Longboat Observer 4.18.24

Dolphin in distress

The “dolphin in distress” that appeared in last week’s edition of the Longboat Observer Cop’s Corner swam away with a clean bill of health.

According to Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission received a call on March 29 about the dolphin stranded on Long Bar and forwarded the call to Mote’s Strandings Investigation Program. Longboat Key Police marine patrol assisted in transporting a team of Mote crew members to the scene and arrived around 11:55 a.m.

The female dolphin was alert while the Mote team conducted an assessment, which showed the dolphin was breathing fine and had a healthy heartbeat.

Mote crew consulted with colleagues at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Clearwater Marine Aquarium and concluded the dolphin was young and tidally stranded.

She was released around 12:30 p.m.

Staff later saw her swimming and feeding or playing.

Sidewalks closed

Sidewalk repairs and general maintenance work has begun around St. Armands Circle, prompting the closure of St. Armands Circle Park, the city of Sarasota Parks and Recreation Department announced April 12.

Repairs are being made to damaged sidewalks around the park. The park is expected to reopen the week of April 22, barring any weather-related delays, according to a post on the Parks and Recreation Department’s Facebook page.

The repairs should be completed before the St. Armands Art Festival and Sidewalk Sale set for May 4-5.

Courtesy image

A photo of the dolphin evaluated on March 29 by Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium staff.

Sailors of the Sarasota Bay Cup ‘anchor in friendship’ at Bird Key Yacht Club. SEE PAGE 22

Get smart

Cameras around the island will give the town info on traffic counts and pedestrian safety, while also showing public beach conditions.

CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER

Can a city get smarter?

With the software available today, yes.

The town of Longboat Key will soon finalize both internal and public-facing software to implement smart city technologies.

As a part of its underground utilities project, the town decided to install a fiber optic network and remove itself from a wireless network. Switching to a private fiber optic network results in faster internet speeds and cost savings, since the town no longer has to pay for wireless service.

With a private fiber optic network, there were other opportunities the town wanted to take advantage of, according to Chief Information Officer Jason Keen.

“We originally wanted to do some type of smart city pilot to kind of explore what opportunities the town would have, especially with the fiber undergrounding,” Keen said.

This led to the decision to embark on a three-year pilot study to implement several smart city technologies. Three companies are on board for the project: vTECH io, EPIC iO and Dell.

First is a pedestrian safety sensor installed at the crosswalk next to Bayfront Park, which leads to the public beach access.

The camera captures footage that can be used to analyze how effectively cars and pedestrians interact at the crosswalk, including rates of near misses with cars. If the analysis goes well, Keen said this may expand to other crosswalks in the town.

There are two other cameras in the

Bayfront Park area, one of which is pointed at the public beach.  It won’t capture you getting a tan, but it will show beach and water conditions.

Similarly, a camera is located near the center of Bayfront Park and looks out onto the bay side to capture bay conditions.

Keen said he’s working with the software developers to ensure the public’s privacy before fully implementing these two cameras. The feeds will be available to the public.

“They’re going to be adding facial filters on there so that way, if it does catch anybody, it adds that layer of privacy,” Keen said.  The last smart city tech has to do with cameras mounted at either end of the island, above the existing license plate readers used by the Longboat Key Police Department.  “What we want to know is what type of vehicles are coming on the island, how many, trying to get more accurate traffic counts,” Keen said. “And then we’ll try to be proactive with car carriers.”

“What we want to know is what type of vehicles are coming on the island, how many, trying to get more accurate traffic counts. And then we’ll try to be proactive with car carriers.”

— Jason Keen, Longboat Key CIO

Analyzing data captured from these cameras will give the police a better idea of when car carriers are likely to be on the island.

This project was about a year and a half of work, according to Keen. The biggest challenge, he said, was getting all the infrastructure in place with the undergrounding project.

In nearby municipalities, smart city technology isn’t commonplace yet. Keen said he’s only heard about similar beach condition technology in Sarasota County.

FUTURE POSSIBILITIES

The beach and bay condition cameras could prove useful in more ways.

Keen said he wants to look into possible software that could be used in red tide monitoring.

With regards to the cameras on the north and south end, Keen said the possibility exists to make those public-facing in the future. That way, residents could take a look at the traffic status on either end to see how backed up it is.

Additionally, he believes that other sensors could be implemented in low-lying areas to record data on flooding and water levels.

An air quality sensor was also supposed to be included in the pilot study, but that’s one piece the town hasn’t seen yet, Keen said.

At the April 15 Town Commission strategic planning retreat, Town Manager Howard Tipton talked with commissioners about the technology and added that the town will soon pursue electronic messaging boards for both the north and south ends.

“We’ll take a look and see how we want to move forward with that, that’s all part of that smart city infrastructure,” Tipton said.

For now, though, Keen said he hopes to have the public-facing beach and bay condition cameras ready for viewing by the end of May at the latest, pending some software finalization.

Carter Weinhofer

A new town street light pole near Bayfront Park is outfitted with smart city cameras to show beach conditions and analyze pedestrian safety.

PROTECTORS OF THE SAND

How man-made beach groins preserve Longboat Key’s beaches.

Enjoy being able to walk along the north end beach of Longboat Key? Man-made beach groins are probably to thank for that.

Beach structures, like groins, are commonly used to build up and maintain sand on beaches. On Longboat Key, groins play important roles in making sure the beaches are preserved.

“Jetties and groins are built perpendicular to the shore to block the movement of sediment along the shore, hold back currents, protect areas from wave forces, guide sand movement and maintain navigation depth,” according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

But Assistant Director of Public Works Charlie Mopps said people often confuse groins and jetties.

Simply put, groins are structures that hold sand in place, whereas jetties maintain a channel’s alignment.  Groins are usually built perpendicular to a shoreline. These structures are then able to slow down sediment naturally carried down the shoreline by waves and also protect areas from wave impacts, according to FEMA.

The north end has a groin field of seven groins, five rock groins and two permeable adjustable groins, which are made of concrete.

The PAGs are low-profile and mostly buried, Mopps said. That’s because most of the time the PAGs are collecting so much sand that you can’t see them.

“They’re designed to be very unobtrusive,” Mopps said. “They still allow some sand to bypass around them and through them, which is what you kind of want.”

The two PAGs were constructed in 2014 for a cost of $2.1 million.

Before the town’s 2016 beach nour ishment, the north end beach was eroded and needed sand, according to Mopps.

That project wrapped up in early 2017 and gave the north end some sand to work with. But by the end of that year, storm events wiped out most of the sand that was placed there just a year prior.

Longboat Key voters approved a plan in 2020 for the town to borrow up to $34.5 million for the town’s comprehensive beach management plan. Of that, about $10 million was used for installing the five groins.

Fast forward to 2021, when the town embarked on a major beach nourishment project that included the installation of the existing groin field on the north end.

Now, after two storm seasons, the latest of which included Hurricane Idalia’s storm surge, Mopps said the groins are doing what they’re sup posed to.

“They’re really doing a bang-up job on keeping things where we want them,” Mopps said.

GROIN CONSTRUCTION

Mopps said the price of a groin is hard to estimate since there isn’t a “one-size-fits-all.” Each groin is constructed differently and needs a different amount of materials.

“Typically when you build a groin, you start with what’s called a mattress, which is a rock-filled geogrid structure, and that becomes the base,” Mopps said.

On top of that are armoring stones, usually the large stones someone pictures when thinking of a rock groin.

“The reason why you have to create the mattress is so that those armoring stones don’t just dig themselves into sand,” Mopps said. “They stay at the elevation that your engineering study tells you is the best elevation

because it is taller. That’s because the New Pass Groin is so close to New Pass, and having it be higher maintains sand better and doesn’t allow much sand to pass through.

The project took about four months to complete after it was implemented in November 2023.

The New Pass Groin was initially installed in the 1970s and repaired previously in 1998.

Sea & Shoreline LLC was one of the partners on the project, and installed 1,500 square yards of geotextile material and 710 square yards of geogrid material, which is similar to what Mopps referred to when describing the “mattress.”

There was also a total of 160 tons of underlayer stone and 150 tons of armoring stone installed in the recent tightening of the New Pass Groin. This project was the last one included in the town’s comprehensive beach management plan.

for that structure.”

In between the larger stones, bedding stones are placed. The density of these smaller rocks is also dependent on engineering studies, according to Mopps.

All of the materials also need to take into account the various conditions that the structures may face, like hurricanes and storm surge. That requires different sizes and densities, which also makes it hard to determine a uniform cost for groins.

Through studies before a groin is designed, aspects like wind and wave design can help engineers determine what happens in different scenarios.

“It takes some pretty big brains with a lot of computer power to come up with what the right solution looks like,” Mopps said.

