Longboat Observer 5.23.24

YOUR TOWN

Officer of the year

Longboat Key Police Capt.

Robert Bourque, who continues to investigate the double murder in 2017 at the Zota Beach Resort, was honored May 16 as the Manatee County Hundred Club’s 2023 Officer of the Year.

“This award could not have gone to a more deserving individual who has spent his career performing at the highest levels,” Longboat Key Police Chief George Turner said. Bourque started his career with Longboat Key in 2009 and has also worked at the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, city of Tampa Police Department and the city of Bradenton Police Department.

This is the first time a member of the LBKPD has received the award.

Puppy love at first sight

Last year at Freedom Fest, love was apparently in the air for two local canines.

At the 2023 Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce’s Freedom Fest, the Hot Diggity Dog Contest brought dogs and doglovers together for a costume competition.

While waiting for the butterfly release that year in Bicentennial Park, dogs Tinkerbell and Bisou met, and it was puppy love at first sight.

Their owners, Medge and Michael Jaspan and Frank and Martina Kinslow, saw the instant connection between the dogs and became fast friends.

After a year of numerous playdates, Bisou and Tinkerbell are expected to have puppies. They will be born around July 9.

Both couples said they’re excited to be dog grandparents.

Time to strategize — fiscally

Petra Rivera Tinkerbell and Bisou

Petra Rivera

Caryn Wilbraham and her foster kittens Tarporley and Neven.

Courtesy image

Mangroves management

Town weighs local enforcement of mangrove rules. State agency explains that doing so takes time and dedicated staff.

CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER

The question of how to best enforce mangrove trimming violations on Longboat Key is still somewhat undecided, but for now, the task remains with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

On May 20, Southwest District Environmental Administrator Hannah Westervelt came to talk to Longboat Key town commissioners about the Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act of 1996. Westervelt also outlined the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s enforcement process for violations of the act.

The commission invited Westervelt to present at a workshop to gain insight into how the department enforces mangrove trimming violations after conversations sparked about whether or not the town could take over enforcement.

In April, barrier island elected officials heard from Abbey Tyrna, executive director of Suncoast Waterkeeper, about mangrove trimming enforcement. She stressed local governments have the potential to take over the enforcement.

“Now, more than ever, we need strong, local policies that protect our mangrove systems,” Tyrna said at the April 17 meeting. “And what the good news is, is that local governments can actually take delegation of enforcement of the 1996 Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act.”

The 1996 Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act exists to protect mangroves from unregulated removal of three main species: red, black and white mangroves.

This act protects both living and dead mangroves, according to Westervelt, since dead mangroves still provide structure and habitat.

While the FDEP typically handles enforcement of violations of this act, local municipalities can adopt delegation.

The city of Sanibel, the town of Jupiter Island and Sarasota County are three examples of municipalities that took control of enforcement.

When a local municipality takes control of enforcement, it can’t extend the exemptions of the act, Westervelt said. That means the local government can’t be less restrictive than what’s outlined in the act.

Mayor Ken Schneier asked Westervelt for a ballpark estimate of what it would take for Longboat Key to take over enforcement.

“There are occasional problems, some of them are pretty serious, about removal of mangroves, which is inappropriate,” Schneier said. “It has been suggested to us that we might want to be the enforcement agency.”

Westervelt said that every complaint takes a considerable amount of time and a dedicated staff. She said her team is made up of about 14 people, all with four years of experience or a bachelor’s degree in a related field. But, Westervelt said the

“Now, more than ever, we need strong, local policies that protect our mangrove systems.”

— Abbey Tyrna, executive director of Suncoast Waterkeeper

and clarity.

They prevent erosion and stabilize shorelines.

They remove 6-8 times more CO2 from the atmosphere per acre than a rainforest.

They provide habitat for threatened and endangered species such as wood storks and roseate spoonbills.

They provide habitat for up to 80% of commercially and recreationally important fish species.

FDEP is willing to help municipalities transition to local enforcement.

“It’s really up to that municipality; if they believe that they have the resources and the budget, then we are happy to assist in that application process,” Westervelt said.

CURRENT OPERATIONS

According to Planning, Zoning & Building Director Allen Parsons, the town received about six to eight complaints in the past five years. That doesn’t necessarily mean there was a violation, though.

Westervelt said that she is also appreciative of Suncoast Waterkeeper, which acts as the eyes on the local waterways. She also said town staff members have been able to assist and respond to complaints as the FDEP receives them.

“That additional coordination is very helpful I think for both parties,” Westervelt said.

If there are complaints, Parsons said his staff is quick to inspect them.

“We will send somebody out to go ensure that someone has a permit. If they don’t have a permit, we’ll stop them from doing the work they’re doing and get that permit or provide proof of exemption,” he said. “We as a town do respond to mangrove trimming activities and get someone out there immediately.”

In terms of proactivity, Parsons said if new construction has mangroves along a planned seawall or dock, then the Planning, Zoning and Building Department makes sure the developer is aware at the earliest stage of permitting review.

According to Westervelt, when the department receives a complaint, it will be assigned to a staff member within a couple of days and that staff member will reach out to the complainant. Then, the FDEP will try to get boots on the ground within 10

days and have an inspection report submitted within 30 days.

If a violation has occurred, a possible repercussion for the offender is restoration or mitigation. Plantings are a common way to go about this, and the FDEP monitors the project for success, according to Westervelt.

“These projects can take a very long time and a lot of monitoring and time, but we ensure they are successful before ever closing out a site or a permit,” Westervelt said.

At the April 17 meeting among mayors of Longboat Key, city of Anna Maria, city of Bradenton Beach and the city of Holmes Beach, the idea of taking over enforcement as a joint effort was discussed. That could be made possible through an interlocal agreement, but the decision to move forward on that is still to be determined.

Data and graphics courtesy of Sarasota County

They

Fiscal year 2025 kicks off several major infrastructure projects for Longboat Key.

CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER

Longboat Key commissioners met on May 20 for the first budget workshop of fiscal year 2025.

The workshop focused on capital projects, specifically those that fall into the town’s five-year capital improvement plan.

Town Manager Howard Tipton stated at the start of the presentation that the town is continually looking for ways to save in an environment of rising costs and inflation and will focus on aligning the budget to the town’s strategic planning initiatives.

“Our success is found in looking at everything we do and getting better, not just the big-ticket items,” Tipton said.

“We prioritize our essential services before looking to add to our plate, we align to our strategic priorities and we focus on maintaining our competitive position with employee wages and benefits and we have to figure out how to absorb the fixed costs that seem to only go up.”

Due to inflation, Tipton said the town expects an $11 million change in capital requests for FY25-FY28.

Tipton also shared that real estate values are expected to increase about 8%-10% in the region, and the town considered the 8% increase when crafting the preliminary budget.

Of the projects, utility infrastructure makes up a large chunk of the budget, specifically with the subaqueous force main project, undergrounding and asbestos cement pipe replacement.

“Utility infrastructure is a huge piece of our budget discussion today, and how we pay for that has some interesting opportunities to look at,” Tipton said.

The top 10 projects on the priority list starting FY2025 make up 73% of the town’s five-year capital improvement plan. From FY25 to FY29, the top 10 projects will cost $108,613.

The total of the town’s fiveyear capital improvement plan is $148,783,298.

Of those projects, the top three make up 50% of the five-year plan through FY29.

Here is a snapshot of the top five projects that will begin in FY25 and have significant portions in the fiveyear capital improvement plan.

TIMELINE

Budget backs big-ticket items

1

High erosion sand placement

In FY25, the town plans to use about $299,910 toward interim nourishment at Gulfside Road.

Director of Public Works Isaac Brownman told commissioners that the area needs to be addressed, and the nourishment will hold the beach until a long-term solution can be determined.

This nourishment should rehabilitate a “significant” amount of beach elevation lost in Hurricane Idalia, Brownman said.

A long-term solution to keep sand in place around Gulfside Road will take time. Brownman said the planning and permitting for a project like that is a lengthy process.

During the discussion, Mayor Ken Schneier encouraged Brownman to explore more creative solutions for Gulfside Road.

Over the course of the five-year plan, high-erosion sand placement projects are anticipated to cost about $35.5 million.

3 Undergrounding of utilities

Brownman said that the construction work and funding for the utilities undergrounding project should be done in FY25, with about $10.4 million remaining.

That includes $483,000 to go toward the installation of 40 new backlit street signs along Gulf of Mexico Drive.

But Brownman said he made it clear that the crews should not deviate from the switching and energizing of the underground utilities — that should be the priority, he said.

Longboat Key embarked on the underground utilities project in 2019, and since then, the project has experienced several delays to the estimated completion date.

When finished, the town’s overhead power lines will be removed.

2 Subaqueous force main

With an estimated price tag of $31.4 million, the subaqueous force main replacement project is the costliest FY25 project in the town’s five-year capital improvement plan.

Brownman said the town contracted with two companies to get cost estimates and determine a credible range.

Though the price is significant, Brownman emphasized that this is a long-lasting project for the town. It’s estimated that this force main should last up to 75 years.

The project will replace the force main that is underneath Sarasota Bay, which carries wastewater from Longboat Key to the mainland.

