at 10%. In both cases, though, taxable values are expected to hit the top marks.

New construction or the owners of newly resold properties will pay close to full value unless they bring with them portable elements of the state’s homestead exemption.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

W

ith an anticipated 13.2% gain in revenue driven by a rise in assessed property values over the past year — combined with no mention of adjusting the millage rate to approach or achieve a revenue neutral budget — many Sarasota County government departments and agencies are eyeing a hiring spree in fiscal year 2023.

The Sarasota County Commission held its two-day budget workshop recently, listening to the pitches of departments and agencies, most of which included the addition of full-time equivalent staff to refill COVID-19-related reductions and to fill new positions.

According to the Bureau of Economic Research, Florida Population Studies, the county’s population is projected to increase from 433,300 in 2020 to 464,900 by 2025 and to 489,600 by 2030.

More people means higher expenditures. An op-ed piece written by outgoing County Commission Chair Al Maio suggests the county’s millage rate of 3.46% will remain unchanged.

“Sarasota County has continuously found ways to do more with less and has not pursued a millage rate increase in 23 years,” Maio wrote.

“And, once again, the proposed fiscal year 2023 budget for Sarasota County does not include a millage increase.

“In fact, our current millage rate is the second lowest of the 67 counties in the state of Florida, which is even more important because it took

SEEKING 116 NEW POSITIONS

Maintaining the millage rate, County Administrator Jonathan Lewis has proposed a 2023 general fund budget of $378.2 million, a 10.7% increase.

Combined, county departments are looking to parlay the resulting bump in revenue into 81.4 new fulltime equivalent employees, a personnel growth of 3.4%. The county’s head count is 2,375, which doesn’t include constitutional departments and agencies. Combined, those are seeking 35 new positions, led by the Sheriff’s Office’s ask for 19 new positions that would bring its head count to 1,036, a 1.9% increase over fiscal year 2022.

Filling those openings won’t be easy. Commissioner Nancy Detert sounded that alarm.

“We have very low unemployment. It’s hard to find workers.

Every employer will tell you that, so it’s going be more competitive,” Detert said. “I think we really need to think a little higher when it comes to salaries. It’s going to be harder and

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File photo

Deputy Josh Sanders helps Sophia Castellanos try on a helmet at a recent open house at the headquarters of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office in 2023 is seeking 19 additional full-time equivalent positions.

harder to find supremely qualified people that we currently and historically have who that want to work for wages that are lower than competitive wages.”

Lewis said he began addressing the compensation issue during the current fiscal year. Above and beyond the 1% pay plan adjustment and then up to a 3% merit base, Lewis made an additional 1% pay plan adjustment during the spring.

“And we raised starting pay,” he said of the increase of the minimum wage to $15 an hour. “We just we weren’t competitive. And as the board knows, we’ve been in discussion with the ATU, which is our transit union, on what their base pay would be for drivers and attendants and other positions.

“That’s why instead of that possible 4%, it’s a little bit higher at 6% this year for our non-(collective) bargaining employees. We continue to look at it we’ll certainly adjust within budget parameters. It’s a tough one to balance.”

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During his presentation, Sheriff Kurt Hoffman described recruiting and retention challenges his department face against agencies near and far that offer higher wages and perhaps a lower cost of living.

A civilian staff member, he added, is regularly going to a food bank to help pay some college tuition bills.

To address compensation, Lewis is proposing a general wage increase among all non-collective bargaining employees of about 5.5%-6%.

“I’m playing with scenarios, depending on how the budget works out, of a 4% merit this year with some variation of the 2% pay plan adjustment which is might be 1% in the beginning of the year and 1% halfway through the year,” Lewis said. “That’s what I’m looking at and what’s factored in here.”

REVVED UP REVENUE Sarasota County’s millage rate of 3.46 mils is the second lowest among Florida’s 67 counties and is 25% lower than in fiscal year 2000. Still, unless commissioners reduce the millage rate to help offset the 17.76% increase in property values countywide, residential and commercial property owners in the county will be paying more in fiscal 2023.

Sarasota County’s final taxable property values rose to a record $82.5 billion in 2022, up from $70.2 billon last year.

County Commissioners on July 13 are expected to set a not-toexceed millage rate, which will be reflected in taxpayers’ Truth in Millage statements.

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LONGBOAT OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

NEWS BRIEFS

HAVE YOU MET

BOB?

Ted Sperling Park MURT underway after 12 years of planning Twelve years after it first appeared on Sarasota County’s capital improvement project radar, a multiuse recreational trail at Ted Sperling Nature Park is expected to begin development this year. The $1.96 million project will provide multimodal connectivity between the park and South Lido Beach, completing connectivity for pedestrians and bicyclists to South Lido from downtown Sarasota via the Ringling Bridge.

At 10 feet in width, the 4,500-footlong MURT will consist of boardwalks and asphalt pavement to accommodate cyclists, skaters, walkers and runners. The project is funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Treasury through the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities and Revived Economies Act, with the exception of $88,000 in project management costs, which will be funded by impact fees.

“It is going to provide access to South Lido Beach. It is going to move people off the road. It is going to allow walkers the bikers to gain access to that trail and to the beach,” said Shawn Yeager, senior manager of Sarasota Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources, overseeing parks programming and stewardship. “Also, it’s going to connect with an existing multiuse recreational trail that begins in downtown, goes across the Ringling Bridge, through St. Armands Circle and meanders its way down toward

Lido. This is going to be a natural connection that will provide opportunities for folks to walk or bike all the way from downtown to that beach.”

The distance of the multiuse trail from Bayfront Park to South Lido Beach Park is approximately 4 miles, on average about 21 minutes by bike.

The MURT will also offer trail capacity for additional visitors who ride the Bay Runner to its southern terminus at Ted Sperling Park.

Lido Key resident and 2022 Sarasota City Commission candidate Carl Shoffstall has been involved in discussions about the MURT extensions on the islands as a member of the city’s Parks, Recreation and Environmental Advisory Board.

“They got Bird Key done. Then they did the stretch from Ben Franklin Drive down to the to the Lido Pavilion and then they stopped because of the finances,” Shoffstall said. “I think it’s great. It’s really needed. The biggest thing is it’s going to connect the entire city.”

In 2016, the County Commission authorized the county administrator to develop a RESTORE Act multiyear implementation plan to fund the project. With the bulk of the funding now in place, planning is underway with anticipated completion by spring or summer 2024. Stantec Consulting Services is designing the trail project.

In addition to the project management fee, the budget for the trail includes $400,000 for design and engineering and $1.47 million for construction. Already in place is $1.06 million with the remaining $445,061 scheduled to be funded in fiscal year 2023.

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YourObserver.com

LONGBOAT OBSERVER

FRIDAY, JUNE 24

BRANCHING OUT 9:46 a.m., 6400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive Traffic hazard: An officer removed several tree limbs from the northbound lane. The officer reported they had fallen from a vehicle.

FRIDAY, JUNE 24

duce the required fire extinguisher, a throwable personal flotation device or a boater-safety education card. A citation was issued for the missing gear.

MISTAKEN FOR ABANDONED 3:45 p.m., Sarasota Bay Abandoned boat: The town’s marine patrol officer investigated a report of an abandoned boat at anchor in Sarasota Bay. The officer ascertained the vessel had recently changed ownership, was securely anchored and was not a hazard. No violations were noted.

ROCKIN’ 3:34 p.m., 5000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive Noise complaints: Police asked a resident to turn down music that had been reported to be louder than acceptable. The homeowner agreed to do so and was issued a verbal warning.

SATURDAY, JUNE 25

MISSING EQUIPMENT 12:25 p.m., Ken Thompson Park Lagoon Boating: The town’s marine patrol officer, while patrolling near Ken Thompson Park, stopped a boater in violation of a slow-speed, minimum wake zone. While explaining the reason for the stop, the officer also requested to see required safety gear. The operator could not pro-

SUNDAY, JUNE 26

UP AND OVER 7:26 a.m., 500 block of Broadway Street Traffic hazard: An officer spotted a turtle crossing the road. Because of a curb on the side of the road in the general direction the turtle was trav-

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CAST AWAY 5:56 p.m., Sarasota Bay, Marker 25 Boating: The town’s marine patrol officer spoke to a group of people he rescued from a pair of paddleboards in the middle of Sarasota Bay. The five people and a dog were taken aboard his vessel and said their catamaran had run aground and they abandoned it as a storm approached, heading initially for Bradenton. With limited visibility, they reversed course and headed for Longboat Key. The officer dropped them off at Bayfront Park and alerted the U.S. Coast Guard and Manatee County Sheriff’s Office to the presence of a grounded sailboat in the bay. No one was hurt.

MONDAY, JUNE 27

CAST AWAY (THE SEQUEL) 8:30 a.m., 2600 block of Harbourside Drive Suspicious person: An officer spoke to a man seen paddling a makeshiftappearing dinghy in Sarasota Bay near the Longboat Key Moorings.

The man told the officer he had been blown by winds across the bay the previous night and was on his way back from where he started. No warrants were found and the man paddled off.

NO PARKING, YES TOWING 4:28 p.m., 3800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive Citizen assist: A towing company called police for assistance in removing a vehicle from private property. The officer supervised the removal and alerted the owner.

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

TUESDAY, JUNE 28

IT BELONGS 2:45 p.m., 4200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive Suspicious vehicle: An officer sent to investigate a report of a car parked in the grass for three weeks learned the owner had parked there because of continuing construction on the carport at which the vehicle is normally parked.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29

OPEN-DOOR POLICY 7:19 a.m., 100 block of North Shore Road Suspicious vehicle: An officer stopped to check on a car he found with its driver-side rear door open.

No one was around to claim ownership, but everything inside appeared normal. The alarm light was blinking and appeared to be set. The officer secured the door.

7A

COPS CORNER

eling, the officer carried the turtle to a safe area in the grass nearby.

|

HEAVY METAL 11:01 a.m., 300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive Traffic hazard: An officer on patrol spotted and removed a large piece of metal framing from the northbound lane. He pulled the hazard off the road to the shoulder.

THURSDAY, JUNE 30

NOT INTRUDERS 5:19 p.m., 3800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive Citizen assist: An officer responded to a report of four trespassers parking on private property and heading to the beach. As a pair of officers arrived, they learned the individuals were guests at the property, not trespassers.

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8A

LONGBOAT OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

OPINION / OUR VIEW

LONGBOAT

How much will you tolerate?

MATT WALSH

Everyone knows Joe Biden has created an unmitigated disaster for the American people. And he has no intention of reversing course. How much lower are you willing to go?

L

et’s be honest. There isn’t a corporation, not-for-profit organization, civic club, sports team, school, university, church or synagogue in America whose board of directors and constituents would tolerate another day — nor two more years! —of a CEO who has inflicted the kind of disaster Joe Biden has inflicted on the American people and the United States of America.

Every one of those organizations’ oversight bodies and constituents would be screaming and demanding: For the sake of their organization’s existence and for the sake of shareholders and constituents the organization serves, the CEO and his or her associates who created such a monumental disaster need to be fired — now.

Be honest. They would be demanding they be sacked.

Then, why aren’t we? Why aren’t the suffering American people demanding Biden he be gone … that he resign?

They did it to Nixon. Public pressure boiled to the point Nixon knew he wouldn’t survive.

How much more are Americans willing to take now?

To that point, how can anyone believe that Joe Biden and his puppet masters are going to wake up tomorrow or the next day and suddenly take responsibility for their deepening economic disaster, admit to and apologize for their errors and policies and correct course?

They will never do it.

Joe Biden, his cabinet secretaries and the Democrats in Congress are delusional. They believe they are doing a good job.

But everyone can see: The emperor wears no clothes!

WHY SUFFER THIS AGAIN?

Dear Readers: Over the past two years, you likely have seen how the contents of this page have strayed from our longtime core focus. Over the past 25 years, we have dedicated this page primarily to addressing local, regional and state concerns in keeping with our company’s mission: “To inspire our communities with extraordinary local content and to help our partners prosper.”

Our intent has been to be a voice for good, for local and state public policies that foster prosperity; above all, to be a voice that defends and promotes the Constitution, individual liberty, free enterprise and the bare minimum of government intervention into our lives.

Prager University

With 97% of all global transportation fueled by oil, do you think all the owners of those vehicles, ships and jets are ready for Joe Biden to “end fossil fuels”?

But not since Jimmy Carter 45 years ago have Americans lived with a president who has been so colossally damaging and destructive to the United States and its people — at home and abroad. Left unchecked and on their current course, Joe Biden and the people managing him are on track to displace Carter.

So this has compelled us to comment and raise the questions that the national media won’t touch because of their allegiance to Biden and the socialist agenda: Why do Americans want to go through the Carter misery again?

Two-thirds of American adults can remember the Jimmy Carter days.

They were awful. So why tolerate that — and probably worse given the track Biden is on?

How much longer will we allow these conditions to deteriorate?

How low do we want to go?

