HURRICANE HELENE SURGE SHOCK
Historic storm surge leaves an indelible mark on Longboat Key, affecting beaches, businesses and residences. The recovery process begins as officials work to make the island safe again for Longboaters to return home. PAGES 3-6A
The storm’s impact left no part of the barrier islands untouched. PAGES 8-9A
Carter Weinhofer Some houses along Gulfside Road were completely destroyed from Hurricane Helene. The storm passed Longboat Thursday night as a Category 3 hurricane.
WEEK OF OCT. 3, 2024
BY THE NUMBERS
3-4 FEET
“This (storm) is maybe the worst in long memory, not short memory.”
Town Manager Howard Tipton describing the effects of Hurricane Helene on Longboat Key Read more on page 3A
Three commission seats up this spring
On Oct. 1, the qualifying period began for an upcoming town commission election.
This spring, three commission seats will be available.
Those three are: two at-large seats currently held by Mike Haycock and BJ Bishop, and Sarah Karon’s District 5 seat.
Haycock, who also serves as the town’s vice mayor, has reached his term limit and cannot seek reelection.
Bishop and Karon are both still eligible for reelection if they
chose to run again.
Karon is currently seated as the District 5 commissioner on a 14-month term.
She earned the appointment by her fellow commissioners in January after former commissioner Debbie Murphy resigned from her position.
Murphy resigned amid the state’s new Form 6 requirement, which was a more in-depth and public form that had commissioners disclose financial information such as net
worth, income and assets.
After Murphy’s resignation, the other six commissioners called for applications and chose Karon’s out of a pool of six applicants.
Karon then started her 14-month term until the next general election, which is this March. The candidate elected for the District 5 commission seat will then serve the remainder of Murphy’s original term, which was set to last until March 2026.
FEMA assistance for Florida residents
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is providing assistance to homeowners with uninsured damages or losses following Hurricane Helene.
A release from U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio’s office stated that residents in many Florida counties — including Sarasota and Manatee — could be eligible for assistance from FEMA. Residents can go to DisasterAssistance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362 to apply for disaster aid through FEMA. When applying either by phone or online, the statement advises that residents should have information like their address, names of occupants social security number and bank information readily available.
Library fundraising continues this fall
At the town’s Sept. 23 workshop meeting, Mayor Ken Schneier provided updates on the town’s collaborative public library project with Sarasota County.
Schneier said he and Town Manager Howard Tipton met with the Longboat Key Foundation earlier in the month to talk about the library project. The LBK Foundation is currently tasked with raising about $3.5 million, which is necessary to include enhancements on the core public library project.
Originally, the LBK Foundation and town was given until the end of summer to meet this fundraising goal, but Schneier confirmed that Sarasota County allowed an extension of about three months.
According to Schneier, difficulties in fundraising over the summer included a lack of promotional materials and many of Longboat’s part-time residents being away for the summer.
Schneier was hopeful that, with more people back, having conversations with potential donors would be more advantageous.
“The key next is to have meetings with people, because that’s where the business gets done,” Schneier said at the Sept. 23 workshop.
Courtesy photo
Back: Commissioner Penny Gold, Commissioner Gary Coffin, Commissioner BJ Bishop, Commissioner Debra Williams, Commissioner Sarah Karon. Front: Vice Mayor Mike Haycock, Mayor Ken Schneier
A ‘TRULY HISTORIC’ STORM
After Helene’s surge waters receded, Longboat Key now faces uphill battle of recovery, rebuilding and healing.
CARTER WEINHOFER
STAFF WRITER
Driving along Gulf of Mexico Drive on Saturday afternoon, Longboat Key is like a ghost town.
Two days after Hurricane Helene passed by the island, with its three to four feet of storm surge flooding houses, inundating infrastructure and covering roads in feet of sand, town officials worked nonstop to address critical issues, from water leaks to road collapses, and gas leaks to power outages.
Some of the damage can be seen driving down GMD — washing machines in the street, couch cushions floating in pools of water and damaged cars fallen into collapsed portions of roads.
The south end of the island was spared the worst, but debris and damage is still visible. The gulf breached the island in a couple of places, meeting with the bay.
According to Town Manager Howard Tipton, the Longboat Key Club golf courses were like lakes during the storm.
This storm was “truly historic,” Tipton said.
Driving up to the north end, that point is made. What are now piles of sand along the sides of GMD was once up to two feet of sand along the road after the storm passed. The Florida Department of Transportation is working with the town on clearing the sand, Tipton said.
Tipton assumed Gulfside Road was where some of the worst damage was dealt. Beachfront homes here were destroyed, some almost completely gutted. Piles of debris and remains of houses stand on the beaches.
The beaches themselves are different, too — flatter, and with more rock and old seawall exposed than before.
On the north end, while walking out to check on the beaches, one of Tipton’s worst fears was realized. The concrete groin field on the north end is completely exposed, meaning the sand that once covered them was washed away.
Some places along the gulf beach, like Casa del Mar, are filled with sand on the first floor, according to Chief of Police George Turner. Water lines on homes show the water from storm surge reached three to four feet.
“This (storm) is maybe the worst in long memory, not short memory,” Tipton said, adding that many others have reached out and said this was the worst storm surge they had ever seen on the island.
LONG RECOVERY AHEAD
When Longboat Key opened to residents and businesses on Sunday, the jobs of town staff and outside help weren’t yet over. If anything, it meant more work.
Police and fire rescue responded to calls from residents, Public Works continued assessing the island’s infrastructure and the Planning, Zoning and Building Department
“This (storm) is maybe the worst in long memory, not short memory.”
Town Manager Howard Tipton
Image courtesy of Matthew Ballew
Several feet of sand cover Gulf of Mexico Drive from Hurricane Helene’s storm surge. Longboat Key was swamped with three to four feet of water from the gulf.
Photos by Carter Weinhofer
Little remained within this house on the beach of Gulfside Road.
Debris, such as couches, can be seen along Gulf of Mexico Drive, and some cars didn't survive the storm.
Town Manager Howard Tipton assesses heavily damaged beachfront houses along Gulfside Road.
under a boil water notice.
was already working on approving permits. Florida Power & Light’s army of trucks dotted the island. Few residents remained without power as of Monday afternoon, the energizing process creeping from the south end of the island to the north.
In an emailed update Monday morning, Tipton said the reason behind slower progress on energizing the island was due to damaged switch cabinets, which were supposed to be replaced that day and would speed up progress for the whole island.
The town’s water system was holding relatively well as many residents returned to assess damage, but Tipton’s update on Monday said the pressure was low in some areas. He said the pressure was expected to get better every day as repairs continued, but the town would remain
Publix opened to residents on Sunday, and on Monday a Neighborhood Point of Distribution was set up in the back of the parking lot. There, residents could drive through and pick up cases of water and bags of ice for free.
As residents returned to check on their houses on Sunday and the days after, life started returning to Longboat Key. It wasn’t fully back to normal on Longboat, though.
The main roads bustled with FPL trucks, utility trucks, emergency vehicles and contractors. Sand still covered parts of GMD, creating a haze of dust in the commotion.
Along the town’s side streets, the debris began piling up as homeowners returned to assess the damage.
Down Lyons Lane, Norton Street, Buttonwood Drive and the Village area, the first floor of people’s homes were on the sides of roads — piles of mattresses, couches, wooden furni-
ture, rolled-up carpets and old pieces of art.
The effect that Helene had on the island seemed like it would linger for the months to come.
RAPID RESPONSE
Help from outside agencies was important in the days following the hurricane. Tipton said the National Guard supplied the town with some High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles, allowing fire rescue and police crews to respond to emergencies when high water levels posed problems.
As a part of the response process, the town was also proactive about the potential of looters coming to the island. Longboat Key police officers blocked off both ends of the island, patrols were doubled on the island and eight Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office
deputies were assigned to Longboat Key for 48 hours starting Saturday night.
This was to provide some assistance to Longboat’s police officers, who were working overtime during and after the storm. The police and fire rescue departments had all hands on deck throughout the storm.
First responders weren’t the only ones working long hours to help. Mark Gorman stayed on the island and considered himself “very fortunate” with minimal damage to his Country Club Shores home. Gorman said if there was anything positive that came out of this storm, it was the amount of neighborly help he saw in the days after the storm.
“One of the things that happens in a moment like this: Community really shows through,” Gorman said. “People want to help people.”