A leak was found in the old pipeline in 2020 and caused about 14 million gallons of effluent to leak out.

The town already has $1.8 million secured in American Rescue Plan Act funds, and another $3 million from an Omnibus Community Grant.

That leaves about $26.6 million to be accounted for. Brownman said his department is working to seek more grants and appropriations to contribute to the project.

The utility rate increase schedule passed in 2021 will also help pay back the cost of this project, Brownman said.

4Flood mitigation & resiliency

The town is pursuing projects to address flooding issues in low-lying areas of Buttonwood, Sleepy Lagoon and the Village.

In FY25, there’s $5.4 million marked for these projects. For the entire project, cost estimates are $5 million for Buttonwood and $8.5 million for Sleepy Lagoon, while costs for the Village are still to be determined. Elements like road elevation and additional drainage

5Asbestos cement pipe replacement

The asbestos cement pipe replacement project is already underway, and $8,652,267 is expected to be used in FY25.

The entire project is expected to cost about $9.5 million. Now, Phases 1 and 2 are underway, which accounts for about $5-6 million of the entire project cost, according to Brownman.

structures are common among all areas, but the Village will be a more in-depth project that looks at how to reconfigure that area’s whole drainage system.

Brownman told commissioners that there are many grants available for construction, like the Hazard Mitigation Grants the town already applied for through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

But grants for design are limited, Brownman said. That’s why it’s important to use funds for design so projects are more appealing for future grants.

about $8 million is still needed.

In terms of utility projects, the price of the subaqueous force main overshadows the asbestos cement pipe replacement project, but it’s just as important, according to Tipton.

County Club Shores was using an outdated material called asbestos cement for its water pipes, which will be replaced with new polyvinyl chloride, or PVC.

Phases 1 and 2 are the largest and most complex phases of the project, with about 15,000 linear feet of piping.  BUDGET

The town received a state appropriation for $1.5 million, which means

An aerial view of Gulfside Road in September 2023.

Courtesy images

Beach renourishment projects are capital intensive and enhance local tourist attraction.

Flooding in the Village following a storm in April 2024.

Repaving on the way

The weeklong effort will address some critical areas to ‘buy time’ until future drainage projects address the Village’s roads.

CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER

Village residents can expect a smoother ride in some areas by the end of June.

Starting on June 10, the town will begin a repaving project for areas of the Village. The project is contracted through Gator Grading and Paving and is expected to take about a week, weather permitting.

The total project cost is about $246,000, which comes from the town budget. Mopps said the town has been incrementally improving the condition of roads through the repaving and resurfacing program.

This project in the Village addresses some critical areas that need to be resurfaced, but will not repave the entire Village.

“That way, we can buy some time before we move onto road elevation projects,” Public Works Assistant Director Charlie Mopps said.

The town is in the process of securing grants for various resilience projects related to flooding in the Village, Buttonwood and Sleepy Lagoon.

Across all three project areas, the flooding resiliency projects include changes in road elevation and additional drainage structures.

For the Village, that means changes in water flow directions that would require redesign of almost the entire stormwater management system, according to Mopps. That is why the town isn’t repaving the entire Village before undertaking the project.

Design and permitting for the first phase of the Village flooding project is estimated to cost around $800,000, with construction around $2 million.

For the Buttonwood portion of the flooding projects, design and

construction should come in around $3.8 million. About $2.8 million will be covered by federal funding, but the remainder will require grants.

Before the Village and Buttonwood projects, though, is Sleepy Lagoon, the first phase of which is focused on Norton Street. About $2 million will be needed for construction, which is slated to begin around March 31, 2025.

For all three projects, the town is working on grants including some through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. According to Mopps, the town has had continued dialogue with FEMA throughout the grant process, which is a good sign.

FUTURE PROJECTS

Mopps said that the Florida Department of Transportation also did some repaving on Gulf of Mexico Drive as part of the latest pedestrian crossing project.

The town is also working with the FDOT to bid out the Country Club Shores Turn Lane project, which will also include some resurfacing.

The difference between repaving and resurfacing is that repaving removes the old asphalt and replaces it with new asphalt, whereas resurfacing adds a new layer of asphalt over the existing roadway.

Down the road, the FDOT is also planning on resurfacing the entirety of GMD. These projects will be split up by county and are included in the FDOT’s latest five-year work plan.

Manatee County’s resurfacing is scheduled for 2026 and will cost about $3.7 million. Sarasota County will follow in 2027 with an estimated cost of $8.8 million.

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Carter Weinhofer Areas of the Village in Longboat Key will be repaved starting June 10.

Separation anxiety

sons for the de-annexation request were because of the rental restrictions and to evaluate the services that Jewfish Key receives from the town.

Procedures for de-annexation, or contraction, are outlined in Florida Statutes Chapter 171, Section 51.

Many north-end residents have made their opinions clear: It’s not in Longboat Key’s best interest to say goodbye to Jewfish Key.

Resident associations on Longboat Key’s north end submitted petitions to the town opposing Jewfish Key’s de-annexation from the town of Longboat Key. The issue will go before the Longboat Key Town Commission on June 3, when commissioners will vote on whether Jewfish Key should become a part of

unincorporated Manatee County.

The Jewfish Key Preservation Association Inc. submitted the original petition for de-annexation on Jan. 16. The association is the homeowners association that represents eight properties and 38 acres of land.

According to the association’s letter to the town, members of the association voted on Dec. 19, 2023, to move forward with the petition. Over 15% of the qualified voters on the island voted in favor of the petition, according to the letter.

In a previous interview with the Observer, Jewfish Key homeowner Steve Ellis said that some of the rea-

But more recently, three homeowners associations — Longbeach Village, Land’s End and Bayou Hammock — sent petitions with collected signatures to the town in opposition to the de-annexation.

Land’s End, located on the northernmost portion of Longboat Key, collected 18 signatures from its homeowners. That’s all but two owners — who were out of town, according to resident Jim Haft.

“We are, along with some of the people in the Village, the closest to Jewfish Key,” Haft said. “So we’ll be getting the brunt of it. But really all the Village is affected.”

The No. 1 reason for Land’s End’s opposition to the de-annexation is that, if successful, homeowners on Jewfish Key would no longer be subject to Longboat Key’s short-term rental restrictions.

The town of Longboat Key has a 30-day minimum rental requirement, except for about 30 properties that are zoned as tourism.

If Jewfish Key is no longer part of Longboat Key and becomes a part of unincorporated Manatee County, Haft said many north-end residents fear that Jewfish Key will become an island of frequent short-term rentals and parties.

“They could jam like 30 people in these houses for giant spring break parties or weddings,” Haft said.

Haft also said that north-end residents have had issues in the past with noise at Jewfish Key and are worried this would exacerbate the issues.

Another reason Haft pointed out is that Jewfish Key would be under Manatee County’s zoning requirements if not a part of Longboat Key.

Some residents fear that there is another agenda, Haft said. If Jewfish Key homeowners had a majority vote, the island could be rezoned however they want, according to Haft.

There are also environmental concerns, Haft said.

He said there are 12 acres of protected land on Jewfish Key, which are designated open space and protected by the Jewfish Key Preservation Society.

Haft said residents are worried that if the Jewfish Key homeowners reached a majority vote, that open space could disappear.

Jewfish Key is also the only part of Longboat Key that still uses septic tanks, Haft said.

If there were more short-term rentals, Haft said there’s a concern that the septic tanks would become overwhelmed with increased use, potentially having negative repercussions on the environment.

“All these things together, I think, would have a negative impact on the quality of life of everyone in the Village,” Haft said.

Haft has been putting together a committee of concerned Village residents regarding the de-annexation of Jewfish Key.

From all the voices he’s heard, he

“These changes would have a very detrimental impact on the quality of life and commensurate value of all Town of Longboat Key north end properties.”

— Bayou Hammock statement

said it’s been the same response.  “I think there’s pretty much unanimous opposition to this idea,” Haft said.

Along with Land’s End, the Longbeach Village homeowners association also submitted a petition to the town, signed by eight homeowners.  Bayou Hammock also submitted a statement to the town that said the association’s property owners are unanimously opposed to the deannexation of Jewfish Key.

“These changes would have a very detrimental impact on the quality of life and commensurate value of all Town of Longboat Key north end properties,” the statement said.

AHEAD

WHAT’S

After the town received the petition, staff had six months to perform a feasibility study of the request and then move forward with the contraction ordinance, or reject the petition.  Town staff have been working on the feasibility study, which will go before the Town Commission on June 3.

At that meeting, the commission will vote on an ordinance either approving or rejecting the petition for de-annexation.

All of the materials relating to the matter — including the petitions — will be included in the commissioners’ agenda packets for review along with the feasibility study, according to Town Attorney Maggie Mooney.  Residents who wish to attend the meeting on June 3 will have the opportunity to voice their opinions for three minutes at the podium.

File image

Some Longboat Key residents fear de-annexation of Jewfish Key might pave the way for the island to host large parties.

Pools, a lagoon and 800 feet of beach access will be available at the St.

Key, a rendering of which is pictured.

St. Regis accepting bookings

KING

Although St. Regis Longboat Key may not be open yet, people can make their reservations now.