Mopps described a process that the groin field went through to change design a couple of times to get the product seen today — structures that keep sand on the shoreline but also promote nourishment and natural bypass.

CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER

Rescue mission: Sawfish

After a multihour rescue effort, a sawfish receives critical care at Mote’s Sarasota campus.

On April 11, a smalltooth sawfish arrived at Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium in Sarasota, making it the first of its species rescued from the Florida Keys.

“This is the first time, to the best of my knowledge, that a smalltooth sawfish has been successfully rescued and has gotten to this point,” Mote President and CEO Michael Crosby said.

Mote — along with organizations like the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — have been monitoring abnormal behavior with dozens of species in the Florida Keys, according to Crosby.

“This was an alarming situation for Mote Marine Laboratory scientists as well as scientists at many different institutions and agencies,” Crosby said.

The FWC and NOAA asked Mote to come on board as a part of this partnership to look closer at the smalltooth sawfish, which is classified as a critically endangered species.

The organizations recently began rescue operations of smalltooth sawfish, when necessary, with the hope of rehabilitating and releasing the animals at some point. Mote offered the use of all its facilities across nine campuses, including a location in the Keys.

On April 5, there was a report of a smalltooth sawfish in distress in Cudjoe Key. Scientists from Mote and FWC arrived on the scene and deemed the conditions appropriate for an attempted rescue, according to Crosby’s account.

A rescue of that magnitude takes

hours, Crosby said. It took about six crew members from Mote and FWC to contain the animal that’s more than 10 feet long.

Its rostrum is about three-four feet long and is the reason for the smalltooth sawfish’s name. Each side of the rostrum has about 22-29 sharp teeth.

“That is really a potentially deadly weapon,” Crosby said. “You have to approach the animal very, very carefully.”

The rescue team needed to approach the fish from all sides and hold it steady to contain the rostrum. Mote has skilled staff, but Crosby also recognized the “incredible” FWC staff members who specialize in animals like this.

The sawfish was placed on a boat and water would continuously flow onto its gills to keep it alive until the crew reached a temporary rehabilitation center provided by Mote.

From April 5-11, the sawfish remained in the temporary rehabilitation center in the Keys until

it was decided that the animal was stable enough to be transported to Sarasota. While in the Keys, scientists began taking blood and tissue samples, and began rehabilitation procedures.

The sawfish was loaded onto a specialized transport trailer provided by Ripley’s Aquariums Conservation Team, and scientists with Ripley’s monitored the animal’s condition throughout the drive.

On April 11, it was time to transport. The journey from Cudjoe Key is about 361 miles and could take a little over six hours.

REHAB AND POTENTIAL RELEASE

Though its condition is still critical, the animal is beginning to show signs of improvement. Crosby remained cautiously optimistic.

“While the animal has basically gone from an ICU kind of status to a critical care status, it is stabilized, it is swimming in its new facility now,” Crosby said.

Current treatments for the sawfish include things like fluids, antibiotics and lipids treatments to try to draw out any possible toxins.

The cause of all this is still unknown, Crosby said, and it may be awhile before any causative agent is definitively discovered. The abnormal behavior with many species in

the Keys could be related to toxins, parasites or something else, but Crosby said it’s important to maintain an open scientific approach during future research.

Rehabilitation of this critically endangered animal is intense.

“It’s important at least for the next several weeks that we have somebody there at all times and the appropriate staff on call at all times,” Crosby said.

That means there is a person with the sawfish 24/7 until it shows greater signs of recovery. Trained staff are there to observe the sawfish in case its condition changes, and there are other staff members on call to respond if necessary.

If the sawfish fully recovers, the release location would be up to the FWC, according to Crosby.

But for now, that timeline is undecided.

“Our goal is to do everything we possibly can to bring this animal back to health and return it back out to its own environment,” Crosby said.

Courtesy images

The rescued sawfish in one of Mote’s temporary holding tanks.

The rescued sawfish undergoes tests.

Funds to fix the flooding?

Roughly $2.6 million could be moved toward flood mitigation projects and may soon be a topic of consideration for Longboat Key commissioners.

Fixing flooding issues isn’t easy, nor

But some extra funds in the town’s budget could soon accelerate the design process.

At the commission’s April 15 strategic planning retreat, town commissioners discussed long-term planning as well as the challenges the island faces. Among those challenges, flooding remained a top priority to address.

“We’re a premier community. We want to make sure that we’re maintaining our infrastructure and that would be an opportunity to do so,”

Town Manager Howard Tipton said at the retreat.

The town is in the process of preparing for drainage improvement projects in three of the most lowlying areas in Longboat Key: Buttonwood, Sleepy Lagoon and the Village.

Common elements among the projects include increased road elevation and additional drainage structures like inlet drainage boxes.

The project closest to coming to fruition is Sleepy Lagoon, the first phase of which would be focused on Norton Street. The street is one of the lowestlying streets in town, with an elevation of 1.1 feet.

The issue now is funding.

The Sleepy Lagoon project now has an estimated cost of $8.5 million, Buttonwood is around $5 million and the Village project’s cost is still to be determined.

Tipton said staff hopes to cover most of those costs with grants with the Federal Emergency Management

Agency’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

The HMGP is set up for grants to assist in “rebuilding after a major disaster in a way that reduces future disaster losses” according to FEMA.

In this case, the town is applying for grants relating to Hurricanes Ian and Idalia.

For Buttonwood, a Hurricane Ian HMGP application was submitted for the amount of $3,635,594. Town staff is preparing a Hurricane Idalia grant application for $1 million.

A Hurricane Ian HMGP application is out for the Sleepy Lagoon project for $1,465,573. The project’s Hurricane Idalia HMGP application is in the works, for the amount of $791,173.

Though the Village’s project cost is still undecided, staff submitted a Hurricane Ian HMGP application for $2.8 million, and a Hurricane Idlia HMGP application for $500,000 is in the works.

“We actually feel, based on the discussions we’re having, that there’s some interest in funding us,” Tipton said.

“So that’s the good news. That’s the bulk of the money that we’ve applied for.”

Tipton also said that the grants applied for through the Hurricane Ian HMGP are far along in the grants process.

But the money from the grants wouldn’t completely cover the costs. That’s why Tipton brought up to commissioners a suggestion to reallocate extra funds.

There is about $2.6 million of Florida Power & Light funds that were earmarked for multipath lighting.

The money is currently in the Streets Fund, but Tipton said the commission could consider moving those funds to be used for designing some of the drainage projects ahead of receiving grant money.

“All of this to say that if resilience and flooding are our top priority, we’ve got some opportunities to put some resources, whether it’s grants or reallocating existing dollars, we’ve got some opportunities to really start

making some accelerated progress,” Tipton said.

Tipton said the idea behind this is that a project is usually more attractive to grant providers the closer it is to construction. By making these funds available, design could be moved closer and make the projects stand out more.

“And then if you agree at a future board meeting, we can talk about moving those dollars over into the street flooding redesigning program so that we can accelerate what we’re trying to do,” Tipton told commissioners.

At the retreat, commissioners weren’t opposed to the idea, but no voting could take place at that meeting.

WHAT’S NEXT?

The Norton Street project is the first to get started.

Representatives with KimleyHorn and the town met with residents during a public meeting on April 9, and a second meeting is

scheduled for July 29.

Plans for this project are expected to be completed around Nov. 5, and construction is estimated to start in March 2025.

Aside from the three problem areas —  Sleepy Lagoon, Buttonwood and the Village — Director of Public Works Isaac Brownman told commissioners there are a couple other spots on the island that could be the subject of future projects.

Those include Gulfside Road, St. Judes Drive and Dream Island Road.

For Gulfside Road, Brownman said the road frequently experiences drainage issues from excessive rainfall and storm surge. Some of the issues stem from how the road was built.

“It was platted a long time ago as an alley, a very tight alley,” Brownman said.

But as for the funding consideration for the three main projects, the decision will come before the commission in June.

Courtesy image Chris Udermann captured pictures of flooding in the Village following a weather event in April.

New restaurant on LBK to open in October

Lo’ Key Island Grille will emphasize a laid-back atmosphere while serving fresh seafood.

CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER

Lo’ Key Island Grille is coming soon, and Courtney Rossler, one of the owners, is looking forward to having a place of her own on Longboat Key.  Located at 5620 Gulf of Mexico Drive on the corner of Tarawitt Drive, the restaurant will give residents another dining option on Longboat Key, where there already exists a handful of well-established restaurants, Rossler said.

At Lo’ Key, Rossler said the atmosphere will be unique, offering a casual dining atmosphere where someone can also enjoy a local, fresh snapper meal.

But first she’ll need to bring some new life to the building, starting with an almost total reconstruction that kicked off at the start of March.

Construction and acquisition of a

certificate of occupancy should be complete around August.