HURRICANE HELENE
Commissioner spends storm’s night on boat
Longboat District 1 Commissioner Gary Coffin has quite the tale to tell as he managed to survive Helene’s fury and keep his boat intact during the surge.
Commissioner Gary Coffin took the saying “the captain goes down with the ship” literally during Hurricane Helene. Luckily, the ship didn’t actually go down, but it was close, according to Coffin. It was unfortunate timing that led to Coffin being stuck on his boat during the storm, but he was able to find some silver linings in his situation.
On Thursday, the day of Helene’s arrival, Coffin was evacuating the island with his wife, Lynn. After they got to the mainland, Coffin said he realized there were some things he forgot to do to prepare the house for the storm, so he went back on his own.
After wrapping up the last-minute preparations, Coffin tried leaving the island again but was turned away this time. He wasn’t allowed past the blockade and instead had to turn around to go back to his house. Then came the storm surge. Starting about 6 p.m. Thursday, Helene’s storm surge brought feet of water from the Gulf of Mexico. According to Coffin and accounts from other residents, there were some points where the Gulf met the Bay on Gulf of Mexico Drive.
At his house, Coffin realized his boat, the Southern Cross, was in danger. The boat is tied up on sliders on the dock’s pylons, designed to adjust to the height of rising tides. But that doesn’t necessarily protect the boat from a hurricane-level storm surge.
Coffin went to the boat and made adjustments to make sure it was properly tied up on the sliders, but the waters continued to rise.
The waves were so high at one point that he feared the sliders would reach the top of the pylon and move the 40,000-pound boat from the dock.
The water in the canal was high enough where it covered the electrical boxes on the dock’s pylon. At the peak, the bay almost touched Coffin’s pool toward the back of his house.
These high waters made it unsafe for Coffin to get off of the boat. He would have been jumping into waters where he couldn’t see where it was safe to put his feet.
At that point, Coffin decided to stay the night on the boat. Throughout the night, he was getting up to adjust the slack on the boat’s line. If tied too tight and toward the top of the pylon, Coffin worried the boat would tip.
Coffin said the winds weren’t terrible that night, but the rocky waters
“I’m glad I was here. All these people (neighbors) wanted to see their houses … It was good to be on the ground and help them with that.”
— Gary Coffin
kept bumping the boat around and against the dock.
“It wasn’t good sleeping, I can tell you that,” Coffin said.
Still, the boat is a nice one, with bedrooms, a small kitchen, a shower and, more importantly, air conditioning. This was especially nice when the island was without power and water the next morning.
That next day, a Friday, Coffin began assessing the damage. Overall, he considered his house lucky. Despite the water coming from the gulf on one end and the bay creeping toward his pool in the back of the house, there were only a couple inches of water that intruded into his wife’s art studio and the garage.
Coffin was also so busy trying to keep his boat stable that he forgot to keep track of his Jet Ski that was
stationed at his neighbor’s ramp. He was able to find the Jet Ski at the end of the canal, but it was lifeless, possibly from taking on too much water.
Friday was also spent fielding calls from neighbors.
Many asked him for pictures of their houses to see if they were still standing. He was happy to.
“That’s just what neighbors do,” Coffin said. “It’s a measure of comfort for them to know it’s still there.”
That night, Coffin decided to stay on the island and in his boat again.
The vessel had the upper-hand of working AC, whereas the house still didn’t have power.
Then, on Saturday, Coffin reunited with his family at a hotel downtown. He and Lynn returned Sunday to get to work cleaning their house.
Coffin, also a town commission-
er, was back to doing his job in the days after Helene passed, though he admitted he was still figuring things out as he went.
“There’s no instruction book on what to do as a commissioner after things like this,” Coffin said.
This included checking in on businesses in his district — like Dry Dock and the Longboat Key Club — once the owners were allowed back onto the island.
Overall, although Coffin’s experience on his boat during Hurricane Helene was unexpected, he saw the positives in being on the ground the following day.
“I’m glad I was here,” Coffin said. “All these people (neighbors) wanted to see their houses … It was good to be on the ground and help them with that.
Liz Alpert understands that keeping Sarasota
Carter Weinhofer
Gary Coffin points to where his boat was floating during the peak of Hurricane Helene’s storm surge.
St. Armands Circle, Longboat focus on moving forward
Both communities’ business owners and residents share how Hurricane Helene impacted them.
After Hurricane Helene’s storm surge hit Longboat, residents were filled with anxiety as they waiting to go back to their homes.
“I am really tired of hotel life,” said Longboat Harbour Condominiums resident Karen Pashkow before she could return. “This is way later than many of us expected.”
Residents weren’t allowed back on the island until Sunday. Pashkow didn’t return home until Monday but was grateful when she heard from her friends who said the condominiums were not flooded.
Some Longboaters tried to get back on the Key by boat, such as resident Shawn Leven. She spent all day Friday asking people on the docks to see if they could stop by Longboat Key.
To her luck, a lady dropped her off by Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant and Pub in the afternoon, and she walked to her condominium, which was also dry when she arrived. Not everyone was as lucky as Pashkow and Leven.
Walking around St. Armands Circle on the morning of Sept. 28, people cautiously stepped around the debris, puddles and glass scattered on sidewalks by the storm.
Numerous business owners expressed sadness around the Circle through sobs and shock after seeing their life’s work destroyed.
“There was probably not one business on the circle that wasn’t affected by the storm,” said Cigar Paradise
Manager Carolyn Conner. Green Zebra Cafe Owners Vasil and Elena Ianakiev said in their 10 years at St. Armands, they have never had damage like this. Not knowing what to expect, they came to the cafe on Saturday morning and saw the entire interior ruined, including their refrigerators, which had been flipped upside down.
“There really is nothing we can do now,” said Vasil Ianakiev. “We just have to be positive and move forward, hopefully opening back up soon.”
Like most businesses, Cafe L’Europe is closed indefinitely due to damage caused by some four feet of water. Director of Catering Sales Ashley Watts compared the site to a war zone.
Crab and Fin owner Scott McDonald echoed others that the damage is far worse than they ever experienced.
“We’ve been here over 40 years,” said McDonald. “The worst we have had in other years has been a couple of inches of water. We had five feet of water from this hurricane. Our floors, windows, everything is completely destroyed.”
When preparing for Hurricane Helene, it was a mixed bag of thoughts for Longboaters.
Some residents thought it would be a Thursday rainstorm and an excuse to stay home for the rest of the week. When most Longboaters were preparing to evacuate, resident Ken Brostron leisurely went to Publix on Bay Isles Road to fulfill his cravings and said he didn’t plan to leave the island.
“I honestly had a hankering for chili today,” said Brostron. “But when I came to do my normal shopping, I thought I might as well buy
some water bottles just in case. I have gone through a few of these, so I’m not too worried about it.”
On the other hand, business owners on St. Armands Circle decided to be extra cautious, especially after flooding from Hurricane Debby took everyone by surprise. The Beaufort Bonnet Company and Armel Jewelers called their remodeling company, Ramate Construction, to install hurricane shutters on the morning of Sept. 25.
“We just helped them finish with renovations,” said Justin Robins from Ramate.
“We are a company that has been around for 30 years, so we know what it is like to be a business in Florida with these crazy storms. It is all about that trust, and they trust us to prevent as much damage to their businesses as possible.”
Even with the rigorous preparations, nothing could have stopped the damage caused by Hurricane Helene. Sonia Gauthier from Gauthier Salon & Wellness Spa said the Salon has little damage thanks to it being on the second floor, but she
“There really is nothing we can do now. We just have to be positive and move forward, hopefully opening back up soon.”
—Vasil Ianakiev
couldn’t help but feel sorrow for her neighbors around the circle.
Wanting to lend a hand, she plans to start a Go-Fund-Me page to raise money for the businesses affected by Hurricane Helene.
“85% of these merchants don’t have flooding insurance, especially the small businesses,” she said.
“This will greatly impact people going into the high season when all the snowbirds come back. So, we are hoping to help our friends out and save some of these businesses that don’t know how to move forward.”
Photos by Petra Rivera
The aftermath of Cafe L’Europe due to Hurricane Helene.
Charleston Shoe Company on St. Armands Circle after Hurricane Helene.
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HELENE WATER, NOT WIND
As Hurricane Helene passed more than 150 miles offshore as a Category 3, the storm overwhelmed the barrier islands with an estimated three to four feet of storm surge. The results on St. Armands, Lido and Longboat keys were something no one could foresee.