“This is not just another hotel opening; it represents a new era in luxury travel to the Gulf Coast,” General Manager of the St. Regis Longboat Key Winfred van Workum said in a statement.

Once complete, the under-construction St. Regis Longboat Key will encompass 168 guest rooms, including 26 suites with terraces, and a Presidential Suite that has four bedrooms and a dining room.

Prices for a room typically start at $899 in October, according to a spokesperson for the hotel, who said rates will fluctuate depending on the day of the week and time of year.

of beach; a spa with an infinity-edge pool overlooking the Gulf of Mexico; a 475-foot-long winding river with cascading waterfalls leading to a “grotto” with jacuzzi jets and Champagne service; and a 350,000-gallon wildlife lagoon with nearly 50 stingrays, more than 2,800 reef fish and two Aldabra tortoises.

Performers

Bob Dielman, Bob Lunergan, and Dave Mankes. AL#8979

Rooms are available starting Oct. 1 at $930 a night, according to the Marriott website, which handles bookings. Rates rise to a minimum of $1,212 on Fridays and Saturdays, while a room from Christmas to New Year’s Eve will cost at least $1,822 a night, according to the website.

The opening date for the St. Regis Longboat Key has not yet been announced but is coming this summer, and as it approaches, more reservations will become available, a hotel spokesperson said.

Spanning 18 acres, the St. Regis Longboat Key property includes a host of water attractions: 800 feet

Six restaurants will be on-site, in addition to a bar upon entry: n CW Prime, featuring seafood and premium cuts of aged beef, as well as a private speakeasy n Riva, coastal Italian dining with a pasta bar n Aura, an indoor-outdoor Latin American restaurant n Oshen rooftop lounge with Japanese and Peruvian fare n Monkey Bar, with tiki cocktails and limited bar snacks including the “Murph Dog,” named for longtime Colony owner Murray “Murf” Klauber (The Colony Beach & Tennis Resort used to be where the St. Regis now stands.) n Carolina’s cafe with healthy drinks and food plus coffee, espresso, tea and pastries Among the other amenities will be a spa with snow shower, eucalyptus steam room, Finnish sauna, cold plunge and sensorial showers; a fitness center with Technogym equipment and salon facilities; 34,000 square feet of meeting space, including a ballroom; and an entryway mural and mosaic as well as a large rooftop mosaic.

Regis Longboat

Courtesy of St. Regis Longboat Key

The price for our liberty

At 3 p.m. Monday, pay your respects: At least observe a moment of silence or listen to ‘Taps.’

Come Monday, many Americans will simply enjoy a day off from work, perhaps barbecue, go the beach, get drunk or stoned. But some Americans, not many in proportion to 330 million of us, actually will honor the true meaning of Memorial Day. It is the national holiday we commemorate and remember every American who died in service to our country.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, that number now exceeds 1,226,330 — from the Revolutionary War through 2022. The largest number of military losses occurred in the Civil War (498,332) and World War II (405,399).

Those totals are incomprehensible. The deaths during the Civil War and World War II are the equivalent of wiping out the populations of Manatee and Sarasota counties. What’s more, think of the effects: the lost lives and their lost futures and the families — the millions and millions more who had to mourn the deaths of their loved ones.

For what?

The Revolutionary War was for liberty. World Wars I and II and the Korean and Vietnam wars were to stop the advancement of totalitarian dictators and the destruction

and enslavement of democratic societies. Typically, war occurs because megalomaniac rulers and dictators (not leaders) believe they are entitled to more land, more economic resources and more power — and have no compunction about sacrificing the lives of their people toward those ends. Today, think: Putin, Hamas, Iran, etc.

On Memorial Day, think of the banner that the students from Sarasota Military Academy carry in Sarasota’s Memorial Day parade: “Freedom is not Free.” And perhaps do what President Bill Clinton inaugurated for every Memorial Day. He declared it also a National Day of Remembrance — to pause at 3 p.m. for a moment of silence or to listen to a rendition of “Taps.”

God bless America. God bless those who died for the cause of freedom.

— Matt Walsh

Rand: The ‘supreme value’ and virtue of our military

Editor’s note: In 1974, “Atlas Shrugged” author and philosopher Ayn Rand spoke to the West Point graduating class. The title of her remarks: “Philosophy: Who needs it.”

Toward the end of her speech, Rand spoke of her admiration for West Point graduates and the U.S. military. Although 40 years old, her remarks — much like her philosophy and two best-sellers, “Atlas Shrugged” and “The Fountainhead” — are still relevant today, particularly so as we commemorate Memorial Day:

… In this context I want to say I have always admired the posture of West Point graduates. I mean it.

A posture that projects man in proud disciplined control of his body.

Well, philosophical training gives men the proper intellectual posture. A proud disciplined control of his mind.

In your own profession, in military science, you know the importance of keeping track of the enemy’s weapons, strategy and tactics. And of being prepared to counter them.

The same is true in philosophy.

You have to understand the enemy’s ideas and be prepared to refute them.

You have to know his basic arguments and be able to blast them.

In physical warfare, you would not send your men into a booby trap. You would make every effort to discover its location.

Well, (Immanuel) Kant’s system is the biggest and most intricate booby trap in the history of philosophy.

But it’s so full of holes that once you grasp its gimmick, you can defuse it without any trouble and walk forward over it in perfect safety.

And once it is defused, the lesser Kantians, the lower ranks of his army, the philosophical sergeants, buck privates and mercenaries of today will fall of their own weightlessness by chain reaction.

There is a special reason why you, the future leaders of the United States Army, need to be philosophically armed today.

You are the target of a special attack by the Kantian Hegelian collectivist establishment that

dominates our cultural institutions at present.

You are the army of the last semi-free country left on earth. Yet you are accused of being a tool of imperialism.

And imperialism is the name given to the foreign policy of this country, which has never engaged in military conquest and has never profited from the two world wars which it did not initiate but entered and won. It was, incidentally, a foolishly over-generous policy, a policy which made this country waste her wealth on helping both her allies and her former enemies.

Something called the military industrial complex, which is a myth or worse, is being blamed for all of this country’s troubles.

College hoodlums scream demands that ROTC units be banned from college campuses.

Our defense budget is being attacked, denounced and undercut by people who claim that financial priority should be given to ecological rose gardens and to classes in aesthetic self-expression for the residents of the slums. Some of you may be bewildered by this campaign and may be wondering in good faith what errors you committed to bring it about.

If so, it is urgently important for you to understand the nature of the enemy.

You are attacked not for any errors or flaws, but for your virtues. You are denounced not for any weaknesses but for your strengths and your competence.

You are penalized for being the protectors of the United States.

On a lower level of the same issue, a similar kind of campaign is conducted against the police force.

Those who seek to destroy this country seek to disarm it intellectually and physically.

But it is not a mere political issue.

Politics is not the cause but the last consequence of philosophical ideas.

It is not a communist conspiracy, though some communists may be involved as maggots cashing in on

a disaster they had no power to originate.

The motive of the destroyers is not love for communism but hatred for America.

Why hatred?

Because America is the living refutation of a Kantian universe.

Today’s mawkish concern with and compassion for the people, the flawed, the suffering, the guilty, is a cover for the profoundly Kantian hatred of the innocent, the strong, the able, the successful, the virtuous, the confident, the happy.

A philosophy out to destroy man’s mind is necessarily a philosophy of hatred for man, for man’s life and for every human value.

Hatred of the good for being the good is the hallmark of the 20th century.

This is the enemy you are facing.

A battle of this kind requires special weapons.

It has to be fought with a full understanding of your cause, a full confidence in yourself and the fullest certainty of the moral rightness of both.

Only philosophy can provide you with these weapons.

The assignment I gave myself for tonight is not to sell you on my philosophy but on philosophy as such.

I have, however, been speaking implicitly of my philosophy in every sentence since none of us and no statement can escape from philosophical premises.

What is my selfish interest in the matter?

I am confident enough to think that if you accept the importance of philosophy and the task of examining it critically, it is my philosophy that you will come to accept.

Formally, I call it objectivism, but informally, I call it a philosophy for living on earth.

You will find an explicit presentation of it in my books, particularly in “Atlas Shrugged.”

In conclusion, allow me to speak in personal terms.

This evening means a great deal to me. I feel deeply honored by the opportunity to address you.

I can say not as a patriotic bromide, but with full knowledge of the necessary metaphysical, epistemological, ethical, political and aesthetic roots that the United States of America is the greatest, the noblest, and in its original founding principles, the only moral country in the history of the world.

There is a kind of quiet radiance associated in my mind with the name West Point because you have preserved the spirit of those original founding principles, and you are their symbol.

“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.” Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944

President and Publisher / Emily Walsh, EWalsh@YourObserver.com

Executive Editor and COO / Kat Wingert, KWingert@YourObserver.com

Managing Editor / James Peter, JPeter@YourObserver.com

Staff Writers / Petra Rivera, PRivera@ YourObserver.com; Carter Weinhofer, CWeinhofer@YourObserver.com

MEMORIAL DAY AT NATIONAL CEMETERY

Each Memorial Day weekend, the National Cemetery in Sarasota is crowded with patriotic Americans paying their respects to the more than 34,000 veterans and their spouses who are buried there.

