Longboat Observer 9.7.23

‘You and Me on Longboat Key’

Remember your favorite beach muralists, Leighton Allenby and Michele De Luce? Well, they plan to be more than a one-hit wonder.

Because of Hurricane Idalia, the “I love LBK” shell mural they made on the public beach access near Bay Isles Road washed away.

The mural was made from more than 500 pounds of seashells collected on their morning beach walks. It took them about a month to make the mural. They even started working on a new shell mural in the shape of a mermaid.

Now that they have to start fresh, Allenby and De Luce are looking to form a community of people who share their love for morning beach walks and shell murals.

The couple have a created a Facebook page called “You and Me on Longboat Key.” On this page, they share opportunities to help with beach murals, information about the Longboat Key beach and local restaurants and joining them on their beach walks and future beach cleanups. So if you are looking to become a beach mural artist or just make some new friends on the Key, make sure to follow “You and Me on Longboat Key” on Facebook.

Post-Idalia Key chi at Paradise Center

After a hectic week of worrying about Hurricane Idalia, the Paradise Center reopened with the perfect class to welcome everyone back to the Key: Friday morning tai chi.

Reuben Fernandez taught a 10 a.m. intermediate class of tai chi on Sept. 1. He said it was a great turnout, considering.

Nine people attended and raved about Fernandez’s classes. John Sackler drove 40 minutes from Bradenton for his favorite tai chi teacher. He said the special thing about Fernandez is how personal he is.

“You can’t hide anything from him,” said Sackler. “As soon you get to class, he will go up to you and try help you with whatever he can.”

Fernandez offers 10 a.m. beginners classes on Wednesdays and a more intermediate level every Friday at the Paradise Center.

WITH

ON WATCH

CARTER WEINHOFER

STAFF WRITER

When Hurricane Idalia threatened Longboat Key with flooding, the island’s first responders jumped into action and stuck to the plan.

Preparations began on Sunday, Aug. 27, before the storm’s forecasted impact of Wednesday, Aug. 30. Longboat Key Fire Rescue Chief Paul Dezzi said he began early talks about the storm on Sunday ahead of meeting with Manatee and Sarasota County officials on Monday.

Also on Monday, the town’s departments began implementing their own internal hurricane plans, preparing staff for the tasks ahead.

Dezzi spent all day Monday at the Sarasota County Emergency Operations Center, and then returned Tuesday morning. He then didn’t leave the center until late Wednesday night.

From the start, Dezzi said the emergency management crew knew storm surge was going to impact Longboat Key.

“We were focused on the risk of water,” Dezzi said.

EARLY PREPARATIONS

Monday was the busiest preparation day for both the Longboat Key Fire Rescue and Longboat Key Police.

Dezzi said fire rescue started by assigning shift duties. One shift was going to stay on the island, another went to the Sarasota High School emergency shelter and the third shift was to be off duty.

The fire rescue department made sure its supplies were in order,

including food for the on-duty firefighter paramedics and all necessary medical supplies to treat patients.

The police department had similar preparations beginning early Monday. Chief of Police George Turner said he ensured his officers had their own plans in place with their families before assigning the officers in two squads, Alpha and Bravo.

Turner said the department made sure there was enough food for all the officers on-duty, and that all the vehicles were fueled up.

“We were 100% self-sufficient on the island during the whole storm so we could take care of ourselves,” Turner said. “That’s all part of the prep.”

Evidence needed to be taken to a secure location, and both police and fire rescue boats were taken out of the water.

“By Monday night, we were in waiting mode,” Turner said.

THROUGH THE STORM

As the storm approached, Dezzi said the team was monitoring expected water levels, and ultimately made the decision to keep the police and fire rescue departments on the island.

The police department needed a place for the officers to sleep. Luckily, the Casa del Mar resort provided the department with rooms so the officers had a place to sleep and take a shower. Turner said he was thankful for that assistance.

If 45 mph sustained winds were expected, then the departments wouldn’t respond to calls. According to Dezzi, the island only experienced gusts in the 60s.

“But it wasn’t anything that was going to stop us,” Dezzi said.

When the storm finally brushed past Longboat Key, water was the problem for both departments.

“We had a lot of water, more than we’ve ever had,” Dezzi said.

Both departments responded to their fair share of calls. There were weather-related calls and alarms going off for the police department. Weather and alarms don’t mix well, Turner said. Most of them were false alarms, but he stressed the importance of taking each call seriously.

Around 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Dezzi heard many of the side streets and some parts of Gulf of Mexico Drive were impassable without highwater vehicles.

High-water vehicles are retired military vehicles, Dezzi said.

Like the name implies, the vehicles allow emergency service departments to drive through water when standard fire trucks and police patrol cars can’t.

The fire rescue department had one high-water vehicle but needed more. Both the North Port Fire Rescue and

Police departments responded with their own high-water vehicles and some extra hands.

The fire rescue department didn’t have a large call volume, Dezzi said.

The crew assisted with some minor fires on St. Armands, and had one patient transport that required the high-water vehicle to get to the patient’s house.

There was also a house fire call that could have been serious. The fire rescue crew responded and heard a bell from the house, which indicated that the sprinkler system had been engaged. The resident wasn’t home, and the crew entered the house.  Inside, they found an electric wheelchair that had a bad interaction with saltwater. Dezzi said charged batteries can often start fires when they interact with saltwater. The situation could have been worse, if the chair hadn’t been directly underneath the sprinkler system.

On the north end of the island, Dezzi said the crew reported many fire hydrants were almost under-

water, which would have made calls difficult.

Next came the question of reentry. Dezzi said a conference call with Town Manager Howard Tipton and other town department heads led to the decision to open the island at 5 p.m. Wednesday evening.  At that time, the island was still only accessible through the north end. St. Armands Circle was still heavily flooded.

Realizing the island was safe enough for residents, the team decided to move the reentry time up to 4:30 p.m. The biggest risk was water in low-lying areas, and Dezzi said he had to make sure people would be safe returning.

“We had to be careful about the decisions we made,” Dezzi said.  Dezzi’s last meeting with county officials at the EOC was at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, and the island was completely open via both sides Thursday morning.

Courtesy photo

The city of North Port’s emergency services lent a helping hand to Longboat Key with the use of its high-water vehicles.

Police and fire departments rode out the storm on the island to be in position to respond to emergencies.

INDIRECT IMPACT

A well-prepared Longboat avoided Hurricane Idalia’s direct hit, but sustained islandwide flooding.

CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER

The morning of Aug. 29 was even quieter than a typical offseason day on Longboat Key.

All Longboat Key residents were under the recommendation to evacuate.

Sarasota County had just called for evacuations for its Zone A, which includes St. Armands Key, Lido Key, the southern portion of Longboat Key and coastal areas. The day before, Manatee County enacted evacuation orders for Zone A, which includes the northern portion of Longboat.

On Aug. 29, fewer than 24 hours before Hurricane Idalia’s anticipated landfall in the Big Bend area of Florida, Longboat Key residents prepared while the gulf crept up on the barrier island.

At 8:15 a.m., Sips Coffee shop in Whitney Beach Plaza had its neon “Open” sign illuminated. Inside, a couple customers made small talk about the storm and rumors of surfers heading to Holmes Beach to catch the remarkable waves.

Owners Chris Carter and Justina Condensa said they would stay open for about another hour, or wait until they had no customers for a while. They were unsure, but they figured Longboaters would still want their coffee.

Across the street, residents were able to pick up 10 sandbags each at the Broadway Street Public Beach Access. Town Manager Howard Tipton and Public Works Director Charlie Mopps were there to help.

Mopps said people were there as early as 7 a.m. to wait for sandbags.

As each resident came to pick up sandbags, either Tipton or Mopps asked for proof of residence before the team of two scooped sand into the sandbags, held open by a wide funnel.

“We’re going to get our exercise in,” Tipton said.

“Yeah, who needs steps when you got shoveling,” Mopps replied.

Roger Lusins packed his sandbags alongside Tipton and Mopps. This wasn’t the north Longboat Key resident’s first time preparing for a hurricane.

Lusins’ plans were to help neighbors secure boats, outdoor furniture and potted plants.

“A lot of people on the island need help,” Lusins said. “So you have to do what you can.”

Mopps took up Tipton on his offer to depart early, allowing him to finalize some last-minute preparations for Public Works. Tipton stayed at the beach access point until 10 a.m. to help residents make use of the remaining sand.

At the beach access point, it was difficult to tell where the tide line was. At the dune level was a line of sea foam. Tide pools dotted the beach, sometimes connecting to the greater body of water.

LESSONS LEARNED

After the storm subsided and emergency services began returning to normal operations, Chief of Police George Turner said he felt lucky that the storm didn’t hit Longboat Key as hard.

“We were very well prepared; everything worked out perfectly as far as I’m concerned,” Turner said.

Turner started with Longboat Key in 2001 and stayed until 2007, then returned in 2021.

He’s seen his fair share of hurricanes. The most important thing, he said, is preparation and adaptation.

Town Manager Howard Tipton shared the sentiment that the emergency management team worked well throughout the storm. This was Tipton’s first evacuation with Longboat Key, but the 12th time in his career that he was “activated” for a storm.

“It really is all about success in preparation,” Tipton said.

Longboat Key Fire Rescue Chief Paul Dezzi has been with the department since 2009, and stressed the importance of building a good team with the town’s departments and maintaining fluid communication.

The biggest lesson he’s learned over the years is, “Stick to your decision and know that you have to do what’s best for the citizens.”

Though Hurricane Idalia’s impact on Longboat Key was mainly flooding and not wind, Tipton said there was a lot of water for a nonwind event.

“We really have to think, if we get a real wind event with a storm surge, we will have to really emphasize the messaging to evacuate,” Tipton said.

The sun provided only a bit of light through the cloudy sky. It was getting dark around noon, but no major storm clouds were in sight.

Further down the beach, a few people had their cellphones out, taking pictures of the changed beach landscape, documenting the preIdalia atmosphere.

A short walk away from the beach entrance was a flock of more than a hundred shorebirds. Terns, some juvenile, were the most abundant.