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Pat Robinson
St. Armands Circle was still flooded on Friday afternoon
Stacey Warren The pool at Seaplace on Longboat Key
and sidewalks at St. Armands Circle were flooded around 1:30 p.m. Friday,
Melissa Williams Fraley
At the 5600 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive on Longboat Key, the gulf flowed into the condominium complex, leaving behind sand and destroyed vegetation Friday morning.
Courtesy image
Piles of sand line both sides of Gulf of Mexico Drive on Longboat Key after crews worked to clear the road Friday.
Courtesy image
The storm surge from the Gulf of Mexico destroyed walkways leading to Lido Key Beach.
Carter Weinhofer
Piles of flooded belongings line the streets of Buttonwood Harbour Monday morning.
Courtesy image St. Armands Circle had standing water Friday afternoon after Hurricane Helene.
Longboat’s historic luck runs out with Hurricane Helene
Although many storms’ paths have intersected Longboat, the Key has only suffered a few serious blows in the last 100 years.
PETRA
RIVERA STAFF WRITER
As Longboaters followed the town’s hurricane evacuation orders and went to hotels, residents hoped the infamous myth of Longboat Key’s protection against hurricanes would save them once again.
After returning to their homes on Sept. 29, they realized that Hurricane Helene would not go down in history as another storm that spared Longboat Key.
STORMS SPARING THE KEY
According to a 1984 article documented on LongboatKeyHistory. com, John M. Snyder started recapping Tropical Storm Isidore by explaining the routine of residents preparing for the worst and being spared from these tropical storms and hurricanes.
That September storm left Longboat untouched, turning northwest toward Tampa as it moved from Central Florida. He said the unpredictability of the storm always led to a “flurry of emotional reactions” from Longboaters, which we still see
today. In 1985, the same conclusion was reported of Hurricane Elena, a Category 3 hurricane. As the storm hurled toward Longboat, it brushed over it and changed directions northward.
Hurricane Andrew traveled south in 1992 over Homestead, the Everglades and Marco Island with a highpressure system preventing it from heading north to the Key.
LONGBOAT LEGEND
The legend of the Tocobagan Indian tribe in Pinellas County and the Calusa Indians in Lee County is
whispered around the island to be the answer to Longboat’s long-lived streak of missing storms, reported Observer CEO Matt Walsh in a 2023 opinion piece.
He said the tribes built 20- to 30-foot mounds made from millions of shells, bones and “midden,” which were spiritually blessed to fend off storms and hurricanes.
Walsh also reported parishioners at St. Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic Church end each Mass with a hurricane prayer to protect the island, especially during hurricane season.
HEAVY-HITTER HURRICANES
Even with many storms passing by Longboat Key, there have been a few heavy hitters that left the island in disarray.
The first hurricane recorded on LongboatKeyHistory.com was the 1848 hurricane. In “The Story of Sarasota” by Karl H. Grismer, this “granddaddy of all hurricanes” began on Sept. 22, 1848.
Bill Whitaker lived in a cabin on the island at the time. He was surprised he survived the night after hearing the wind with “destructive force” and ships washing ashore in
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smashed-up pieces by the waves.
Once the storm subsided, Whitaker went to check if his fishing nets were where he left them on the beach before the hurricane hit. He found that the nets had “disappeared in the hurricane” and left a spot of open water. Whitaker decided to name that spot between Lido and Longboat keys “New Pass,” and it has kept its name since then.
The next notable storm took place in October 1921. The hurricane destroyed multiple docks on both ends of Longboat and its first school. It also closed down the Longboat Key post office and caused the Key to suffer the loss of many homes and crops. This ended the island’s existence of promising farming locations and the production of numerous crops.
According to the Observer archives, Longboat Key was at the eye of the 1993 “No Name” storm. It is said to have left the most damage to the island in recent years until Hurricane Helene.
On March 12 and 13 of 1993, the “Storm of the Century” caused intense damage to new landscaping on Longboat Club Road and the island’s golf courses. Carports were also destroyed with cars underneath them. A 27-foot sailboat also broke loose during the storm and crashed into a fishing pier in the Ringling Causeway.
While the island will need time to pick up the pieces of Hurricane Helene, Longboaters can only hope the Key’s lucky streak resets.
Carter Weinhofer
Longboat Key’s beaches looked deflated after Hurricane Helene.
FRIDAY,
COPS CORNER
A
for assistance from the Longboat Key Police Department after she said her sprinkler lines were cut, and her neighbor was her prime suspect. Upon arrival, the officer spoke with the resident and learned that, while the resident was away living part time elsewhere, she received a $600 water bill, which prompted her to have plumbers and landscapers investigate the issue. But when she returned to the residence, she discovered that the sprinkler lines appeared to be cut. She said the neighbors were potentially a suspect since she recently caught them putting a decorative rock on her property as well. The officer went next door and, though the neighbor was not home, she spoke with the officer through the Ring camera. She denied knowing that there were sprinklers on the property next door. Due to a lack of information, the case was closed.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 21
TURN OFF THE VALVE
6:40 p.m., 600 block of Norton
Street
TUESDAY, SEPT. 24
SANDBAG QUARREL
8:37 p.m., 200 block of Broadway Street
Suspicious Vehicle: While on routine patrol, an officer was flagged down by a citizen. She told the officer that she was getting sand at the sandbag station when a lifted pickup truck drove in recklessly and almost hit her and her three children. According to her account, the driver was rude and might have been impersonating a law enforcement officer. The Longboat Key officer spoke with the driver in question, who said he did not see the children, and a brief argument ensued between the parties. The officer did not witness any further incident, and no other drivers reported an issue, so the case was closed.
MONDAY, SEPT. 23
FOUND CREDIT CARD
4:21 p.m., 500 block of Bay Isles Parkway
Officer Public Service: Dispatch sent a Longboat Key officer to a citizen assist call in reference to a seasonal resident reporting water spilling from the water meter into the roadway. At the residence, the officer saw the water shooting out of the pipe in front of the residence, and Longboat Key Public Works was asked to assist. Someone from Public Works instructed the officer to turn the valve off, which the officer did, and the Public Works employee said he would inform the resident the pipe needed to be replaced.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 22
SMARTPHONE TOO SMART
2:38 p.m., 7100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Officer Public Service: An officer was dispatched to a potential vehicle crash after an iPhone sent an automatic crash alert. At the potential scene, the officer saw a man handing a broken iPhone to another driver. The officer canvassed the area but did not see any crash.
Lost/Found Property: An anonymous good Samaritan went to the Longboat Key Police Station to turn in a credit card she found outside of Publix. A department employee was able to find the phone number of the owner by using the name on the card, and the owner realized she must have dropped the card outside of Publix. The owner arrived shortly after at the station, presented her driver’s license to prove her identity and retrieved her lost credit card.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 24
QUESTIONABLE GAS SMELL
2:06 p.m., 900 block of Longboat Club Road
Assist Other Agency: An “odor of gas” was reported by a caller, and a Longboat Key Police officer arrived on the scene to assist the Longboat Key Fire Rescue Department. At the scene, Fire Rescue staff advised that their scanners showed negative results for natural gas, and no further investigation was necessary.
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Seal the Deal
The blockbuster acquisition for window and door maker PGT Innovations took years to come together. It also took determined and competitive executives.
Jeff Jackson was curious — and maybe a little concerned. It was fall 2022. The Venice publicly traded window and door manufacturer he was CEO of, PGT Innovations, in his words, was killing it. Revenue was nearing $1.5 billion for the year, up 29.3% from $1.16 billion in 2021. Net income was up 269% from 2021, to $98.9 million. And the firm’s profit margin was 6.6%, up from 2.3% in 2021.
But an unknown entity was accumulating stock of the company. This entity had stealthily gone from owning 3% of the company’s shares to 4.8%. If an investor buys more than 5% of a company’s stock, the entity has to disclose who they are under SEC regulations. That could be an activist investor, angling for dramatic change, or maybe a company looking to buy PGT. Jackson leaned toward the latter, since an activist investor wouldn’t normally target a company doing so well.
The PGT leadership team, says Jackson, decided to spend $1,500 on a service that finds out who secret investors are. Turns out the unknown entity was a company Jackson knew well: Miter Brands, a
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, window and door company that traces its history, in part, to post-World War II Florida.
