Longboat Observer 8.10.23

Youth at home on the Key

Courtesy photo

Mochi and the manatee

Mochi the golden retriever loves relaxing on the waters of Longboat Key, floating on his pool noodle and playing with fish.

But recently, Mochi made friends with a gentle giant.

One afternoon, Toni and Dan Pavlovich parked their boat to do some fishing. Mochi also enjoys fishing. He likes to hold fish in his mouth for a bit, with a soft bite, before releasing them. Mochi was hanging around on the boat platform, said Toni, when suddenly a manatee floated up to Mochi. For 10 minutes, the golden retriever and manatee “booped noses.” The manatee would come to the surface, and Mochi would touch his nose to the manatee’s snout. Then the manatee swam away.

About an hour later, though, Toni said the manatee returned to play with Mochi. The two hung around at the back end of the boat, touching noses and blowing bubbles.

“It was amazing to see this gorgeous sea cow making friends with our salty sea dog,” Toni Pavlovich said.

Serving scholars

The Chiles Hospitality Scholarship Fund of Manatee Community Foundation recently awarded student scholarships to nine employees from their three waterfront restaurants. Longboat’s very own Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant & Pub was one of those restaurants, along with Sandbar Seafood & Spirits and Beach House Waterfront Restaurant.

This scholarship program was established by Ed Chiles in 2010 for employees or children of employees of Chiles Hospitality in pursuit of higher education at accredited institutions.

The scholarship recipients are Alanna Bjork, Briana Cochran, Korissa Erdman, Ramon Guerrero, Jamilynn Knowles, Madison McCrae, Shantel Seravalli, Carla Stewart and Jasper Turner.

All the students are going to local schools. Since 2010, the Chiles Hospitality Scholarship Fund has awarded 62 scholarships.

LIFE

Rivera Nicholas Allen, Cassidy Sganaga and Victoria Radev

Past due

An upgraded library building is past due, according to Longboat Key town officials and Sarasota County library staff.

The idea has been a longtime vision for the community, according to Town Manager Howard Tipton. The Sarasota County-led project is still in early stages, but town officials and current library workers are already thinking about the project’s potential.

Sarasota County allocated $1 million in its fiscal year 2024 capital design budget for the project. Support Services Director for Longboat Key Carolyn Brown is on the committee tasked with selecting the construction and design management services, for which the request for proposals was announced.

“It’s exciting to see it moving forward, and we appreciate the county setting aside these dollars to work on the design piece,” Tipton said.

The new public library will replace the existing Longboat Key Library and will be incorporated into the Town Center project. Phase 3 of the Town Center project is focused on the library.

“I see it very much integrated into the Town Center flow,” Tipton said.

The town is currently wrapping up Phase 2, which includes the Karon

Family Pavilion and the center itself, according to Tipton. The pavilion is scheduled to be unveiled on Nov. 11.

Sarasota County will be financially responsible for the new library. But the town is exploring the possibility of adding additional community space to the design. This part of the project would need to be paid for by the town, Tipton said.

Once the design and construction services have been selected, Tipton hopes to host community discussions with the town at the start of 2024. The goal is for residents to provide input as to what services they would like to see with the project, and what an additional community space could bring.

Tipton wants to have those discussions in season, when most residents are on the island. He also mentioned that there is opportunity for community benefactors to donate to the construction of the additional community space.

While Sarasota County will be operating the library, Manatee Coun-

ty residents will still be able to use the library’s physical resources and attend any programming, according to Brown. Digital library resources, such as audiobooks, will most likely be unavailable for Manatee County residents.

The existing library has been on Bay Isles Road near Town Hall since 1972. Tipton said the building is in need of major repairs, including a new roof. The existing library will most likely be torn down once the new one is completed.

“They’re holding on in their current location, but the idea is that they will work with the Sarasota County Library to incorporate their collection into the new library’s collection,” Tipton said.

Among the stacks of the Longboat Key Library, residents are able to check out books of all genres and also buy used paperback books from $1. Select recently published, lightly used books can also be bought for less than $10.

Barb Torrence, vice president and

board member of the Longboat Key Library, said she would ideally like to see some of the existing collection be used similar to the nonprofit, Friends of Selby Public Library, where book sales provide revenue for library services.

One potential problem Torrence sees is that the current library still uses physical library checkout cards with due dates to check out books. The library didn’t have the money or resources to barcode their collection and go digital.

“People have volunteered — that’s the only way this has worked for 50 years,” Torrence said.

Currently, the Longboat Key Library has 15,000 books in its collection, which Torrence said could be winnowed down to 10,000 to be cataloged in the new library.

Beyond the books, Torrence sees opportunity in the future public library for public events and services, such as movie afternoons, kids programming, guest speakers and ancestry record retrieval.

Carter Weinhofer

Barb Torrence has been working at the Longboat Key Library for about seven years.

A Sarasota County-led project aimed at providing a new public library on Longboat will take off next fiscal year.

FAMILIES FIND VALUE ON THE KEY

any sort of commute issue,” Heather Rippy said. Lark, 13, doesn’t have a commute like her sister. She attends a virtual Montessori school, meeting on Zoom from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER

The town of Longboat Key has a median age of 71, but pockets of young parents and their children have made the Key their home despite the challenges for education and extracurriculars that entails.

According to the latest census data, Longboat Key’s population is 7,574, with 67.1% of that population being individuals 65 years of age or older. In 2023, the World Population Review found that the median age was 71.1.

This year, Town Manager Howard Tipton said the number of schoolaged students living in the Manatee County portion of Longboat is 42. In Sarasota County, that number is 43. Although there are no schools on the Key, two families relocated to Longboat with their young children and now live on the north end of the island. They’ve found that with some creative organization, the benefits of the community and its intergenerational network outweigh the challenges.

CLOSER TO SCHOOL

Moving to Longboat Key, Heather and Todd Rippy heard that families had difficulty living on the island.

After moving from Oklahoma to Sarasota with their two daughters, Bliss and Lark, seven years ago, the Rippys lived in Sarasota for four years. Three years ago they moved to Longboat Key. Shortly after the move, Heather opened Driftwood Beach Home & Garden, a gift and clothing shop located at Whitney Beach Plaza.

While living in Sarasota, Bliss and Lark attended St. Stephen’s Episcopal School in Bradenton. The commute from Sarasota to Bradenton was longer than the commute Bliss has to Anna Maria Elementary now. Bliss is 11 years old and going into fifth grade.

“This is the closest they’ve ever lived to school,” Heather Rippy said.

Every morning during the school year, Heather drives Bliss to Anna Maria Elementary. It usually takes about 15 minutes. Coming home, Bliss takes the bus since Heather is running the shop and Todd works in Bradenton.

Kids coming home to Longboat from Anna Maria Elementary are usually one of the last stops, so the ride takes anywhere from a halfhour to a little over an hour, depending on traffic.

“I felt like the benefits outweighed

It isn’t like conventional homeschool, Lark said. Rather than being given assignments to do on her own time, Lark gets to talk with teachers — called “guides” — and her friends who live all over the world, from the Cayman Islands to Canada.

Heather Rippy said Lark has always been self-motivated, and the family chose this type of schooling because she has more authority to choose what she wants to learn.

IN-PERSON MOTIVATION

In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, Jill and Joshua Ball wanted their children, Ruthie and David, to be able to get face-toface time in a classroom. They also wanted to live in an area where there was more to do outside. At the time, Florida had fewer pandemic restrictions than New York.

Jill and Joshua decided to move the family from Buffalo to Longboat in 2021. Jill had been vacationing on Longboat since she was a child, a tradition that Joshua became a part of. For the first six months, they lived in a rental condo before settling into their permanent home on the north end.

“That was a big piece as to why we moved down here,” Jill Ball said. “School was a big part of it.”

The family moved to Longboat when Ruthie, now 7 years old, was about to start school. She attends Anna Maria Elementary.

David, 4, goes to the School for Constructive Play on Anna Maria Island, which is a small preschool, mostly “word of mouth,” according to Jill.

The biggest challenge, Jill and Joshua said, is going north during the season. Jill operates the same as Heather, dropping Ruthie off in the morning and having her take the bus on the way home.

Ruthie said she falls asleep a lot on the bus ride home.

She starts second grade this week at Anna Maria Elementary and enjoys reading the most. Graphic novels, specifically, are her favorite.

In a few years, the family’s biggest challenge will be deciding where Ruthie will go to middle school. Jill and Joshua said she could go to St. Stephen’s in Bradenton or they may look into virtual schooling.

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, NEAR AND FAR

The cabinet door to the left of the oven in the Balls’ home holds Ruthie’s “hall of fame”: a picture of her with a gold star background and an article from the AMI Sun spotlighting her soccer team at The Center of Anna Maria Island.

Aside from soccer, Ruthie and David enjoy gymnastics classes in

Sarasota and taking walks to the beach. Ruthie snorkels the waters of Longboat Key often, finding treasures like sand dollars.

“We’re outside way more than we were in Buffalo,” Jill said.

Bliss Rippy also plays soccer at The Center of Anna Maria Island. She and her sister, Lark, enjoy artfocused extracurriculars, as well. Some of those require going into Sarasota, like the youth opera group that Lark is a part of.

“The only thing that can be hard living on Longboat is when we go do extracurriculars,” Lark said.

Bliss recently became interested in pottery and wants to look into taking some classes at a pottery studio, also in Sarasota.

NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORK

The Rippy kids have fun making art with their neighbors. Heather said the girls have become friends with neighbors who are older, by as many as 80 years.

Lark said she learned oil painting from one of her neighbors, who also has some pieces in Rippy’s store. In addition, Lark practices weaving and sewing, some of which she does with her elderly friends.

Ruthie Ball also likes making friends with the older people in their neighborhood, and Jill said they often invite some of them to walk on the beach.

Living in the north end neighborhood allows the children to be outside more, both families said. It’s easy to walk across the street to the beach.

Bliss Rippy joked about how long it takes them to walk to the beach sometimes because of how many people they stop to talk to.

From a parent’s perspective, Heather Rippy said she feels like her kids have more independence, since she can give them more freedom in a

safe neighborhood.

The intergenerational neighborhood is something that stands out to both the Balls and Rippys.

Jill Ball likes the older demographic, which she was aware of when moving to Longboat. She said her family isn’t big into crowds, so this type of neighborhood is perfect.

Joshua Ball said when going out to eat, the older folk love to see younger generations. Halloween in the Village surprised the family — it’s more lively than they would have thought. The Village is a community on the northern edge of the island, near Whitney Beach Plaza.

Both families learned quickly that there are pockets of younger people in Longboat Key.

Heather Rippy said the youngest child she knows of in the neighborhood is just under a year old, and the oldest person they know of is in her 90s.

“The Village has more kids than any other neighborhood we’ve lived in,” Heather said.

The families that live in these pockets form their own sense of community — like a community within another unique neighborhood.

“Coming here, there are a lot of other people in our situation,” Jill Ball said. “I think a lot of other people are open to new friendships.”

Jill and Joshua said they have become best friends with Ruthie’s friends’ parents.

“We’ve been able to make a network of friends in a pretty short time,” Joshua said. “It’s almost helpful to have kids to make friends.”

Heather Rippy said her family has never lived in a place with a stronger sense of community, and they hope the trend of younger generations on Longboat Key continues.

Photos by Carter Weinhofer

Ruthie Ball, 7, looks at her “hall of fame” with her mom, Jill.

“Coming here, there are a lot of other people in our situation. I think a lot of other people are open to new friendships.”

Jill Ball

Parents say the benefits and unique community outweigh the challenges of Longboat living.

Heather Rippy’s daughters, Lark (left) and Bliss, help out at their mom’s shop in their free time.

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Expiration date set for St. Armands BID

requested, to registered property owners at their last known mailing address.

gigi SILVERBERG

Following a second round of voting by the commercial property owners in St. Armands Circle, the quest to renew the special neighborhood improvement district has failed.

Falling just short of the votes needed to renew the BID earlier this year at 48.9%, the referendum received less support on the second ballot.

As a result, on Sept. 30, 2023, the St. Armands Business Improvement District will cease to exist and all the remaining revenue collected from the property owners in the special tax district, nearly $700,000, will be turned over to be managed by the city’s finance department.

The Sarasota City Commission received a report on the results of the renewal vote at its regular meeting on Monday.  On June 22, 63 ballots were mailed by certified mail, return receipt

The deadline for returning completed ballots to the city was Tuesday, Aug. 1. By 7 p.m. on that date, 40 ballots had been received — all of them certified as valid. The votes were weighted based on the assessed value of the property each ballot represents. Of the returned ballots, those representing 39.96% of the assessed value voted yes with 19.71% opposed, falling well short of the required 50% to renew the BID through Sept. 30, 2033.

Julie Ryan, a city employee who serves as business manager of both the St. Armands BID and the Downtown Improvement District, told commissioners the communication process with the property owners was more robust than the first ballot earlier this year.

“We have done newsletters to not only the merchants, to the residents and to the property owners. We’ve done mailings, we personally made phone calls — not only myself and the chair — but also some other property owners who supported the BID,” Ryan said. “There had been more outreach this second time around

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

The special tax district fell short of the required votes for renewal and will end Sept. 30.

Andrew Warfield

St. Armands Circle is among Sarasota’s primary attractions.

than we did the first time because we didn’t have the mechanism. There wasn’t a newsletter. There wasn’t a website. So there was more communication.”

Regardless of the enhanced campaign, Ryan said the results were nearly identical to the first ballot, when 41 ballots were received, three rejected as invalid per state guidelines.

“This time we got 40, so the numbers are the same,” Ryan said. “Some owners vote differently. There was one property owner who represented over 12.5% who voted for it. I have heard different reasons. We did have a hurricane, insurance prices have more than doubled. The property owners within the district are paying an assessment for the parking garage, so they do have a lot of other finances and I just think the timing probably wasn’t the best.”

Termination of the BID means the end in St. Armands Circle of enhanced levels of city services, which were funded by a portion of the additional 2.00 mills per year the property owners paid. Ryan told commissioners the BID had set aside $479,000 for either a complete streets or streetscape capital project, funds that can only be used for capital improvements. At the end of the fiscal year, the BID’s estimated fund balance is $187,000.

The BID was also contributing $50,000 per year to help fund the Bay Runner trolley, an equal amount paid by the Downtown Improvement District. That $50,000, City Manager Marlon Brown told commissioners at a previous budget workshop, would have to come from elsewhere should the BID not be renewed.

The BID’s demise came complete with one more appearance before the commission by opposing St. Armands business leaders Tom Leonard, chairman of the BID, and Rachel Burns, marketing director for the St. Armands Circle Association, which represents the merchants. Burns had served as the SACA executive director before submitting her application to fill one of two vacant seats on the BID board, seats that will not be filled.

“I ask that in next year’s budget the commissioners will consider giving at least $100,000 to the Parks and Recreation Department for the

“These two reoccurring projects encourage visitors, which profit the merchants, which allows them to pay their rent to the land owners.”

refurbishment and beautification of the four medians within the Cir cle,” Burns told commissioners. “I encourage this commission to rec ommend that the three current BID directors utilize their final meeting to allocate and distribute funds for projects that do not fit into the capi tal improvement project category.”

Those projects include funding for the Bay Runner for the next two years and the longstanding partnership between the BID and SACA to erect and decorate the Christmas tree in the Circle park.

“These two reoccurring projects encourage visitors, which profit the merchants, which allows them to pay their rent to the land owners,” Burns said. “I hope that the BID will choose to disburse funds responsibly prior to the Sept. 30 cessation.”

Leonard took exception to Burns’ request.

“Unfortunately, Miss Burns did not vote to renew the BID, but now she sits here before you asking for the remaining funds from the BID for her own use,” Leonard responded. “I’d like to submit a budget of what we spent over the past 10 years. Almost $800,000 went to the St. Armands Association. That doesn’t include the $286,000 grant we got for the tree, but the BID had budgeted moving forward $50,000 a year to support the trolley and over $100,000 a year for capital enhancement services.

“We’ve also pledged over $500,000 for the streetscape. These items are all high priority for property owners and I look forward to working with staff to find a way to optimize financial opportunities to continue these services and capital improvements. This is not the end, but a new chapter, and with the support of this commission, we will continue to make St. Armands a top destination for city residents and visitors alike.”

— Rachel Burns, marketing director for the St. Armands Circle Association

Chamber membership offers numerous exclusive benefits and keeps business owners up-to-date with the important issues and trends that shape their community and local marketplace.

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THURSDAY, JULY 27

NO RETURNS

12:34 p.m., 1000 block of Harbor Sound Drive Citizen Assist: A resident called Longboat Key Police because he no longer wanted his ammunition. Police contacted the resident and informed him that the department could not take possession of ammunition in that way but advised him to take it to a gun store.

SATURDAY, JULY 29

OFF ROADING

8:21 p.m., 6300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Agency Assistance: Longboat

Police were dispatched to assist the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in response to a vehicle driving down the beach. On scene, a Longboat officer got word that the FWC officer was flagged down by a citizen who said a black pickup had been driving down to the water to float Jet Skis. The truck was no longer in the area when the Longboat police officer arrived. The responding officer checked the area and made sure no turtle nests were disturbed.

SUNDAY, JULY 30

FALSE ALARM

9:19 p.m., 2500 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious Incident: Police were called to respond to suspicious flashing lights. When they arrived, the caller did not want to meet with police, and the officers observed no flashing lights or active fire alarms.

MONDAY, JULY 31

ROAMING AROUND

6:05 p.m., 2600 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive Suspicious Person: A resident called police to report a suspicious man who had been walking around the property and toward neighboring properties all day. The man, wearing a fluorescent vest or shirt, supposedly drank from the hose by the pool area. When confronted, the man said he was waiting for friends. The man had left by the time police arrived, but the caller wanted the incident documented.

LATE-NIGHT CRABBING

11:25 p.m., 100 block of Gulf of

SUNDAY, JULY 30

NO DOGS ALLOWED

11:13 a.m., 5600 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Dog on the beach: A concerned citizen called police to alert them to a dog on the beach running off leash near a turtle nest. On scene, officers found the dog and its owner, who were visitors. The dog’s owner said he wasn’t aware that dogs weren’t allowed on the beach. Officers advised him that all dogs need to be on a leash but weren’t allowed anyway on the beach.

Mexico Drive

Suspicious Person: On patrol, an officer saw lights and decided to investigate. The officer saw a woman crabbing near a park. She said she thought the park closed at midnight, and was given a warning.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 2

FAR FROM HOME

3:09 a.m., 1900 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious Person: In the middle of the night, a man walking on the sidewalk was swinging a white bag and flailing his arms around. An officer on patrol stopped to talk with the man because he appeared to be lost. The man spoke French and very little English but kept pointing to Sarasota. The officer offered the man a ride off Longboat Key to St. Armands Circle.