Some lay flat to the sand while others walked around. Every so often, one would fly away with some a piece of food, and the rest of the group squawked into a frenzy. Whatever preparations they were making on their own, it was difficult to tell.

RISING WATERS

Hurricane Idalia made landfall the morning of Aug. 30 near Keaton Beach, some 200 miles north of

Longboat.

Despite avoiding a direct hit, Hurricane Idalia’s storms left Longboat Key with flooded side streets and scattered damage from wind and trees.

Longboat Key opened at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 30 for residents, business owners and employees to assess the damage left by Idalia.

The north end of the island was the only way for residents to access the Key. The south end, specifically St. Armands Circle, was still impassable from flooding.

The north end of the island sustained the most flooding, with some side streets, like Norton Street, still holding water as of Wednesday evening.

In the last Hurricane Idalia brief to town commissioners on Wednesday evening, Tipton said that in the damage assessment team’s initial drive the team estimated 70 structures may have had water intrusion.

Tipton also recognized the “tireless” work of the emergency response team, including Emergency Management/Fire Chief Paul Dezzi; Assistant to the Town Manager Susan Phillips; Chief of Police George Turner; Public Works Direc-

tor Isaac Brownman and Director of Planning, Zoning and Building Allen Parsons.

The morning after Longboat was reopened, water was still an issue on some parts of the island, but the water had receded from many of the side streets.

The south end of the island was fully accessible at this point.

Whitney Beach Plaza remained mostly closed Thursday morning. Chris Carter said Sips hadn’t flooded from the rearward canal like he originally thought it would, but there was a minor leak to repair in the ceiling.

The area of Gulf of Mexico Drive near Bayview Drive remained completely flooded on one side of the road, causing vehicles to come into close quarters or take turns passing through the one clear lane.  Soggy tree branches and leaves covered much of the roads, but there was no large debris.

The streets were busy. Contracted clean-up crews lined the sides of GMD to take care of debris from single-family homes and larger condo associations. Crews from Florida Power and Light and other utility companies drove up and down Longboat’s main road.

By Thursday evening and into Friday morning, the island seemed to be returning to normal. Water in the area of GMD near Bayview Drive receded between Thursday and Friday morning.

Debris was further cleared. Businesses were reopening Friday morning, and the sun was shining.

Photos by Carter Weinhofer Public Works Program Manager Charlie Mopps fills a sandbag at the Broadway Beach Public Access on Aug. 29.

Bayfront Park sustained minor damages, including this Little Free Library that was ripped from the ground.

Some parts of the north end of Gulf of Mexico Drive still had flooding and debris on Wednesday evening.

“A lot of people on the island need help. So you have to do what you can.”

— Roger Lusins

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High Holy Day Schedule

Local businesses encouraged to take damage survey

Businesses in Sarasota and Manatee counties are being urged to fill out a damage survey put out by the state to help local agencies determine the needs of the business community after Hurricane Idalia passed through the state Wednesday.

The Manatee Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Corp. of Sarasota County both sent press releases Aug. 30 regarding the Florida Commerce’s Business Damage Assessment Survey.

“While the majority of our greater Manatee County region businesses have been spared physical damage from Hurricane Idalia, there are some that are and will be dealing with wind and water damage, and a larger number will have other economic losses,” the Manatee chamber release reads.

The survey asks participants to share physical and economic damages, as well as other hindrances, such as debris removal, insurance settlements, product supply, water damage and more.

It then lists the types of assistance currently available for businesses, including:

n Emergency Bridge Loan, a short-term, interest-free loan up to $50,000

n SBA Physical Disaster Loans, loans available for uninsured losses up to $2 million for repairs

Weekly Activities:

Monday 10am Stretch & Strengthen

Tuesday 10am Qi Gong 11:15am Yoga / 1pm Mah Jongg (RSVP!)

Wednesday ~ 10am Tai Chi

Thursday ~ 10am Zumba & Mat Pilates 11:15am Yoga / 1pm Open Games

Friday ~ 10am Tai Chi / 11:15am Qi Gong $15 per class – FREE for Members! We close at 1pm on Fridays.

n SBA Economic Injury Loans, up to $2 million in loans are available for businesses that endured economic injury

n Small Business Development Center Business Counseling, general business counseling to help access traditional SBA loans

The survey can be accessed on FloridaDisaster.biz.

Jacki Dezelski, president and CEO of the Manatee chamber, wrote in a follow-up email that she’s not sure how many businesses have been affected.

“We know that there will be island businesses with flooding damage as well as some other waterfront (e.g. Manatee River) businesses affected,” she said.

Dezelski pointed to Anna Maria Oyster Bar at the Pier on Bradenton Beach and Café L’Europe on St. Armands Circle as examples, as both were unable to reopen Aug. 30 due to road closures from flooding.

Erin Silk, president and CEO of the Economic Development Corp. of Sarasota County, said the survey may stay open for several months, like it did after Hurricane Ian last year.

“It is too early to tell what the total business damage will be in Sarasota County from Hurricane Idalia,” she said. “Many businesses on our barrier islands are going to have a considerable recovery from flooding, that as of tonight is yet to be measured.”

Silk said that many businesses in the county closed Tuesday and Wednesday, noting that some lost workforce temporarily.

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TEMPLE BETH ISRAEL

AMANDA POSTMA STAFF WRITER

Survey covers physical and economic damages caused by Hurricane Idalia.

Petra Rivera

Carol Hayes cleans the inside of Coastal HoBo.

Beneath the surface

Water damage, transformer failures and beach erosion are among the issues Longboat Key faced due to flooding.

CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER

After the floodwaters receded, town staff and residents realized the full extent of Hurricane Idalia’s damage.  Town staff found around 50 to 70 structures that may have had flooding-related damage, according to Director of Planning, Zoning and Building Allen Parsons.

The department completed a driving assessment of damage in the town on Aug. 30 after the storm passed.  Parsons said the main areas with high flooding were low-lying streets, such as St. Judes Drive North and South, Marbury Lane, Buttonwood Drive and several streets in the Village area.

Eyewitness accounts claimed that the Gulf Shore Mobile Home Park & the Twin Shores Mobile Home Park sustained water damage to some structures, while a larger number of reports claimed water damage to exterior air conditioning and heating units, according to Parsons.

No significant wind or structural damage was seen in the town’s initial assessment.

UNDERWATER

Low-lying areas in Longboat Key, such as the Sleepy Lagoon and Buttonwood neighborhoods, have a long history of flooding. Hurricane Idalia’s storm surge exacerbated the issue.

President of the Sleepy Lagoon Homeowners Association John Connolly identified two big areas of concern after hearing about the impacts of Hurricane Idalia.

First, the underground trans -

formers couldn’t hold up to the high degree of flooding, Connolly said.

The transformers are a part of the town’s project to bury utilities, in collaboration with Florida Power & Light.

On the town’s website, where frequently asked questions are listed about the project, the site claims that water levels would need to be “very high” in order for fuses to blow, and that those events are rare.

Due to flooding from Hurricane Idalia, many of the underground transformers in the Sleepy Lagoon neighborhood were submerged or close to it, which led FPL to need to replace them once the water receded, Connolly said.

He said he heard of at least 20 transformers that needed to be repaired after the flooding.

“I think there was a miscommunication somewhere about their storm resistance,” Connolly said.

This presents a safety issue, Connolly said. He sent an email to address the concerns with the town, and received a quick response. The concerns are now being forwarded to FPL.  Though he isn’t completely sure what the appropriate response would be, Connolly thinks maybe raising the concrete slab of the transformers would be one way to fix the issue.

Some residents that experienced the flooding also had to deal with electrical damage to 220-volt appliances, which include air conditioners, dryers and stoves.

Connolly said it’s not possible to directly connect the transformer issue with the electrical damage, since saltwater intrusion could have also been the culprit.

Another issue Connolly mentioned in his concerns to the town was beach erosion.

“The beach erosion has been an

REPORTING STORM-RELATED DAMAGE

The town of Longboat Key is asking residents for help supplementing initial damage assessment findings. Residents can report stormrelated damages to the town at PermitDesk@LongboatKey. org with a short description and photos (if necessary). The Planning, Zoning & Building Department can also be reached at its office at 941-316-1966. Damage can include flooding inside or structural damage to homes, condos or businesses.

tensen began preparations on Monday. He said he knew something was going to happen.

issue for a while,” Connolly said. “It’s now been exacerbated.”

While beach renourishment may be the best short-term solution, Connolly hopes longer-term solutions can be addressed.

“Now, we’re going to start pushing a lot harder on that,” Connolly said.

BACK IN BUSINESS

Harry’s Continental Kitchens owner Lynn Christensen said the restaurant’s office on St. Judes Drive was flooded with 13 inches of water after the storm surge of Hurricane Idalia.

Flooding on that street isn’t a rare occurrence, Christensen said, but this was the first time the deli had standing water. The deli is up the street just a few feet.

“I think that this time, the flooding was higher than it’s been in the last 20 years,” Christensen said.

Before the storm, Lynn’s son and Harry’s General Manager Hal Chris-

Having dealt with previous flooding in the office, the team knew what to do. They got to work lifting things two feet off the ground, placed sandbags outside and took their computers off-site.

When the family was able to get back to their business after Longboat Key was opened to residents and business owners, the water had already receded.

But Hal Christensen said the stillwet office smelled like a saltwater aquarium.

The team at Harry’s got to work quickly when they were allowed back onto the island. The first step was to clean and bleach the office space to make sure it was clean to be operated out of again. Then, it needed to be fully dried.

But by Thursday morning, the rest of the business was open again, and Hal Christensen was excited about the upcoming specials they were going to start serving.

Carter Weinhofer

Employees of Harry’s Continental Kitchens Ken Senver, left, and Tom Clark set up the outdoor dining area to prepare for reopening after Hurricane Idalia.

PRICE WARS

LOUIS LLOVIO BUSINESS OBSERVER

In late August, Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation responded to a request from Citizens Property Insurance Corp. to raise its rates for property insurance an average of 13.1% by issuing an order sending the state’s insurance company of last resort back to the drawing board.