PGT, says Jackson, actually considered buying Miter a few years ago. “We looked at it hard,” he says. “We just couldn’t come to an agreement on the numbers.” Jackson was surprised Miter was accumulating PGT stock. And he confronted Miter President and CEO Matt DeSoto and his brother, COO Mike DeSoto, about it at an industry trade show a few weeks later. After some pleasantries, Jackson told the brothers, with a sly wink and a tint of sarcasm, “Thanks for confidence in us.”
That December 2022 conversation kicked off a year-plus odyssey that led to Miter — after fending off competition from other suitors and raising its offer more than 60% in nine separate bids — closing on the deal to buy PGTI on March 27. Matt DeSoto, through a company spokesperson, has declined to comment on the acquisition. But in a June podcast produced by PGTI University called Clear Impact, DeSoto says the PGT acquisition is “like a dream come true.”
BACKYARD BRAWL
Jackson says the PGTI board was
not in sell-mode in 2021 when calls started to flood the company about potential acquisitions. He took one call, he remembers, on his cell while driving to work on Bee Ridge Road. “The board looks at every offer because they have a fiscal responsibility” to shareholders, says Jackson. “But there was no reason to sell. We were doing amazing. We made some mistakes, but we had built an incredible business.”
Getting to incredible took some aggressive acquisitions, first in Florida. Growing in the Sunshine State before going national was a lesson Jackson learned from former Coca-Cola CEO Doug Ivester, when Jackson was an up-andcoming executive in the beverage giant, working out of its Atlanta headquarters.
“I was just a grunt in the boardroom, but Doug would always say ‘not in our backyard.’ That was key. He would say ‘I don’t want to drive around Atlanta and see a Pepsi anywhere. I don’t want to go to a restaurant and see Pepsi.’ I took the philosophy that Florida was ours. We had a goal to dominate Florida. Anytime an acquisition came up in Florida, we wanted to be involved.”
PGT executed on that strategy, buying businesses such as Miami-
WORSHIP directory
based CGI Windows & Doors Holdings Inc. for $111 million in 2014. It later went outside Florida, buying Phoenix-based Western Window Systems for $360 million in 2018 and Martin Doors in Salt Lake City in October 2022 for about $185 million, among other deals. It also grew through acquisition on the west coast of the state, buying Tampa-based New South Windows in early 2020 for $92 million.
LOTS OF YEARS
For Miter, meanwhile, the idea of buying PGTI went back to at least 2017 — even before Miter had formed over the Koch-aided merger. PGTI was a $511 million company back then. Matt DeSoto, in the June PGTI University Clear Impact podcast, recalled he and his brother and their father, also in the window business, had dinner with Jackson and PGT co-founder Rod Hershberger in Sarasota in 2017. The DeSotos were back at the Marriott Courtyard in Sarasota, after dinner, when his father said, “‘it would be really cool if we could figure out somehow, some way to put MI, Milgard and PGT together,’” Matt DeSoto said on the podcast. “So this whole journey has really been many years in the making.”
But it wasn’t only the DeSotos and later Miter Brands courting PGTI. In the March 18 proxy document, prepared for a shareholder vote on the Miter deal, PGTI says it fielded 17 acquisition proposals from 2021 through late 2023. In that time, the company says, it “contacted or otherwise interacted with 12 unique financial and strategic parties.”
One offer came in September 2021 for $26.50 per share. That entity, listed as Party A in the proxy, raised its offer to $28.25 in May 2022. The PGTI board rejected those offers, saying the price undervalued the company.
Some 10 months later. Miter Brands officially entered the acquisition picture.
First, in March 2023, Jackson and Matt DeSoto agreed to meet to “discuss a potential business combination and an offer would be made to acquire PGTI,” the proxy states. But before that April meeting, PGTI, the proxy states, learned that Miter and its affiliates had “accumulated at least 7% (and possibly 8% or more) of PGTI common stock, including through derivative positions.”
DeSoto, in response, told PGT that Miter “did not intend to commence a hostile bid” for the company and would instead present an offer to the board by the end of April 2023.
In May, more offers came rolling in from multiple entities, the proxy shows, going up to $32, then $33 a share. By October, the national
business press began to write about a potential acquisition. Reuters, for one, published an article Oct. 10, 2023, reporting PGTI had rejected a $33-per-share offer from Miter and that Miter was considering raising its bid to $36 per share. Then, when Miter raised its offer a fourth time PGTI, believing it was still too low, “decided to propose a counteroffer of $40 per share.”
On Nov. 1, 2023, the proxy report says Jackson called DeSoto about the $40-a-share counteroffer. “DeSoto told Mr. Jackson that if PGTI received an offer for $40, PGTI ‘should take it,’” the proxy states. Miter’s financial advisors, the proxy adds, then told PGTI “as one of your largest stockholders, if you have an offer that starts with a 4, we encourage you to take that offer.”
OPEN A DOOR
PGTI eventually received that kind of offer — from Masonite. That came a week before Christmas, when news broke Masonite offered a $3 billion deal for PGTI. The offer was $41 per share, broken down to $33.50 in cash and $7.50 in Masonite common shares. PGT agreed to the deal. A press release was issued that an agreement was reached.
But the Masonite deal never got to closing.
Over the holidays, Miter came back with another offer. This offer was for $42 a share. The Masonite offer represented a premium of 56.5% over PGTI’s Oct. 9 closing price of $26.20. The Miter offer was a 60% premium.
A few more calls between PGTI’s team of bankers and lawyers and Miter’s team came next. And then came the ninth, and final offer. While the price remained $42 a share for offer No. 9, other stipulations were added. That ninth offer, too, came four months after another offer from Miter — No. 6. That sixth offer, the proxy states, was supposed to be the company’s “best and final” offer, for $38.25 a share.
One last point: Miter had to agree to pay an $84 million fee that came from PGTI canceling the Masonite deal. Miter’s $3.1 billion offer, in total, was up 63.1% from that first official Reuters-reported offer of $1.9 billion in October 2023. Then, finally, the deal was ready for shareholders, and ultimately, for closing.
The simple sentence in the 116page proxy statement belies the drama that led to that point. “Before the opening of NYSE normal trading hours on January 17, PGTI and MITER issued a joint press release announcing the merger agreement and the termination of the Masonite merger agreement.”
Photo by Travis Pendergrass
PGTI was founded in Venice in 1980.
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
From dramas to comedies, don’t miss these extraordinary plays and musicals about ordinary lives. They’re coming soon to a theater near you.
MARTY FUGATE CONTRIBUTOR
The pandemic often felt like the end of the world. Contemporary playwrights noticed — and caught the apocalyptic vibe. Theaters had gone dark, but they didn’t stop writing. Their unproduced scripts often felt like “Twilight Zone” episodes. Or fever dreams. When live theater turned the lights back on, hungry ghosts, plagues and devil dogs filled the stage. But reports of impending apocalypse proved greatly exaggerated. The world didn’t end. Life still goes on.
Contemporary playwrights noticed that, too. You can see it in many of their recent plays. The focus has shifted away from dangerous visions of life’s end. Life itself is the new focus — as it unfolds in the daily lives of everyday people, particularly women.
The five plays I’ve selected for fall 2024 share that quotidian focus. Their characters all seem ordinary. A few hit the big time; most don’t. After you get to know them, you’ll see how extraordinary they really are.
‘The Curious Savage’
When: Oct. 29-Nov. 4
Where: FSU/Asolo Conservatory, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail
Info: Visit AsoloRep.org/conservatory.
Mrs. Ethel Savage, a recent widow, is the “savage” in question. Mr. Savage, her late husband, has just received his heavenly reward. As a result, Mrs. Savage just inherited her earthly reward — her late husband’s vast fortune. (She can’t recall the exact figure, but it’s in the ballpark of $10 million.)
This noble Savage plans to use it for good causes. To her greedy stepchildren, such charity is proof of insanity. They plan to grab their stepmom’s wealth.
To get her out of the way, these rotters commit the kindly old widow to a secluded sanitorium called “The Cloisters.” Scary name, but it’s not such a bad place.
Once inside, Mrs. Savage makes friends with a few quirky and kindhearted inmates. Unlike the smiling villains in her family, their loyalty isn’t an act. These so-called “loonies” really are on the widow’s side.
And they’re not as dumb as they look. It may sound crazy, but they
‘Waitress: The Musical’
When: Nov. 8-Dec. 29
Where: FST’s Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St.
Info: Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
This Broadway hit is adapted from Adrienne Shelly’s 2007 film. It adds new lyrics and compositions by Grammy winner Sara Bareilles, and a script by Jessie Nelson.
