Christ Church of Longboat Key enjoyed its second fellowship lunch of the summer on July 18. The week’s stop on the tour of Cortez Road restaurants was Swordfish Grill.
The Rev. Julia Piermont said these lunches are a way to show people that they are a year-round church. Even when attendance at most events on the island is low, she hopes these lunches will encourage people to find community at Christ Church. Its first fellowship lunch was at Slicker’s Eatery this past month. Along with building fellowship, Piermont hopes the lunches are a way for residents to support local businesses and discover new favorite restaurants.
Thirty-three congregants attended the lunch to catch up with friends.
Story time
For families that stayed on Longboat Key over the summer — or those visiting — the Sarasota County Libraries and Historical Resources Department will host one more Pop-up: Longboat Key Summer Story Time.
On Wednesday, Aug. 7, the county’s Pop-up Library will head to the Bayfront Park Recreation Center for story time from 10:30-11:30 a.m. According to the county’s event website, there will be stories, songs and crafts for children 5 and younger.
The Pop-up Library will also continue to visit the Longboat Key Town Hall parking lot on the first and third Tuesdays of the month starting at 10 a.m. For more information about the event or Sarasota County libraries, visit SarasotaCountyLibraries.org or call 941-861-1110.
Fewer visitors, same impact?
The
Ronson’s one-of-akind tales inspired all who found themselves in his orbit. SEE PAGE 10
Courtesy image
Cindy and Jeff Ray
philanthropist and storyteller Harold Ronson, honored as grand marshal of the Longboat Key Veterans Day parade in 2016, has died at age 98.
Roadmap revision
Town receives state approval for updated comp plan, which guides the community’s vision.
CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER
After more than two years of work, the town of Longboat Key received the official stamp of approval on a complete revision of its comprehensive plan.
The notification from the Florida Department of Commerce came on July 18 via email to town staff that the new comprehensive plan was in compliance. In Florida, the Department of Commerce requires a local government to update its comprehensive plan at least every seven years.
Planning & Zoning Board Chair David Lapovsky recently started his second term and is in his fifth year on the board. He also recently took over as chair in May after the former chair, David Green, decided to relocate from Longboat Key. Lapovsky gave credit to his predecessor.
“Let me first say, David Green, whom I replaced, did a masterful job of shepherding this through board review, and the staff did an unbelievable job of keeping a very complicated process on track,” Lapovsky said.
A comprehensive plan sets the guidelines for a local municipality for things like future land use, mobility, infrastructure and recreation. Housing is also a major aspect, but one that was straightforward since Longboat Key is mostly built out already, Lapovsky said.
The Planning & Zoning Board focused on one or two areas at a time through a series of workshops, according to Lapovsky.
For each of the areas, the board worked through a process that identified goals, objectives, priorities and strategies that served as a framework for the revisions.
The Planning & Zoning Board — along with staff from the Planning, Zoning and Building Department — then would take the revisions in a series of batches for commission approval. After the entire comprehensive plan went through revisions, the town submitted the new plan to the Florida Department of Commerce.
With this revision, Lapovsky said the board spent significant time talking about climate issues and how things like sea level rise would impact future land use.
Keeping comprehensive plans up to date is important to maintain a community’s vision. Conversations around climate change and sea level rise only started to become prominent in this latest revision, according to Lapovsky.
A comprehensive plan also provides guidance on development, which expresses, for example, that the Longboat Key community is against high-rise developments along Gulf of Mexico Drive, according to Lapovsky.
Any future site development plans on the island look at the town’s comprehensive plan to make sure the site will comply with the town’s vision.
“It’s the roadmap, really, the guiding principles of what we want our community to be in terms of the decisions that we make that affect the health, safety, appearance, mobility (transportation) of our community,” Lapovsky said.
Carter Weinhofer
A comprehensive plan sets the guidelines for a local municipality on future land use, mobility, infrastructure, recreation and more.
Underwater real estate
Oyster gardens at Bayfront Park provide homes for marine life.
CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER
Under the docks at Bayfront Park, 40 vertical oyster gardens recently became new real estate for marine organisms.
On July 19, residents of The Summit of Lakewood Ranch — a senior assisted living community — joined Oyster Boys Conservation at Longboat Key’s Bayfront Park to watch the installation of vertical oyster gardens that some of the residents helped build.
Oyster Boys Conservation previously installed 40 VOGs at Bayfront Park in partnership with the town of Longboat Key and the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program. The town’s contribution to the newest installation of VOGs was $500.
The SBEP also contributed to the VOG installation at Bayfront Park, which is a part of the organization’s commitment of $10,000 for VOG installations and community workshops in the area, according to Oyster Boys Conservation President Dom Marino.
VOGs are made by drilling holes into the center of recycled oyster shells that often come from local
restaurants. Twenty oyster shells are strung onto a piece of rope, which is then mounted to a board. There are 10 strands per board, which then get installed on the bottom of a dock so the VOGs can hang into the water.
According to the SBEP, many shorelines in Sarasota Bay are lined with seawalls, which reduces the amount of available habitat for filter feeders. The old oyster shells become available space for marine organisms such as mussels, barnacles, sea anemones and juvenile oysters.
Oysters are also important filter feeders and filter water while consuming microscopic phytoplankton. According to many sources, one adult oyster can filter as much as 50 gallons of water a day. Once the recycled oyster shells are collected and drilled, creating the suspended VOGs is as simple as threading rope through the oysters. That’s where residents at The Summit of Lakewood Ranch come in, to help make the VOGs. Dom Marino formerly worked at The Summit and started this partnership. Dom’s brother Vince Marino, co-director of field operations for Oyster Boys, also said the partnership is personal. The brothers’ grandmother was in a similar facility, so they understand how events like this can have a positive impact on residents.
Carter Weinhofer
Beverly Pillot holds an existing vertical oyster garden from Bayfront Park.
STEADY AS THEY VISIT
Although Manatee and Sarasota counties report dips in visitor numbers this season, the economic impact of tourism holds strong.
CARTER WEINHOFER
WRITER
ven though this past season’s tourism numbers won’t break any records, that doesn’t mean it was a bad year for Manatee and Sarasota counties. Both counties reported a slight decline in the number of visitors, while the economic impact remained roughly the same from the same time last fiscal year. Some tourism representatives from both counties speculate this could represent a normalization of the tourism industry after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Manatee County’s data covers October through April, while Sarasota County’s data runs from October through March. When making annual comparisons, the counties look at this year’s data compared to the same period in the last fiscal year.
At a June 10 meeting of the Manatee Tourist Development Council, Director of Quantitative Research, Research Data Services Anne Wittine presented the tourism data along with an analysis.
There was about a 3.3% decline in visitors for Manatee County this year. In total, 625,600 visitors were reported from October 2023 to April 2024, whereas there were 647,200 visitors last year from October 2022 through April 2023.
Despite a slight decrease in visitors, the economic impact from those visitors stayed about the same, with a 0.3% increase from $1,136,917,600 to $1,140,027,800.
According to statistics from Visit Sarasota County, Sarasota County experienced similar trends. Sarasota County reported a 9% decline in visitors, from 727,100
(October 2022 through March 2023) to 657,180 (October 2023 through March 2024).
This resulted in about a 1.45% decrease in economic impact during those periods, from $1,556,387,100 to $1,533,771,100. Representatives from the Manatee Tourist Development Council praised the county’s efforts in maintaining visitor numbers given recent economic pressures.
“Flat is good,” said Elliott Falcione, director of the Manatee County Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Like (Wittine) said, we’re coming out of extreme pent-up demand, domestic, so flat is good. … We’re not trying to break records every year, I can promise you that. We want to bring in quality visitors that have the wherewithal to afford the assets that are in Manatee County.”
The pent-up demand that Falcione referenced was experienced coming out of the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared with 2019, Manatee County has experienced a 37.5% increase in visitors and a 62.3% increase in economic impact during the period from October through April.
The flattening of tourism numbers began to show last year when the counties reported a dip in the number of tourists in 2023 after a surge in 2021 and 2022.
Visit Sarasota County President and CEO Erin Duggan spoke with Sarasota County commissioners on July 9 about the changes in tourism data that represent a cooler period.
“We went through a few phenomenal years with the pandemic, when Florida was open and other places around the country and the world were not,” Duggan told commissioners. “We do know, some of that success was just unsustainable.”
Manatee County also experienced an increase in visitors from overseas, an area that The Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (BACVB) was attempting to target, said representatives at the June 10 meeting.
From last year to this year, the BACVB reported a 12.3% increase in European visitors.
“We’re finally starting to see that number growing,” Wittine said. “We’re still not quite back to where we were in 2019, but we are starting to see recovery there.”
Manatee County Commissioner and Chair of the Tourist Development Council Ray Turner said the BACVB’s efforts in attracting more overseas visitors helped keep the economic impact strong this year.
“Flat is good in this environment right now,” Turner said. “I think the only reason we’re flat is probably because of your efforts in Europe because that’s a pretty big increase … seeing the numbers run pretty much flat right now is quite extraordinary.”
KEY ATTRACTIONS
In fiscal year 2023, Longboat Key represented 8.5% of Manatee Coun-
ty’s tourist development tax. There were about 83,000 commercial lodging visitors on Longboat Key’s Manatee County side, which made up 8% of the county’s entire overnight commercial lodging visitation for the fiscal year, according to data from the BACVB.
Similarly, Longboat Key was responsible for 7.5% of the tourist development tax collected by Sarasota County.
“I think that people who are coming to us are looking for an opportunity to truly relax and unwind. Many are looking to escape colder weather.”
— Kim Verreault
That’s $3,750,025 out of the total $49,996,721, according to the FY23 Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax annual report.
President and CEO of Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce
Kim Verreault said, from speaking with local businesses, that the last months of 2023 seemed to be quieter than usual, but it was still a strong season. Verreault also said the chamber would work on advertising specifically for that time next year to support Longboat’s local businesses.
According to Verreault, the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce utilizes funds from the BACVB every year for in- and out-of-state advertising to draw and retain tourists to the island.
For example, she said the most recent advertisement focused on attracting Florida families with children who may currently be on summer vacation.
When visitors come to Longboat Key and turn to the chamber for recommendations, Verreault said attractions either on the island or close by are popular for tourists.
Off the island, Longboat Key visitors enjoy amenities like Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, arts and entertainment in Sarasota and St. Armands Circle.
Tourists also frequently ask about kayaking opportunities, boat tours and recommendations for Longboat Key beaches and local parks.