It must, OIR said in the order, not raise its rates more than 12%.

In a state where the property insurance market is unraveling in real time, with skyrocketing costs leaving property owners scrambling, bewildered and, in some cases, uninsured, the capping of how much Citizens could charge was welcome news. Finally, the thinking went, someone put their foot down.

But there is a theory, one that is bound to be controversial, that the smart fiscal move was not to cap Citizens but for the insurer to raise its rates far beyond the 13.1% it asked for.

The reasoning behind this line of thinking is that the rapid growth in the number of policies Citizens has written means it has taken on a huge amount of risk that, if the worst was to happen, could leave it unable to meet the claims it is responsible for. That it, the state-run insurance company, should operate like a business lest taxpayers be left footing the bill.

“I’ll say this is, if Citizens’ riskbased pricing is half, or a third, or a quarter of the private market, something’s not adding up,” said Gregory Marholin, president of RescomX Insurance Solutions in St. Petersburg, adding that, “If a government entity can provide insurance cheaper than the private market, that’s a major problem.”

As of June 30, Citizens has 1.3 million policies in place and its total premiums are $4.3 billion. Its exposure, though, is $561 billion.

At an OIR public rate hearing in June, Citizens said its surplus is down 33% in the past three years while its once-in-a-100-year storm probable loss is up 93% over the same period. Its total insured value “continues to alarmingly increase,” growing 192% to $492 billion over the past three years.

And, while all this is happening, Citizens said in the presentation if the full 13.1% rate hike had been approved “our policyholders will still be paying on average about 44% below the rest of the Florida market.”

Citizens did not respond to a request for comment.

But in June, its president, CEO and executive director, Timothy M. Cerio, said, “Citizens’ rates are arti-

ficially low, which throws off the private market and distorts competition.”

“A residual insurer should never compete with the private market. That is fundamentally unfair to policyholders in the private market.”

MARKET FACTORS

Like most things in Florida’s property insurance marketplace, the topic is complicated and even those in the know sometimes have a tough time grasping matters fully. That’s in large part because much of what drives the decision-making process is tied to when and if a hurricane will hit, how powerful it will be and how many will follow.

The gist of the argument for higher rates is this: Citizens was created as a last resort for people who could not get insurance anywhere else. But with the volatility in the state’s market driving traditional insurance companies out in droves, it has far too often become the first or only choice. Which means that as the number of its policies has grown, it has taken on greater risk and committed itself to paying out more in claims than it may be able to afford.

If it was unable to cover claims, each Citizens’ policyholder would face a surcharge of up to 45% of their premium and the state would assess other, non-Citizen insurance policies — including home, auto, specialty and surplus — 2% of the premium to cover the difference.

The only ways to even things out, the argument goes, is for Citizens to charge more or find a way to guarantee that no hurricanes, or other natural disasters, hit the state for at least a year.

Since the latter is unlikely to happen, and with warming waters the risks for historically stronger storms growing, the decisions Citizens makes should be made using basic capitalistic market principles.

KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES

Louisiana is already doing this. Its state-run insurance company, Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp., is uncapped, meaning the rates are adjusted based on what’s happening in the real world.

“If the cost of reinsurance for Louisiana Citizens goes up, the trickledown effect comes into play,” said Matthew Mercier, national practice leader for the community association division of CBIZ Insurance Services in Sarasota. “They pass that down on to the consumers, whereas with our Citizens is absolutely capped on what they can do in a given year.”

The Louisiana insurer has tripled in sized to more than 100,000 policyholders in recent years as more than two dozen private insurance

companies have either gone insolvent or left the state. Plus, state law requires its rates be at least 10% over the highest qualifying market rate or 10% over the actuarial rate, whichever is higher.

Given the growing number of policies and the increased cost of reinsurance, Louisiana Citizens raised its premiums 63% last year.

“There’s no sugarcoating it — this increase is extremely painful but required by law to make sure Citizens can handle a potential future disaster for its many policyholders,” Louisiana’s insurance commissioner Jim Donelon said in October after the rate increase was approved.

“My staff and I are working with the Legislature to attract more insurers to the state through the use of a program that was highly effective following hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which will give Citizens policyholders, and all Louisianans, more and cheaper insurance options in the private market.”

The incentive program provides grants to encourage insurers to write property policies in areas of the state most at risk of seeing heavy damage from hurricanes.

LEGISLATING SOLUTIONS?

And, in this sense, Florida and Louisiana are similar. Over the past few years, Florida’s Legislature has worked to cut down on the number of lawsuits filed by limiting what attorneys can charge. These attorney fees were largely blamed for creating an atmosphere that drove insurance companies out and costs up. While the rules are relatively new, there is anecdotal evidence that shows the market is improving, though it will take some time to fully work out.

The state, according to OIR, is also attempting to bring insurers into the state to help create more competition and, in turn, help drive costs down.

DECLINING SURPLUS,

To that end, since April, OIR has approved four new carriers to do business here, including three in August — Orion180 Select Insurance Co., Orion180 Insurance Co. and Mainsail Insurance Co. (A month earlier, though, Farmers Insurance announced it was cutting policies in Florida.)

In the case of the two Indianabased Orion 180 companies, they got in by filing an extension application, which is used “by companies in good standing in their state of domicile that wish to expand their business” into Florida.  If the state can continue attracting new companies, the argument goes, then the same market factors that led to the crisis, and the need for Citizens to raise its rates, will drive costs down and relegate Citizens to its rightful place — a last resort.

But, as with most things, that is easier said than done. While reforms will help and are helping, what will ultimately determine Citizens’ role in Florida’s insurance marketplace is Mother Nature.

“We went 10 years without a storm, surpluses built up and I had three straight years with my condo clients where we were giving out decreases,” Mercier said. “Citizens wasn’t even an afterthought.”

One school of thought says Citizens Property Insurance Corp. should raise its premiums.

Carter Weinhofer

The public beach access point on Gulfside Road was left with nearly knee-deep water.

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Housing affordability crisis

Sarasota commissioners took a good step that will help. But they and the county need to be bolder.

of Sarasota is now $2,202.

And those amounts do not include the cost of utilities — another $200 to $400 a month.

Meantime, the median home price in Sarasota is now more than $500,000. In Tampa, it’s $430,000; in St. Petersburg, $413,000.

“A firefighter making $51,000 a year, or $24 an hour, should be paying no more than $1,275 for rent, and that would include utilities,”

HOW LONG WILL OUR STREAK LAST?

Once again, Longboat Key dodged disaster.

It’s a remarkable streak.

The last hurricanes that brought major damage to Longboat Key were in 1921 — an unnamed storm that covered much of Longboat Key with salt water, destroying most of the homes on the south end — and the 1983 No Name Storm.

MATT WALSH

One of Florida’s most dangerous economic issues — an issue that can choke the life out of Florida’s economic growth trends — is housing.

We’ve said it before: Florida is no longer an inexpensive state. Any image of fun-in-the-sun affordability is gone.

Consider this:

In the fourth quarter of 2000, just after George W. Bush was elected, Florida’s housing index (a measure of all housing sales), according to the Federal Reserve Bank, was 213.04. In fact, it was lower than North Carolina’s, which was 241.74.

Since then, Florida’s housing index has rocketed upward — 785.84 in the second quarter of 2023, a 259% increase, compared to North Carolina’s 637.76, a 163% increase.

That data reflect what we all have seen and felt. Florida’s single-family home prices and new-apartment rents are at an unaffordable crisis stage for the middle class.

Brianna Dobbs, senior planner for the city of Sarasota, crystallized this at an Aug. 7 Sarasota City Commission meeting.

■ Since March 2020, apartment rental rates have risen up to 47%, “some of the largest rent increases in the entire country.”

■ Average one-bedroom rent:

2018: $1,000 a month

2020: $1,250 a month

2023: +$2,000 a month

The median rent for a onebedroom apartment within the city

Dobbs said. “A teacher making $66,000 a year, $33 an hour, should be paying no more than $1,650 dollars for rent.”

Fact is, 60% of the people employed in the city of Sarasota are service workers, and typically they are paying more than 50% of their monthly incomes on rent.

This rental situation is only going to get worse. Likewise, the cost of a home. This is occurring largely because homeowners insurance continues to climb to unaffordable levels that are not going to subside.

Think this through. Both of these issues — housing and insurance affordability — are a result of a major imbalance: demand far outstripping supply.

In housing, you can attribute some of the problem to supply chain bottlenecks and a lack of construction workers. But the root of the issue is in zoning policies that limit densities per acre.

To their credit, Sarasota city planners and commissioners have been working three years to address the lack of what they call “attainable housing.” On Monday, the city commission took what local condo and apartment developers say is a good step. It adopted a new zoning ordinance that would give developers incentives to construct higher-density projects in the city’s downtown core in exchange for including at least 15% of the units as “attainable.”

It was a modest step, one we’ll applaud nevertheless. “Every little bit helps,” one developer told us. But it’s not enough. And for the most part, it’s too little too late for the downtown core.

If city commissioners are serious and committed to having a city with

Nowhere in recorded history is there a named hurricane that made direct landfall on Longboat Key. Which brings to mind the odds. Insurers calculate the odds of 100-year storms. So given history, you can conclude the odds in Longboat’s favor are shrinking.

But still, how do you explain Longboat Key’s good fortune in all this time? For that matter, you could say the same for the city of Sarasota, the barrier islands from Casey Key on the south to Anna Maria and Bradenton.

Why?

One answer could be the parishioners at Longboat’s St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church. During hurricane season, they recite a hurricane prayer at every mass, imploring St. Mary’s intercession. Is it the hand of God?

Another answer could be oft-told legend of the Tocobagan Indian tribe in Pinellas County and the Calusa Indians in Lee County. They built 20- and 30foot mounds made of millions of shells, bones and “midden” to construct their own waterfront towns. Legend has it the mounds also were spiritually blessed to fend off storms and hurricanes.