THURSDAY, AUG. 3

AFTER HOURS

8:36 p.m., 500 block of Rountree Drive

Suspicious Incident: Police were dispatched to an incident of a man yelling at Florida Power & Light workers. When police arrived at the site, FPL workers said a man was yelling at them for working after hours, to which the workers replied that their work was exempt from the Longboat Key Town Ordinance. The man was no longer on the scene, and police failed to make contact with him.

LONGBOAT

What is the benefit to us?

Last week, we urged Republicans to think whether a second Trump presidency would be any different or better than the first. This week, we ask: Tell us, Joe Biden, how persecuting Trump will improve our lives.

This is all about power

The lust for power.

It’s insatiable, and as we are witnessing, it has no bounds to its pursuit.

One of the great historical explanations of this lust for power is found in the late Austrian economist Murray Rothbard’s 1973 book, “For a New Liberty: The Libertarian Manifesto.”

In this space last week, we challenged diehard Republican Trump supporters to think seriously about the consequences of a second Donald Trump presidency. That was before the most recent trumped-up indictment of him, which, of course, made the diehard Trump supporters even more committed to him.

Responses to our commentary went along the line of the following, as articulated by a reader who told us he isn’t a fan of Trump’s narcissism, but the reader said: “Which of the other Republican candidates has the courage and guts to do what Trump did?

“The world was a safer place,” he said, “and therefore America was safer. World leaders feared what Trump might do and didn’t challenge him. Especially Russia and China respect strength, not weakness.

“America was a safer place because Trump believed in law and order in the streets. He would not put up with the mobs and theft we see today in our major cities.

“Our immigration policy was well under control because of Trump’s border policies. And his statements on immigration made common sense — we should allow in those people who are smart and will build the country and economy as legal immigrants, rather than those whose first act is to break laws.

“His unraveling of illegal and onerous regulations helped businesses and the economy grow faster than they had in the previous eight years, and that also was the catalyst to making the U.S. energy independent.

“Trump exposed the cult of Washington, D.C. The entrenched bureaucrats and establishment insiders didn’t want him changing the rules of their club, and that is why they fought him.

“Trump believes in America and fought for America first. He believed in a merit-based society not a woke society.

“I’ll take that again,” the reader said.

Same here. But isn’t it likely all the other Republican candidates would agree that all of those actions above should be repeated?

So the question for Republicans remains: Who best to execute those

In his account of the roots of the American Revolution, Rothbard wrote of two men in London in the 1720s, John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon, who wrote a series of newspaper articles called “Cato’s Letters.”

Everything they said then you can apply to Joe Biden and the D.C. Democrats today.

As Rothbard wrote:

Trenchard and Gordon pointed out that government always tended toward such destruction of individual rights.

According to “Cato’s Letters,” human history is a record of irrepressible conflict between Power and Liberty, with Power (government) always standing ready to increase its scope by invading people’s rights and encroaching upon their liberties.

Therefore, Cato declared, Power must be kept small and faced with eternal vigilance and hostility on the part of the public to make sure that it always stays within its

policies? Trump or someone else?

At this point, you cannot say whether any of the other candidates can and would do all that Trump did. They are untested in the presidential arena. Their first test will be at the Aug.

23 debate. That will help reveal who has what it will take and who can make a convincing case that:

■ They have an agenda that presents a winning vision for all of the American people and the United States’ place in the world.

■ They have been tested in life to have experienced the grit, guts, determination and perseverance required to build, operate and lead the largest, most complicated

narrow bounds. According to Cato’s Letters:

“We know, by infinite Examples and Experience, that Men possessed of Power, rather than part with it, will do anything, even the worst and the blackest, to keep it; and scarce ever any Man upon Earth went out of it as long as he could carry everything his own Way in it …

“This seems certain, That the Good of the World, or of their People, was not one of their Motives either for continuing in Power, or for quitting it.

“It is the Nature of Power to be ever encroaching, and converting every extraordinary Power, granted at particular Times, and upon particular Occasions, into an ordinary Power, to be used at all Times, and when there is no Occasion, nor does it ever part willingly with any Advantage …”

“Alas! Power encroaches daily upon Liberty, with a Success too evident; and the Balance between them is almost lost.

“Tyranny has engrossed almost the whole Earth, and striking at Mankind Root and Branch, makes the World a Slaughterhouse; and will certainly go on to destroy, till it is either destroyed itself, or, which is most likely, has left nothing else to destroy.”

enterprise in the world.

■ They have the trusting character, morals and likability that can win the hearts, minds and votes of not just Republicans, but also the large swath of independents and moderate Democrats who ultimately will determine the winner.

At this point, this is like watching a rookie NFL quarterback at training camp and in pre-season games try to prove he is ready, while, say, an aging Aaron Rodgers watches from the sidelines. The coach (voter) keeps thinking: Should I go with the old, proven guy or make the jump to the next generation? But that choice may not even occur. The way Biden and his Jus-

DEMOCRATS: TELL US WHY YOU HATE TRUMP

Over the past seven years of the turmoil over Donald Trump, we have yet to hear from a Democratic Party leader, a Democratic Party voter or from a Republican Party Never Trumper specifically why they have such a visceral hate and dislike for Trump.

tice Department hitmen are determined to imprison their most feared and hated rival via an outrageous, unjust prosecution and persecution, they are all but guaranteeing that Republican voters will nominate Trump.

Indeed, Trump’s most recent video surely will inspire many voters. Watch it: youtube.com/ watch?v=7nt4VZWz3P8.

Trump urges his followers “Just never quit.”

Trump will not quit. You know he is craving winning: 1) for vindication; 2) to defeat his D.C. enemies; and, 3) in his heart, to help save the American people from the progressive Marxist Jacobins.

With this war raging between Trump and the D.C. Democrats and subjecting Americans to endure it for the next 15 months, here is what may be the most pertinent and important question to pose to the Biden mobsters:

To what end the persecution of Donald Trump? Tell us, Joe Biden, King of Liars. Tell us how all of this effort (at taxpayer expense, mind you) is benefiting the American people. Tell us how the poor widows, poor families and average hard-working Americans will benefit from your persecution of Donald Trump? What is in it for us?

And don’t use the horse-manure that Donald Trump is an existential threat to democracy.

Explain to Americans what, specifically, is in Trump’s persecution that will make Americans’ lives better and make the United States better?

As far as we can see, there is nothing but bad. The people lose.

The persecution of Trump is sure to bring hate and wounds that rage beneath the skin, that fester like a sore ready to break open at any moment. The persecution of Trump is sure to bring thekind of hate and wounds that percolated for more than a century after the Civil War. This time the hate and wounds will divide, not regions, but Republicans and Democrats — and irreconcilably divide America.

For what benefit?

Here is the answer: To preserve your and your mob’s corrupted power (see “This is all about power”).

ald Trump?* Send your response to:

understand. Why? What is the source of the hate that has made the Democratic Party (e.g. Department of Justice, FBI) go to such extraordinary lengths to destroy him, imprison him and keep him out of the White House. If you’re a Democrat or Never Trumper, how about sending us your response to this question: Why, specifically, do you hate Doncom.

HateTrump@ YourObserver.

*If “hate” is too strong a word for you, then: Why do you so strongly dislike Donald Trump?

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After parking my beloved fossil fuel-powered car at the UTC mall recently, this sign in the parking lot caught my attention. And in the words of my first editor: “It chapped my a--.”

This is how ga-billionaire Elon Musk is promoting his electric vehicles at UTC: Buy my cars because your government will give you a $7,500 tax credit / subsidy / rebate.

In other words, your federal government is taking $7,500 out of the pocket of one American and giving that money — a completely unearned benefit, mind you — most likely to some upper middle-class or wealthy American.

And it’s doing this just because the arrogant, blowhard schlubs in Congress love the power of telling us how we should live our lives and are stupid enough to let Musk and others sucker them into funding businesses that should be left to survive on their own in the marketplace. This makes my stomach wrench.

And then, to compound the nausea, I read GoodJobsFirst.org’s 30-page report from October 2022:

“Will EVs Create Budget Potholes for States?” The report catalogs the billions upon billions of your tax dollars that the federal government and state governments are throwing at just about anyone who says he can make an EV car or truck, an EV battery or an EV charging station.

GoodJobsFirst reports — see chart — that 21 states have committed to taking $13.8 billion of taxpayers’ dollars and subsidizing (the government people call this “investing”) 51 known EV and EV battery factories. There are another 53 more subsidized projects for which states have not disclosed the incentives.

These states are doing this because they have $500 billion Congress doled out to them from borrowed COVID “rescue” money.

On top of all that state EV subsidizing, Biden and the DC bozos voted $7.5 billion to subsidize the production of EV and low-carbon

buses and ferries and $7.5 billion in grants to build EV charging stations in the bogus infrastructure bill.

If EVs are so wonderful, why should money be confiscated from widows, fixed-income people, middle-class Americans and the like and then be given as an unearned benefit to others?