Or, at what point will Americans heed the words of the Declaration of Independence: “To secure the rights of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness … That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”

ELECTIONS WON’T SOLVE IT

We have elections, you say. We can correct course after the 2022 midterm elections.

Yes, that offers some solace and hope. But be realistic, even with a Republican Senate and House starting in January 2023, you know it will take them at least three more months, probably longer, to reverse Biden legislation — only to have him stall everything with his vetoes.

Worse: Biden and his appointees will remain in office for another two years.

Meantime, you can expect Biden & Co. to remain determined to stay their course.

It will be stunning to see such gall. Here we are in the midst of a terrible gasoline shortage, and yet the Biden team appears intent on doing everything it can to make those conditions worse — all in the name of their desire and decision that Americans should no longer use fossil fuels, and that all Americans should be forced to purchase and drive electric vehicles.

Just last week, the “Wall Street Journal” revealed more evidence of how the Biden administration is trying to use even more regulatory force to curtail Americans’ access to oil. The Biden administration intends to stop drilling in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Remember this campaign pledge: “I guarantee you we are going to end fossil fuel”?

Few people took that seriously. It was just another flagrant applause line from a politician who would say anything to be elected.

But even if he did mean it, wouldn’t you have expected a decent politician to have spelled out for Americans how he was going to do that, and what it would mean for all Americans?

Of course, had he done been completely truthful about his fossil fuel plans, he would never have been elected.

Consider these facts from Mark Mills, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute: n Oil, natural gas and coal provide 84% of all of the world’s energy. n That percentage has declined only 2 points in the past 20 years. n Oil still powers nearly 97% of all global transportation. n Mills: “After two decades and $5 trillion of government investing in green energy, we have barely moved the needle.” n “To get the same amount of energy from wind and solar that we now get from fossil fuels, we are going to have to massively increase mining by more than 1,000%.”

The increase in mining would be needed to produce the raw materials that are required to manufacture the motors, turbine blades, solar panels, batteries and other industrial components — all of which require energy to mine and manufacture.

According to Mills: “As a World Bank study put it, these green technologies are in fact significantly more material intensive than our current energy mix. That may be the understatement of the century.”

Now here’s a kicker: Just this year, the Biden canceled a proposed copper and nickel mine in Minnesota — two crucial ingredients for alternative energy products.

This is the point: Biden and his team cannot achieve their fossil fuel goal without first exacting excruciating, destructive economic harm on Americans and our standard of living.

INTENTIONAL MALICE?

But he and his puppeteers do not care. They are doing it anyway.

Call us naïve, but in real life, in the conference rooms of most businesses, whenever business owners and managers want to initiate dramatic changes in the way they operate or what they offer customers, they typically go through detailed “If-then” discussions. “If we do this, then this will happen …

Is we do this, what’s the worst that can happen?”

Now, let’s first assume this horror: That Biden and his team are so

incompetent that they neglected to discuss the “If-then” scenarios of their policies to end fossil fuels. If that is the case, that alone would be cause for their resignations. Every American would be appalled to learn that discussion did not occur at the highest levels of American government.

But now let’s assume Biden and his team were smart enough to have discussed the “If-then” scenarios of the energy policies they are pursuing. That means every action Biden has taken and takes, every executive order he issues, every new anti-oil and gas regulation imposed is intentional — with full knowledge of the likely consequences.

In other words, he is intentionally inflicting massive economic pain on the American people to pursue an unattainable, unrealistic, leftist, socialistic goal and agenda.

Take that further: Open borders?

Intentional. Letting China flood the U.S. with fentanyl? Intentional. Afghanistan evacuation and leaving behind the $50 billion in U.S. military assets? Intentional.

Printing more than $4 trillion to flood the economy with too much cash and cause runaway inflation?

Intentional. Borrowing and printing billions upon billions the U.S. does not have to fund Ukraine’s war with Vladimir Putin? Intentional.

Increasing the overwhelming debt burden on future generations?

Intentional. Failure to respond to the baby formula shortage? Intentional. And on and on.

ENSLAVING AMERICANS

If you look back and evaluate the Biden presidency so far, one way to characterize it, other than incompetence, is that he is sacrificing your life to himself and his behindthe-scenes masters; to their chosen ends, not yours.

To be even more precise: You didn’t elect him to choose all of this for you, but through his actions — the expansion of the State, he is enslaving all of us to his ruthless, power-hungry gang members who think they know what is best for us, for our lives and for all American people.

Ayn Rand had a succinct description of what Joe Biden and his behind-the-scenes masters are putting us through: “[A]ny group, any gang, any nation that attempts to negate man’s rights (life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness) is wrong, which means: is evil, which means: is anti-life.”

Look back. This is what Biden & Co.’s actions are doing. Inflation and high gas prices — caused by government — are destroying people’s lives, negating their rights to life, liberty and the pusuit of happiness and placing them increasingly in bondage to the State.

“The good,” Rand said, “is that which promotes man’s life, and the evil is that which hinders it.”

In 1974, public pressure shamed Richard Nixon into resigning because of the crimes we knew he committed. You may think it outlandish, but how much pain are Americans willing to tolerate, before they shame Biden into doing the same? Be sure of this: He is not going to change course. He doesn’t believe in individual liberty. He and his masters have always believed, first and foremost, in all-powerful, god-like government.

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

Friedrich Hayek

“Road to Serfdom,” 1944 President and Publisher / Emily Walsh, EWalsh@YourObserver.com Executive Editor and COO / Kat Hughes, KHughes@YourObserver.com Managing Editor / Eric Garwood, EGarwood@YourObserver.com Staff Writers / Lesley Dwyer, LDwyer@yourobsever.com Digital & Engagement Editor / Kaelyn Adix, KAdix@YourObserver.com Editorial Designers / Melissa Leduc, MLeduc@YourObserver.com; José Valle, JValle@YourObserver.com A+E Editor / Spencer Fordin, SFordin@YourObserver.com Black Tie Editor / Harry Sayer, HSayer@YourObserver.com Director of Advertising / Jill Raleigh, JRaleigh@YourObserver.com Sales Manager / Penny Nowicki, PNowicki@YourObserver.com Regional Digital Director / Kathleen O’Hara, KOHara@YourObserver.com Senior Advertising Executive / Laura Ritter, LRitter@YourObserver.com Advertising Executives / Richeal Bair, RBair@YourObserver.com; Beth Jacobson, BJacobson@YourObserver.com; Jennifer Kane, JKane@YourObserver.com; Honesty Mantkowski, HMantkowski@YourObserver. com; Toni Perren, TPerren@YourObserver. com; Brenda White, BWhite@ YourObserver.com Classified Advertising Sales Executive / Lexi Huelsman, LHuelsman@ YourObserver.com Sales Operations Manager / Susan Leedom, SLeedom@YourObserver.com Sales Coordinator/Account Manager / Lori Downey, LDowney @YourObserver.com Digital Fulfillment Specialist / Emma Burke, EBurke@YourObserver.com Tributes Coordinator / Kristen Boothroyd, Tributes@YourObserver.com Director of Marketing / Robin Lankton, RLankton@YourObserver.com Director of Creative Services / Caleb Stanton, CStanton@YourObserver.com Creative Services Administrator / Marjorie Holloway, MHolloway@ YourObserver.com Advertising Graphic Designers / Luis Trujillo, Taylor Poe, Louise Martin, Shawna Polana Digital Developer / Jason Camillo, JCamillo@YourObserver.com Director of Information Technology / Adam Quinlin, AQuinlin@YourObserver.com Chief Financial Officer / Laura Strickland, LStrickland@YourObserver.com Controller / Rafael Labrin, RLabrin@ YourObserver.com Office and Accounting Coordinator / Donna Condon, DCondon@ YourObserver.com

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LONGBOAT OBSERVER

Visitor enjoys fanfare of Freedom Fest As a first-time visitor to the Longboat Key area this summer (thanks, COVID), my husband and I heard about the Fourth of July parade while grocery shopping and didn’t think much about it. We thought it was simply a thing for residents and didn’t really want to attend.

But on a whim Monday morning, we decided to ride our bikes that direction and we were floored by the community spirit we saw. We were amazed at the dog costumes, thoroughly enjoyed watching the fire trucks and police cars and all the people in red, white and blue.

You all really seem to love your town.

We’re not sure if we’ll be back next summer, but if we are, you can be sure we’re buying patriotic costumes and figuring out something for Austin (he’s our dog) to wear.

Elections chief will answer questions on July 13 at Temple Beth Israel.

ERIC GARWOOD MANAGING EDITOR

T

he Republicans and Democrats who make up the island’s Miracle on the Key group want you to know everything about this election season, so they’ve planned a public forum next week to do just that.

There will be no speeches or endorsements.

Not a word about liberals or conservatives.

Nobody will tell you for whom to vote.

And they don’t want you hearing all of this from some lady in line at Publix, some radio talk show of dubious authenticity or that guy named Phil you play golf with sometimes.

Nope.

That’s why at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 13 at Temple Beth Israel, Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Ron Turner will be the group’s guest in a free and open-to-thepublic event designed to cut through the politics of the season and get right to what to expect for the primaries on Aug. 23 and elections beyond.

Among the expected topics: status of mailed-in ballots and drop off boxes, rules on signatures, who can vote and who can’t.

“We don’t want voters to be lost,’’ said Becky van der Bogert, a member of the group that formed in 2021 as a way to help bridge the views of local residents on all points on the political spectrum through discussions and an examination of the common ground on which they do stand.

Both van der Bogert and Lynn Larson, another member of the group, said Miracle on the Key has reached a point where chatting with one another or even sending out the occasional letter to the editor just isn’t enough.

The public event, co-presented by

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

9A

LETTERS

Political group brings Turner to town

|

DORIS AND ALEXANDER RAYMOND CHEVY CHASE, MARYLAND Courtesy photo

ABSENTEE BALLOTS Vote-by-mail (absentee) ballots are available for the Aug. 23, primary and school board elections through the deadline of Aug. 13. Voters may request their ballot online at SarasotaVotes.gov/VotebyMail or by calling 861-8618. Ballots may be returned by mail or in person but must be received in the elections office by 7 p.m. election night. The cost to return a ballot by mail is one Forever stamp or 60 cents postage.

Voted ballots may be dropped off at secure stations, located inside elections offices.

the temple and Longboat Key’s Paradise Center, will also have a Zoom teleconferencing component. All involved said they hope it’s the next

step in accomplishing a mission of moving past political labels into ideas based on cooperation.

In other words, “expand each others minds instead of shutting down each other’s ideas,’’ Larsen said.

Both women said inviting Turner to speak was a natural, especially this time of year when more and more television commercials end with “. . . and I approved this message.’’

“Everyone trusts Ron,’’ Larson said.

Turner was elected to his Sarasota County office in 2016 and was re-elected in 2020. Before that, he was the chief of staff in the Supervisor of Elections office. At age 23, he was elected to the Arcadia city council and became deputy mayor and eventually supervisor of elections for DeSoto County.

In addition to Turner’s planned presentation, Larsen and van der Bogert said there will be time for both in-person questions and questions from those watching the proceedings remotely.

BE HEARD

Ron Turner was elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2020.

Surely you have an opinion on a town issue. Let us hear it through a letter to the editor. Email them to Managing Editor Eric Garwood at EGarwood@YourObserver. com. Be sure to include your name and where you live.

IF YOU GO

A PRESENTATION FROM ELECTIONS SUPERVISOR RON TURNER When: 11 a.m., Wednesday, July 13 Where: Temple Beth Israel, 567 Bay Isles Road How much: Free Who: The event is presented by Longboat Key’s Miracle on the Key group, the Paradise Center and Temple Beth Israel.

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Mote releases shark Arty the shark made his debut on June 24.

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

M

ote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium released a new shark into their tank on June 24. The shark’s name is Arty.

At 40 inches long, he’s a little bigger than a bamboo shark. But unlike any other species of shark, his skin is made of neoprene.

Arty is not a real shark, but he highlights two real issues: water conservation and inclusion for individuals with disabilities. The shark, made of recycled neoprene and polyester, was created by a group of eight artists from Borderless Arts Tennessee, an organization that provides inclusive and accessible art programs for people with disabilities. The artists have exhibited their work on all seven continents and outer space, including art to adorn a spacesuit for the European Space Agency’s Mission Beyond. The International Space Station is a tough act to follow.

Executive Director Lori Kissinger said the only place she could think of to which their art had not traveled was into the ocean. A friend from South Africa mentioned Mote, and Kissinger made a cold call.

She got Brad Tanner, Mote’s senior

Rona VanAmburg and Mark Fishman give the thumbs down to pollution.

school programs coordinator and an avid scuba diver, on the phone. Tanner immediately responded, “Sure, we can do that,” then paused and said, “I think we can do that.” Then Tanner reached out to the team.

The artists needed to work closely with Mote to ensure the real animals were kept safe. They had to comply with dimension requirements, but the fabric and stuffing were the most important factors. Arty couldn’t be made of anything that would dissolve. He was also sterilized before his release.

