Longboat Observer 6.8.23

Commission rejects garage

Taking flight

She wasn’t quite ready to leave Save our Seabirds, but she has another internship this summer.

Sarasota High graduate and Florida State advertising major Megan Mohrmann capped off her marketing internship at Save Our Seabirds by releasing a rehabilitated mourning dove.

Mohrmann said the bird arrived about a month ago at Save Our Seabirds. It had an injured wing.

The release was one of the highlights of her time at SOS, where her favorite part of the job was “(capturing) the positive stories and sharing them with the public.” One of those stories includes a new record.

“This month, we broke one of our records for most ospreys received,” said Mohrmann. Four were transferred to the SOS facility for rehab and two more were rescued that same day, explained Mohrmann. Four of the ospreys have already been released and two are working toward a full recovery, she said.

New club prez of LBK Dems

The Democratic Club of Longboat Key has elected a new president to its board.

Lucie Lapovsky was chosen to take the place of Arlene Skversky, who was elected to the role in January but stepped down to dedicate herself to precinct captain responsibilities.

Lapovsky has served as the club’s program committee chair for the past three years. She has experience as an economist, who consults, writes and speaks widely on higher education finance and governance issues.

“I urge you to appreciate the opportunity we have as Democrats to turn Florida blue in the near future,” she said in her introductory letter. “I’m feeling positive in a way I haven’t experienced in a long time and I hope you are, too.”

Turtle tracks

TOUGH QUESTIONS

Longboat asks: What if Hurricane Ian hadn’t turned? SEE PAGE 3A

Courtesy photo Megan Mohrmann

Brandon Taaffe, president of the board of directors of Sarasota Bay Watch, holds up a knife found at the bottom of the bay.

BREAKING RECORDS

billion last year.

Last year’s estimates were about $700 million higher than the $6.6 billion valuation reached at the height of the 2008 housing bubble.

VALUE RISE

MANATEE COUNTY

n 2022 actual property values:

$2,370,440,129

n 2023 estimates: $2,620,303,624

n Estimated change: 14.06%

SARASOTA COUNTY

n 2022 actual property values: $5,091,944,937

n 2023 estimates: $5,711,122,537

n Estimated change: 12.16%

COMBINED

n 2022 actual property values: $7,462,385,066

n 2023 estimates: $8,331,426,161

n Estimated change: 12.75%

budget hearing before the commission goes on its customary hiatus for two-and-a-half months.

Before the commission can go on summer break, it must first set the maximum millage rate.

In 2022, the town set the fiscal year 2023 maximum millage rate at 1.99. The rate is a 6% reduction from the previous year’s rate of 2.1144 per $1,000 of taxable value.

Any rate reductions would primarily benefit homesteaded property owners, especially those that own such properties along Gulf of Mexico Drive.

LAUREN TRONSTAD STAFF WRITER

Longboat Key property values continue to rise, with a new record reached per Sarasota County and Manatee County property appraiser estimates.

Preliminary estimates from both counties show a combined taxable value of $8.3 billion. This marks a combined increase of 12.75% from last year, when estimated values were $7.34 billion. The certified values for both counties came in at $7.4

The 2023 estimates jumped almost another $1 billion, marking a new record high for the town.

Here’s the breakdown by county:  Sarasota County estimates town property values on its side of the island at $5.71 billion. This marks a 12.16% increase from last year.

Manatee County estimates came in at $2.62 billion, a 14.6% increase from last year’s estimated values. Both values were slightly higher than what town staff anticipated based on this year’s estimates.

Sarasota County’s estimates are 1.16% higher than what was expected. Manatee County’s estimates are

0.9% higher.  The estimates indicate there will be $1.78 million more revenue than in fiscal year 2023, which is $116,000 over what was originally projected.

The revenue estimates were calculated at the same millage rate set last year, 1.99. One mill equals $1 of tax per $1,000 of assessed value.

Town Manager Howard Tipton said there are no plans to further lower the rate since the town already has the lowest in the area, and additional revenue from the increase in values at the current rate will help “plug some budget holes this year.”

The estimated values are crucial in helping Tipton draft his preliminary budget to the commission due June 15. The preliminary budget and property tax estimates will be discussed in greater detail at the June 20

Last year’s record values had GMD homesteaded property homeowners seeing property tax cuts of 6.2%, ranging from $95.79 for a property with a taxable value of $500,000 to $191.57 for property valued at $1 million. Bayside owners of homesteaded properties saw a 4.2% decrease.

Finishing out the budget process, during the commission’s summer hiatus the town will receive certified taxable values on July 1. On Aug. 1, commissioners will receive Tipton’s proposed budget with his budget message. On Aug. 4, the town’s maximum millage rate is due to both county’s property appraiser offices.

Once the commission returns from break, they will begin budget hearings, with the first on Sept. 11 and the second on Sept. 26. The budget must be adopted by Oct. 1.

LUCKY LONGBOAT

The town’s 21st Annual Disaster Preparedness Seminar was June 1, kicking off the official start of hurricane season.

LAUREN TRONSTAD STAFF WRITER

Lucky — the word used most often to describe Longboat Key following Hurricane Ian, specifically when compared to Sanibel and Captiva islands.

But what if the storm hadn’t altered its course? While it isn’t a question that’s pleasant to contemplate, the town of Longboat Key and the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce deemed it a necessary discussion as a key topic at the 2023 disaster preparedness seminar.

The town hosted its 21st annual seminar June 1, which also marked the official start of the 2023 hurricane season. More than 100 people attended this year’s seminar at the Longboat Key Club Harbourside Ballroom.

This year’s turnout was higher because of outreach efforts and the damage Hurricane Ian caused in communities to the south of the barrier island. In the 2022 Annual Citizen Satisfaction Survey, resident respondents said they were generally unaware of the presence of such a seminar. This prompted commissioners and town staff to take a closer look at how they are getting the word out about such events in hopes of increasing attendance and, in turn, knowledge of its residents on disaster preparedness among other subjects.

Local and state emergency management leadership spoke on the importance of preparation well ahead of a storm, not just in the days directly before. They also emphasized that residents should remember that no storm is the same. Just because a storm affected an area one way in the past does not mean it won’t have different, more drastic effects the next time.

In hopes of encouraging storm readiness and evacuation when ordered, Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management Kevin Guthrie looked to strike a healthy amount of fear into seminar attendees.

“If the same approach (as Hurricane Ian) happens here, you need to get off this island,” he said, speaking about what happened on Sanibel and Captiva islands. “Water is not something to be messed with.”

He specifically cited the more than 70 people from Lee County who would likely still be alive had they heeded their local official’s warnings and evacuated their homes on Sanibel and Captiva islands.

“If we’re asking you to evacuate, trust me, there have been a lot of conversations,” Guthrie said. “There has been a lot of data gone over … Ordering an evacuation is probably the single thing that we don’t want to do. We never want to ask people

to leave their homes. If we are asking you to do that, we are putting you in an environment where we are saying it is safer to put you on the road than for you to stay in place.”

A CHANGED COURSE, CHANGED LIVES

With its similar population and land mass to Sanibel Island, Longboat Key officials and staff have asked what their barrier island might have looked like had Hurricane Ian not turned. The answer is likely similar to what Sanibel Island is experiencing as its residents continue working toward restoring their homes and businesses.

Hurricane Ian made landfall near Sanibel and Captiva islands with 155 mph sustained winds just before 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 28. The storm made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane. Winds were just under the cut-off for a Category 5 distinction, which is 157 mph or higher.

The storm sat over both islands for more than four hours, leaving not one building or home unscathed and compromising the one bridge on and off the islands. Winds were coupled with upwards of 12 feet of storm surge.

“Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island and Captiva were nothing more than a speed bump for that storm,” Guthrie said.

During the seminar, Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce President John Lai showed a video of what the area looked like about a month after the storm hit and business owners and residents were beginning to try to restore their lives.

“On Sept. 28, 246 days ago, the physical, economic and natural landscape of our island and our community was changed,” he said. “Not one private vehicle on our island was spared. If you did stay and you had the gas, after the storm, you couldn’t even go check on neighbors.”

As work continues on the island’s businesses, many of which are small businesses, the chamber’s website has been continually updated

with a list of which businesses have reopened their doors. Only 81 businesses of the chamber’s 541 members have been able to open their doors since the storm.

“What we learned through this was we learned to ask for help and to accept it,” he said.

Before the storm, the two islands saw an estimated 219 visitors per day and were having a great year for businesses both in retail and hospitality.

Now, there are only about 1,000 residents on the island compared to the usual 7,500 for this time of year.

“When you’re responsible for the business community and a tourism destination that runs on an economy driven by tourism, with lodging units out of order, it’s almost impossible,” Lai said.

Before the storm, the two islands had about 2,800 lodging units available. Roughly 200 have been able to reopen to tourists. Lai estimates that about 25%, or 700 units, will be available for booking by 2024. Visitor numbers have dropped to about 37 per day.

WHAT

Hurricane Ian prompted the first islandwide evacuation on Longboat Key since 2017. It was expected to make landfall not far from its shores.

Damage was minimal, compared to expectations, mostly limited to downed limbs and power lines and minor flooding. The beaches also fared well with town staff observing little to no impact.

Debris pickup and power outages were addressed quickly in comparison to those most affected by the storm.

In the 2022 Annual Citizen Satisfaction Survey, 90% of the 1,348 respondents said they evacuated the island when instructed for Hurricane Ian. Just fewer than 90% of respondents said they would evacuate the island in the future if a Category 3 or higher storm was approaching.

“There has been a lot of data gone over … Ordering an evacuation is probably the single thing that we don’t want to do. We never want to ask people to leave their homes. If we are asking you to do that, we are putting you in an environment where we are saying it is safer to put you on the road than for you to stay in place.”

Kevin Guthrie, Florida Division of Emergency Management

LONGBOAT EXPERIENCED

Lauren Tronstad

More than 100 people attended the Annual Disaster Preparedness Seminar on June 1 at Longboat Key Club.

Damage on Longboat Key after Hurricane Ian in 2022.

Commission denies St. Regis parking garage

Public comment during the six-hour meeting was overwhelmingly against the multilevel parking garage proposal.

LAUREN TRONSTAD STAFF WRITER

After a nearly six-hour meeting, the Longboat Key Town Commission voted 6-0 to deny the Residences at the St. Regis Longboat Key’s proposal to build a multilevel parking garage on the property.

The denied proposal was for a 156-space parking structure to replace the original plans of 62 mechanical lift spaces and a 28-space surface parking lot.

Commissioners were in agreement that the developers did not prove a substantial need for the parking change and the building of a garage that has faced public scrutiny since the application came forward in January.

“The garage has generated substantial resistance from all corners of the community,” Mayor Ken Schneier said.

He cited 76 emails received in commissioner inboxes. He said Town Clerk Trish Shinkle compiled them

and found only two favored the garage. Despite the garage protests, many residents at the hearing and email writers praised the development overall.

