St. Armands Circle will soon play host to a fine art festival.
The free event takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 1819 all around the Circle. Artists are set to display their works in a variety of media, including photography prints, metalwork, fiber, painting, sculpture, jewelry, woodworking and more.
Parking is $5 at the nearby public parking garage.
For more information, including descriptions of some of the artists scheduled to share their work at the festival, visit ParagonFestivals.com.
New commodore for Sarasota Yacht Club
Swapping the “roaring ’20s” for the “soaring ’20s,” Sarasota Yacht Club kicked off its centennial celebration on Oct. 3 following a Change of Watch ceremony installing new Commodore Robert Milligan.
Milligan replaces outgoing Commodore Harry Anand. Ceremony attendees witnessed the installation of new board members and enjoyed a performance by the Mighty Sarasota Military Academy Drum Line on the club lawn before heading indoors to celebrate the 100th anniversary.
The new commodore brings his talents for adaptability and leadership to the role, based on his background in the real estate industry.
He thanked fellow board members for their support as he learned more about club leadership over the past few years, and he looks forward to further propelling its philanthropic goals and development projects.
Dana Kampa
WEEK OF OCT. 9, 2025
BY THE NUMBERS
“They’re coming here not just because the temperature is right, but to interact with (Sarasota Bay). That’s why we need to maintain it, monitor it and make sure that it’s going in the right direction.”
Incoming Sarasota Bay Estuary Program Executive Director Ryan Gandy.
Read more on page 12
Turn lane close to finish
The turn lane addition on the southern portion of Gulf of Mexico Drive is nearing completion, with Oct. 31 announced as an expected completion date. Construction cones are still set up along the road, and workers are laying sod on the side of the road, one of the last steps in the project, said Public Works Director Charlie Mopps. The road will also be resurfaced, Town Manager Howard Tipton explained, saying another lift of asphalt still needs to be performed.
Things are ahead of schedule. The original timeline showed a Dec. 31 completion. Tipton said the project will ease traffic during the busy season as the project will allow traffic to continue while residents of the Country Club Shores communities wait to turn into the neighborhood.
“Our No. 1 issue on the island is traffic, and when people are blocking traffic to try to make the turn, that has a ripple effect all the way up the island,” Tipton said. “So southbound the idea was if we could put in these turn lanes, that would provide
a safer option for drivers. The positive impacts being whatever we can do to ease the peak season of traffic.”
The project widens Gulf of Mexico Drive to 44 feet with two 11-foot lanes, a 10-foot turn lane, two 6-foot paved shoulders and five concrete medians. Tipton said the plan has been in the works for a long time and that the town appreciates the collaboration of the state to make the improvements possible.
Manatee County unveils AI chatbot
Manatee County has introduced an artificial intelligence chatbot to its website to help visitors find the information for which they are looking.
The AI chatbot, named “Cortez,” pops up as a bubble on the bottom right hand of the Manatee County website, MyManatee.org. Users can click on the waving manatee avatar to start a chat with the virtual assistant, who introduces itself as “your personal guide to county services.”
According to a county press release, Cortez can provide “clear, conversational and accurate information” on frequently asked topics.
“Cortez represents a big step forward in making county services more accessible,” said Manatee County District 3 Commissioner Tal Siddique said in the release. “AI is changing the way we work, and in county government, it will revolutionize how we address the needs of our residents.”
Week-long scavenger hunt planned
A “selfie-style” scavenger hunt is scheduled on Longboat Key as part of Florida City Week. At Monday’s commission meeting, Town Clerk Administrative Assistant Jordyn Keen explained the event to the Town Commission. The photobased hunt will require teams or individuals to solve riddles paired with a photo to determine the location of each clue. Then, participants will need to go to the location, take a selfie and send it in to the town via email or website.
Keen said the first team to complete the scavenger hunt will get a prize for the achievement, and that all teams that complete the hunt will be given a goodie bag. Commemorative “challenge coins” will also be given out to participants. Many businesses participating in the scavenger hunt will also be giving out samples, Keen said.
The scavenger hunt will be held from Oct. 20-26. Those interested can learn more at LongboatKey.org/ Hunt, which will be updated as the event draws near.
Yoga instructor and town officials differ over beach usage rights.
Zen INTERRUPTED
DANA KAMPA STAFF WRITER
Until recently, a favorite activity community members enjoyed was sunset yoga, led by instructor Angela Mali on one of Longboat Key’s public beaches for the past three years.
However, she and representatives for the town of Longboat Key have come to a disagreement regarding beach usage, especially when it comes to by-donation classes.
Mali leads classes open to everyone on Mondays and Wednesdays on the Gulf side beach at Bayfront Park, across from Ace Hardware. She also teaches classes on Anna Maria Island on Sundays and Tuesdays near 43rd Street.
However, on Sept. 12, she received notice from town code enforcement officer John Simmons that she would not be allowed to continue offering classes unless she completed the required permit forms and paid ongoing fees to the town.
Town officials have said the financial element makes Mali’s classes a commercial activity, meaning she would have to pay fees of $100 per class to use the beach.
“The codes don’t really apply to what I’m doing,” she said. “We’re doing something so peaceful. We’re just appreciating the beauty of nature. And not everybody can afford to pay $20, $25 per class to do yoga at a studio. Whoever comes is welcome.”
A sticking point is whether the classes count as a commercial enterprise, though town leaders also expressed concern about the potential number of attendees.
Although anyone can join the classes at no cost, Mali does accept donations so she can continue classes. She appreciates offering classes this way because those who can’t afford to attend formal classes can still reap the health benefits of the balance-focused exercise.
“I don’t want to charge people,” she said. “I want to make it so anybody can come and do yoga.”
FREE TO CHARGE
Allen Parsons, director of the Planning, Zoning & Building Department, explained in an email to the Observer that town code aims to prevent anyone from causing significant disruption in public areas.
“The Town Code has an overall prohibition on promotional or commercial activities in public places unless a special event(s) permit is obtained or a concessionaire agreement is entered into,” he wrote.
Parsons continued, “The threshold
of when an activity in a public place reaches the status of being a ‘special event’ is when that activity is anticipated to cause a significant increase in the average hourly trips or create significant disruption to the movement of vehicles on any public street within the town, or is anticipated to place a significant demand on emergency services or public resources.”
Mali said on average, fewer than 10 people will attend each class, ranging from four to eight in the off season and eight to 15 during peak season.
The most she ever had was during a special Thanksgiving morning class two years ago, with about 40 attendees, and Mali said the class size has not been nearly that high since.
Asked if she had ever directly received complaints about her classes in the past three years, she said no.
Parsons said the town did get questions, though.
“Yes, the town received complaints and questions that asked why one group was allowed to have classes in a public place(s) when the town has prohibited other groups from doing so without first receiving either a special event permit or having a concessionaire agreement,” he wrote.
A concessionaire agreement applies when commercial activity is involved, like food trucks vending, Town Manager Howard Tipton explained in an interview.
If she did have to pay the $100 fee every time, including when only a few people attend, Mali doubts she could afford to continue offering the classes to Longboaters.
Tipton also raised questions about insurance and liability if someone were to get injured on the beach.
COMMUNITY BACKING
After receiving the notice from the town, Mali called on those who have attended and benefited from her instruction to write letters in support of her program.
They did.