Only four of the eight artists were able to attend the event. Once released, Arty washed a wave of pride and joy over them. Erica McMurray had her face nearly pressed to the glass staring in amazement as Arty swam with real sharks. Austin King only stopped waving to the scuba divers to take a few pictures — and then immediately resumed waving with an even bigger smile for Arty than for the cameras.

Arty was made to represent the two sides of water conservation: when people care and when they don’t.

The eco-conscious side depicts a bustling scene of colorful marine life. Flip him over, and the other side depicts the brown and destructive result of pollution. Arty’s journey doesn’t end in Mote’s Shark Zone; he’s still scheduled to swim in the Gulf of Mexico. The date hasn’t been set yet.

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The dark side of Arty depicts pollution.

The artists: Hope McKee, Torie Summers, Erica McMurray and Austin King

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ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

These cone-shaped structures are part of the Coombs piece called “Oshun’s Glory.”

A FINER THREAD Katrina Coombs is making art with her head, her hands and her heart, and she’s exploring what it means to be a woman and a mother in society piece by piece.

SPENCER FORDIN A+E EDITOR

K

atrina Coombs isn’t trying to be provocative. She’s just taking the results of her introspection and turning them into fine art.

Coombs, a Jamaica-based textile and fiber artist, has a debut exhibition at the Sarasota Art Museum entitled “I M(O)ther,” and her pieces invite you to consider subjects that aren’t everyday conversation.

Coombs tackles birth and death, sexuality and the menstrual cycle, and she wants to examine maternal identity and what it means to be a woman in the world. But the works are subtle, and sometimes only hint at deeper meaning through their title or materials.

“One of the most beautiful things about the works themselves is that I’m not directing it toward a specific issue and forcing that issue,” she says. “I am simply giving you my truth as it is, as raw as it may be or as pure as it may be. You can take it or you can leave it. But it’s neither here nor there, because it is who I am. This is who I am. And I love it.”

SEE FIBERS, PAGE 12A

Photos by Spencer Fordin

Katrina Coombs stands beneath Prolapse, a piece at her new I M(O)ther exhibit at the Sarasota Art Museum.

Coombs tackles both the male and female gaze with “The Beauty Between Her Thighs.”

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Photos by Spencer Fordin

This piece is entitled Seed II and is made of coiled mixed fibers and amethyst.

Fibers FROM PAGE 11A

Coombs uses a variety of methods to create her pieces.

Some of them are done by hand, while others are created with the help of a floor loom. She began her mastery of textile art through macrame while in high school, and she later progressed to the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts in Jamaica.

Eventually, she earned a masters in fine art from Transart Institute via the University of Plymouth.

But in many ways, she’s creating the very methods by which her art will be conveyed.

“I’ve been fascinated with the medium and I’m always constantly exploring new techniques,” she says of her artwork. “A lot of times, it’s an exploration of the material. What can I do with it? Can I build a form with it? Or do I stay on a two-dimensional plane? For me, it’s about the textures, about the form and the thickness as well as the colors.”

As you walk around the exhibit, you can’t help but notice the many different styles. Her piece “Oshun’s Glory,” inspired by Yoruban culture and also by the death of her grandmother, consists of several coneshaped knit structures protruding from the ceiling.

There are other pieces that resem-

ble rich tapestries, and one that could be a coffee table centerpiece.

The unifying element — beyond the themes connecting them — is the literal thread, and Coombs estimates that it could be as many as thousands or millions of strands.

So what’s her studio look like?

Are you imagining an explosion of fabric? Coombs said that her material lives in a finely sorted and colorcoded cupboard in her home studio.

“I’m a neat freak,” she says.

“There’s a lot of structure in the space, but sometimes it does become a chaotic space of thread.

“I just throw the threads on the ground and process through them to select and get my palette through.

I do a lot of sketches, both on paper but also with the material. A lot of it is just me exploring what the material can do in small bits.”

Coombs, at root, is fascinated by the ways the human body is constantly evolving and by the apparent contradictions contained in some of their very basic functions.

She gestures at her work “Her Constellation,” a vertical wall piece with hand-woven mixed fibers and beads. The piece’s coloring starts with lighter yellow threading near the top and red tasseled fringes toward the bottom, and it’s imbued with a deeper meaning.

“The woman’s body,” she says, “You’re born with thousands of eggs within you that are constantly combusting before they even go to the fallopian tube to then kind of form

Katrina Coombs stands with her piece “As It Breathes, Life is Taken.”

and cause the process of the menstrual cycle. It’s just amazing how the body transforms. You’re not even realizing it, but you’re creating life and also you’re taking life.

“There’s constant destruction that’s happening within the body but then also there’s constant healing.”

That’s also the theme of “As It Breathes, Life is Taken,” a horizontal hand-woven piece with mixed fibers and cowrie shells. Here, Coombs is referencing the many ways we perceive the maternal figure both as a symbol of value and of spirituality.

“A lot of the work is really on identity and maternal instincts and the maternal figure literally and metaphorically,” she says. “But also even just rights of passage of a girl going into adulthood.

“I brought in the cowrie shells because universally it has this element of currency. But it also represents security. It represents the womb. It represents authority as well as position in society. Within this piece, there’s a right of passage once a girl sees her first cycle. She’s now garnered with beads around her waist, and the cowrie shell is also used as that.”

Some of the pieces are literal, and some are figurative.

Coombs addresses the male and female gaze with an eye-catching piece entitled “The Beauty Between

The creative process differs with each piece. For some, says Coombs, the hard work was done in hours or a week. And for others, she says, they’ve developed over years.

She worked on them, put them down, worked on other things and came back with fresh fingers.

Rosie Gordon-Wallace, the founder of Miami-based Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator, has worked for decades to discover artists in the Caribbean and beyond. GordonWallace met Coombs when she was still a student, and she’s seen her work develop over the last 15 years.

There are many great textile artists, says Gordon-Wallace, but what separates Coombs from the rest is her ability to take relevant complex themes and turn them into art.

“I admire her ability to do a body of work around a personal narrative with boldness,” says Gordon-Wallace. “That is unique, because the subject she’s talking about — loss and spirituality, memory and joy — are probably not seen in this genre of work in the same sentence.

“And we live in Florida. In this time, when our government is making all of these different suggestions around the body of women, it is wonderful to see an artistic outcome with labor and material that everyday people can enjoy. That’s the draw.”

IF YOU GO

I M(O)THER: THREADS OF THE MATERNAL FIGURE When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday (runs through Oct. 13) Where: Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail Tickets: Free with museum admission Info: SarasotaArtMuseum.org

Her Thighs,” and she confronts loss and tragedy with her works entitled “Prolapse” and “Lost Souls Not Forgotten.”

Coombs says all of her pieces have been inspired by her life, except Prolapse, which was inspired by one of her closest friends.

Her art has helped her recover from the loss of a child, and it’s helped her better understand who she is and where she’s come from.

“It’s how I process my life,” she says.” It’s how I move through everything that is going on with me. But it’s not even so much about healing.

It’s really for me about celebrating at this point. Because even with the loss, it has made me who I am as a woman. It has given me the opportunity to explore so much. I have been able to build myself as a woman.”

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A+E REVIEWS

Let there be lasers What’s better than listening to your favorite music? Adding the bonus of laser lights, that’s what.

SPENCER FORDIN A+E EDITOR

I

t’s just like listening to your favorite artist at home.

Except there’s a laser.

The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature has been hosting Laser Light Nights this summer, a production that brings streaming music and dazzling lights to its planetarium three nights a week.

There’s an incredible array of acts involved, and you can see psychedelic stalwarts such as Pink Floyd or even bubblegum pop artists such as NSYNC and Bruno Mars.

This reporter, a child of the 1970s, chose the masters of thunderous percussion and primal wailing, Led Zeppelin, for his close-up experience with the indoor fireworks.

And it’s hard to imagine a better choice. From the moment the music starts to the moment you file out exhilarated, the lasers etch out pulsing patterns and figures and never take a second to breathe.

They intensify in speed and color to the pace of the music, and with Led Zeppelin, that means a wild ride.

How does it all work?

The Bishop Museum leases cutting edge projectors from a company named Laser Fantasy that has been doing these shows for decades.

They warn you, before the show starts, that lasers are potentially dangerous and to stay seated.

Why? Because the shows are conducted with Class IV lasers, which can blind a person instantly.

Laser Fantasy’s website cautions that “it’s important to treat high powered lasers like power tools,” and in this case, that means not peering into the projector. The Bishop Museum has blocked off certain seats in which an extremely tall person might be at risk, and they urge visitors with epilepsy or conditions triggered by intense sensory experiences to take caution.

But for everybody else, it’s just a rollicking good time with a rock-

Courtesy photos

Laser Fantasies has pre-programmed laser shows for many of your favorite artists.

Bruno Mars is one of the contemporary acts who gets a laser light treatment along with classic rock favorites.

and-roll playlist.

The Laser Zeppelin show hits all the highlights you might expect, exploring both the explosive and cathartic aspects of the music but also the slow and romantic side.

You’ll hear Robert Plant shrieking like a banshee on “D’yer Maker,” and you’ll ride along with Jimmy Page as he plays out the guitar lines to “Black Dog” and “Whole Lotta Love.”

John Bonham’s propulsive drumming on “Rock and Roll” gets its own laser light solo. Do you think you’re getting out of this room without hearing “Stairway to Heaven?”

Not this time, pal. Don’t make me tap the sign.

And don’t blink, because you might miss an interesting detail.

The planetarium seats ease all the way back, and the lasers play all over the curved dome ceiling.

CHRISTMAS

They move in patterns, drawing shapes that repeat in different sizes, colors and proportions.

It’s eye candy of the very best kind. And it isn’t all abstract art.

You may see Led Zeppelin’s trademark dirigible in some songs, or you might see a petaled flower or an intricate animal drawn.

If you see an Elton John show?

That probably means that you’ll see pianos and tiny dancers, and also maybe a Rocket Man? I don’t know. I’m speculating.

But here’s what we know for sure.

Laser Light Nights are scheduled to run through Aug. 13 at the Bishop, and they’re shown on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

There’s an artist and a light show for every rock and pop taste. The Bishop Museum has multiple evenings scheduled to play the Beatles, and there’s also nights with Prince and David Bowie.

Do you like high volume? AC/DC and Metallica are primed to assault your eardrums. There are Van Halen shows and Nirvana shows, not to mention Aerosmith and U2 shows.

Laid-back Bob Marley gets a chance at a laser show, and so do Dave Grohl’s Foo Fighters.

The audience, your fellow travelers, are with you all the way, clapping at the end of some songs and singing along with others. You’re all taking the same visual journey, but without the deafening crack of fireworks or the interminable line to move out of the parking lot.

And there’s one final fringe benefit.The next time you play your favorite artist, you may find the lasers are forever imprinted upon your imagination.

Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road, and hello, Laser Light Show.

IF YOU GO

LASER LIGHT NIGHTS When: 7 and 9 p.m.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday through Aug. 13 Where: Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, 201 Tenth St. W in Bradenton.

Tickets: $15 Info: BishopScience. org

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the timeless music and lyrics of Cole Porter weave through the compelling narrative of Linda Lee Thomas, the Southern beauty who was the driving force behind the legendary songwriter

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THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

THIS WEEK FRIDAY HD AT THE OPERA HOUSE: IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT 7:30 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. $22 Visit SarasotaOpera.org.

They call him MISTER TIBBS. The late, great Sidney Poitier stars as a Philadelphia police detective who gets involved in a Mississippi murder investigation in the racially charged climate of the Civil Rights movement. Rod Steiger won an Academy Award for his portrayal of a smalltown police chief, and the film also won for Best Picture.

PLAY READING: THE SUFFRAGETTE’S MURDER 3 p.m. at Keating Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave. $10 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

Here’s your chance to support a work that’s still in the early stages of development. The Suffragette’s Murder is a drama centered in 1857, and it’s billed as part comedy and part protest. Sandy Rustin is the playwright, and she recently scored a hit by writing the book and lyrics for “American Girl Live,” which toured 47 cities across America.

will run all the way through August 13. Clown college graduate Chris Allison has the hard job of entertaining the audience and stitching the show back together between acts.

SATURDAY TRIBUTE TO THE ONE HIT WONDERS 7:30 p.m. at Sarasota Classic Car Museum, 5500 N. Tamiami Trail $25 (including first beverage) Visit SarasotaCarMuseum.org.

Jonathan Elgart is the guest performer, and he’ll be playing songs more successful than the Edsel.

Each of these songs were a hit for a performer who never had a hit again, and you’ll have a chance to hang out around cars that represent the best and most interesting engineering in the history of the industry.

SUNDAY HD AT THE OPERA HOUSE: ‘FALSTAFF’ 1:30 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. $22 Visit SarasotaOpera.org.

BLUES BROTHERS SOUL BAND 7 p.m. at Venice Performing Arts Center, 1 Indian Ave., Venice $35-$50 Visit VeniceTheatre.org.