“Almost all opponents here praised the project but protested the garage as too much, too close and too late,” Schneier said.

Commissioner Penny Gold was absent from the hearing.

Public comment was largely negative toward the garage proposal, with the majority of speakers citing the need to preserve the character of the barrier island they have grown to love. Many raised concerns about an approval setting a precedent and encouraging developers to come to

the town to build parking garages on their properties.

“Our shared concerns include the close proximity to (Gulf of Mexico Drive), inadequate natural landscape screening, the departure from the minimum spacing between buildings and, most importantly, the movement away from the normal character of our beautiful island,” resident Mark Hullinger said. “We need to know that the stewards of our town won’t open Pandora’s box and open the door to destroying the character of our island by every developer and partnership that shows up on our doorstep with deep pockets and concrete dreams.”

Not only was public comment against the proposal, but so were comments from the commissioners.

“I do not believe (the proposed plans) have compelling evidence that this structure is needed,” Commissioner BJ Bishop said. “I do not believe that this is what we envisioned when we looked at the comprehensive plan, and I just struggle with the consistency with design standards.”

Commissioner Debra Williams talked about the overwhelming response the commissioners have each received since the application was set to come before them. All of which, she said, labeled the potential for the garage as “detrimental” to the surrounding neighborhoods and the character of the town.

“We’re here today because back in October of 2021, the applicant didn’t want to take a beat and readdress the parking issue that was discovered after the first hearing,” Williams said. “They had every opportunity to do the right thing back then. They could have taken a step back and said we do need more parking.”

“I do not believe that this is what we envisioned when we looked at the comprehensive plan, and I just struggle with the consistency with design standards.”

— BJ Bishop, Commissioner

Courtesy photo

Progress on the St. Regis property

During the developer’s testimony, land use attorney Brenda Patten claimed that neighbors are not experts and don’t have the lawful right to dictate what is placed on a neighboring property.

“I would maintain that they are experts in their neighborhoods,” Williams said. “They own the property, they live there. They know what goes on in the neighborhood and what goes on in the community. If they don’t want to see this massive concrete structure every time they walk out their door or look out their window, I would say that’s expert testimony.”

The matter will visit the commission one last time June 20 as the commission must approve and issue a written order of denial, which Town Attorney Maggie Mooney needs time to prepare.

Even so, other matters in the application were approved as the concern with the application was solely with the parking structure. The approved items include:

n Deleting beach shelters and a Tiki hut

n Moving patio heaters and a fire lane farther east

n Amending departures for open space and living space ratios.

With pending denial of the structure, Unicorp National Developments Inc. will move forward with the mechanical lift spaces and surface lot as previously approved.

PROPERTY PROGRESS

The St. Regis project is more than 60% complete and on track for completion in summer 2024.

Per the May construction update

from the development team, the gatehouse has been built. Handrails have been placed on the first area of the hotel and tile placement has started. Drywall is complete for the first portion of the hotel. The ballroom and porte cochere’s roofs are placed.

Of the many water features on the property, private pools for the condominiums have been set, and the saltwater lagoon is in progress.

Currently, teams are hanging drywall for the Bateau Building on the condo side. All kitchens are under construction. The steam and sauna rooms are being built and crews have just started digging the midlevel pool.  Still to come are finishes to both the condo and hotel properties. In the next two months, developers are hoping to have permanent transformers on-site.

The entire project includes five buildings, a five-story hotel on the north end of the property, three fivestory condo buildings on the south side of the property and a singlefloor amenities building in between.

At the end of February, developers celebrated the project’s topping off, which signified the completion of the structure.  The 166-room hotel will feature two restaurants. A ballroom with seating for 425 is planned along with six meeting rooms and two board rooms.

The condo complex will have 69 units with parking garages on the ground level. Prices range from $2 million to $22 million. All residences are sold.

Rendering of proposed parking garage

DO YOU KNOW WHAT’S IN YOUR WATER?

Hybrid vehicles to join police fleet

Commissioners approved the purchase of seven new police vehicles at their June 5 meeting.

The Longboat Key Police Department is adding new police vehicles to its fleet in an effort to improve officer retention and become a more desirable place at which to work.

Town commissioners approved the resolution to purchase seven new police vehicles at their June 5 regular meeting.

This addition will bring hybrid vehicles to the fleet and eliminate the “hot-seat” situation the department currently has. “Hot seating” is the practice of using a police vehicle 24 hours per day, seven days a week.

When one officer closes a shift, the departing officer immediately passes off the vehicle to the incoming officer, thus keeping the seat “hot.”

The purchase of new cars will allow officers to have a dedicated vehicle that they can drive home as well. The town originally planned to purchase the vehicles at the start of the next fiscal year in October, according to Town Manager Howard Tipton.

“We found the need to recommend to the board at the May budget workshop the opportunity to reduce cost and increase officer satisfaction, recruitment and retainment. In that, the town would look to purchase seven new patrol vehicles,” Tipton said.

While the town had plans to purchase seven vehicles, Tipton said that staff recently learned of five hybrid police vehicles available for purchase, leading to the recommendation to buy before October.  “Supply chain issues and the desire to be as competitive as possible in the hiring arena are driving staff’s recommendation of this approval,” Tipton said.

The total cost of adding seven cars will be $637,000. This price includes the vehicles, in-car cameras, car cradles and patrol car mobile data terminals. According to Tipton, these funds come from the Sarasota Infrastructure Sales Tax Fund, money that has already been collected. It will not have any serious impact on the fund moving forward. The cost of hybrid vehicles as opposed to standard models is about $5,000 higher each, an extra cost that is said to be offset by savings on fuel over time.

“Among other things, the purchase of these vehicles is another step in the direction of our recognition of environmental responsibility,” Mayor Key Schneier said.

The need to be more competitive in the workforce was a sentiment shared by many commissioners.

The first order of new business in the June 5 meeting was the approval of a memorandum of understanding — eventually leading to a contract — between Longboat Key Police Department and Southwest Florida Police Benevolent Association. This contract will serve to make significant changes to wages and benefits for officers. A similar memorandum of understanding was approved for Longboat Key Fire Rescue. The town found that it was falling behind in terms of pay, retirement contributions and take-home vehicles, which made it difficult to fill vacancies, according to Tipton.

Commissioner BJ Bishop was in full support of the contract.

“I think we are moving forward to hopefully never see this get this far out of kilt again, but I would also urge human resources to be much more proactive in letting us know and staying on top of this,” Bishop said.

Tipton said the new vehicles in the fleet are a major step forward in making the police department a more desirable place to work, while also contributing to the community’s environmental sustainability.

Currently, the Longboat Key Police department has 11 hot-seated cars.

LONGBOAT

Florida highways among Top 10

Don’t be shocked. When compared to other states, Florida’s DOT keeps the state’s urban and rural highways well-maintained. Fatalities are a weakness.

HOW THE STATES’ HIGHWAY SYSTEMS RANK

“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

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Every year, the Reason Foundation ranks all 50 states’ highway systems. In this year’s report, examining 2020 data, the latest available, Florida’s highway system ranks eighth in the nation.

That is great, considering how important our roadways are to our economy, including tourism; to our own ability to get around and enjoy our quality of life; and to our ability to evacuate in the event of a hurricane.

Reason’s “Annual Highway Report” uses a broad range of performance measures on the condition and cost-effectiveness of state-controlled highways in 13 categories, including pavement condition, traffic congestion, structurally deficient bridges, traffic fatalities and spending (capital, maintenance, administrative, other) per mile. You can see Florida’s ranking on each of these categories in the accompanying table.

On most of the performance metrics in the table Florida either excels or struggles.

Compared to nearby states, Florida’s overall highway performance is worse than South Carolina (sixth) and Georgia (fourth), but better than Alabama (15th).

Florida ranks ahead of other comparable states, such as Texas (19th) and California (47th).

WHERE FLORIDA DOES BEST

Florida’s best ranking is in rural Interstate pavement condition.

The state does a crackerjack job of maintaining Interstate 75, Interstate 95 and Interstate 10 and others in those long woody stretches between cities. And I think anyone who drives around Florida and other states knows this. Our rural freeways are smooth and lovely rides.

Once those interstates get into urban areas, though, they are not in quite such good shape (ninth), but still pretty good.

Florida also does well on rural arterial pavement (second). These are all the rural highways like the U.S. 41, U.S. 301 and State Road 70, which are in great shape and provide vital links to most interior cities and towns and many coastal ones.

Those same roads in urban areas (urban principal arterials) are also in good shape (fourth).

Finally, Florida ranks eighth in structurally deficient bridges, which is not bad. These are bridges that score as “deficient” on feder-

ally mandated inspections of structural adequacy and thus qualify for federal funding to repair them.

Florida has a lot of bridges, given the extent of our wetlands, so this metric is vital to the overall health of the highway network.

The Florida Department of Transportation is at its best in maintaining our state highway system, with good road conditions driving all its top performance categories in the report.

WHERE FLORIDA CAN IMPROVE

Where the state’s highway system doesn’t rank so well is in safety and cost effectiveness.

Florida’s worst rankings are in urban fatality rate (49th) and rural fatality rate (45th). The state’s rural fatality rate is 2.2 times higher than peer state Pennsylvania and 1.2 times higher than Texas. In urban fatalities, Florida is 1.5 times higher than Pennsylvania and 1.4 times higher than Texas.

Nationwide, both rural and urban roadway fatality rates increased in 2020, with distracted driving being blamed the most.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles data show distracted driving, speeding and driving under the influence are the primary causes of road fatalities.

To be fair, there is no evidence that Florida builds or operates its roads in a way that increases fatalities. The causes are behavior of individuals and cultural problems over which the state highway department has little influence.

Nevertheless, the state is making major efforts to reduce all these causes.

Florida tends to spend more than average on its roads, and that creates poor performance rankings on cost effectiveness. On a per-lanemile basis, the state ranks 43rd in construction and bridge spending; 29th on maintenance spending; and 28th on administrative spending. All are ranked per lane mile to make fair comparison with other states. For example, Florida’s construction and bridge disbursement per lane mile is 1.5 times higher than Pennsylvania and 1.2 times higher than Texas.

In other words, Florida’s highway system is in better shape than most other states, but we spend more to achieve that performance.

Source: Reason Foundation

HOW FLORIDA’S HIGHWAY SYSTEMS RANK

Here is how the Reason Foundation has ranked Florida’s highway systems nationally in the Foundation’s 27th Annual Highway Report.

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TAKEAWAYS Florida’s highway system is in great shape, and that helps the state rank in the top 10 in the nation on highway performance. That is valuable to our state economy and to our quality of life.

To improve the state’s rankings, we need to find ways to tackle problem drivers that make our road fatality rate among the highest in the nation. Also, finding ways to be more cost effective, such as more use of public-private partnerships, could really improve the state rankings on spending.

Adrian Moore is vice president of the Reason Foundation and lives in Sarasota.