Resident Pamela Falcone wrote, “Her classes are welcoming to her students, providing a safe place to practice yoga. She has created a community of like-minded people on Longboat Key, and I hope that she will be able to continue to share her knowledge of yoga with us, and all the health benefits it provides.”
Attendees at a Sept. 21 class on Anna Maria praised Mali as an instructor and claimed the classes have helped reduce blood pressure, mitigated stress and improved their core muscle strength, which plays an important role in fall prevention.
The town is tasked with balancing the interests of the entire communi-
“Angela
a safe, inclusive and nurturing space for all, and her work has uplifted countless lives.”
“ ... this issue is not about a fee or singling out one individual. It is about fairness and consistency. If we allow one person or business to use the public beach for organized classes without a permit, we must allow every other individual or business to do the same.”
— John Simmons, town code enforcement officer
ty when it comes to beach usage. For example, there are no rules against individuals doing yoga.
“The town does not prohibit the practice (of) yoga on its beach,” Parsons wrote. “This instructor is using the town’s beach as her studio, is promoting her instruction, is providing her teaching services to individuals and is inviting large gatherings to the town’s public beach.”
Her largest following is on Facebook, at 2,500 people.
Simmons wrote in an email response to supporters that he understands their love of the classes.
“I understand and appreciate that you and others find value in Angela’s sessions and the sense of community they create,” he wrote. “However, this issue is not about a fee or singling out one individual. It is about fairness and consistency. If we allow one person or business to use the public beach for organized classes without a permit, we must allow every other individual or business to do the same.”
Simmons said the town doesn’t want to create a situation where the intimate beach could become “overrun with competing activities.”
During the off season, few other organized activities appear to take place on the beach.
“Longboat is not a place where there are a lot of activities on the beach, like you might find in California, where I grew up,” Tipton said. “It’s a very different kind of environment, especially with regular events. ... If it’s a regular event, it can start to have impacts on the people nearby.”
He added, “We don’t get a lot of these requests, so our number one job is to make sure people are being safe, and that the community’s property is safe. Then we go from there.”
Asked why the town was enforcing the permitting and fees now, consid-
“She has created a community of like-minded people on Longboat Key, and I hope that she will be able to continue to share her knowledge of yoga with us, and all the health benefits it provides.”
— Pamela Falcone
“What truly impressed me was her decision to offer these classes free, a rarity in today’s world, where pursuing health and wellness often comes at a significant cost.”
— Kay Kanter
ering Mali has offered the classes for three years, Parsons wrote the town was unaware of the nature of her classes up to that point.
FIRST AMENDMENT QUESTION
Mali said she isn’t giving up on her campaign to continue her donationbased classes. She pointed to a precedent being set in a similar situation in San Diego right now.
On Sept. 30, the U.S. Court of Appeals rejected the city’s attempt to have a case reheard, as reported in The San Diego Union-Tribune. A lower court struck down San Diego’s ban on donation-based group yoga classes in public parks based on the assertion that the practice was an expression of free speech.
Tipton clarified the town has no issue with individuals practicing yoga on the beach. The concerns are the effect on parking and commercial enterprise.
Looking at the potential demand on public resources, Tipton pointed to one social media post by Mali in which she was “manifesting 100.”
“We are limited in our capacity,” he said. “For a small town with few parking facilities, that’s a big deal. We just want to make sure we understand what’s happening. If it’s a few people, it’s not a big deal. But if it were to get to a hundred people, that would be a challenge.”
Mali clarified that Longboat attendance is nowhere near that figure, even during the high season.
“There’s no one on that beach. It’s empty. You might see four people when we have our class. We’re not bothering anyone, and my groups are small,” she said.
The city of Anna Maria has not given any similar pushback, Mali
said, and she has continued to offer those classes as usual. According to Anna Maria code, “nonadministrative special events may simply need city commission approval.”
The latest update Mali received from Simmons was on Sept. 23, when he wrote: “Over the years, your sunset yoga sessions may have taken place informally; however, the town only recently became aware that these classes were being organized, promoted, and held on a recurring basis on public property. Once this was brought to our attention, we reviewed the situation against the Town Code.”
He reasserted that she would need to apply for a special event permit or work with the town to pursue a concessionaire agreement.
“Until the proper approvals are obtained, your classes cannot continue on town property,” he concluded.
While she attempts to find some resolution with the town of Longboat, Mali is trying to find a way forward, temporarily holding classes on a piece of nearby private property. But she hopes to find a long-term solution so residents can continue enjoying her classes.
Residents are hopeful, too, with Anett Carey writing, “Angela’s classes are not only beloved. They are essential. They promote physical wellness, emotional regulation, mental clarity and social connection. We meet the sunset with gratitude. We leave no trace behind but footprints and deeper peace. Angela fosters a safe, inclusive and nurturing space for all, and her work has uplifted countless lives.”
Reporter S.T. Cardinal contributed to this report.
fosters
— Anett Carey
Photos by Dana Kampa
Yoga instructor Angela Mali leads her by-donation sunset beach class on Anna Maria on a Sunday evening.
Yoga instructor Angela Mali, pictured leading breathing exercises at her Bayfront Park beach sunset yoga class before town officials shut it down, is still hoping to find a way forward with continuing her by-donation lessons.
Town continues its wait on recovery money
Longboat Key waiting to recoup hurricane cleanup costs from FEMA, insurance.
CARDINAL STAFF WRITER
Hurricane cleanup comes at a cost, and for the town of Longboat Key, that cost was about $7.7 million in 2024 in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
A presentation made to the Longboat Key Town Commission on Monday laid out some of those costs as department heads explained where they are in the cleanup process about a year after the Gulf Coast was hit by two named storms within two weeks of each other. The town spent $4.3 million for debris removal, $738,000 for electric panel replacement, $705,475 for parks rehabilitation and $218,000 for vehicle replacements, to name the largest expenses. As repair work continues even a year later, the town is waiting to recoup some of those expenditures through insurance and FEMA claims.
According to town budget documents, the town was forced to draw down $8.2 million from its reserves in the last fiscal year.
“This year was unusual because we had to use much of our reserves and commit so much of our reserves,” town manager Howard Tipton said.
Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused significant financial damage to residents on Longboat Key also,
“I believe the town’s staff has been extraordinary. It’s Herculean, and that’s the only word that really comes to mind.”
— Howard Tipton, town manager
with more than half of the 3,000 residential units experiencing damage and about 775 units experiencing damage that equaled at least 30% of the appraised value of the property.
Town Manager Howard Tipton said town staff put in a massive amount of work to rebuild. In response to Hurricane Milton alone, the town paid $151,000 in overtime to employees.
“I believe the town’s staff has been extraordinary. It’s Herculean, and that’s the only word that really comes to mind,” Tipton said. “If you think about all the damage that we had, all the issues that were related to it from safety and security and public health to building permits, trying to get things cleared up, all the debris we had piled up. It seems like it was a long time ago, but really it was just yesterday.”
Rebuilding those fund balances without raising property taxes is dependent on FEMA and insurance repayments, according to a presentation by the town’s finance department. According to that presentation, $6 million has been requested from FEMA, and those reimbursements are yet to come.
“Any document that’s produced has to go to three different agencies. First it has to go through insurance, then it has to go through FEMA and then finally the state is the other agency that has to review everything,” Smith said. “It’s definitely time-consuming and we continue to, to this day, keep working with FEMA.”