The restaurant’s opening is planned for October this year, according to Rossler. Holliday Construction Group is the general contractor for the restaurant and has been a great partner so far, Rossler said.

There are a lot of necessities, like putting on a new, hurricane-grade roof and raising the ceilings for a more open feel.

Still, she said when thinking about the reconstruction the goal was to fit in with Longboat Key. The flooring — a type that gives an “Old Florida” feel — is about the only remaining aspect of the old building, which was built in 1952.

Rossler’s business partner, Kevin Pass, bought the lot that will be Lo’ Key in May 2022 for $1.8 million. Before that, the pair were renting the front portion of the lot but later decided that the back half of the lot would be a more ideal location for a restaurant.

Lo’ Key will be 4,253 square feet with indoor space and patio seating totaling more than 80 seats.

Behind the restaurant is a grassy lot that leads to a canal in the back. The lot will be converted into park-

ing, which will allow for about 36 parking spaces, according to Rossler.

When Lo’ Key opens, Rossler said it will focus on dinner service, with proposed hours from 3-10 p.m. with a daily happy hour. The plan is to bring in lunch service seasonally. She hopes to also incorporate live music when possible.

Rossler has already hired a chef, and the two are collaborating on a menu. Though she didn’t want to give away too many details, she said there would be an emphasis on seafood, as local as possible.

Lo’ Key also has a full liquor license, and Rossler said she hopes the bar will be a place where people can get together to watch sports. Floor-to-ceiling doors will lead from the bar to the outdoor space to create an open concept.

In early 2022, the original plan for Lo’ Key to be a Tiki bar was denied by the Planning and Zoning Board. Rossler said those plans have been shelved, and she is now looking forward to the day when she can open the doors of Lo’ Key, now a more “quaint” spot.

“It’s finally coming to fruition,” Rossler said. “I’m really happy for the day that we can open our doors and welcome people in and give them an awesome experience.”

KEY CONNECTIONS

Rossler, a native Sarasota resident, said she’s always had an entrepreneurial spirit.

She also is no stranger to Longboat Key. Her most recent position was with Lazy Lobster, where she worked for 13 years.

“I can credit getting to this point to my mentor, Michael Garey,” Rossler said. “He basically gave me every opportunity within his establishment to take the experience I had and fine tune it … he was a wealth of information and knowledge.”

She started as a server until one day owner Garey put her behind the bar, she said. By the time she parted ways with Lazy Lobster, she was the head bartender.

Garey called Rossler a tremendous worker with a remarkable personality.

“Courtney is in a handful of the best people that have worked for me,” Garey said.

He said Rossler prepared for this opportunity for a long time, and he is excited for her taking on this venture. Garey is confident Rossler will be successful with Lo’ Key.

“I’m really excited to take what I have learned and put my own spin on things and offer something slightly different but still needed,” Rossler said.

Rossler said the experience she had at Lazy Lobster is what prepared her to take on this new venture.

The relationships she created while working at Lazy Lobster will be a valuable resource when starting her own restaurant.

“I don’t feel like I’m doing this alone,” Rossler said. “I feel like I have the support of this entire island. And so it’s very personal to me.”

“I don’t feel like I’m doing this alone. I feel like I have the support of this entire island. And so it’s very personal to me.”

Courtney

—

Rossler, co-owner

Photos by Carter Weinhofer

Lo’ Key Island Grille is expected to wrap up construction this summer and open its doors in October.

Crews with Holliday Construction Group work on the main restaurant space, which needed an almost complete remodel.

Will Florida go to pot?

Floridians likely will vote to legalize pot. Arguments on each side are persuasive.

As the social fabric of America has degenerated for the past 50 years, it certainly was inevitable that one day, Florida would join the growing crowd of states legalizing recreational marijuana.

That day will be Nov. 5, 2024, the day of national and state elections. You probably have heard the Florida Supreme Court last week approved the wording of a proposed amendment that will legalize recreational marijuana in Florida.

Consider it a fait accompli.

Unless there is an unforeseen tectonic shift in social mores in the next eight months — highly, highly unlikely — Floridians will approve Amendment 3 in the November elections. Here’s a good indicator of why that is so: In 2016, a resounding 73% of Florida voters approved an amendment legalizing medical marijuana.

It was just a matter of time.

The tide is strong. Going into the November elections, 24 states already have legalized recreational marijuana. What’s more, Pew Research Center reported that in a 2022 survey, “88% of U.S. adults said marijuana should be legal, either for recreational and medical use (59%) or for medical use only (30%).

You can understand Americans’ thinking. Many in the generation that brought marijuana out in the open — baby boomers — have been living recreationally stoned for decades. And they let it spread.

The logic is there, too: Why do we legalize alcohol use and not marijuana, when alcohol is often as insidious of a drug addiction, if not worse, as is marijuana?

What’s more, there is also the logical argument that criminalizing marijuana and other drug use results in the unnecessary destruction of lives and, worse, the unnecessary deaths of thousands of people because of the black-market world of the drug cartels.

As the late Milton Friedman explained in a 1991 interview, the way the U.S. and state governments have approached the war on drugs has been immoral: “I have estimated statistically that the prohibition of drugs produces, on the average, 10,000 homicides a year. It’s a moral problem that the government is going around killing 10,000 people. It’s a moral problem that the government is making into criminals people who may be doing something you and I don’t approve of, but who are doing something that hurts nobody else.”

In that interview, Friedman makes a convincing, logical, moral case for the legalization of drugs (see: Ukcia.org/Research/Argue/ Milton.htm).

But, as always, there are at least two sides to every story. You should read the accompanying story from the Western Journal about Colorado’s decade-long experience with legalized recreational marijuana. Friedman and other libertarian thinkers say, in effect, the pot smokers and users are hurting no one else but themselves. And yet, as this story documents, there are plenty of Coloradans who would argue otherwise.

As we approach the November elections, we’ll publish more on the pros and cons of legalizing marijuana so that when you fill in the bubbles on your ballot, you will make an informed decision on how you want the future of Florida to be.

Colorado’s decade of marijuana … The results? Tragic in many ways

The following appeared in the Western Journal Feb. 28. Reprinted with permission.

RANDY DESOTO THE WESTERN JOURNAL

It has been 10 years since Colorado became the first state in the country to legalize marijuana for “recreational use” and opened its weed markets. The impact in many ways has been devastating.

The undeniable consequences have included increased traffic accidents and fatalities, as well as a significant rise in marijuanarelated hospitalizations and underage use of the drug. Meanwhile, so many of the benefits supporters promised would come with legalizing cannabis have failed to materialize.

Then there’s just the sad degradation in the quality of life in Colorado that has accompanied the growth of weed culture.

Rachael Stafford, a longtime Colorado resident and entrepreneur, lamented in an interview with The Western Journal that the state’s entire identity has been transformed.

“We were known as the great outdoors state — beautiful mountains, recreation, rafting, skiing, the Olympics. And now, all of a sudden, it’s like we’re the pot state,” she said.

Stafford said that when she takes her son to and from school every morning and afternoon, “there are particular areas that you pull up to in the car, and it just reeks. … Several intersections are known for that.”

Deon Greenwood, a pastor and father of nine living in Colorado Springs, agreed, saying, “We were recently driving (when) suddenly our whole car was filled with the smoke and smell of marijuana. And everybody in the car had something to say about it. So it is literally in your face every day, regardless if I choose it or not.

“Every single time we drive and you see these intoxicated people on the side of the road … it’s a teachable moment for our kids,” Greenwood said.

Stafford recounted that eventually she had to have the marijuana talk with her son, now a teenager.

“And these are conversations I just didn’t think we’d have to have in our car at an intersection,” she said. “You’re trying to explain that while it might be legal … anything you use in excess is going to cause issues.”

TRAGEDY ON THE ROAD

One of those issues can definitely be seen on Colorado’s roadways.

The state’s injury crash rate went up 17.8% from 2009 to 2019, according to a 2022 study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

There were also significant increases in Washington (8.4%), Oregon (9.2%) and California (5.7%) after these states followed Colorado’s lead and legalized marijuana. In Colorado, the share of traffic deaths involving drivers who tested positive for marijuana went from 11% in 2013 to 21% in 2020, accord-

It’s very pervasive.”

The Rocky Mountain HIDTA study found that those 12 and above who reported using pot in the previous 30 days increased 26% from 2013 to 2020, and was 61% higher than the national average. For those ages 12 to 17, the rate was 39% higher than the national average.

Anecdotally, Greenwood told The Western Journal that children are being harmed by adult marijuana use as well.

He and his wife are raising two foster children taken from their parents due to pot abuse.