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ADRIAN MOORE

Proper parking proposal vetting

First a point of order, it is important to note that the artist rendering of the St. Regis multilevel garage presented to P&Z and depicted in the May 24 Longboat Observer on Page 5 is misrepresenting what it is to be. Note that there are no cars illustrated on the top level of this large parking garage and those cars will also be visible over top of the garage’s low side walls.

Why not? You can draw your own conclusions.

This compels bringing up the most important issue of inadequate communication to residents about this major departure application to expand the St. Regis development. The Town Commission hearing dates of June 5 and June 20 fall in the summer offseason when half to two-thirds of Longboat residents are not in residence.

The many departures requested in this application have not and cannot be properly communicated to constituents for consideration because they are not here.

You may recall a few years ago another important issue surfaced in the summer when Florida Power & Light presented a plan to replace all the power poles with hardened, larger and taller poles to withstand hurricanes.

That seemed, on the surface, to be a reasonable thing to do. However, a few of us year-rounders asked the commission to slow down

and do more homework on the real cost and figure out a plan to underground all power utilities, islandwide, for consideration.

As a result of great work by the town staff and commission, we will now enjoy a drastically improved environment on our key. No more unsightly utility poles, power lines, and we will experience uninterrupted service.

Folks, that was a close call!

Important projects need proper vetting by all residents — not just those who happen to be in town during the summer.

Respectfully, please do not fully consider this project until the late fall for proper communication and vetting by all residents when they return. Or vote no, and the developer can resubmit after the resort opens and has some real-world operating experience. Any necessary new departures will be based on facts, not on revised, estimated projections and conjecture, which is now before you.

As an aside, arguments about the importance of reducing valet wait times in the electric lift departure should be completely ignored by the commission. This is not a town problem or an unmanageable problem for the operator. They previously asked for approval on this which the commission did.

The operators can make adjustments without building more large concrete structures.

As you well know, most of the letters oppose this garage on GMD

for obvious, common sense reasons. Please take heed and do not approve this garage, much less during the summer months with so many residents away. That would be misguided.

The St. Regis will successfully open next summer and will be a great asset to our community.

Many thanks to the town staff for their hard and diligent work on this new resort and to Chuck Whittall and Unicorp for the years of effort to make this special resort a reality. Please do not mar this “crown jewel” resort with a multilevel parking garage at its entrance right on Gulf of Mexico Drive.

BOB GAULT LONGBOAT KEY

Too many changes to parking plan

We were very supportive of the new St. Regis but now have doubts that it will be the quality development we were promised. We have watched the building process and now can see the massive structures taking form.

Change upon change to the original plan has incrementally altered the project to become something that would never have been approved in the first place.

The landscape plan has been completely voided. Plastic plants to be used to prevent having sprinklers. We use drip irrigation on this island where the hoses rest on the surface beneath the mulch or ground cover. Each plant has its own small dripper. No impact on below-ground infrastructure.

Perhaps their landscaper isn’t familiar with it. You must not allow them to use plastic plants because storm winds will blow the plastic into the mangroves right across the street. Manatees and dolphins are born in the harbors there. The plastic can never be removed.

And the idea that they are asking for yet another building, a three-level parking garage at Gulf of Mexico Drive to avoid a threeminute extra wait time for their customers to receive their valeted cars, is breathtakingly insulting. They got everything they wanted.

And Longboat Key lost the thousand trees that were supposed to screen the property and maintain the lush tropical paradise that is Longboat. Please deny the application.

SHANNON BOLSER GAULT LONGBOAT KEY

Your bias, immorality, stupidity are ugly

Your bias is showing, and it’s not a pretty sight!

In a recent column, “These two are the best we can do?” Matt Walsh used the word “lecherous,” not for the guy who bragged about grabbing you know what, not for the adulterer, not for the guy who has been accused by more than 20 women of sexual assault or not for the guy who was just found liable for sexual battery and defamation!

That kind of hyper-partisan “journalism” makes the propagandists at Fox, Newsmax and AON look like Pulitzer Prize winning journalists.

And, “hands down” we’d be better off with the “nonlecherous” person?  Donald Trump’s most recent policy positions include: “Let’s default and see what happens”; he’s not rooting for Ukraine to win a savage assault on its territory; and throughout history it has been “fortunate” that rich people can get away with grabbing you know whats!

Now, your immorality and stupidity are showing, and it’s even uglier!

I won’t even go down the “trying to overthrow the duly elected President of the United States” road!

If you aren’t embarrassed and ashamed for printing such garbage by now and by supporting taxdodging, draft-dodging, p-grabbing, un-American, un-democratic (fascist) and un-Christian egomaniacs, your moral compass won’t be swayed by additional facts regarding Mango Mussolini!

MICHAEL GRAHAM SARASOTA

Courtesy rendering

A rendering of the proposed St. Regis parking garage

CARTER WEINHOFER

STAFF WRITER

The Longboat Key Police Department’s newest officer has felt a connection to law enforcement since childhood. Now he hopes to build connections with the community on Longboat Key.

Justin Ramsaier was sworn in on June 2 after moving to the island from New York. He retired from a 17-year career with the New York City Police Department and is eager to serve Longboat’s community.

“I’m mostly looking forward to becoming ingratiated with the community,” Ramsaier said. “Living out here on Longboat, I have a vested interest in keeping Longboat safe and getting to know the residents and businesses on a personal level.”

During his 17 years with the NYPD, Ramsaier said he received some meritorious and exemplary police awards for certain cases. But he said he is

Get Behind the

most proud of the work he did during the last five years of his NYPD career.

“I worked in a small unit that had a big impact on a larger scale and worked with a bunch of great teammates,” Ramsaier said. “The last five years were probably the best part of my career because we were able to develop curriculum for the department for officer safety and various tactics that can be used in situations out there to make our officers safe.”

Ramsaier grew up in New Jersey, where he said his community had a close relationship with law enforcement. This foundation, combined with a desire to help people from a young age, led him to pursue a career in law enforcement.

Longboat Key is familiar ground for Ramsaier. Though he grew up and worked in the Northeast most of his life, he said he has been vacationing on the island for 30 years at a family condo. Ramsaier met his wife, Magally, while working together at the NYPD and continued the Longboat vacation tradition with her. In 2019, they decided this was the place they wanted to retire to and bought a condo of their own.

Aside from needing to get used to a new department’s lingo, Ramsaier is confident he will be able to serve without too much of a learning curve.

Sea Turtle Conservancy covers costs of turtle-friendly lighting

The nonprofit organization wants to replace lights that can disorient sea turtles at homes, condos and businesses.

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

Any light that can be seen from the beach can threaten the safety of sea turtles and other wildlife, said Rachel Tighe, lighting project manager at the Sea Turtle Conservancy.

The conservancy is carrying out a project to replace lights across Southwest Florida’s coasts, covering 100% of costs, but the STC’s attention is focused on one area in particular.

Sarasota and Manatee counties have taken less advantage of the services than other counties in the project’s range, which extends from Pinellas County in the north to Collier County in the south, Tighe said.

Sarasota County has the highest rate of turtles becoming disoriented — or led away from the ocean by onshore lighting — of all counties in that range, said Tighe.

Tighe said it is difficult to determine the reason for the area’s comparatively lower use of the program, although residents being misinformed could be a cause.

“We’ve been really trying to work on getting more properties in Manatee and Sarasota counties interested,” Tighe said.

Now, the organization’s focus is moving toward smaller properties, which can utilize grants of $25,000 or less. In the past, Tighe said, large condominiums had been the primary users of the project.

The conservancy is now emphasizing private homes, small condominiums and small businesses, as well as some hotels and resorts, until June 2024, with the grant overall set to expire in February 2025.

The project’s research shows a decrease in disorientation rates detectable in areas where fewer lights are present.

RULES FOR TURTLEFRIENDLY LIGHTING

n Keep it low. Place lights at lower mounting heights and use fewer lights with lower wattage and fewer lumens.

n Keep it shielded. Direct light toward the ground and away from the beach.

n Keep it long. Light must be 560 nanometers or longer on the electromagnetic spectrum; longer wavelengths are less disruptive to sea turtles.

To inquire about retrofitting lighting, beachfront property owners can call Sea Turtle Conservancy’s lighting team at 352-373-6441 or email Lighting Project Manager Rachel Tighe at Rachel@ConserveTurtles.org.

TRIBUTES

Arthur L. Hersberger 1945-2023

Arthur L. Hersberger, 78, passed away at home on May 22nd, 2023 surrounded by his family.

Arthur was born on April 19th, 1945 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, making him the third Arthur in his family line. He grew up alongside his older sister, Gaye, and the two were the best of friends all his life. He graduated from Clarkson University in 1967 and spent his entire career with Westinghouse Electric Corporation and Wesco Distribution.

It was love at first sight for Arthur and Christine Campbell. He immediately swept Chris off her feet with his quick wit and good looks. Though he was never much of a dancer, she always found ways to push him onto a multitude of dance floors, the two balancing each other perfectly. The pair dated exclusively for three years and then married on May 11th, 1968. For 55 years, they built a family, went on countless vacations, enjoyed numerous Kentucky Derby races, and forged lifelong friendships. Arthur loved fishing, boating, betting on racehorses, traveling, cooking family dinners, and golfing with his regular group, the Friars, at the Longboat Key Club, which he was a member of for over 20 years. He was never far from a party, was a teller of tall tales, and his sense of humor was unmatched. He

loved his family and friends more than anything.

Arthur is survived by his wife, Christine Campbell Hersberger; his son, Arthur Lee Hersberger Jr. (Tamara); his daughter Diane Hughes Hersberger; his grandsons, Kadin Arthur Siemer, Jordan Luke Siemer, and Blake David Hersberger Siemer; his granddaughter, Emma Christine Siemer; and his sister Gaye Hersberger Schwarz (Jack).

A Celebration of Life will be held on Longboat Key, Florida in mid-Octobermore details to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Town of Longboat Key Fire Rescue Department, 5490 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, Florida 34228.

DONATIONS: In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Town of Longboat Key Fire Rescue Department, 5490 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, Florida 34228.

He loved his family and friends more than anything.

File photo

A leatherback turtle hatchling crosses the beach.

9:18 a.m., Longboat Pass Bridge

Traffic hazard: A car had broken down on the south end of Longboat Pass Bridge and the owner was unable to get it to start again. He told police he was unable to make contact with a towing company. The officer initiated a tow request via dispatch and was able to get a response and the vehicle towed. The officer stayed in the area, directing traffic until the vehicle was taken away.

POST-CRASH PARKING

9:30 a.m., 300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive Suspicious vehicle: Security at a resort called police to report a suspicious vehicle parking in their human resources lot. Upon arrival, the responding officer ran a check of the vehicle and found it was involved in a crash on Friday evening. Security requested the vehicle be removed from the lot, but was advised by the officer that since it was on private property, it was the responsibility of the resort to have it removed.