Memorial Day services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 25, at the cemetery pavilion. Flags also will be placed on the gravesites Saturday.

The cemetery is located at 9810 State Road 72. It is open each day from dawn to dusk.

There were contradictions and omissions in those principles, and they may be in yours, but I am speaking of the essentials.

There may be individuals in your history who did not live up to your highest standards, as there are in every institution, since no institution and no social system can guarantee the automatic perfection of all its members.

This depends on an individual’s free will.

I am speaking of your standards.

You have preserved three qualities of character, which were typical at the time of America’s birth, but are virtually nonexistent today.

Earnestness, dedication, a sense of honor.

Honor is self-esteem made visible in action.

You have chosen to risk your lives for the defense of this country.

I will not insult you by saying that you are dedicated to selfless service.

It is not a virtue in my morality.

In my morality, the defense of one’s country means that a man is personally unwilling to live as the conquered slave of any enemy, foreign or domestic.

This is an enormous virtue.

Some of you may not be consciously aware of it.

I want to help you to realize it.

The army of a free country has a great responsibility: The right to use force, but not as an instrument of compulsion and brute conquest, as the armies of other countries have done in their histories. Only as an instrument of a free nation’s self-defense, which means the defense of man’s individual rights.

The principle of using force only in retaliation against those who initiate its use is the principle of subordinating might to right.

The highest integrity and sense of honor are required for such a task.

No other army in the world has achieved it.

You have.

West Point has given America a long line of heroes, known and unknown.

You, this year’s graduates, have a glorious tradition to carry on, which I admire profoundly, not because it is a tradition, but because it is glorious.

Since I came from a country guilty of the worst tyranny on earth, I am particularly able to appreciate the meaning, the greatness and the supreme value of that which you are defending.

So in my own name and in the name of many people who think as I do, I want to say to all the men of West Point, past, present and future. … Thank you.

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Ayn Rand

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Students from Sarasota Military Academy each year remind attendees at the annual Memorial Day Parade on Main Street in Sarasota of the price of freedom.

Structural strength

MIRABAI HOLLAND

CONTRIBUTOR

May is Osteoporosis Awareness Month.

Osteoporosis is a disease in which, over time, bones become thinner, more porous and less able to support the body. Bones can become so thin that they break during normal, everyday activities like stepping off a curb or picking up a grocery bag.  I first became interested in bones as a young dancer. I was studying body alignment, and I became fascinated with the skeleton and the remarkable intricate architectural structure of bone. It led me to do a graduate thesis on bones, to discover weight-bearing exercise for bone building, and to design Skeletal Fitness, the first boneloading workout in the U.S. To understand how and why exercise works, here’s a quick explanation oft how your bones work.

On the outside, bones seem solid and rock-like, but they’re not. They’re living tissue.

There’s the smooth, hard shell we see on the outside called cortical bone, and the amazing crisscrossed, honeycomb-like structure on the inside called trabecular bone. The combination of cortical and trabecular bone make our skeletons strong, light, flexible and efficient.

The structure of trabecular bone is the secret ingredient. The trabecular bracing structure is located at precisely the correct angles to absorb the maximum force.

So, when you jump over a puddle or run for a bus, it’s the trabecular bracing that directs the force to the strongest part of your skeleton and prevents a bone from breaking.

Most of us aren’t aware of our beautiful bone structure. But it hasn’t gone unnoticed or underutilized.

The structure of trabecular bone was copied by the French bridge builder Gustave Eiffel, who wanted to build the tallest man-made structure in the world. When he built the Eiffel Tower in 1889, he calculated the positioning of the braces in the curves of the legs to direct any force, like high winds, on the entire structure to the strongest area — the four legs.

This is why the Eiffel Tower has

EXCEPTIONAL VACATION RENTALS

stood the test of time.

That’s fine for an iron tower. If part of it becomes weakened, you can see it and fix it. But what happens to weakened or damaged areas of our skeletons?

I was astonished to find out that bones are pretty smart. They don’t grow to adult size and then stop. Our skeletons are constantly getting rid of old, weakened bone tissue and replacing it with new, healthy bone.

In a process called remodeling, old, weakened areas are broken down and replaced with new wellformed tissue.

Our bodies replace about 10% of our bone tissue each year. So every 10 years, we pretty much have a new skeleton.

But in bones with osteoporosis, the remodeling process has gotten out of whack. Weak bone is broken down and little or nothing takes its place.

Those sturdy crisscrossed structures disappear. Bones get weaker and start to fracture. Fractures occur most often where there is the most trabecular bone.

The three areas most at risk for osteoporotic fracture are the spinal trabecular bone, the hip trabecular and the forearm at the wrist.

So if you have osteoporosis, the vertebrae start to squash under the weight of the torso. The thigh bone at the hip is next. It can break just by stepping into a sudden turn. And the wrist will likely break if you put out your hands to catch yourself in a fall.

Osteoporosis is most prevalent in women after menopause, when they lose the protection of the hormone estrogen, which helps keep bone density at healthy levels. Men get osteoporosis too, but usu-

ally much later when testosterone levels drop. There’s a lot you can do to prevent osteoporosis and maintain bone health. Studies with athletes have shown that putting just enough stress on our bones helps them maintain themselves and grow. Weight-bearing exercise like walking, jogging, aerobic dance and resistance training stimulate the remodeling process and promote bone growth.

Exercise should be site-specific. Do weight-bearing and resistance exercises for the whole body but pay special attention to the areas most at risk — the spine, hip and wrist.

Calcium and vitamin D are also important. Women younger than 50 should get 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily. If you’re 51 or older, you need 1,200 mg a day. Men younger than 70, 1,000 mg, and 71 and older 1,200 mg. Try to get as much calcium as possible from food. Dairy products and leafy green vegetables are rich in calcium. Read food labels. They’ll tell you how much calcium is in there.

Vitamin D is made in the skin. It helps your body absorb calcium. Both women and men under 50 need 400-plus international units a day; over 50, 600; over 70, 800. In Florida, eight to 10 minutes of unscreened sunlight a day is enough for healthy vitamin D levels. But there’s a delicate balance between sunlight for vitamin D and an increased risk of skin cancer.

It’s hard for most people to get enough D without supplements. If you are a person at higher risk for skin cancer, vitamin D supplements may be the way to go. Your dermatologist can help you find the right balance for you. Your bones are living tissue. Take care of them as you would any other body part and they’ll take care of you.

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.

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spine Spine with compression fractures

Courtesy images

The design of Gustave Eiffel’s iconic tower was inspired by the intricate structures of trabecular bone (inset).

LETTERS

home in Longboat Key in 2019, moving here permanently in 2023. It always annoyed me that dogs were not allowed on the beach.  I had traveled to other beaches in the U.S., and the majority made some provision for dogs. Some had specific hours, some specific months, some required proof of residency, etc. So, I had a difficult time understanding why the town of Longboat Key prohibited dogs at all times. That is until I started living here full time and witnessed for myself the dog poop problem.   This is mystifying. There is an ordinance that an owner must pick up after their dogs. The town has placed “poop” receptacles along Gulf of Mexico Drive. Although the distance between Wake Island and just south of Cannon’s is a bit far as dog poop seems to gather on the side of the road in that area. Perhaps a poop receptacle at Edlee Lane or near Christ Church would be helpful.

Joan Durante Park has poop receptacles and bags. Bayfront Park has a “dog park” in addition to receptacles and bags. I have two large dogs and walk them at least twice a day. In these walks, dog poop still finds its way onto the side of the road, in peoples’ front yards, on the beach, and at these parks.   I first blamed the “tourists” and ignorance of our ordinances. But after living here year-round, I find the blame rests with residents. Why would anyone not clean up after their dog? Maybe a lack of bags, but I find dog poop on the trails and grass at both Joan Durante and Bayfront Park — and there is a plethora of bags available. So then why?  That question was somewhat answered for me the other day. At a local shopping center, I saw a woman get out of a very expensive car carrying what I am sure was some sort of “designer” small dog. She walked to the edge of the adjacent park and walked the dog until it relieved itself in the grass.  She then proceeded to pick up the dog, but not the poop, and walked back to her car.  I said something to her about cleaning up after her dog, her response was, “He’s so small,

it won’t matter,” and she drove off. I took a “poop bag” out of my car, because along with reusable grocery bags, water-filled containers for the dogs, leashes and umbrellas, I carry around “poop bags” and cleaned up her dog’s poop.

So then why? I suspect it is one of those things that goes along with being entitled and privileged. What other reason would someone who lives here not pick up after their dog? I thought about taking my dog to her neighborhood and allowing my German shepherd to relieve itself on her lawn ... but I probably would not be able to get past the gate and security guard.   This is not a difficult concept. We have a beautiful island that is very dog friendly; if we do not clean up after our dogs, it will not stay beautiful and dog friendly for long. If you are entitled and privileged, then hire someone to clean up your dog’s poop when you walk.

— CHRISTOPHER LAURENT LONGBOAT KEY

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Have something to tell us?

Send your letters to James Peter at JPeter@YourObserver. com.