The story has been told so often over the ages, it’s not difficult to want to be a believer. With as many times as Longboat Key has

a vibrant cross-section of people of all incomes, it must revise the city density codes for its downtown edge district and reclassify commercial districts to allow for high-density development.

But this is not just a city of Sarasota issue. Sarasota County commissioners must likewise do the same in the county’s

escaped direct hits for a century (and 12 times during the 2000s), the legend becomes convincing.

Fact or fiction, we’ll take it.

This is not to make light of or dismiss Hurricane Idalia and its destructive path through Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. Its wrath certainly took its toll on St. Armands Circle businesses.

While the winds were not as destructive as, say, Hurricane Charley in 2004, Idalia was unique in that it not only clocked Category 4 winds, it brought and occurred with a simultaneous trifecta here: six to eight inches of rain, three- to five-foot storm surge and high tides converging at once — a potentially disastrous convergence.

Idalia was just the start of this year’s season. Let’s implore our friends at St. Mary Star of the Sea to keep praying and the Indians’ spell to hold up.

And remember: Don’t let hurricane misses bring complacency. You never know. We hope and pray the streak continues.

unincorporated areas on the edges of the city.

Existing residents will fight this. But economically, it’s in their interests to have the housing supply meet the demand.

Do you want affordable restaurants with good service? Then you need people who can afford to live here.

Compare your tax burden to that of other cities

“Compared to what?”

That was the question Jim Michaels, late, longtime, fearinducing editor of Forbes magazine, repeatedly asked when his writers turned in stories full of data about companies and governments. Michaels drilled into the heads of his writers that reporting numbers and data did no good for readers unless that data gave context — say, compared one government’s spending to another’s, or one business to its competitors so you could see which was performing better.

In a similar vein, that’s what struck longtime Longboat Key snowbird Ed Tiesenga. In 2011, as he flew cross-country and looked down at the grids lighting the streets of cities and towns, he began thinking how every municipality taxes its residents in isolation.

Taxpayers know what they’re being taxed in their jurisdictions, but they have little or no knowledge of how their cities or counties compare elsewhere.

After that flight, Tiesenga, who is also an Oak Brook, Ill., tax lawyer and an elected Oak Brook trustee, wrote a memo that became the seed for creating an online national Taxpayer Dashboard (TaxpayerDashboard.com).

In a column for The Wall Street Journal, Tiesenga’s partner, Carl A. Miller, described the dashboard as

such: It “is the first tool with the power to compare the per-capita taxation, debt and spending — the best proxy for the size and scope of government — for every city in America.”

In short, Tiesenga’s dashboard lets you see how your city or county’s taxation compares to the other 35,000 cities and townships and 3,000 counties in the U.S.

This “unified information,” Tiesenga wrote in 2011, “would allow (people) to choose where to live.

“If more government spending and growth is a kind of personal turn-on for them, they will want to be where they can support the most government possible … For those interested in more minimal government, they can either move to where the index is lower or take steps to correct too much government where they currently live.”

Tiesenga sees the Taxpayer

Dashboard having the potential to ignite a transparency revolution to help taxpayers hold their elected officials and city administrators accountable.

For now, Tiesenga and Miller continue to refine their websites and the data available for taxpayers.

Meantime, if you want to see how Longboat Key or Sarasota compares to other cities, such as Tiesenga’s Oak Brook, Ill., or, say, Aspen or wherever you snowbirds live parttime, select one of these URLs and enter your two home addresses: TaxpayerDashboard.com, or SpendingPressure.com.

The results will show your city’s per capita spending, tax revenues and debt burden — the three ingredients that produce a show the “spending pressure” put on taxpayers. Tiesenga’s dashboard will give you a score that tells whether you live in a jurisdiction with a low,

moderate or high spending pressure on taxpayers.

As all of our local taxing authorities prepare to adopt their next fiscal year budgets, it’s worth taking the time to see how our elected officials are doing vis-à-vis other communities.

Consider these spending pressure scores: Longboat Key 74; Aspen, 78; Oak Brook, Ill., 44.

Not surprisingly, Longboat Key has more spending pressure than Sarasota and Bradenton. That’s worth noting, especially in the context of the town’s proposed budget for 2023-24.

The town’s general fund spending is proposed to increase 15.6% over the previous year, and total spending, which includes capital spending, is proposed to increase 44.3%.

Meantime, the town manager has proposed lowering the millage rate 6.1%, from 2.1144 to 1.985. —

LONGBOAT

“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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1970 Main St. Sarasota, FL 34236 941-366-3468

Longboat KeyOak Brook, Ill., snowbird Ed Tiesenga

‘Investments’ vs. increased operating costs

We, like most Longboat residents, have been involved in running or owning businesses. Having just received our property tax Truth in Millage (TRIM) notice and reading the Observer article reporting on the proposed town budget we are compelled to comment.

First the obvious, given the eyepopping increase in property values this last year, most properties without a Homestead Exemption, logic would dictate the tax millage could and would be reduced given the incremental revenue generated by the increased assessment values. Apparently, not in this case, and commissioners are saying how good it is that they are able to keep the millage the same as this year, no increase. We don’t get it.

The Observer’s report on the proposed budget quotes Mr. (Town Manager Howard) Tipton using the term new “investments in fire, police and in people,” to explain the majority of the projected increase in operating expenses.

The term “investing” in government is used now by all bureaucracies to soften the term “spending increases of tax dollars.” We are supposed to feel good about “investments,” bad about “spending increases.”

Of course it is completely justifiable for budget increases due to inflation impact, employee health insurance benefit costs, reasonable market-driven salary increases, but most business operators would draw the line at increasing the fulltime staff count, which includes not only salary but substantial benefit costs and is basically a permanent, ongoing business expense.

This begs the question: What exactly is the cost — benefit analysis, (ROI) of these individual new “investments?” Well, probably hard to say, maybe increased efficiency, productivity, better run the town manager’s office with a new assistant town manager?

One other point, we have been criticized by some in the town hierarchy for not attending the

budget planning workshops so we would better understand the budget issues. Wrong answer.

As “shareholders” of this “not for profit town business” we expect our competent town department heads guided by our “CEO” town manager to prepare a detailed budget minimizing costs to be presented to our excellent commissioners, our “board of directors,” to maximize shareholder value and minimize cost increases, i.e. continue to cost effectively provide the excellent services (“returns”) we have enjoyed over the years.

We all know 2024 is going to be a questionable year economically, with many economists projecting a recession due to escalating interest rates.

Real estate activity has waned and property values could easily begin to deflate in a normal economic cycle. Inflation, while a concern, has decreased significantly as this year has progressed due to increasing interest rates. Double-digit inflation, across the board, should not be projected into the proposed budget.

That aside, this is not a wise time to take on more payroll and benefit costs.

We also want to acknowledge the great job our town staff, fire, police and commissioners do in managing our very special “not for profit” town of Longboat Key. We are all blessed to live and/or work here.

— BOB AND SHANNON GAULT LONGBOAT KEY

SATURDAY, AUG. 26

JUVENILE ACTIVITIES

2:30 p.m., 2200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Juvenile Problems: A Longboat Key officer on patrol was approached by a passerby who said two young men on bicycles around Bay Isles Parkway were throwing water bottles up in the air. The bottles fell to the ground and broke open, which is the reason why the complainant said he yelled some obscenities at the juveniles. The officer checked the area and could not locate the young cyclists, but he did see a plastic water bottle on the ground.

DOG DISPUTE

7:55 p.m., 1000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive Citizen Dispute: The beach near the 1000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive gave the Longboat Key Police Department plenty of activity to respond to. The responding officer was asked to look into a disturbance between two women arguing over a service dog on the beach. On the scene, the officer spoke to the dog’s owner, who explained that a verbal dispute began because the other woman was questioning her service dog. The officer told the instigating party to contact police next time instead of taking matters into her own hands.

SUNDAY, AUG. 27

CAUSE FOR CONCERN

SATURDAY, AUG. 26

SCENT SOLICITOR

7:32 p.m., 1000 block of Gulf of Mexico

Drive Suspicious Person: Police were dispatched to investigate a suspicious person on the beach soliciting cologne from a backpack. The caller stated the man traveled south on the beach and left the area. The responding officer

to James Peter at JPeter@ YourObserver.com.

9:27 p.m., 3500 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive Welfare Check: Police were asked to conduct a welfare check for a caller’s elderly relative who was not answering the phone. When the police arrived, there was no answer at the door. Minutes later, the woman came out of the nearby elevator. She said she wasn’t able to answer the phone because she was walking her dog.

TUESDAY, AUG. 29

BLOCKER BARGE

1:25 p.m., 700 block of St. Judes

Drive North Citizen Assist: A resident called to report a construction company’s barge that was docked on and blocking the waterway. A Longboat Key

police officer investigated but found that the barge was securely docked and not blocking the waterway.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 30

STORM SECURITY

8:04 a.m., 500 block of Bay Isles

Parkway

Unsecured Premises: While on Hurricane Idalia patrol, an officer noticed the front door of a store appeared to have been blown open due to heavy wind. The officer checked the building to make sure everything was in order and then attempted to re-secure the door with sandbags.

DRIFTING CONCERNS

8:20 a.m., 600 block of Marbury

Lane

Citizen Assist: Longboat Key Police Department officers were dispatched to respond to a resident’s boat that had fallen off of its lift. Due to the flooding of Hurricane Idalia, the resident was concerned that the boat may drift into the bay. On arrival, the officers were unable to drive to the address because of the high water, and the officers forwarded the call to the Sarasota Emergency Operations Center.

a later date. Please call the Office of the Town Clerk at 941-316-1999 to request an application or for any questions. Applications are also available online at: www.longboatkey.org Completed applications may be submitted to: Town of Longboat Key

Office of the Town Clerk 501 Bay Isles Road Longboat Key FL 34228

Administrative Assistant

Stephanie Janney,

Published: 09-07-2023, 09-14-2023

gigi SILVERBERG

SWARTZ - Jack Robert of Syracuse, NY and Longboat Key, FL passed away on August 23, 2023, at age 92, joining his beloved wife of 57 years Barbara Jean.