“We got them at the end of 2022 because of neglect. What was the cause of that neglect? Marijuana. So both spaced out on drugs. They neglected to give care to a 1-yearold and a 3-year-old at the time,” the pastor said. “The state found them unfit and removed the kids,” Greenwood said, and yet “they validate the (addicted) parents by legalizing a substance that is causing them to lose their rights over the children.”

ing to a Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area report published in 2021. There were a total of 622 deaths in 2020 compared to 481 in 2013.

And the problem is going nationwide now that two dozen states have legalized cannabis.

The Wall Street Journal reported, “The percentage of motor-vehicle crash fatalities involving cannabis rose to 21.5% in 2018 from 9% in 2000, according to a 2021 study in the American Journal of Public Health.”

“It’s a big concern,” said Jane Metrik, a professor at the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies at the Brown University School of Public Health. “There’s more people on the roads driving after they used cannabis or as they’re smoking or vaping.”

Many marijuana users apparently do not recognize the lasting effects the substance has on them when it comes to driving safely. THC stays in the bloodstream much longer than alcohol.

“The drug affects your ability to maintain position in a lane, reaction time, following distance and overall judgment,” Metrik said. Cannabis also reduces the user’s ability to perform multiple tasks at the same time, such as paying attention to both the road and the car’s dashboard.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Psychiatry asked nearly 200 participants to smoke THC or use a placebo and then compared their driving in a simulator after they felt they were OK to drive.

While nearly 70% of the cannabis group thought they were ready to drive after 90 minutes, approximately half of them were classified as impaired when compared to the placebo group.

“A lack of insight regarding driving impairments, particularly at 90 minutes, is of concern, given that users will likely self-evaluate when they feel safe to drive,” the study said.

The researchers added that “although performance was improving at 3.5 hours, recovery was not fully seen until 4.5 hours (post-smoking).”

Stafford told The Western Journal that instances of people driving badly have increased since marijuana legalization.

“We as general drivers have definitely noticed a marked increase in just what I would call distracted drivers and lots of red light running and, you know, just changing lanes without signaling or looking just overall kind of (high),” she said.

“We don’t know what the person’s doing, but we have definitely thought, ‘That person’s probably high,’” Stafford said. “I have no basis in fact whether they’re high or not. But that has become a very common phrase: ‘They’re high.’”

KIDS IMPACTED BY POT

Beyond impaired driving, Stafford told The Western Journal that she is concerned about her son’s exposure to marijuana.

“As a mother, it’s extremely concerning,” she said. “It’s not just isolated to certain parts of town. …

“It’s a vicious cycle,” Greenwood added. “The kids are the ultimate payers of this price in the face of the decisions that parents make. And the law empowers them to do it.”

EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS UP

The number of emergency room visits in Colorado due to acute marijuana intoxication has increased significantly since legalization. Emergency department visits “nearly doubled after the legalization of recreational marijuana (22 per 100,00 ED visits in 2010 to 2013 versus 38 per 100,000 ED visits from January to June of 2014),” according to a 2016 report published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.

“The prevalence of hospitalizations for marijuana exposure in patients aged 9 years and older” almost doubled as well.

The report noted that “these findings may be limited because of stigma surrounding disclosure of marijuana use in the prelegalization era. However, this same trend is reflected in the number of civilian calls to the Colorado poison control center.”

The authors explained that the symptoms of acute marijuana intoxication are cardiovascular — such as tachycardia (rapid heart rate) and hypertension (high blood pressure) — as well as gastrointestinal and can include agitation, psychosis or anxiety.

BENEFITS PROVING ILLUSORY

One of the major selling points for legalizing marijuana was that it would eliminate the illicit activity that surrounds illegal drug trafficking. But that has certainly not been the case.

The Denver Post reported in 2019 that federal and local law enforcement had conducted “the largest pot bust in Colorado history,” with raids of 250 homes and businesses, dozens of arrests and more than 80,000 marijuana plants seized. A drug ring had been operating throughout the metro Denver area to the tune of millions of dollars in sales. The money was laundered through family restaurants by multiple Chinese drug trafficking organizations, according to another Post report. “Colorado has become the epicenter of black market marijuana in the United States,” U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn said at the time. “This investigation may be just the tip of the iceberg.”

The Rocky Mountain HIDTA report noted that the tax boon that legal marijuana was supposed to produce has not really panned out either.

“Marijuana tax revenue represent approximately 0.98% of Colorado’s (fiscal year) 2020 budget,” the report said. That amounted to $319 million of the $32.5 billion budget.

So the legalization of marijuana in Colorado has come with serious downsides, and the promised benefits have failed to play out.

“It doesn’t seem to have solved anything,” Stafford said. “And it seems to have created a lot more issues that nobody really seems to have answers for.”

MATT WALSH

Image courtesy of Colorado Springs Gazette

Recreational marijuana jars sold in designated marijuana stores in Denver.

MY VIEW

Sanity please

A Longboat resident writes that people are overlooking the potential traffic impact of a proposed roundabout on the Key.

Iroundabout. I am concerned about pedestrian safety and the loss of the westerly center turn lane at Broadway, which the roundabout design will eliminate.

I have been using this intersection frequently since 1976, and while not a designer for transportation, I feel qualified to comment on its future if traffic is to be corralled even further.

During this time, numerous articles in the Longboat Observer and other publications since the original roundabout proposal surfaced, have never once referenced the loss of the westerly left-turn option at Broadway, so, many residents may not be aware of this eventuality. Why is this important you might ask?

For those of us who live, work and/or play on the northwest side of GMD toward the beach, we either have the Broadway turn lane to get home when approaching from the south on GMD, or, after the

roundabout is installed, we will sit in the traffic snarl that dominates GMD going north practically every afternoon in the fall, and, after Jan. 1, every afternoon during season. Arguably, for most of the four months’ afternoons, we will add to the approximately 115 vehicles that often constitute the lineup when traffic accumulates from the south up to the intersection, plus the vehicles that then are backed up from the bridge south to the intersection. At that point, there is nowhere to go for the vehicles headed to Anna Maria Island, essentially guaranteeing no progress to the roundabout until the line eases after the Bradenton Beach roundabout/Cortez Bridge. I have all this on video on my phone. One can easily count the hundreds of vehicles, including estimates of those on AMI.

Imagine the frustration that will be felt by those of us who today can bypass adding to the traffic snarl by simply using the intentionally long design of the current center turn lane to safely and efficiently get to the Broadway intersection, make our turn and arrive home. Thereby avoiding the aforementioned, unbelievably long wait for traffic to eventually clear. The current center turn lane allows access 14 times along its length including at Cedar and Broadway intersections making it beholden to numerous patient residents grateful for its accommodating existence.

Mind you, this is in an area where roundabout justification claims are made about speeding vehicles, which are frequently standing still. Claims then accurately note road banking and increasing pedestrian traffic due to the addition of a corner restaurant and over 80 new parking spaces next to the former bank building on Cedar Street. These spaces are presumably to include access by seekers of the nearby two public beaches.

Not to mention the newly revealed Northgate resident concerns about building a new bridge that would be wider, higher and longer to help alleviate the traffic issues. I am in favor of the highest bridge design, I don’t think there is much option, something has to be done about the traffic, but I feel the Northgate residents’ anxiety.

Like I said, no previous article on the roundabout advised the nearby residents about the loss of the Broadway intersections westerly center turn lane, and no mention was ever circulated by anyone much less the so-called Longboat Key North Community Owners Group. I would suggest that if most of the North owners had been so advised, there would have been far more concern voiced to the county and commissioners and planners. Ironically, at this same time it has been publicized that the south end of GMD will receive additional and agreeably needed easterly center turn lanes to help alleviate the time residents spend there in traffic waiting to get home. Where is the logic/justice in that for us northend residents after a roundabout arrives?

As far as pedestrian safety is concerned, in my previous emails to the Public Works and town

Time to grow up

I had to laugh at Mayor Ken Schneier’s opening lament about “this has become personal” in his letter to the editor on April 4 (“The Observer needs new management”) — oh my!

I don’t know, nor do I care if Mr. Schneier wears long-sleeve, short-sleeve, little boy pants or big boy pants. However, if he wants to be in front of the public discourse, he should dress with the appropriate sleeve length and the correct size of pants.

commissioners, I suggest that this is no time to go cheap on the changes that appear to be begging for increased use of the north-end public beaches and restaurants, whether there is a roundabout at Broadway or a simple traffic light at far less cost and no increase in unsafe conditions.

This intersection needs an underground pedestrian passageway just like the one that exists on GMD south of Bay Isles Road, unfortunately in an area where it doesn’t seem to get much use. I have many pictures of it from both sides of GMD including from inside its welcoming walls. It is a magnificent FDOT design, very roomy and would be a most appropriate addition very near but not at, the current Broadway intersection. It would be a sign that FDOT and the Longboat Key planners are doing justice to the safety of future pedestrians and vehicles there. In summary, I propose to avoid the costs, complications, safety issues and future consequences of installing anything other than a traffic light and, if seriously considered but then not as necessary, an underground road pedestrian walk/ bikeway at GMD and Broadway.