File image

Although Joan Durante Park offers receptacles and bags, dog poop still seems to pile up on walkways, writes a concerned resident.

SATURDAY, MAY 11

STRAY GOLF BALL STRIKE

9:39 a.m., 2400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Property Damage: While on patrol, an officer saw a vehicle swerve off the roadway. The officer pulled behind the driver, who appeared visibly shaken. She pointed to her windshield, which showed signs of damage from a round object. Then a man wearing golf attire approached the scene, and it was made clear that a golf ball struck the vehicle. No crime was committed, just

FRIDAY, MAY 10

BEACH CHAIR CONFUSION

2:24 p.m., 1000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive Disturbance: An officer responded to a disturbance called in by a resident who claimed there was a group of women sitting on beach chairs that did not belong to them. The officer searched the nearby beach to locate the individuals, who were at the neighboring condo complex. The two beachgoers said they were meeting their grandmother, who lives in the complex. They said they did not know the chairs belonged to anyone and thought they could use them since their grandmother lived in the complex. But the condo complexes aren’t the same, and the chairs were not fair game. The beachgoers returned the chairs and apologized for any inconvenience.

SATURDAY, MAY 11

SAFETY FIRST, LUNCH LATER

12:50 p.m., Jewfish Key

Vehicle Stop: A marine patrol officer observed a vessel with no registration numbers and conducted a vessel stop. The operator was frustrated and said he was in a hurry to dock at a restaurant for dinner, later telling the officer to hurry up and write him a ticket so he could eat lunch. The officer then escorted the vessel to the dock to perform a safety check. It was then discovered that the life vest on board for a 4-year-old was not Coast Guard approved, and the vessel operator received two citations.

CRAB SPOTTING

9:39 p.m., 3400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious Person: Dispatch sent Longboat PD to investigate a report of five or six people on the beach with spotlights. At the

scene, officers canvassed the area and found a family leaving the beach and using headlamps. One of the family members said they were searching for speckled crabs and were on their way out.

SUNDAY, MAY 12

ABANDON SHIP

2:20 p.m., Jewfish Key

Vehicle Stop: Marine patrol officers observed a personal watercraft operating on a full plane in a minimum wake zone with a passenger holding onto the front hood of the personal watercraft. The operator made a U-turn and both he and the passenger fell off the watercraft. After that, the operator got on the personal watercraft and left the passenger behind. The officers picked up the passenger on the police vessel while another officer stopped the watercraft. The operator could not provide a boater identification card and did not have registration numbers on the watercraft. He was then cited for reckless operations, violating a minimum wake zone, no boater identification card and failure to display registration numbers.

MONDAY, MAY 13

TOO SCARED TO ASK

9:15 a.m., 500 block of Birdie Lane

Officer Public Service: Dispatch asked an officer to respond to a citizen assist call where a resident was unable to get out of her driveway due to construction workers. Upon arrival, the officer saw the construction workers digging in front of the resident’s driveway and proceeded to speak with the resident. She said she needed to leave for a road trip but was afraid to ask the workers. The officer then spoke with the workers, who agreed to fill up the hole so the resident could leave.

WORSHIP directory

Floral vision for summer

New flower shop plans to open retail side in July with an open house.

PETRA RIVERA STAFF WRITER

The Longboat Key Flower Shop is blooming toward its July grand opening.

Owner Christy James shared that the new store is almost ready for customers to shop in person after a year of doing just deliveries.

James tackled Mother’s Day, receiving 200 orders from her two flower shops in Longboat Key and Siesta Key; 130 of the orders were from Longboat residents.

With the flower-heavy holiday under her belt, James is excited to focus on finishing construction of her shop, which began shortly after she signed the lease in August of last year.

Her contractor opened up the shop’s front room to give her more space for displays while keeping her design room in the back.

Painting is the last item on the agenda, which will be finished in the next week, James said. Then she will decorate and start welcoming customers.

To make buying flowers easier, James plans to set up a self-service cooler for people to buy everyday arrangements and individual flowers whenever they want during business hours.

The flowers will be organized based on price starting from $25 to $100 and beyond.

This is a great way for customers to pick flowers in their desired price range and still get a quality unique arrangement that will last longer than grocery-store bought ones, James said.

“We are a real flower shop where we actually process flowers,” said James. “We take care of them. We nurture them. We wrap them. We design them. Yes, the grocery stores have low-priced flowers, but they might not even come from the same place. They come from a middleman where the flowers won’t last as long or won’t be designed the same way that a local floral shop does.”

The shop will also offer unique flowers that most grocery stores won’t have such as Asiatic lilies and orchids, said James. Along with flowers galore, James’ shop will sell refurbished antiques and one-ofa-kind knickknacks, which are her other passion.

She held a ribbon cutting with the Longboat Key Chamber of

LONGBOAT KEY FLOWER SHOP

5360 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Suite 107. Order flowers by calling 303-0808, or visit LongboatKeyFlowerShop. com. James is currently looking to hire employees.

Commerce on April 4. James hosted chamber members and Longboat residents to take a peek into her shop while sharing cake, bites and free flowers.

Since this event, James said that the feedback has been tremendous.  With construction almost finished, James plans to hold an open house for the whole month of July starting around the Fourth of July holiday.

Customers will be invited to browse and get to know James while having refreshments. Each person will receive a special tea cup with flowers and a tea bag in it to promote future events she has planned such as flower-designing classes and mingling events discussing faith.

“Flowers are really therapy,” said James. “When people come to the shop for the first time, I want them to really enjoy. Have a good time, smell the beautiful smell and see how gorgeous flowers are.”

Petra Rivera

Christy James’ Longboat Key Flower Shop will soon offer in-person shopping.

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

SEND IN THE CLOWN

ROMAN GAGNIER ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Ayear ago, when actor Scott Ehrenpreis and writer/ director Jason Cannon staged the one-man play, “Clowns Like Me” at FSU Center for the Performing Arts’ Cook Theatre, New York was the last thing on their minds.

True, Scott’s father Joel Ehrenpreis, producer of the show, had a successful career in marketing, and is known for thinking big. But a year ago, Joel’s plans included a video production and possible outof-town engagements in places like Tampa for the scripted play about Scott’s struggle with mental illness.

What a difference a year makes.

An updated version of “Clowns Like Me” is headed back to the Cook Theatre from May 23-26. However, the run is being billed as a “sneak peek” of the show that will play June 21 to Aug. 18 at DR2, a 99-seat Off Broadway theater in New York near Union Square.

The New York production follows a film version of “Clowns Like Me,” made by Sarasota videographer Brad Bryan that unspooled in April at the 26th annual Sarasota Film Festival. The video of the play has been a calling card to help Lifeline Productions, the nonprofit behind the show, raise money and make connections.

One of those connections is Tom Kirdahy, the successful Broadway producer who has a house in Longboat Key. Kirdahy was recently in Sarasota for the run of “Hadestown” at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall from Jan. 30 to Feb. 4.

Kirdahy is the producer of the Broadway, West End (London) and touring productions of the smash hit “Hadestown,” among many other shows. Not a bad guy to know if you’re trying to open doors in the world of legit theater.

Joel Ehrenpreis doesn’t know Kirdahy, but one of his former neighbors does. Explains Ehrenpreis: “I used to live on Longboat Key. One of my former neighbors asked me if I knew Tom Kirdahy. I didn’t. He wrote to Tom, who put us in touch with Jonathan Demar.”

Scott Ehrenpreis’ oneman show, ‘Clowns Like Me,’ is heading to New York City in June.

After watching the video “Clowns Like Me,” Demar, who is part of the producing team for “Hadestown” and the revival of Stephen Sondheim’s “Merrily We Roll Along,” came on board as executive producer and got the show booked in New York. (Note to self: You never know who you’re going to meet on Longboat Key.)

IF YOU GO

‘Clowns

May 23-26

This is a tale of a Sarasota fatherand-son team who made good, but

Courtesy images

Scott Ehrenpreis stars in “Clowns Like Me,” a one-man show about the actor’s struggle with mental illness.

Florida Studio Theatre veteran Jason Cannon wrote and directs “Clowns Like Me,” a one-man show starring Scott Ehrenpreis.

MONICA

it’s also the story of a dedicated writer and director. To write the show, Cannon moved into Scott Ehrenpreis’ condo and lived with him for nine months while he gathered material from and wrote several drafts of the script. Cannon and Scott Ehrenpreis will also be roommates during the New York run of “Clowns Like Me.”

Before the debut of the first “Clowns Like Me,” the two also attended a Comedy Boot Camp run by McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, at Cannon’s behest.

Ehrenpreis had stage credits under his belt such as a high-strung TV technician in “Network” and a hardboiled police reporter in “The Front Page,” but Cannon felt like he needed to learn how to do stand-up comedy and comfortably banter with audiences to convey his life story in a humorous fashion.

Scott Ehrenpreis can do a lot of things, but his dad doesn’t want him doing press, which is why he’s not quoted in this article. If we had the chance to interview him, we would have asked about his recent performance in FST’s production of “The Lehman Trilogy,” directed by Richard Hopkins.