Asked what some of the main attractions to Longboat Key are, Verreault said the natural beauty ranks highly.
“Definitely the beauty and tranquility of our beaches,” Verreault said. “I think that people who are coming to us are looking for an opportunity to truly relax and unwind. Many are looking to escape colder weather.”
Education takes flight at SOS
Director of Outreach and Avian Care says learning ramp-up will start at the end of summer.
CARTER WEINHOFER
STAFF WRITER
Save Our Seabirds wants to have a bigger footprint on environmental education, and Director of Outreach and Avian Care Sarah Rubin is looking to create those opportunities.
Starting in August, new educational programs for all ages will begin popping up at Save Our Seabirds, and Rubin said she hopes these lead to more opportunities down the road. “I really would like for (the opportunities) to grow,” Rubin said. “We really would like for kids to be encouraged to come in.”
Rubin started at Save Our Seabirds about a year and a half ago. She said the campus didn’t have much of an education program before she started. With her background in environmental education, she began developing programs for school-aged children.
On Aug. 3, a night hike from 6:309 p.m. will kick off a week of backto-school events. The night hike — which requires pre-registration for $20 — will be for ages 7 and up. Participants will be led on a hike of the nearby mangrove trail with nightvision goggles. After the hike, participants will observe some owls and night herons at Save Our Seabirds. Kids can then learn what it’s like to be an owl biologist with a staged owl banding using plush owls. Banding is a method of tagging birds with small metal or plastic tags for identification.
“It’s actually really cute; the kids have to go into the nets and grab the owls, band them and measure them,” Rubin said.
She is working on planning a week of free family activities for the week
LEARN MORE
For more information or to sign up for Save Our Seabirds’ events, visit SaveOurSeabirds. org/Events.
following the night hike and said those events will be posted on Save Our Seabirds’ social media.
Another event scheduled for that week is an owl pellet dissection. An owl pellet is the bird’s fecal matter, which can contain bones from other birds, rodents, snakes and crawfish. Owl pellets serve as a record of what the bird ate and can be used by scientists to learn more about the surrounding ecosystem, according to Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
That event is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Aug. 6 for roughly an hour. Rubin said staff will also talk to participants
about owl biology, then dissect the pellet using tools and match up the found bones. The cost is $5 per person.
Rubin also hopes to kick off an entirely new type of event for Save Our Seabirds — a vulture-themed party featuring Cupid the black vulture.
She’s still working on finalizing the details, but, for a price to be determined, people can book a party window for two hours and utilize the outdoor space under the staff offices at the SOS campus. At the party, participants will get vulture-themed crafts, a private mini tour and an appearance by Cupid the black vulture.
“That’s brand new; we’ve never had anything like that,” Rubin said about the vulture parties.
Cupid is one of Save Our Seabirds’ newer ambassador birds and imprinted on humans from an early
age. Due to the imprint, Cupid is more used to humans than most of the other birds at Save Our Seabirds, according to Rubin.
FIELD TRIP FUN
On top of these new education programs, Rubin is working on increasing opportunities for local schools through a platform called EdExploreSRQ.
“For school programs, we’re introducing a lot of science-standardbased lessons,” Rubin said. Through the EdExploreSRQ website, Rubin said teachers can now find curriculum-based field trips at Save Our Seabirds. Rubin can cater these programs to any age group to include STEM activities.
Field trips at Save Our Seabirds are limited to outdoor activities because the campus doesn’t yet have a large indoor space, but the schools would be given a tour followed by classes
WHAT IS IMPRINTING?
When birds are young, they imprint on adult birds during a period of development. This is important for a bird’s survival and how they identify with their species. If juvenile birds spend this development period around humans, they will identify with humans for life, and imprinting is irreversible, according to the Wildlife Center of Virginia. Imprinted birds are unable to be released into the wild because of how different their adaptations and interactions would be.
designed to meet the curriculum standards for the age group, according to Rubin.
Examples of activities could include building a nest to see if it can support the weight of real eggs and something Rubin called “adaptation artistry,” where students would work together to build their own birds and talk through the necessary adaptations included for the imagined species.
The field trips currently listed for Save Our Seabirds on EdExploreSRQ are $10 per student and adult, but one chaperone per 10 students is free. Rubin said Save Our Seabirds also offers discounts for Title 1 schools in the area that would want to utilize these programs.
For Rubin, the most valuable takeaway from the programs is when students and participants come back and say they are more interested in bird conservation or are more mindful of pollution because they now know how much it impacts birds.
“I love the way it changes a person’s outlook on animals and conservation,” Rubin said. “That’s what does it for me, that’s what makes it all worthwhile.”
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Petra Rivera
Nate Kettler answers questions about a bird at Save Our Seabirds.
Numbers on the beat
Longboat PD chief attributes increase in service calls to full staff and training.
Afully staffed department and continuous training allowed the Longboat Key Police Department to stay on top of this year’s busy season, which led to increases in total service calls, traffic warnings and misdemeanor arrests, said Chief of Police George Turner.
From fiscal year 2023 to fiscal year 2024 year-to-date, data from each quarter shows ups and downs across the board, with some increases that Turner said aren’t cause for concern.
“We’ve been busy,” Turner said. “But the rest (of the stats) you see, they’re up and down. They’re all well within the normal range.”
The statistics are grouped by the town’s fiscal year quarters:
Quarter 1: October to December
Quarter 2: January to March
Quarter 3: April to June
Quarter 4: July to September
Since Q4 is not yet over, the data is not included in this report.
One of the largest increases was in total service calls, which in Q3 rose from 4,135 total service calls in FY23 to 6,468 total service calls for that same period in FY24.
“Calls for service are generated by dispatch and also activity of the officers,” Turner said. “And when we’re fully staffed, that’s probably a lot of the reasons for any changes.”
The department was fully staffed in Q3, according to Turner. But since then, three full-time officers left the department. Turner said he is in the
process of filling those vacancies to bring the department back to full capacity at 23 full-time employees.
Turner also said the increase in service calls could be attributed to the public’s comfort in calling the police for assistance because of the department’s ongoing public outreach efforts.
Traffic warnings also showed an increase in all three quarters from FY23 to FY24. In Q2, traffic warnings rose from 390 in FY23 to 965 in FY24. The following quarter, the warnings increased from 660 in FY23 to 1,222 in FY24.
Turner said his officers give out a lot of traffic warnings from hits on the license plate readers located on both ends of the island and at midKey. Those cameras can pick up violations like a suspended driver’s license, expired registration and more serious cases, such as active warrants.
Sometimes, drivers are unaware of the minor violations. If the driver isn’t aware, Turner said his officers will likely write a warning.
“If it’s not something that’s a moving violation, they’ll just give warning and not tickets,” Turner said. “It’s more of an educational opportunity for us.”
A moving violation would be things like speeding or failing to stop for pedestrians, according to Turner. In those instances, a ticket would likely be given.
“We’ve
been busy. But the rest (of the stats) you see, they’re up and down. They’re all well within the normal range.”
George
Turner, chief of police
On Feb. 22, the Longboat Key Police Department became accredited by the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation for the first time in the department’s history.
As an accredited law enforcement agency, the department is held to a higher standard through a variety of requirements. There were a total of 235 metrics that the department needed to address in its accreditation, which touched on things like officer safety and training.
Again, Turner said having more officers on patrol due to being fully staffed attributed to the increase in warnings.
Misdemeanor arrests fluctuated across the quarters, first with a decrease in Q1 from 77 in FY23 to 43 in FY24.
In Q2 of FY23, there were 57 misdemeanor arrests, which increased to 97 in Q2 of FY24. Then, in Q3, a slight increase from 73 in FY23 to 79 in FY24.
Examples of misdemeanors could be driving with a suspended license, speeding, failing to obey traffic signs, or things like possession of drugs, trespassing and simple battery.
For the less-serious instances, like minor traffic violations, Turner said the officers will typically process those arrests in the field. This means the offender would be given a notice to appear in court at a later date.
“The majority of those, we’d rath-
er issue notices to appear rather than taking people to jail,” Turner said. Turner said one of the reasons behind this is that many of the local jails are crowded, and taking offenders to a county jail would take an officer off patrol for an extended time.
If the violation is severe enough and requires the offender to be taken to jail, the officers will do so.
CONTINUOUS OFFICER TRAINING
This upcoming fiscal year, the department won’t be gaining any additional manpower beyond the 23 full-time employees Turner needs to be fully staffed. In his requests for FY25, Turner included three new officers, but Town Manager Howard Tipton’s recommended budget did not include those positions.
However, Turner said the officers he does have are busy staying up to date on the latest policies following the department’s accreditation.
“Laws change, which means policies have to change and be updated almost daily,” Turner said. “Our training requirements change.”
Turner said that the captains, sergeants and accreditation managers keep officers on top of training, as well as law and policy changes. Reviewing all of those changes means more training hours.
“Our training has definitely increased a lot,” Turner said. “We have to maintain that level of competence for every officer here.”
Keeping officers on top of training and already looking toward reaccreditation in three years, the department is remaining diligent while patrolling Longboat Key. While there are increases in some incidents — like total service calls and traffic warnings — Turner said it’s not cause for alarm.
Mar Vista sold
Chiles Hospitality sells the LBK hotspot and two other beachfront restaurants.
MARK GORDON BUSINESS OBSERVER
Longtime Manatee County restaurant owner Ed Chiles has sold his three beachfront restaurants and other components of Chiles Hospitality, a company he founded 45 years ago.
The new owner of the portfolio — it includes Sandbar Seafood & Spirits, Beach House Waterfront Restaurant and Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant & Pub, all in Manatee County — is Beachside Hospitality, a Pinellas County restaurant group that oversees 13 restaurants in eight Florida cities. Beachside, according to a statement, also acquired Anna Maria Bake House and Chiles Hospitality’s events department.
Financial terms of the acquisition, scheduled to close July 29, weren’t disclosed.
Colliers International is representing Chiles Hospitality.
Chiles Hospitality’s 350 restaurant employees have been asked to continue in their current roles, the release states, “as Beachside Hospitality intends to keep the businesses open and operating as usual.” Ed Chiles, meanwhile, son of former Florida Democratic Gov. Lawton Chiles, isn’t totally getting out of the business. He will continue to operate Gamble Creek Farms, a 26-acre, organic-certified farm in Parrish that sells to restaurants and wholesale through a farm market. He will also continue to promote the sustainable projects and environmental causes he’s passionate about, the release states. That, and he intends to spend more time with his family and new grandson.