But it tells the same tale — the story of Jenna, a waitress trapped in a loveless marriage. In the game of love, she fumbles and gets bruised and penalized.
When it comes to the art of pie making, Jenna is an Einstein with an oven. A baking contest
hatch a clever scheme to set things right. John Patrick’s lighthearted comedy, directed by Marcus Johnson, mocks the cut-throat logic of hypocrisy, greed and social climbing. The Cloisters’ logic is far gentler.
This nuthouse is more like a sane asylum. It’s the world outside it that’s mad.
(with a big cash prize) gives her a chance to reinvent her life. Spoiler alert: Jenna wins the prize — and finds friendship, romance and the courage to pursue her dreams.
Sound a bit too sugary? The taste of this musical, directed by Kate Alexander, is often sweet. But it’s not all sweetness and light. The show balances humor and engaging relationships with darker notes of domestic abuse and infidelity. But relax. There’s a happy ending. That’s baked into Shelly’s original rom-com. Bareilles and Nelson don’t mess with her warmhearted recipe.
Courtesy images
5 FOR FALL
‘Jennifer, Who is Leaving’
When: Oct. 18-Dec. 1
Where: Urbanite Theatre, 1487 Second St.
Info: Visit UrbaniteTheatre.com.
Playwrights find humor in unlikely places. In “Jennifer, Who is Leaving,” Morgan Gould found comedy in a shabby Massachusetts donut shop. His peculiar play is a character study of three overworked women who’d rather be someplace else. But they’re all in the wrong place — and at the wrong time, too. Here and now. At the donut shop. During the graveyard shift. Behind the counter, Nan is slinging donuts and dealing with incessant cell phone calls from her high-maintenance, retired husband.
Lili’s cramming for her high-stakes
SAT exam tomorrow morning. If Lili’s test score is high, she might escape her dead-end life. But Lili’s father spits on her college dreams — and forces her go to work on the night before the test.
On the customer side, Jennifer’s having an unhappy meal with Joey, her impatient elderly patient. She’s a stressed-out caregiver, and he’s working her last nerve.
Nan, Lili and Jennifer have one thing in common: Taking care of other people is their job — even when they don’t get paid.
These caregivers are all women — and second-class citizens, too. That’s the way it is in the USA. Why?
Gould’s play considers the physical, mental and emotional weight such nurturing women carry. Who cares for these caregivers? After seeing Gould’s poignant comedy directed by Celine Rosenthal, you will.
‘Little Women: The Musical’
When: Dec. 5-15
Where: The Sarasota Players, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail, Suite 1130
Info: Visit The Players.org.
Amanda Heisey makes her directorial debut with this 2005 song-and-dance adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic 1868 novel — a coming-of-age story set during America’s Civil War.
Brooding male teenage geniuses were the standard protagonists of such tales back then. Young men came of age; young ladies (or their maids) did the dishes.
Alcott’s story had a rare female focus. She put the magnifying glass on the creative growth of four gifted young women — namely the March sisters (Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy) guided by their mother and aunt while their doctor father is at war.
“Little Women” isn’t just a complicated story — it’s more than one story.
Composer Jason Howland and lyricist Mindi Dickstein wisely narrow it down to Jo’s story. She’s the second-oldest sister and an aspiring writer and Alcott’s alter ego. Back in 1868, it was damned hard to become a writer if you were a member of the gentler sex. Jo is surrounded by hostility and indifference and filled with self-doubt. Must she renounce love to pursue her dreams?
Howland’s powerful score and Dickstein’s soaring lyrics put you inside her frustrated, ambitious skin. You feel what Jo feels and see through her eyes. It’s a joyful, triumphant experience. Try not to miss it.
‘Beautiful: The Carole King Musical’
When: Nov. 13-Jan. 5
Where: Asolo Repertory Theatre, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail
Info: Visit AsoloRep.org
Douglas McGrath’s Broadway blockbuster sings bring the story of the legendary Carole King to the Asolo Rep stage, where she will be played by Julia Knitel, reprising her Broadway role.
Calling King a “legend” isn’t hype. The singer/songwriter’s hits include “You’ve Got a Friend,” “I Feel the Earth Move,” “Jazzman” and many more. If James Brown was the hardest working man in show biz, Carole King was (and is) the hardest working woman.
McGrath’s high-energy, jukebox musical delivers King’s chart-topping anthems — along with some cool biographical liner notes. Turns out King married her songwriter partner, Gerry Goffin, had her first child at 18 and moved to the New Jersey burbs.
When did King first decide to create beautiful music? Turns out, she’d wanted to be a songwriter since high school. Her mother told her, “It’s not practical! Girls don’t write music.”
While King loved her mom, she didn’t take her advice. Before her 18th birthday, she’d written hits for Aretha Franklin and The Drifters. After a few more birthdays, King started singing her own songs.
She always sang from the heart — and became the voice of the 1960s generation by her 30th birthday. King’s voice still speaks to the generations that followed. In this musical love letter directed by Rob Melrose, it rings out loud and clear. And beautifully.
Luke Schaufuss in Johan Kobborg’s Napoli Act III | Photo by Frank Atura
Image courtesy of Sorcha Augustine
Trezure B. Coles, Ned Averill-Snell, Summer Dawn Wallace and Suzanne Grodner star in Urbanite Theatre’s “Jennifer, Who Is Leaving.”
THIS WEEK
THURSDAY
‘AGNES OF GOD’
7:30 p.m. at Venice Theatre’s Pinkerton Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave. W., Venice
$15-$35
Visit VeniceTheatre.org.
When a nun is accused of murdering her newborn, the mother superior of the convent tries to prevent the novice from meeting with a court-appointed psychiatrist. The production is one of Venice Theatre’s revivals during its 75th anniversary season. Runs through Oct. 20.
‘THE TORCH BEARERS’
7:30 p.m. at Venice Theatre’s Raymond Center, 140 Tampa Ave. W., Venice
$15-$35
Visit VeniceTheatre.org.
The Venice Theatre celebrates its 75th anniversary by reviving its first show. Written by George Kelly in 1922, “The Torch Bearers” is a play within a play about a community theater. The Venice Theatre’s “origin story” features an ensemble cast including Kevin Fewell, Paul Hutchison, Tan Selby, Nancy Denton, Colette Wheeler and other local thespians. Runs through Oct. 13.
‘THE FOUR C NOTES’
8 p.m. at FST’s Goldstein Cabaret, 1239 N. Palm Ave.
$18-$42
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
For fans of Frank Valli and the Four Seasons, the doo-wop sound never
goes out of style. With “The Four C Notes,” Florida Studio Theatre continues its tradition of presenting Four Seasons tribute shows inspired by “Jersey Boys” and starring performers from the Broadway smash hit’s touring production. Runs through Oct. 13.
RINGLING UNDERGROUND
8 p.m. at The Ringling, 5401 Bay Shore Road $15; Students free Visit Ringling.org.
Enjoy live music, art and ambiance in the Museum of Art Courtyard during Ringling Underground, which features an eclectic mix of local and regional music. The headliner is Pinc Louds, the musical project of Puerto Rican artist Claudi. Also on the bill are Tampa pop-rock group Peace Cult, and Now in Color, a rock band from Sarasota.
FRIDAY
‘MUSIC BEHIND BARS’ Noon at Selby Library’s Geldbart Auditorium, 1331 First St. Free with registration Visit SarasotaMusicArchive.org.
Sarasota Music Archive hosts a program highlighting a century of struggle to achieve recognition for Catalan symphonic music. A recital features Myroslav Skoryk’s “Melody in A minor for Violin and Piano” with Gabrielle Chou on piano and Max Tan on violin. Tian Yi Li will play piano and Lukas Stepp violin on” Three Romances for Violin and Piano” by Marc Migó Cortes, who will also deliver a lecture.
‘OFF THE CHARTS’
7:30 p.m. at FST’s Court Cabaret, 1265 First St. $18-$42 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
The creative team behind Florida Studio Theatre’s popular cabaret series is at again with “Off the Charts.” Richard and Rebecca Hopkins and Sarah Durham take the audience on a tour of 20th-century pop music with arrangements by Jim Prosser. Take a stroll (or a cruise) down Memory Lane with hits that ruled the Billboard Top 100 rankings, which debuted in 1958. Runs through Feb. 9.