Smith explained that the paperwork involved with FEMA claims is “somewhat staggering” and that it has taken plenty of staff time to submit grants and respond to FEMA requests.
According to a slide from the meeting, FEMA recently provided new guidance, splitting debris removal and emergency protective measures funding into two separate categories. That new split has not impacted the total amount the town requested
as reimbursement for those two categories of costs, $6 million, but may have delayed the time it took to approve and disburse the applied for funds.
According to Smith, the town has received $1.7 million from insurance claims, but none from FEMA. A check it received recently from FEMA was for damage suffered from Hurricanes Idalia and Debby. Those caused much less damage in 2023.
The town is battling beach erosion as well and is requesting money from FEMA to fund it. Tens of thousands of cubic yards of sand were collected from Longboat Key roadways, just a tenth of the amount of sand that was swept away from the hurricanes.
Quick work by town staff slightly reduced the hassle of cleaning up debris that blew onto the beach, said Public Works Director Charlie Mopps.
“We had beach rakers that EOC provided that came up and cleaned the beaches twice. Once after Helene and once after Milton. If we didn’t get that job done after Helene, all of that stuff would have ended up in the bay, which would have been a lot harder to clean up,” Mopps said.
To renourish the white-sand beaches of Longboat Key, the town has requested $19.8 million from FEMA. Mayor Ken Schneier said the hundreds of thousands of cubic
yards of sand lost in the dual hurricanes would make the town eligible for that funding to help pay for the next round of beach renourishment.
“We lost (629,000) cubic yards. We made a request for reimbursement for (407,300) cubic yards, and that should give us a really good head start into the next replenishment period,” Schneier said.
In the 2026 fiscal year, $3.6 million will be spent to repay a loan for the last round of beach renourishment, according to budget documents.
HURRICANE RECOVERY EXPENSES
Town finance director Susan Smith laid out expenses the town incurred to clean up from Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024:
Debris removal: $4.3 million
Town staff overtime (general fund): $151,000
Vehicle replacement: $218,000
117 streetlights damaged: $125,000
Equipment and supplies: $316,000
Damage to tennis center: $50,000
Building department expenses (staff overtime, contracted services, equipment replacement): $850,000
Linley Street dock replacement: $123,450
Broadway Street pier and boat lift: $87,745
Quick Point Nature Preserve repairs: $376,266
Joan M. Durante Park repairs: $329,909
Electrical panel replacement and raising: $738,000
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S.T. Cardinal Longboat Key Public Works Director Charlie Mopps speaks at a town commission meeting Oct. 6, 2025 when he spoke about the rebuilding efforts of the town following back-to-back hurricanes in
UNLOCKING FUNDING
Longboat Key pursues federal funding to help increase storm resliency on the Key.
he Longboat Key Town Commission renewed its participation in a multijurisdictional “mitigation plan” at its Monday meeting, which makes the town eligible for state and federal funding for disaster mitigation.
The 517-page plan published on Manatee County’s website (MyM -
anatee.org.) outlines the threats facing the county, existing and planned mitigation strategies and breaks down in detail the demographics of the county. The plan is adopted by the five Manatee municipalities and updated every five years. Longboat Key leaders unanimously approved the resolution to renew its participation in the plan at Monday’s meeting.
The commission approved the town’s participation in the strategy without discussion as part of the consent agenda. The town has been involved in the plan continuously since 2010.
“It’s a checking of the box, I think more than anything that is really operative,” Schneier said after the meeting.
Matthew Myers, Manatee County’s chief of emergency management, said participation in the plan unlocks the potential for municipalities and the county to receive federal funding for mitigation such as house and road raising, generator installation to government buildings and other hardening measures to withstand natural disasters like hurricanes.
“It’s just a formal process that says we have adopted this plan. We send
that back to the state that sends it to FEMA,” Myers said. “It’s making sure our I’s are dotted and T’s are crossed.”
One major potential funding source for municipalities is FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
FEMA distributes funds to municipalities with the requirement that a mitigation plan is created and adopted by that municipality. Those funds can be used for various mitigation efforts.
“There’s elevation of properties, whether that be homes or public buildings. There is elevation of evacuation routes, stormwater enhancements or hardening of buildings,” Myers said. “There are a ton of different ways that you can use mitigation dollars, but you have to have that resolution of adoption in order to even be eligible for it.”
On FEMA’s website, potential uses of Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding include planning and enforcement, flood protection, retrofitting and construction, according to FEMA’s website.
“This funding becomes available following a presidentially declared disaster,” FEMA’s website explains.
“Homeowners and businesses are not eligible to apply directly for HMGP grants. However, local communities may apply for funding on their behalf.”
Hurricanes aren’t the only outlined threats to the county in the mitigation plan. Potential hazards are broken down into categories: natural, technological and humancaused. Some of those threats include sinkholes, extreme heat, sea level rise, algal blooms, airplane crashes, power outages, oil spills and cyber incidents. The mitigation plan details the risks posed by dozens of different potential hazards and lays out potential and already-implemented mitigation strategies for each of them. Myers said the threat hazards in the plan are updated every two years, giving the example of how the likelihood of pandemics has recently been updated following the coronavirus pandemic.
“LMS outlines all threats and hazards we may have in the area and some goals that as a group, Manatee County as a whole, come together to identify and prioritize the risks,” Myers said.
Another advantage of being involved in the plan is that each entity that signs on brings expertise of different backgrounds and perspectives. Myers said that bringing together Manatee County with the cities of Anna Maria, Bradenton, Bradenton Beach, Palmetto and the town of Longboat Key helps all involved.
“We do work as a group with the local mitigation strategy members. Working with all stakeholders we are getting subject matter experts identifying the best strategies,” Myers said. “It unlocks money, but in the work group there are municipalities, fire departments, sheriffs and more all bringing their different expertise.”
The plan also gives an “overall risk ranking” for each potential hazard based on probability, consequence and vulnerability. The highest ranked risk is, unsurprisingly, hurricanes followed by flooding at No. 2 and terrorist acts at No. 3. The two lowest risks are winter storms and space weather. Other risks like volcanic activity, landslides and earthquakes are not evaluated because of the low probability they would occur in Manatee County.
Both Manatee County and Sarasota County have a local mitigation plan which is updated every five years and covers both sides of Longboat Key. The next edition of Sarasota County’s plan will be unveiled in 2026, with municipalities required to approve and adopt the plan by resolution or ordinance after Sarasota County and FEMA approval. The following are participants in Sarasota County’s local mitigation plan:
“Its just a formal process that says we have adopted this plan, we send that back to the state that sends it to FEMA. It’s making sure our I’s are dotted and T’s are crossed.”
— Matthew Myers, Manatee County’s chief of emergency management
Buttonwood Harbour in Longboat Key was one of many residential communities that experienced significant storm damage in Manatee County from 2024 hurricanes. Manatee County’s local mitigation
explains the threats facing the county and unlocks state and federal funding for participating municipalities like
Manatee bridges a space gap for Longboat
Short-term solution for north-end community space may be in Bradenton Beach.
S.T. CARDINAL STAFF WRITER
Talk of a recreation center on the north end of Longboat Key has been ongoing for years, and even as multiple potential locations for the center have fallen through, Manatee County and town leaders have continued to work toward finding a suitable space for north-end residents to congregate.
Plans have shifted since the county leased a space at Whitney Plaza for more than $11,000 a month. Damage sustained from hurricanes Helene and Milton exceeded 50% of the appraised value, causing the county to abandon its plans for the space.