“This has been a difficult decision, but I know it’s time for me to move on,” Chiles said in the release. “I am passing the torch to new owners who understand the value of our
employees and who will carry on the legacy that our team has built together. I leave knowing that the work our team has done together is one of the greatest experiences of my life, and we have made a measurable and positive impact in our community.”
Beachside Hospitality Group has more than 20 years of experience in the restaurant business, the release states. This will be its first venture in Manatee County.
It operates six restaurants on the east coast of Florida, from St. John’s to St. Lucie counties, according to its website.
It owns another six in Pinellas, including Crabby’s Bar & Grill and Crabby’s Hideaway in Clearwater and Crabby’s on The Pass on Treasure Island. It also owns The Salty Crab Bar & Grill in Fort Myers Beach.
Chiles founded the company in 1979 with the purchase of the historic Sandbar restaurant in Anna Maria.
Mar Vista came next, in 1989, when Chiles Hospitality bought that property, one of the longest-standing structures in Longboat Key.
The Beach House Waterfront Restaurant, on 650 feet of gulf front beach, was acquired in 1993. Anna Maria Bake House was established in 2018 as a scratch-artisan bakery within Beach House.
COPS CORNER
FRIDAY, JULY 12
LAUNDRY LEFT TOO LONG
8:05 p.m., 5000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Disturbance: Dispatch sent Longboat Key officers to investigate a disturbance call, which was reported as a man at a local resort repeatedly knocking on a room’s door. The call came in because only children were inside the unit and they were scared. Upon arrival at the scene, an officer spoke with the man. He said the people staying in this unit left clothes in the washing machine, and he needed to do his laundry. After the officer advised the man there were only children in the unit and they called 911, he apologized and an officer spoke with the oldest child to reassure the children that everything was OK.
SATURDAY, JULY 13
WATCH OUT FOR WOOD CHIPS
1:54 p.m., 1600 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive Officer Public Service: A citizen called the police concerned that birds would eat wood chips left behind by a seawall construction company. At the scene, an officer spoke with a construction superintendent who said he instructed the crew to rake the wood chips the previous day and had checked to make sure there were no wood chips left. The complainant did not wish to be contacted further, and the case was closed.
MONDAY, JULY 15
CEILING CAT
11:21 p.m., 600 block of Russell Street
Officer Public Service: A Longboat Key officer met with the daughter of the caller, who said her cat was stuck in the newly constructed back porch ceiling. The officer located the cat in a small crack in the ceiling as it was sticking a paw out to try to free itself. Over the phone, the homeowners gave the officer permission to remove a small section of the ceiling. The officer freed the cat from the ceiling and the case was closed.
TUESDAY, JULY 16
CROSSING THE (PROPERTY) LINE
12:21 p.m., 500 block of Yawl Lane
Officer Public Service: A resident called for police assistance because she claimed her neighbor docked a
MONDAY, JULY 15
SWERVE, DON’T DUCK
1:45 p.m., 400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Animal Problem: An officer was dispatched to assist a caller who said he struck a duck while driving on GMD. The caller said he pulled over and was waiting by the animal while waiting for help to arrive. Sarasota County Animal Con trol and Save Our Seabirds arrived on scene to take over.
boat too close to her property line. The responding officer spoke with the neighbor, who said they had already moved the boat back from the property line.
SHARK INVESTIGATION
1:14 p.m., 100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Animal Problem: Dispatch asked Longboat Key PD to assist Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium and marine patrol officers with a dead bull shark that washed ashore. The responding officer met with personnel from Mote and LBKPD marine patrol. According to the report, the shark was found with a hook in its mouth and was believed to have been caught by a fisherman who cut the line. Marine patrol officers towed the dead shark out to the Gulf of Mexico.
THURSDAY, JULY 18
CYBERSECURITY ADVICE
2:06 p.m., 2000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Suspicious Incident: A resident called for help with a possible text message scam. An officer met with the caller, who said she received a message from an unknown number advising her that a package arrived at a warehouse for her but could not be delivered. The text also included a link for her to click on, but she said she had not yet clicked on the link. The officer said this seemed like a common scam text and she should delete the message.
File image
Diners enjoy an al fresco experience at Mar Vista dining at waterside tables.
Beyond First Class™
Source of Manatee’s strife
The Manatee County Commission primary races are not elections between liberal and conservative. They are about whether to eliminate antagonizing behavior.
MATT WALSH
People do not like strife — in their families, with friends, in the communities in which they live. There is enough misery in the world. No one wants to be around people who create or whose narcissism fuels strife.
That is what the Manatee County Commission Republican primary election appears to be about — whether to eliminate the source of the strife that has fueled division and made the Manatee County Commission the leading dysfunctional public body in the region.
The four County Commission races are not elections between liberal and conservative or a fight over socialist or free-market agendas — in spite of the claptrap Manatee voters hear and see on TV ads and in election mailers.
For goodness sakes, as we have pointed out before, Manatee is one of the most conservative and Republican counties in Florida. Republicans outnumber Democrats nearly two-to-one. The primary is not about left vs. right.
Nevertheless, over the past four years, Manatee voters have watched and endured one commissioner whose antagonistic, disrespecting behavior has tarnished the commission and has hurt the community.
Voters know who that is: Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge. His behavior has crossed the line of proper public-service decorum to the point it has created the perception and believed reality that five of the six other sitting commissioners — with the exception of Van Ostenbridge’s opponent, George Kruse — are merely stooges and puppets for Van Ostenbridge and two noncommissioners, political consultant Anthony Pedicini and Manatee homebuilder Carlos Beruff.
There is good reason for that perception and belief. Beruff has been funding his preferred slate of candidates for years, especially in the past four years, to purge the commissioners he and Pedicini have dubbed liberal and RINOs. On the target list: past commissioners Misty Servia, Carol Whitmore and Priscilla Trace, as well as Democrat Reggie Bellamy.
In the 2020 elections, Beruff and Pedicini succeeded with the elections of Van Ostenbridge, James Satcher and Kruse and reelection of Vanessa Baugh — four of the seven commission seats. Check.
Then in 2022, they completed the mission, with the elections of Mike Rahn, Jason Bearden and Amanda Ballard.
Job done. Seven commissioners pretty much thought to be in lock step.
But even before that 2022 victory, through 2021, it was clear Van Ostenbridge had ambitions and coveted the king’s throne — chairmanship of the board. At the end of 2021, the commissioners gave him his wish, electing him chair beginning in 2022 (a position he held in 2023 as well).
In 2022, Van Ostenbridge made this pledge: “My expectations are that this will be a year filled with accountability, civility and ethics at all levels of our government.”
OH, HOW POWER CORRUPTS
While our political philosophy of freedom for the individual, limited
CORRECTIONS
In last week’s sidebar editorial, “Speir takes issue with Buchanan’s votes,” the following was incorrect:
n The Observer incorrectly referred to H.R. 9, a bill on the Paris Climate Agreement, as “The Green New Deal Act.” The bill was not “The Green New Deal Act.” Congressman Buchanan has opposed the Green New Deal; he voted to block the U.S. from leaving the Paris Climate Agreement.
ELECTION ’24
MANATEE COUNTY COMMISSION; SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS; PROPERTY APPRAISER
OBSERVER RECOMMENDS
For the complete recommendations for Manatee County Commission districts and for the two Manatee School Board primaries, go to: YourObserver.com/Opinion.
‘LACK OF RESPECT FOR VOTERS’
Here is more to sour you on election politics: Candidates declining to participate in candidate forums or ignoring media requests. This has now become standard practice, especially for incumbents. For the full text, go to: YourObserver.com/Opinion.
government, property rights, low taxes and population and economic growth aligns with Van Ostenbridge’s, it is not just the “what” that matters. It’s also the “how” — how the policies are achieved. Likewise, it is not just what the voters see. There is also the unseen — what occurs out of sight and earshot of the public.
The seen:
A month ago, when Sarasota attorney Dan Lobeck presented commissioners with a packet of information opposing development on a 17-acre parcel at The Concession, the Observer reported: “The moment the packet reached Van Ostenbridge’s hands, he stood up, walked over to the garbage can, threw the packet in and returned to his seat.”
Insulting, unbecoming.
During one of the contentious meetings on the county’s wetlands buffers, Van Ostenbridge opined to the citizens in the commission chambers: “We’re all Republicans sitting up here. We love President Trump. We support the greatest governor in America. It’s become clear that we have radical climate activists who are pushing the new Green Deal and brought a movement that is rooted in communism into Manatee County.”
So much for dignity.
Indeed, disagreements are part of policy making, but so is respect for the way your fellow citizens are treated — especially from the commission dais.
A true public servant is open to his constituents’ voices, but Van Ostenbridge also led the shutdown of public dissent, ending call-in and social media comments to commissioners.
The unseen:
The Bradenton Times obtained telephone call logs between Van Ostenbridge and the Manatee chief of code enforcement, showing 17 calls between March 1 and May 1, with Van Ostenbridge initiating 11 of the phone calls.
That same report provided details on text messages between two code enforcement employees that direct-
n The Observer incorrectly stated Buchanan's votes on two bills. Here are the correct votes:
n H.J. Resolution 46 (2019) — A vote to support Trump and build the border wall. Buchanan: No. Freedom Caucus: Yes.
n H.R. 863 — Vote to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Buchanan: Did not vote. Freedom Caucus: Yes.
ed one of the employees to “grab” an anti-Van Ostenbridge campaign sign off of private property and “hold on to it.”
The Bradenton Times reported that on the same day that the code enforcement officer was directed to remove the sign, Van Ostenbridge and a code enforcement supervisor exchanged four telephone calls.
Commissioners set policy; they are not to jump over the county administrator and involve themselves in day-to-day operations.
That’s just one case.
Indeed, if you put the current county commissioners on a witness stand, there would be disclosures of Van Ostenbridge maneuvering behind the scenes with the county staff. Such behavior prompted former Commissioner Satcher at one point to motion for a re-vote on Van Ostenbridge’s election as chair. Commissioners, we’re told, backed down, wary of repercussions.
Suffice it to say, Manatee voters know well Van Ostenbridge has not lived up to the pledge of “accountability, civility and ethics.”