This soul band is a tribute to Dan Akroyd and the late John Belushi that will have you foot-stomping and dancing along to some of the most familiar songs in the soul and R&B canon. Grab your sunglasses and your half-pack of cigarettes, because it’s dark and the Blues Brothers are ready to hit it.

SUMMER CIRCUS SPECTACULAR 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bayshore Road $18 adults, $12 children 12 and under Visit Ringling.org It’s a feast for the senses and show for all ages. The Summer Circus Spectacular brings a roster full of acrobats, balance artists and contortionists to this one-hour show, which

www.manasotaonline.com

1734 South Tamiami Trail Venice, FL 34293 941.493.7441

Karla Pirona’s “Southgate” won first prize at the Art Center’s Faces and Places exhibit.

Here’s a Verdi opera unlike any you’ve seen before. This production is a reimagining of the venerable classic by Calixto Bieito that sees the opera as a satire of entertainment and modern society. This opera ran at the Staatsoper Hamburg in 2020, and it features standout performances from Ambrogio Maestri in the title role and Maija Kovaleska as Alice Ford.

FREE SECOND SUNDAYS 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail Free Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org.

Do you like museums? Do you like museums even more when they’re free? Sarasota Art Museum is opening its doors to the public and inviting them to take in all the museum’s exhibitions plus a few fun activities of the day. Ringling College faculty member Eszter Sziksz will be on hand for a tutorial on a photographic printing technique from 2 to 4 p.m.

OUR PICK

BERLIN WALL ART AUCTION Now’s your chance to own your very own piece of history. Alexander Solotzew and several other artists have taken their time to paint on authentic concrete remnants of the Berlin Wall, and 15 of the artworks are up for auction. Solotzew’s piece is entitled “Pontius Pilate: The Face of Dictatorship,” and is rendered in his trademark swirling color patterns.

IF YOU GO When: 6 p.m. Friday, July 7 Where: Art Ovation Hotel, 1255 N. Palm Ave. Tickets: Free Info: Visit Solotzew.com.

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MONDAY FACES AND PLACES 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami Trail Free Visit ArtSarasota.org.

Come see the best in art that Sarasota has to offer. Art Center Sarasota’s regional juried show, Faces and Places, is on display through August 6. Amanda Cooper, chief curator of the Morean Arts Center in St. Petersburg, served as the juror for the show, and Karla Pirona took first place for her oil painting entitled “Southgate.”

ART AND BACKSTAGE TOUR 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail $15 Visit VanWezel.org.

Have you ever wondered what happens behind the curtain at the Van Wezel? Now’s your chance to find out. The Van Wezel offers a monthly tour of the artwork on display and the backstage portion of the arena that visitors seldom see. Get a glimpse of the orchestra pit, the dressing rooms, the rehearsal rooms and the ropes and pulleys that aid in moving sets.

TUESDAY ROCK AND ROLL REIGNITED 7:30 p.m. at John C. Court Cabaret, 1265 First St. $36 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

2510 1st Street West Bradenton, FL 34208 941.748.4679

OUR SHOWROOMS ARE OPEN Special Financing Available

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DON’T MISS

It’s the roots of rock and roll brought forward into the new generation.

Sit tight and sing along as Jared Mancuso and Nick Gallardo bring you the music of Buddy Holly, Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and more. Mancuso and Gallardo created the show, and they’ll be joined on stage by Aurora Dubois and Mike Gallardo. Runs through Aug. 7.

WEDNESDAY ‘LOVE, LINDA’ 7:30 p.m. at Studio 1130, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail $26.50 Visit ThePlayers.org.

This is a one-woman show starring Colleen Buchmeier that centers on the love and music of Cole Porter. Buchmeier stars as Linda Lee

IF YOU GO When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, July 8 Where: Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail Tickets: Free with museum admission Info: Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org.

Thomas, Porter’s muse and wife, in this song-and-dance vehicle of the hitmaker’s career. This Wednesday performance is a preview; the show’s actual run will go from July 14 through July 24.

‘MAYTAG VIRGIN’ 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Keating Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave. $25-$36 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org Audrey Cefaly’s “Maytag Virgin” is here to bring you a smalltown love story set in the Deep South. Two high school teachers become neighbors and slowly build a relationship and a deeper connection over time.

Eventually, they both find themselves confronted with the age-old question: How do you know when you’re ready to live and love again?

384520-1

I M(O)THER Jamaica-based textile artist Katrina Coombs doesn’t just want you to appreciate her work. She wants you to consider the place of women in contemporary society around the world. Coombs uses her weaving skills to address topics like identity, the maternal figure, ancestry and security. The exhibit will be on display at Sarasota Art Museum until Oct. 2.

SEE FOR YOURSELF

The world is just so small, now WORKS ON PAPER FROM THE RINGLING’S COLLECTION OF MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART

THROUGH OCT 23

Visitors experiencing Katrina Coombs’ I M(O)ther: Threads of the Maternal Figure at Sarasota Art Museum, Photo: Daniel Perales

ringling.org

A passion for fiber, thread, and fabric becomes a quest to understand the conflicting roles of women in our society.

Maternal Figure

This exhibition is co-organized by the Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator and Sarasota Art Museum.

5/22/22 — 10/2/22

Funding provided by The Ringling Museum General Fund and the Peter and Mary Lou Vogt Exhibition Fund.

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

Linda Stein (American, born 1943), Profile Solid 383.033 (detail), 1975. Acrylic on paper, 7 1/2 × 9 in. Gift from The Raymond Learsy Collection, 2021, 2021.41.8 380824-1

SarasotaArtMuseum.org

1001 South Tamiami Trail Sarasota, FL 34236 941.309.4300 374718-1

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Katrina Coombs I M(O)ther: Threads of the

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Country breezes rustling through century old oaks and pines welcome you to this unique, 821/2-acre property known as the Gaddy Up Ranch, offering many possibilities for family ranch living.

Create your dream beach home at this private, gated enclave on the southern tip of Boca Grande. Offering more than a 1/4-acre in the exclusive Hill Tide Estates community.

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This beautifully updated 3BR waterfront on Longboat Key is ready to enjoy today!

You will love the deeded beach access and easy boating access to Sarasota Bay.

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$2,495,000

$1,695,000

CALL TODAY FOR YOUR EXCLUSIVE TOUR (941) 387-1840 443 John Ringling Boulevard, Suite F | Sarasota, FL 34236 595 Bay Isles Road, Suite 250 | Longboat Key, FL 34228 Pettingell.com | www.bestSarasotarealestate.net Twitter.com/RealRoger | Instagram.com/RogerPettingell | Roger@Pettingell.com Owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC 384946-1

16A

Classifieds 14B Games 13B Real Estate 11B Weather 13B

JULY 7, 2022

YOUR NEIGHBORS

Grand Marshal Lisa Walsh rides in a red Corvette.

Ken and Suzy Press with Max and Marty Photos by Lesley Dwyer

Vic Heckler, Eileen Kamerick and Tully prepare for the parade.

HOT DIGGITY DOG I

Dogs dress their best for the Hot Diggity Dog Parade and Costume Contest.

Tryla Larson, Sharon Gould and Ivan Gould

t was as hot as a firecracker July Fourth morning, but that didn’t cool the fun for Longboat Key’s annual Freedom Fest.

Grand Marshal Lisa Walsh led the parade in a red Corvette convertible.

Flags and people lined Bay Isles Road for the “Shortest Parade in America.”

The Hot Diggity Dog costume contest drew on the patriotic theme of the day, along with a large helping of creativity.

Biscuit arrived in a hot air balloon. The float took owners Tony and Nancy Roberts about a week to make.

“The hardest part was finding a balloon, so we decided on an exercise ball,” Nancy said.

The hard work paid off when Biscuit took home the prize for Most Creative Costume. Prize baskets included gourmet dog treats and grooming gift certificates.

In an Uncle Sam hat and beard, plus a red, white and blue tutu, Tully won the award for Most Patriotic Costume. Tammie and Archie Hall were awarded Best Owner and Dog Combo.

Jesse Brown didn’t have a dog on a leash, but he had two grandkids in a

stroller. “This is the best parade ever! The kids love it,” he said.

After the parade, the crowd gathered in the butterfly garden at Town Hall. The Blue Dolphin dished out waffles, and the Longboat Key Garden Club released 100 monarch butterflies.

“You have to order them eight weeks out,” said LBKGC President Susan Phillips.

The butterflies are raised to order and come packaged in breathable envelopes.

Once the envelopes were passed out and opened, some of the butterflies hung around on hands and hats before flying away.

It was Kristy Connelly and Kiwi’s first time at Freedom Fest. They only planned to watch but Kiwi was in an American flag T-shirt and got signed up on the spot for the parade. As a newbie, Connelly had no idea of the stiff competition. She pointed to Biscuit in the hot air balloon and said, “That’ll probably be me next year.”

—LESLEY DWYER

MORE PHOTOS: DIGGITY DOG, PAGE 2B

384619-1

Sophia, Lucia and Jenny Abella wait for the parade to pass their spot.

2B

LONGBOAT OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

CONDO ON THE BAY

Diggity dog FROM PAGE 1B

GROUND FLOOR END CORNER UNIT 988 BLVD OF THE ARTS, UNIT 109

$1,995,000

r e m r o f e R

Privates

Classes

Mat

BOOK ONLINE

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941-374-1671 rstahlrlty@aol.com

Photos by Lesley Dwyer

Anna Wheeler and Enzo

Katie Armstrong and Auggie

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Located in the Centre Shops (with Nature's Gem CBD) 5360 Gulf of Mexico Drive, #108 Longboat Key MyRehabPilates@gmail.com

BIRD KEY

DOWNTOWN SARASOTA

440 MEADOW LARK DRIVE ACTIVE LISTING $10,995,000

BIRD KEY

394 BOB WHITE DRIVE PENDING $5,295,000

Gail Yeager and Hetty

1507 BAY POINT DRIVE ACTIVE LISTING $9,499,000

BIRD KEY

378 BOB WHITE DRIVE PENDING $4,400,000

THE LANDINGS

5450 EAGLES POINT CIRCLE UNIT #305 SOLD $920,000

CASEY KEY

4005 CASEY KEY ROAD ACTIVE LISTING $3,990,000

LONGBOAT KEY

5809 GULF OF MEXICO DRIVE SOLD $2,250,000

375357-1

Ron Stahl Ron Stahl Realty

384945-1

SPACIOUS REMBRANDT 2,315 SQF living area split 3 bd, 2.5 ba with 10’ ceilings and 1,835 Sq’ private outdoor open patio overlooking unobstructed Sarasota Bay, ICW & Longboat Key. Steps to heated pool, fitness center and covered parking. 24 hour gatehouse attendants, Concierge service, boat docking, 2 pools, 2 tennis/pickleball courts, near Van Wezel, CBD, The ARTS, St Armands, SRQ Airport and Publix. Must see!!!

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LONGBOAT OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

3B

#1 LONGBOAT KEY TEAM 2021 Michael Saunders & Company & TOP 1.5% OF AGENTS NATIONWIDE!

I NADRI N IN V ELTS N TO I SAT OU R S P EMCAI ARLT Y •I NG C O N•NPER E C TSONA I O N S LM T ESERV R! BENCHFM K GR E SU • RY STR EGIC K ET I ZAT ED ICE

RECENT ACTIVITY BENCH M A R K R E SU LTS • S T R AT EGIC M A R K ET I NG • PER SONA L I Z ED SERV ICE

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D

L H A R BOUR LINKS DR I V E, #4 2067 SO

2067 H A R BOUR LINKS DR I V E, #4 L on g b o a t K e y | O f f e re d a t $ 7 79, 0 0 0 MLS# A4178487

L on g b o at K e y | O f f e re d at $ 7 79, 0 0 0 MLS# A4178487

SLEEPY LAGOON SANCTUARY

2067 H A R BOUR LINKS DR I V E, STREET #4 2067 H AAT R $1,499,000 BOUR LINKS DR I V E, #4 701 PENFIELD | OFFERED

2067 H A R BOUR LINKS DR I V E, #4 750 PENFIELD ST | $3,000,000

L on gPerfectly b o a t K esituated y | O f f eon re da deep a t $ 7water 79, 0 0canal 0 with easy access L on b o a t K eBay, y | Othis f f e2rebedroom d a t $ 7 79, 000 togSarasota home MLS# A4178487 MLS# A4178487 offers 2 docks, a 2 car garage, a new roof and an ideal north Longboat Key location

with deeded beach access.