The county then turned its eye to a 1,300-square-foot cottage owned by the Chiles Group. With a difference in valuations between the Chiles Group and the county, negotiations fell through.
Bill Logan, a spokesperson for Manatee County, said the county has appraised multiple properties on the Key, but that “the sellers’ asking prices have been significantly higher than the appraised values.”
A group of Longboat Key property owners and condominium association representatives have been pushing for the recreation center.
Maureen Merrigan, co-chair of Longboat North, said residents on the south end and middle of the Key have space to gather, with the Longboat Key Club and Longboat Town Hall often used by those residents, but that those on the north end have no such venues.
The condominium complexes that do have gathering space aren’t large enough to accommodate a community meeting, she said.
LBK North has a committee called the North End Space Team, shortened to the acronym NEST, to share with county and town leaders what they are looking for and why it’s
needed.
Tal Siddique, the Manatee County commissioner whose district encompasses the north end of Longboat Key, said the county is still working on finding suitable space, but that issues with pricing have been a roadblock. Land on Longboat Key is not cheap, and county officials want to spend responsibly.
“The problem right now is our board is not looking at making major purchases anytime soon, especially with the DOGE audit,” Siddique said.
“I think there is some concern over the difference between the appraised values of some properties in Longboat Key and what the for-sale prices that we are being given well beyond what we would normally be able to fund. I think we knew that coming in a little bit, but I think the challenge is we aren’t seeing the property owners budge too much.”
What it will be is more clear than where it will be.
The community center has been co-branded as a learning center, providing space for community classes and other uses.
Merrigan said LBK North volunteers could help run the facility.
Siddique said the county has begun to consider properties off the island to serve north-end residents, including the Tingley Library building on Bradenton Beach. Not as a replacement for a north-end community center, but as an option of a venue that could be renovated and put to use quicker than an on-island facility.
“We are thinking about a plan to see what it would look like under the Manatee County Library System, and there is a lot of potential there,” Siddique said. “It’s one of the few properties that survived any significant damage from hurricanes Helene and Milton, which is a great sign for us. But it was impacted, so we need to put in a decent amount of money. But it’s elevated, and it has a lot of space that we can leverage for the Bradenton Beach and north Longboat Key community at least in the short term.”
For north-end residents, who have long advocated for their own community space, an on-island venue would be much preferred. During the busy season, even a short car drive across the bridge could be a hassle for residents.
“If they were talking Coquina Beach, maybe. The trick with that is most of our meetings is when most of the residents are here, which is in the winter. And to get over the bridge from just the north end of Longboat to Coquina is tricky,” Merrigan said. “It’s practically impossible in a car unless you want to sit for a half hour just to get over the bridge. And you can bike or walk there, but there’s no bike lanes and no sidewalks over the bridge. But is just over the bridge better than having nothing? Sure. Is it what we think would meet the needs of the community? It’s not ideal by any stretch. Longboat makes a lot more sense.”
Siddique stresses that the longterm priority is to secure a location on the island for a north-end rec center. The question is where and for what price.
“We are still looking at some property on Longboat Key and working with the town to find what the right location is and take it from there,” he said. “But for now, I think the Bradenton Beach property would be a nice stopgap. And then we’re still going to find out what locations are available in Longboat Key proper.”
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may be used as a short-term solution for the lack of community meeting space on the north end of
LBK North co-chair mentioned the following things she would like to see in a north-end community center. n Meeting space for 50 people n North-end location for easy, bike-able access n Art classes n Center to be countyfunded n Potential space for homeschooled kids to congregate
Tingley
Bradenton Beach
Longboat Key, according to Manatee County Commissioner Tal Siddique.
S.T. Cardinal
Housing crisis can be avoided
Despite the obstacles a potential homeowner faces, there are solutions.
Anew data website from the Reason Foundation, Florida Policy Project, and the DeVoe Moore Center and Florida State University shows the details of Sarasota County’s housing crisis, and that of every county in Florida and statewide.
The Florida Housing Data Project tracks housing vacancy and occupancy trends, offering a granular view of surpluses and shortages, and examines workable solutions for each county.
Sarasota County faces a mounting housing crisis. With a population swelling to nearly 470,000 by 2023 — a 100,000-person leap since 2001 — the county grapples with a persistent housing shortage, estimated at 2,603 units. Soaring median listing prices, hovering around $500,000, far outstrip the affordability threshold for medianincome households, worsening inequities. The county very much needs targeted policies to boost both rental and owner-occupied housing supply to restore market balance.
Countywide, we are short at least 1,911 owner-occupied units and 692 rental units. As recently as 2010, the county had a 2,229-unit surplus of housing. But as Figure 5 shows, for the last decade, the county has run a consistent housing deficit.
Population growth underpins this strain. From 333,707 people in 2001 to 469,013 in 2023, Sarasota County’s steady 40% rise is fueling housing demand. Permitting of new housing, on the other hand, has been inconsistent and lagged, as Figure 3 shows. The number of new units permitted has simply not been enough to keep up as demand outpaces construction.
Affordability is Sarasota’s Achilles’ heel. In our county, you must make twice the median income to afford a median-priced home.
The 2023 median household income countywide is $80,633, yielding an “affordable” home price of $294,462 under the 30% income rule for a 7%, 30-year mortgage. Yet, the median listing price was $541,706 in 2023, a $247,243 gap for median earners. Even people making 150% of the area median income ($120,950), are looking at average home prices $82,616 more than they can afford.
This gap between incomes and housing prices is locking out lowand moderate-income residents, reserving homeownership for the wealthy, sidelining teachers, nurses, and service workers critical to Sarasota’s tourism-driven economy.
It’s worth noting this is not just a Sarasota County problem. Statewide, we are short more than 120,000 housing units, and many counties have failed to allow housing supply to keep up with demand. And thus, in many counties, household income must be twice the median to be able to afford a home.
There are fixes for these problems. No single policy can erase a 2,603-unit deficit overnight. But the most important thing is for county officials to stop listening to NIMBYs, who oppose all new housing, and allow the supply of housing to keep up with demand. For example, issue more permits.
Florida’s Live Local Act changed state law to make this easier. It allows multifamily housing on commercial and industrial land with affordability mandates. It also has tax exemptions for “missing middle” housing. The county’s recent multifamily permit spike aligns with this, but sustained efforts are necessary to reverse the
forward. Reforming ADU restrictions further could unlock smallscale supply, ideal for retirees or young professionals.
It would also complement another much-needed change, which is to allow smaller lot sizes, which could allow some new development to be denser than we usually see here.
692-unit rental deficit. Financial incentives, like impact fee waivers for affordable projects, also show promise. As of March 2023, Sarasota exempts multifamily units at 60% AMI or below from park and library fees and waives mobility fees for affordable developments, slashing developer costs. These should persist, but they are nibbles at the problem compared to issuing more permits. Likewise, Sarasota’s approval of “surplus lots” for affordable housing and its 2019 Accessory Dwelling Unit policy — allowing units up to 750 square feet in select districts without density limits — are steps
By leaning into Live Local, expanding incentives, and most importantly, easing land-use rules, Sarasota can chip away at its $247,243 affordability gap. For a county where median prices nearly double affordable thresholds, action is urgent to ensure housing for all, not just the affluent.
Adrian Moore is Vice President at Reason Foundation and lives in Sarasota.