SAVING THE BIRDS

12:00 p.m., Greer Island

Animal complaint: An officer was sent to the scene of a blue heron tangled in fishing line. Once the bird in question was located, the officer used the marine patrol boat hook to remove the line from the heron. The bird was able to fly away.

RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME

4:08 p.m., Jewfish Key

Boat-miscellaneous: While on marine patrol, an officer was flagged down by a teenage male. He told the officer he and his father were kayaking near Jewfish Key and his father had not returned to shore. The officer surveyed the area and saw a male who fit the description struggling to upright his overturned kayak. The officer was able to get the man on the police boat and took him back to the boat ramp where his son was waiting. The man appeared uninjured but was fatigued.

NOT SORRY

7:13 p.m., 100 block of North Shore Road

Citizen dispute: Officers responded to the scene of a dispute on the

FRIDAY, MAY 26

PRIVATE BEACH CHAIRS

2:52 p.m., 4800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive Suspicious person: Police were called on a report of beachgoers using chairs that belonged to a nearby condo complex. The responding officer spoke with the caller, who said she just didn’t want them using the chairs that belonged to the complex. The officer spoke with the group and told them the chairs were not for public use. The group apologized and left without issue.

beach. Two groups were having a verbal disagreement about the wind blowing a tent into the other party’s area. The party with the tent was unapologetic about the situation. But before officers arrived at the scene, the parties were separated.

SUNDAY, MAY 28

PARKED AND SLEEPING (IN THE PARK)

3:12 a.m., 4000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive Suspicious vehicle: While patrolling the area, an officer noticed a suspicious vehicle parked at Bayfront Park with its windows open, and it appeared to be occupied. The officer found the driver sleeping in the vehicle. A citation was issued.

JUST GUESTS

4:51 p.m., 2900 block of Royal Road Suspicious person: An officer was sent to the property on a report of a suspicious person. The complainant said six people were seen walking around the property with their vehicles in the driveway. None of the individuals own the property. Upon arrival, the officer met with the owner of the residence. The owner said the individuals described were guests and allowed on the property.

A+E INSIDE:

< ART: Stephanie J. Woods brings her eye-popping installation to Sarasota Art Museum. 15A

FOOD: Eating with Emma pays tribute to her dad with a sampling of his favorite eateries. 16A >

The 2023 Sarasota Music Festival devotes its program to storytelling.

MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER A+E MANAGING EDITOR

Back in 2020, Jeffrey Kahane had an idea for the Sarasota Music Festival. Kahane, who has been the festival’s music director since 2016, wanted to organize concerts around storytelling. Along with many other people, he was forced to put his idea on hold by the pandemic.

But like an exotic mushroom that grows in darkness, the theme of storytelling took on a life of its own.

Three years later, it has come to fruition — with lots of hard work. The result? The 2023 Sarasota Music Festival, which brings together 60 student musicians and 45 faculty members from all over the country to study and perform.

“One of the most fascinating aspects of music history is that music eventually developed into a language with the capacity to tell stories and evoke images without using words,” said Kahane.

A renowned conductor and pianist who has appeared with many of the world’s great orchestras, Kahane is now conductor laureate of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, where he spent 20 seasons as music director.

The Sarasota Music Festival, which takes place from June 5-24, features 12 concerts, as well as coaching sessions, master classes and rehearsals. Many of the classes and rehearsals are open to audiences, giving a behindthe-scenes view of the event.

As an example of the festival’s emphasis on storytelling, Kahane points to “Pastorale,” the first orchestral program of the festival. Conducted by Yaniv Dinur, the program includes Mendelssohn’s incidental music to “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” the tale of young love that unfolds in an enchanted forest full of elves and fairies. (Dinur is one of two visiting conductors at the festival; the other is Kazem Abdullah.)

Pianist and festival alum AnneMarie McDermott will perform Schumann’s Piano Concerto in the “Pastorale” concert. This year marks McDermott’s debut as a faculty member. “Pastorale” concludes with the Beethoven symphony that gives

SEE MUSIC ON PAGE 14A

into a language with the capacity to tell stories and evoke images without using words.”

Jeffrey Kahane, music director, Sarasota Music Festival

SARASOTA MUSIC FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

‘Romance and the City’

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT WRITING A NEW CHAPTER

4:30 p.m. on June 8 at Holley Hall, 709 N. Tamiami Trail Beach, Schumann, Valerie Coleman, Brahms

‘Scenes and Seasons’

7:30 p.m. on June 9 at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. Vivaldi, Janacek, Gabriela Lena Frank, Dvorak

‘Pastorale’

7:30 p.m. on June 10 at Sarasota Opera House

Mendelssohn, Schumann, Beethoven

‘Rising Stars’

2:30 p.m. on June 11 at Holley Hall

Previn, Schulhoff, Beethoven, Franck and more

‘Gold Standard’

4:30 p.m. on June 15 at Holley Hall

Weinberg, Sato Matsui, Caroline Shaw, Ravel

‘Appalachian Spring’

7:30 p.m. on June 16 at Sarasota Opera House Mozart, Copland, Brahms

‘Sound Stories’

7:30 p.m. on June 17 at Sarasota Opera House Respighi, Tchaikovsky, Mozart

‘Rising Stars’

2:30 p.m. on June 18 at Holley Hall

Dvorak, Brahms, Ibert, Faure and more

‘Fairy Tale’

4:30 p.m. on June 22 at Holley Hall

Dutilleux, Janacek, DeFalla/Reisler and more

‘Rising Stars’

2:30 p.m. on June 23 at Holley Hall

Fanny Mendelssohn, Brahms, Strauss, Ravel and more

‘Traditions and Trans-

formations’

7:30 p.m. on June 23 at Sarasota Opera House Debussy, Ligeti, Beethoven, Mendelssohn

‘Kahane Plays Beethoven’

7:30 p.m. on June 24 at Sarasota Opera House Beethoven, Emily Cooley, Schumann

Tickets: $32 and up

Information: Visit SarasotaOrchestra. org/Festival/ConcertSchedule

Courtesy photo

Music Director Jeffrey Kahane will conduct and play piano at the Sarasota Music Festival.

“One of the most fascinating aspects of music history is that music eventually developed

the concert its name, replete with the sounds of bird calls, gurgling streams and a dramatic thunderstorm, exemplifying how instruments can capture the sounds of nature.

MORE NEW

Along with McDermott, there are several newcomers to the festival’s faculty roster, including violinist Melissa White and oboist Marion Kuszyk. White will appear in the artist showcase “Romance and the City” on June 8 and in “Scenes and Seasons” the following night, when she will perform “Summer” from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.

Kuszyk, who is associate principal oboe of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, will join faculty hornist Michelle Reed Baker and six fellows in Mozart’s serenade for wind octet.

The serenade is part of the “Appalachian Spring” program on June 16 featuring the Aaron Copland work of the same name about a young pioneer couple just starting out in their marriage. The concert will feature Grammy-winning Attacca Quartet and Kahane playing in one of chamber music’s crown jewels— Brahms’ Piano Quintet in F Minor. Attacca will also appear on June 15 in

“Gold Standard,” a program featur-

ing a composition by Caroline Shaw, whose works the quartet is known for performing.

In addition to members of Attacca Quartet, another artist guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser is Jasmine Choi, dubbed “the goddess of flute” by the Korea Times. Choi will play Dutilleux’s Sonatine for Flute and Piano alongside pianist Michael Adcock in the artist showcase “Fairy Tale” on June 22.

SUMMER SPECIAL

Many of Sarasota’s world-renowned festivals, whether they be jazz or film, take place during the Gulf Coast arts capital’s season. Not so for the Sarasota Music Festival, founded nearly 60 years ago as a one-week event by Paul Wolfe.

But Kahane doesn’t see the June timing of the festival as a handicap.

“We have lots of locals in the audience, and there are snowbirds who come back for the festival,” he says. It goes without saying that the fes tival’s two performance venues — Holley Hall and the Sarasota Opera House — are air-conditioned. Who cares if temperatures outside are in the 80s?

Asked to define what sets the Sarasota Music Festival apart from its peers, Kahane responds without

hesitation: “Intimacy.” The casual, welcoming backdrop of Sarasota lends itself to increased interaction between fellows and faculty and even between audience members  and artists, he says.

“There’s lots of opportunity to interact between fellows and faculty that you don’t necessarily have in other situations,” Kahane says.

“There’s a wonderful atmosphere of collegiality among the faculty,” all of whom are selected by Kahane himself.

Paige Stafford, an oboist who is a returning fellow, agrees with Kahane’s assessment. Stafford notes the fact that all faculty and fellows stay at the same hotel, the Hyatt Regency, and eat breakfast and lunch together creates a fraternal environment.

“There’s really a great social aspect,” says Stafford, who will be entering her second year of a graduate program at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music in the fall. She made a few friends during last

“Pastorale” concert and will play in chamber music performances.

“It’s really inspiring to be able to hear the faculty concerts,” she says. “All of the chamber groups have coaches. It helps you rehearse when you play alongside them. They lead by example.”

Last year’s festival marked the first time Stafford, a native of Jamestown, N.Y., visited Sarasota. Among extracurricular activities for festival fellows, kayaking in the bay through the Hyatt’s rental service was her favorite. Other off-campus highlights were trips to Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium and the downtown farmers market.

“I really liked the climate and seeing the wildlife, although those little lizards scared me,” says Stafford.

Not all of the fellows who participate in the Sarasota Music Festival will go on to become professional musicians, but the majority do, according to Kahane. Over the past

Drs.

Courtesy photos

Oboist Paige Stafford is a returning SMF fellow.

Grammy-winning Attacca Quartet will perform in “Gold Standard.”

Festival vet Anne-Marie McDermott is a new faculty member.

Checking in on Stephanie J. Woods

Childhood memories of board games with her grandpa suffuse Woods’ Sarasota Art Museum show.

MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER

A+E EDITOR

Be there or be square. The Beatnik-era saying needs a makeover in light of a bold new exhibition at the Sarasota Art Museum: Be there and see squares. Lots of them.

“Stephanie J. Woods: my papa used to play checkers” is filled with black and red squares like the ones on a checkerboard. Woods’ first onewoman show runs through Sept. 17.

The name of her installation in Sarasota is also the title of a 2022 work, an inkjet print of a watermelon, hand-dyed cotton fabric, hair beads, barrette bows and afro hair. A visitor to the gallery that houses Woods’ exhibition soon discovers that there are no mistakes or oversights. Even the smallest detail, like including her full name in the title of her show, is intentional.

Woods is an assistant professor of interdisciplinary art at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. In 2021, she was awarded the 1858 Prize of Contemporary Southern Art by the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, South Carolina, for her personal yet culturally resonant art.

Family is a dominant theme in the works of Woods, who was born in Seneca, South Carolina, and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Encouraged to learn sewing by her mother, Woods weaves childhood memories into her art.

Plastic evokes the slipcovers used to protect furniture in her grandparents’ home (and many others during that period).

Black hair, food, water and dirt are some of the other elements that play starring roles in Woods’ creations.