And yet, in a show of more brass, Van Ostenbridge, Pedicini and Beruff are now targeting Commissioner Kruse as a “liberal” who has strayed out of bounds and needs to be ousted. And talk about conceit, Van Ostenbridge, apparently thinking his MAGA-ism will carry him to victory, switched from running in his home District 3 to run against Kruse for the District 7 At-Large seat.
FLICKING THEIR NOSES
One last point: It’s the equivalent of this united band essentially flicking their noses at taxpayers.
That would be the $841,340 they voted to transfer from the general fund to help the flagging candidacy of Pedicini-Beruff-backed Satcher in his supervisor of elections race.
Disguised as necessary funds to shore up and expand the supervisor’s operations, stunningly, the request for this cash came from Satcher with not a lick of detail of exactly how the money would be spent. No detail on the cost of leasing space; no detail on what new employees will be paid; no details on exactly how money would be spent on IT software and hardware. It didn’t matter; no questions asked. The vote: 6-1 (Kruse: voting no).
So let’s summarize the Manatee County Commission primaries:
The Pedicini-Beruff team: Steve Metallo (District 1); April Culbreath (District 3); and Kevin Van Ostenbridge (District 7, at-large).
The opposition: Carol Ann Felts (District 1); Talha “Tal” Siddique (District 3); Robert McCann (District 5); and George Kruse (District 7, at-large).
And a standalone, albeit still seen as one of the pack: Ray Turner (District 5).
A vote for the Pedicini-Beruff candidates is a continuation of antagonistic business as usual. A vote for the opposition can begin a course correction back toward respectable representation of taxpayers, where differing points of view can be and often are healthy.
The American system is all about checks and balances. With differing views on the commission, may the best arguments win.
We recommend: Carol Ann Felts (District 1); Talha “Tal” Siddique (District 3); Ray Turner (District 5); and George Kruse (District 7, atlarge)
Supervisor of Elections
Candidates: Scott Farrington and James Satcher
When Americans’ trust in government and confidence in its competence are falling into a black abyss (e.g. prima facie No. 1: Secret Service protection of Donald Trump), voters need candidates who are and will be competent and who are and will be trustworthy.
In the Manatee supervisor of elections race, voters have an indisputable and unequivocal choice of a candidate who embodies those qualities.
There really is no need to detail what we have already commented on twice and reported in our news columns about the differences between Scott Farrington, former
11-year chief of staff in the Manatee supervisor’s office, and the recently politically appointed incumbent supervisor, James Satcher. If you are not familiar, take the time to go to these links: n Feb. 21: “Clash of merit vs. politics” — YourObserver.com/ News/2024/Feb/21/OpinionClash-Of-Merit-VS-Politics/ n May 8: “Shocker: DeSantis puts politics above competence” — YourObserver.com/news/2024/ May/08/Opinion-Shocker-Desantis-Puts-Politics-Above-Competence/
We have seen these two candidates in action for years, and if we were to be charged with hiring Farrington or Satcher for this job, there would be no point interviewing Satcher. The difference in qualifications and character for the job is stark.
Let’s cite just the one, recent instance:
Only one month — one month — into his new job as supervisor, a job where his predecessor and chief operating officer had both left and a job for which he had zero experience, Satcher apparently was able to determine with certainty that he needed $841,340 “to expand safety and security measures and audit vital information and operations;” upgrade hardware and software “to perform a complete and full audit of certified election results;” add a polling site in the North River Ranch area “to expand voter access and ease Election Day lines;” and “open two satellite offices in the Lakewood Ranch and North River Ranch areas … as our county’s population center trends eastward.”
Anyone in an unfamiliar, totally new business leadership or management role knows there is no way he or she can possibly know in a month’s time with certainty whether to take such significant steps.
What’s more, how would Satcher even know all that was needed without ever having experienced firsthand how the supervisor’s office works through an election?
Even worse: He presented no proforma in his request for more money showing the cost of leases, salaries to be paid to new employees, how much computers and software would cost, etc., etc.
In the 12 years, former Supervisor Mike Bennett and his chief of staff, Farrington, operated the most cost-efficient office in the state with nary a voter complaint, the $841,340 that Satcher requested is more money than Bennett requested altogether in all 12 years he served.
Gov. DeSantis erred when he chose a political ally over competence. Manatee voters should correct this.
We recommend: Scott Farrington
Property Appraiser
Candidates: Darin George and Charles Hackney
It’s a logical thought: Charles Hackney is 74 and has been Manatee County’s property appraiser for 31 years. That is a long time, and many might say long enough. Anyone in the job that long is bound to fall behind a step or two.
Ahem. Hello? Donald Trump is 78. Moses parted the Red Sea when he was 80 and led his Jewish followers to the Promised Land at age 120.
Let’s drop the age thing. The issue is our standard litmus test for incumbents: Are they doing a good job, deserving to stay in office?
Hackney’s opponent, Darin George, of Ellenton, simply says: “Charles Hackney needs to retire. Change is needed, and change will be good.”
But everyone also knows change for change sake is not always good. If it ain’t broke … What’s more, George doesn’t have a grasp of the job. (See the Observer candidate questionnaire, YourObserver.com/News/Elections.)
There is no debate: Hackney has demonstrated his commitment to serving Manatee County residents fairly and efficiently for three decades and continues to do a good job.
We recommend: Charles Hackney
“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.” Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944
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Inspiring others, one story at a time
Well-known Longboat resident and philanthropist never took life — or himself — too seriously.
PETRA RIVERA, STAFF WRITER KAT WINGERT, EXECUTIVE EDITOR
As he told it, the day before Harold Ronson shipped out to the Philippines, courtesy of the U.S. Navy during World War II, his commanding officer gave him and his buddies leave for the night. They headed to the Hollywood Canteen, where a “lovely creature” asked him to dance.
That woman was 19-year-old Ava Gardner, and it was an experience Ronson said he would never forget. Or there’s the time when he got court-martialed for accidentally firing a 40-millimeter cannon into a beach after falling asleep on watch duty. Luckily, his captain knew it was an accident and withdrew it from his file. Ronson said it was a shame; he would have liked to read the charge against him.
Or the time he got kicked out of his dog’s obedience class for making one too many wisecracks. That left it to his wife to train the dog, which she did well. Ronson said he never had to worry about her when he traveled for work, but that dog never did warm up to him.
From his humble upbringing in Brooklyn to his success running his own business, Ronson had a story for everything, and he was willing to tell it to anyone who would listen.
And if you were lucky enough to hear him tell it, you’d know that life through his eyes was an enchanting mix of comedy, hard work and luck — and he enjoyed every bit of it.
Ronson died July 15 at his L’Ambiance condominium on Longboat Key. He was 98 and is survived by two daughters, Norma and Joanne, his two grandchildren, Lauren and Jonathan, and his great-grandchild, Jackson.
Although Ronson was known for his stories, which were as colorful and full of personality as he was, he was also a larger-than-life character to his friends, family and the causes
“He viewed the world as the glass always being half full, not half empty.”
— Hein Rusen
he cared about. He had a unique ability to make others feel special and gave generously in all aspects of his life.
“I had the pleasure and honor of knowing my father for 67 years,” said his daughter, Norma Ronson Koppel. “He was a proud Jew, and he was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. He taught me to make every moment count and to never take life too seriously.”
A STORYTELLER IS BORN
In 1926 in Brooklyn, Ronson was born into a family that struggled to make ends meet. According to his 2013 memoir, “The Way I Tell the Story,” his mother died when he was 14. After that, he lived with his father, who drove a cab at night and was more reliable for good times than parenting.
As a teen during World War II, Ronson was inspired by his two older brothers’ service in the armed forces.
At the age of 17, Ronson forged his father’s signature on a consent form to join the U.S. Navy.
As Ronson told it, a friend told him he should join the Navy instead of the Marines so he could stay out of the infantry. “Yeah, he was a smart guy all right. He told me to join the Navy to avoid combat, and I wound up on Iwo Jima,” Ronson said.
From 1944 to 1946, Ronson served at Iwo Jima and in the Philippines. His time in the military netted him his best material for stories. And, although he saw horrific things and survived a great deal, he always kept an eye looking toward the lighter side of life.
Close friend Ken Tarasi said one of Ronson’s favorite stories was about his experience on the ship that took him across the Pacific Ocean to Iwo Jima.
“I saw a picture of it on his wall in the den,” said Tarasi. “I thought, ‘That looks like a giant ship.’ But then you get closer to it and realize that it’s not a very big ship at all. When Harold got on that ship, he thought it was going to take them to a bigger ship. But then he found out that he was actually going to be stuck on that tiny ship with 30 big guys. He loved telling stories like that.”
Another story Ronson told frequently was about how he got his nickname, “Cookie.” According to his memoir, when the ship’s cook fell
ill, Ronson was tapped to fill in.
Knowing nothing about cooking, he set pork loins to roast. After spending too much time talking up on the deck, he came down to the kitchen to find the meat burned beyond saving. Looking around, he decided to use a can of mincemeat to make hamburgers for his fellow servicemen instead.
Of course, not knowing that mincemeat is flammable, when he placed his “burgers” on the stovetop they exploded, setting the whole galley on fire.
As Ronson told it, he was a religious cook: Everything he made was a burnt offering.
LIFE AFTER WAR
After returning home, Ronson was working in the warehouse of a textile company when some co-workers urged him to go back to school. Heeding their advice, he used the G.I. Bill to attend the Philadelphia Textile Institute at Philadelphia College, now Thomas Jefferson University, from 1946 to 1951. He was the first in his family to go to college.
After graduating with a degree in chemistry, he became a plant chemist for W. Lowenthal, a synthetic fiber company in Cohoes, New York.
One of his longtime friends on Longboat Key, David Novak, said, as Ronson told it, the company’s
WORSHIP directory
president saw he was a go-getter and told him someday he would end up owning the company.
In 1962, that’s exactly what happened, when Ronson bought the company with a group of stockholders. In the 1970s, he bought out his partners and became the sole owner.
In his memoir, Ronson recalled that the company had been losing money for 11 years. In Ronson’s first month at the helm, it made $6,000. He continued to increase the productivity of his plant and expanded the business to South Carolina. Throughout his career, he had a knack for finding opportunities and for winning over
File image
Harold Ronson donated millions of dollars to philanthropic efforts throughout his life.
Courtesy image
After two failed attempts to revisit Iwo Jima, Harold Ronson made the voyage in 2018.
“There’s
you fail in life,” Ronson wrote. “There’s a reason you fail in marriage. There’s a reason you fail in your work, and the formula is very simple. You’ve got to devote yourself to what has to be done, not what you want to do.”