A takeaway from one of Mr. Walsh’s editorials was the leadership of Longboat Key, and I assume Mayor Schneier, should fight for more tax money being returned to Longboat Key. Please, Mr. Mayor Schneier, fight for the citizens getting a fair share of our tax money. What a waste of ego and energy picking a public fight with Mr. Walsh. Tell the world how you got the citizens of Longboat Key the amount of cash we deserve. Do your job and, frankly, stop being a juvenile.

Since I brought up the need for “big boy pants” for the mayor, to be fair, Mr. Walsh, ditch the Little Lord Fauntleroy bow tie. Time for leaders to grow up!

— STEVE JANECKO LONGBOAT KEY

Have

DAVID BAUGHMAN

Courtesy image

A proposed roundabout at Gulf of Mexico Drive and Broadway Street.

How to eat for longevity

Follow the lead of those living healthy, mobile lives at 100 years old and beyond.

alone. Not feeling alone is important for physical, mental and spiritual health.

Editor’s Note: This is Part 2 of a two-part series on eating for longevity.

There are pockets of people all over this planet, including here in the U.S., where residents often live to 100 and beyond. And they’re mostly healthy and mobile right to the end.

These places have been nicknamed Blue Zones because when scientists studied them, they noted them with blue markers. The original five Blue Zones are Loma Linda, California; Okinawa, Japan; Ikaria, Greece; Sardinia, Italy; and Nicoya, Costa Rica.

Let’s see what these Blue Zones have in common and how easily we can follow their leads.

Move. Many of these communities are small enough to make it just as efficient to walk everywhere. Some are agricultural communities where people do farm work, build their own barns, fix their own roofs and such. But others are in cities where people go to work, run, bike and go to the gym. In any case, the science shows that fitness and simple physical activity in general encourage longevity.

Family and friends. They play a vital role in providing a support structure and creating a sense of community. Blue Zones are usually very small towns, but some, like church groups, exist in urban settings. People are open and trust each other. Everybody kind of knows everybody else’s business in the Blue Zones, and they have each other’s back as an extended family would. It’s easier to practice healthy living if you’re not doing it

Purpose.  People in Blue Zones seem to have a sense of purpose. They enjoy, or at least are at peace with, their place in the world. People take a healthy pride in their work, whatever it is. They try to stress as little as possible.

Moderate alcohol consumption.  Red wine is especially good, since it contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that can help prevent heart disease, stroke and some forms of cancer.

Rest and sleep. Blue Zone residents like their beauty rest. The entire community goes to sleep early and wakes up at about the same time on weekdays and weekends. People get their work done, but they are laid back about it. Afternoon naps are encouraged rather than frowned upon. Sabbath rest is often practiced.

The 80% rule. Blue Zone residents practice some form of the 80% rule. Eat until you feel about 80% full — then stop. Let it settle and don’t eat again until your next meal. Some Blue Zone residents also practice intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting is a dietary practice designed to train the body to return to its natural state. Burn the food we eat that day and when it’s not quite enough, burn fat.

Once you establish that equilibrium, it’s much easier and more enjoyable to maintain a healthy weight. A Johns Hopkins neuroscientist Dr. Mark Mattson has done extensive research on intermittent fasting and has found that it’s a relatively easy way to get your body to transition from burning glucose to burning fat. He calls it metabolic switching.  I suggest that you try eating a

MEDITERRANEAN DIET

healthy dinner using the 80% rule, then fast for the 12-16 hours from right after you finish dinner until breakfast. There are other forms of intermittent fasting, but this is obviously the easiest, because for eight of those 12-16 hours you’re likely to be asleep.

Eat clean.  In 1992, the nonprofit Environmental Working Group began to analyze data from the USDA tests of numerous food crops every year. From that, the EWG compiles “The Dirty Dozen.”

These are the 12 foods most contaminated with pesticides and other dangerous chemicals. A rating of 1 is the worst and a 12 rating is less harmful. By the way, washing does little to remove contamination, and frozen versions of these foods have just as much as fresh. You should only eat organic versions of these foods if possible. Since organic produce is often

more expensive, I often wait to buy these foods till they’re in season when prices drop and supermarkets run sales on them.

The EWG also publishes The Clean Fifteen, which are the least contaminated or uncontaminated foods. These are generally safe to eat nonorganic. Mostly plant-based Mediterranean-style diet. Fill up on fresh, locally produced, pesticide-free fruits and veggies. Eat very little if any red meat, moderate poultry and fish, some whole grain breads or pasta with no preservatives. Some Blue Zones are nowhere near the Mediterranean, but a mostly plant-based, fresh food lifestyle generally rules. The Mediterranean diet is considered by many experts to be the healthiest food plan overall. Numerous studies have shown that it can reduce the risk of dia-

betes, high cholesterol, heart disease, osteoporosis, certain forms of cancer, memory issues, dementia and it promotes a longer life. It’s easy to stay with because there’s lots of variety, most people find it delicious, and it’s an eating style rather than a strict diet.

As magical as living to 100-plus sounds, you can see there’s no mystery or rocket science here. Just good clean living, a positive outlook, and an environment that naturally reduces stress.

Mirabai Holland is CEO of NuVue LLC. She is a certified health coach, exercise physiologist and wellness consultant for Manatee County government employees and has a private practice. She holds an MFA from NYU and is also an artist who believes creativity enhances health. For more from Mirabai, visit MirabaiHolland.com.

Many health experts consider Mediterranean-style diets to be the healthiest food plan for most people.

Beach and boutique

LBK-based developer builds boutique condos in Sarasota, buys 10-unit Siesta Key rental property.

Two projects getting underway soon will offer “boutique” condos in two choice downtown Sarasota locations.

The 625 Sarasota project plans to build “The Point,” a nine-story condo building on Golden Gate Point, and “The Palm,” a smaller four-story building near the intersection of South Palm Avenue and Alderman Street.

The developer, V.J. Chukkapalli, who is based on Longboat Key, also recently purchased a 10-unit vacation condo on Siesta Key that he plans to refurbish.

Chukkapalli is a part-time resident, splitting his time between Colorado and Longboat.

“I came here on vacation almost 20 years ago,” he said.

He has been a developer and investor for the last 25 years, creating shopping centers and multifamily residences in Colorado, California and the Orlando area.

Chukkapalli said he’s been working on the Palm and Point projects for the last two years. With approval secured from the city and county, he said construction on the Palm proj-

ect will begin in about a month. The Point is set to break ground in September.

Creating a condo project in Sarasota has been a goal of his for a while.  “It’s always been on my mind,” he said. “We have beautiful beaches. There’s a lot to enjoy here.”

Chukkapalli said he expects the projects to take about 18 months to complete.

Noting there hasn’t been new construction on that part of Palm Avenue recently, his concept of condos he described as “boutique,” is being well received. The response has been “very good,” he said, adding he expects the condos to sell in the “upper $2 million” range.

Descriptions of the residences on 625Sarasota.com show plans for open-floor designs for 12 two- or three-bedroom condos ranging from 2,400 square feet to 4,400 square feet.

The Point will offer only two residences per floor and two upperfloor penthouses, each between two to four bedrooms and two- to five-and-a-half baths, with private glass-railed terraces.

Chukkapalli also recently bought the 10-room Siesta Key Inn at Point of Rocks Road and Midnight Pass Road.  He said he does not plan new construction there but will refurbish and update the units.

“We’re going to run it,” he said. “It’s in good shape.”

TRIBUTES

Jean Arvilla Weeks Hanna 1933-2024

Jean Arvilla Weeks Hanna, a longtime resident of Longboat Key passed away on February 21st, 2024. Born September 24, 1933 and raised in Teaneck, New Jersey, she enjoyed her childhood summers on the coast of Connecticut at Groton Long Point with her parents Edwin and Arvilla Weeks and her brother Charles. This was the foundation for Jean’s lifelong love of the sea.

Jean is a graduate from Lasell Junior College in Newton, Massachusetts. She married and raised her four children in Brevard, North Carolina, Newark, Delaware and Groton Long Point where they all enjoyed many happy seaside summers together.

Jean first came to Florida as a small child, visiting her grandmother Henrietta Cary Burton in Sarasota. Her parents bought a home on Longboat Key in 1970 where Jean regularly visited. She became a winter resident in 1994, and after retiring in 2002 moved to Longboat Key as a full-time resident.

Jean had a good head for business and a gift for sales. As a teenager she began to publish the Groton Long Point Summer Social Directory and continued to do so for fifty years. Jean loved to travel and visited Europe and

Scotland a number of times. She also visited Australia, Tahiti and the United Arab Emirates (note the falcon).