2067 H A R BOUR LINKS DR I V E, #4MLS# A4537570 2067 H A R BOUR LINKS DR I V E, #4 L on g b o at K e y | O f f ere d at $ 7 79, 0 0 0 MLS# A4178487

L on g b o a t K e y | O f f e re d a t $ 7 79, 0 0 0 MLS# A4178487

U

2067 H A R BOUR LINKS DR I V E, #4 L on g b o a t K e y | O f f e re d a t $ 7 79, 0 0 0 MLS# A4178487

2067 H A R BOUR LINKS DR I V E, #4 L on g b o at K e y | O f f ere d at $ 7 79, 0 0 0 MLS# A4178487

L on g b o a t K e y | O f f e re d a t $ 7 79, 0 0 0 MLS# A4178487 CT A 2067 THR A R BOUR LINKS DR I V E, #4 N CLOon g b o at K e y | O f f e re d at $ 7 79, 0 0 0 MLS# A4178487 ER D N

2067 H A R BOUR LINKS DR I V E, #4

2067 H A R BOUR LINKS DR I V E, #4

2067 H A R BOUR LINKS DR I V E, #4

2067 H A R BOUR LINKS DR I V E, #4

L on g b o a t K e y | O f f e re d a t $ 7 79, 0 0 0 MLS# A4178487

L on g b o a t K e y | O f f e re d a t $ 7 79, 0 0 0 MLS# A4178487

I A N A DDY, PA

R E A LT O R ®, M B A SAND KEY BEACH RESORT

IanAddy@MichaelSaunders. com 4725 GULF OF MEXICO DRIVE #213 | OFFERED AT $869,000 in grossHincome for 2021 and comes fur-#4 2067 This H A2Rbedroom BOUR vacation LINKSgetaway DR I Vearned E, #4over $63K2067 A R BOUR LINKS DRfully I V E, nished.

The beachfront community of Sand Cay offers owners excellent amenities including a heated L on g b o a t K e y | O f f e re d a t $ 7 79, 0 0 0 L on g b o a t K e y | O f f e re d a t $ 7 79, 0 0 0 pool, shuffleboard, tennis courts, barbeque area and over 340’ of MLS# white A4178487 sand beach to enjoy.

MLS# A4178487 MLS# A4539173

L on g b o a t K e y | O f f e re d a t $ 7 79, 0 0 0 549 YAWL LANE | $1,600,000 MLS# A4178487

L on g b o at K e y | O f f e re d at $ 7 79, 0 0 0 MLS# A4178487 LD SO

G A I L W IT T IG

BROK E R-A SSOCI ATE GailWittig@MichaelSaunders.com 2067 H A R BOUR LINKS DR I V E, #4

941.387.0100

I A N A DDY, PA R E A LT O R ®, M B A

IanAddy@MichaelSaunders.com

L on g b o a t K e y | O f f e re d a t $ 7 79, 0 0 0 MLS# A4178487

230 SANDS POINT ROAD #3907 | $2,703,000

G A I L W IT T IG

BROK E R-A SSOCI ATE GailWittig@MichaelSaunders.com

941.387.0100

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384716-1

2067 H A R BOUR LINKS DR I V E, #4

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THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

Girl Scouts walk in 50 years of turtle-watching footprints Longboat Key Turtle Watch’s methods have changed but the group’s mission remains the same.

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

W

Photos by Lesley Dwyer

Tim Thurman speaks to Girl Scouts about the history of the LBKTW.

“See all these chairs being stacked; that’s a beautiful thing.”

— Tim Thurman

Madizynn Dutchak marks a stake for a sea turtle nest.

ed up toward the resorts and said, “See all these chairs being stacked; that’s a beautiful thing.”

A turtle that gets caught under a beach chair can carry that chair into the water on her back. The weight of the chair in the water can drown the turtle. A stack of chairs is too heavy for a turtle to move. Thurman said property owners are doing a great job of complying with the new rules.

In 2019, 50 years after Orville dug up his first turtle egg, Girl Scout Shea Polley was researching sea turtles

Courtesy photo

Connie Schindewolf keeps a scrapbook for the LBKTW. The old turtle hatchery was located where the Wicker Inn is now.

Courtesy photo

Clayton Orville and an unidentified member of the LBKTW carrying turtle eggs from the beach in a styrofoam cooler during the ‘80s.

and found LBKTW. Her parents drove from Valrico to take the whole family on a turtle walk.

“We did it in the middle of July.

The day we did it, there was a hatchling and we got to excavate a nest,” Shea’s mom, Leesa Polley said.

The experience was so exciting that three years later, the 8th-grad-

er returned with 11 other Girl Scouts and three den mothers. They spent the night at the Girl Scout’s Camp Honi Hanta in Bradenton and rose with the sun to walk the path forged

by Orville and McGrane five decades earlier.

All are welcome at All Angels no exceptions

St. Armands Key

LUTHERAN CHURCH

• We’ve ramped up, anyone of any mobility is welcome

JOIN US

• In-person worship services Sunday at 10 a.m.

Saturday at 5pm - Contemporary Style Worship Sunday at 10am (Coffee Hour at 9am) Free Garden Concert on Sun 7/31 at 4pm Island Swing Band

• Live-stream at AllAngelsLBK.org to participate on-line

Growing in Jesus’ Name

384947-1 379700-1

563 Bay Isles Rd • 941-383-8161 AllAngelsLBK.org

384633-1

• Discussion Groups on Tue & Wed at 10 a.m.

St. Armands Key Lutheran Church • 40 North Adams Dr., Sarasota, FL • 941.388.1234 • Questions? Contact: michael@saklc.com

St. Mary, Star of the Sea,

Worship WorshipWith WithUs UsAt atOur OurChurch Church Sunday Service 10:00 AM Sunday Service 10:00 AM The Rev. The Rev.Dr. Dr.Norman NormanPritchard Pritchard

Catholic Church

Would like to Welcome & Invite You, Your Family Members & Friends to Celebrate Mass with Our Parish Community SUMMER MASS SCHEDULE (May-December) Saturday: 4:00 PM Sunday: 8:30 AM and 10:30 AM Daily Mass at 9:00 AM; Rosary at 8:30 AM Monday - Friday Daily Chaplet of Divine Mercy following Mass

Men’s Bible Study: Monday @ 9:00 Masks AreWednesday Optional @ 10:00 Women’s Bible Study:

Visitors Welcome Visitors & & Residents Residents Welcome

6400 Gulf of Mexico Dr.

•

941.383.8833 (office)

384703-1

An Ecumenical Church that Welcomes all People Founded in 1956

•

www.christchurchoflbk.org

Please join us for worship in person on Sunday at 10 a.m. or online at our website and Facebook Live Stream at 10 a.m.

6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive • Longboat Key, Florida 34228 • 941-383-6491

Follow us on Facebook • www.longboatislandchapel.org

The Lord’s Warehouse is OPEN Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 9am - noon.

384745-1

www.bit.ly/cclbksermons www.bit.ly/cclbksermons oror (followYouTube YouTubelink) link) www.christchurchof lbk.org(follow www.christchurchoflbk.org

384661-1

Watch AMService ServiceLive: Live: WatchOur Our10:00 10:00 AM

4280 Gulf of Mexico Drive Longboat Key, FL 34228 383-1255 • www.stmarylbk.org

Rev. Robert Dziedziak, Pastor

Temple Beth Israel

The Center of Jewish Living on Longboat Key

Please join us for Friday Evening Shabbat Services at 7:30pm each week in our Sanctuary, and morning Shabbat service & Torah Study at 10:00 am every Saturday.

Check our website for more information on upcoming events & programs, including the NEW Education Center at TBI offerings!

If you’d like to join our mailing list, send an email to office@tbi-lbk.org to stay up to date!

Due to the rise of Covid cases in our area, we will require masks & encourage social distancing until further notice.

941.383.3428 | www.tbi-lbk.org

RABBI STEPHEN L. SNIDERMAN, D.D.

567 Bay Isles Road • Longboat Key, FL

384758-1

hat would happen today if someone was caught digging up a turtle egg on Longboat Key? Would they be hauled off to Town Hall? Arrested? Banished from the beach?

Yet from 1969 through the early 1990s, that’s exactly what the Longboat Key Turtle Watch did.

In 1969, Orville Clayton and Tom McGrane were both retired. Clayton watched a turtle egg hatch on the beach and was fascinated. There were only nine nests on the entire island. Clayton and McGrane, both founders of LBKTW, used to dig up all the eggs, put them in a cooler and bring them home.

“They had a little pen. When they hatched out, they’d pick up the hatch, take them to the beach, and let them go,” LBKTW President Tim Thurman said.

Digging up and hatching turtle eggs on lanais continued through the late 1980s until research showed the temperature of the eggs’ surroundings had a role in determining gender of the turtles. The styrofoam coolers had likely been producing turtles of one gender, so they started using a hatchery on the beach.

These were not rogue turtle activists. This was all sanctioned by the Florida Department of Natural Resources. LBKTW has been a permitted organization since 1969.

It was simply a different time.

Now, turtle nests are marked with stakes and caution tape and rarely touched, and it at all, it’s done by trained experts, such as Turtle Watch volunteers.

The process is down to such a science that Thurman led a group of Girl Scouts through it, and they earned merit badges. The measurements are precise, so if a stake is lost, painstaking record-keeping can spot the exact location for its replacement.

The stakes and the rules governing them went through their own evolution, too. In 1981, the town passed an ordinance that banned fires on the beach, ending the practice of stealing them and using them for bonfires.

An ordinance was passed this season that requires property owners to stack their beach furniture. As Thurman walked along the gulf, he point-

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LONGBOAT OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

5B

THE THE ACKERMAN ACKERMAN GROUP

GROUP

941.387.1820 941.387.1820

RYAN ACKERMAN ryan@ackermangroup.net RYAN ACKERMAN

TOP PRODUCING SMALL TEAM IN SARASOTA COUNTY TOP PRODUCING SMALL TEAM IN SARASOTA COUNTY

www.ackermansrq.com www.ackermansrq.com FEATURED FEATURED PROPERTIES PROPERTIES

ryan@ackermangroup.net

COREY’S LANDING SIESTA KEY — SIESTA COVE

BARBARA ACKERMAN

barbara@ackermangroup.net BARBARA ACKERMAN barbara@ackermangroup.net

NEW LISTING | DOWNTOWN SARASOTA SARASOTA — DOWNTOWN WATERFRONT

$2,295,000 MAJESTIC BAY - 258 GOLDEN GATE PT. #601

COREY’S LANDING - 3414 FAIR OAKS LANE

4BR/4BA | 3,725 SF | Main Level Master Suite | Updated Master Bath | Pool/Spa Gourmet Kitchen | 22’ Ceilings | 2-Story | 2-Car Garage. MLS#A4538487

SIESTA COVE – 5215 SIESTA COVE DRIVE $2,489,000 4BR+Study/4 Full & 2½ BA | 5,022 SQFT | 4-Car Garage New Roof, Hurricane impact doors & windows, finished ground floor play/storage area.

NEW LISTING | THE ENCLAVE HARBOR ACRES ESTATE

HARBOR ACRES ESTATE | NEW PRICE MERIDIAN 3 — OAKS PRESERVE

VILLAGES AT PINE TREE MARSH - 1257 WESTERN PINE CIRCLE $799,995 HARBOR ACRES - 1309 VISTA DRIVE 5BR/3 Full BA | 3,214 SF | 3-Car Garage | Brand new pool & spa with Shellock paver deck, fenced dog-run and downstairs Main bedroom. MLS#A4539732 HARBOR ACRES - 1309 VISTA DRIVE $18,000,000 230’ Open Bay Front | Gated Estate | Endless Sunsets, City Views | Expansive Views of Ringling Bridge | One-of- a- kind Masterpiece. MLS #A4491997

$4,300,000

Panoramic Bay, Bridge, Skyline & Sunset Views 3BR+Office/3.5BA | Entire 6th Floor 3,031SF | Private 2-Car Garage. MLS#A4539578 ROYAL ST. ANDREW – 555 S. GULFSTREAM AVENUE #501/502 $2,895,000 3BR+Office/4BA | 3,281 SQFT | 2 Parking Spaces Stunning double unit completely renovated with amazing views.

$17,250,000

230’ Open Bay Front | Gated Estate | Endless Sunsets, City, and views of Ringling Bridge One-of-a-kind Masterpiece. MLS #A4491997 MERIDIAN 3 - 401 N. POINT ROAD #703 $949,000 3BR/3BA | 2 Parking Spaces | Hurricane Shutters | Unobstructed Gulf and Intracoastal views, screened terrace,7th floor residence.

Winner of SRQ Magazine Readers Winner ofSRQ SRQ2022 Magazine Readers “Best of Top Realtors” “Best ofRYAN SRQ ACKERMAN 2022 Top Realtors” RYANPROGRAM ACKERMAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR RESULTS-DRIVEN MARKETING AND SEO-LEVERAGED WEBSITE

LIDO KEY ROSEWOOD RESIDENCES

DOWNTOWN ONE PARK SARASOTA

LONGBOAT KEY ST REGIS LONGBOAT KEY

EAST SARASOTA ARTISTRY

GOLDEN GATE POINT PENINSULA

DOWNTOWN THE EDGE

GOLDEN GATE POINT EN POINTE

GOLDEN GATE POINT SIX88

— OVER $35 MILLION IN NEW CONSTRUCTION SALES THIS YEAR — ISLES SUITE | LONGBOAT FL 34228 •• 443443 JOHN RINGLING BLVD., STE., F |FSARASOTA, FL 34236 595595 BAYBAY ISLES RD.,RD., SUITE 250250 | LONGBOAT KEY,KEY, FL 34228 JOHN RINGLING BLVD., STE., | SARASOTA, FL 34236 This is not a solicitation of another broker’s listing.. Market data supplied by Market Quest June 2021.