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ADRIAN MOORE
Courtesy images
The graph shows Sarasota County’s housing surplus vs. shortage trends.
Single-family vs. multifamily residential permits.
Longboat, St. Regis may face off in hearing
Resort needs a variance or to comply with code requirement.
S.T. CARDINAL STAFF WRITER
More than a year after St. Regis Resort opened to visitors, a permanent certificate of occupancy is yet to be issued by the town. And time is ticking.
“Not much longer. We have let them know that they need to be winding this down and wrapping this up,” Town Manager Howard Tipton said.
According to a memo published by Town Attorney Maggie Mooney, St. Regis had not met some conditions of approval for a certificate of occupancy laid out in an ordinance and resolution.
WHAT IS A VARIANCE APPEAL?
“One of the outstanding items includes demonstrating structural compliance with the town’s locally adopted flood control ordinance,” Mooney’s memo reads, which clarifies St. Regis’ variance application would address the town’s local flood control standards and not FEMA or Florida Building Code requirements.
Tipton said the hearing would be about whether St. Regis is required to perform waterproofing on some of its structures or if a proposed water dam satisfies those requirements.
The variance application will be heard by the town’s Zoning Board of Adjustment, though no date for that to appear on the committee’s agenda has been set. At that “quasi-judicial hearing,” the town plans to bring in outside counsel to represent staff and the town’s flood consultant.
For a fee of $325 per hour, the town will retain Jennifer Cowan of the firm Bryant Miller Olive for the hearing, if needed. Cowan has extensive land use and flood regulation experience, according to Mooney’s memo. Tipton said outside counsel is necessary
The town of Longboat Key’s flood control ordinance specifies that the applicant may appeal floodplain development permit issuances. According to town code “the town of Longboat Key Zoning Board of Adjustment shall hear and decide on requests for appeals and requests for variances from the strict application of the flood-resistant construction requirements of the Florida Building Code.” The board determines whether to grant a variance appeal based on technical justifications submitted by the applicant, comments and recommendations from the town building official and floodplain administrator, and 14 other considerations detailed in town code sections 154.107(F) and 154.107(G).
because Mooney is hired to represent the Town Commission.
If the resort performs the waterproofing measures, it could avoid the hearing, Tipton said. Representatives from St. Regis did not immediately return calls for comment.
A Century Old Story
A story that began over 100 years ago and is still being written today. Once a beloved landmark, now an enduring icon reborn. Mira Mar is the future of luxury living in Sarasota, grounded in the grandeur of its past, and offering an unparalleled residential experience in the heart of downtown.
One of Sarasota’s few remaining flagships of the great Florida Land Boom of the 1920’s, it is with great pride that we restore the Mira Mar to it’s rightful place as a gleaming icon of Sarasota.
Rising elegantly above South Palm Avenue, the revived and resplendent Mira Mar presents a limited collection of 70 estate-style residences across two 18-story towers. Each home is designed to the highest standards, with sweeping views, refined interiors, and private access to best-in-class amenities.
Mira Mar is more than a residence — it’s a return to grace.
Sarasota native takes lead of bay protector
The Sarasota Bay Estuary Program hires internally for new director.
S.T. CARDINAL STAFF WRITER
As Ryan Gandy sits at a picnic table on Bayfront Park overlooking Sarasota Bay, he fondly lists a few things he loves about the body of water — the mullet jumping and splashing on the crystal blue water, the sound of terns calling overhead, the mangrove islands in the distance.
The group whose goal is to protect Sarasota Bay has picked a new leader, and he’s right at home.
“I’ve lived here in Sarasota for 21 years, but I never worked here,” said newly picked executive director. “I was always in other communities. I got really close with different communities across Florida, and I really wanted to do something in my own backyard.”
That desire led him to take the job as Sarasota Bay Estuary Program’s science and restoration manager in September 2024, and now he will replace Dave Tomasko in the executive director role on Nov. 17. Gandy, who holds a doctorate degree from Texas A&M University in wildlife and fisheries science, has a science-rich background, with 15 years of experience working as a research scientist and administrator for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute overseeing shellfish research and monitoring.
He describes Sarasota Bay as a unique habitat that’s a “wellrespected jewel” more accurately described as a coastal lagoon, not a bay. He looks at his new role as that of an educator, steward and scientist for Sarasota Bay, which is fed by slow-moving creeks, dotted with mangrove islands and bordered by St. Armands, Longboat Key, downtown Sarasota and south Bradenton. The small footprint of the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program (Palma Sola Bay to Blackburn Bay) allows for a more thorough study of the health of the watershed, which includes monitoring seagrass and mangrove canopy coverage, nitrogen level measurements and monitoring of phytoplankton and seaweed quantities.
The program advocates for the health of the bay by sharing information and best practices with local municipalities and helping secure grant funding for environmentallyfriendly initiatives. For example, SBEP provided grant funding for the town of Longboat Key to install a “living wall” on the shore of Bay-
Gandy said one of his priorities will be educating the public on ways they can positively impact Sarasota Bay to continue that increased health.
front Park to provide a more suitable habitat for oysters, crabs, barnacles and other marine life.
Protecting the bay is not just important for environmentalists, Gandy said. Declining health of the bay would have economic and cultural impacts for visitors and residents alike.
“You have this environment that we’re in, and what it’s done is created a lifestyle for people that’s really tied to maintaining this environment,” he said. “When you look at what our tourism business is: $5 billion, $6 billion that supports our economy. And they’re coming here not just because the temperature is right, but to interact with this system. That’s why we need to maintain it, monitor it and make sure that it’s going in the right direction.”
A fifth-generation Floridian, Gandy described the changing nature of Florida due to “changing baselines” that are an effect of rising sea levels and increased temperatures. He said the Sarasota he remembers vacationing to in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s is no more, but that adapting to those changes is key to maintaining
a beautiful environment.
“You’re not going to get it back to old conditions and how things were, that’s just not how it goes. But what we can do is we can use science and the information we have to adapt to these conditions that we’re starting to experience,” he said. “To me, it’s looking to see how we can maintain a really productive and good water quality, clean habitats, diversity of wildlife that we have out here, so my son and his kids can inherit it. We’re stewards of this.”
Gandy won’t use the word “threats” when describing what could harm Sarasota Bay. He prefers the word “challenges.” Those challenges have shifted over the years as significant Manatee and Sarasota County investments have increased the quality of wastewater that is discharged into the bay. Gandy said Sarasota County has also begun to “close the loop” on how wastewater is used by repurposing treated water as irrigation for new developments.
According to the SBEP ecosystem health report card, the status of the bay has been recovering and improving since the “degraded period” of 2013 through 2019.
Gandy said one of his priorities will be educating the public on ways they can positively impact Sarasota Bay to continue that increased health. Some ways include picking up pet waste, retrieving used fishing line and reducing the amount of fertilizer used on lawns.
WORSHIP directory
WHY DOES SARASOTA BAY ESTUARY PROGRAM MEASURE NITROGEN LEVELS? Ryan Gandy said nitrogen is measured because it acts as a warning system of a potential chain reaction that can cause harmful conditions in Sarasota Bay.
n Nitrogen enters the water either via wastewater or stormwater runoff with fertilizer.
n Phytoplankton absorbs the nitrogen, which increases the abundance of the microscopic organism.
n The increased amount of phytoplankton limits the amount of light that reaches the bottom of the bay, harming seagrass health.
n Macroalgae, or seaweed, also absorbs the nitrogen and, if too plentiful, can smother seagrass.
n Less seagrass leads to less habitat, 40,000 fish can live in an acre of seagrass, which is also a source of food for manatees and sea turtles. “When you lose that habitat, you lose a key component of the ecosystem which supports a lot of the marine life in the bay,” Gandy said.