Jack was the cherished father of John (Kim) Swartz, James (Lisa) Swartz, Jeffrey (Lori) Swartz, and Jennifer (Ky) Herreid; devoted grandfather of John (Sarah Freedman) Swartz, Emily (Alex)

Romano; Nicole (Travis)

Orr, Michael (Jessie) Swartz; Jillian (Gary) Cline, Kimberly (Devon Harvey) Swartz, Steven Swartz, Abigail Swartz, Cassandra Swartz, Emma McSherry; and Roxanna, Miranda, Phoebe, and Ayden

Herreid; and great-grandfather of Isabella and Olivia

Orr, Landon Swartz; and Josie Romano. Jack was preceded in death by his parents

Clarence Eugene and Dorothy Virginia Swartz; brothers

Clarence Swartz and Walter Swartz; and granddaughter

Amanda Swartz. Jack is also survived by his sister Dorothy Miller, many cherished nieces and nephews, and his close friend and companion for the last several years

Gisela Virgien of Longboat Key. Jack retired from Niagara Mohawk after 36 years, mainly working in the labor relations department, forging lasting long-term relationships with managers and union officials alike as he negotiated contracts for Niagara Mohawk and Canadian Niagara Power

Corporations. Jack was a US Army Veteran having served during the Korean Conflict. Jack was very active in community events over the years, serving as campaign chair for the United Way, active in activities for Special Olympics as well as spending years as a little league baseball coach. He loved sports and was a dedicated Buffalo Bills, Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Rays fan. A memorial service will be planned for a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the American Heart Association or your local Hospice.

DONATIONS: In

Jack Robert Swartz

A+E INSIDE:

< SUNCOAST CONCERT BAND: A cultural constant turned 90 this year. 15

EATING WITH EMMA: Bite into Sarasota’s best bagels (boiled not baked). 14>

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

MEET SARASOTA’S NEW ARTS CZAR

Brian Hersch takes the helm at the Arts and Cultural Alliance.

MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER A+E EDITOR

During the Great Recession, country music singer John Rich (half of the duo Big & Rich) struck a chord with Americans with his song “Shuttin’ Detroit Down.”

While Rich’s ditty decried bailouts for bankers, in the end, Detroit got them too. The auto industry received nearly $80 billion from the government, of which $70 billion was repaid.

The White House even named Wall Street insider Steven Rattner the “car czar” to fix Detroit.

But what is a discussion of the auto industry doing in the Arts + Entertainment section of a Sarasota area newspaper?

Good question. Stay with me, as EMT personnel have been known to say. There is an analogy here, even if it’s long-winded.

Here it goes: What autos are to Detroit, the arts are to Sarasota. We even have an arts czar, although most people on the street don’t know it.

His name is Brian Hersch, and his title is CEO and president of the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County. In June, Hersch succeeded Jim Shirley, who retired as executive director of the organization formerly known as the Arts Council after 24 years.

Before joining the Arts Alliance, Hersch spent more than 20 years in nonprofit arts administration, including posts at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City and Asolo Repertory Theatre. Prior to joining the Arts Alliance, Hersch led Sarasota County Public Schools’ strategic approach to arts education.

Even though he’s not a household name, the unassuming Hersch, who studied percussion in college, is a good guy to know in Sarasota’s arts world. That’s because the organization he leads holds the purse strings for arts funding that comes from local taxes.

Sarasota County’s tourist development tax of 6% generates more than $42 million a year, of which the arts receive 8%. This year, Sarasota County will provide a record $3.2 million in funding to 35 arts and cultural organizations through grants administered by the Arts Alliance. For a small nonprofit, getting a grant of $10,000 can literally keep the lights on.

In an interview at the Arts Alliance’s offices around the corner from the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Hersch notes that despite his title and role in Sarasota’s arts scene, he’s a facilitator and a collaborator, not a dictator (my word, not his).

A drummer at heart, Hersch is used to keeping the beat, stepping up to fill the empty spaces and improvising when necessary.

The analogy between Detroit during the Great Recession and Sarasota right now isn’t perfect because there isn’t much to fix in the city’s arts scene. The area weathered the storm of the pandemic with innovative approaches, like when the Asolo Repertory Theatre used its outdoor terrace as a stage during 2021. Donors dug deep and ticket holders often didn’t request refunds for canceled performances.

While regional theaters have suffered post-pandemic audience declines averaging 30% and are scaling back production and even closing down in some parts of the country, performing arts is in full bloom in Sarasota. Tourists are coming to the area in greater numbers than ever. In March, Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport set a record for arrivals.

Some regional theaters forced to retrench had previously embarked on expensive expansion. Indeed, pricey projects are on the drawing board in Sarasota as the city explores the potential for replacing the Van Wezel with a state-of-the-art performance space designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop and the Sarasota Orchestra plans to develop a climate change-proof facility outside of the city near Interstate 75.

How those projects are financed and managed and whether they attract patrons will determine the health of the city’s performing arts in the future. But that’s a story for another day.

Right now, all is well in Sarasota performing arts, especially com -

Monica Roman Gagnier

Brian Hersch, the new president and CEO of the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County, poses at the Palmer Modern gallery in the Limelight District.

“We’re Florida’s Cultural Coast. We punch above our weight.”

— Brian Hersch

pared to its regional competitors. It’s the city’s fragmented visual arts scene that’s trying to find its footing amid rising rents downtown and the migration of art sales from formal galleries to pop-up events and artists’ open studios.

Hersch is well aware of the disparity in attention and funding between the performing arts and the visual arts, the city’s public art plan notwithstanding. Maybe that’s why he chose to have his picture taken at the new Palmer Modern gallery in the up-and-coming Limelight District instead of the nearby Van Wezel, the Historic Asolo Theater or even the Sarasota Opera House.

There’s a subtlety in the way Hersch works that isn’t immediately apparent. Sure, he’s a nice guy, but he’s also strategic. What’s more, he fine-tunes his talking points based on feedback from his audience, whether it be one person or dozens.

Maybe all CEOs should train to be musicians. You won’t get disagreement on that sentiment from Hersch, who was a champion of arts education in his roles at Sarasota County Public Schools.

Is there a better place for a kid who’s an aspiring artist or acrobat to grow up than Sarasota?  Name one.

There is also plenty of enthusiasm for the arts at the other end of the age spectrum. Like many other arts executives, Hersch is aware that most of the seats at Sarasota’s arts venues are filled by people with grey hair. That makes sense because have the time and money to attend concerts and other performances.

Suffice it to say, as a busy family man who is married to Lauren Hersch, a philanthropy advisor at Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Hersch understands that it’s difficult to see the latest cabaret show at Florida Studio Theatre if you’ve got to get the kids to soccer practice and get dinner on the table. At certain times in their lives, people have more time for the arts than at others, he says.

Asked about local efforts to sponsor events for young people, Hersch demurs. He’s not willing to show all his cards yet, especially in a job that he only started in June.

Maybe Hersch isn’t a czar after all. Perhaps he’s more like the ruler

of a happy kingdom in a fairy tale. You can’t blame Hersch if he almost sounds smug when he proudly proclaims, “We’re Florida’s Cultural Coast. We punch above our weight.”

It’s a given that the tourists and retirees flock to Sarasota County for its pristine beaches filled with fine white sand. After spending time at the beach or on the water, the snowbirds  shop, eat and go out at night for entertainment.

In the old days, they went to the circus. John Ringling moved the winter quarters of the Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1927, just as Florida’s land boom was going bust.

When Ringling died a decade later, he bequeathed his estate, which included his Cà d’Zan mansion, an art museum, art library and gardens, to the state of Florida. “Ringling was Disney before Disney” is something you hear around town about his farreaching legacy to Sarasota.

In “Shuttin’ Detroit Down,” Rich criticized the Wall Street engineers who developed the dangerous synthetic financial instruments and shady loans that created the housing crisis. His big beef was that they didn’t make anything tangible.

“Well pardon me if I don’t shed a tear.

“They’re selling make believe and we don’t buy that here.”

But as the striking actors and writers in Hollywood know, “selling make believe” is the business of the arts and plenty happens in Sarasota. But it’s not just about consumer gratification or escaping reality, Hersch says.

He believes that the arts can heal and that the Alliance can help administer the cure.

Hersch takes a holistic approach. He sees his job as helping the arts keep the community healthy as well as working to improve the wellbeing of the city’s artists.

One of his goals that he’s willing to talk about is his desire to bring more arts performances to public spaces, so they are accessible to all.

“Arts are an elixir,” he says, echoing the wisdom understood by everyone from Sarasota’s circus magnate godfather to plein air painters plying their trade at the farmers market.

Feb. 24 - Mar. 23, 2024

LUISA

Mar. 9 - 24, 2024

Mar.

WINTER OPERA FESTIVAL CARMEN by Georges Bizet

Feb. 17 - Mar. 22, 2024 LUCIA

by Gaetano Donizetti

MILLER by Giuseppe Verdi

delusa) by Joseph Haydn

Bite into the best bagels

BY EMMA JOLLY CONTRIBUTOR

My dad used to find comfort riding the peaceful bike trails around Sarasota, while my mother gets rejuvenated bobbing and talking with her friends in the pool. My sister seeks solace by reading books under the umbrella on the shores of Longboat Key, and my husband discovered relaxation driving the boat on the glass-like Gulf waters. Me? I find my body rests best after biting into a bagel. So, with added stresses to my life that have been out of my control, I was bound to find the best bagels that made me feel “hole.”

JERSEY GIRL BAGELS

5275 University Parkway, Unit 103, Bradenton; 941-388-8910; JerseyGirlBagels.net

To the bagel that gives the tri-state area (That’s New York, Jersey and Connecticut in my book) a run for its money.

You’re my everything: All the bagel dough here is made from scratch daily. This process of love makes me feel right at home. As a tri-state area born-and-raised foodie, let me tell you, it’s not often you find a baker who boils bagels like this. It’s been said that Jersey Girl Bagels makes more than 2,000 bagels daily, including flavors from French toast (to die for) to onion, cheddar cheese to daily specials. Knead this in your life: While you could order an egg and cheese with a choice of bacon, sausage or New Jersey Taylor Ham ($7.99) I have to give it up to the simple beauty of an individual sesame bagel ($2) or specialty asiago bagel ($2.50) with flavored cream cheese like scallion or soon-to-be-back pumpkin.