383160-1

NEW CONSTRUCTION OPPORTUNITIES

One of a kind |

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THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

YOUR CALENDAR

LONGBOAT OBSERVER

Tidy Island Estate

MONDAYS

STRETCH & STRENGTHEN From 10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Focus is on strength training and flexibility for balance. Suzy Brenner leads the class. Fee is $10. Walk-ins welcome. Call 383-6493.

File photo

LIVE THE LUXURIOUS FLORIDA LIFESTYLE

SATURDAY, JULY 9

JAZZ ON THE CIRCLE 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in St. Armands Circle Park, 1 St. Armands Circle. Hot Tonic Orchestra will play jazz-styled covers of popular music from yesterday and today. This event is free and open to the public. Call 263-6282 for information.

In this stunning waterfront double lot home on Sarasota Bay’s Tidy Island! This palatial Parker Walter Group-designed home offers three levels of indoor/outdoor living space with a total of 11,330 square feet! Brazilian cherry floors and cypress-lined ceilings exemplifies the highest-end material and finishes. Complete with an elevator, the accessible 3-floors offer 5 bedrooms (plus a bonus room), 4.5 bathrooms, and a 4-car garage. Entering the home, the breathtaking staircase leads you to the 2nd level with an expansive view of the bay, a chef’s dream kitchen including a Wolf oven, large gas range, Sub-Zero refrigerator, dual Fisher-Paykel dishwashers, expansive counter space, beverage station with wine cooler, and storage. Enjoy this open concept living with limitless entertainment space for your family and friends with the master suite, guest, and bonus rooms nearby. Ownership on Tidy Island is the distinctive opportunity for you!

MLS #: A4537194

RECURRING EVENTS MONDAYS

LONGBOAT LIBRARY The Longboat Library is open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays at 555 Bay Isles Road. A halfprice sale on the library’s collection of used books is held every Wednesday. Call 383-2011 for information.

LORD’S WAREHOUSE THRIFT STORE The thrift store will be open 9 a.m. to noon at 6140 GMD. Donations are accepted during business hours.

Call 383-4738.

TUESDAYS

daltonwade.com Office: (502) 905-8528

s.holbrookfl@gmail.com Dalton Wade Real Estate Group

MAH JONGG From 1-3 p.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Fun time for experienced players. To check availability at the tables, email MaryAnnBrady@TheParadiseCenter.org.

TUESDAY AND FRIDAY

MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS

Shandra Holbrook REALTOR®

to improve mental and physical health. Class is outdoors, weather permitting. Cost is $10. Walk-ins welcome. Call 383-6493.

ROTARY CLUB Meets at 5 p.m. on first and third Tuesdays in All Angles Parish Hall, 563 Bay Isles Road. To learn more, call Nancy Rozance at 203-6054066 or email Info@LongboatKeyRotary.org.

THINKING OUT LOUD: TIMELY TOPICS WITH MIKE KARP From 1-2:30 p.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Topics will include U.S. and world current affairs, popular culture and topics relevant to seniors. Cost is $10.

Walk-ins welcome. Call 383-6493.

383852-1

WEDNESDAYS

QI GONG From 10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Qi gong is a mind-body-spirit practice designed

BEGINNER TAI CHI From 10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Class is outdoors, weather permitting. Cost is $10. Walk-ins welcome. Call 3836493.

You could receive

ALL 6 offers!

Outdated Kitchen?

Enjoy a kitchen that suits your lifestyle.

50% OFF All Cabinets when you Replace or Reface

FREE KITCHEN SINK With purchase of Granite or Quartz Countertop

FREE CABINET HARDWARE With purchase of cabinet Replace or Reface

FREE ROLLOUTS With Purchase of Kitchen Replace or Reface (Limit 4)

FREE INSTALLATION CONTACT US TODAY

SCHEDULE YOUR FREE IN-HOME CONSULTATION TODAY CGC1524705 FO-1903312

Call | 941.341.0143 Online | KirkplanKitchens.com/contact-us Showroom Location | 2015 Cattleman Rd. Sarasota, FL 34232

Replace or Reface Cabinets Only

EXTRA 10% OFF *Not valid with other offers.

Any of the 6 offers with purchase of any Kirkplan refacing or cabinet systems.

384891-1

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LONGBOAT OBSERVER

|

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

7B

Coldwell Banker CONGRATULATES the TOP team!

JUDY KEPECZ-HAYS TEAM

Queen's Harbour

L'Ambiance

3633 Fair Oaks Place| 3 bed, plus den 3.5 bath | 2,892 Sq Ft www.3633FairOaksPlace.com | Offered for $1,925,000

435 L’Ambiance Drive #G601 |3 bed, 3 bath | Updated to Perfection www.Lambiance-G601.com | Offered for $6,880,000

Longboat Key Towers

The Ritz Carlton

1111 Ritz Carlton Drive #1204 | 3 bed, 2.5 bath www.Ritz-Carlton1204.com | Offered for $3,299,000

601 Longboat Club Rd Unit #302S| 2 bed, 2 bath www.LongboatKeyTowers302.com | Offered for $1,750,000

Sarabande

Embassy House

340 South Palm Ave #75 | 3 bed, 3.5 bath www.Sarabande75.com | Offered for $3,500,000

770 South Palm Ave #503 | 2 bed, 2 bath www.EmbassyHouse503.com | Offered for $1,098,500

Waterside in LWR

The Beach Residences

Ritz-Carlton Managed 1300 Benjamin Franklin Dr. #1009 | 3 bed, 3 bath | Ritz-Carlton Managed 1300BenjaminFranklinDr1009.com | Offered for $2,950,000

Thinking of selling your Residence? Please call me!

LongboatKeyLuxury.com | (941) 587-1700

423 St. Armands Circle | Sarasota, Florida 34236 595 Bay Isles, Suite 250| Longboat Key, FL 34228 384399-1

8052 Grande Shores Drive | Waterside | 4 bed, 4.5 bath www.cbhometour.com/8052-Grande-Shores-Drive-Sarasota-FL34240/index.html | Offered for $2,500,000

8B

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

Just Listed!

Photos by Lesley Dwyer

Diving into Mote

A 597 Bayview Dr, Longboat | $2,699,000

Elevated 3BD/3BA Key West style pool home on deep-water canal in Bayview Estates, north Longboat Key. Totally renovated. 2,450 sf. Living area on main level has open plan for kitchen, living, and dining with top floor master suite. Two car garage with bonus room & enclosed stairwell. Easy boating access to ICW, Gulf of Mexico & Sarasota Bay. Call Walter Group to schedule your personal showing!

JANET WALTER 941.232.2000

janet @waltergrouprealestate.com

STEVE WALTER 941.809.0907

steve @waltergrouprealestate.com

waltergrouprealestate.com/597bayview

383006-1

#1 TEAM - LONGBOAT KEY 2020

fter the buses loaded with summer campers left for the day, Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium stayed open on June 28 to let the grown-ups have some fun. Mote and the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors hosted Business After Hours: Meet us at Mote.

The two-hour networking event was held in Mote’s courtyard, but attendees had free rein to be as curious as campers. The aquarium was open for roaming, and volunteers were on hand to answer questions. Volunteer Robin Hamilton had quite a few guests come visit her at the touch tank filled with slimy sea cucumbers and prickly sea urchins.

The crowd of about 50 chamber members had fun and felt generous. Many brought door prizes including free massages and gift cards for Starbucks, Outback Steakhouse and Lazy Lobster.

Chamber Ambassador Debbie Shaffer sold 50/50 raffle tickets to benefit Manatee Children’s Services.

Unlike a regular chamber meeting, there was no time for the go-around-the-room formal introductions. Members were too busy networking and checking

out sharks. But as the evening wrapped up, the two hosts, Gail Loefgren and Evan Barniskis, thanked members for coming and offered a couple updates.

Loefgren still needs five volunteers to help the chamber with kids’ games and food at Freedom Fest on July 4. And Barniskis discussed Mote’s expansion into Nathan Benderson Park and the ensuring conversion of the City Island location to a fully scientific facility.

From the courtyard, Barniskis said: “This whole area here that you’re standing in now will be transformed into research. All of our research enterprise will take over this entire space and use this to better understand the marine environment.”

The rescue and rehabilitation center across the street will be expanded and remain open.

“We may be moving the main part of our public education out towards I-75, but we still will have our presence here,” Barnskisis said. “We still will be available not only to the residents of Longboat Key, but all the guests and visitors.”

Mote and the Longboat Chamber of Commerce held an after-hours networking event.

—LESLEY DWYER

The Observer’s

Weather

&Nature

2022-23 PHOTO CONTEST

A R E F L E C T I O N O F N AT U R E ’ S B E A U T Y

Submitted by: Bill Hutchins

Sponsored by

KITCHEN | CABINETRY OUTDOOR PAVERS

Go to Yourobserver.com/contests for details.

377602-1

369510-1

Submit your photos of spectacular local weather and nature displays and you could win $500!

YourObserver.com

LONGBOAT OBSERVER

|

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

9B

“AS A PILATES INSTRUCTOR, A SUCCESSFUL REPAIR FOR MY BADLY DAMAGE ROTATOR CUFF WAS CRUCIAL. I AM THRILLED TO REPORT THAT I HAVE FULL USE OF MY SHOULDER AND AM PAIN FREE SO I CAN CONTINUE TO ENJOY MY VERY ACTIVE LIFESTYLE” - Susan Landsman

Evan Barnskisis updates chamber members on Mote’s expansion into Nathan Benderson Park.

Andrew Vac, Kellie Spring and Scott Kuykendall

382501-1

Irina LaRose and Debbie Shaffer are recruiting more chamber ambassadors.

The Republican Party of Sarasota and Manatee Counties

Steve Beebe, Sydnie Wahl, Dave Erickson, and Dayana Wescott

proudly present:

Candidates Rally!

Living and Working on Longboat Key for 40 Years

Cathy C. Meldahl, P.A. Your Longboat Key Community Realtor

Free Pie from Yoder’s and Der Dutchman!

• Consistent top producer on Longboat Key • In-depth knowledge of the real estate market • Active in our community with Longbeach Village Association Longboat Key Historical Society Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce Longboat Key Garden Club

July 16 at Robarts Arena.

Doors open at 10 a.m. and speeches begin at 11:30 a.m.

384729-1

941.724.7228

CathyMeldahl@michaelsaunders.com

HAIR • NAILS • SPA

Invited Speakers

Governor Ron DeSantis U.S. Senator Marco Rubio Senate President Wilton Simpson Congressman Vern Buchanan (District 16)

Les Ciseaux Salon & Spa has a new owner, Dawn Lewis!

An employee at Les Ciseaux for over 24 years, Dawn recently purchased the business and will continue its legacy of unparalleled service.

Congressman Greg Steube (District 17) State Senator and RPOF Chairman Joe Gruters (District 23) State Senator Jim Boyd (District 20) There will also be dozens of other incumbents and candidates from the Sarasota-Manatee region, including legislators, Sarasota and Manatee county commission and school board candidates, municipal candidates from Sarasota, Venice, Bradenton, Holmes Beach and more.

The weather is getting Humid!

Get a Keratin Treatment to tame the Frizz!

Stop in or call today to book your appointment with our talented staff!

6 N Blvd of the Presidents | St Armand’s Circle | Above Columbia

384948-1

941-388-2176

Paid for and approved by the Republican Party of Sarasota County and the Republican Party of Manatee County.