In Sarasota Bay, patches of mangroves commonly dominate small islands, providing habitat for small fish in the trees’ root systems or for seabirds in their branches.
Photos by S.T. Cardinal
Ryan Gandy has lived in Sarasota for 21 years, but started with the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program in 2024. This November, he will take over as the new executive director of the program.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 30 FOR THE GRAM
4:02 p.m., 6665 Gulf of Mexico Drive
Suspicious person: Three people parked in front of a modern Gulf side mansion, took out their phones and video recorded themselves, prompting a call to police from neighbors who witnessed the spectacle on their house cameras. Dispatchers were told the three emerged from a white, hardtop Jeep with large tires, which police saw driving on Gulf of Mexico Drive shortly after the call was placed. Police logged the license plate number before inspecting the residence, which showed no signs of forced entry. The case was then closed.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 1
GIRL PROBLEMS?
6:19 p.m., 5000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Suspicious Person: Police were called on a man lying near the shoreline near a beach access of a condo complex on a Wednesday afternoon, though the caller wished not to be involved and left the area before police arrived. When an officer arrived on scene, they saw a shirtless man lying near the shoreline close to the beach access of the condo complex wearing “zipped and buttoned” blue jeans. The man told police that he was dating a girl who lived in a nearby complex and that he didn’t have a full-time residence. Then, the man began to become “hostile and uncooperative,” and police and paramedics attempted to determine whether he was intoxicated, though they could not say whether or not he was, and no scent of alcohol was observed by the officer. He refused to stand, refused paramedic attention and refused to give his phone number. Police determined he did not meet the criteria for the Baker Act or Marchman Act, and they closed the case and let the man be.
THURSDAY, OCT. 2
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 1
DUMPSTER DIVING DAME
11:15 p.m., 505 Bay Isles Road
Suspicious person: A supervisor of a drug store was checking the premises upon closing time when he witnessed a woman in the dumpster in the rear of the building and a car parked in the fire lane. Police responded and spoke to the woman, who said she had permission from the company to be in the dumpster area. Police asked if she needed help, she said no, and police closed the case.
COPS CORNER
UBER DRIVER SPOOKS RIDERS
10:52 p.m., Bayview Drive
Suspicious person: Two female Uber riders ended their ride from the airport to a Longboat residence early when their driver donned sunglasses at night and put on what
appeared to be latex gloves. The riders requested to be dropped off at a family friend’s house rather than their residence out of safety. After drop off, the driver “unreasonably stayed in the area,” prompting a call to police. An officer arrived and searched the area for the vehicle, which was not seen before determining the license plate of the vehicle through the Uber app and identity of the driver through police databases. No warrants were listed for the driver, and his whereabouts were unknown. Police escorted the two riders to their house, ensured their alarm was active, and closed the case.
YOUR NEIGHBORS
TALON SHOW
Save Our Seabirds inhabitants test their skills with enrichment toys.
DANA KAMPA
STAFF WRITER
Helios, the resident bareeyed cockatoo at Save Our Seabirds, curiously peered down at Director of Outreach and Education Lisa Wood, who entered his enclosure with a brilliantly colorful chandelier of wooden beads, disks and balls all strung together. One clawed foot reached over another as he carefully climbed down the wire walls to meet her. Then, to Wood’s delight, he dove all the way through his new enrichment toy until just his white-andpink-feathered head and curious, inspecting eyes poked through the other side.
Swiss development psychologist Jean Piaget found through his research that cockatoos show some of the same markers of intelligence as a 4-year-old human child. Obviously, it takes quite a bit of enrichment to keep such a smart animal entertained, and the inhabitants of Save Our Seabirds have been thoroughly enjoying community members’ latest efforts to do just that.
The avian rescue facility recently launched a new “Beaks and Boxes”
initiative. Supporters near and far can purchase an enrichment toy on its Amazon wish list and see a video of one of the birds testing out the treat. Wood said the idea came about as a way to more meaningfully engage with those who support the rescue group’s mission. Each bird has its favorite type of toy, but fan favorites include anything with cardboard and other materials for them to rip up, like a dog with a chew toy. Other popular ones include puzzle boards, where
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A pair of crested caracaras become roommates at Save Our Seabirds during ongoing renovations and, as keepers noted, seem to become fast friends.
WISH LIST
Want to donate an enrichment toy to Save Our Seabirds? Visit their website at SaveOurSeabirds.org and scroll to the bottom, click on Amazon wishlist. Items purchased will be shipped directly to the organization.
Save Our Seabirds Director of Outreach and Education Lisa Wood shows one of the enrichment toys.
the birds must work to uncover treats.
Staff members have then been filming the parrots digging into their new presents to share with supporters. Those who purchase a toy can get a special video shout-out by putting their name in the “gift” option when checking out online.
Wood said the enrichment plays an important role in keeping the birds healthy and mentally stimulated.
While birds come to the rescue center from all sorts of situations,
Wood said most of the parrots in Save Our Seabirds’ care came from homes where the birds outlived their owners and didn’t have another place to go that could meet their needs. She said she wouldn’t discourage someone interested in getting a parrot from doing so. However, she would encourage potential pet owners to fully research a bird’s lifespan and the complexity of its needs.
ONGOING RENOVATIONS
Save Our Seabirds has been undergoing extensive renovations and improvements this year.
One of the latest developments is combining two old enclosures to make one, larger space to accommodate the new red-shouldered hawk coming to the facility.
This unique raptor is known for being one of the most distinctively marked common hawks, and Wood shared her excitement for the new addition.
The hawk’s arrival coincides with new programming. She said handlers will soon be launching daily “Ravenous Raptor” feedings at 1 p.m., similar to the current noon pelican feedings.
Save Our Seabirds is concurrently working to increase its capacity on the hospital side of operations, which Wood said will be especially useful when larger waves of birds come in for treatment at the same time. Influxes of red tide-related illness and flocks arriving after long migrations are some of the main causes for large-scale demand.
Initiatives like Beaks and Boxes support the facility’s ongoing mission to care for the area’s avian population, and Wood said the team likes coming up with fresh, fun ways to show supporters what a difference their help makes.
donations are accepted Info: Visit SaveOurSeabirds. org for more information.
Save Our Seabirds’ cockatoos have been enjoying the love shown to them through the Beaks and Boxes program.
Gabby the cockatoo shows off her impressive head feathers
Photos by Dana Kampa
All Angels’ art show aids in church’s hurricane recovery
All Angels unveils art exhibit to help St. Boniface on Siesta Key.
DANA
KAMPA STAFF WRITER
series of towering trees makes a grandiose annual transformation from spring to summer to autumn.
In another frame, a small, winding road curls around the exterior of a red-brick cottage in the British countryside.
There are well over 100 such scenes to take in at All Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church, which is hosting a special “100 Little Paintings” exhibit this month.
These works are by local artist Allan Cumming, and as curator and fellow artist Zerbe Sodervick explained while hanging up the pieces at the church, sales from the oil paintings are playing a crucial role in helping one of its sister churches get back on its feet.