Until recently, Joel Ehrenpreis was the exclusive publicist for “Clowns Like Me,” but he’s hired a professional to assist with the New York premiere.

To prepare for the New York run, Cannon says “we did a fine-toothed comb rewrite and made some changes to the set. We’ve updated the clinical language.” In the time since the show was first written, the term “Asperger’s Syndrome,” part of Scott’s diagnosis (along with OCD, bipolar disorder, social anxiety and depression) has been replaced with “Autistic Spectrum Disorder.”

For Cannon, going to New York with “Clowns Like Me” is a “lifelong dream come true for career theater people. It feels surreal. We went into this with zero expectations.”

But Cannon has been preparing for this moment for a long time. According to his official bio, he has more than 100 credits as an actor, more

than 120 as a director and has had 10 plays produced that he’s written.

Some of those were at Florida Studio Theatre, where he spent about a decade. Cannon was the lead developer on the FST cabaret “A Place in the Sun: A Tribute to Stevie Wonder” and created “Old Enough to Know Better,” a documentary theater piece based on 100 interviews with Sarasota residents between the ages of 55 and 101. He continued the project with “Last Rights,” a work that explored end-of-life issues. Clearly, Cannon is no stranger to crafting stories about disabilities and heartache into something audiences want to see and are willing to pay for.

It may appear that “Clowns Like Me” is the product of three hardworking individuals with a vision. That’s not a lie. But the journey from

the Cook Theatre to DR2 wouldn’t have been possible without local benefactors and champions of the production.

Joel Ehrenpreis credits his “amazing board,” including Rose Chapman, former executive director of Jewish Family and Children’s Service, for helping Lifeline Productions take “Clowns Like Me” from an idea to a New York run in just two years. “We owe Rose so much,” he says. “She got Scott the right diagnosis.”

Another lifeline was Colleen Thayer, executive director of the National Alliance for Mental Illness of Sarasota and Manatee Counties.

“She was all in,” Ehrenpreis recalls. “I created a nonprofit, but we weren’t a 501(c)3 right away and couldn’t accept donations directly. NAMI accepted contributions on our behalf and channeled them to us. We

wouldn’t be here without NAMI’s love and support.”

“Gulf Coast Community Foundation and Community Foundation of Sarasota have been kind to us,” adds Ehrenpreis.

Their support will enable Lifeline to do a college tour of “Clowns Like Me” once the dust settles after the New York run.

Other invaluable donors include Michael Saunders & Co. and Aviva Senior Living, to name just two, Ehrenpreis says. Pressed for other names, Ehrenpreis demurs. “Some of the major benefactors don’t want notoriety. One of my biggest donors lost her son to suicide more than 15 years ago. When she came to the first of five readings and said, ‘You have given me closure,’ I knew we had something,” he says.

Courtesy image

Scott Ehrenpreis and his father, Joel Ehrenpreis, who helped him mount his one-man show, “Clowns Like Me,” which is heading to New York City.

THIS WEEK

THURSDAY

TOM RHODES

7 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd. $26 Visit McCurdysComedy.com.

International touring comedy star Tom Rhodes has an impressive list of credits that includes the NBC sitcom “Mr. Rhodes,” “The Joe Rogan Experience” and “The Artie Lange Show,” to name just a few. Runs through May 26.

‘THE FLIP SIDE’

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

$37-$42 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

With songs like “The Ballad of Sigmund Freud” and “Killed by a Coconut,” the latest cabaret creation of Richard and Rebecca Hopkins tips its musical hat to comic songwriters. The quirky show features arrangements by Jim Prosser. Runs through June 16.

‘12 ANGRY MEN:

A NEW MUSICAL’

7:30 p.m. at FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail $35-$95 Visit AsoloRep.org.

OUR PICK

‘BEYOND COMFORT’ ART OPENING

Come celebrate the opening of Art Center Sarasota’s annual juried regional show, “Beyond Comfort.” The juror is Sarasota Art Museum Executive Director Virginia Shearer. In “Beyond Comfort,” artists express their idea of beauty or the grotesque in contemporary art and society. The exhibition runs through July 27.

IF YOU GO

When: 6 p.m. Thursday

Where: Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami

Trail Tickets: Free Info: Visit ArtSarasota.org.

DON’T MISS

‘UNITED WE STAND: A ME-

MORIAL DAY CONCERT’

Come see Choral Artists of Sarasota before they head off to France to participate in the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of D Day, when Allied troops invaded Normandy to liberate France from the Nazis. Choral Artists wraps its 45th season with “United We Stand,” a Memorial Day tribute to the military veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Performing with Choral Artists is the Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble, conducted by Joe Martinez.

IF YOU GO When: 4 p.m. Sunday Where: Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. Tickets: $30-$60; students $5 Info: Visit ChoralArtistsSarasota.org.

Asolo Repertory Theatre Producing Artistic Director Peter Rothstein directs an innovative musical adaptation of the classic courtroom drama. Rothstein first directed “12 Angry Men: A New Musical” at Theatre Latté Da in Minneapolis, where it made its world premiere in 2022. Runs through June 9.

MATTHEW FROST BAND

8 p.m. at Fogartyville, 525 Kumquat Court

$7.50-$12 Visit WSLR.org.

Sarasota quartet Matthew Frost Band plays alternative blues, soul rock and fusion with Frost on keyboards and vocals, Barry Williams on bass, Josh Nelms on guitar and Michael Finley on drums.

FRIDAY

FRIDAY FEST: HOT TONIC ORCHESTRA

5 p.m. on the lawn and terrace of Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail Free Visit VanWezel.org.

The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall kicks off its free Friday Fest series of outdoor concerts with Hot Tonic Orchestra. Led by band leader Victoria Woods, Hot Tonic plays swing, Latin Jazz and its own interpretations of popular songs designed to get people up on their feet. Bring your dancing shoes as long as they don’t have heels, which are apt to get stuck in the Van Wezel’s lawn.

THE FUNKY BONES

8 p.m. at Joyland Live, 8341 Lockwood Ridge Road

$10.45-$26.13 Visit JoylandSarasota.com.

The Funky Bones make their debut at Joyland Live. The bank will play soulful melodies from artists such as Earth, Wind & Fire, Bruno Mars and Dua Lipa in a performance that promises to be a musical tour of the decades.

SUNDAY

JAZZ ON THE WATER

3 p.m. at The Marina Jack II, 2 Marina Plaza $35-$40 Visit JazzClubSarasota.org.

Set sail with Jazz Club of Sarasota, which presents Suzanne Lucas & The Hot Boyz. Boarding begins at 2:30 p.m.

MONDAY

SHINIQUE SMITH: ‘PARADE’

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The Ringling Art Museum, 5401 Bayshore Road Free (Mondays only) Visit Ringling.org.

It’s Memorial Day, and there aren’t a lot of indoor places that you can go for free on a holiday. Why not take advantage of The Ringling Art Museum’s Monday free day and see Shinique Smith’s “Parade?” Smith’s large-scale sculptures are on display in galleries that house the museum’s permanent collection of European art. The juxtaposition of styles and themes and the interplay of color is breathtaking. Please note, admission is free on Monday only to the Museum of Art, Bayfront Gardens and Glass Pavilion, not to the Circus Museum or Ca’ d’Zan mansion. “Parade” runs through Jan. 5, 2025.

Image courtesy of Dot Editions

Courtesy image

Courtesy image

The jury meets jazz in Asolo Rep’s ‘Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical’

Shouting matches give way to bursts of song.

MARTY FUGATE CONTRIBUTOR

The jury of Reginald Rose’s “Twelve Angry Men” has been in session since 1954. Counting various plays and movies, I’ve seen it at least five times.

But I’ve never seen anything like “Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical” — a 2020 musical adaptation. David Simpatico penned the script; Michael Holland wrote the music and lyrics. These two brilliant minds created a brilliant new musical.

In case you somehow missed the American classic it’s based on, here’s the story: A 16-year-old Puerto Rican boy is accused of murdering his abusive father. The case against him seems open-andshut. Twelve angry dudes accept the jury summons. After the trial, they gather in a stifling room to deliberate.

Most jurors have a verdict in mind. They first hold a straw vote; 11 jurors say the kid’s guilty. But Juror No. 8 (Curtis Bannister) has a reasonable doubt. For the rest of the story, he argues with the others.

Simpatico and Holland’s 2020 “new musical” sticks fairly close to Reginald Rose’s drama. That said, its new jury is a multicultural mix. The diversity adds nuance to the jurors’ arguments.

Asolo Rep Producing Artistic Director Peter Rothstein directed this musical’s premiere in Minneapolis. This is his second time around. But I figure it’s not a cakewalk. This show has a tricky scene structure — a constant counterpoint of gritty reality and trippy musical interludes.

IF YOU GO

‘Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical’ When: Through June 9

Where: at FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail Tickets: $35-$95 Info: Visit AsoloRep.org

turns things around. Holland’s jazzy music is whipcrack smart. It’s smartly realized by conductor and musical director Jenny Kim-Godfrey, and her band. As to Holland’s songs, this lyricist/ composer is skilled at both jobs. His lyrics serve the musical’s story; his music matches its mood.