Asked how she is able to suspend part of a sandcastle she built by

hand on a beach in Galveston, Texas, within a hollowed-out melon without it disintegrating, Woods smiles and says, “I can’t give away all my secrets.”

Pressed further, she confesses, “Water.”

In a crowded talk on May 27 at SAM to discuss her installation and other works in her oeuvre, Woods cited a 2021 artist residency at Black Rock Senegal in Dakar as a life-changing

IF YOU GO

experience, in terms of her art and her perceptions of herself, her family and her heritage.  She said she hadn’t thought about playing checkers with her grandfather (who she calls her “papa”) in a long time until she took a batik class in Senegal where she learned to create fabric with different colored squares using wax and dye.

A shopping trip to a local market in Dakar yielded a red-and-black

‘STEPHANIE J. WOODS: MY PAPA USED TO PLAY CHECKERS’

When: Through Sept. 17

Tickets: Free with $15 museum admission

Where: Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail

Info: Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org

checked fabric that she bought and fashioned into a jumpsuit.

An idea was germinating, and it was full of squares.

The ultimate manifestation also has a rectangle. It was inspired by the infamous “Door of No Return” located in a museum on an island near Dakar that is a memorial to the victims of the Atlantic slave trade.

But rather than being a symbol of departure, exile and even death, the door-like structure in Woods’ installation at SAM is about return.

It is a testament to her exploration of the land of her ancestors and the connection she felt with people living in Africa today.

During her residency, Woods found joy in discovering how African traditions like making gumbo and playing checkers (known as “draughts”) sur-

vive in the U.S. today.

“I spent the past year wondering why I was so drawn to the checker pattern,” said Woods. “My interest in checkers stemmed from the time I spent with my papa and the memories we shared around this game.”

But that was only a starting point. Woods was in her studio in New Mexico one day listening to a podcast of a conversation between Helga Davis and artist Arthur Jafa on actualizing Black potential when she heard a snippet that hit home.

She shared it with those attending her talk at SAM. “If you sit down and you play chess or checkers, the board is flat. It’s a 2D thing, but fundamentally, it is a symbolic enactment of human conflict and opposing interests,” she quoted Jafa as saying. “That’s why we find chess or checkers interesting, because they are lifelike in that way.”

The game of life, some might say.

While Woods has mastered many art forms; she uses the talents of others to help create her work. She draws on the poems of her frequent collaborator, Laura Neal, and the musical compositions of her husband, Johannes Barfield.

Perhaps because her fellow artists know her well, these contributions don’t seem to be intrusions or afterthoughts; they are seamlessly integrated into “Stephanie J. Woods: my papa used to play checkers.”

“I have long wanted to bring poetry into the gallery space and have others’ voices respond to visual arts,” said Rangsook Yoon, senior curator at the Sarasota Art Museum in a statement. “Woods’ stunning, spare installation opens up a contemplative space with colors, sound, words and images.”

The dominant piece in Woods’ SAM installation is a huge moving “audio photograph” called “your destination is in a different time zone.”

A rear view of the artist dressed in her black-and-red checked jumpsuit is superimposed on a seascape. It is accompanied by an original score by Barfield and a poem by Neal. The overall effect is haunting.

Even though you are in a dark gallery in Sarasota, you are indeed transported to a different time zone.

Courtesy photo Stephanie J. Woods’ artist residency in Dakar, Senegal, helped inspire her one-woman show at the Sarasota Art Museum.

Here’s to the father of the foodie

These Sarasota spots are great to take Dad for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert.

EMMA JOLLY CONTRIBUTOR

Dear Dad, You are the first man that I ever loved.

You’re the mentor who taught me life lessons such as people are like plants and need to be repotted once in awhile to grow. You’re the coach who guided me on and off the field, the role model who continuously inspires my work ethic, the king who built a castle for his princesses and queen.

You encouraged me to learn twice as much from failure as from success. The list of your influences on the world, our family and me goes on and on. In short, you’re the dad every daughter deserves.

This Father’s Day, I planned a day around your favorite dishes. Simple yet special, salty and sweet, significant and sensational — just like you.

Let’s dig in for old times’ sake, shall we, Dad?

Love always, Your Little Girl

PERQ COFFEE BAR

1821 Hillview St., Sarasota; 941955-8101; PerqCoffeeBar.us

When I reached out to owner Erin Zolner, who has run the shop with her husband for 10 years, she said, “We are closed on Sundays (including Father’s Day). We have a bunch of kids, so we’re definitely letting my husband have Father’s Day off,” and laughed. I knew you’d like her family-first mantra, Dad. So while we can’t ride our bikes over and grab a cup of joe at this shop on Father’s Day, we can go any other

day, Monday through Friday (until 2 p.m.) and Saturday (noon). Fun fact: They serve soft ice cream made from their own coffee.

The JKB Special: Dad, I know your appetite has evolved, but there is one dish that dominates all meal decisions: breakfast sandwiches (and not just for breakfast). My guess is you would order Perq’s egg sammy ($11) but add nitratefree ham and organic New Zealand cheddar to the baked egg and secret sauce on a tasty ciabatta. Or we could split the hash brown sammy ($15) with Parmesan baked egg, thick-cut bacon (extra crispy, just the way you like), pimiento hash browns, a dab of the shop’s secret sauce on griddled brioche, and the biscuit sammy ($8-plus) with parmesan baked egg and thick-cut bacon with special sauce on a flaky, fluffy and fantastic biscuit. Eat and repeat for the weeks to come.

Your Little Girl’s Order: As you know, there was a time in my life when I was gluten-free. Perq has the most attractive and appetizing GF doughnuts ($5) around town. Choose from flavors like cinnamon sugar, blueberry, chocolate peanut butter cup, maple pecan pancake and my delightful, delicious and destined-to-devour-in-one-bite favorite, the lemon poppy crumble. I do not know how these are sugarfree as well, but my mind, body and foodie soul thank the chef for creating guilt-free choices to start the day.

OWEN’S FISH CAMP 516 Burns Court, Sarasota; 941951-6935; 6515 University Parkway., Lakewood Ranch; 941-9515052, OwensFishCamp.com

We know it, we love it, we wish they took reservations. Unless this is the first Sarasota food column you’ve read, you’re aware of the delicious destination located in Burns Court (and now Lakewood Ranch too!).

Open at 4 p.m. daily, the landmark eatery is loved by locals and visitors alike. In Sarasota, the larger-thanlife banyan tree that dangles over the eclectic and homey backyard, the talented live musicians and the Southern hospitality are three reasons why my family will wait for hours during season to smash some of our favorite savory spreads — not to mention the mouthwatering menu inside.

The JKB Special: If you need to know one thing about the Burke family, it’s that we’re a big fishand-chips tribe. We’ve tasted them in England, Ireland and all over the United States. One of my father’s favorite renditions of the simple fried fish basket is found right here in Sarasota, at Owen’s. When we’re at certain restaurants, we have to make sure to order the meal “extra crispy.” At Owen’s, they have perfected the proportion of locally caught fish to crispy, crunchy beer batter. The best part, Dad? They now have Jack Daniel’s on the rocks.

Your Little Girl’s Order: If you told me 20 years ago that our table would be ordering the chargrilled oysters, I would have guessed it was a choice made by you and my little sister, Maddie. But nope, these are for me. I will share if we get at least two orders (maybe three). Head out to the backyard of the Burns Court location and order the out-of-thisworld oysters (three for $8) that are hidden under a beautifully decadent blanket of jalapeno bacon butter. Continue the Jack Daniel’s by ordering a Bourbon Tea and Lynchburg Lemonade ($9).

SHAKESPEARE’S CRAFT BEER AND GASTRO PUB 3550 S. Osprey Ave, Sarasota; 941365-5938; ShakespearesEnglishPub. com

I warned you foodies that I would be speaking about Shakespeare’s frequently. Like I’ve said before, Shakespeare’s is a place where you go when you’ve had a bad day to make it better and a place you go to continue celebrating the wins, big or small. Our family has sat at these tables for nearly seven years, and I wouldn’t change a thing about any meal we’ve ever had.

The JKB Special and Your Little Girl’s Order: My Dad and I have a lot in common. We’re both Leos. We both will fight to the nail that Michael Jordan was a better basketball player than Lebron James ever could be. We plan our work and work our plan. If there is bread pudding on the menu, we order it — especially if we’re sitting at Shakespeare’s, our favorite place to dine in Sarasota. This dessert defines decadence, delightful and dynamite. Traditional English bread pudding ($6.25), made with rai-

sins and cinnamon, paired with a velvety custard and topped with a pile of whipped cream. The perfect ending to a dreamscape meal.

Happy Father’s Day to the man, the myth, the legend—my hero John Kelly Burke.

Photos by Emma Jolly

Perq’s egg, ham and cheddar on a tasty ciabatta.

Cat Pennenga

Dad and me on my wedding day in November 2022.

The best chargrilled oysters in town, three for $8.

Like father, like daughter: Always order the bread pudding.

THIS WEEK

THURSDAY

JAZZ THURSDAY AT THE SAM

5:30 p.m. at Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail

Free-$20

Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org.

Enjoy a performance by La Lucha on the Marcy & Michael Klein Plaza. Check-in begins at 4:30 p.m. and galleries remain open until 7 p.m.

SQUEAKY WHEEL FRINGE

FESTIVAL

8 p.m. at Cook Theatre at FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail

Up to $12 per show plus a $5 festival button Visit SqueakyWheelTheatre.org.

Sarasota’s first fringe festival shines a spotlight on affordable, no-holdsbarred theater, dance, puppetry, music, visual arts and spoken word. Runs through June 11.

‘SHEAR MADNESS’

8 p.m. at FST’s Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St.

$25

Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

There’s been a murder in a local hair salon, and it’s up to Sarasota audiences to catch the killer. Runs through June 25.

‘MAN OF LA MANCHA’

8 p.m. at FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail $35 Visit AsoloRep.org.

Peter Rothstein directs a modernday version of the musical hit starring Mauricio Martínez. Runs through June 11.

FRIDAY SUMMER CIRCUS SPECTACULAR

2 p.m. at Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Road

$15-$20 Visit CircusArts.org.

Circus fans of all ages can experience the best of the big top at affordable prices, thanks to the ongoing partnership of The Circus Arts Academy and The Ringling. Runs through Aug. 12.

KEITH ALBERSTADT

6:30 p.m. and 8:50 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd.

$25 Visit McCurdysComedy.com.

A native of Nashville, Keith Alberstadt couldn’t wait to move to New York City, where it didn’t take him long to land in the national spotlight. Runs through June 10.

SUNDAY LES VIXENS BURLESQUE

8 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre

$37 Visit McCurdysComedy.com.

Voted Orlando’s best burlesque troupe four years in a row, these sultry seductresses are ready to rock Sarasota’s world.

TUESDAY THE SURFER BOYS

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

$18

Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

From the group that brought you The Jersey Tenors comes a spirited tribute to the band credited with creating pop’s iconic “California Sound.” Runs through Aug. 13.