Cumming was born in 1933 in Fairfax, Virginia, and lived for 40 years in the London area. He is a prolific artist, and he created more than 500 pieces, largely based on his time in England.
Members of St. Boniface Episcopal Church on Siesta Key said receiving boxes of Cumming’s work in the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton was a shining moment in an otherwise dark time.
“Right after the last hurricane came through, directly into St. Boniface, our priest went into the church where they moved their offices,” she said. “(The Rev. Nikki Seger) found these boxes, and we found out from a niece of his what they were.”
She hung the paintings with volunteers Bill Hayes, Nancy Scanlon, Grace Riker and Doriel Rock Boyce at All Angels. The church will have the paintings on display through November, and they are available for purchase at a flat $60 each.
“His detail is extraordinary,” Sodervick said of his miniatures.
WANT TO TAKE HOME A PIECE OF YOUR OWN?
Works by artist Allan Cumming are on display at All Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church through November. Cost is $65 per piece, and 100% of proceeds go toward hurricane recovery. Checks can be made payable to “All Angels by the Sea.” See Linda Fletcher, Linn Torres or David Stasney at the church to make purchases.
“When you initially look, there is a soft blur. But then you see the detail in little areas, and it makes it very real.”
Sodervick admits that she and her team may have squeezed in slightly more than 100 paintings to the exhibition. But the scenes all play together, walking the viewer through a stroll around a British block. Cumming bases many of his paintings on the time he spent in England, capturing daily life in bustling cities and out in nature. His short brushstrokes complement the small-scale canvases he favored.
“He uses several styles, but they are all clearly his work,” she said of
his distinct look.
Not all his works are British landscapes, though. He dabbled in the occasional still-life painting and even captured some Florida-based scenes, as evidenced by some recognizable foliage.
Seger said the rebuilding is progressing well, and they are in the final stretch of moving in furniture and resettling into the space after storms flooded almost the entire campus.
“Fortunately, we were covered by insurance, but insurance didn’t cover everything,” Seger said. “We’ve
had all sorts of creative events to support the rebuilding, including a world-renowned pianist who did some concerts.” She continued, “This support is essential. One thing we appreciate is being part of a diocese that is acutely aware that there are several churches on barrier islands. We’ve acknowledged that we can’t do it on our own.”
The Rev. David Marshall from All Angels said the church was glad to support its sister establishment. “We have one church with many, many locations,” he said. “This show is representative of that.”
among the volunteers who hung “100 Little Paintings” at All Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church, although they’ll admit the display ended up including slightly more than 100.
Cardel Homes | David
Allan G. Cumming’s oil landscape paintings range in season and setting throughout Britain.
Photos by Dana Kampa
Nancy Scanlon, Doriel Rock Boyce and Zerbe Sodervick were
Dana
Chamber names annual list of top businesses
THE NOMINEES ARE ...
The Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce is bringing in nonprofit and town partners to this year’s awards.
DANA KAMPA STAFF
The following businesses, individuals and groups are among the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce’s nominees for the 2025 awards.
n Tourism and Hospitality Excellence Award: The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort; Longboat Key Club; and Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium
It takes passionate people from all sectors — be it private business, nonprofit or governmental — to unite a community in a universally challenging year. For its 2025 awards, the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce aims to highlight those ties with a competition that includes more of the community than ever.
Kim Verreault, chamber president and CEO, gave a rundown of the nominees in anticipation of the Oct. 23 award ceremony at Lido Beach Resort.
n Hall of Fame Award: Michael Saunders of Michael Saunders & Company; John and Amanda Horne of Oysters Rock Hospitality; and Michael and Catherine Garey of Lazy Lobster n Best Workplace Award: Longboat Key
This year’s ceremony includes 10 main award categories. They are Tourism and Hospitality Excellence, Hall of Fame, Best Workplace, Excellence in Municipal Leadership, NonProfit of the Year, Chamber Spirit, Lifetime Achievement, Business Resilience, Legacy Family Business and Emerging Business of the Year. The main awards already went out for voting, and all that remains is to see who pulled off the win. Verreault said she was pleased so many members participated in the voting this year.
A few other special awards, like the Volunteer of the Year, remain under wraps as the chamber decides inhouse who will receive the recognition.
There will be much to celebrate as the business community looks back on all the effort it put into rebuilding from last year’s hurricanes. But Verreault said the chamber is glad to be expanding the awards beyond the small business focus in previous years.
“When you talk to people working with the town, they mention what a pleasure it is going into work every day,” she said.
It wasn’t an easy year to start a new business venture, especially as Longboat Key stores faced lowerthan-usual tourism numbers. The chamber selected Hotwire Communications, Le Gardenia Bleu and Lo’ Key Island Grille as the three nominees for Emerging Business of the
Year in recognition of their efforts to grow despite the challenges. It’s not too late to secure a ticket to the awards.
The ceremony takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 23 at Lido Beach Resort with a theme of “Starry Night.” Performances are set to include members of the Sarasota Opera and a string trio. The evening will also include a silent auction supporting Manatee Children’s Services for the holidays.
Tickets are $100, and the dress code is cocktail attire. The resort is also offering special rates for attendees. RSVP by Oct. 17 at LongboatKeyChamber.com or 941-383-2466.
WRITER
Kampa
Virtually staged photo.
Can you touch your toes easily? If not, it’s time to stretch
As we get older, stretching becomes more important to maintain mobility and overall wellness.
Have you tried to pick a coin up off the ground lately?
How about tying your shoes? Have you switched to slip-ons?
What about reaching over the coffee table to scoop some dip on the other side? Remember when you didn’t think twice about those maneuvers?
Sounds like decrepitude is setting in. Or maybe you’ve just lost some flexibility.
Flexibility is the range of motion around your joints.
There are two types. Static flexibility — how far you can stretch and hold a stretched body part, and dynamic flexibility — how much range of motion you have when you move.
Both are important. In fact, flexibility is one of the three main components of fitness, along with aerobic capacity and muscle strength.
I recommend a flexibility program that incorporates slow dynamic movements like tai chi, as well as static stretches like yoga. But in my experience, flexibility is the most ignored component of fitness. We do our cardio and our strength training, but unless we’re regular yoga or tai chi practitioners, flexibility is not on the menu.
Why not? I think there are a couple of reasons. First, I think we don’t get it. It doesn’t make our muscles stronger or our figures shapelier. We don’t realize how valuable flexibility is until we try to do something we used to take for granted, like reach around to the back seat to get our sunglasses. Even then we toss it off with, “Well, I guess I’m getting older.”
We somehow don’t connect with the thought, “If I’d been doing a little stretching all these years, it wouldn’t have felt like I was going to rip something just then.” Secondly, there’s been plenty of press about conflicting studies on the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of stretching.
Some studies say stretching improves athletic performance. Others say they’ve proved the exact opposite. Some studies say stretching helps prevent injury. Others say it has no effect on injury prevention. There’s enough conflicting buzz to make you not want to bother. That’s too bad because all that buzz masks the fact we do know stretching DOES help you gain and maintain flexibility. Does stretching help prevent injury or aid athletic performance? I don’t care.
I want to stay flexible as I age. I want to be able to pick up coins, tie my shoes and grab my sunglasses. Give me my dose of flexibility training. Even if we were flexible as kids, as we get older, connective tissues, our tendons and ligaments, tend to lose water, shorten and become stiffer. So we get less flexible. But it’s not too
late. Even if you’re not interested in the fine practice of yoga or tai chi, barring some medical issue, there’s a simple way to help hang on to the flexibility you have, and work on getting some of that youthful flexibility back. A few easy stretching exercises may be the difference between living tight and living flexible.