Holland’s score combines a syncopated Be-Bop beat with subtle echoes of 1950s detective shows.

(Like the dangerous themes from “Perry Mason” and “Peter Gunn.”) Holland’s tunes are like ticking bombs. They hint of blow-ups to come.

Mathew LeFebvre’s costumes capture the era’s wearable signifiers of class, race and status. Paul Whitaker’s lighting has an apt film noir feel. Jurors disappear into the shadows at times. At other times, the lighting gets as harsh as a police interrogation.

Having considered this evidence, here’s my verdict … “Twelve Angry Men: a New Musical” is a very moving musical. Is it a faithful adaptation of Rose’s American classic? Not so much.

Rose’s original drama was claustrophobic. Twelve angry jurors were locked together in one room. They’re trapped and fighting to breathe. The musical’s jazzy interludes let oxygen into the room. And that kills the pressure cooker vibe. Rose’s story was also an outsidein character study. You heard the juror’s words, but didn’t enter their minds. In Holland and Simpatico’s musical adaptation, the jurors sing their feelings out loud — along with a few civics lessons.

The jurors will have a normal discussion (or shouting match) for a minute or two. Bang! Without warning, they’ll burst into song. These leaps from realism to musical fantasy could easily get confusing. But Rothstein keeps your eye on the ball. This musical’s 12 angry men come to life thanks to 12 talented actors. They’re all in top form.

Benjamin Olsen’s mercurial set design serves this musical’s worldbuilding. Center stage: a huge turntable with a long conference table on top. Throughout the angry action, Rothstein uses the chairs for bits of business and constantly

Thanks to these radical revisions, “Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical” goes beyond mere adaptation — and enters the realm of re-imagination. Sure, it remains fairly true in its spirit. But it’s not the claustrophobic crucible of the original play. This new musical is a very different animal.

Don’t miss it. Then just for fun … stream the 1957 Henry Fonda movie.

FELINE FRIEND

Longboat’s Caryn Wilbraham has fostered more than 40 kittens since 2021.

PETRA RIVERA STAFF WRITER

There is nothing like the instant connection between a pet and its owner.

Longboat resident Caryn Wilbraham felt that connection in 2021 with the first cat she fostered. She said that Caymus was her “first bottle baby” — Wilbraham had to learn to make formula for and bottlefeed the newborn kitten.

Now, Caymus is a full-grown cat that she adopted to be her secondin-command as she continues her kitten-fostering journey. He can be found next to Wilbraham as she makes the formula for the latest litter.

Since that first connection with Caymus, Wilbraham has fostered more than 40 kittens from the Humane Society of Sarasota County. Wilbraham was called “a volunteer on steroids” by HSSC board member Melinda Foster. She cares for kittens like she is their mother, and they view her that way.

“My kids ask me all the time how did I become a cat lady like this, which I find hilarious,” said Wilbraham.  Wilbraham joined the HSSC board six years ago when her friend and past president of the board saw her passion for animals. After having different pets throughout her life, Wilbraham considered herself an animal advocate and wanted to get involved with the organization immediately.

Because board members are not allowed to volunteer, Wilbraham signed up for the kitten fostering program. It was the only way she could proactively participate with the animals. Wilbraham fell in love with the program after fostering her first litter, which included Caymus. She thought it was a rewarding way to give back and a great retirement pastime.

Wilbraham fully committed to being a kitten foster mother. She will usually foster around three or four kittens at a time, a commitment that comes with the obligation of waking up multiple times through the night to feed them. Her youngest litter was 5 days old. She said they usually are smaller than her hand when they first come to her.  Each kitten arrives with different

medical needs and illnesses. Wilbraham is prepared for most health situations through HSSC training. She will care for the kittens until they are two pounds or 8 weeks old. After that, Wilbraham will take them back to the shelter for them to be neutered and prepared for adoption.

FULL OF SURPRISES

Through her years of experience, Wilbraham has noticed her care trains them to be smart and well behaved for their new homes. She said most of her kittens have survived their medical issues and have been adopted.

Wilbraham usually has a kitten or two with her at all times. She will take them to restaurants, stores and on road trips. Wilbraham said her favorite way to show her kittens is by taking them on walks in a stroller around her complex or down Gulf of Mexico Drive.

“They will always surprise you by how smart they are,” said Wilbraham. “Like, I thought they would slam into the shower wall because it’s glass, so I always have it padded with towels. Not one of them has slammed on it. Another thing about them is they think that I am their mother so they will climb on me and treat me like a tree. They’ll sit on my shoulder and will knead my hair. It is the cutest thing.”

Although it’s not a requirement of HSSC foster parents, Wilbraham also invests money to buy the kittens different food, toys and an incubator to keep them warm throughout the

night.

With kittens in and out all the time, Wilbraham said that she avoids getting attached to them by viewing the experience as a business. She will care for the kittens until they are ready for their forever home.

GETTING INVOLVED

Wilbraham and Foster are excited that the HSSC has recently joined the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce to get more involved in the Longboat community.

Foster said everyone can get involved through its “Time, Talent, Treasure, Adopt, Foster, Volunteer, Donate” motto.

Since March, Foster said HSSC has been in “kitten season.” This time of the year is when adult cats give birth at higher rates, and there are hundreds of cats needing volunteers to care for them.

On March 26, HSSC hosted its second annual Foster Open House to prepare people’s homes for fostering

new kittens and puppies and educating them on what it takes to foster an animal. She said it is her favorite time of the year and perfect for anyone interested in fostering kittens. Wilbraham is not the typical foster

NEW CHAMBER MEMBER

The Humane Society of Sarasota County recently joined the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce to expand its reach.

“A lot of people don’t really know about all we do at the Humane Society,” said board member Melinda Foster. “So I think working with the chamber and really getting to know everyone will spread awareness of the amazing volunteer opportunities we have for people out here in Longboat.”

parent and goes above and beyond what other volunteers do, Foster said. Foster parents have the option of how many cats they want to foster and can give nothing else but their time to care for these kittens for however long they want. Everything else will be provided by HSSC including food and medical needs.

People can also help by bringing any unattended kittens that they find around the area to provide for them a safe place to be taken care of, Foster said.

It is an easy way to feel even a little of the satisfaction that Wilbraham experiences by giving back to her community about a cause she is passionate about.

“Everyone has a purpose,” said Wilbraham. “It’s hard to find in retirement because you do have so much free time. This is my purpose. Nothing has been more fulfilling than helping these kittens grow to their full potential and prepare them for their forever home.”

Courtesy images

Caryn Wilbraham began fostering kittens for the Humane Society of Sarasota County in 2021.

Some of the kittens need multiple feedings a night to survive.

Shared wisdom

Nonprofit aims to create a community of support for those who want to prepare for life’s toughest challenges.

hen Longboat resident Michele De Luce became a widow, it was hard to take care of her

and

Through this experience, she realized how unprepared people are for hardships such as these.

De Luce thought to herself, “If people know healthy coping mechanisms in advance, could they prepare themselves for these situations?”

Using her experience, De Luce created a nonprofit to focus on equipping individuals with free education and support for challenges related to the death of a loved one.

Celebrate Her Wisdom hopes to guide people who have experienced loss to find emotional strength, physical well being and financial security. Celebrate Her Wisdom will soft launch in June.

The main point of education for the nonprofit will be the unpreparedness gap, De Luce said. This concept touches on how people are not ready to handle unexpected events, both positive and challenging. Celebrate Her Wisdom will help prepare people to navigate life’s transitions with greater resilience.

Celebrate Her Wisdom will also focus on the national “Power to Protect” conversation. De Luce hopes to start a community of women that will provide empowerment and support in their lives to be able to take charge during unexpected events.

Celebrate Her Wisdom’s first steps include getting the word out to cultivate a community of women with similar experiences, De Luce said. It will also be implementing a fun-

THE TRUSTED CHOICE

CELEBRATE

To find out more about the nonprofit, visit CelebrateHerWisdom.org.

To read the first chapter of Michele De Luce’s book “Angels and Intuition,” visit MicheleDeLuce.com.

draising challenge to build momentum for future events and projects.

Along with launching the nonprofit, De Luce will release her first self-published novel, “Angels and Intuition.”

The book follows a protagonist in a story of romance that highlights “life’s seismic ups and downs” and how to navigate through tough challenges.

“Shark Tank” investor and businesswoman Barbara Corcoran endorsed the book. Corcoran said in a quote in the book that she thought it was a powerful story and thought De Luce’s mission would help many women. De Luce said the book will serve as an introduction to the nonprofit’s mission. The first chapter is available free on her website.

“We believe that knowledge is power,” said De Luce. “We’re here to equip you with the tools and resources you need to face the future with confidence.”

PETRA RIVERA STAFF WRITER

Courtesy image

Michele De Luce

HER WISDOM

Mutual appreciation

Plymouth Harbor residents keep up tradition with lunch with Sarasota County firefighters.

The relationship between Plymouth Harbor and Sarasota County Fire Department Station 3 is all about appreciation.

That was evident on May 15, when the first group of residents came to have lunch with the B-shift team at the station on St. Armands Circle.

Residents of Plymouth Harbor have continued the tradition for about a decade, according to Vice President of Philanthropy Beth Watson.