PALM AVENUE DELI

1297 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota; 941-263-3742; PalmAvenueDeli.com

To the bagel that reminds me of something Jerry, George, Elaine or Kramer would order.

You’re my everything: Opening just a few weeks ago in our culinary-chic community, this New-York-inspired deli is where you will find me every time I’m homesick. Open daily from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., with dinner coming soon,

this nostalgic eatery with iconic Big Apple deli flavors puts family and food first!

Knead this in your life: This place knows how to party like a lox star! From a Nova Lox platter ($16) to Nova Lox bagel ($11) with all the NYC fixings to Nova Lox egg and cheese ($12), these bagel and salmon pairings have me wanting to “start spreading the news.” But the lox train doesn’t stop there. Enjoy Nova Lox avocado toast ($18) or the lox, egg and onion frittata ($16).

LOX N’ EGG AND BROOKLYN BAGELS & DELI

4065 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; 941-924-1797; LoxAndEgg.com.

6970 S. Beneva Road, Sarasota; 999 Cattlemen Road Unit H, Sarasota; 941-993-1577; BrooklynBagelsAndDeli.com

To the bagel and schmear that leaves me begging for more room in my tummy.

You’re my everything: Prepare to experience bae-goals. Lox n’ Egg and both Brooklyn Bagels & Deli locations offer the most beautiful bagel box ($30), besties. The dough-filled delivery includes 12 regular bagels and two containers of fresh cream cheese (one plain and one flavored besides bacon and lox).

Knead this in your life: Both spots serve specials that make me feel like I’m being welcomed to New York even as I sit in a booth in Sarasota. Choose from over 20 lunch options, or be like me and challenge yourself to a cream cheese contest. There are over 10 fresh cream cheese choices, including honey walnut, jalapeño and bacon, to spread onto a dealer’s choice of bagels — from pumpernickel to spinach Swiss and more.

POSTAL 98 CAFE

1240 Yoder Ave., Sarasota; 941-2608862; Postal98cafe.com

To the bagel coffee pairing that has me questioning if a better duo exists.

You’re my everything: Although the two choices are plain or everything, you surely won’t be disappointed with how you style the holey breakfast baked good. Whether it’s a bacon, egg and cheese ($8.59) or simply plain with strawberry cream cheese, your taste buds will

be treated right.

Knead this in your life: Guatemalan coffee in a variety of different flavors leaves me feeling caffeinated and carefree. Feeling banana? Order the chunky monkey frappe ($5.09 and up). Missing fall? Order the maple cinnamon swirl latte ($5.09) — or stop by to see what specials are being served. Not into coffee? The tea selection is just as tasty with options like heavenly honey lavender fog ($3.69 and up) made with Earl Grey.

MESHUGANA DELI

4001 Clark Road, Sarasota; 941933-0244; MeshuganaSRQ.com

To the bagel that puts me in an Empire State of Mind.

You’re my everything: When I told my boss I was writing a story on bagels and was featuring this spot, she informed me that not only had she had my selection for dinner the night before, but “Meshugana” means crazy. Let me tell you, I’m crazy in love. This specialty deli delivers delicious New York flavors with carryout, pickup and cater-

ing options. Or try a luncheon with your closest bagel-loving besties.

Knead this in your life: Bring home a baker’s half-dozen ($10.25) or a baker’s dozen ($19.50) of sensational salt bagels, phenomenal plain bagels, gorgeous garlic bagels, out-of-this-world onion bagels and more. This deli puts authentic flavor into each bagel bite. I am blown away that it’s happening right here in Sarasota.

MORTON’S DELI AND MARKET

1924 S. Osprey Ave., Sarasota; 941955-9856; 205 Canal Road, Sarasota; 941-349-1474; MortonsMarket.com

To the bagel platter of my dreams.

You’re my everything: Morton’s is my family’s favorite caterer (They catered my grandmother’s 90th birthday.), my husband’s sweet treat spot and my parents’ favorite “I’m going to bring lunch over” joint. Fun fact? Morton’s has been family owned and operated for four generations since 1969.

Knead this in your life: When prepping for my wedding morning (before the hurricane swept our plans away), I planned a huge brunch for the females in my life that I needed by my side. While the wedding plans changed, the assorted bagel platter with butter and cream cheese ($4.99/per person) from Morton’s never altered. I put a shmear on any bagel my hands could touch and savored each bite.

Photos by Emma Jolly

Jersey Bagels gives the tri-state area (New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut) a run for its money.

At Lox n’ Egg and Brooklyn Bagels and Deli, I feel like I’m being welcomed to New York.

Suncoast Concert Band celebrates its 90th birthday

In spring 1964, Leo Laier became the band’s third director, following in the footsteps of Voltaire Sturgis and Fred Prefect. For the next 46 years, Laier worked to improve the quality of band performances.

ROBERT STOLL CONTRIBUTOR

The year 1932 was a difficult one. The country was in the middle of the Great Depression, John Philip Sousa died March 6 and Americans longing for relief elected Franklin D. Roosevelt president in November.

In December, eight musicians calling themselves the “Tin Can Tourists” performed for the residents of Arcadia.

The next month, the group moved to Sarasota, and on Jan. 17, 1933, became “The Sarasota Trailer Park Band.” That name would last until 1974, when the group was rechristened the “Sarasota Mobile Home Park Band.”

Many of those watching the group now known as the Suncoast Concert Band perform during season at the Northminster Presbyterian Church may not be aware of how historical forces have buffeted the group over its long history.

Surviving the World War II years was no small task. While many members of the band were yearround residents, the war years, with its rationing and manpower mobilizations, forced some members to forego winter trips to Florida. The band, however, “played on.”

As its popularity grew, so did the ranks of its members. Florida became a mecca for former professional performers. Some even came from famous Big Bands, while others arrived from renowned symphony orchestras.

Retired professionals brought their expertise to Sarasota. Performing with the band provided them an opportunity to continue playing the instruments they loved and to make new friends.

To do so, he sought out new members that could bring a high standard of musicianship to performances. He also moved the band indoors to the newly built Payne Park Auditorium, the community center and meeting hall for the Sarasota Mobile Home Park.

Membership, which held steady at about 40 players, grew to around 55 musicians. In 1975, Laier formed the Suncoast Jazz Ambassadors, a 16-piece Big Band for those who wanted to play big band and swing music.

In 1979, the Suncoast Concert Band performed at the first Association of Concert Bands convention in Sarasota and again in 2017 at the ACB confab in Fort Lauderdale. The band’s travel extended even farther when it journeyed to England and Ireland to perform a series of concerts in 1986.

In 1993, the band decided to shed its mobile park moniker. It became formally known as the Suncoast Concert Band.

After 46 years of untiring musical leadership, Laier retired as director in May 2010 and was named director emeritus. He passed the baton Robert Stoll, who had joined the band in the trombone section in 2005.

The band celebrated a milestone in 2011 when it hit 1,000 performances. Since its inception, the Suncoast Concert Band has been entertaining audiences twice a month from November to May. Its repertoire consists of marches, show tunes, overtures, religious selections and familiar melodies.

The band played its final performance in Payne Park Auditorium in May 2012 and moved to Northminster Presbyterian Church. The opportunity to perform in this beautiful sanctuary has proven to be an uplifting and refreshing boon to both players and audiences.

Northminster Presbyterian Church is also the home of the Suncoast Jazz Ambassadors, which perform one concert a month from December to May.

As we celebrate our 90th anniversary, what do our audiences think about the Suncoast Concert Band and Jazz Ambassadors? Nancy Stoll,

the business manager for the band, often hears from audience members who write to share their experiences.

Here are just a few:

“As a former music educator, I am amazed at the quality of the musical performances. It is outstanding!”

Says another, “Living on a fixed income, it means so much to me to be able to attend such a high-quality performance at a very affordable price.” ($5.)

Last, “Thank you for providing us with a most enjoyable Sunday afternoon of great music.”

This kind of positive feedback is precisely why the musicians practice, rehearse and perform.

On to 100!

Robert (Bob) Stoll is a retired music educator who taught for 34 years in Massachusetts. He received his Bachelor of Music from New England Conservatory of Music. While teaching, he was personnel manager and played in the Metropolitan Wind Symphony and also the New England Brass Band. He joined the Suncoast Concert Band and Jazz Ambassadors in 2005 and became music director in 2010.

Formed in a trailer park during the Great Depression, the Sarasota-based band is still going strong.

Courtesy Photos

The Suncoast Concert Band got its start in January 1933 as the Sarasota Trailer Park Band.

Robert Stoll has been the director of Suncoast Concert Band since 2010.

THIS WEEK

THURSDAY

JOHN PIRMAN: ‘DIVING INTO NATURE’

10 a.m. at Selby Gardens, 1534 Mound St. $26 Visit Selby.org.

The retrospective of the Sarasotabased designer and illustrator John Pirman will present his works both inside and outside at Selby Gardens. Runs through Sept. 17.

ARTIST TALK: LAUREN MANN, ‘THE EPHEMERALITY OF BEING’

5:30-7:30 p.m. Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami Trail $5 Visit ArtSarasota.org.

Based in Clearwater, Lauren Mann is a portrait artist whose detailed and colorful pencil drawings have been exhibited in several Florida shows.

‘CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REMIXED!’

7:30 p.m. at FST’s Goldstein Cabaret, 1239 N. Palm Ave. $18 and up Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

“The Jersey Tenors” and “The Surfer Boys” veteran Vaden Thurgood has created his own musical revue for FST’s summer cabaret series. The show follows the life of Creedence Clearwater Revival founder John Fogerty through hit songs such as “Proud Mary” and “Bad Moon Rising.” Runs through Oct. 22.

OUR

PICK

DIVAS THREE

Created by Nancy Allen Productions, three female vocalists present four decades of songs made famous by Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston and other women who have won the coveted title of “Diva.”