They don’t get it in D.C.: What you give to one you must take away from another. A form of theft. — MW

EV SUBSIDIES Projects Amount Georgia 4 $3,616,899,999 N. Carolina 5 $2,115,758,395 Michigan 8 $2,063,650,000 Nevada 1 $1,287,000,000 Kansas 1 $1,274,800,000 Tennessee 11 $1,154,200,000 Kentucky 6 $756,800,000 Missouri 1 $355,000,000 Oklahoma 4 $300,000,000 Arizona 6 $257,460,000 Ohio 6 $238,800,000 Indiana 4 $199,600,000 Texas 4 $69,400,000 Alabama 3 $24,700,000 Louisiana 1 $22,112,959 California 15 $19,450,000 Illinois 2 $15,945,000 Florida 1 $15,200,000 S.Carolina 6 $10,250,000 W. Virginia 2 $3,500,000 New York 3 $2,000,000 New Mexico 3 Not Disclosed Mississippi 2 Not Disclosed Oregon 2 Not Disclosed Arkansas 1 Not Disclosed Colorado 1 Not Disclosed Mass. 1 Not Disclosed Wisconsin 1 Not Disclosed

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MATT WALSH

Updated 2024 budget lowers millage rate

Town Manager Howard Tipton presented the Town Commission with slight changes to the anticipated budget, which is set to be adopted in September.

CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER

The latest budget report from Longboat Key Town Manager Howard Tipton included slight changes to the previously workshopped budget, including a reduction in the millage rate and an increase in revenue and expenses.

On Aug. 1, Tipton sent commissioners the updated report, which included the final recommended budget for fiscal year 2024.

At the June 30 regular meeting, the commission approved Tipton’s recommendation to set the maximum millage rate at 1.9900. In the latest budget notice, Tipton reduced the millage rate to 1.9850.

“Between June and July, ad valorem revenues were increased $43,940 based on the July 1 certified values. I am now recommending a reduction of the mill rate to 1.9850, which will make the difference an increase of $3,840,” wrote Tipton.

Non-ad valorem revenues increased $270,462 (net increase: $36,828).

Anticipated expenditures increased by $70,330, including $25,000 for insurance, $967 for support services and $44,363 for personnel expenses. Those personnel expenses are due to changes in compensation plans, including reductions in health insurance and vacation payouts, Tipton wrote.

The memo stated some changes may be necessary prior to the September budget hearing.

The first public hearing of the fiscal year 2024 budget will be held 5:01 p.m. on Sept. 11, followed by a second hearing on Sept. 26 to set the millage rate and adopt the budget.

Rosenberg, Michael, 84, of Longboat Key and Sarasota, passed peacefully on August 2, 2023. He spent many enjoyable years volunteering himself and his boat to the Sarasota Auxiliary Coast Guard. He is survived by his sister, Arlene Swiger, his niece and nephew, Karen (James) Lee and Lawrence (Amy) Swiger, and grand nephews, Andrew and Jack Swiger. He will be dearly missed.

Sara Smuda and Kevin Hussey Wedding Announcement

Smuda and Kevin Hussey are pleased to announce their marriage on June 9, 2023 in Longboat Key, which family and a few close friends joined in to celebrate. Wedding Day celebrations started with their favorite activities: Sara enjoying a long walk on the beach and Kevin on a tarpon fishing adventure. The ceremony took place on the beach and was blessed with the

most beautiful sunset of the week. They toasted with loved ones and enjoyed an elegant Gulf side dinner party. Afterwards, they danced the night away with the help of a live band. It was the best day to (officially) start their lives together and grateful Longboat Key is part of their family history!

ACSERVICETECHNICIANS POOLSERVICETECHNICIANS

For more information visit www.lapenseeplumbing.com/careers

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Building Materials | Furniture | Appliances Art | Decorative Accessories | Lamps

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Building Materials | Furniture | Appliances

Art | Decorative Accessories | Lamps

Building Materials | Furniture | Appliances

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3 Stores n 1 Location

Tuesday - Saturday n 10:00am - 5:00pm 2095 17th Street n Sarasota

3 Stores n 1 Location

Tuesday - Saturday n 10:00am - 5:00pm 2095 17th Street n Sarasota

3 Stores n 1 Location

3 Stores n 1 Location

Tuesday - Saturday n 10:00am - 5:00pm 2095 17th Street n Sarasota

Tuesday - Saturday n 10:00am - 5:00pm 2095 17th Street n Sarasota

Have large items to donate? Call to schedule your free pick up. (941) 444-5783 n www.habitatsrq.org

Have large items to donate? Call to schedule your free pick up. (941) 444-5783 n www.habitatsrq.org

Have large items to donate? Call to schedule your free pick up. (941) 444-5783 n www.habitatsrq.org

Our vision is everyone deserves a decent place to live.

Our vision is everyone deserves a decent place to live.

Have large items to donate? Call to schedule your free pick up. (941) 444-5783 n www.habitatsrq.org

Our vision is everyone deserves a decent place to live.

Our vision is everyone deserves a decent place to live.

Sara

Rosenberg, Michael

Upgrades on the way for GMD crosswalks

A new FDOT project along Gulf of Mexico drive will bring improvements to four crosswalks on Longboat Key and add a new one.

CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER

T

According to Longboat Key Public Works Director Isaac Brownman, the FDOT project extends all the way to Anna Maria Island and is intended to enhance mid-block crosswalks along the state road. Mid-block crosswalks are crosswalks not at an intersection.

Four crosswalks on Longboat Key are planned for future improvements, and one crosswalk will be added to the town. No funds are needed from the town budget.

The new crosswalk will be implemented just north of the Broadway Street intersection. Here, FDOT will install a crosswalk like the ones seen along GMD right now. On either side of the road will be yellow signs, with yellow flashing lights when pedestrians press the button to cross.

Brownman said that current regulations prohibit FDOT from putting in new flashing pedestrian crosswalks on roads with a speed limit greater than 35 mph. But the new crosswalk being installed near Broadway Street is in a part of town that is a 35-mph zone.

On the crosswalks that already exist in 45-mph zones, Brownman said the FDOT is trying to make improvements where it can. Projects like this are aimed at making those crosswalks safer or changing the way they operate, he said.

To do this, two mid-block crosswalks are being replaced with pedestrian hybrid beacons, also known as HAWK beacons. These are the style of crosswalk seen on U.S. 41, Brownman said. A mast arm with signals will be installed that extends over the roadway.

With HAWK beacons, pedestrians press the button signaling they

CORRECTION

File photo

he Florida Department of Transportation’s clock has started on a new project to upgrade crosswalks along Gulf of Mexico Drive.Many crosswalks on Longboat Key are mid-block, meaning they are not at an intersection.

want to cross, and then a light on an overhead mast flashes yellow before solidifying to red. This signals vehicles to stop and pedestrians to cross.

The solid red light then flashes red, allowing vehicles to proceed if pedestrians have cleared.

The most southern crosswalk that will be upgraded in this fashion is near the entrance of Longboat Club Road.

“That is a very busy crosswalk,” Brownman said. “The town has gotten calls in the past about near misses, and we’ve stationed police officers there from time to time.”

The same style of upgrade will be implemented on the crosswalk near Bayfront Park, another popular crosswalk due to the park and public beach access.

Two other crosswalks, one near Companion Way and another by the Banyan Bay Club, will get improvements in visibility. Additional roadside lighting will be installed, Brownman said, to make the crosswalks more visible at night.

Brownman was given a rough timeline of the project, but he said there’s a long lead time for many of the materials necessary.

“People probably are not going to see a lot of actual construction activity while the contractors are waiting for materials to arrive,” Brownman said.

CROSSWALKS ON LONGBOAT

2012: Jo Schatterman, 73, was struck and killed crossing GMD — the first fatality to occur along the 12-mile road since 2005. At the time, GMD only had two officially designated crosswalks.

2015: Four new crosswalks are constructed on GMD to improve pedestrian safety. The 2012 fatality had prompted discussions and led FDOT to approve more crosswalks.

2016: In February, a man walking in a crosswalk was seriously injured after getting struck by a car on GMD. The accident came days after the LBK commission urged FDOT to examine crosswalk safety. Afterward, FDOT authorized additional flashing lights and said more signs would be added to crosswalks to improve visibility.

2018: Two cars struck and killed Warren Roberts, 85, just before sunrise. 2021: Reports of “near misses” prompted town leaders to look closer at crosswalk improvements.

An article, “Return on Investment,” in the Aug. 3 edition of the Longboat Observer incorrectly stated the origin of the take-home vehicle program. Police Chief George Turner brought the take-home vehicle program to the attention of former Town Manager Tom Harmer.

WORSHIP directory

Photos by Petra Rivera

Back-to-school boost

T

Arlene Davis, a member of the committee, said she started donating to SCLO in 2020. Once she saw its amazing mission in action, she encouraged the organizations she was a part of to support it too.

“We started working with Second Chance a couple of years ago,” said Davis. “We’ve been having food drives in the afternoon once every six weeks. Now it’s summer, there isn’t a lot of things going on, but we knew about this and they put something in the bulletin to advertise that we are raising money for school supplies. Then we spent Thursday together packing bags full of them at the temple.”

Second Chance Last Opportunity was started by April Glasco in 1995. It is a hands-on intervention center that focuses on serving low-income families. SCLO provides life-management classes, food and clothing drives, counseling, youth mentoring and many more programs.

After being in difficult life situations, Glasco found out that her purpose was to show people how to pick themselves up after life gets them down.

“I was in an abusive relationship,” said Glasco. “I didn’t want my four daughters to think that this is what goes on in life. I didn’t want my girls to suffer behind the

mess of violence. We were homeless. There was a lot we had to go through in order to get out of that situation. So what they needed is what we offer.”