DON’T MISS DISCOVERIES 1 — GERSHWIN’S AMERICAN DREAM
Sarasota Orchestra guest
SATURDAY
WSLR 20TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY
5 p.m. at Fogartyville, 525 Kumquat Court Free Visit WSLR.org.
“Many Voices, One Community,” is the theme of WSLR’s 20th anniversary party and Fogartyville’s annual fall open house. The free evening includes performances by Los Rumberos, flamenco dancer Cristina Gutierrez and The Barker Project. Manning the turntable will be DJ Milo, DJ Nomad and DJ Mondaze. The open house will also include tours of the radio station, food trucks, CD sales and celebration cake.
SUNDAY
‘JUNIE B. JONES: THE MUSICAL’
10 a.m. at FST’s Keating Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave. $12 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org
Who says musical theater is just for old folks? There’s plenty of song and dance on stage for kids at Florida Studio Theatre. FST’s new production, “Junie B. Jones: The Musical,” features book and lyrics by Marcy Heisler and music by Zina Goldrich. Follow the heroine as she embarks upon a new school year, recording all her adventures in her Top-Secret Personal Beeswax Journal. Runs weekends through Oct. 26.
MONDAY
SCF COMMUNITY
PIANO RECITAL
TUESDAY
THE CARIBBEAN CHILLERS: JIMMY BUFFETT TRIBUTE
2 and 7 p.m. at Stone Hall, 502 Third Ave. W., Bradenton $40 Visit FloridaCulturalGroup.org.
It’s always 5 o’clock somewhere — sorry, that’s Alan Jackson, not Jimmy Buffett. Still, that ethos rings true for the Parrothead faithful who flock to Jimmy Buffett tributes. Don’t cruise on back home from your stay in Margaritaville without getting a taste of the Caribbean Chillers.
FRENCH CONNECTION
7:30 p.m. at Church of the Palms, 3224 Bee Ridge Road
$43-$63 Visit ArtistSeriesConcerts.org.
Artist Series Concerts presents French-born violinist Arnaud Sussmann and pianist Michael Stephen Brown, playing a program of French music that includes sonatas by Debussy and SaintSaens. Sussmann and Brown have performed in recitals and with major orchestras across Europe, Israel and the U.S., and have been featured on PBS Live broadcasts as Chamber Music Society of Lincoln
OUR PICK ‘SOUL CROONERS: SOLID GOLD EDITION’ Created and directed by Nate Jacobs, “The Soul Crooners” returns to Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s main stage for the first time since its 2009 premiere. The opening show of WBTT’s 25th anniversary season celebrates the soul music of the 1970s. The “Solid Gold Edition” was a hit at this summer’s International Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Runs through Nov. 17.
IF YOU GO When: 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9
Where: Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe main stage
Tickets: $22-$52 Info: Visit WestcoastBlackTheatre.org.
Conductor David Alan Miller leads the celebration of George Gershwin’s impact on many genres of American music, including jazz, blues and dance songs. The program features pianist Kevin Cole, considered by many to be one of the greatest interpreters of Gershwin.
7 p.m. at 5840 26th St. W., Building 11A, Bradenton Free Visit SCF.edu.
IF YOU GO When: 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5 Where: Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. Tickets: $35-$79 Info: Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org.
This popular event provides students of all experience levels and ages with a chance to perform. Come see what the community’s future musicians are working on.
“Agnes of God” at the Venice Theatre
Temple Beth Sholom
Sarasota’s Only Conservative Synagogue invites you to our High Holiday services and to join our warm and embracing community. Special Offer!
If you or your spouse are 40 OR UNDER, YOUR WHOLE FAMILY CAN JOIN THE SYNAGOGUE FOR JUST $118, this includes High Holiday tickets. Call or email for details 40 OR this
1050 S. Tuttle Ave Bldg. 2, Sarasota FL 34237 www.tbssrq.org - 941.955.8121 - info@tbssrq.org
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5,
8
To promote awareness of mental health and reduce stigma.
To raise funds for NAMI’s free, top-rated mental health programs.
To
Soundbox Ventures gives musicians a new place to play
Violinist Max Tan’s music think tank launches the first Suncoast Composer Festival Oct. 4-7.
ho is Max Tan? If you don’t know already, you will by the time the first Suncoast Composer Festival wraps on Oct. 7.
Tan wears many musical hats. He’s an alum of the Perlman Music Program and has been coming to Sarasota to study and perform since 2007. He’s a violinist with Sarasota Orchestra who is the founder and artistic director of Soundbox Ventures, a music “think tank.”
In 2022, Soundbox founded the Suncoast Composer Fellowship Program to partner emerging composers with mentors and performers.
This year, Soundbox is taking Suncoast public by launching the inaugural Suncoast Composer Festival. With a lineup of ticketed and free lectures and performances, the festival promises to be a worthy addition to Sarasota’s vibrant classical music scene.
Tan and his associates at Suncoast have given a lot of thought to the state of classical music today, including how to
IF YOU GO SUNCOAST COMPOSER FESTIVAL
When: Oct. 4-7
Where: Various locations in Sarasota
Tickets: Free to $85 Info: Visit SoundboxVentures. org.
even interactive approach to enjoying music.
“I’m interested in people’s relationship to music and in other existential questions,” Tan says. “How do we attract an audience, especially after Covid?”
In putting together the first Suncoast Composer Festival, Tan has relied on such partners as Sarasota Music Archive, housed in Selby Library, contemporary classical music group ensembleNewSRQ and classical music radio station WSMR.
Suncoast fellows will take part in free public seminars hosted by the Sarasota Music Archive. Their compositions will be featured on Tyler Kline’s “Modern Notebook,” airing in November on WSMR.
Tan will speak on Friday, Oct. 4, at Selby Library in a presentation entitled “How Recordings Redefined Music: From Brahms to Today.” That program will include a performance of “Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op.
Courtesy image Sarasota
Orchestra
But that’s just part one of the double header. The second is focused on the 100-year struggle to achieve recognition for Catalan classical music. That program will be led by Suncoast composer faculty member
The festival will culminate in the “Composer Fellows Concert,” presented in collaboration with ensembleNewSRQ on Monday, Oct. 7, at First Congregational Church.
October
violinist Max Tan
Food & Wine Festival
Saturday, Sept. 21, at the Sarasota Opera House
Benefiting Sarasota Youth Opera
The historic Sarasota Opera House provided the backdrop for its annual Food & Wine Festival on Sept. 21, where Sarasota and Manatee restaurants served up their finest fare. Supporting the Sarasota Youth Opera, the proceeds are used for education and programming for one of the nation’s top youth opera programs.
About 450 tickets were purchased for an afternoon of sampling delicious food, wine, coffee and libations. Socializing was the main activity, and the youth opera delighted guests with two performances.
“This event is a signature kickoff to our season and introduces people to the opera who might not otherwise know about our youth program,” said longtime supporter Peter Kretzmer.
Under the direction of General Manager Richard Russell, the Sarasota Opera aims to produce impassioned opera performances true to the vision of the composer, to entertain, enrich, educate and inspire a lifelong love of opera in our diverse and growing communities.
— JANET COMBS
Photos by Lori Sax
Martha Collins and Richard Russell, general director of the Sarasota Opera
Barbara and Joe Justiz with Pam Biladeau
Eric Schnittker, Casey Meaux and Jessica Rubin
2410 HARBOURSIDE DRIVE
YOUR NEIGHBORS SHAVASANA & SAILING
Ksenia Maguire hopes to bring sailors and members of the Sailing Squadron relaxation and community after hard work days on Sarasota Bay.
PETRA RIVERA STAFF WRITER
Editor’s note: Hurricane Helene may affect scheduling of these events for the near future.
Ksenia Maguire loves taking her sons to sailing camp at Sarasota Sailing Squadron.
The gentle breeze always bounced off the bay while she watched them fall in love with sailing. As her children were welcomed into the sailing community, members also welcomed Maguire with open arms. She said the connection to the water brought a sense of peace and bonding that was hard to find in busy Sarasota.
The calming atmosphere and vibrant community of the squadron reminded Maguire of the feeling she got when she taught yoga through her business, Magnolia Tree Yoga. This gave Maguire an idea.
“I have lived in Sarasota for seven years and never heard of it here,” said Maguire. “So, I was thankful when my friend introduced me to the squadron. This is what I have been looking for to grow my classes at an outside location. My practice is all about being grounded, so this is
IF YOU GO
Ksenia Maguire will be teaching yoga from 6:30-7:30 p.m. every Tuesday at the Sarasota Sailing Squadron, 1717 Ken Thompson Parkway. Cost is $10 for members; $15 for nonmembers. Call 388-2355 for information.
the perfect place to encourage that through nature.”