A devoted member of the Longboat Island Chapel, she volunteered her time and actively participated in a number of groups. The Pastors will remember Jean as a force of life who was never shy to share her opinion, especially if she thought the sermon was too long. Jean volunteered as a docent at the Mote Marine Aquarium and enjoyed talking to visitors about the manatees, the gentle creatures she loved. Jean also loved to play bridge and dominos. Her ready smile, easy laugh, fun sense of humor, unquenchable good nature and generosity endeared her to many. She maintained her friendships from childhood throughout her long life, and made many new friends along the way.

Jean’s love for her family was unconditional. She was

always there for her chil-

dren: Linda Golden, Robert Hanna, Stephen Hanna, and Jonathan Hanna and her grandchildren: Jesse Golden (pre-deceased), Aron Hanna, Melody Miick-Hanna, and Griffin Hanna. She will always be remembered by her many friends near and far.

Donations in Jean’s name can be made to the Longboat Island Chapel. Sail on, Jeannie Weeks. Sail on…

LAUGH, DANCE, DISCOVER AND SAVOR EVERY DAY

JIM DELA DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCER

An artist’s conception of The Palm, a boutique condo project on South Palm Avenue in Sarasota, set to begin construction later this summer. Courtesy image

Jeffrey Michael Deane

Jeffrey Michael Deane, 77, of Annapolis, MD, and Sarasota, FL, passed away on April 4, 2024, at the Hospice of Chesapeake Rebecca Fortney Inpatient Care Center in Pasadena, MD, after a fierce three-year battle with metastatic prostate bone cancer.

Jeff graduated from Memphis State University and has left behind many close friends and relatives, who will forever mourn and remember some of his favorite sayings, “ching-aling” and “who loves you, baby.” Jeff was a partner with Friedman, Billings, and Ramsey, Inc. in Washington, D.C, retiring in 2011. Following his retirement, he lived part-time in his dream home in Sarasota, FL. Friends and coworkers will always remember his legacy as a larger-than-life father, friend, and successful investment banker. Jeff loved his Annapolis home and everyone will forever miss his many crab feasts and gatherings on “Deane Beach.” His passion for golf, tennis, and the stock market will never be forgotten, as well as his love of the Redskins and a good martini. His family, his three children, Jake, Will, and Jules, and their extended cousins were paramount to his life. Jeff leaves behind his devoted wife of 43 years, Laurie Deane; his children, Jacob Deane (Sophia

As

cannot express enough gratitude to friends and neighbors for their love and support through this difficult family time. We would also like to thank the Hospice of the Chesapeake staff, who helped us through this difficult time. A celebration of life will be held at Quiet Waters Park, the Blue Heron Room in Annapolis, MD on Friday, May 10 at 1 pm. Condolences may be made online at: KalasFuneralHomes.com

CELEBRATION OF LIFE: Friday, May 10, 1PM Quiet Waters Park the Blue Heron Room Annapolis, MD

Pantelides), William Deane (Sonia Turill) and Julia Deane; his grandchildren, Navy and Nicos Deane and his sister, Nancy Peacock of Palm Beach, FL.

a family, we

spoke with

complainant who said the condominiums recently constructed a new fence and the maintenance worker on the adjacent property was throwing debris over the fence that almost caused injury to others. The officers then spoke with the maintenance man who said he was getting rid of debris from the recent construction, and that he was not happy with the way the property was left afterward. Both the maintenance worker and complainant agreed to take the matter through the civil process if necessary, but the maintenance worker said he would stop throwing debris.

SATURDAY, APRIL 6

WATCH YOUR STEP 10:09 a.m., 6700 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

SUNDAY, APRIL 7 NOT FOR PUBLIC USE

7:44 p.m., 3800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

TUESDAY, APRIL 9

WELL THAT’S A COINCIDENCE

Suspicious Incident: A resident called police to report a stolen beach chair. He told officers that he saw a man load the chair into a vehicle and then park down the street before the family took the chair to the beach. Officers waited near the vehicle and spoke with one of the family members who said they thought the chair was a public beach chair since it was near the beach with other chairs. She returned the chair to its location.

MONDAY, APRIL 8

Can’t stay here 2:33 p.m., 500 block of Bay Isles Road

Suspicious Person: Dispatch sent an officer to respond to a report of a man lying in public in his underwear. At the scene, the responding officer found the man in red swim trunks sitting in a beach chair and watching a movie on his computer. After speaking to the officer, the man said he would find a better spot.

Officer Public Service: A citizen called the police worried about a fiberglass object sticking out of the water that was a potential danger. An officer arrived at the beach, removed the object with pliers and deduced it was a fiberglass support for a kite.

11:57 a.m., 4000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive Lost/Found Property: community member flagged down an officer and said a cellphone and wallet were left behind at Bayfront Park. The officer canvassed the area and found the objects. In the wallet, the officer checked the driver’s license but could not find any helpful information to locate the owner.

Another officer was calling for additional units for a traffic stop, so the officer went to respond to that call. While on that traffic stop, the officer noticed a woman in the area that matched the description of the driver’s license found in the wallet. She confirmed her identity and the officer returned her property.

SUSPICIOUS GREEN LEAVES

12:30 p.m., 4200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Vehicle Stop: noticed a vehicle driving in the bike lane and pulled the driver over. When the officer approached the car, the driver was unable to provide any identification other than his name and date of birth. A database check showed the driver did not have a valid driver’s license.

SUNDAY, APRIL 7

TIME TO TAKE THE TEST

1:39 p.m., 2500 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Vehicle Stop: An officer observed a car fail to come to a complete stop at a red light before making a turn and proceeded to pull the vehicle over. The driver was identified with a driver’s license from a different country. He admitted to not having a Florida driver’s license though he has lived in the state for 10 years. The reason, he said, is because he is afraid to take the driver’s license test because he doesn’t speak English well. The officer gave the driver a criminal citation and allowed the driver to park the vehicle at a friend’s house.

police to assist with a black snake in her living room under a sofa. The officer was able to find the snake and moved it outside.

THURSDAY, APRIL 11

JUST THE WIND 3:15 a.m., 700 block of Broadway Street

Suspicious Incident: Dispatch sent an officer to investigate a resident’s report of a loud banging coming from his backyard. The resident told dispatch there was nothing suspicious seen on his security cameras, but he believed the gate was being slammed shut. At the time, the area was under a high wind advisory. An officer went to check out the report and found the gate slightly ajar, but nothing more. The resident was advised that the culprit was probably the wind.

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YOUR NEIGHBORS

SOS soiree sets up success

Save Our Seabirds supporters gather for the 11th annual Sunset Soiree.

After seven months at Save Our Seabirds, Executive Director Brian Walton has had one constant. It’s not the tons of administrative work or catching up on his bird knowledge, though those are big parts of his job.

Walton shared with the longtime SOS loyalists at the annual Sunset Soiree that his favorite constant has been his new best friend.

The great egret, or “Slim,” as Walton has named him, never fails to stop by when Walton is at the SOS campus and has helped him develop a great passion for his new job.

The 11th annual SOS Sunset Soiree was a highly anticipated event for both supporters and Walton. It was held on April 11 at Michael’s On East. Walton shared that this was the first time he was going to meet many of the donors, and he was excited to finally put faces to names.

This is the second year Michael’s On East has hosted the SOS event. It was previously held at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, but guests shared that they enjoy the space they have at Michael’s On East to mingle and meet their fellow SOS supporters. Guests arrived between for a cocktail hour in the courtyard to catch up with longtime friends and speak with new employees of SOS such as Walton and avian keepers Amber Paffenroth and Kyla Gerson.

“These first few months have been great,” said Paffenroth. “We have about 100 birds as full-time residents now and then some will come and go as they rehabilitate. But working

with everyone at SOS is truly great. We are all friends. Everyone from us the keepers to even Brian Walton, our executive director, really cares about each other and the birds.”  Paffenroth and Gerson were in charge of the live and silent auction that people perused during the cocktail hour. At 7 p.m., everyone took their seats inside for dinner. Nancy McLean, who organized the event, started the presentation by sharing her story and passion for SOS. The presenting sponsor Rick Konsavage of the Longboat Key Club followed her with his excitement to be a part of the Sunset Soiree.

“With the amazing variety of birds in the area, we know they are in great hands with Save Our Seabirds,” said Konsavage. “Our club is totally with

them all the way, with Brian and his team, the amazing people in this organization.”

After Konsavage spoke, Walton introduced himself to everyone by giving an update on how his first few months had been at SOS. He shared that he never thought he would end up working for such an amazing nonprofit and is excited to continue to grow with it.