SCLO has been hosting a back-to-school drive for 33 years.

The Social Action Committee raised $1,000, including a match from Flanzer Philanthropic Trust. Members of the committee spent the morning of Aug. 3 packing the $1,000 school supplies and loaded up three cars to bring to the drive.

The drive took place at the SCLO women’s center on Colleton Drive and was organized with supplies for pre-K, elementary school and high school. There was a barbecue and a raffle that gave away free bicycles. A Kona Ice truck came at 2:30 p.m., and the first 50 children got a free Kona Ice.

— PETRA RIVERA

You

are

at info@longboatkeytemple.org

April Glasco lines up children to get a free Kona Ice.

he Social Action Committee of Temple Beth Israel on Aug. 3 donated $1,000 worth of school supplies to Second Chance Last Opportunity for its yearly back-to-school drive.Arlene Davis and Gina Hubbard at the SCLO back-to-school drive

A+E INSIDE:

< EATING WITH EMMA: Practice selfcare with prosecco cocktails. 13

HOMETOWN HERO : Remembering comic actor Paul Reubens. 14 >

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

AUGUST 10, 2023

Taking a deep dive with John Pirman

Life imitates art imitates life in Selby Gardens’ show of the Sarasota artist’s work.

If you’ve ever wanted to meditate on the meaning of the word “meta,” look no further than Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.

There you will find suspended above the koi pond with a statue of the Buddha a large aluminum reproduction of artist John Pirman’s illustration of the same scene.

Life imitates art imitates life. (Breathe.)Meta, in case you don’t know, isn’t just a hipster term that Facebook founder/CEO Mark Zuckerberg decided to adopt as the name of his social media company.

Meta means the thing is about the thing, the way that the hit musical “A Chorus Line” is about dancers trying out for a Broadway show. Or Fellini’s “8-1/2” is about a philandering auteur who hits a psychological roadblock on the film he’s making.

“Koi Pond” isn’t the only meta image in Pirman’s show, which runs both inside and out at Selby Gardens through Sept. 17. That’s not surprising because many of the transplanted New Yorker’s illustrations of Sarasota are iconic.

You don’t have to be a weatherman to know that morning is the best time to visit Selby Gardens at this time of year. Pirman wisely suggests meeting at 10 a.m. on a recent Sunday morning to see his show, “John Pirman: Diving into Nature.”

Although the aluminum images outdoors won’t wilt in the face of tropical temperatures and lush greenery, any of Pirman’s paper artworks would. Fortunately, they are on display inside Selby’s air-conditioned gallery.

As we walk in the door and Pirman identifies himself to the museum volunteer checking tickets at the entrance, she exclaims without prompting, “Everyone who comes here leaves happy!”

As they should. Pirman’s world is populated with happy families on vacation, mid-century modern design, swimming pools and technological conveniences like TV dinners and online shopping sites. Life is good.

Pirman attributes the optimism of his art, whether personal or commercial, to sunshine. (Did he see the Anita Bryant commercial in the 1970s for Florida orange juice?) But his New York winter scenes on holiday cards and shopping bags are also full of magic. They leave you feeling like a child who has just shaken a snow globe.

As one views the evolution of Pirman’s work over the years it’s apparent that a talented boy was encouraged in his artistic ambitions by parents and teachers.  The first things a visitor sees in

photos

the show are cut paper artwork that was featured in a hallway showcase when Pirman was in kindergarten. Next to it his first published drawing, in Highlights For Children, when he was 8 years old. “Those early artistic

successes brought me confidence,” he recalls.

If there was ever a poster child for elementary arts education, Pirman is it. But his artistic training also began at home, where he was exposed to the skills of his father, who was a mechanical draftsman, and his uncle, who was a package designer.

In the suburb of Akron, Ohio, where Pirman grew up, people went to work to make things with their hands and with machines. Computers were still in the future.

Born in 1956, Pirman came of age during a sweet spot in American history, a time when there was money and leisure for family vacations, and where TV and travel were opening up new vistas to middle-class denizens of the Midwest like Pirman and his peers.

One of the sunny images in the Selby gallery is a giant snapshot of Pirman’s family in bathing suits at a motel in the Smokey Mountains, where they stayed on their way to

aluminum reproduction of John

is

IF YOU GO

JOHN PIRMAN:

DIVING INTO NATURE

When: Through Sept. 17

Where: Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 1534 Mound St.

Tickets: $18

Info: Visit Selby.org

An

Pirman’s “Koi Pond”

suspended above the koi pond it depicts at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in downtown Sarasota.

“Backyard Birdbath” was inspired by the yard of Pirman’s grandmother.

Courtesy

Pirman’s “Nick at Nite” designs.

John Pirman

MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Enter

Pirman

FROM PAGE 11

vacation in Treasure Island, Florida.

It’s fitting that Pirman was tapped to create branding material and merchandise for “Nick at Nite” in the mid-1990s. He watched the programs from the golden age of TV, like “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” that were repackaged into a cable channel. Surely, Moore would adore the glass case where her smiling face is featured on Pirman’s “Nick at Nite” merch for sponsors.

Besides having the luck of a supportive family and living in an era of great prosperity for many, Pirman is a man in step with his time and his place. His New York work emphasizes fashion and shopping, first at department stores such as Bloomingdale’s and later at pioneer internet shopping channel bluefly. com.

After visiting Siesta Key over the years and deciding to move to Sarasota in 2008, he was immediately adopted by his new hometown. Pam Daniel, then managing editor of Sarasota Magazine, commissioned Pirman to create pictures for the last page of the magazine after he presented his work to her over lunch.

Thanks to his magazine gig, Pirman’s images of familiar places like Selby Gardens’ Spanish Point campus, the Dolphin Fountain in Bayfront Park and the cast-bronze replica of David in the Ringling Museum courtyard have become synonymous with Sarasota.

Pirman fits right in in his adopted hometown. He’s friendly, polite and knows how to protect his privacy as well as those of his clients. He declined to be interviewed at his home in Indian Beach-Sapphire Shores, not far from the Ringling Museum, but came through with the helpful substitution of a guided tour. Those who want a sense of Pirman’s taste in decor can get a clue from his depiction of his New York City apartment for a Museum of

Modern Art Christmas card. (You guessed it: it’s mid-century modern.)

You won’t catch Pirman giving out the address of the area home with poodles sitting beside the swimming pool that is part of his Selby Gardens show. But he makes small talk with a gallery visitor who seems to know the former owner of the house.

Asked to describe his artistic process, Pirman says modestly, “I see things in shapes of color.”

That hasn’t changed over the years. What has changed is that Pirman no longer uses pieces of colored paper, vellum, a pen and an Exacto knife to create artwork. He started using computers in the 1990s and now “paints” with a Mac and the Adobe Illustrator software program.

Some of Pirman’s work hanging on the walls in the Selby gallery was stored in a portfolio box for 30 years before his show.

The treasure trove includes art inspired by his grandmother’s backyard. Called “Backyard Birdbath,” it shows a green-and-white web lawn chair that is instantly recognizable to Americans who lived in the 1960s. The cut paper work was created for Hopper Paper in 1992.

In his low-key way, Pirman radiates pride. He’s happy to reminisce about his years in New York City with a fellow veteran of those heady days of magazine publishing.

It was a time when an illustrator made appointments with magazine art directors and presented his portfolio on Fridays. “That’s the way it was done,” Pirman says.

It’s the way future pop art superstar Andy Warhol got his start at Glamour magazine with a now famous illustration of women’s shoes.

As Warhol demonstrated during his life, there’s a fine line between being a graphic artist and a fine artist. Certainly, Pirman has crossed the line and will continue his journey.   “I don’t like it when they call it a retrospective because I’m not done yet,” he says. It’s the only thing close to a complaint that you will hear in an hour’s conversation.

Courtesy photo

John Pirman in his studio, where a Mac has replaced cut paper and Exacto knife.

BY EMMA JOLLY CONTRIBUTOR

The past few months have been tough, taste buds.

I’ve taken on the role of a caretaker, and no one prepares a caretaker for the lack of care you give to yourself. A good friend of mine shared advice worth repeating: “Airlines tell you in case of an emergency to put your mask on before assisting others. Remember to care for yourself first.”

So, the second I came back to Sarasota for a few days, I decided to practice the art of self-care in its highest form. A good caretaker deserves to feel like royalty (espe-

ALWAYS TIME FOR BUBBLY

be supremely satisfied. My summer snacking choice? Oysters (market price) by the half dozen or dozen served with mignonette cocktail sauce, horseradish and charred lemon. If you aren’t a fan of the briny shelled bites, order the ahi tuna “nachos” ($23) packed with ponzu dressing, avocado, sesame, scallion and crispy wantons for a perfect prosecco pairing.

GROVE 10670 Boardwalk Loop, Lakewood Ranch; 941-893-4321; GroveLWR. com

Since its 2018 opening, Grove has positioned itself as a contemporary culinary mecca for East County residents and beyond. With a plethora of menus from bar bites offered in the bar area from 3-7 p.m. daily, happy hour in all dining areas from 3-7 p.m. daily, lunch and dinner, brunch (served Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.), drinks and wine list, sushi and kids (for foodies 12 and under), there is something for everyone at this lively Lakewood Ranch dining destination.

chicken, both goat and manchego cheese, roasted red pepper, marinara, red onion and chimichurri.