But, always a people person, he credited most of his success to his relationships with others — and a little to luck as well. It was both that resulted in him selling his business to Hanes Co. in 1984. A chance encounter with the company’s president in the Atlanta airport led to striking a deal to sell a month later. At the time, most of the textile mills in the U.S. were closing. Without consulting his lawyer or accountant, Ronson took the deal as it was offered and retired a few months later.
A HEART TO GIVE BACK
In 1976, Ronson and his late wife, Kay, became snowbirds on Longboat Key.
The Ronsons loved the Sarasota Opera, for which Ronson served on the board for nearly 20 years, and he played tennis almost religiously at the Longboat Key Club — even after three hip replacements.
Even after he stopped playing tennis at 94, he would meet with his tennis friends once a week for lunch. After he stopped driving, his friends were happy to pick him up and take him wherever he wanted to go.
His friend Hein Rusen described Ronson as always cheerful.
“He viewed the world as the glass always being half full,” said Rusen. “He was a real people person and loved his wife, family and friends dearly. He was a very generous person and a very caring person.”
Ronson described Kay and his two daughters as the loves of his life. He never missed an opportunity to brag about them and his grandkids.
When Kay fell ill with Alzheimer’s, Ronson took care of her at home as long as he could. When she was moved to a facility, Ronson had lunch with her daily for the nearly five years until she died in 2012.
Erin McLeod, president and CEO of the Senior Friendship Centers, said Ronson had a special relationship with the organization after a tennis buddy talked him into attend-
ing a support group for caregivers.
This introduction eventually led him to co-chair the organization’s annual gala with his partner, Molly Schechter. In keeping with Ronson’s sense of humor, each gala incorporated a theme featuring Groucho Marx, one of Ronson’s comedic heroes.
“They really helped put us on the map philanthropically,” McLeod said of Ronson and Schechter. “He either had really good info on people, or they just really loved him. I tend to think it was the latter.”
Although he came to the organization as a caregiver, McLeod said Ronson saw it in a different light later on in life. Ronson would come to the downtown Sarasota center three days a week to dance and socialize with others. She said it was special to witness him expanding his circle and meeting people he probably wouldn’t come across otherwise.
And she’s grateful the organization could give back to the lovable raconteur who had done so much for it.
“He was here for us,” McLeod said.
“And then we got to be there for him.”
To ensure a safe haven for seniors, Ronson partnered with Rusen to create a $2 million endowment at the Senior Friendship Centers.
The Ronsons supported many
causes in the area and up North. At his alma mater, Thomas Jefferson University, he donated $2 million to create The Kay and Harold Ronson Health and Applied Science Center.
At Kay’s alma mater, Russell Sage College, Ronson and his daughters established a graduate nursing scholarship fund in her honor.
Ronson said his deep belief in philanthropy came from his mother, and he wanted to give away as much as possible. Novak said one of Ronson’s favorite jokes was that when he writes his last check, which will be to the undertaker, he hopes it will bounce.
The atrium at the Sarasota Opera is named for the Ronsons, as is an endowment for nursing education at Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation, in honor of Kay and her profession.
“In all his donations, there was never any question as to whose name was going to go first,” Novak said.
In 2023, Ronson donated $500,000 to Temple Beth Israel, which is the biggest contribution in its history.
On Feb. 25, the 45th annual Temple Beth Israel gala honored Ronson for his many contributions throughout the years.
When thinking back to the eight
PRESERVING HISTORY
Although Harold Ronson was successful in most of his endeavors, he couldn’t make one of his projects come to fruition.
In 2013, he and Thomas Savage, then chair of the Sarasota Public Art Fund, worked to raise $1.4 million to purchase the original Iwo Jima memorial statue of the raising of the flag and put it on the Sarasota bayfront. Ronson felt it was important to preserve the art for public enjoyment and memorialize everyone who served and sacrificed in WWII. After resistance from the City Commission, the two decided to end their efforts.
years he knew Harold Ronson, Isaac Azerad, executive director of Temple Beth Israel, could only think to describe him as the Hebrew word “dakka.”
“In Judaism, philanthropy is not charity,” said Azerad. “In Judaism, it is something called ‘dakka.’ Dakka is an act of righteousness. That’s his biggest impact, how he was so forthcoming with righteousness toward the temple.”
FULL CIRCLE
Two times in his life, Ronson tried to visit Iwo Jima again but only made it as far as Los Angeles. It was too emotional for him to continue on those journeys. But in 2018, he traveled back to the island with Schechter. The bittersweet trip allowed him to pay homage to his fellow soldiers who died fighting there. It also made him grateful for everything he had experienced in life after he came back to America.
Although humble in spirit, Ronson wasn’t shy about his successes. Schechter said he took great pride in his straight stance and youthful physique and dressed with style right to the end.
McLeod said the last time she saw him, Ronson was flexing his bicep and urging her to feel how firm his muscles still were. She complied and admitted they indeed were.
Yet that playful personality was balanced with a genuine love and deep caring for those around him.
“He was proud of his accomplishments, but they never came at the expense of others,” said Novak, who believed Ronson led a “perfect life.”
But, as usual, perhaps Ronson told it best: “I like to be somebody; I like people to know me. I like to leave a mark,” he wrote in his memoir. “What better feeling is there than to help somebody?”
File images
Molly Schechter and Harold Ronson co-chaired the annual gala for the Senior Friendship Centers for several years. The two were “kind of an ‘it’ couple,” says Erin McLeod, president and CEO of the nonprofit.
“Cookie” Ronson (right) with the steward, B.J. Snowden, aboard LCI 1012. The ship was so small, Ronson said, it didn’t have a name — it had a number.
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
When you first look at Alfred Hair’s 1960 artwork, “Palms on the Florida Coast,” at the Museum of Botany & the Arts at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, it’s easy to assume Hair was a practitioner of plein air painting. That means he stood outdoors on a relatively unspoiled beach and captured the scene with his brush and paints.
But that assumption would be wrong.
Why? Because Hair was African American and was not allowed to paint or swim on Florida’s beaches at that time because of Jim Crow laws designed to segregate the races.
Like his fellow painters in the Fort Pierce area who have been dubbed the “Florida Highwaymen,” Hair worked from photographs or scenes in his head. Gallerist Jim Fitch is given credit for coining the term “Florida Highwaymen” in 1994 to describe the African American artists who sold their works out of cars parked along the road.
Unfortunately, we can’t ask the artist, also known as Freddy Hair, about how he drew his inspiration for “Palms on the Florida Coast,”
Selby Gardens stages a new Florida Highwaymen exhibition with links to Sarasota history.
because he died in 1970 at the age of 29 in a bar-room shooting. It was a rough-and-tumble life for the Florida Highwaymen, mostly self-taught artists who painted to survive.
Even though they were originally from Florida’s East Coast, the Highwaymen’s works have been getting a lot of attention in Sarasota as of late.
In January, the city of Sarasota mounted an exhibition in the lobby of City Hall with paintings borrowed from Roger Lightle, a Vero Beach collector who has amassed approximately 700 Highwaymen paintings. The show was refreshed in June and will be extended for another six months.
JACKS AND JILLS OF MANY TRADES
Back in 2004, 26 of the original Highwaymen artists were inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame in Tallahassee. Only one of the artists was female. Her name was Mary Ann Carroll, and she was known as the “First Lady” of the Florida Highwaymen.
Caroll’s daughter, Wanda Renee Mills, recently gave a talk about her mother’s life at Arts Advocates of Sarasota in the Crossings at Siesta Key mall. She recalled how her mother, in addition to being an accomplished artist, could do everything from fix a car engine to climb a utility pole to turn the power back on.
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens has been down the Highwaymen road before. Three years ago, it held a summer exhibition in the Museum of Botany & the Arts called “We Dream a World: African American Landscape Painters of Mid-Century Florida.” Sarasota attracts many tourists
IF YOU GO
‘THE FLORIDA HIGHWAYMEN: INTERSTATE CONNECTIONS’ When: Through Sept. 15. Where: Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 1534 Mound St., Sarasota Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets: $28. Info: Visit Selby.org.
and retirees to its arts attractions, so it makes sense that there’s a market here for Florida Highwaymen shows even if the group, estimated to have produced more than 200,000 paintings from the 1950s to the 1970s, wasn’t local. Originally sold for between $20 and $30, the Florida landscape paintings by the Highwaymen dramatically increased in value after the 2001 publication of Gary Monroe’s book “The Highwaymen.” In her Arts Advocates talk, Mills referred to the rapid price appreciation of the paintings as a “gold rush.”
Indeed, the back of a painting on display at Selby Gardens has a price of $10,000, but that isn’t a recent price. Today, Florida Highwaymen paintings can fetch up to $45,000, though bargains can be found in thrift shops and garage sales.
MAKING THE SARASOTA CONNECTION
As the title of Selby Gardens’ latest exhibition, “The Florida Highwaymen: Interstate Connections,” indicates, the show links the pioneering artistic work done on Florida’s East Coast with simultaneous efforts to desegregate Lido Beach in Sarasota. “Wade-ins” and other actions helped lead to the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964, ensuring the rights of all Floridians to enjoy access to its public beaches.
One room in the Selby museum is dedicated to Sarasota history. It has a mural of the Lido beach wade-ins painted by Ringling College of Art & Design Chief Curator Tim Jaeger on one wall. On another hang photographs of leaders in the efforts to preserve the city’s African American history, such as Vickie Oldham, CEO and president of the Sarasota African
by
“The
Connections.”
It was a roughand-tumble life for the Florida Highwaymen, who were mostly selftaught artists who painted to survive.
The trunk of a 1958 Plymouth Savoy is filled with plants to promote Selby Gardens’ exhibition,
Florida Highwaymen: Interstate
MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Photos
Monica Gagnier
Harold Newton’s 1960 painting, “Clouds over the Florida Coast,” is part of the “The Florida Highwaymen: Interstate Connections” exhibition at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.
American Cultural Coalition.
While efforts to desegregate buses and lunch counters loom large in the retelling of the U.S. civil rights movement, the quiet, persistent efforts of Sarasota’s waders have gone largely unsung. One exception is WEDU’s 2023 documentary, “The Sarasota Experience,” directed by Shaun Greenspan.