Eduardo Sylvestre, the squadron’s general manager, recently started looking for a yoga teacher after implementing yoga and tai chi classes at his previous sailing clubs.
So when Maguire approached him, the unlikely pair was a unique fit.
Maguire taught her first yoga class at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 24 at the Sailing Squadron.
“The idea is to use this yoga class as a concentration,” said Sylvestre.
“I want this to be a way to relax after practice. I thought it could also be a great thing for moms or women members to have more options here, but honestly, it has interested everyone. When I looked at who signed up for the first class, it was half men and half women.”
Maguire mixed her certifications in Korean and Kundalini yoga with elements of tai chi and qigong to design classes that encourage ultimate relaxation and stress relief, perfect for the bay. Her flowing movements include tap techniques, breathing exercises, meditation and stretching. She hopes everyone can come to class however they are and leave restful, grounded and relaxed.
Maguire started practicing yoga when she had her first child. After having intense post-partum depression, the only thing that helped her was attending the yoga studio next to her house in Boston. She said the exercises changed her brain chemistry, allowing more positive energy in her life. Also, the community she formed through the studio gave her a sense of support.
She started Magnolia Tree Yoga after moving to Sarasota. Maguire started by doing mainly semi-private
yoga sessions in the studio in her house. She said one of her big inspirations is the magnolia tree outside of her studio, which she named her business after.
After a few bigger classes at local beaches, Maguire was ecstatic to see around 10 people attend her first class at the squadron. Many of them said the location intrigued them, so they were happy to check it out.
Maguire is excited to continue teaching at the prime location by the bay every Tuesday and grow the yoga community at the squadron.
“The whole idea of bringing this here is to show that a sailing club is much more than just sailing,” said Sylvestre. “Here, you can work your head, your mind and your body.
Also, Ksenia’s emphasis on community ties in perfectly to our mission here. She will be able to help a whole different set of people feel included here.”
“The whole idea of bringing this here is to show that a sailing club is much more than just sailing. Here, you can work your head, your mind and your body.”
– Eduardo Sylvestre
Photos by Petra Rivera
Ksenia Maguire teaches yoga at the Sarasota Sailing Squadron.
Matthew and Maria Scott practice yoga at the Sarasota Sailing Squadron.
Behind the Name: Whitney Beach
Whitney Beach started as a touristy fishing spot and has grown into the perfect place for families.
From housing military members during World War II to becoming one of the first condominium complexes on the island, Whitney Beach has always been a staple on the Key.
It started when Gordon and Lora Whitney came to the north end of Longbeach, today’s Longboat Key, in 1935. According to LongboatKeyHistory.com, the former insurance agent from Chicago, Gordon, with his wife, hoped to purchase beachfront property due to how inexpensive it was during the Great Depression.
After being impressed with Longbeach’s white sands and promise for good fishing spots, the couple built the cypress cottages that still stand in the Longboat Village, along with a guest house, tennis court, skeet range, family home and 1,000 feet of beachfront property around 6750 Gulf of Mexico Drive.
To finish off their settlement, they named their new land Whitney Beach Resort to welcome tourists to what would become the popular fishing resort of the Key during the
time. While establishing his fishing resort, Gordon also helped bring telephone service and the vibrant plant environment to the Manatee County end of Longboat Key.
During World War II, the Whitneys turned the place into a resting spot for military members. Once the war was over, Whitney Beach went back to hosting tourists and fishermen, until Gordon closed the resort in 1957.
After leaving the property vacant until 1968, Gordon sold the property to Paul Neal Jr., who turned Whitney Beach into one of the first condominium complexes on the island. He developed the land with 139 units, which was finished in 1971.
Now, the Whitney Beach Condominium Association has grown to have multiple tennis courts, picnic tables, a Tiki hut, three swimming pools, boat docks and a boat house for residents to clean their fish.
Today, all except for one of Whitney’s 11 cottages remain on the north end of Longboat housing the new and longtime families of the Key.
Whitney Beach Plaza is known for its unique businesses and community bonding events.
The Longboat Key Historical Society is also housed in two of these historic cottages.
Through this, Whitney Beach is the core of the historical standing of the island while watching it bloom in the present.
PET PICS
Have photos of your four-legged family members? We want to see them! Share them at YourObserver.com/contests/petpics to be published online and for a chance to see them in print!
PETRA RIVERA STAFF WRITER
Whitney Beach at the north end of Longboat Key File image
LOVING COUPLE: Jax and Teenie enjoy some snuggle time on Longboat Key.
NEWSAPPER CHECK OUT OUR
SATURDAY, OCT. 5
REPTICON
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Sahib Shrine Center, 600 N. Beneva Road. See live reptiles up close and learn about their lifestyles at the seminars at Repticon. Call 863-268-4273 for more information.
SATURDAY OCT. 5
28TH ANNUAL DOWNTOWN
SARASOTA CRAFT FESTIVAL
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1 Central Ave. A variety of jewelry, pottery, ceramics, photography, painting, clothing and much more will be on display, ranging from $15 to $3,000. Along with the handmade crafts, all made in America, there will be an expansive green market with plants, orchids, exotic flora, handmade soaps, gourmet spices and freshly popped kettle corn. Call 561-746-6615.
SATURDAY OCT. 5 AND SUNDAY, OCT. 6
36TH ANNUAL FRUITVILLE GROVE PUMPKIN FESTIVAL
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Fruitville Grove Farmer’s Market, 7410 Fruitville Road. From a haunted house to a farmers market, celebrate the spooky season at the annual Fruitville Grove Pumpkin Festival every weekend in October. Daily activities include a food truck rally, craft show, live music, mini train rides, hay rides and a butterfly garden experience. For more information, please email FruitvilleGroveVendors@gmail.com.
SUNDAY, OCT. 6
PARK-TOBERFEST AT THE BAY
5-7 p.m. at the Oval, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Celebrate Oktoberfest at the Bay Park for free. The DeLeon Family Band returns to perform the traditional “oompah”-style and a range of other music. Be a part of the world-famous “Chicken Dance” tradition or compete in the steinhoisting contest. The Nest Café will have plenty of German-inspired and locally crafted brews and will be serving brats and soft pretzel sticks with beer cheese. Sun King Brewery
BEST BET
SUNDAY, OCT. 6
SARASOTA BENEVOLENT FIREFIGHTERS FUND 24TH ANNUAL MORTON’S FIREHOUSE CHILI COOK-OFF
1:45-5 p.m. at Morton’s Gourmet Market, 1924 S. Osprey Ave. Benefiting the Sarasota Firefighters Benevolent Fund, Sarasota Firehouses compete for the title of “Best Firehouse Chili.” This free event will have celebrity judges, live entertainment, and lots of chili and cold beer. Email Ryeman71@verizon. net with any questions.
will be on hand at The Nest Café serving Oktoberfest beer on tap. For more information, go to TheBaySarasota.org/Event/Park-ToberfestAt-The-Bay/.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 8
BONSAI & BREWS
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1 Central Ave. Join Motorworks Brewing and Thunderstruck Bonsai for a fun and relaxing evening of Bonsai & Brews. You’ll learn how to create your own bonsai tree from scratch with the help of award-winning bonsai artists from Thunderstruck Bonsai. No experience or green thumb is required. Thunderstruck Bonsai will provide everything you need to make your own bonsai, including a pre-bonsai tree, a pot, soil, wire, tools and guidance. You’ll also get to enjoy craft brews from Motorworks Brewing. Register at ThunderStruckBonsai. com/Events/ or call 727-266-6791.
The Gulf of Mexico is unlike anywhere else in the world. Watching the sun sink into the horizon as it ushers in the evening never gets old. Ever.
And perhaps the greatest reason to love living on the Gulf Coast is the people. You’ll never find neighbors you can depend on more, and we’re here to share any of our trusted service provider’s contact information with you. Don’t hesitate to reach out!
We would like to express our sincere appreciation for the many individuals who are providing emergency support efforts on the ground.
Your neighbors, Bruce & Chase Myer
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- JUST IN 2024
- 2023
• TOP FLORIDA 100 REALTOR - COLDWELL BANKER
Optimizing health on the Key
Dr. Alexander Telfair shared his experience and his goals as he starts to work on Longboat Key.