I stretch every day. Easy for me to say — I teach a stretch class. But just a few minutes, three times a week, can make a real difference. I’ve seen students of mine go from really stiff to pretty darn flexible in a few months, without trying hard.
Stretching, when done right, feels delicious while you’re doing it, and even better when you’re done. The kind of stretching I do is relaxing and meditative. I find it melts my stress and energizes me while keeping me flexible.
I’ve developed a stretch exercise technique I call Moving Free. It’s evolved over the 30 years I’ve been teaching it.
I use a fusion of modified static stretches from dance, yoga and classic fitness as well as dynamic movements adapted from dance, tai chi and kinesiology.
Mirabai Holland has developed a stretch exercise technique called Moving Free. The certified health coach has perfected and refined the craft during her 30 years of teaching.
In my experience, flexibility is the most ignored component of fitness. We do our cardio and our strength training, but unless we’re regular yoga or tai chi practitioners, flexibility is not on the menu.
I warm you up and lubricate the joints with a few slow, gentle, dynamic movements. Then, stretch that body part to where it’s stretched, but comfortable, and hold it around 10 to 20 seconds. About then, you’ll feel like you may be able to stretch a bit further. Try it gently, and you’ll see that you can.
There are mechanisms between the muscle and the tendon called the Golgi tendon organs. They help prevent injury by preventing a muscle from contracting too quickly when it senses tension on it. So, when you stretch your GTOs senses the stretch and lets your muscle relax a bit to be stretched a little further.
There’s more to stretching than just flexibility. I think stretching, like yoga, is a form of meditation that creates a sense of well
being and promotes peace of mind. When I finish my stretching routine, I have a more positive outlook as well as the feeling that my body is more alive, more accessible to me. Try it and see. Chances are that pretty soon you’ll be able to find your shoes simply by looking down.
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 employees and has a private practice. Her wellness programs are implemented in hospitals, MD practices, fitness facilities, resorts and corporations worldwide. She is also an artist who believes creativity enhances health. Visit MirabaiHolland.com. Contact her at AskMirabai@MovingFree.com.
Courtesy image
$15,950,000
Bird Key home tops week’s sales at $4.5 million
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
Gregory and Susan Leonard, of Sarasota, sold their home at 465 E. Royal Flamingo Drive to Valerie Falahee, trustee of Sarasota, for $4.5 million. Built in 1973, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,383 square feet of living area. It sold for $3.5 million in 2023.
BIRD KEY
Anthony Ritaccio and Catherine Bartholomew, trustees, sold the home at 413 Partridge Circle to Laura Raitt, trustee, of Sarasota, for $3,392,500. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,817 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,675,200 in 2017.
ORCHID BEACH CLUB
RESIDENCES
Prince Properties LLC sold the Unit B603 condominium at 2050 Benjamin Franklin Drive to Michael Gordon, trustee, of Sarasota, for $2.25 million. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,936 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,165,000 in 2005.
HARBOUR COURT
David Darrin, trustee, of Lakewood Ranch, sold the home at 2282 Harbour Court Drive to Jorge Martinez, trustee, of Longboat Key, for $2.15 million. Built in 1988, it has four bedrooms, four baths and 3,237 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,899,000 in 2021.
HARBOUR VILLA CLUB AT THE BUCCANEER
Steven Peters, of Charlottesville, Virginia, sold his Unit 304 condominium at 615 Dream Island Place to 615 Dream Island LLC for
22-26
$935,000. Built in 1985, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,293 square feet of living area. It sold for $845,000 in 2022.
COUNTRY CLUB SHORES
Lisa Ann O’Hara and David Anthony Mastrovito sold their home at 990 Bogey Lane to Daniel Mastrovito, of Attleboro, Massachusetts, for $616,700. Built in 1963, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,962 square feet of living area. It sold for $327,000 in 2012.
CEDARS EAST
Mary Patricia Gordon and Michael Gordon, trustees, of New Albany, Ohio, sold the Unit 2 condominium at 603 Cedars Court to Eloy Burciaga, of Chicago, for $490,000. Built in 1988, it has two bedrooms,
and 1,332 square feet of
It
for $330,000 in 2021.
TOP BUILDING PERMITS
TURTLE CRAWL
George Sanchez, trustee, of Parrish,
sold the Unit G-203 condominium at 4235 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Donald Fedrigon Jr. and Renee Fedrigon, trustees, of Williamsburg, Michigan, for $430,000. Built in 1973, it has one bedroom, one bath and 666 square feet of living area. It sold for $320,000 in 2018.
ONLINE
See more transactions at YourObserver.com.
Photos by Dana Kampa The home at 465 E. Royal Flamingo Drive sold for $4.5 million.
The home at 413 Partridge Circle was built in 2017 and has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,817 square feet of living area.
YOUR CALENDAR
Dana
Patrons take in the live music as part of “Circle the Date” on July 17.
BEST BET
THURSDAY, SEPT. 18
CIRCLE THE DATE
All day. St. Armands Circle, 300 Madison Drive. Join participating businesses on St. Armands Circle all day for special sales and giveaways for this monthly event.
TUESDAYS POP-UP LIBRARY
NOGGIN
2-3 p.m. at Longboat Island Chapel, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Join The Paradise Center for some mindbending “Brain Games” activities. Free. Call 941-383-6493.
RECURRING EVENTS
MONDAYS STRETCH AND STRENGTHEN
10-11 a.m. at Longboat Island Chapel, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive. This Paradise Center class is mostly seated and great for all fitness levels. The focus is on strength training and flexibility for balance. Bring light hand weights if desired. Fee is $20 for drop-ins or a membership through the end of the year; new class pass option for 10 classes for $175. Walkins welcome. Call 941-383-6493.
THINKING OUT LOUD
1:30-2:30 p.m. at Longboat Island Chapel, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Mike Karp with The Paradise Center moderates a lively discussion group on everything from world affairs to local news. Call 941-383-6493.
TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS
LONGBOAT LIBRARY
10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 555 Bay Isles Road. Call 941-383-6493.
10 a.m. at the Town Center Green, 600 Bay Isles Road. The Sarasota County Pop-Up Library hosts services on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, with story-time beginning at 10:30 a.m. and other services available from 10-11:30 a.m.
MAHJONG
1-3 p.m. at Longboat Island Chapel, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Seasoned mahjong players can join a weekly, prearranged game at The Paradise Center with a noncompetitive atmosphere. RSVP required. Email Amy@TheParadiseCenter.org or call 941-383-6493.
THURSDAYS JUST DANCE!
10-11 a.m. at Longboat Island Chapel, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Instructor Debbie White from The Paradise Center leads an easy-tofollow, cardio-focused dance class. Fee is $20 for drop-ins or a membership through the end of the year; new class pass option for 10 classes for $175. Call 941-383-6493.
Kampa
NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH
FORECAST
TIDES SUNRISE
MOON PHASES
ITPJN GCTA’ZT ERG RGCTX GCFJEN GR LR WFXNG.” IPXB NMCFWW
WHERE DID I GO? by Kareem Ayas & Will Eisenberg, edited by Taylor Johnson
By Luis Campos
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