IF YOU GO

When: Through Sept. 17

Where: FST’s Court Cabaret Tickets:$18 and up Info: FloridaStudioTheatre.org

DON’T MISS THE JALEN BAKER QUARTET

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe and Modern Marimba team up to present an evening of jazz featuring the Jalen Baker Quartet, with Jalen Baker on vibraphone, Paul Cornish on the piano, Gavin Moolchan on the drums and Gabriel Godoy on bass.

IF YOU GO

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: West Coast Black Theatre, Troupe, 1012 N. Orange Ave. Tickets: $27 Info: WestcoastBlackTheatre.org

FRIDAY

ROBERT GARCIA

7 p.m. at Centennial Park, Venice Free Visit VisitVeniceFL.org.

Gather in Centennial Park for this free concert hosted by Venice MainStreet and sponsored by Neal Communities. Bring chairs or picnic blankets. No alcohol is permitted.

SATURDAY

SECOND SATURDAY

11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Creative Liberties, 927 N. Lime Ave. and 901B Apricot Ave. Free Visit CreativeLiberties.net.

Artists at art galleries such as Creative Liberties open their studios to the public on the Second Saturday of each month. A map of participating galleries can be found at SRQArtists.com. Please call ahead of time.

MIKE MCCARTHY

7 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd. Runs through Sept. 17 Tickets $25 Visit McCurdysComedy.com.

Dubbed the “Comedy Barbarian,” Mike McCarthy has a high-energy style that leaves audiences bouncing off the walls and gasping for breath.

Courtesy Photo

YOUR NEIGHBORS

Storied past, bright future

The 75th Annual Labor Day Regatta drew young sailors and experienced racers from across the state.

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

Mark Liebel first sailed with the Sarasota Sailing Squadron in 1981, after his family moved to the area from Cincinnati when he was 9 years old.

Soon, he was headed into the water for his first Annual Labor Day Regatta.

“I loved it so much, I never stopped,” he said.

For the past 10 years, including at the 75th Annual Labor Day Regatta the weekend of Sept. 2-3, he has served as principal race officer, supervising the race courses at the event.

Over time, he has seen the regatta evolve into a more youth-oriented event, a change he said shows that the sport is being passed on to the next generation.

“Not only does it bring back memories, it’s just great to see the youth in the sport,” he said. “They’re the future of the sport. The more youth we can get out on water, the better the chance the sport has to survive.”

Liebel said the event was one of the biggest in recent history. It drew about 175 sailors from organizations including the sailing squadron, the Sarasota Yacht Club and the Davis Island Race Team in Tampa.

The young participants, who had the chance to pilot their boats in Sarasota Bay, said they were also enjoying what sailing had to offer.

Thirteen-year-old Coco Claypoole of Longboat Key began sailing at age 7 and now belongs to the Red fleet of the Optimist RWB fleets at Sarasota Youth Sailing, a nonprofit organization that provides coaching and instruction for young sailors at the Sarasota Sailing Squadron.

Claypoole said she enjoyed the sport from the time she first started alongside her brother, Brice Claypoole. She grew to enjoy it more and more as she improved. It even resulted in her mother, Ali Claypoole, taking up sailing as well.

“I just enjoy being in my own boat and being in control of the boat,” she said, adding that she sees herself continuing to sail into the future.

Everett Vaughan, 10, of Sarasota began sailing after he was inspired by his brother, Sam Vaughn, and currently belongs to the entry-level Optimist Green fleet of Sarasota

Youth Sailing. When he started the sport, which he has practiced for about three years while taking a break at one point, he found it difficult, especially as the boat rocked considerably.

“It was difficult, and then easy, and then difficult,” he said.

As he mastered the skills his feelings began to change, however.

One of his favorite aspects of the sport has always been the speed involved, something that becomes important during a regatta.

“Sailing is fun because you get to be on the water, and then regattas are fun because it’s a challenge against other people, he said.

He said he would advise others to try Sarasota Youth Sailing as well.

“Do SYS — it’s better than anything,” he said.  “A lot of it is just the camaraderie about the people. I love the fact that it’s you trying to figure out Mother Nature, which you’re always going to lose. You just try your best. It’s always a challenge, no matter if we’re running races or sailing.”

Regatta Chair Dave Hillmyer said on Saturday that the event was proceeding smoothly.

“It’s really great conditions today,” he said. “You look around and see everyone having a good time. Everyone just goes with the flow. It’s a good vibe.”

TOP FINISHERS

According to the Sarasota Sailing Squadron website, this information is subject to modification.

Optimist Green (37 boats)

1. Kamila Murray, Naples Community Sailing Center

2. Edmund Rutledge, Lauderdale Yacht Club

3. Christian Woodward, Naples Community Sailing Center

Optimist RWB (42 boats)

1. Eddie Miersch (Blue), Sarasota Yacht Club

2. Griffin Roberts (Red), Sarasota Yacht Club

3. Benjamin Dreyfuss (Red), Sarasota Youth Sailing Club 420 (26 boats)

1. Ian Richardson / Blake Vincent, Davis Island

Race Team

2. Curt Wheeler / Brynn DeJongh, Sarasota Yacht Club

3. Mary Katherine Monahan / McRae Busey, Florida Yacht Club

International Laser Class Association (ILCA) 4 (9 boats)

1. Jackson Wilcox, Sarasota Sailing Squadron

2. Sophia Woodbury, Sarasota Youth Sailing

3. Olivia Castaldi, SopraVentus

International Laser Class Association (ILCA) 6 (13 boats)

1. Jackson Bjorklund, Sarasota Youth Sailing

2. Jan Mistak St., St. Petersburg Yacht Club

3. Jason Folvig, Sarasota Sailing Squadron

International Laser Class Association (ILCA) 7 (10 boats)

1. Callen Burnett, St. Petersburg Yacht Club

2. Morgan Smith, Sarasota Youth Sailing

3. Preston Weaver, St. Petersburg Yacht Club

For full details, visit RegattaNetwork.com/ Event26192.

Photos by Ian Swaby

Tristan Lovell (Optimist RWB — Blue) of Davis Island Race Team, Piper Roberts (Optimist RWB — White) of Sarasota Yacht Club and Ryan Rossignol (Optimist RWB — Red of Sarasota Youth Sailing) race downwind.

Cahan Raymond and Nils Wheeler of Sarasota Yacht Club sail a Club 420.

Jackson Bjorklund, of Sarasota Youth Sailing, sails in a Laser.

“They’re the future of the sport. The more youth we can get out on water, the better the chance the sport has to survive.”

— Mark Liebel, PRO

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Tradition of remembrance

Reed Savidge at the hardware store, the residents and Chamber members and the town which puts them out,” said Loefgren.

PETRA RIVERA

STAFF WRITER

In 2002, the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce organized a ceremony to pay tribute to those who died during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

People gathered in Joan M. Durante Park with first responders and rang a bell, just as millions were doing across the country.

As the date approached in 2003, Chamber President Gail Loefgren thought to herself, “How could we make this a more unique experience on Longboat Key to honor the lives that passed on 9/11?”

Originally, she wanted to bring 2,000 large American flags to the ceremony in Joan M. Durante Park. When she realized that wasn’t possible, she went to the Chamber board and pitched the idea of putting small flags alongside the entirety of Gulf of Mexico Drive.

“It is a huge partnership between

With donations from Chamber members and Longboat residents, Loefgren bought 2,974 flags from Savidge at Longboat ACE Hardware, who gave her a deal of $1 per flag. The Longboat Key Public Works Department places the flags along Gulf of Mexico Drive every year.

“In 2001, we said we would never forget, and so far, we have not,” said Loefgren. “It’s uplifting to the community that we put those out every year. It means a lot to people who are just driving through as well. It surprises them. I think it tells them who we are.”

This year, employees from the Public Works Department will start placing the flags Sept. 9-10, according to Loefgren.

She said that since this has been a memorial for so many years, the Longboat ACE Hardware gives them any new flags that they need for free.

“It’s the generosity that warms my heart that so many people care enough and they still care,” said Loefgren. “We get lots of comments every year when those flags go up about what a wonderful memorial it is. And I just hope that we keep doing it forever.”

Nearly 3,000 flags will be placed along GMD in remembrance of those who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Key to Idalia? Preparation

Business owners took steps to prep for Idalia’s threat and avoided widespread damage.

PETRA RIVERA STAFF WRITER

Bare sidewalks, empty parking spots and few cars.

That was the atmosphere on St. Armands Circle the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 29, with Hurricane Idalia approaching the Gulf Coast.

Sandbags laid in front of windows and doors. Cafe L’Europe and Shore boarded up their windows.

“I was just telling my family that all the tables and chairs are gone,” said Liliane Kaufman. “The Circle is empty. It’s eerie. I don’t know what to expect. I am hoping for the least possible damage.”

The few people remaining on St. Armands and Longboat were mostly business owners and people readying to leave the island because of the evacuation orders Manatee and Sarasota counties issued for the entire Key that same morning.

A handful of people went to Lido Beach in the morning and were in the water.

Kelley Villela said she wasn’t here

for the last hurricane, but she wanted to soak up the beach before she would be in the house for the next couple days. She also pointed to the number of people coming out to Lido to surf and who would probably be there until around 1 p.m.

John Holcomb was filling up his gas tank on his way out of Longboat.

“Anytime they tell me to leave, I leave. We have some people who stayed for Hurricane Ian, and they told me the whole building was like moving. They said, ‘We’re not staying again.’”

The Sarasota Sailing Squadron saw many boats taken home that day.

“It’s been my opinion that I didn’t think it’s gonna be that bad,” said Bill Ferris, a member of Sarasota Sailing Squadron. “And I still believe that. It seems to be going north. But you know what? What are you gonna do? You can’t change nature. You just have to be super prepared for these things and that’s what we are doing.”

WATER CAN BE CLEANED

Ferris was proved right. The Circle was flooded, which caused some water damage, but overall, business owners were relieved with how things turned out. This was thanks to the extensive preparations done.