SHORE

800 Broadway St., Longboat Key, 941-259-4600; 465 John Ringling Blvd., #200, Sarasota, 941-2960301; DineShore.com

One thing’s for shore. Nothing quite makes you feel like you’re getting the royal treatment like a visit to Shore Longboat Key. Come to the north tip of Longboat Key and dine with a view that drives home our local saying, “We live where others vacation.” Al fresco dining has never looked this good: crystal blue waters as an exterior backdrop for the mid-century design inside. If Longboat Key is too out of the way for your travels, hop over to the casually glamorous St. Armands location.

cially in the days leading up to her birthday).

It’s time to treat yourself to paramount prosecco cocktails poured in paradise (and for pairing those boozy treats with amazingly appealing appetizers).

JACK DUSTY 1111 Ritz-Carlton Drive, Sarasota; 941-309-2266; RitzCarlton.com

As a foodie you know that this marina-front, Ritz-Carlton-run seafood bistro offers luxurious cocktails and fresh seafood appetizers with local ingredients. Offering a unique dining experience for eaters of all likings (not just seafood

fanatics), this modern café with indoor and outdoor seating makes men and women feel majestic. Don’t blame yourself if you want to have “just one more” — whether it be bite or cocktail.

Let’s Get Fizzical: Pause a moment for the prized prosecco pick any person would proudly devour, the Siren ($28). This Jack Dusty icon is made from your choice of Absolut Vodka or Tanqueray Gin and is mixed with St. Germain, lemon juice, prosecco topper, grapefruit ice, cranberry ice and incredible eye-catching orchid ice. You’ll always remember your first Siren.

Appys That Make Me Happy: Set your eyes on the starter section as you slowly (or quickly, no judgment here) sip that seductive-looking Siren and your stomach will surely

Let’s Get Fizzical: Who put the pro in prosecco? The Tree Nymph ($16). This colorfully cool craft cocktail lives up to its name by being nothing short of attractive. The Tree Nymph is mixed with Grainger’s organic vodka, domaine De canton, prosecco, harmonious house-made sour and seasonal fruit cubes. Cheers to creators of this incredibubble concoction!

Appys That Make me Happy: Pick up the prosecco refreshment with your pinky out and bite into these tasty brisket sliders ($9-$13) like the strong and selfless sovereign that you are. These spectacular sliders are stacked with smoked brisket, tangy sweet barbecue sauce, out-of-this-world bacon jam sandwiched between toasted house-made brioche buns. Feeling like a famous flatbread? Order the chimi chicken ($17) with seared

Let’s Get Fizzical: I have fond memories of drinking Aperol spritz with my family on the ChampsÉlysées (Lah-dee-dah!). It was also the signature drink at my wedding. Needless to say, I like this Italian liquor-based cocktail, and Shore makes a sensational Aperol spritz ($12). Mix Aperol (a sweet and bitter Italian aperitif), prosecco, a splash of soda and side of orange and cheers to you! Fancy gin? Order the French 75 ($12), made with gin, fresh lemon, simple syrup and topped with prosecco.

Appys that Make Me Happy: Place your order for Shore’s succulent shrimp ceviche and guacamole ($18) served with flavorful cumin corn tortillas and you’ll feel shrimply the best. The list of small plates and shares varies at locations, but regardless of where you sit, this option is available! The summer heat making you feel like you can turn things up a notch more? Nosh on Kung Pao calamari ($18) served with Napa cabbage, red peppers, toasted peanuts, black sesame, basil, mint and cilantro.

Emma Jolly

Made from your choice of Absolut Vodka or Tanqueray Gin and mixed with St. Germain, lemon juice, prosecco topper and flavored ices, the Siren ($28) is a Jack Dusty icon.

Pee-wee’s adventure started in Sarasota

ROBERT

PLUNKET CONTRIBUTOR

Contributor Robert Plunket sums up the life of Sarasota’s Paul Reubens. The wacky comic genius known as Pee-wee Herman died July 30 after a six-year battle with cancer that he kept private. He was 70. Plunket wrote about Reubens over the years and was friends with his mother, Judy.

How did Paul Reubens become Peewee Herman? What in his childhood planted the seeds of his future persona? And what part did Sarasota play in creating his wacky vision?

Paul’s journey to fame started when the Rubenfeld family moved to Sarasota in 1961. It was only 1,300 miles from their previous home in Oneonta, New York, but light years away in atmosphere.

After bleak and snowy upstate New York, Paul fell in love with the slightly exotic and kitschy glamour of Sarasota. “It was an incredibly exciting place at the time,” he told an interviewer much later in life, “and a cool place to grow up.”

Part of Sarasota’s allure was the circus. Ringling Brothers was still very much a part of the town’s life during Paul’s childhood. He could see the most amazing performers in ordinary situations  — retired Munchkins shopping in Publix. The Flying Wallendas lived nearby — with rigging set up in their backyard — and famed clown Emmet Kelly’s home was just a few blocks away.

For an impressionable young kid, it was a revelation. Paul was fascinated; his second movie “Big Top Pee-wee” is a love letter to these early memories.

In Sarasota, the Rubenfelds found the perfect house for the future Peewee to grow up in.

Just south of Harbor Acres on a street called Sparrow Circle, it is still remembered today as a great place to hang out: right on the bay, full of kids from the neighborhood, with the family’s latest mutt running about.

It was modern in design, rather Japanese-looking with shoji-type screens made of fiberglass that could be pulled back to open things up. There was a painting on velvet in the living room, indicative of the family’s slightly bohemian lifestyle. It was the forerunner of Pee-wee’s famous playhouse — full of fun, toys and gadgets, with all sorts of people dropping by.

Paul was lucky enough to have the perfect mother for a budding per-

former. Judy Rubenfeld was smart and outgoing. “She was the mother everybody wanted to have,” recalls one friend. She would often spend the entire day in her bathing suit.

Paul developed much of his comic timing from her. Judy could always come up with the perfect one-liner, even in a crisis. When the media circus surrounding Paul’s 1991

arrest for indecent exposure at the XXX South Trail Theatre was in full swing, she went into “mother bear” mode to protect him. Still, when she heard that ABC News’ Diane Sawyer wanted an interview, her first response was: “How can I lose 20 pounds fast?”

The most important part of Paul’s early creative life was spent in the family room on Sparrow Circle, watching TV. He had an immediate connection with the performers he saw on the flickering screen. Reruns of “I Love Lucy” were his favorite. He watched Lucille Ball over and over, absorbing her comic technique.

Howdy Doody was another favorite. “I cried the day the show went off the air,” he said. Paul dreamed of becoming a child star like Ron Howard, who played Opie on “The Andy Griffith Show.” He even wrote a letter to Walt Disney, hoping to get a job somewhere in the Magic Kingdom.

A young artist needs training and mentoring and Paul was in the perfect place. Sarasota had the highly acclaimed Players Centre, which was and still is a “community the-

ater,” but one which held a special place in the town’s life. The work the Players did was excellent and everybody attended the shows. In sixth grade, Paul auditioned for “A Thousand Clowns” and got the part. He was immediately accepted into the town’s extended theater family.

Paul was soon good enough to work at the Asolo Repertory Theatre, a professional regional theater famous for the excellence of its acting company. Once again, he found mentors.

“I always thought he would end up a respected actor in rep,” leading lady Issa Thomas remembered. When he wasn’t at the theater or Sarasota High School, Paul hung out with friends. They were the arty crowd at school and they had some wonderful times.

They even invented their own dance: You stand on your toes, knees bent, and jab your hands to the front and then to the back, all to the tune of “Tequila.” It was a routine that would become world famous when Pee-wee performed it to ward off angry bikers in Tim Burton’s 1985 film, “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure.”

But all that was still in the future. Paul was just beginning to put the pieces together. Then one night at the Asolo Rep, the magic finally happened.

He was in a play called “Life with Father,” a 1939 comedy about a stern, demanding father and the four sons he has such trouble controlling. Paul played the youngest, most obnoxious one. It was a long run, several months, and as they continued performing Paul started to experiment with his part.

His instincts told him he should play it more cartoonish. So he began working on a voice — high-pitched and adenoidal. He’d try it out in certain places, refine it and try again. He finally thought he had it.

So just as the play was in its closing week, he came out one night and delivered his last line in the voice. He knew immediately from the audience’s reaction that he was on to something.

And so, Pee-wee Herman found his voice on the stage of the Asolo Rep. Literally. We miss you, Paul.

The Players Centre and Asolo Rep helped form Paul Reubens’ beloved persona.

Courtesy photos

Paul Reubens appeared at the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, in 2016 to promote his Netflix film, “Pee-wee’s Big Holiday.”

Paul Reubens at the Oscars in 1988.

THIS WEEK

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

$15-$20

Visit CircusArts.org.

Experience the best of the circus arts at affordable prices thanks to The Circus Arts Academy and The Ringling. Runs through Aug. 12.

THURSDAY JAZZ AT THE SAM

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

$20

Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org.

The Barker Project performs on the Michael & Marcy Klein Patio.

‘SOMETHING ROTTEN!’

7:30 p.m. at Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Ave W, Bradenton

$30-$44

Visit ManateePerformingArtsCenter. com.

“Something Rotten!” is a musical about writing a musical about William Shakespeare. Runs through Aug. 27.

‘A COMEDY OF TENORS’

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

$25 and up

Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

Set in 1930s Paris, “A Comedy of Tenors” is a madcap romp about

OUR PICK

FRIDAY FEST: TEN-76

Formed during the pandemic, TEN-76 is a high-energy rock band covering classic rock, punk and modern rock. Its members are in their late teens and early 20s and are brimming with talent.