“If you don’t hear anything else I say tonight, this is the message that I want you to hear for me: I love my job,” said Walton during his speech. “I knew I was going to like it. I knew I needed a change but it has exceeded my expectations. What better mission can you get than being able to be a part of rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing this diversity of bird population? It is a great honor to be a part of it.”

Walton shared that they are close to raising enough money to build five new aviaries thanks to SOS fundraising since last year. He also said they are partnering with DSDG architects to craft a master plan for a complete renovation of the SOS campus. This will include a new hospital and all new aviaries.

After dinner, SOS resident veterinarian Dr. Maria Passarelli followed with a talk about the importance of caring for birds and being a part of SOS.

Walton’s fiance, Scarlette Antigua, moved to Sarasota with him for

his new job at SOS and has seen him grow an immense passion for his work. “I love to see how passionate he has become,” said Antigua. “He has really dedicated time to becoming an expert on birds, which he didn’t know much about before. He also has used his time getting to know the staff and letting them know that he is there for them. That is just him. He is so passionate about understanding the people he works with and the mission of what they are doing.”

PETRA RIVERA STAFF WRITER

Photos by Petra Rivera

Save Our Seabirds hosted its annual auction on April 11 at Michael’s On East.

Mary Flaherty, Nancy McNamara and Suzie Randell

Save Our Seabirds Executive Director Brian Walton and his fiance, Scarlette Antigua

Officers on the board

St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Women’s Guild installs new board after dedicated parishioners stepped down from leadership roles.

St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church Women’s Guild held its final meeting for the 2024 season on April 9. The Rev. Robert Dziedziak led the installation Mass to officially install the newly elected board of officers for the guild. “When you look at the fruit of the guild, it is great to see how you ladies reach out to different people and raise thousands of dollars to help the less fortunate in the area,” said Dziedziak during his sermon for the Mass. “So, we pray for the new officers, and new members to continue the good work of their predecessors.”

Linda Olsen and Cindy Noble are stepping down after leading the guild for the past few years. Olsen was the vice president for two years and felt sentimental about her time being a

guild officer.  “I just found it incredibly amazing that I got to serve and be surrounded by this group of women,” said Olsen. “I have grown close with many of them, and they have helped me grow stronger in my faith and serving the community.”

Kay Kochenderfer is the new president and she is honored to be taking over for Noble. The new officers for the guild also include Lynn Kennelly as vice president, Marilyn Davol as treasurer, Susan Clarke as recording secretary and Mary Del Pup as corresponding secretary.

“It is incredible to be in the deep fellowship that you get by being surrounded by these women,” said Kochenderfer. “I’m super excited to take over for Cindy and serve this special community. Today on the tables, there is an angel on each plate with words that read, ‘Not all angels reside in the heavens. Some walk the earth.’ I feel that this expresses the women of the guild perfectly.”

After the Mass, the women headed to Father Pick Hall for lunch and closing statements for the season. Dziedziak’s birthday was the day before. The guild celebrated him and the end of a successful season.

Photos by Petra Rivera

Cindy Noble, Linda Olsen, Marilyn Davol, Mary Del Pup, Susan Clarke, Lynn Kennelly and Kay Kochenderfer

The Rev. Robert Dziedziak Kay Kochenderfer

Passover appreciation

Temple Beth Israel hosts its first ever seder for women.

Temple Beth Israel held its first ever Passover Seder for women on April 10.  “Why is this night different from all others?” said Riselle Bain, the cantor for Temple Beth Israel for the evening. “Because we, the mothers, the daughters, grandmothers and granddaughters, who usually prepare the seder are fulfilling the ritual usually reserved for our male counterparts. We must be reminded of the role that women played in the Exodus from Egypt and a continuous role in preserving and perpetuating our Jewish heritage.” The seder started with a 45-minute service called “Following in Miriam’s Footsteps.” It covered the perspective of Passover through Moses’ sister, Miriam, and how it relates to Jewish women today.

Debbie Cohen shared that she and her committee started organizing the event a year ago. She originally wanted to have a women’s seder in 2020, but it was canceled because of the pandemic.  Cohen was thrilled to continue her hard work from years before. She said that a women’s seder is instrumental in showing appreciation for Jewish women for all they do. Wom-

en from the synagogue also invited non-Jewish women to share in the event as well.

“It is incredible to see even Christian women here, and just people interested in our religious traditions,” said co-president of Temple Beth Israel, Marion Levine. “It is really helping cultivate this community of empowering women with the temple and outside of it as well.”

Riselle Bain and Debbie Cohen

Photos by Petra Rivera

Front: Joanie Cohen, Hannah Weinberg, Debby Hamburg and Judy Roscow Back: Abby Grinberg, Nancy Milbauer, Nancy Harris, Bunny Skirboll and Bonnie Wilder

3 full, 1 partial 401 Quay Commons #1101 Sarasota, FL 34236

3 bedrooms

$ 6 ,500,000

3,798 SqFt.

Experience upscale waterfront living at The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Sarasota. This premier condominium community offers legendary services and a range of amenities. Step into a world of elegance with fine touches, designer accents, and upgraded features, including custom cabinetry. This 3-bedroom residence with over 3,700 square feet seamlessly blends open-concept living spaces with ensuite accommodations. Enjoy over 1,000 square feet of patios with stunning views of Sarasota Bay, the city lights, and the Gulf of Mexico. The kitchen features top-tier appliances, a spacious island, and a wet bar for entertaining. The master bedroom offers a tranquil retreat with a designer-tiled bathroom and access to the lanai. Resort-style amenities include a pool area, fitness center, club room, game room, and 24/7 valet service, providing a luxury lifestyle beyond expectations.

Perry Corneau

Your Ritz-Carlton Connection

(941)650-4626

perry.corneau@compass.com

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Bird Key Yacht Club draws more than 60 teams to race in annual Regatta.

ing together at Bird Key.

Tand even Venice.

The Fruition team led by William Gately traveled from Venice to compete in the regatta. Fruition won first place in the PHRF cruiser category. This team has competed in the Bird Key Regatta for years and said no other club beats the camaraderie they get while sail-

The club also hosted a party the night before as a chance for club members to mingle with friends and check out the competition. The awards ceremony was hosted the night of April 13 after the races.

Rear Commodore Tony Britt never thought he would be a part of a club, but after joining the Bird Key Yacht Club, he couldn’t help but participate in the active community.

“We call ourselves the cheerers of Sarasota,” said Britt. “There is nothing like the community here. Everyone is laid-back and super humble about their past. Most of our members are former CEOs of their companies, but what I like about the club is that we can leave all that behind when we come in here. It is like entering into your best friend’s living room.”

Britt said since the club is smaller than most in the area this fosters a close-knit and casual atmosphere

where people can set aside their differences and connect. The community supports friends through their common interests and love for boating.

Many club members who weren’t sailing decided to watch the action of the races on spectator boats.

Debra Landesberg said that after watching it for the first time last year, it has become something she looks forward to.

Michael Kutner and Cynthia Swanson shared a spectator boat with their captain for the day, Aldean Keyser. They bonded over the close action of the racing sailboats and their common interests in the arts, skiing and boating.

“When we were touring all the clubs in Sarasota, we noticed that Bird Key’s motto is ‘anchored in friendship,’” said Kutner. “We ended up meeting a woman here who happened to be the commodore then. She was so welcoming and kind and just everything that the motto described. It was a no-brainer after meeting her to join Bird Key. This continues to be true with every person we meet here.”

(Skipper and vessel)

Sarasota Bay Cup Winner:

Douglas Dykman, Temple, the

Wind Price Cup Winner: Dave Hillmyer, Slot Machine

American 18:

1. Andrew Hodgson, Belle

2. Peter Allen Bosma

3. Jerome Goodin, Stripes

Flying Scot:

1. Bob Twinem, Eightball

Photos by Petra Rivera

Nonprofit nurtures student artists

The Sarasota branch of the National League of American Pen Women held its annual luncheon to celebrate high school artwork.

Starting this past fall, the club members reached out to 17 high schools in Sarasota and Manatee counties to provide seniors the chance to submit their art, written pieces or musical compositions in the annual competition. Forty students entered in each category. Students are encouraged to spend the prize money on furthering their artistic careers.

Sixty-five people attended the luncheon, including the members, students and their teachers. This year, students only qualified for the art and writing categories.

Polly Curran was the art chair for the contest. The Betty Altman Awards were given to students of Jeffrey Cornwell from Booker High School. Scarlett Whisnant’s painting “Wave-bound” received the first-place prize of the Betty Altman Award of Excellence for $2,000. Hong Nguyen’s painting “Magpie

Photos by Petra Rivera

Madeline Anderson, Kashante Mays, Siedii-Courage Neufville , Kathyrn Raney, Jake Turner, Elizabeth Loyer and Wilma Davidson Lu

Leaders

FROM PAGE 24

‘Launching Leaders’ program will push them to continue pursuing the arts and to keep the arts alive in their lives and the world.”

in Disguise” by Addyson Domian of Venice High School and “For Better or Worse” by Siedii-Courage Neufville of Southeast High School.  Davidson said that the talent of the young artists always exceeds her expectations.