On a recent Friday, Walter Gilbert, vice president for diversity and inclusion at Selby Gardens, talked about his memories of the era. He recalled seeing the Florida Highwaymen selling their paintings out of cars on a trip to the Fort Pierce area. He also remembered how members of Sarasota’s Black churches traveled in a caravan of shared cars (“Most African Americans couldn’t afford to own a car then”) after church and waded into the water at Lido Beach. The weekly excursions took place for nearly a decade, until the Civil Rights Act was passed. “That’s a long time,” Gilbert noted.
CLASSIC CAR INSTALLATION
The Sarasota part of the “Interstate Connections” exhibition also celebrates the murals of early African American leaders such as Leonard Reid in Sarasota’s Overtown neighborhood, now called the Rosemary District.
If there’s one reason for making the trip to Selby Gardens for the Highwaymen exhibit, it’s to see Harold Newton’s painting, “Clouds over the Coast,” sitting in the trunk of a sawed-off blue 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air. In the background is a giant reproduction of a 1950s-era postcard of the Causeway Bridge over the Indian River in Fort Pierce. Car buffs are sure to be delighted by the installation.
Although most of the Florida Highwaymen were self-taught, Newton and Hair received training from Fort Pierce painter A.E. “Bean” Backus. He convinced them and others that landscapes had more commercial value than religious scenes.
Selby worked with a custom body shop/salvager in Chicago to create the car installation, said David Berry, chief museum curator at Selby.
The trunk of a red 1958 Plymouth Savoy is filled with the botanical garden’s signature plants. It stands outside Selby’s new visitor center promoting the “Interstate Connections” exhibit.
If you haven’t made it over to Selby Gardens since it opened Phase 1 of its new master plan in January and flipped the switch in June on its new solar array panel to become the first net-positive energy botanical garden complex in the world, the Florida Highwaymen exhibit is a good excuse to go.
HOOKED ON HIGHWAYMEN
PAINTINGS
If you want to continue down the road with the Florida Highwaymen,
put a visit to the Museum of Florida History in Tallahassee on your bucket list. It’s temporarily closed due to renovations, but will reopen in 2026.
There’s also a notable collection of the Fort Pierce artists’ works at the Smithsonian’s Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. It has 18 Florida Highwaymen paintings.
Be careful, though. Some collectors of Florida Highwaymen art can’t stop once they get started. The bold brush strokes and vivid hues of unspoiled Florida beaches and lush tropical flora are known to create intense feelings of happiness — and desire.
Florida Highwaymen artworks with livestock roaming in the countryside are in demand, says Berry, most likely because these scenes aren’t as frequently found in real life, as ranching and farming gives way to development.
Collectors of Florida Highwaymen paintings are known to become experts on various artists’ painting styles, materials and frames. To transport their works while the paint was still drying, artists created frames made from repurposed molding that could be easily stacked in the trunk of a car without damaging the art.
The Florida Highwaymen rabbit hole is a deep one.
Selby Gardens Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion Walter Gilbert talks about Sarasota’s wadein protests at a preview of its “Interstate Connections,” its new exhibit featuring Florida Highwaymen painters.
Monica Gagnier
THIS WEEK
THURSDAY
OPENING RECEPTION FOR ‘SMALL WORKS: BIG IMPACT’
5 p.m. at Creative Liberties, 901B Apricot Ave. and 927 N. Lime Ave. Free Visit CreativeLiberties.net.
View and purchase the work of more than 40 local artists — encompassing more than 225 pieces of art — at two Creative Liberties locations. Enjoy bites and beverages.
On its website, McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre says that comedian Helen Keaney should have a warning sign at her shows that reads “Sit in the front row at your own peril.” Keaney has carved out an edgy, sexy niche for herself with comedy shows on cruise lines and by hosting TV shows for Comedy Central, Discovery Health and others. Her stand-up credits include A&E’s “An Evening at
DON’T MISS SARASOTA BALLET SCHOOL: ‘IN MOTION’
This performance showcases the students ages 12-21 who participated in the Sarasota Ballet School’s Summer Intensive. The program features new choreography from Sarasota Ballet principal dancer Maximiliano Iglesias, an excerpt from “Swan Lake, Act II,” staged by principal dancers Jennifer Hackbarth and Jessica Assef, and “Waltz of the Hours” from “Coppelia,” staged by Sarasota Ballet School Principal Jennifer Welch Cudnik. Runs through July 27.
IF YOU GO
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 25
Where: at FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail
Tickets: $35-$40
Info: Visit SarasotaBallet.org.
the Improv,” Lifetime’s “Girl’s Night Out” and Comedy Central’s “Make Me Laugh.”Runs through July. 28.
‘RHINESTONE COWGIRLS’
7:30 p.m. at FST’s Goldstein Cabaret, 1239 N. Palm Ave. $18-$42
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
Created by Nancy Allen Productions, this musical tribute to some of the first ladies of country features such classics as Patsy Cline’s “Crazy,”
Tammy Wynette’s “Stand by Your Man” and Carrie Underwood’s “Last Name.” Runs through Aug. 4.
‘THE MUSIC OF LAUREL CANYON’
7:30 p.m. at FST’s Court Cabaret, 1265 First St. $18-$42
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
If you know, you know. But not everyone knows about Laurel Canyon, the neighborhood above West Hollywood’s Sunset Strip that became home to folk musicians such as Joni Mitchell, Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and The Mamas and the Papas. Runs through Aug. 25.
SUMMER CIRCUS
SPECTACULAR
11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at The Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Road $20 adults; $15 kids Visit Ringling.org.
Presided over by Ringmaster Jared Walker, the Summer Circus Spectacular includes contortionist Uranbileg Angarag, acrobatic hand balancers The Bello Sisters, hair hang artist Camille Langlois, slack wire performer Antino Pansa and clown Renaldo, a veteran of the Big Apple Circus. Runs through Aug. 17.
‘THE OUTSIDER’
8 p.m. at FST’s Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St. $29-$46 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
After the last few weeks in politics, we could all use some laughs. Florida Studio Theatre comes to the rescue with a political comedy about the world’s least likely candidate for
governor, who just might be exactly what the voters want. Let’s hear it for democracy! Runs through Aug. 18.
FRIDAY
‘WE ARE STILL TORNADOES’
7:30 p.m. at Tree Fort Productions, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail
$30 Visit TreeFortProductionsProjects. com.
Katherine Michelle Tanner’s Tree Free Productions throws its hat into the summer theater ring with “We Are Still Tornadoes,” Lou Harry’s coming-of-age story set in the 1980s. Runs through July 28.
SATURDAY
‘THE END OF THE WORLD’
7:30 p.m. at FST’s Bowne’s Lab, 1265 First St. $15-$18 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
Did the recent Sarasota Improv Festival open your eyes to the delights of spontaneous comedy? You’re in luck. FST’s in-house improv troupe will perform an improvised disaster movie based on a title supplied by the audience. Who needs “Twisters” anyway?
CABARET ON THE BOULEVARD: DECO
8 p.m. The Original Wolfie’s Rascal House, 1420 Boulevard of the Arts $50-$60 Visit CabaretOnTheBoulevard.com.
Grae Productions is teaming up with The Original Wolfie’s in the Rosemary District to launch a monthly cabaret series. This Deco-themed program features an ensemble cast, including Animalia, Marshall Chandler, Brian Craft, Luna DeLust, Nadia Nirvana, Kathryn Parks and Alex Zickafoose.
SUNDAY
‘ROCK OF AGES’ YOUTH EDITION
6:30 p.m. at The Sarasota Players Studio, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail, Suite 1130 $15 Visit ThePlayers.org.
OUR PICK
‘DEAR JACK, DEAR LOUISE’
Acclaimed playwright Ken Ludwig tells the story of his parents’ courtship during World War II. The play follows U.S. Army Capt. Jack Ludwig, a military doctor stationed in Oregon, who begins a life-changing pen-pal relationship with Louise Rabiner, an aspiring actress living in the Big Apple. Runs through Aug. 11.
IF YOU GO
When: 8 p.m. Thursday, July 25
Where: FST’s Keating Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave.
Tickets: $29-$46
Info: Visit FloridaStudioTheatre. org.
A showcase for The Sarasota Players’ summer camp students, this rock musical follows a city boy from South Detroit, and Sherrie, a smalltown girl, who have both come to LA’s famous Sunset Strip in 1987 seeking fame and fortune.
MONDAY
NEWISH JEWISH PLAYS:
‘DANCING ON GLASS’
7 p.m. The Players Centre, Studio 1130, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail $12 Visit SarasotaJewishTheatre.org.
If it’s summer in Sarasota, it’s time for play readings. The Sarasota Jewish Theatre enters the derby with Newish Jewish Plays, a threeplay series on three consecutive Mondays. The third selection is “We Are the Levinsons” by Wendy Kout, directed by Carole Kleinberg. The play follows an adult daughter who moves in with her newly widowed dad and tries to take over his life.
Courtesy images
Sarasota Ballet School Principal Jennifer Welch Cudnik.
Contortionist Uranbileg Angarag performs at the Summer Circus Spectacular, which runs through Aug. 17 at The Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theater.
YOUR NEIGHBORS
Women who lift
Workout warriors on the Key hit the weights for mobility and muscle development.
Longboat Key resident Jan Feidelman, 70, has always included movement in her everyday life. She was on sports teams in high school and did workout classes in college. But as she got older, working out took on a new purpose: maintaining functional mobility.
“As an older woman, you start to lose your range of motion or your strength,” said Feidelman. “So when I realized that, I moved into weightbearing exercises around 17 years ago. Thanks to lifting weights, I still can do most things that I could do when I was younger. I can bend down to clean something around the house. I can catch myself when I fall. Many of my friends my age can’t do that.”
As people age, they experience muscle loss. This is called sarcopenia, said Petar Sibinkic, Feidelman’s
MICHAEL CLARKE’S TIPS FOR BEGINNERS
n Identify your goals and intentions. What do you want to get out of working out? How do you want this to impact your life?
n Consistency is key. You will see no results if you are not making this a part of your routine.
n Consider getting a trainer. A trainer can help you achieve your goals faster, keep you accountable and make adjustments to workouts to prevent injuries.
trainer and owner of Longboat Key Fitness. He said that including exercise, strength training and cardio in your everyday life is necessary to prevent this muscle loss and increase your lifespan.
CONSISTENCY IS KEY
Marilyn Shuman, 87, said she started working out because her family has a history of early arthritis. Moving all her muscle groups helps prevent arthritis in specific body parts such as her knees. She was introduced to weight training 25 years ago, and it changed her whole view on what a full-body workout looks like.