WEDNESDAY INTRO TO PLEIN AIR PAINTING

10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Selby Gardens, 1534 Mound St.

$84 Visit Selby.org

In the style of the French Impressionists, this open-air course focuses on the techniques of watercolor painting in nature.

Continues July 12 and Aug. 9.

DEREK RICHARDS

7 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre,1923 Ringling Blvd.

$25 Visit MccurdysComedy.com.

A veteran of several Armed Forces Entertainment tours, Derek Richards has performed at U.S. base camps in Iraq, Afghanistan and 15 other countries. Runs through June 18.

OUR PICK

8-TRACK: THE SOUNDS OF THE ’70S IN CONCERT

DON’T MISS ‘THAT MUST BE THE ENTRANCE TO HEAVEN’

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 9

Where: Urbanite Theatre, 1487

Second St.

Tickets: $39 Info: Visit Urbanite Theatre.com

In this world premiere by Franky D. Gonzalez, four Latino boxers all chase a world title to achieve their personal versions of heaven. But to get there, they must battle each other, their own battered bodies and the universe itself. Runs through July 9.

Seniors adoption promotion happening now through the end of the year. Seniors who are 60+ looking for a kitty companion can now adopt one of our amazing senior cats (8 years old and up) and the adoption fee is only $25! Thank you to “Pets for the Elderly” for their support and offering of the reduced adoption fee.

It’s time to get up and boogie as The Players present a fast-paced musical romp of a muchmaligned decade. Runs through June 18.

IF YOU GO

When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 8

Where: 3501 S. Tamiami Trail

Tickets: $30 Info: Visit ThePlayers.org.

1325 WESTWAY DRIVE

ROGER SELLS LUXURY WATERFRONT PROPERTIES

$15,000,000

Step into this tropical escape through the hidden courtyard that connects the 3BR main home to the private 2BR guest house, as the perfect introduction to a contemporary masterpiece designed by DSDG Architect Mark Sultana and built by Voigt Brothers Construction. www.1325WestwayDrive.com

3030 GRAND BAY BOULEVARD #346 $2,595,000

Panoramic direct views of Sarasota Bay, Harbourside golf course and downtown’s skyline are the star of the show as soon as you enter this lovely 3BR Antigua getaway. www.GrandBay346.com

235 COCOANUT AVENUE #125D $995,000

Located only minutes from the heart of the city, this beautiful townhome is perfectly positioned in a central location. With its contemporary 2BR+bonus room design and move-in ready condition, this getaway offers the best of both worlds - the ease of a maintenance-free community combined with the charm of single-family living. www.MarqueeEnVille125D.com

415 L’AMBIANCE DRIVE #PH-A

Discover the finest penthouse

$12,000,000

3040 GRAND BAY BOULEVARD #251 $2,295,000

Sunny bay views welcome you to this 5th-floor, nearly 3,000 SF retreat, featuring an open, 3BR layout waiting for you to add your personal touches. Includes private beach! www.GrandBay251.com

3030 GRAND BAY BOULEVARD #316 $2,495,000

Prepare to be enchanted by the stunning, awe-inspiring views that await at this luxurious 3BR Grand Bay residence. Fall in love with its sprawling 2,925 SF and modern updates. www.GrandBay316.com

7652 SANDERLING ROAD

$9,995,000

This spectacular Siesta Key beach home is a one-of-a-kind experience! Directly overlooking the coastal landscape of the Gulf of Mexico, this private estate rests on more than an acre, with 172’ of beach! Designed to highlight the sparkling beach and striking sunset vistas from any room. www.7652Sanderling.com

right into this wellmaintained home, with its sunny, open interior, 3BR+den layout, and many resort-style amenities a short walk away. www.173CiprianiWay.com

201 NORTH WASHINGTON DRIVE $2,195,000

The walkable location of this St. Armands home will immediately draw you in. Ideally situated on an oversized, 1/4-acre lot for you to design your dream home. www.201NorthWashington.com

5693 CABRERA COURT $499,000

Constructed by DiVosta Homes, this exquisite 3BR townhome on the exclusive grounds of Palmer Ranch, offers a private courtyard lifestyle that exudes beauty, light, and warmth. www.5693CabreraCourt.com

YOUR NEIGHBORS

Those daring colors

JAMES PETER MANAGING EDITOR

In her studio in Cortez, Anne Abgott rattles off the technical names of colors with the ease of a chef reciting a signature recipe — ultramarine blue, aureolin yellow, gamboge.

The 85-year-old watercolor painter is known for her use of color — her daring with it — and her impatience with the medium, the way she “mingles” her colors on the page rather than mixing them on a palette. This approach has earned Abgott signature status in the American Watercolor Society, among several other societies, countless awards, magazine covers, spreads and placements in watercolor shows. Her painting “Coconuts 2” will be shown in the upcoming 43rd annual International San Diego Watercolor show. Colorful shadows. Rich, warm darks and the use of the paper’s own white. These are some hallmarks of her work. She laid out her process, including her mingling technique, in her 2007 book published by North Light Books called “Daring Color.”

In traditional watercolor painting, “the dark and vibrancy are built up with layers of paint. You do a thin layer of paint, then let it dry, then another layer and let it dry,” said Abgott.

It can sometimes take 20 to 25 layers to build up dark sections of a watercolor, explained Abgott. That means lots of waiting for a watercolorist or the use of a hair dryer to speed things up. Abgott doesn’t have the patience for that.

Her condominium turned art studio is a happy chaos of piles. Piles of prints to be sold, piles of frames and mats for future use, piles of paintings in varied states of completion. Pieces she’s unhappy with but may return to. Pieces that she’ll never finish — she’ll chop them up and paint on the backs of the unredeemable pictures. She wastes nothing. When a paint tube is nearly exhausted she cuts it into pieces and shakes the pieces in plastic vials of water until the wrappers have given up their last whispers of pigment.

She paints at a glass table on a screened-in balcony overlooking the bay. It’s a fitting studio for a woman obsessed with the light. Abgott has a special palm tree in downtown Bradenton. She photographs it at 7 a.m., then again at different times throughout the day. She wants photos of the light, the way it dances through the fronds.

She starts with photos, so she’s constantly collecting them. She never throws a photo away. With her camera or phone, she walks through the old fishing village streets of Cortez, the mobile home parks.

“Whenever I see a shadow on a house, I stop and take a photo,” says Abgott. “If I haven’t got shadows, then I haven’t got anything. I don’t believe shadows are gray. They reflect the light around them.”

She sees that Old Florida vibe fading. She wants to do a series of paintings to preserve it. In the meantime, her palm series is doing a brisk business. The prints are selling, and the originals are off winning awards. She refuses commissions. They stifle her creativity, she says. But she’s canny about what sells, even though her focus is competition. Her “beach babes” painting is a perfect example. It began with a photo

taken some 20 years ago. The tanning women, sleek in their swimsuits, have cigarettes in hand. So at first Abgott painted them as such. But now in 2023, the two women hold coffee cups.

Abgott keeps a huge archive of photos. Her filing system is unique. The photos that show promise — shadowy, complicated shapes — she puts in plastic sleeves and marks with a splotch of lime-green nail polish. Why? Maybe it was on sale.

Some years ago, a frame store was going out of business. Abgott bought the lot of mats and metal frames. Now she only paints for the framing sizes she has on hand. The savings. Time and money.

She’s in a rush, you see. She had to hang a sign in her studio to remind herself to, “Slow Down.”

“I’m much happier with the results. The impatience and desire to get it done fast is how I came to pick up the paint with the brush and put it on the paper,” says Abgott.

Could some of that impatience stem from her late start in watercolors? She painted as a teen in Canada with Alexandra Luke, a member of the Painters Eleven, a group of artists who helped push abstract painting into the Canadian mainstream.

“She used to take her friends out and paint in the fields. Because my mom knew her, I would get invited to go,” says Abgott.

But marriage and decades intervened. She didn’t discover her artistic path until she retired and moved to the Sarasota area in the 1990s. She found her way to the Longboat Center for the Arts and the tutelage of painter Harry Thompson.

No one else would teach her. She called a handful of local artists and asked if they taught. Four or five said no. Thompson said yes.

When Thompson was ready to move on from teaching on Longboat, he surprised the watercolor class and Abgott by telling them he already had found a replacement instructor — Abgott. It was a nontraditional path to teaching art, but then again, Abgott’s teaching style is not traditional. And that’s the appeal, whether in person or online. She’s an art ambassador for the retailer, Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff. During Covid, she took to Zoom to teach workshops for the art store. Her online workshops have since drawn students from all over the world and sell out. She has students in England, Italy and Portugal. She expects 30 students for her current workshop.

She’ll challenge them, just like she challenges herself. It’s not enough to “make a pretty picture” as she says. You have to learn something. She’s not interested in painting anything unless it’s a challenge.

And oh, there’s so much more to talk about. The still-life series of bourbon and wine, the way she edits photos on her phone, her instructional DVDs and the growing notice of her work on social media — she had no idea … Her subjects are boundless. The Saks department store window, her award-winning croquet players, bar scenes, swimming pools, wine glasses, she loves glasses of all kinds, reflections.

“I don’t cook. I love to make a mess. I don’t like to sit and do nothing … I’m knowing true freedom for my first time.”

At age 85, watercolorist Anne Abgott’s best work lies ahead.

Anne Abgott describes her watercolor techniques.

One of Anne Abgott’s watercolor paintings.

Photos by Sidra Wali

Taking command of love, career and retirement

and they both have led Bird Key Yacht Club as commodores.

Leading a yacht club, like navigating the open waters, is not without its challenges.

But just like a captain has its crew, Martha and Curtiss have each other. And yet, they’re not boaters, they said.

Since birth, Curtiss has been surrounded by the Navy. His father was in the Navy for almost 40 years.

SIDRA WALI CONTRIBUTOR

Martha Schantz wanted to put distance between herself and the Navy after growing up in a Navy family. The last thing she saw herself doing was marrying a naval officer. Her husband, Curtiss, is a Navy veteran.  They’ve been married for 53 years,

“When my father left the Navy, he was the assistant surgeon general and he was also an admiral,” said Curtiss.

Curtiss was born in San Diego, California, in 1944 but spent most of his life in Washington, D.C.  His brother attended the United States Naval Academy in 1963. His sister also served.

Curtiss played football for the

University of Maryland in 1961 when his freshman team went undefeated.

“I was recruited to play football by Lee Corso, (sports broadcaster and football analyst for ESPN), and he sold me the story of ‘local boy makes good,’ and I took that offer,” said Curtiss.

Wanting more, Curtiss decided to attend the Naval Academy afterward. He was a midshipman majoring in engineering with a minor in Russian history.

After he graduated from the academy in 1968, he served as a fighter pilot flying various planes.

As fate would have it, he met Martha in the summer of 1965.