IF YOU GO

When: Friday, 5 -9 p.m.

Where: Lawn of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail

Tickets: Free Info: Visit VanWezel.org.

opera and real-life drama. Runs through Aug. 27.

FRIDAY

GEORGE MCVEY RIVER ROAD

7 p.m. at Centennial Park, Venice

Free Visit VisitVenicefl.org.

The popular local acoustic guitar player “Just George” is backed up by two of his musical compadres. No alcohol permitted.

SATURDAY

OPEN STUDIOS AT CREATIVE LIBERTIES

11 a.m.-3 p.m. at 901B Apricot Ave. and 927 N Lime Ave. Free Visit CreativeLiberties.net

Artists open their studios to the public each second Saturday of the month.

2023 SUMMER LUNCH & LEARN SERIES

Proudly Sponsored by Williams Parker Attorneys at Law

August 23, 2023

11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Michael’s On East, Sarasota

Only $39 for Lecture & Includes Luncheon!

To RSVP: Call AJC at 941.365.4955 or Online at: AJC.org/Sarasota/summer2023

International Expert Belle Yoeli, Speaking in Sarasota! This is Not To Be Missed!!

Belle Yoeli

AJC’s Chief Advocacy Officer

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2023

The State of Jewish Affairs: Around the World with AJC

There is never a dull moment for the Jewish people and the State of Israel. Join us for an in-depth conversation as we tackle some of the most challenging current events and how they are impacting our community.

Limited Seating Advanced Reservations Required RSVP Online at AJC.org/Sarasota/summer2023

Or Email: sarasota@ajc.org

Or Call American Jewish Committee at 941.365.4955

YOUR NEIGHBORS

Legacy of love for Longboat

After announcing her retirement, the president of the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce recounts the impact the island has had on her.

PETRA RIVERA STAFF WRITER

When Gail Loefgren became president of the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce, there was only one networking event. Twenty-five years later, the chamber provides many growth and community opportunities for everyone on Longboat Key.

Originally from St. Louis, Loefgren was heavily involved in every community she lived in. She was the mayor of Rochelle, Illinois, from 1987 to 1991, after being the president of the Rochelle Chamber of Commerce. After Loefgren moved to Florida in 1989, she became the Sunrise Chamber president for two years.

Having fallen in love with Longboat on vacations to the island, she decided to take her current position as Longboat Key Chamber president.

After many years at the chamber, Loefgren announced her retirement to the public on July 28. She spoke with the Longboat Observer to reflect on her years serving the community.

What was your first impression of Longboat Key?

I first discovered Longboat in the late ’70s, early ’80s. I came here with friends during the winter and then with my kids during spring break. First time I saw it, I thought it was the most beautiful place I had ever seen. During one of my vacations here, I turned to my friend and said “Wouldn’t it be great if you could actually work here?” This was probably 10 years before I applied for the position and became the president of the chamber.

How did you become chamber president?

In 1989, after my term as mayor ended and I decided not to run for reelection, I moved from Illinois to Florida. My parents retired to Bradenton, so this was always my second home. I became the president of the Sunrise Chamber of Commerce on the east coast. I was there for two years when I learned that the Longboat Key Chamber was looking for a president. Because I was familiar with the area and the island, I just felt that this was the job I was destined to fill. So, I applied,

interviewed and was hired that same day in May of 1993.

How have you seen the chamber grow since you started? We have more committees and more members participating on those committees. We have grown in the number of members who recognize the value of sponsoring events and seminars. Without our volunteers and financial supporters, we would not be able to provide the events and services that are essential to our success.

What are some of the chamber’s accomplishments from the past 25 years? We established Freedom Fest, created the 9/11 memorial of putting flags down Longboat Key, renovated the chamber office. We also created a disaster preparedness seminar with the town, the Savor the Sounds Concert series and the annual Small Business Persons of the Year awards.

I am most proud of the leadership role we had in passing the tourism referendum in 2006. This gave the island an additional 250 tourism units to replace the units lost when the Holiday Inn was sold in 2003. The loss of the Holiday Inn resulted in the loss of many businesses on the island. The Town Commission asked us to lead the referendum. Chamber members and three of the Planning and Zoning Board members were there when the results were announced at our watch party at the chamber office. We had spent countless hours on it. We were all overjoyed and exhausted.

What are some challenges you faced with the chamber?

In the early 1990s, it was really challenging to grow the membership, to prove we were a valuable resource to Longboaters and also to provide a wide variety of programs which benefited the membership. But this meant that I got to know and work with incredible human beings, a group of diverse board of directors and town leaders who made my work life so much richer and made me smarter.

What impact does the chamber have on the community?

My hope is that we are able to provide a stable business

helping businesses grow or solve problems. I have made so many relationships and friendships with so many creative, interesting, strong and innovative people.”

community and a reliable resource for referrals and information about Longboat and the surrounding area. I think we have created fun, useful activities and events that have brought the residents and businesses together.

What is a stand-out memory from over the years?

One of my favorite memories is coming on the island on 9/11 in 2003 and seeing for the first time the chamber’s idea of having the flags stretched down Longboat Key. We worked so hard to make this

memorial happen, and the sight was breathtaking.

What’s your favorite part of being chamber president?

My favorite part of being the chamber president is recognizing the achievements of our members.

That is why I love the annual meeting and the Small Business Persons of the Year Awards luncheon. I also love helping businesses grow or solve problems. I have made so many relationships and friendships with so many creative, interesting, strong and innovative people.

What does the Longboat Key Chamber mean to you?

This is the third chamber that I have been privileged to lead. The Longboat Key Chamber has been my most favorite. I have an emotional tie to it and to the island. To see the chamber become wellrespected over 25 years has been an experience that I will never forget. I hope it means that I have made a small contribution to a community I love.

Gail Loefgren recently announced her retirement after 25 years with the Chamber of Commerce.

“I also love

— Gail Loefgren

This 4 bed/3.5 bath private corner lot residence located behind the gates of the Longboat Key Club offers volume ceilings, a heated pool, 2 ensuite guest bedrooms, dedicated laundry room, 2 car garage, a new roof and membership to the Bay Isles Beach Club.

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A new spin on summer camp

PETRA RIVERA STAFF WRITER

“When I first visited Mote, I remember telling my mom ‘I want to work here.’ I was like 10 years old and I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, this is amazing.’ I fell in love with it,” said Madison Royer.

Royer started in January of this year as the new education program coordinator at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium. Since then, she’s redesigned the summer camp programs at Mote and recently led her staff through a successful first summer full of education and fun.

Originally from Ohio, Royer moved to Manatee County for a job as a teacher right after college. She had wanted to return to the area since her college internship at Mote. She taught for five years in a range of different grades, including third grade, fourth grade and marine science for high schoolers.

During the summer, her main focus is on Mote summer camps. These ran as one-week camps starting June 5 and ending on Aug. 4. She said Mote’s education department encouraged her to make the programs her own.

“I redesigned our themes and our curriculum and made it a little bit more of an educational experience,” said Royer. “I wanted them to walk away with knowledge that they can take. I’ve had really great feedback from parents who say, ‘They are coming home, and they are teaching me about things that I don’t even know about.’ My main goal was just to add a little bit more relevant education to the camps. Previous Mote camps were amazing. I just came with a different mindset.”

The summer camps at Mote are

divided into three age groups: Tidal Tykes are 5-7 years old, Aqua Kids are 8-10 years old and Sea Sleuths are 11-13 years old.

Each week has a different theme. This includes “Habitat Hoppers,” focusing on different underwater habitats, “Alien Invasion,” which ties a connection between sea and space exploration, and “Salty Super Heroes,” which teaches about different people who have impacted the world of marine science.

“It’s really a lot of critical thinking,” said Royer. “These changes are just making sure there’s a purpose to everything in camp and you’re not just doing an activity to do it, but you’re doing it because it goes with your overall theme of the day.”

The Mote summer camps have flexible schedules, offering a choice between a morning or afternoon camp and registering for another week or two of camp. Mote also offers day and virtual camps.

Royer designed each of the camps around engaging the different age groups. The typical camp week started on Monday with an overview of the grounds and a behind-thescenes tour of Mote and dry activities in the classroom establishing the theme for the week. Tuesday, the action started with water activities such as snorkeling, dip netting and kayaking. Water activities continued throughout the week, finishing on Friday with a project tying up everything the campers learned.

“The goal was to give them a fun experience,” said Royer. “But that they are also walking away with that knowledge from that camp and able to apply it to their lives and hopefully help create our future generation of ocean conservation specialists.”

The summer camp staff is made up of volunteers, interns and full-time

education employees.

At the beginning of May, the staff went through a two-week training that encouraged team bonding and taught them about what the summer would entail.

“It’s been amazing, because everybody clicked really quick,” said Royer. “We had a great first two weeks together, just training. And

during that time, I tried to keep it nice and fun. I did all the activities with them that we do with the kids. We played different games, because I wanted them to experience camp a little bit, too, from the camper’s side of things.”

During the school year, Royer would like to implement more day camps throughout the year to pro-

vide an opportunity for children to keep learning on teacher work days.

“Our education department is actually great, because they’ve already brought a lot of initiatives in to reach into underserved and underrepresented communities,” said Royer. “Once the new aquarium opens, we’re going to be so much more accessible to all of those communities. I’m excited to be a part of it because I really want to bring my knowledge of Title One schools to our education department.”