Businesses on St. Armands Circle spent the morning of Aug. 31 assess-

ing the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia. The flood was different for every business depending on if it was on high ground or not.

“This was definitely much more water than Hurricane Ian,” said Becki Westbrook from Gauthier Salon and Wellness Spa. “We had more trees fall down and wind with Ian. But I heard that the king tide and blue moon together made this surge worse.”

Most shops reopened to the public in the morning after cleaning and drying their businesses. They put their outdoor furniture back out and cleaned the sidewalks.

It was a team effort to get everything back to normal. Some places such as Cafe L’Europe hired restoration specialists to make the process easier.

All businesses on the Circle were

up and running by Sept. 1 and ready for Labor Day weekend.

“Water can be cleaned,” said Rachel Burns from the St. Armands Circle Association. “That’s why when I was messaging and talking to merchants from the area, everybody was just so thankful because from what we could see it was just water.”

All are welcome at All Angels no exceptions

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

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

• Discussion Groups on Tue & Wed at 10 a.m. 563 Bay Isles Rd • 941-383-8161 AllAngelsLBK.org

Worship With Us At Our Church Sunday Ser vice 10:00 AM

The Rev Dr Nor man Pritchard

Men’s Bible Study: Monday @ 9:00

Women’s Bible Study: Wednesday @ 10:00

Visitors & Residents Welcome Watch Our 10:00 AM Ser vice Live: www bit ly/cclbksermons or www christchurchof lbk org (follow YouTube link)

YouTube link)

Summer Worship Sundays at 10:00am Sunday Coffee Hour at 9:00am All Are Welcome!

To learn more about our Temple and all our educational, cultural, and social programs, please

Petra Rivera

Burak Sunani, Jonathan Zambella (standing), Rafael Niccio and Jose Vaquez of Venezia Italian Restaurant

ACTIVE LISTINGS

PRICE

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3060 GRAND BAY BLVD. #126 | 3 FULL BR/3.5BA | 2,925 SF

Protected South Side Location in Bldg. I | 10 FT Ceilings | 2 Side-by-Side Parking Spaces with EV Charging Station

Open Kitchen & Views Spanning Over the LBKC Golf Course, Sarasota Bay & Downtown Skyline | Pet-Friendly Community

LISTING

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NEW CONSTRUCTION

SOTA RESIDENCES & HOTEL

Set privately above the hotel, 35 spacious residences pair stylish city living with the luxury of serviced simplicity. An iconic modern design by the renowned Hoyt Architects of Sarasota is paired with innovative interiors by the visionary firm Andre Kikoski Architect from New York City. Flow-through residences feature airy, light-filled interiors and spacious terraces overlooking the downtown skyline and streetscape below. Residences from $1.8 million.

PENINSULA

GOLDEN GATE POINT

Construction is underway on Golden Gate Point as the Gault Family Companies has officially broken ground on Peninsula Sarasota, a 23-unit luxury condominium development at 223 and 283 Golden Gate Point. Units in the two mid-rise towers are priced from $2.6 million. The three-bedroom floor plans, and three-bedroom with den floor plans range from 2,400 to more than 3,000 square feet.

ROSEWOOD - LIDO KEY

This 65-unit property is a collaboration between Rosewood Hotels & Resorts & Naplesbased Ronto Group, & is Rosewood’s first all-residential development. Scheduled for completion in 2025. Situated on 3.5 miles of Gulf-front property. Swedroe Architecture, with interiors by Lillian Wu Studio. Each condo will offer sweeping water views; on the ground floor, residents will have access to Rosewoodserviced amenities. Units range from 3,3005,000 SF & prices start in the high $5 millions.

Your Dreams

Labor Day celebration dedication

It was all smiles for the long weekend at Longboat Island Chapel.

After their Sunday 10 a.m. service, chapel members were invited to enjoy each other’s company to celebrate Labor Day on Sept. 3.

This brunch was dedicated to Helen Schaefer, a beloved member of the chapel and a committed office volunteer, who recently died.

Val Evanko, chapel event chair, hosted the event. She decorated with American colors, as well as putting different tools on the tables representing different jobs in the workforce. To make it an interactive event, she made a trivia game based on the history of the holiday.

Most chapel members said their favorite part of these events, other than the community, is the food.

Chef David Stone did not disappoint. He served French toast, eggs Benedict, bacon and fruit.

Every member was smiling thanks to Stone’s food and mimosas and the laughs they were sharing around their tables.

On the way out, Evanko and Karen Pashkow were already tossing out ideas for their next party.

— PETRA RIVERA

Photos by Petra Rivera

Bruce Schaefer and Jean Hanna take in the food selections at the Labor Day brunch.

Anne Summers, Val Evanko, Sandra Johnson, Karen Pashkow, Vickie Van Meier, David Stone and Lois Shuck

Dia Wilson and Elizabeth Nichols

Reid MuRphy PResents

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Tramonto Estates home tops sales at $9.45 million

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

Ahome in Tramonto Estates tops all transactions in this week’s real estate.

Todd Lee Borck, trustee, of Winter Park, sold the home at 6877 Gulf of Mexico Drive to 6877 Gulf of Mexico LLC for $9.45 million. Built in 1998, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 4,820 square feet of living area. It sold for $4.8 million in 2021.

LONGBEACH

George and Ellen Featherstone, of Sarasota, sold their home at 718 Linley St. to Franklin Keith Ekenseair and Tammy Lisko, of Longboat Key, for $2,925,000. Built in 1994, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,101 square feet of living area. It sold for $710,000 in 2013.

COUNTRY CLUB SHORES

Daniel Lee Duenkel and Alexandra Marie Duenkel, of Longboat Key, sold their home at 595 Bowsprit Lane to Bernard and Paula Ilkhanoff, of Lititz, Pennsylvania, for $2,875,000. Built in 1966, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,550 square feet of living area. It sold for $2.35 million in 2021.

TIFFANY PLAZA

Wesley James Begg, of Ontario, Canada, sold the Unit 305 condominium at 4325 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Benjamin Goldman and Sara Brownstein Goldman, of Locust Valley, New York, for $927,000. Built in 1975, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,336 square feet of living area. It sold for $297,000 in 2017.

WINDWARD BAY

Michael Summers, of Winter Haven, sold his Unit 1-V-11-C condominium at 4710 Gulf of Mexico Drive to William Hall, of St. Augustine, for $400,000. Built in 1974, it has one bedroom, one bath and 812 square feet of living area. It sold for $215,000 in 2017.

TOP BUILDING PERMITS

Photos courtesy of David Liberatore

Todd Lee Borck, trustee, of Winter Park, sold the home at 6877 Gulf of Mexico Drive to 6877 Gulf of Mexico LLC for $9.45 million.

YOUR CALENDAR

3-5:30 p.m. matinee or 7-9:30 p.m. at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway. $12 for Mote members; $15 for nonmembers. View a selection of imaginative, inspiring and award-winning films presented in partnership with the International Ocean Film Festival. Doors will open 30 minutes prior to the showing and concessions will be available for purchase. Both showings take place in the WAVE Center attached to Mote Aquarium. Buy tickets online at Mote.org/events.

RECURRING EVENTS

MONDAYS STRETCH AND STRENGTHEN

From 10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. 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 383-6493.

MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS LORD’S WAREHOUSE THRIFT STORE

The thrift store will be closed for the month of September. 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 Cen-

SATURDAY, SEPT. 9

EXOTIC CARS ON THE CIRCLE

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Armands Circle Park, 1 St. Armands Circle. View exotic supercars during this free event. All proceeds benefit Flight to the North Pole, a charity that provides financial and emotional support to terminally ill children and their families in Sarasota and Manatee counties. For more information, call Joe Gliksman at 863-8601053.

ter, 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. Debby 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.

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OR THEREABOUTS by Zachary David Levy and Katie Hale, edited by Jeff Chen

By Luis Campos

Boat Slips

ROGER SELLS LUXURY WATERFRONT PROPERTIES

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

A newer gem completed in 2020, this luxurious 5BR home, offered turnkey furnished, is a rare find that invites you to immediately immerse yourself in the lap of waterfront luxury. Enjoying the Gulf’s gentle waves is just the beginning of what this remarkable retreat has to offer. Crafted with precision and built by Eason Home Builders, this home seamlessly blends modern innovation with the allure of West Indies-inspired architecture. The result is a masterpiece that stands as a testament to lavish living directly on the Gulf of Mexico. www.BonaireLBK3.com

$12,000,000

1105

3040 GRAND BAY BOULEVARD #251

This bayfront 5th-floor Antigua at Grand Bay offers 3,000 SF, and is ready for you to make your own. One of the largest floor plans in the community, these true 3BRs are rare. Includes 2 covered parking spaces and additional storage. www.GrandBay251.com

$1,999,000

201

The walkable location of this St. Armands homesite will immediately draw you in, offering an oversized, 1/4-acre lot for you to design your dream home. The best of Sarasota is a sunny bike ride away. www.201NorthWashington.com

$2,195,000

816

QUEEN WAY Turnkey furnished! This lovely 3BR waterfront on Longboat Key is ready to enjoy! You will love the deeded beach access and easy boating access to Sarasota Bay.

www.816JungleQueenWay.com

$1,599,000

Beautiful, lush views of the Gulf are the perfect backdrop at this true 3BR, 4thfloor residence at Beachplace. Situated in a corner location, with beach and bay terraces. Covered parking included!

www.Beachplace5404.com

$1,395,000

4525

This furnished, direct Gulf-front residence is bathed in natural light. Offering a blend of comfort and relaxation, this 4th-floor retreat is an opportunity to relish inspiring beach and sunset views from every room.

www.TheCastillian404.com

$999,000

is in a central location. You’ll feel right at home with its contemporary 2BR plus bonus room design and move-in ready condition.

GULF OF MEXICO DRIVE #404

GULF OF MEXICO DRIVE #5-404

NORTH WASHINGTON DRIVE

JUNGLE

1211 GULF OF MEXICO DRIVE #802 Embrace the

5005 GULF OF MEXICO DRIVE #3