PETRA
RIVERA STAFF WRITER
Dr. Alexander Telfair knew he had found the perfect place to work when he met Dr. Daren Spinelle at an event at the Paradise Center.
After graduating in April from the National University of Health Sciences, he had dreams of establishing his own chiropractic practice in his hometown of Sarasota. When the two bonded over their goals of holistic treatment methods, Spinelle thought Telfair would be the right fit for the chiropractor position at the Medical Suite at the Paradise Center.
At the beginning of September, Telfair signed a lease at the Medical Suite. He is excited to change the meaning of chiropractic treatment on the island and to give Longboaters a new chance at health.
Why did you become a chiropractor?
I grew up an athlete playing basketball in Sarasota. I had a herniated disc in sixth grade, so I ended up getting treated by a chiropractor. From then on, for most of my injuries, I went to the chiropractor and got worked on because that’s where I tend to get the most relief.
So when I went to college, originally planning to go to law school, I ended up switching to human performance with a focus on exercise physiology because I was really interested in the human body. I ended up interning with a chiropractor my senior year. I saw patients getting awesome results. Patients would come in hopeless and leave happy within a couple of weeks of care. So, that really piqued my interest.
What is different about your chiropractic methods?
I can use active release techniques, physical therapy, electro-therapies, hyperbaric chambers and laser and other multimodal approaches.
I studied at a very nontraditional chiropractic school. Most chiropractic schools are very philosophical, but we study more diagnosis and not so much adjusting. We look at lifestyle factors and consider everything that might be playing a role in terms of this patient’s current condition and prognosis. I can be great for people who are into holistic or conservative care.
I’m all about optimizing the aging process. I don’t believe in arthritis or anything like that holding people back from doing a lot of the things they used to. They might have to modify and adapt, but the goal is to just keep people functioning for as long as possible.
What are your goals at the Medical Suite?
My main goal is to help as many people as possible and to allow people to have no limits in terms of their everyday lives. I also want to prevent them from needing to go to the doctor or have future surgeries.
Just like most of the doctors at the Paradise Center, I want to practice preventative medicine to the fullest and allow for optimal patient outcomes.
How are you feeling about working on Longboat Key?
I’m very excited to practice there. I love how active Longboat Key is. I think that’s awesome for my practice, especially since it’s likely to be more wellness-oriented to keep those people not only where they’re currently at but even improving them. I want to get them to an optimal performance level.
Courtesy image
Dr. Alexander Telfair started at the Medical Suite at the Paradise Center in September.
A home on Bird Key tops the week’s sales at $2.7 million
ADAM HUGHES
home on Bird Key tops all transactions in this week’s
estate. Michael and Diane Canney, trustees, of Leesburg, Virginia, sold the home at 632 Mourning Dove Drive to Katherine Gallenberger and Mark Gallenberger, trustees, of Sarasota, for $2.7 million. Built in 1968, it has three bedrooms, two-and-ahalf baths, a pool and 2,743 square feet of living area. It sold for $2.55 million in 2023.
COREY’S LANDING
James and Joan Brooks, of Dover, Massachusetts, sold their home at 3514 Mistletoe Lane to James and Nancy Ann Carpenter, of Longboat Key, for $2.1 million. Built in 1990, it has three bedrooms, two-anda-half baths, a pool and 2,502 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,335,000 in 2015.
SLEEPY LAGOON PARK
Hollis and Lynn Henry, of Atlanta, sold their home at 771 Marbury Lane to Amy Reid Stafford, of Longboat Key, for $1,985,000. Built in 1985, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 3,016 square feet of living area. It sold for $675,000 in 2002.
QUEEN’S HARBOUR
Mark and Jeanne Adams, of Charlotte, North Carolina, sold their home at 3526 Fair Oaks Lane to Michael Bradley Baker and Sandra Catherine Baker, trustees, of Heber City, Utah, for $1,625,000. Built in 1996, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,634 square feet of living area. It sold for $875,000 in 2019.
Kathleen Singer, trustee, of Longboat Key, sold the home at 3536 Fair Oaks Lane to Hollis Henry Jr. and Lynn Henry, of Atlanta, for $1,425,000. Built in 1996, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool
Michael and Diane Canney, trustees, of Leesburg, Virginia, sold the home
and Mark Gallenberger, trustees, of Sarasota, for $2.7 million.
and 2,921 square feet of living area. It sold for $552,700 in 1996.
BAY ISLES
John and Linda Selzer and Linas and Molly Mockus, of State College, Pennsylvania, sold their home at 3221 Bayou Way to Steven and Leslie Steinberg, of Longboat Key, for $1.4 million. Built in 1981, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,639 square feet of living area. It sold for $820,000 in 2020.
CASTILLIAN
Curt Schultz, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, sold his Unit 409 condominium at 4545 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Betty Joyce Ralston, trustee, of Nashville, Tennessee, for $1.2 million. Built in 1979, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,340 square feet of living area. It sold for $325,000 in 2022.
LONGBOAT SHORES
Barbara Hyra, of Longboat Key, sold her home at 606 Buttonwood Drive to Val and Lyn Britton, of Wayne, Pennsylvania, for $1,025,000. Built in 1968, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,971 square feet of living area. It sold for $661,000 in 2021.
LIDO HARBOUR SOUTH
Mark Loughead, of Spring, Texas, sold the Unit 404 condominium at 2110 Benjamin Franklin Drive to Kathleen Brown and Nanette Wrobel, trustees, of Elmwood Park, Illinois, for $950,000. Built in 1968, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,248 square feet of living area. It sold for $760,000 in 2021.
LONGBEACH
Jason Stout, of Chalfont, Pennsylvania, and Laura Stout, of Levittown, Pennsylvania, sold their
home at 731 Fox St. to Michael and Molly Prues, of Cincinnati, for $870,000. Built in 1950, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 1,382 square feet of living area. It sold for $265,000 in 2013.
ONLINE
Image courtesy of Bruce Myer
at 632 Mourning Dove Drive to Katherine Gallenberger
Friends and Neighbors,
This past weekend’s storm was devastating, and its effects will be felt throughout our community for a long time. In the last few days, we’ve heard from many friends and past clients who have been seriously affected and are uncertain about their immediate next steps.
Historically, our Seaward Companies have focused primarily on new construction— both residential and commercial—as well as consulting services. However, in light of the many inquiries we’ve received, we are now prepared to extend our services to those in our community who have been most impacted by the storm. We are ready to meet with property owners to discuss the best options moving forward.
Whether you need assistance with substantial remodeling, building new, general construction consulting, or basic advice on finding the right general contractor for your specific repairs, we are here to help. We stand by our community today, just as our community has supported our Seaward family of Companies for nearly two decades.
Best regards,
Patrick DiPinto Seaward Homes and Seaward Consulting
PLEASE CONTACT US TO SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION: patrick@dipintocompanies.com matthew@seawarddevelopment.com
With a focus on white-glove service building high-end custom homes and full remodels on our barrier islands, our experienced team can assist you in remodeling your property or building you a new elevated home.
We offer professional construction oversight for homeowners. From reviewing contracts with your selected contractor to monitoring the rebuild process, we’ll act as your trusted advocate every step of the way. In this unpredictable market, let our team safeguard your interests, ensuring your home is restored with integrity.
NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH
FORECAST
Oct. 4 7:25a 7:12p
Oct. 5 7:25a 7:11p
Oct. 6 7:26a 7:10p
Oct. 7 7:26a 7:09p
Oct. 8 7:27a 7:08p
Oct. 9 7:27a 7:07p
MOON PHASES
TIDES
Thursday, Oct. 3 12:25a 1:30p
“STB RKO’F WFTM FNA KEYOE MCTRAWW. FNACA’W TOZS WT XBRN TYZ STB RKO MBF TO
ITUS.” KOEYA UYRVYOWTO
“BNO EMBU ZMYCRO LVABVMOU; BNOH’MO RWWC JWM BNO OLWFWKH, EFC BNOH’MO RWWC JWM JWUBOMYFR OKDEBNH EFC COLOFLH.” PVAYO EFCMOXU
“TR CUXBUV SVAWETPVS OV CA C MVUTFA T KBFHS HCFMN. T NCDV OX OBOVUZA – T YFAZ NCDV ZB YBTU ZNVO ZBMVZNVE.” AZTUM
SEA, THE SIGHTS by Michele Govier, edited by Jeff Chen
By Luis Campos
Jane Eisen captured this seagull taking off from the shoreline on Longboat Key.
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