384596-1

www.sarasotagop.com | (941) SRQ-4GOP | (941) 777-4467

LONGBOAT OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

LONGBOAT KEY 2161 Gulf Of Mexico Drive PH3 4 Beds 4/1 Baths 6,002 Sq. Ft. Jenifer Schwell 941-780-0968 A4534425 $8,950,000

SARASOTA 1111 Ritz Carlton Drive 1703 3 Beds 3/1 Baths 4,276 Sq. Ft. The Walter Group & Steve Walter 941-232-2000 A4537226 $4,995,000

CORTEZ 12925 42nd Terrace W 4 Beds 4/1 Baths 5,138 Sq. Ft. Joanna Benante & Ann Martin 941-356-7717 A4537365 $4,750,000

SARASOTA 988 Blvd Of The Arts 1910 4 Beds 3/1 Baths 3,870 Sq. Ft. Nora Johnson 941-809-1700 A4540125 $4,675,000

SARASOTA 1359 Harbor Drive 5 Beds 3/1 Baths 3,223 Sq. Ft. Rachel Benderson 941-376-0218 A4536349 $4,500,000

ANNA MARIA ISLAND 820 N Shore Drive 4 Beds 4/1 Baths 3,953 Sq. Ft. Kathy Harman 941-900-9828 A4524887 $3,999,999

LONGBOAT KEY 540 Harbor Cove Circle 3 Beds 2/1 Baths 2,081 Sq. Ft. Julie Klick & Beverly St Hilaire 941-780-6001 A4534178 $3,600,000

ANNA MARIA ISLAND 421 Alamanda Road 4 Beds 4/1 Baths 2,116 Sq. Ft. Kathy Harman 941-900-9828 A4534408 $3,425,000

SARASOTA 1771 Ringling Boulevard PH302 3 Beds 3/1 Baths 2,873 Sq. Ft. Michael Moulton 941-928-3559 A4532280 $2,975,000

LONGBOAT KEY 597 Bayview Drive 3 Beds 3 Baths 2,450 Sq. Ft. The Walter Group & Steve Walter 941-232-2000 A4537864 $2,750,000

LONGBOAT KEY 311 Firehouse Court 3 Beds 3/1 Baths 2,352 Sq. Ft. Cindy Fischer 941-465-1124 A4534473 $2,395,000

LONGBOAT KEY 537 Spinnaker Lane 3 Beds 3 Baths 2,046 Sq. Ft. Kathy Callahan 941-900-8088 A4536497 $2,375,000

LONGBOAT KEY 1465 Gulf Of Mexico Drive 504 3 Beds 3 Baths 1,837 Sq. Ft. Lindsay Nock 941-735-7005 A4534263 $1,775,000

SARASOTA 1654 Arlington Street 4 Beds 3 Baths 2,514 Sq. Ft. Ryan Heers 941-726-1703 A4538711 $1,697,000

LONGBOAT KEY 518 Bayview Drive 3 Beds 2 Baths 1,740 Sq. Ft. Cathy Meldahl & Susan Smith 941-724-7228 A4534262 $1,595,000

LONGBOAT KEY 701 Penfield Street 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,736 Sq. Ft. Ian Addy, PA 941-961-8850 A4537570 $1,499,000

LONGBOAT KEY 775 Longboat Club Road 906 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,524 Sq. Ft. Lenore Treiman 941-356-9642 A4527843 $1,199,000

LONGBOAT KEY 3080 Grand Bay Boulevard 522 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,276 Sq. Ft. Ann Martin & Joanna Benante 941-356-7717 A4540091 $989,000

BRADENTON 2112 51st Street W 4 Beds 3 Baths 3,805 Sq. Ft. Jodene Moneuse 941-302-4913 A4529879 $895,000

LONGBOAT KEY 3806 Gulf Of Mexico Drive C404 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,514 Sq. Ft. Stephen Harris 941-780-2352 A4536940 $895,000

LONGBOAT KEY 4725 Gulf Of Mexico Drive 213 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,071 Sq. Ft. Ian Addy, PA & Gail Wittig, LLC 941-961-8850 A4539173 $869,000

SARASOTA 435 S Gulfstream Avenue 804 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,705 Sq. Ft. Dana Westmark 941-356-5091 A4537863 $849,000

SARASOTA 707 S Gulfstream Avenue 207 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,247 Sq. Ft. Marybeth Flynn 941-704-1477 A4526957 $795,000

SARASOTA 101 S Gulfstream Avenue 15A 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,200 Sq. Ft. Ethel Lovelace & Mina Johnson 941-586-7390 A4538174 $759,000

LONGBOAT KEY 4400 Exeter Drive J106 2 Beds 2 Baths 992 Sq. Ft. Malihe Karimi 941-376-5099 A4534112 $595,000

SIESTA KEY 4205 Higel Avenue 4 Beds 4/1 Baths 8,571 Sq. Ft. Maurice Menager & Lin Dunn 941-238-8119 A4539090 $8,900,000

SIESTA KEY 1321 Point Crisp Road 5 Beds 6/1 Baths 6,572 Sq. Ft. Lawrence Zeigler 941-228-2612 A4540074 $7,500,000

LONGBOAT KEY 3060 Grand Bay Boulevard 1101 4 Beds 5/1 Baths 4,413 Sq. Ft. Stacey Fredericks 239-823-0277 A4535637 $4,999,999

888.552.5228 | MICHAELSAUNDERS.COM

373738-1

10B

YourObserver.com

LONGBOAT OBSERVER

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

JANUARY-JUNE

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

J

ohanna Santer, of Kailua, Hawaii, Simon Platt, of of Aiken, South Carolina, David Platt, of Grande, California, Stephen Platt, of San Diego, and Alison Hare, of San Jose, California, Co-Personal Representatives, sold the home at 6211 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Vicki James, trustee, of Auburn, Indiana, for $10.4 million. Built in 1993, it has five bedrooms, five baths, a pool and 4,980 square feet of living area.

File photos

Judy Kepecz-Hays of Coldwell Banker Realty sold the property at 6211 Gulf of Mexico Drive.

Westway Drive to Jeffrey Ansted, of Maumee, Ohio, for $9.65 million.

Built in 2013, it has five bedrooms, six-and-a-half baths, a pool and 5,566 square feet of living area. It sold for $7.7 million in 2021.

LONGBOAT KEY

Amy Katz, of Sarasota, sold her home at 3475 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Jeffrey Horowitz, trustee, of Suffern, New York, for $9.25 million.

Built in 2014, it has five bedrooms, five-and-a-half baths, a pool and 7,608 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $7 million in 2016.

Bruce Myer of Coldwell Banker Realty represented the seller of 171 S. Washington Drive.

JOHN RINGLING ESTATES

Russell Lee Schoenherr and Joan Catherine Schoenherr, trustees, of Sarasota, sold the home at 171 S. Washington Drive to William and Rebecca Miller, of Ruston, Maryland, for $10.06 million. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, sevenand-two-half baths, a pool and 11,246 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $7.4 million in 2007.

LIDO

Sean and Jennifer Stumler, of Sarasota, sold their home at 1435

11B

REAL ESTATE

Longboat Key area’s top sellers for the first half of 2022

|

LIGHTHOUSE POINT

Nicholas Reding, trustee, and Patricia Reding, of Longboat Key, sold the home at 70 Lighthouse Point Drive to Remer Stephen Buffington and Mary Ellen Buffington, of Atlanta, for $8 million. Built in 2000, it has three bedrooms, fiveand-two-half baths, a pool and 4,979 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $6.35 million in 2004.

BIRD KEY

Marsha Panuce, trustee, of Bradenton, sold the home at 483 Meadow Lark Drive to William Humphries and Starr Humphries, trustees, of Sarasota, for $6.65 million. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, four-and-two-half baths, a pool and 5,468 square feet of living area.

It previously sold for $1,982,000 in 2001.

JOHN RINGLING ESTATES

Gretchen Rimmer, of Sarasota, sold the home at 96 N. Washington Drive to Paul and Beth Smith, of Sarasota, for $6.5 million. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, fourand-two-half baths, a pool and 5,660 square feet of living area.

COUNTRY CLUB SHORES

Troy Dolan sold his home at 642 Ranger Lane to Todd and Lisa Zimmerman, of Longboat Key, for $7,725,000. Built in 2001, it has six bedrooms, seven-and-a-half baths, a pool and 7,091 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $4.5 million in 2013.

JOHN RINGLING ESTATES

Darrel Flanel, of Osprey, sold the home at 162 Emerson Drive to Wilson AMI LLC for $6.25 million.

Built in 1968, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,982 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $3.15 million in 2019.

BIRD KEY

Theresa Lynn Currie sold the home at 212 Bird Key Drive to John Joseph Dollries and Rebecca Anne Dollries, of Sarasota, for $6.23 million.

Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, four-and-two-half baths, a pool and 4,068 square feet of living area.

It previously sold for $3.5 million in 2020.

In with the new NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Longboat Key

TOP BUILDING PERMITS These are the largest building permits issued by the Longboat Key Planning and Zoning Department for the week of June 24-30 in order of dollar amounts.

L O N G B OAT K E Y ADDRESS 2425 GMD

PERMIT Roof

APPLICANT Sea Gate Club Condominiums

573 Norton St.

Interior alterations

Kendall Coates

$251,325

Interior alterations

Robert J. Kriss

$206,270

415 L’Ambiance Dr. #F308 Interior alterations

Loretta D. Lobes (TTEE)

$184,000

735 St. Judes Dr. S

Luis R. Castillo

$159,962

5055 GMD Unit 313

Interior alterations

Ronald T. Ochal

$125,906

4725 GMD Unit 111

Interior alterations

Salvatore Giaimo

$102,604

5285 GMD

Air conditioning

The Banyan Bay Club

1211 GMD #406

Interior alterations

Gordon A. White

4311 GMD

Concrete repair

Longboat Beach House

$98,000

1701 GMD #503

Interior alterations

Carol A. Leupp Trust

$76,600

$101,160 $100,000

570 Emerald Harbor Dr.

Roof

William R. Fisher

$68,900

1425 GMD #401

Windows and doors

Julie G. Skattum TTEE

$68,859

1425 GMD #103

Windows and doors

Julie G. Skattum TTEE

$62,987

1115 GMD #605

Interior alterations

Janice Marshall

$60,250

NOW TAKING CONTRACTS

AMOUNT($) $850,720

585 Sanctuary Dr. #B302

Interior alterations

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

Downtown St. Petersburg

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

Downtown Sarasota

Living Trust

1001 Longboat Club Rd.

Seawall construction Houston G. Little Jr.

$55,765

501 Harbor Point Rd.

Plumbing

Glass Family Living Trust

$53,000

3000 Harbourside Dr.

Roof

LB 500 LLC

$52,000

3010 Grand Bay

Hurricane shutters

2018 Beasley Realty Trust

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

$51,047

Blvd. #435 George L. Spoll Living Trust

$50,000

Jack N. Johnson TTEE

$47,500

Interior alterations

3518 Fair Oaks Ln.

Roof

Leonard Landau

$46,720

1630 Harbor Cay Ln.

Demo

Todd L. Rieke 2020

$46,235

Living Trust

415 L’Ambiance Dr. #D805 Interior alterations

James M. Greenleaf

$46,000

584 Yawl Ln.

Jerffry S. Snauwaert

$41,820

Dock and boatlifts

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

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

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

Source: Town of Longboat Key

Licensed Real Estate Broker

373660-1

1900 Harbourside Dr. #104 Interior alterations 1211 GMD #311

12B

LONGBOAT OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

MOVE IN READY NEWLY LISTED

537 Spinnaker Lane, Longboat Key

PET PICS Have photos of your four-legged family members? We want to see them! Share them at YourObserver.com/contests/petpics to be published online and for a chance to see them in print!

BOATING TO BEACH LIFESTYLE - $2,375,000 This charming home feels larger than 2,046 of living space, w/ a great split floor plan, open to the beautiful pool and patio, a true 3+BD/3BA w/an ensuite den enjoying peaceful water views. Location, waterfront luxury lifestyle & move in ready are all possible to start living the dream you deserve!

KATHY CALLAHAN 941-900-8088 KathyCallahan@michaelsaunders.com LBKathy.com

384742-1

440 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, FL 34228

OH, HEY: Tigger just chilling in Longboat Key.

REAL ESTATE... REAL PARADISE

We’re neighbors covering neighbors.

Eric Garwood MANAGING EDITOR

Hometown: Melbourne, Florida Currently Living: Sarasota, Florida Alma mater: University of South Florida Observer Employee: Five Years What you do when you are not working?

My wife and I enjoy exploring parks, traveling and walking.

Connect: egarwood@yourobserver.com

There’s so much to enjoy here in Sarasota.

I’ve lived in several regions of Florida, and Sarasota has more to offer than any of them. I’m so happy to be part of the Observer team, telling the stories of the people and events that take place here.

JOIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD //

Support independent local journalism today at YourObserver.com/newsies

YourObserver.com

LONGBOAT OBSERVER

SUNRISE / SUNSET

FRIDAY, JULY 8

Sunrise Sunset

High: 89 Low: 79 Chance of rain: 34%

13B

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

Thursday, July 7

6:41a

8:29p

Friday, July 8

6:41a

8:29p

Saturday, July 9

6:42a

8:28p

Sunday, July 10

6:42a

8:28p

SATURDAY, JULY 9

Monday, July 11

6:43a

8:28p

High: 87 Low: 80 Chance of rain: 24%

Tuesday, July 12

6:43a

8:28p

Wednesday, July 13

6:44a

8:28p

WEATHER

NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH

FORECAST

|

MOON PHASES SUNDAY, JULY 10 High: 87 Low: 80 Chance of rain: 52%

July 13 Full

July 20 Last

July 28 New

Aug. 5 First

TIDES Highs Lows

Ashley Dawson captured a beautiful piece of driftwood on Longboat Key’s Greer Island.