Shuman is all about consistency and routine. She works out for two hours two days every week at Longboat Key Fitness with a trainer. The other days of the week, she works out at her building’s fitness center doing aerobic workouts on the elliptical or the bicycle.
“A lot of people focus on one or the other, but it is the combination of weightlifting and cardio that gives the best results,” said Shuman. Susan Singer, 75, started lifting when she was 48 years old because she noticed that when she gained weight, her body would broaden. Weightlifting focused on tightening her muscles.
She started working with her trainer Michael Clarke during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Singer said having a trainer is the best way to work out. Clarke reminds her to use the correct form and will make adjustments to the workout according to her medical issues.
When she isn’t at Longboat Key Fitness, Singer goes to Pilates classes, which also include weights for some of the exercises. Working out consistently and prioritizing healthy eating habits helped Singer see results in one month.
WEIGHING THE BENEFITS
The biggest benefits these women have seen from weightlifting are better balance and strength. Because they work out every muscle group, it gives them high energy levels, keeps the blood pumping correctly and releases endorphins.
“When you hit a certain age, you go to the doctor and they ask you,
‘When is the last time you fell?’” said Feidelman. “This is just a shocking question to me, but it is so prevalent in our lives when we get older. So when I do fall, I can actually get up. I thankfully don’t even have to think about restrictions.”
Weightlifting can help slow down bone loss, according to the Mayo Clinic. Osteoporosis is most prevalent in women after menopause, but both men and women can benefit.
Each year, skeletons are constantly discarding weakened, old bone tissue and replacing it with new, healthy bone tissue. This process is called remodeling, wrote certified health coach Mirabai Holland in a column for the Longboat Observer
If you have osteoporosis, the remodeling process can’t work correctly because the old bone tissue is too weak and little or nothing takes its place. This creates bone fractures.
Weight-bearing exercises help stimulate the remodeling process and promote bone growth. Holland emphasizes doing resistance training exercises that work out the whole body but focusing on the areas most at risk, which are the spine, hip and wrist.
FITNESS FRIENDS
All three women have noticed that working out consistently has mental and social benefits as well.
They have noticed how their attitude changes when they miss a workout. Starting the morning with a workout provides a great start to the day and puts them in a good mental health space for the rest of the day.
The community atmosphere at the gym also motivates them to work out even when they don’t want to. Singer said that she was friends with her trainer before they started working out together, which makes the workout more enjoyable.
“Working out here truly releases the stresses of every day,” said Shu-
man. “We joke around that we need something mindless while we’re working out. Our favorite is to watch ‘The Price Is Right.’ I will usually be on the elliptical and my friend will also be on the elliptical. We try and guess the prices and have a little competition going on at the same time while exercising. We have a lot of fun that way.”
It is the little aspects like watching “The Price is Right” or being friends with your trainer that keep these women coming back. With the benefits of weightlifting and the close friends they have built, they said they wouldn’t know what their life would be like if this wasn’t a part of their routine.
“It is so important to prioritize movement and how your body changes because it is such a big part of your life,” said Feidelman. “Movement is just life, so weightlifting will help you stay in motion for as long as possible.”
“Thanks to lifting weights, I still can do most things that I could do when I was younger.”
— Jan Feidelman
PETRA RIVERA STAFF WRITER
Jan Feidelman, 70, says she works out to maintain functional mobility.
Susan Singer, 75, says she started lifting in her late 40s to help tighten her muscles.
Photos by Petra Rivera
How to have a sun-safe summer
Sunscreens are not created equal, and the most expensive isn’t necessarily the best.
MIRABAI HOLLAND CONTRIBUTOR
Being in the sun stirs something primal in us. Throughout history, ancient civilizations around the world have worshiped the sun for its life-giving warmth and light. We Floridians tend to embrace it, too.
Sun science is hot, bad pun intended. The sun’s energy comes to us in waves, or rays, of light. The waves reach the Earth in various lengths from very long to very short. All these rays taken together make up the electromagnetic spectrum.
Humans can only see a small portion of the spectrum. We see the colors of the rainbow and combinations of those colors and that’s it. Our world is painted beautifully with just those colors.
But the fact is, all the rest, the longer-than-red, infrared, rays that produce the heat we feel, and the shorter-than-violet, ultraviolet rays are invisible to us. These invisible rays are still light, even though our eyes can’t see them.
When we talk about protecting our skin from the sun, we’re referring to those invisible ultraviolet or UV rays.
HOT TOPICS
Whether we’re working or playing outside, sun safety should be a hot topic. This is especially true in summer, when it’s even hotter, more of our bodies are exposed and the sun’s ultraviolet rays are stronger.
There are two types of UV rays we need to be careful of, UVA and UVB.
UVA has longer wavelengths that
get deep into skin. They cause that ever popular, tough, weathered look, premature aging, wrinkling and leathery skin. UVB rays are shorter and are responsible for the lobster effect a lot of tourists seem to like, sunburn. Both damage your skin’s DNA, and both can cause skin cancer. Anyone can get any type of skin cancer at any time. Nearly one in 10 people in Florida will develop some form of skin cancer in their
lifetime. Skin cancer is sneaky. It often starts with something that looks like a bug bite or a freckle. If left untreated, it develops into something that requires surgical removal or worse. So early detection is critical. Get yearly checkups with a dermatologist, and seek immediate medical attention if you notice any new spot on your skin.
The most common skin cancers are squamous cell carcinoma — that looks sort of like a pimple
with a dark spot in it, and basal cell carcinoma that looks like a reddish or brownish blotch. They occur more often in older people and are the most treatable, particularly if caught early.
The deadliest form, melanoma, looks like a dark irregularly shaped blotch. It can start very small. Left untreated it spreads inside your body and eventually ends your life. It’s more common in younger people.
But skin cancer is largely preventable.
RAY BANS
Cover-ups work great, but not everyone wants to wear them because they’re hot.
Sunscreen is your ounce of prevention when you expect to be out for a while.
Sunscreens are not created equal, and the most expensive is not necessarily the best. Make sure to read reviews by reputable medical organizations. SPF, or sun protection factor, is a measure of what percentage of UV rays the sunscreen blocks. An SPF of 15 blocks about 93%, SPF 30 blocks 97%, SPF 50 blocks 98%. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends SPF 30 or higher.
There are two basic types of sunscreens. Physical, also called mineral sunscreens sit on your skin and
act as a barrier to UV rays. They are usually hypoallergenic and generally safe, but they tend to wash off in water or when you’re sweating while playing sports. Keep some with you and reapply as needed. The best ones contain titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Chemical sunscreen is sunscreen that gets absorbed in the skin and traps UV rays and releases them as heat energy. Chemical sunscreens don’t work on contact. You need to wait 20 minutes or so before going out in the sun. Their effect wears off after about two hours, so you need to reapply if you’re staying out. Most importantly, many chemical sunscreens contain homosalate and octocrylene, chemicals that have been shown to be unsafe in the amounts used. Some of these chemicals have shown up in blood tests up to weeks after application. Traces have been found in breast milk and there is some evidence of a link to breast cancer. More study is needed, but to be on the safer side, I personally prefer to use mineral sunscreens. Check the ingredients on the package.
Then there’s eyewear.
Prolonged exposure to the sun can contribute to macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness. We all wanna be that hot person in the cool shades and there are lots of broad-spectrum UV-blocking, glare-reducing, polarized brands and styles to choose from. So you can be safe and stylish at the same time while you keep the sun on your side.
Mirabai Holland is CEO of NuVue LLC, a health education and video production company. She is a certified health coach, exercise physiologist and wellness consultant for Manatee County government and has a private practice. Her wellness programs are implemented worldwide. She is also an artist who believes creativity enhances health. Contact her at AskMirabai@ MovingFree. com.
Financial Planning for Families
A brief guide to thinking about your wealth and legacy
Your legacy isn’t just about money. It’s about family values as well.
– John B. Leeming, CFP® President at JL Bainbridge
communication, and neglecting financial education for younger generations. Some create inflexible plans that can’t adapt to life’s changes, while others overlook tax implications or focus solely on monetary assets, ignoring the value of shared principles and life lessons.
Successful legacy building starts with open family discussions
Building a lasting financial legacy is more than just accumulating wealth—it’s about creating a roadmap for your family’s future. Yet, many families stumble in this crucial task. Common pitfalls include procrastination, poor since 1981 1582 Main Street Sarasota, FL 34236
about financial goals and values. It involves reviewing investment strategies and following plans that cover retirement, long-term care, and even estate planning needs.
More than anything, it requires a multi-generational vision. Also important: don’t underestimate increased life expectancies or the complexities of wealth transfer.
Remember, your legacy isn’t just about money. It’s about equipping future generations with financial wisdom, shared values, and the tools to build upon what you’ve started.
JL Bainbridge is an independent Sarasota-based family wealth management firm. For 43 years, they have been helping clients manage and control their financial well-being before and throughout retirement.
To learn more about JL Bainbridge, call (941) 356-3435 or visit jlbainbridge.com.
J.L. Bainbridge & Company, Inc.
Disclosure:
regulator does not imply any level of skill or training. (941) 365-3435jlbainbridge.com
Scholastic support
Plymouth Harbor employees and their children awarded $30K in scholarships.
PETRA RIVERA STAFF WRITER
The late Bernard and Mildred Doyle were pillars of education at Plymouth Harbor, where they lived for 25 years.
They were inspired to give back to make education more accessible, and each year, the Doyles picked local students to support in their studies. When they died in the 1990s, Plymouth Harbor continued their legacy by starting the Doyle Scholarship.
On behalf of the Doyle Scholarship and Northern Trust Co., the Plymouth Harbor Foundation on July 22 awarded six scholarships of $5,000 to local students who are Plymouth Harbor employees or children of employees.
Instead of giving $10,000 to one student, this is the first year that the foundation distributed $30,000 among six candidates.
Vice President of Northern Trust Michelle Pearson said it was always hard for the board of trustees to pick just one recipient. After discussing it this year, the board decided to give the opportunity to multiple students because of the great potential the candidates had.
Two employees and four children of employees were chosen as the recipients of this year’s scholarships. The scholarship can be renewed for up to three years. All the scholarship recipients expressed their appreciation.
Tyler Dunn, who is the son of a Plymouth Harbor administrative assistant Marilyn Jennings, will be studying business management at Tallahassee Community College with the hopes of transferring to Florida State University to complete his bachelor’s degree in business.