“I grew up in the Navy, and I said I don’t want to be in this life because my father was gone for most of my life. I wasn’t into that,” said Martha.

She was born into a second-

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generation Navy family in Newport, Rhode Island. Her father loaned John F. Kennedy a smoking pipe, which he never got back, she explained.

Martha went to Vassar College in New York thinking she would be far away from that life.

“There is no naval person anywhere near campus in New York. But, I forgot about coming home in the summer in Newport,” said Martha. “My mother and Curt’s sisterin-law had met each other. They conspired.”

Curtiss was running a cruise in the Navy on the other side of the bay close to Newport, Martha explained.

“His sister-in-law asked me if her brother could call me. Well, he called and called until finally my mother said that she’d meet Curtiss and tell him that I was just a younger version of her,” said Martha.

Shortly after, Martha and Curtiss went on a blind date.

Although the initial meeting didn’t go as planned, the second date was a different story.

Martha reminisced about Curtiss’ voice and presence in his uniform khakis.

They hit it off the second time around.

After graduating Vassar College, Martha earned a master’s degree in library science from Columbia University.

She then switched careers, moving into real estate sales.

From there, she became the director of sales and marketing for major local and national condominium developers in Virginia Beach while Curtiss was deployed for six to eight months a year.

Curtiss moved up the ranks in the Navy until his last position, which was deputy head of naval aviation plans and requirements in the Chief of Naval Operations office.

After 34 years, he retired from the Navy in 1995 and flew as a pilot for FedEx for almost 15 years.

Martha retired in 2005, and Curtiss

in 2009.

retired

Martha and Curtiss became fulltime residents of the area in 2009.

They joined the Bird Key Yacht Club in 2013, and three months later, Martha became rear commodore.

In 2015, Martha was sworn in as the 48th commodore, making her the third woman to hold the post at BKYC.

“I went into it with the idea that we had found such a life there and even after a few months that it was a way to give back to the club because it had already given us so much,” said Martha.

She had a background in construction and product development, which helped in her role.

“I had the qualifications all of a sudden. I knew construction. I built a number of houses, not myself, but many houses, high-rise buildings and condominiums. I knew condominiums, and I knew about reserve studies. We actually built a new marina,” said Martha. “So that happened. Then the next year they came to Curt.”

Curtiss initially turned down the offer due to helping Martha while she held her various roles for three years.

“It’s a two-person job. He had run all the lecture series that we do as commodores. We run a lecture series every month, and he was the first male to take it over. He was fabulous, of course, fabulous,” said Martha.

Curtiss was sworn in as 52nd commodore of BKYC in 2019.

Both Martha and Curtiss were the first couple in BKYC’s history to have been commodores.

Now, they both enjoy their time cooking, pursuing personal passions and savoring their leisure.

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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 & 10:30 AM Daily Mass at 9:00 AM; Rosary at 8:30 AM Monday - Friday

The Chaplet of Divine Mercy following Daily Mass

You are invited to join us in worship, song & friendship at Shabbat services every Friday evening at 5:30 pm and Saturdays at 10 am.

To learn more about our Temple and all our educational, cultural, and social programs, please call us. We’d be delighted to talk with you.

Questions? Email us at info@longboatkeytemple.org

Curtiss and Martha Schantz recounted their years as commodores and their unlikely meeting.

Sidra Wali

Martha and Curtiss Schantz have been married for 53 years.

Martha Schantz in her marketing days.

Curtiss Schantz in his summer uniform.

IT’S READ EVERYWHERE

Headed on a trip? Snap a photo of you on vacation holding your Observer, then submit your photo at YourObserver.com/ ItsReadEverywhere for a chance to win a seven-night cruise for two, sponsored by Marc Bokoff - Cruise Planners.

A CAPITAL READ: Arthur Yoeckel and Alexandra Yoeckel, a recent grad school graduate, with the Longboat Observer in front of Georgetown University, in Washington, D.C.

JAMES PETER MANAGING EDITOR

The two most expensive residential real estate sales recorded on Bird Key sold on a single day, June 1.

A waterfront estate at 626 S. Owl Drive sold for $11.25 million, confirmed Susan Fox, the Compass Florida LLC Realtor who represented the sellers, Henry and Dawn Duques. It was listed in March at $12 million.

Roger Pettingell, a Coldwell Banker Realty agent and broker, represented the buyers, H. Lee Scott Jr. and Linda Scott, trustees of the Linda G. Scott Revocable Trust.

The two-story home was built in 2021. It has five bedrooms, eight bathrooms and more than 6,500 square feet of living space. It also boasts a pool, wine room and two Tesla car chargers in the garage.

“We’re seeing things in that $10 million range come to market and the market be really accepting of it,” said Pettingell. “It kind of checks every box that we think buyers are looking for. Buyers are valuing time as much as money, to not have to go through the process of building.”

Earlier that same day, the neighboring house, 622 S. Owl Drive, sold for $9.75 million, briefly making it the highest residential sale recorded

on Bird Key before slipping to second place, said Bruce Myer, who represented the sellers, Stephen and Julie McGue, of the waterfront estate.

Myer is a global luxury specialist affiliated with Coldwell Banker Realty.

“I think I had the record for maybe a second. Ours closed in the morning and theirs closed in the afternoon,” said Myer.

The home at 622 S. Owl has four bedrooms and four-and-a-half bathrooms. According to county property records, it was purchased

by The Richard M. Stumler Tennessee Family Dynasty Trust.

Its waterfront position on the bay offers views of Big Pass, Lido and Siesta keys and the Gulf of Mexico.

“We didn’t have the frenzy as you might imagine last year,” said Myer. “We had it on the market for about three weeks, and I’d guess we had eight to 10 showings. About half the people who looked at it already owned on Bird Key and were looking to update from their garden or canal home.”

Myer has a long history with both

properties on Owl Drive. In 2002, Myer represented the buyers of 622 S. Owl Drive and the neighboring lot, 626 S. Owl Drive. In 2021, 622 S. Owl Drive was offered for sale, and Myer represented the McGues, who purchased the home for $6 million at that time.

Julie McGue is the award-winning author of the book “Twice a Daughter.” Her memoir about searching for her birth family struck a chord with adoptees who yearn for answers and connection with biological relatives. She has written two additional

books, “Belonging Matters” scheduled for publication in November of 2023 and another to be published in 2024.

“It’s a great house and a great location. If it’s renovated and people can walk right in — that’s what gets the most attention,” said Myer. “There are only so many waterfront properties on Bird Key that enjoy this positioning. It’s that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to live the ultimate Sarasota lifestyle.”

LONGBOAT KEY L’AMBIENCE

$3,650,000

Casually elegant, rarely available 3BR/4BA direct beachfront walk-out. Private staircase from your private Gulf front terrace leads directly to the beach & Gulf. Amenities include lobby concierge, 24hr guarded gate, olympic sized pool, 2 har-tru tennis courts, fitness center & more.

LONGBOAT KEY EN PROVENCE $4,935,000

Spectacular 3BD/ 4BA 3,400sf open plan w/10’ ceilings & Gulf-side wrap around terraces. One of 21 in meticulously maintained Gulf front gated community w/ Gulf-side pool & spa. Conveniently located mid-key.

LONGBOAT KEY BOATERS DREAM $2,850,000

Meticulous 4 BD/3 BA wide deep water canal with direct access to Sarasota Bay - no bridges! Great dock. 2 boat lifts. Private beach access directly across the street.

LONGBOAT KEY WATER CLUB

$3,545,000 Spectacular 6th floor 3BR/4BA redesigned Dover plan. Highend finishes include private elevator opening to Sarasota Bay & city skyline views from floor to ceiling glass and mastersuite terrace offers Gulf vistas.. Luxurious resort style lving on beautiful beach w/all amenities.

LONGBOAT KEY EMERALD HARBOR $1,995,000

Updated & meticulously maintained split-plan 4 BR/3 BA pool home on wide canal w/ direct Bay access. A boater’s dream w/new dock and 10,000lb boat lift. Deeded beach access.

LOT#1

• CANAL LOT#2

$1,995,000

$1,995,000

Build your dream home on one of north LBK’s most desirable streets. Premier boating location. Great canal leads directly to Bay & ICW No bridges. Walk to beach.

What lies beneath

After each trip down to Sarasota Bay’s bottom, scuba divers surfaced with more trash.

Kayakers ferried the garbage to the shore, where volunteers hefted it for sorting, recording and disposal.

This year’s Sarasota Bay Watch Underwater Cleanup tackled the area offshore from New Pass at City Island and Ken Thompson Park.

Although the June 3 cleanup didn’t begin until 9 a.m., within hours the 49 volunteers had stacked up a large pile of marine debris on shore. There were old fishing nets, lawn furniture, cellphones, electrical wiring, plastic pipes and flashlights. And tangled within the trash was a variety of aquatic life — dozens of starfish, more than 100 crabs and seahorses — some living, some dead.

The discarded fishing gear, like nets, is especially hazardous for marine life, said Ronda Ryan, executive director of Sarasota Bay Watch. It leads to a phenomenon called ghost fishing, where after one fish or crustacean is entangled in a net, more aquatic animals are drawn to the fishing gear and become entangled.

Ryan led the effort onshore to catalogue the debris found and the wildlife rescued or found dead. The results will be shared with NOAA and the Ocean Conservancy to help further those organizations’ research.

In all, the cleanup removed 780 pounds of debris, according to Ryan.

The cleanup was great for the kid volunteers present because it allowed them to see up close the impact of garbage on marine life and ocean habitats, said Ryan.

The day’s effort included 17 divers, five kayakers, two snorkelers, and 25 volunteers working on the shoreline to collect and dispose of debris. The Sarasota Bay Watch partnered with the city of Sarasota, the Sarasota Police Department, Sarasota Sailing Squadron and Scuba Quest.

A dumpster from the city of Sarasota was on hand for disposal. Sarasota Police marine patrol officers kept a perimeter to protect divers. The police dive squad truck was also on hand to support divers.

“The police are a huge help. They prevent knuckleheads (in boats) from coming into (the cleanup area),” said Al Jeffrey, president of the Sarasota Bay Watch.

— JAMES PETER

Photos by Sidra Wali

Hudson and Elijah Most pick up trash along the bay.

Elijah Most and Jacqie Most, volunteers

John Ryan, treasurer for Sarasota Bay Watch, and Brandon Taaffe, president of the board of directors of Sarasota Bay Watch, hunt for trash.

Mike Skinner, marine patrol, and Mike Daughtrey, patrol officer

Ronda Ryan’s group found two phones at the bottom of the bay.