“I am always amazed reading through their submissions,” said Davidson. “They explore deep topics as a way to express themselves in ways they can’t do in regular life. We hope that being a part of our

Along with inspiring younger artists, writers and musicians, the members find inspiration for their own art through the American Pen Women. Davidson said many members can enhance their work through the inspiration and feedback from other members. The Pen Women also provide opportunities to promote their art and connect with others nationally. Davidson shared that through the Pen Women, she has seen many members push out of their comfort zones and create in ways they never thought they could.

She said, “Through the Pen women, we are able to enter national competitions to push us and help us connect beyond just Sarasota while also building a strong community of women here too.”

Photos by Petra Rivera

Scarlett Whisnant and Hong Nguyen

Pamela Olin and Marcella Schuyler

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

Ahome in Country Club Shores tops all transactions in this week’s real estate. Michael and Martha Gervasi sold their home at 610 Bowsprit Lane to South Hill Partners LP for $5 million. Built in 2008, it has five bedrooms, three-anda-half baths, a pool and 4,072 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,899,000 in 2019.

$2,225,000. Built in 1996, it has two bedrooms, three baths and 2,448 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,375,000 in 2012.

SANCTUARY AT LONGBOAT KEY

CLUB

John Mark Mason and Donna Stepnick Mason, of

GRAND BAY

Kenneth and Kerry Gorman, of Sarasota, sold their Unit 393 condominium at 3030 Grand Bay Blvd. to James and Patricia Pagni, of Elmhurst, Illinois, for $2.5 million. Built in 1998, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 2,369 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,095,000 in 2021.

Janie Mosey, trustee, of Richmond, Indiana, sold the Unit 122 condominium at 3060 Grand Bay Blvd. to Serenade LLC and Seranade LLC for $1.1 million. Built in 1994, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,143 square feet of living area. It sold for $849,000 in 2013.

SANDS POINT

James and Alicia Starr, trustees, of Sarasota, sold the Unit 113 condominium at 100 Sands Point Road to SG Properties LLC for $2.23 million. Built in 1966, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,807 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.05 million in 2021.

VILLA DI LANCIA

Kerry Lynn Miller and Stephen Miller, trustees, of Sarasota, sold the Unit 214 condominium at 2185 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Bret and Julia Hall, of Windsor, Colorado, for

James and Marilyn Sinnett, of Ballwin, Missouri, sold their Unit A-202 condominium at 535 Sanctuary Drive to Robert Rolland, of Columbus, Ohio, for $2.1 million. Built in 1990, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,580 square feet of living area. It sold for $600,000 in 1999.

COREY’S LANDING

Thomas Royall Smith and Sharon Smith sold their home at 3460 Mistletoe Lane to David Doyle, of Birmingham, Michigan, for $2 million. Built in 1989, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 2,831 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.15 million in 2007.

QUEEN’S HARBOUR 3525 Fair Oaks Lane LLC sold the home at 3525 Fair Oaks Lane to David Calvert Peacock, of Longboat Key, for $1.6 million. Built in 1995, it has three bedrooms, two-anda-half baths, a pool and 2,482 square feet of living area. It sold for $830,000 in 2012.

SLEEPY LAGOON PARK

Steven Robert Guy and Heidi Jane Guy sold their home at 625 Norton St. to Christopher Sean Leonard and Denise Kay Leonard, of Longboat Key, for $1,545,000. Built in 1977, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,830 square feet of living area. It sold for $685,000 in 2017.

THE AQUARIUS CLUB

2432780 Ontario Inc. sold the Unit 4-H condominium at 1701 Gulf of Mexico Drive to LRJL II LLC for $1.5 million. Built in 1975, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,551 square feet of living area. It sold for $490,000 in 2014.

BEACHPLACE III

Donn Knight, trustee, of Longboat Key, sold the Unit 502 condomini-

feet of living area. It sold for $870,000 in 2019.

WESTCHESTER CONDOMINIUM

APARTMENTS

Jose and Mary Barrutia, of Fontana, Wisconsin, sold their Unit 103 condominium at 4835 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Joseph and Robin Donadio, of St. Sinai, New York, for $1.15 million. Built in 1970, it has two

and 1,393

sold

2013.

LONGBOAT KEY

Dennis and Ashlie Thomison, of Englewood, sold their home at 641 Saint Judes Drive to Robert and Andrea Cross, of Fort Myers, for $960,000. Built in 1960, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 1,556 square feet of living area. It sold for $424,000 in 2019.

LIDO HARBOUR

James Martin Monaco and Jeannette Monaco, of Sarasota, sold their Unit V-15 condominium at 1900 Benjamin Franklin Drive to James Myron Stoltzfus and Sarah Josephine Stoltzfus, of Paradise, Pennsylvania, for $835,000. Built in 1967, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,242 square feet of living area. It sold for $69,857 in 1991.

BAYPORT BEACH AND TENNIS

CLUB

Lance Nicholas and William Dean Price, of Atlanta, sold their Unit 827 condominium at 827 Bayport Way to StayLBK LLC for $670,000. Built in 1983, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,260 square feet of living area. It sold for $415,000 in 2021.

SEAPLACE

Mary Jean Denyes and Kirk Evan Denyes, of Columbus, Ohio, sold their Unit G5-303-C condominium at 1965 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Mark Jayawant, of Longboat Key, for $585,000. Built in 1977, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 933 square feet of living area. It sold for $340,000 in 2019.

Daniel Mummery and Frances Nuelle, trustees, of Bend, Oregon, sold the Unit G3-211-D condominium at 2039 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Mark Loeber and Michelle Loeber, trustees, of Sapulpa, Oklahoma, for $499,000. Built in 1974, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,214 square feet of living area. It sold for $290,000 in 2020.

LONG BEACH

Nancy Leigh Stafford, of Hickory, North Carolina, sold the home at 771 Fox St. to George Krieger, of Sarasota, for $550,000. Built in 1930, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 874 square feet of living area.

Photo courtesy of Lori Carey

Michael and Martha Gervasi sold their home at 610 Bowsprit Lane to South Hill Partners LP for $5 million.

BY CHAD TALLMAN

to 3 p.m. at Whitney’s, 6990 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Chad Tallman is a guitarist and singer from New York and is now in Bradenton. He plays all styles of rock, pop and jazz from the 1930s-1960s. He is a graduate of Ithaca College’s School of Music. Call 383-4606.

RECURRING EVENTS

MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY LONGBOAT LIBRARY

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

MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS LORD’S WAREHOUSE THRIFT STORE

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

MONDAYS ZUMBA & TONING

10 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Taught by Reena Malik, this class begins with 30 minutes of zumba and finishes with mat Pilates for flexibility and strengthening core muscles. Come for 30 or 60 minutes. Free for members; $15 for nonmembers.

GENTLE CHAIR YOGA

From 9-10 a.m. at the Education Center at Temple Beth Israel, 567 Bay Isles Road. Remain stabilized in a chair and enjoy all the benefits of traditional yoga with certified

BEST BET SATURDAY, APRIL 20

ST. ARMANDS CIRCLE CARS AND COFFEE

8-10 a.m. at Lynches Pub and Grub, 19 N. Boulevard of Presidents. Join Lynches for Cars and Coffee on St. Armands Circle. Free coffee from Lynches Pub. Free event. No need to register. All makes and models are welcome. Call 388-5550.

yoga teacher Emme Shapiro. Join anytime on a prorated basis. Pay as you go, members $13; nonmembers $15. Eight sessions, members $95,; nonmembers $110. Call 383-8222 or email EdCenter@LongboatKeyTemple.org.

TUESDAYS AT THE MOVIES

11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Education Center at Temple Beth Israel, 567 Bay Isles Road. Members $95; nonmembers $105. Join Gus Mollasis, professional movie maven and film columnist, for a cinematic adventure. Movies are assigned at local cinemas to see and then discuss together in class. Join anytime on a prorated basis. Call 383-8222 or email EdCenter@LongboatKeyTemple.org.

QI GONG FOR HEALTH AND VITALITY

From 9-10 a.m. at the Education Center at Temple Beth Israel, 567 Bay Isles Road. Dr. Brian Nell, acupuncture physician and doctor of Oriental medicine, welcomes beginners and longtime practitioners. Join anytime on a prorated basis. Pay as you go, $13 for members; $15 for nonmembers. Eight sessions, $95 for members; $110 for nonmembers. Call 383-8222 or email EdCenter@ LongboatKeyTemple.org.

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