Nyrdia Bonnaire Fils, daughter of CNA Fhadia Bonnaire Fils, will be studying business administration at Florida State University.
Chase Matilla, son of Director of Nursing at Smith Care Cen-
ter Guinevere Kulie, is attending the University of South Florida to complete his bachelor’s degree in marketing and a minor in allied health.
Regina Ladron DeGuevara, the daughter of Director of Dining Services Montse Ladron DeGuevara, will be attending Allegheny College in Pennsylvania for a degree in psychology.
Edith Exantus, an LPN who has been working in Plymouth Harbor’s assisted living residences for over seven years, will be studying for her RN at Galen College of Nursing.
Bella Garcia, a CNA working at the memory care residences, will be studying for her LPN certification at Jersey College, School of Nursing.
Along with the Doyle Scholarships, the Plymouth Harbor Foundation has awarded $60,000 to 34 other employees and their children in 2024. This resulted in a total of $90,000.
“If I wasn’t encouraged by my coworkers here, I would not be where I am today,” said Franco Valencia, former Doyle Scholarship recipient and the new assistant director of dining services at Plymouth Harbor. “I wouldn’t have been brave enough to have gone through school. Sometimes, people here see things that you don’t, so I am really grateful that they pushed me to apply and work hard for my dreams.”
Kathy Hendricks, Jeff Weatherhead and Kathryn Carr
Photos by Petra Rivera
Scholarship recipients Tyler Dunn, Regina Ladron DeGuevara, Nyrdia Bonnaire Fils and Chase Matilla
Manatees return to Myakka
Water quality and abundant food are key draws for these massive park regulars.
MIRI HARDY CONTRIBUTOR
The Wild and Scenic Myakka River meanders for 12 miles through Myakka River State Park, and then continues to Charlotte Bay to the south, where it flows into the Gulf of Mexico. The river therefore offers a gateway to Myakka River State Park for aquatic wildlife seeking safe refuge and food, including manatees.
Florida manatees are found in shallow, slow-moving rivers, estuaries, saltwater bays, canals and coastal areas. These gentle giants are typically nine to 10 feet long and weigh around 1,000 pounds. When water levels in the rain-fed Myakka River are high enough, manatees regularly find their way to the park. Shortly after a record period of drought-driven low water levels, manatees have already been spotted back at Myakka.
As mostly herbivorous marine mammals, manatees are known for their diet of submerged aquatic vegetation — such as seagrass. Such vegetation is rooted and grows completely under water. And, as would be expected due to their size, manatees eat a lot, consuming about 32 to 108 pounds of wet vegetation daily.
Unfortunately, poor water quality in Florida has been causing a decline in seagrass beds, leaving manatees literally starving to death. Additionally, runoff of pollutants into the Gulf of Mexico is causing repeat red tide events. These blooms coat submerged aquatic vegetation with neurotoxic algae that can poison manatees, making them seize and drown.
It is interesting to note that though manatees regularly seek refuge at Myakka River State Park, submerged
aquatic vegetation is unable to grow in the sunlight-blocked blackwaters of the Myakka.
So what do the manatees eat?
On the menu is a different type of aquatic vegetation known as emergent plants.
Bridging the gap between aquatic and terrestrial habitats, the roots of emergent plants are submerged in water, while their stems and leaves emerge above the surface — hence their name. They are typically found in wetlands or along the shore.
Emergent plants offer numerous benefits, including erosion control, wildlife habitat and water purification. And for manatees, the abundant emergent plants along the banks of the Myakka River and its two lakes offer a crucial benefit: ample, toxinfree food.
Friends of Myakka River exists to support Myakka River State Park and the Wild and Scenic Myakka River. Together, we’re protecting and sharing Myakka’s Magic, to the benefit of future generations, and our own. Follow us @FriendsOfMyakkaRiver
Crucial collections
Scott
Scott
new ideas. Longboat Island Chapel hosted Tischer and Scott for its July “Gather and Give,” a happy hour where the charitable outreach committee collects donations for local nonprofit organizations. The theme for the event was “Don’t Hoard the Toilet Paper.” Stillpoint Mission spends about $8,000 a year on toilet paper because of the high demand for it.
Stillpoint Mission strives to help underprivileged people meet their basic needs including food, clothing, baby and adult diapers, hygiene items, children’s books and financial assistance. —
PETRA RIVERA
Joyce Mazurek, Michelle Giannico and Jamie Engel
Photos by Petra Rivera
Gene Tischer, Gary Scott, Sandra Johnson and the Rev. Jeffrey Nunes
Becky Lietzau helps load Gary Scott’s car.
Miri Hardy
Plants, such as paspalum repens, a mediumprotein aquatic grass native to Florida, provide manatees with ample, toxin-free food at Myakka.
YOUR CALENDAR
FRIDAY, JULY 26
BY AKIEM ESDAILE
6-9 p.m. at Whitney’s, 6990 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Akiem Esdaile will show you a new generation of jazz guitar. While at Whitney’s, enjoy the soothing sounds of Sarasota’s most refreshing jazz guitarist. Call 3834606.
RECURRING EVENTS
MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS
LORD’S WAREHOUSE
THRIFT STORE
The thrift store will be open 9 a.m. to noon at 6140 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Donations are accepted during business hours. Call 383-4738.
MONDAYS STRETCH AND STRENGTHEN
From 10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. This class is mostly seated and great for all fitness levels. Focus is on strength training and flexibility for balance. Suzy Brenner leads the class. Fee is $15. Walk-ins welcome. Call 3836493.
THINKING OUT LOUD
1-2:30 p.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Retired Lawyer Mike Karp will lead a lively discussion on current topics, such as world affairs, national politics and local issues. Bring questions, thoughts and an open mind. Call 383-6493.
TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS LONGBOAT LIBRARY
From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesday and Friday. 555 Bay Isles Road. Call 3832011.
TUESDAYS PILATES SCULPT
From 9-9:50 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Pilates Sculpt is a combination class mixing traditional Pilates exercises into a fun, challenging workout to upbeat music. It will make you sweat, encourage your body to burn calories and make you stronger and more flexible. This class is for all levels. Cost is $15. Walk-ins welcome. Call 383-6493.
QIGONG
From 10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Cen-
BEST BET
WEDNESDAY, JULY 31
SOUND BATH
2-3 p.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Amy Steinhauser will lead a fully immersive experience using singing bowls, a gong, chimes and more. Suitable for all ages, the sound bath experience offers healing frequencies that help balance the body and mind. Advance registration is required since space is limited. Members pay $25; nonmembers pay $40. Call 3836493.
ter, 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.
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. Call 383-6493.
Petra Rivera
Lighthouse Point home tops sales at $10.8 million
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
Ahome in Lighthouse Point tops all transactions in this week’s real estate.
Charles and Mary Kubicki sold their home at 80 Lighthouse Point Drive to Rajesh Soin and Indu Soin, trustees, of Longboat Key, for $10.8 million. Built in 2000, it has five bedrooms, five-and-a-half baths, a pool and 6,976 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.05 million in 1999.
BAYVIEW ESTATES Kathryn Gold, trustee, of Longboat Key, sold the home at 648 Bayview Drive to Timothy Peterson and Mary Karen Peterson, of Carmel, Indiana, for $4 million. Built in 1969, it has four bedrooms, threeand-a-half baths, a pool and 4,157 square feet of living area. It sold for $595,000 in 1993.
LIDO Mark Flannagan and Tammy Wyman sold their home at 1100 Westway Drive to Doug Ewertsen, of Sarasota, for $3,648,200. Built in 1972, it has three bedrooms, threeand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,441 square feet of living area. It sold for $940,000 in 2018.
BAY ISLES
Raymond and Jennifer Zaborney, of Sarasota, and Lisa Stone, of New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, sold their home at 3381 Bayou Sound to Thomas and Paula Flaherty, of Longboat Key, for $2.4 million. Built in 1982, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,321 square feet of living area. It sold for $2.15 million in 2021.
JOHN RINGLING ESTATES
Louis and Patricia Donzelli, of Lake Grove, New York, sold their home at 117 N. Washington Drive to Christopher and Joanna Dobson, of Leesburg, Virginia, for $1,825,000. Built in 1955, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,255 square feet of living area. It sold for $650,000 in 2010.
SLEEPY LAGOON PARK
Anthony Rich and Margaret Somers Rich, of Sarasota, sold their home
8-12
and Mary
Key, for $10.8 million
at 710 Penfield St. to Richard and Mary Kay Smallcombe, of Longboat Key, for $1.75 million. Built in 1995, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 3,543 square feet of living area. It sold for $905,000 in 2003.
BEACHPLACE
Match-Tech Enterprises Inc. sold the Unit 502 condominium at 1145 Gulf of Mexico Drive to SRBF LLC for $1.5 million. Built in 1980, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,392 square feet of living area. It sold for $826,000 in 2018.
THE CASTILLIAN RDG
Castillian Holdings I LLC sold the Unit 105 condominium at 4525 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Thomas Paulantonio Jr., of Mystic, Connecticut, for $1.2 million. Built in 1979, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,398 square feet of living area. It sold for $605,000 in 2018.
LONGBOAT KEY
Timothy and Suzanne Belew, of Cooperstown, New York, sold their home at 783 Tarawitt Drive to Ann Giles, trustee, of Tampa, for $1.14 million. Built in 1973, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,113 square feet of living area. It sold for $410,000 in 2015.
BUTTONWOOD COVE
Anne Louise Rizzuto, of Duxbury, Massachusetts, sold her Unit 204 condominium at 3540 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Eric and Nancy Jensen, of Spring Lake, Michigan, for $645,000. Built in 1980, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,284 square feet of living area. It sold for $325,000 in 2011.
TOP BUILDING PERMITS
Department for the week of July 12-18 in order of dollar amounts. Source: Town of
Courtesy images
Charles
Kubicki sold their home at 80 Lighthouse Point Drive to Rajesh Soin and Indu Soin, trustees, of Longboat
We are a collaboration of savvy real estate professionals with decades of local experience. We focus on selling exceptional properties located in downtown and on our local islands. We represent buyers and sellers in our marketplace with a unique viewpoint, as we live in the communities that we sell. This local perspective makes us experts in our field, allowing us to provide you all the information for you and your family to make the best decision in your real estate endeavor.
Tracey Stetler
Steven Moore
Patrick DiPinto
Rene DiPinto
Nicholle DiPinto McKierman
John Schafer
Janette Schafer
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