Thursday, July 7

6:51a

7:29p

12:57a

2:13p

Friday, July 8

7:26a

9:19p

1:34a

3:29

Saturday, July 9

8:05a

11:12p

2:09a

4:37p

Sunday, July 10

8:49a

—

2:42a

5:40p

Monday, July 11

12:57a

9:37a

3:09a

6:39p

Tuesday, July 12

10:30a

—

—

7:34p

Wednesday, July 13

11:24a

—

—

8:26p

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

The Observer’s

Weather ENTER: &Nature

Sponsored by

YourObserver.com/contests KITCHEN | CABINETRY OUTDOOR PAVERS

383367-1

2022-23 PHOTO CONTEST

A REFLECTION OF NATURE’S BEAUTY

celebrity cipher

DOWN

©2022 Universal Uclick

ACROSS

35 One sticking with the program?

1 Big name in beer 37 City SE of Brasilia 6 Grease job 39 Morsel in a pod 10 Vegan protein 40 Bay Area, perhaps, on a 14 Gobbled down California map 19 Wrench type 41 Unknown, on a TV 20 Words after “cash” or schedule “check” 42 “Disgusting!”

21 Spilled salt, some say 45 Hole puncher 22 Zeal 46 Opposed to 23 Zookeeper’s danger48 “___ you miss me?” ous job 49 Now’s counterpart 25 Sci-fi travel device 50 Bathroom, at Oxford 27 Droops 51 Pieces of Hanukkah gelt 28 Crucial 54 Notably private type of 29 Wedding site financial institution 30 Have your time in the 56 Come next sun 31 Change, like a password 57 Taxing duty 59 Similar 33 Syrup source

60 Sharp-eyed birds 61 Snack bar food?

63 Australian wild dogs 65 Downfall 68 What the starred Down clues’ answers stand with, given the letters added to their tops and bottoms 70 Donkey’s noise 74 Clickable symbol 75 “___ so fast!”

77 Prez from 1861-65 78 Syrup source 80 Planetarium roof 81 11/, in a date (Abbr.)

82 Attach a button, e.g.

83 Get off an email list, briefly 85 Hack (off) 87 Golfer Michelle ___ West

88 Name hidden in “read between the lines” 89 Falcon’s claw 91 Sure to get 93 Nuts ___ bolts 94 Kuwaiti bills 96 In a perfect world 100 “Yeesh!”

102 Letters on a phone’s 4 button 103 “Roots” writer 105 Slime 106 Like a hairdo that sticks out 108 Fully prepared 109 Annoying lecture 112 Exfoliation destination 113 Somebody ___ (another’s) 115 Legendary sprinter

1 Friends 2 Et ___ 3 *Swaps political favors –> Certain lists of links 4 Pick up on 5 It goes “Kaboom!”

6 *Knockoff –> Constraint 7 Part of CPU 8 Powder cleanser maker 9 Canterbury’s country 10 Added up 11 Folded egg dish 12 Pool surface 13 *Attempt that almost fails –> Bringing to light 14 Many years ___ 15 Engine booster 16 *Hawaii’s billboard ban, e.g. –> Field involving wills 17 Great Basin natives 18 Nonkosher meat 24 Body lotion brand 26 Deep-space vehicles 32 Orthodontic separators 34 Letter within “upsilon” 36 Wailing spirit 37 Wrath 38 Lottery player’s joyous cry 43 Policy expert 44 Chinese pans 47 West Coast burger chain, casually 49 Interlaces 52 Began enjoying a feast 53 Mope

54 Onion covering 55 ___ on a true story 58 Clear wrap brand 59 Four-vowel farewell 62 Virgil hero 64 “Fiddlesticks!”

65 Enjoyed a feast 66 Lettuce hazard 67 *Piece of a complex machine –> Going-away celebration 69 Core group?

71 *”Terrible idea!” –> “Is this better?”

72 Essential ___ acids 73 Like an untidy bed 76 Word after “snowy” or “night” 79 E.T. of ‘80s TV 82 *Discover suddenly –> First of three calls 83 *Like Atlantis, in legend –> Stamped officially 84 *”Ode” subject in a 1967 hit –> “Uptown Girl” rocker 86 *Perfection is its enemy –> Soup brand 90 Hinge application 92 Dec. 31 95 Tuna in poke 97 Application file extension 98 “Bingo!”

99 Lass’s brother, say 101 Reaction to a punch 103 Supermarket freebies 104 Translation of “oui” 106 Outpouring 107 Church official 110 Vietnamese, e.g.

111 Bunch of, informally 112 Stuff in a goody bag 114 Reindeer relative 116 Pi doesn’t have one 118 Too curious 120 Gloomy ___ 122 Favorable vote 123 Remind too much 124 Rocksteady precursor 126 Text-scanning tech

“EKRIW CKR CRZ RFJ PZHWNWZHWZMW GWUPWLWH UPGWJES ER GW EKW IWMJWE RB KXNNPZWII.” – URFPI H. GJXZHWPI

“FIMUGYAXY NE VCY KRENO ZMBIARVNMI MZ VCY BINPYTEY. YPYTDVCNIX NE ZNTEV KREYA MI EMJYVCNIX KYNIX FIMUI.” – TRLLYT TSR

“BPOSDBA DH CPLOS WPLU OSXB GXFASOUL. DO DH HOLUBAOS OP GXFAS XBN OP XJXBNPB PBUHUGY, OP JU – YLDNX TXSGP

GDASO.” © 2022 NEA, Inc.

Puzzle Three Clue: D equals Y

Owens 117 Great weight 119 Mars, for the Romans 121 Rests against 125 Sees right through 127 Harmonize 128 Traveled through rapids, perhaps 129 Broad ties 130 It really blows 131 Permitted 132 Country known for its fjords

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

Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

Puzzle Two Clue: D equals Y

EARN YOUR STRIPES by Alan E. Wallis. Edited by David Steinberg

Puzzle One Clue: S equals Y

crossword

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

©2022 Andrews McMeel Syndicate

7-7-22

Made for where you live. Here!

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

RED PAGES redpages@yourobserver.com • yourobserver.com/redpages DEADLINES: Classifieds - Monday at 2PM Service Directory - Friday at 3PM • PAYMENT: Cash, Check or Credit Card The Longboat Observer reserves the right to classify and edit copy, or to reject or cancel an advertisement at any time. Corrections after first insertion only. *All ads are subject to the approval of the Publisher. *It is the responsibility of the party placing any ad for publication in the Longboat Observer to meet all applicable legal requirements in connection with the ad such as compliance with towncodes in first obtaining an occupational license for business, permitted home occupation, or residential rental property.

Notice: All real estate advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.

Vacation/ Seasonal Rentals WEEKLY MONTHLY SEASONAL Rates Beachfront, Bayfront and In Between Houses or Condos Reservations 941-383-5577 wagnerlbkrentals@gmail.com Visa/MC 5360 Gulf of Mexico Dr., Suite 101 Longboat Key, FL 34228 Rental office 9a.m. - 5p.m.

M-F

FLOAT YOUR boat in the Ritz/ Hyatt basin from your beautiful marina townhome. 3BR/3.5BA, furnished, 2/car garage, 3/balconies, 24/hr security. Large boat dock available. Annual $6,000/month +utilities. Available August 1st. Service pets only.

No smoking. 847-331-6961

STORAGE FACILITY Boat/ RV/ Trailer. Secure facility, low monthly rentals, Clark Rd area.

941809-3660, 941-809-3662.

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

Call Hawley Motors: 941-923-3421.

RED PAGES AD RATES

Homes for Rent Visit the

RED PAGES

YourObserver.com/RedPages

First 15 words .................. $ 17.50 per week Each Add’l word ....... 50¢

15% DISCOUNT FOR 4-WEEK RUN

OIL PAINTING 'Macaw Scarlet Parrots'. $100. Coca Cola 1937 Ford steel pick-up truck. 1/18 scale/mint in box. $35.

941-776-0034 Room Divider, Chinese, Black Lacquer, 4 panels. $200 (941)544-4485 TV MOUNT Sanus ALT 1 $30, Floral Duvet Bundle set (Full) $60 Email greytreelane@outlook.com

jobs

PLACE YOUR AD: Call: 941-955-4888 Email: RedPages@ YourObserver.com

LUXURIOUS CONDO on Anna Maria Island For Rent - Upgraded granite/strainless kitchen.

Incredible water views through floor length windows. Waterfront patio, luxury furnishings, 2BD/2BR, king bed. Pool, tennis, walk to the beach. Private carport.

Available July and August 2022, June to December 2023.

Owner/renter. Flexible terms.

570-239-0431 marketreps@aol.com

Merchandise Wanted

Help Wanted

SENIOR LOOKING to purchase precious metals, diamonds, time pieces, coins, jewelry, antique and estate jewelry, and some collectors plates. Personal and confidential.

Please call Marc: 941-321-0707

COASTAL SPECIALTY Store on St. Armands Circle. Brands include Tommy Bahama, Brighton and Gretchen Scott. Seeking sales clerk, FT/PT positions available. Please call (407)765-1400

LONGBOAT ANNUAL Lease Town home on water. Spanish Main Marina 2b/2b. Utilities, I-net, beach access, pool. Over 55, no pets, no smoking. 5k month.

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FIND BUYERS & SELLERS HERE!

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LOST OR ABANDONED PROPERTY Held by Longboat Key Police Department 5460 Gulf of Mexico Dr. THE LONGBOAT KEY POLICE DEPARTMENT IS HOLDING AN APPLE IPHONE AND JEEP CAR KEY RECEIVED AS FOUND PROPERTY DURING THIS TIME PERIOD OF 06-01-2022 THRU 06-20-2022. IF NOT CLAIMED BY OWNERS, ITEMS SHALL BE DISPOSED OF AS AUTHORIZED BY F.S.S. 705.103.

INQUIRES 941-361-1976 x1928

Advertise your business or service in the Observer

RED PAGES CALL TODAY 941-955-4888

This week’s Crossword answers

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real estate Condos/Apts. for Rent

Since 1939

peekers’ place

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Ad runs 2 consecutive weeks in 1 Observer.

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RED PAGES. MADE FOR WHERE YOU LIVE. HERE! TO ADVERTISE CALL 941-955-4888 OR VISIT WWW.YOUROBSERVER.COM/REDPAGES

YourObserver.com

LONGBOAT OBSERVER

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Health

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15B

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510 BAY ISLES ROAD, SUITE 1 • LONGBOAT KEY, FL (Next to SUNTRUST BANK)

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16B

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|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

AUCTION HOUSE

C A R S A R T

Established in 1744, Sotheby’s is the world’s largest, most trusted and dynamic marketplace for art and luxury.

D I A M O N D S

Exceptional Diamonds. Curated by Sotheby’s.

LONDON HONG KONG NEW YORK. SOTHEBYSDIAMONDS.COM

W I N E

THE CHOICE WHEN SELLING PRECIOUS ASSETS—INCLUDING YOUR HOME

SLEEPY LAGOON 6489 Gulfside Road Dennis Girard

SANSARA

$2,999,000 941.915.6000

THE MARK

$2,400,000 941.920.6818

111 South Pineapple Avenue #916 Carmen Baskind & Laura Pearson

$1,700,000 941.724.1854

PALM PLACE $1,160,000 941.539.0633

755 South Palm Avenue #604 Lisa Rooks Morris & Julie Guirguis

$885,000 941.350.0807

1309 63rd Street West Nathan Mathers

AZALEA PARK

$985,000 941.544.3332

VILLAGE GREEN

FAIRWAY ACRES 5815 7th Avenue Drive West Nathan Mathers

1005 Riviera Dunes Way Cindy Pierro

$2,450,000 941.400.7676

Q

8811 11th Avenue Terrace NW Maureen Morris & Matthew Morris

6821 Hughes Street Jayne Kocher

ISLAND AT RIVIERA DUNES

300 S Pineapple Avenue #602 Fernando Viteri

247 Cosmopolitan Court Thomas Netzel

LONGBOAT KEY VILLAGE $3,995,000 941.809.0041

EMBASSY HOUSE $790,000 941.720.0408

LONGBOAT KEY $724,900 941.720.0408

641 Fox Street Dennis Girard

770 South Palm Avenue #PH-1 Katy McBrayer

$2,150,000 941.400.2406

BAYOU HARBOR $550,000 941.809.0041

1011 66th Street NW Lisa Gullick

$425,000 941.321.6973

View a rea list ings

7 RESIDENCES

Located in Sarasota’s lively Rosemary District, Collage on Fifth encompasses seven luxury condominiums. Priced from $1,350,000, these unique residences offer a contemporary oasis just moments from the city’s cultural center.

1469 5th Street, Sarasota, FL 34236 | 941.920.1500 Sotheby’s International Realty® and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered service marks used with permission. Each office is independently owned and operated. Equal Housing Opportunity. Property information herein is derived from various sources including, but not limited to, county records and multiple listing services, and may include approximations. All information is deemed accurate.

WORTH MORE

SARASOTA - DOWNTOWN | 941.364.4000

VENICE | 941.412.3323

LAKEWOOD RANCH | 941.907.9541

Contact us for a confidential consultation PremierSothebysRealty.com LONGBOAT KEY | 941.383.2500

RENTALS | 941.203.3433

382033-1

your home has never been