Ritz-Carlton Managed

1300 Benjamin Franklin Dr 907 | 3 bed, 2.5 bath | 3,057 SqFt | $3,990,000

Luxury knows no Limits in this home. 3 bdrm residence laid out to perfection taking advantage of the Gulf of Mexico view through glass walls from every room and an oversized wrap-around terrace. Membership to Beach Club available immediately.

www.RitzCarlton904.com

1930 Harbourside Dr 122 | 2 bed, 2 bath | 1,312 Sq Ft | $998,000

Sarasota Bay is your backyard. This residence has southeastern exposure with epic sunrises and Sarasota skyline views. Renovated two-bedroom, two-bath residence where a high-end interior designer selected impressive new finishes and features. DEEDED BEACH ACCESS

www.1930HarboursideDr122.com

NEW LISTING

435 L'Ambiance L207 | LONGBOAT KEY | $2,600,000

3 bed, 3 bath | 2,525 Sq Ft

The almost new residence offers magnificent sunrise and sunset views from its wrap-around terrace. Elevator to your private foyer, where doors open to reveal elevated 10-ft ceilings and walls of glass, filling the room with natural light surrounded by tropical views. www.LAmbianceL207.com

435 L’Ambiance Dr #H802 | LONGBOAT KEY | $4,200,000

2 bed + den or 3 bed, 4 bath | 2,525 Sq Ft

Updated to perfection is here and ready for enjoyment. Iconic luxury 270 degrees of endless views of the city and turquoise waters of the Gulf looking South. Wolf/Sub-Zero appliances. www,435LAmbianceH802.com

Queens Harbour - Bay Isles, Longboat Key

3554 Fair Oaks Lane | 5 bed, 4.5 bath | 4,493 sq.ft. | $4,200,000

Rarely does a home of this size and quality become available, providing a unique opportunity for discerning buyers. Boasting an all-level elevator, privacy, boat lift, and travertine floors, this home offers unparalleled convenience and elegance. Designed by the renowned Nancy Freedoff, every detail of this signature Gardinera model has been meticulously crafted to exude opulence. Countless decorator touches and upgrades elevate the overall aesthetic and provide a truly remarkable living experience. Within the prestigious Queen's Harbour community, this home offers exclusive access to the gated Harbourside Longboat Key Club. Enjoy the convenience of quick access to 27 holes of golf and the renowned tennis center. With five generously sized bedrooms and an office, this home effortlessly accommodates every need. Each room on the main level, including the primary suite, guest rooms, and office, offers captivating views of the bay, pool, spa, or meticulously landscaped gardens. Additionally, this remarkable property includes deeded beach access to the Private Bay Isle Beach Club with ample parking, showers, restrooms, grills, and even beach volleyball facilities.

www.3554FairOaksLane.com

2251 Gulf of Mexico Drive 204 | Aria - LONGBOAT KEY | $10,500,000

3 bed + office, 3.5 bath | 4,032 Sq Ft

Modern Oasis on the Gulf of Mexico. Discover the epitome of modern luxury living in this spectacular gulf-front home. With expansive glass walls, clean lines, and angular details, this coastal contemporary enclave offers depth and allure. Floor-to-ceiling walls of impact glass connect indoor spaces to the gulf and gardens views from terraces. You will love the oversized his/hers master bath, en-suite guest bedrooms, and outdoor grilling, offering comfort and convenience at every turn. This Beach Villa features a private infinity-edge lap pool, expanded terraces with planters, and direct access to community pool and beach and oversized, private humidity-controlled 4 to 5-car garage. www.Aria204.com

Beachfront Residences condominium tops this week’s sales at $5.1 million

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

Acondominium in The Beach

Residences tops all transactions in this week’s real estate. Douglas and Cynthia Tibbetts, of Highlands, North Carolina, sold their Unit 601 condominium at 1300 Benjamin Franklin Drive to Dennis and Vicky Boyer, of Sarasota, for $5,141,000. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 4,194 square feet of living area. It sold for $3,204,500 in 2014.

COUNTRY CLUB SHORES

Pamela Reiter, trustee, of Longboat Key, sold the home at 531 Ranger Lane to Pietro and Kimberly Cuomo, of Longboat Key, for $2.7 million. Built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,436 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.52 million in 2008.

Monell Giacoma and Pamela Miller, of Bradenton, sold their home at 1220 Bogey Lane to Joseph Benson and Carrie Coletta-Benson, of Longboat Key, for $1.5 million. Built in 2021, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 1,743 square feet of living area.

CONRAD BEACH

Rafael and Isabel Fernandez, of Longboat Key, sold their home at 388 Firehouse Lane to Dawn D’Onofrio, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1.9 million. Built in 2001, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,540 square feet.

BIRD KEY

Erica Briody sold her home at 408 Wood Duck Drive to Anthony and Karen Bisegna, of Marblehead, Massachusetts, for $1.85 million. Built in 1961, it has four bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,846 square feet of

living area. It sold for $750,000 in 2016.

COREY’S LANDING

Jose Marroig, of Lighthouse Point, sold his home at 3575 Mistletoe Lane to Jennifer Shimek, of Longboat Key, for $1.6 million. Built in 1991, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,436 square feet of living area. It sold for $950,000 in 2020.

JOHN RINGLING ESTATES

Nancy Seidman, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the home at 243 Coolidge Drive to 243 Coolidge LLC for $1.5 million. Built in 1950, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 1,448 square feet of living area. It sold for $595,000 in 2011.

LONGBEACH

Oakley Properties LLC sold the home and a vacant lot at 6979 Longboat Drive S. to Pascal Charbonneau, of Sarasota, for $1.3 million. Built in 1974, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,454 square feet of living area. It sold for $600,000 in 2021.

PORTOBELLO

Jason Lemar Morgan and Betsy Kirby Morgan sold their Unit

TOP BUILDING PERMITS

A-406 condominium at 3235 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Virginia Long, trustee, of Northville, Michigan, for $1.3 million. Built in 1975, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,505 square feet of living area. It sold for $720,000 in 2018.

SEAPLACE Richard Beyrer, trustee, of Mahopac, New York, sold the Unit M2-412 condominium at to John Howey, trustee, of Flat Rock, Michigan, for $1.3 million. Built in 1978, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,532 square feet of

living area. It sold for $650,000 in 2012.

Roy and Helen Diton, of Sarasota, sold their Unit M1-209-H condominium at 2045 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Adam Jeffery Smith and Lindsay Michelle Smith, of Weldon Springs, Missouri, for $903,000. Built in 1974, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,265 square feet of living area. It sold for $512,500 in 2010.

Mary Ann Shapard, of Griffin, Georgia, sold the Unit M1-301F

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

MAY 22-26

condominium at to Mark Abraham, trustee, of Longboat Key, for $699,000. Built in 1974, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 928 square feet of living area. It sold for $253,500 in 1999.

INN ON THE BEACH

Flavio Alberto Garofalo and Marie-Helene Zicat-Garofalo, of the Netherlands, sold their Unit 2502 condominium at 210 Sands Point Road to B Long Ventures LLC for $1.1 million. Built in 1982, it has one bedroom, one bath and 650 square feet of living area. It sold for $452,500 in 2013.

WHITNEY BEACH

Joseph Najmy, trustee, of Bradenton, sold the Unit 308 condominium at 6701 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Donald and Kathleen McCroskey, of Longboat Key, for $755,000. Built in 1971, it has one bedroom, one bath and 990 square feet of living area. It sold for $685,000 in 2006.

CLUB LONGBOAT

BEACH & TENNIS

Richard Rowe and Pamela Stites, of Philadelphia, sold their Unit 312 condominium at 5055 Gulf of Mexico Drive to CLBHART312 LLC for $699,000. Built in 1973, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,484 square feet of living area. It sold for $620,000 in 2006.

SPANISH MAIN YACHT CLUB

William and Ilana Fincke, of Longboat Key, sold their Unit 103 condominium at 698 Spanish Drive S. to Gary Edward Fletcher and Lisa Ann Fletcher, of Franklin, Tennessee, for $615,000. Built in 1971, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,423 square feet of living area. It sold for $350,000 in 2020.

File photo

Unit 601 at he Beach Residences at 1300 Benjamin Franklin Drive on Lido Key sold for $5,141,000.

In its 33rd year, the Frank G. Berlin, Sr. Small Business Awards recognizes chamber members with locally owned and operated businesses in nine categories.

PRESENTED BY:

Awards Luncheon on Friday, June 23rd

Hyatt Regency Sarasota at 11:30am

Individual Registrations:

Chamber Members: $75 | Non-Members: $95

Table Sponsorship: Silver Sponsor (Table of 5) | $700

Secure your spot by scanning the QR Code or visit sarasotachamber.com for more information

YOUR CALENDAR

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14

VETERANS’ CANTEEN

1-2 p.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Free. Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Longboat Key, this is a monthly welcoming space for our U.S. veterans to connect, relax, share and support one another. Visit TheParadiseCenter.org.

RECURRING EVENTS

WEEKDAYS LONGBOAT LIBRARY

From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday, 555 Bay Isles Road. On Wednesdays, most books are on sale for $1 or less. Call 383-2011.

MONDAYS STRETCH AND STRENGTHEN

From 10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. This class is mostly seated and great for all fitness levels. Focus is on strength training and flexibility for balance.

Suzy Brenner leads the class. Fee is $15. Walk-ins welcome. Call 3836493.

MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS

LORD’S WAREHOUSE THRIFT STORE

The thrift store will be open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 6140 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Donations are accepted during business hours. Call 383-4738.

TUESDAYS

QI GONG

From 10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Qi gong is a mind-body-spirit practice designed to improve mental and physical health. Class is outdoors, weather permitting. Cost is $15. Walk-ins welcome. Call 383-6493.

YOGA

From 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Debbie Debile of Feel Good Yoga & Massage leads a gentle yoga class that can be done on a mat or in a chair. Cost is $15; free for members. Call 383-6493.

MAHJONG

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

BEST BET

SATURDAY, JUNE 10 – SUNDAY, JUNE 11 ST. ARMANDS CIRCLE CRAFT FESTIVAL

Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on St. Armands Circle. Free. This two-day event will offer visitors a chance to enjoy the work of Florida’s best crafters. A wide variety of crafts will be on display, including jewelry, pottery, plant holders, soaps. There will also an expansive green market with unique orchids and delicious dips and sauces.

Amy@TheParadiseCenter.org.

ROTARY CLUB

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

WEDNESDAYS BEGINNER TAI CHI

From 10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Class is outdoors, weather permitting. Cost is $15. Walk-ins welcome. Call 3836493.

MARIACHI MUSIC

From 5-8 p.m. at La Villa Mexican Grill, 5610 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Enjoy dinner and a serenade by Mariachi Contemporaneo. Call 383-8033.

FRIDAYS INTERMEDIATE TAI CHI

From 10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Reuben Fernandez teaches Chen style class. Outside if weather permitting. Free for members, $15 for others. Walkins welcome. Call 383-6493.

QI GONG AND MEDITATION

From 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road, take qi gong and meditation with Sandi Love. Free for members, $15 for others. Call 383-6493.

Part Nature. Part Playground. all home.

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WRONGFUL

by Sam Koperwas and Jeff Chen, edited by Jeff Chen

By Luis Campos

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

Shelly Crouse took this angled photo of a palm tree on Longboat Key.