Royer has already started dreaming about how to make next summer better for the campers.

After seeing how much her high school volunteers loved spending the summer at Mote, one goal of hers is to make a summer camp focusing on high school students.

“It’s just neat seeing everything come together and come to life because I wasn’t sure how it would all go,” said Royer. “I have never done this before. But we’ve had a lot of smiling faces, people falling asleep on the way home. We have a lot of parents saying how their kids are so tired but they loved it. Their excitement is really what drives us all.”

The camps at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium engage children in themed fun and education.

Photos by Petra Rivera

Annabeth Howell and James Nicholson explore the stingray touch tank at Mote.

Counselor Sydney Haas gets Mila Burras, Hudson Del Saciro, Elton St. Hilaire and Chip Guidroz ready for snorkeling.

AMAZING OPPORTUNITY AT GRAND BAY I

PRICE

“Love the ever-changing unobstructed panorama of the Bay from every room and our large terraces!”

– John & Mary P.

“...the special recreational activities and the private beach are perfect for my husband and me and even our grandchildren!”

– Julie & Steve R.

“Our apartment in Grand Bay lives like a home & the elevator coming straight up from the garage gives us ultimate privacy and convenience.” – Frank & Rebecca M.

AMAZING OPPORTUNITY AT GRAND BAY II

LISTING Clubhouse / Bar Private Beach Two Har-Tru Tennis Courts

‘Art is my diary’

Michael DeWulf paints for 10 to 14 hours a day, and in the past six months, he has painted 437 original art pieces.

“The definition of an artist is somebody who is constantly trying to reinvent themselves,” said DeWulf. “You really need to constantly be looking for new ways, new things to do. So that’s why if you look at my work, like every piece is different. I’m not like a one-trick pony.”

Wyland Gallery on St. Armands Circle hosted DeWulf’s live art show Aug. 4-6. DeWulf painted new pieces in the gallery while people stopped by throughout the day and watched him work on his craft. He said that he can’t categorize his art into one type because he experiments with every medium but is most well-known for his “Women Underwater” paintings.

This past year, DeWulf hit his big break as an artist when he signed with James Coleman Studios. He has been traveling around the U.S. and auctioning his work with the art brokerage, Park West Gallery Auctions. He also has had opportunities to paint for Disney, focusing on Star Wars- and Marvel-themed art.

“Art is my diary,” said DeWulf. “If I ever run out of inspiration, I just talk

to somebody who’s different than me. I love to talk with so many different people and then applying them to my art. I love finding them. And if I don’t find them, they will find me.”

Inspired by his artist parents, DeWulf has been an artist since his childhood. He grew up in Detroit and went to six different art schools throughout his life. His mother is a medical illustrator, drawing art in different anatomy books for colleges. While his mother’s work is extremely detailed, his father’s is the opposite. Trying all art forms, such as painting and sculpting, DeWulf said his father was an expressive artist. This dynamic has encouraged him to branch out in his own art.

“I’ve had thousands of jobs,” said DeWulf. “But all along, I always come back to being an artist. I’ve always loved art more than anything. I’ve gone years without painting. I owned a tattoo shop downtown Sarasota for seven years and it was booming, but it’s just I’ve always known that I was meant to be an artist. I feel like all of those things make me the artist I am now.”

DeWulf has plans for two international art cruises and art shows around the U.S. With the help of his studio, he keeps growing his experience in creating art and getting his name out there around the world.

Submitted by: Becky Edwards

PETRA RIVERA STAFF WRITER

Petra Rivera Michael DeWulf paints at his live art show Aug. 4 at Wyland Gallery.

SUNDAY, AUG. 13

MUSIC BY CHAD TALLMAN

Noon-3 p.m. at Whitney’s 6990 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Free. Enjoy the musical performance of New York native Chad Tallman over a delicious meal. The guitarist and singer plays all styles of rock, pop and some jazz. Tallman provides the perfect atmosphere for a memorable time at Whitney’s with loved ones.

RECURRING EVENTS

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 noon at 6140 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Donations are accepted during business hours. Call 383-4738.

TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS

LONGBOAT LIBRARY

From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesdays and Fridays. 555 Bay Isles Road. Call 383-2011.

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

MONDAY, AUG. 14

MONDAY MATINEE

At 1 p.m. at the Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Grab fresh popcorn at the Paradise Center’s showing of “And So It Goes.” The film stars Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton. It follows a selfabsorbed real estate agent who is left in charge of the granddaughter he never knew existed until his estranged son drops her off at his home. With the help of his neighbor and his granddaughter, he learns to open his heart and learns to put others before himself. Fee is $15; free for members.

experienced players. To check availability at the tables, email 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 203-605-4066 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 5:30-8:30 p.m. at La Villa Mexican Grill, 5610 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Enjoy dinner and a serenade by Mariachi Contemporaneo. Call 383-8033.

LONGBOAT KEY MAGNIFICENT GULF FRONT ESTATE

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Completion September 2023. New 5BD/8BA w/100ft frontage on pristine walking beach. Expansive views from interior living space plus pocket sliders open to lanai/ pool and outdoor sitting area for indoor/outdoor living. Exquisite finishes include fireplace, chef’s kitchen, glass wine room and service bar. First level master w/ private lanai plus junior suite and 2 guest suites also have private terraces. Covered outdoor space has fireplace, outdoor kitchen & dining area. Dramatic infinity pool/ spa w/ sundeck overlooks beautiful Gulf waters. 3 car garage. Home elevator.

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Spacious 5BD/7BA 6,556sf custom home stunningly remodeled in 2022. Move-in ready. Large corner lot on bayou with stunning views down waterway to Sarasota Bay.10,000 lb. boat lift, saltwater pool. Remodel included all new custom finishes including painting, hardwood floors, lighting, hardware, countertops and designer upgrades. First floor master retreat has a sitting room and elaborate master bath. Pool lanai with fireplace, tv, outdoor kitchen and grill. Air conditioned 4 car garage. Behind security gates manned 24/7.

Condo in L’Ambiance tops sales at $2.4 million

COREY’S LANDING

Mary Jacobs, of Sarasota, sold the home at 3408 Fair Oaks Lane to William and Kim Meissner, of Longboat Key, for $1.9 million. Built in 1992, it has five bedrooms, five baths, a pool and 4,510 square feet of living area. It sold for $533,400 in 1993.

PORTOBELLO

Judith Love, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the Unit A-402 condominium at 3235 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Donna and James Dralle, of Longboat Key, for $1.25 million. Built in 1975, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,260 square feet of living area. It sold for $540,000 in 2020.

COQUINA BEACH

Cadence Bank, as Custodian for Peter Charchalis Self-Directed IRA, sold the home at 2833 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Yankee Harbor LLC for $1.2 million. Built in 1972, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,484 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.2 million in 2011.

SANDPIPER Mary and John O’Connor, trustees, of River Forest, Illinois, sold the Unit 22 condominium at 6937 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Paul Ulrich and Carri Leesa Ulrich, of Bellbrook, Ohio, for $1,075,000. Built in 1973, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 1,170 square feet of living area. It sold for $510,000 in 2002.

TOP BUILDING PERMITS

LONGBOAT KEY

WINDWARD BAY

Gregory and Elizabeth Myers, trustees, of Lakeland, sold the Unit 203 condominium at 4900 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Jeffrey Mohlman, Tony Mohlman and Susan Muldowney, of Bradenton, for $815,000. Built in 1975, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,312 square feet of living area. It sold for $470,000 in 2020.

SARASOTA HARBOUR

APARTMENTS

Agop Harmandjian and Julina Howell, of Santa Clarita, California, sold their Unit 7 condominium at

761 John Ringling Blvd. to Timothy Hornung and Kristina Michelle Hornung, of Lakewood Ranch, for $480,000. Built in 1963, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 816 square feet of living area. It sold for $284,000 in 2020.

Photo courtesy of Judy Kepecz-Hays

The Unit L-207 condominium at 435 L’Ambiance Drive recently sold for $2.4 million. It offers two bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms along with 2,385 square feet of living area.

TOP COLDWELL BANKER SALES TEAM IN FLORIDA Longboat Key, Lido Key, and Sarasota Real Estate

Call Today Judy (941) 587-1700

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2251 Gulf of Mexico Drive 204 | AriaLONGBOAT KEY | $10,500,000

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435 L’Ambiance Dr #H802 | LONGBOAT KEY | $3,995,000

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408

1930 Harbourside Dr 122 | Fairway BayBay Isles | $978,000

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Sales

Ritz-Carlton Managed Transferrable Beach

NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH

FORECAST

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SATURDAY, AUG. 12 High: 96 Low: 81 Chance of rain: 42%

SUNDAY, AUG. 13

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Complete

by Sara Cantor, 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.

ROGER SELLS LUXURY WATERFRONT PROPERTIES

#1 SARASOTA SINGLE AGENT 2008, 2010, 2012 - 2022

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Welcome to your dream beachfront 3BR/3BA residence at The Promenade. This sunny, south-facing 8th-floor residence offers an open and spacious interior, encompassing 2,100 SF. Embrace the captivating beach-to-bay views that stretch from the Gulf, Sarasota Bay, and downtown from the two terraces.

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235

Only a few minutes from the heart of downtown Sarasota, this bright townhome is perfectly positioned in a central location. With its contemporary 2BR plus bonus room design, 2-car garage, and move-in ready condition, you’ll feel right at home. www.MarqueeEnVille125d.com

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