The residents visited each of the different shifts — A, B and C — on May 15, 16 and 17. Watson said that Plymouth Harbor tries to schedule it around International Firefighters Day, which is on May 4.

In the past, firefighters would come to Plymouth Harbor for the annual lunch and dine at the Mayflower Restaurant. The tradition was put on pause during the COVID-19 pandemic, after which the residents started going to the station for lunch.

Residents took a tour of the station before joining the firefighters for a luncheon provided by Plymouth Harbor.

Lunch was filled with smiles and conversation as Plymouth Harbor residents asked the firefighters about the job and what civilians could do to make their jobs easier.

On May 15, residents Jill Considine, Sara Little, Barbara Shaver and Nancy Lyon attended the lunch.

Overall, the lunch is a way to say thanks to the firefighters.

“They’re very appreciative of Plymouth Harbor,” Watson said. “And they’re there every day.”

According to Watson and the

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“They’re very appreciative of Plymouth Harbor. And they’re

there every day.”

— Beth Watson

firefighters, the station responds to calls at Plymouth Harbor almost daily, whether it’s to help with falls or assistance at the Smith Care Center.

“Every time they’re on campus, our residents are enamored with their personalities,” Watson said.

“Our residents are very appreciative of them.”

But it’s also a way to build the relationship since the station also used Plymouth Harbor to train.

Lt. Kent Hayes has worked as a firefighter for Sarasota County for 24 years, the last eight of which have been with Station 3.

He said the station also frequently responds to calls on Longboat Key to assist the Longboat Key Fire Rescue Department.

At Plymouth Harbor, if the firefighters aren’t there to help someone in need, they’re probably using the 26 floors to train. Hayes said going up and down those stairs is a regular part of the station’s training.

Throughout the years, residents have grown familiar with the firefighters, and the relationship has been nothing but positive according to both groups.

“The rapport we have with the people is awesome,” Hayes said.

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Left to Right: Rylan Lanham, Adrienne Lambers, Mike Osterman, Tom Bardwell, Susan Wilson, Susan Knight, Amanda Lewis

Carter Weinhofer

Lt. Kent Hayes gives a tour of Station 3’s bunk area.

Communicate for success

Public Works manager explains to Kiwanis Club that dialogue with residents is key to completing town projects efficiently.

After two years spent working for the Longboat Key Public Works Department, Construction and Facility System Manager Guy Matricciani has seen how speaking with residents is the key to satisfaction on Longboat. Matricciani realized this while working on a recent project at Country Club Shores. He knew he wouldn’t get anything accomplished if he didn’t communicate with Kiwanian Lynn Larson.

“We couldn’t have done it without Lynn,” said Matricciani. “All of her and everyone else’s input was vital to making that project successful. I told the guys that I wouldn’t let the street open up again until I got Miss Lynn’s approval. That is what I enjoy about my job. I enjoy meeting people and asking how I can help them. I am always trying to hear everyone out.”

The Kiwanis Club of Longboat Key hosted Matricciani for its monthly

breakfast on May 16. Matricciani shared updates on the project to bury utilities with the club and discussed issues they had questions about.

The department is finalizing a schedule for the project and plans for all underground services to be working by the end of September, Matricciani said.

Larson said she appreciates how hands-on and open Matricciani is. She encouraged everyone to go to him directly with questions.

Kiwanis Club members emphasized the importance of the department working with residents to give feedback. They suggested the town should post a schedule for construction updates and street cleaning days so people are more aware of what’s going on.

Matricciani also mentioned that a good way to stay informed with important updates is through the town’s e-notification system. Residents are informed regularly about traffic lane closures, severe weather alerts, town manager briefs and more important announcements. People can register for updates online at LongboatKey.org.

In the offseason, the Kiwanis Club returns to meeting once a month. President Chris Sachs said they will soon start meeting to plan for the 2024 Lawn Party held in December.

PETRA RIVERA STAFF WRITER

Petra Rivera

Front: Ed Krepela and Jim Whitman. Back: Mike Frashier, Svetlana Ivashchenko, Deborah DiCarlo, Chris Sachs, Lynn Larson, Jim Larson and Michael Garey.

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Buying or selling, Reid will lead you through a successful real estate experience throughout Sarasota, the islands, Bird Key, Lido, and St. Armands.

YOUR CALENDAR

RECURRING EVENTS

MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

LONGBOAT LIBRARY

From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday, 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

10-11 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.

TUESDAYS

QIGONG

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

MAHJONG

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

BEST BET

MAY 25-26

ST. ARMANDS FINE ART FESTIVAL

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at St. Armands Circle Park, 1 St. Armands Circle. Free. Artisans from throughout the state and country will display their fine arts and crafts in an outdoor gallery of original art, including sculpture, jewelry, painting, photography, glass, ceramics, metalwork, fiber art and woodworking. Artists will be available to discuss their training and inspiration while answering questions about how pieces were made. Call 487-8061.

ROTARY CLUB

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

WEDNESDAYS

BEGINNER TAI CHI

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

THURSDAYS STRETCH AND STRENGTHEN

From 10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. This class is mostly seated and great for all fitness levels. Focus is on strength training and flexibility for balance. Suzy Brenner leads the class. Fee is $15. Walk-ins welcome. Call 3836493.

$12,000,000

$2,750,000

Condo in Promenade

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

Acondominium in Promenade tops all transactions in this week’s real estate. Carmen and Nancy Trotta, trustees, of Sarasota, sold the Unit 801 condominium at 1211 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Joseph Fitzgibbons, of Estherville, Iowa, for $1.8 million. Built in 1985, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,100 square feet of living area. It sold for $435,000 in 1994.

BEACHPLACE

Jean-Marie Seidl, trustee, of Robert Seidl, of Naperville, Illinois, sold the Unit 603 condominium at 1055 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Yosef Zibari and Lilit Sarah Zibari, trustees, of Los Angeles, for $1.65 million. Built in 1981, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,392 square feet of living area. It sold for $850,000 in 2016.

BIRD KEY

Joel and Angela Anderson, of Bradenton, sold their home at 540 Bird Key Drive to Cherokee Park Ltd. Inc. for $1.5 million. Built in 1973, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,924 square feet of living area. It sold for $232,800 in 1995.

CASTILLIAN

Barbara Silver-Shumway, trustee, of Pittsford, New York, sold the Unit 212 condominium at 633 W. Bloomfield Road to TEJA LLC for $1.4 million. Built in 1979, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,738 square feet of living area. It sold for $240,000 in 1988.

PROMENADE

Jacques and Pierrette Perron, of Jacksonville, sold their Unit 805 condominium at 1211 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Robert and Marilyn Buzzard, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1.3 million. Built in 1985, it has two bedrooms, two baths and

1,598 square feet of living area. It sold for $530,000 in 2001.

SEAPLACE

Steven Aron, of Sarasota, sold his Unit G7-411-B condominium at 1935 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Scott and Andrea Rosenthal, of Maple Glen, Pennsylvania, for $1,165,000. Built in 1979, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,492 square feet of living area. It sold for $899,000 in 2021.

LIDO REGENCY

Susan Scott, trustee, sold the Unit 2-D condominium at 1700 Benjamin Franklin Drive to Lisa Ann Bekey, of Sarasota, for $1.05 million. Built in 1968, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,492 square feet of living area. It sold for $285,000 in 1997.

LIDO SURF AND SAND

Thomas Hoppenjans, of Bradenton, sold his Unit 411 condominium at 1102 Benjamin Franklin Drive to Betty Osenbaugh and Jack Osenbaugh, trustees, of Dayton, Ohio, for $875,000. Built in 1976, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,213 square feet of living area. It sold for $575,000 in 2020.

LONGBEACH

Richard and Barbara Levine, of South Salem, New York, sold their Unit 23 condominium at 7135 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Jordan Weidner, trustee, of Cincinnati, for $750,000. Built in 1974, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,170

TOP BUILDING PERMITS

square feet of living area. It sold for $185,900 in 1996.

LIDO HARBOUR

Roger and Sharon Wasson, of Sarasota, sold their Unit 2 condominium at 1900 Benjamin Franklin Drive to John and Karen Narkiewicz, of Millis, Massachusetts, for $684,000. Built in 1967, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,242 square feet of living area. It sold for $389,000 in 2020.

WINDWARD BAY

Timothy and Carol Larson, of O’Fallon, Missouri, sold their Unit 12-VR-22-C condominium at 4870 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Stephen and Pamela Fasolino, of Washington Township, New Jersey, for $399,000. Built in 1974, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 973 square feet of living area. It sold for $189,000 in 2013.

Images courtesy of Ryan Ackerman

Carmen and Nancy Trotta, trustees, of Sarasota, sold the Unit 801

condominium at 1211 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Joseph Fitzgibbons, of Estherville, Iowa, for $1.8 million.

NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH

FORECAST

TIDES SUNRISE

MOON PHASES

SCAB JW BPW BTCBP.” MTBPCT ULEME GLXHW © 2023 NEA, Inc.

RISING THROUGH THE RANKS by Daniel Hrynick, edited by Jeff Chen

By Luis Campos

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