Commuters traveling Gulf of Mexico Drive are likely familiar with the nest that has been a longtime home to a nesting pair of osprey on the intersection with Longboat Club Road. The family of birds is celebrating success this month with the recent hatching of multiple, seemingly healthy, large chicks.
Osprey chicks will typically fledge at about 55 days old but will nest at their home base until migrating in September, according to the Friends of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge.
Passersby are encouraged not to disturb the nest while the family grows.
Arts in April
events upcoming
This month, the Longboat Key Foundation, town of Longboat Key, Longboat Key Garden Club and partners are organizing events spotlighting some of the area’s best painters, performers, sculptors and more. Thursday night, Comedy Night starts at 4:30 p.m. at Town Center Green. Tickets are $30 per person at LBKGardenClub.org/Events.
The 10th annual Town Hall art exhibition and artists’ reception starts at 5 p.m. on April 23 at Longboat Key Town Hall. Finally, Dinner and a Movie night is at 5:30 p.m. on April 24 at Longboat’s Bayfront Park. See the upcoming events on LongboatKey.org for full details.
St. Armands projects emerge
GOOD JIBES ONLY
Seasoned sailors take advantage of smooth seas at Sarasota Bay Cup Regatta.
Dana Kampa
WEEK OF APRIL 16, 2026
BY THE NUMBERS
“We want to hear from (active groups on the island) about what their key priorities are.”
Longboat Key Town Manager Howard Tipton Read more on page 5A
Gulf Islands Ferry fleet expands
Athird, larger, vessel is now part of Manatee County’s fleet operating ferry service between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island.
Manatee Belle, a 91-passenger craft with enclosed, climatecontrolled seating, joins two 49seat, outboard-motor propelled catamaran boats connecting Bradenton’s Riverwalk with the Bridge Street Pier. The more capable Belle will ensure better schedule performance because of its ability to handle different water conditions,
said Tal Siddique, chair of the Manatee County Commission.
“The Manatee Belle is the logical next step for the Gulf Islands Ferry, a larger vessel with indoor seating able to handle more adverse weather conditions,” Siddique said. “The addition of this boat provides ease to both our residents and visitors that continues to enhance multimodal transportation in our community.”
More than 55,000 passengers rode the ferry service in 2025, helping decrease vehicle traf-
Charity
golf tournament returning to Longboat Key
For three decades, the late Phil Galvano’s legacy has been honored through fundraising for local schools.
On April 23-24, the 30th Annual Phil Galvano Golf Classic will be held at the Longboat Key Club. The soldout tournament raises money for the Manatee Education Foundation and is hosted by Galvano’s son, former Senate President Bill Galvano. Over the past three decades, the tournament has raised more than $10 million, according to the release. The Manatee Education Foundation’s mission is to “provide funding for innovative programs and enhanced educational opportunities for the teachers and students of Manatee County Public Schools.”
The two-day event begins on April 23 for high-level sponsors and culminates in
fic by nearly 23,000 cars, the county said in a news release.
The Gulf Islands Ferry service has boats departing Wednesday through Sunday from the Riverwalk Pier from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. to the Historic Bridge Street Pier. On Anna Maria Island, departures begin at 9 a.m. and run through 9 p.m.
Round-trip prices are $11 for adults and $7 for seniors (60-79) and youth (4-17). Younger and older passengers ride free of charge. One-way passage prices are $7 and $5.
ON DEMAND IN DEMAND AND
The last bus off Longboat Key left years ago.
When Route 18 was canceled by Sarasota County in 2020 and the Longboat Key Shuttle was suspended by Manatee County, public transportation on Longboat Key took on a new look.
Now, instead of sitting on a bench waiting for a big blue bus to pull up, Longboaters pull out their phones and order up a Breeze OnDemand ride.
Across the region, more than 1.5 million people have used Breeze OnDemand since it launched in 2021, and ridership has grown each year.
The service is broken into three service area zones: Downtown Sarasota/Lido Key/Longboat Key, Venice/Englewood and North Port. Rides must begin and end inside each zone for the OnDemand service. Within the barrier island/downtown zone, tens of thousands of riders use the service, and ridership has remained steady. In 2023, there were 26,958 riders. In a hurricane-ravaged 2024, that number decreased slightly to 26,300. Last year saw the most riders with 28,926.
Much like an Uber, Breeze OnDemand rides can be requested using an app on a smartphone. When a ride is booked, the first name of and picture of the driver, vehicle description and license plate number are displayed. A map showing the current location of the vehicle and an ETA is shown.
The biggest difference between Uber and Breeze OnDemand, though, is the price to the rider.
A short Uber from Sips Coffee Shop to Christ Church, for example, was $20 on a recent Thursday afternoon. A Breeze OnDemand costs $3 for the same trip.
GROWING PAINS?
Affordability and convenience is a big reason Longboat Key resident Phillip Zweifach uses the service.
“It’s the same as an Uber. You have an app, you request it, you put the address in and it says the car will be available in 20 minutes,” Zweifach said. “Usually, it’s terrific.” Usually.
Finding a ride isn’t always a given.
On the morning of Thursday, April 9, rides weren’t available for hours on the barrier island. A message that
Five years after its launch, on-demand service on Longboat works to fill the area’s public transportation gap.
said “Sorry, we couldn’t find a ride” was repeatedly displayed.
Zweifach and his wife have had similar struggles. The couple has a weekend tradition of walking from their Seaplace condo to Spike ’n Tees at Longboat Key Club. The walk back has become more and more fatiguing, and they were excited when they learned about the Breeze OnDemand service, which has become the way back for their weekend routine. But on multiple occasions, there were no rides back available through the platform.
“On four occasions, three Sundays and one Saturday where we called Breeze, we got a message that there was no car available, period,” Zweifach said. “We were stuck and we had to walk back. I would have to say that it worked 10 or 12 times, and then four times there was no response.”
Sarasota County provides Breeze OnDemand through a third-party company called Via Transportation.
“Sarasota County and the OnDemand service provider, Via Transportation, aim to achieve maximum efficiency within a set budget,” a statement from Breeze states. “If a vehicle is not available to be dispatched to a customer within 30 minutes of a request, the customer will receive a ‘no seat available’ message.”
Breeze said Via assigns vehicles to OnDemand zones based on ridership trends to meet demand, and that the platform had a 95% met demand rate “for much of 2025.” But the demand rate has taken a slide of late.
“Sarasota County is aware that in recent weeks, there has been an uptick in unmet demand,” the statement reads. “We are in very frequent
worked on the island. At the Longboat Key Club alone, 50 employees reported using the bus to get to work.
conversation with Via Transportation and are working to help them overcome a temporary vehicle shortage.”
Despite the hiccups, ridership remains steady for the OnDemand service, although a bit lower in the high traffic period of season. An Observer request for ridership data showed that the service provided 1,736 rides in January, 1,342 rides in February and 1,193 in March in the Downtown/Lido/Longboat zone.
COLLABORATING COUNTIES
For the first couple years of Breeze OnDemand, service was split at the county line. That changed in 2024 when, with a nudge from Longboat Key town leaders, both counties signed an agreement.
“There was a challenge for riders traveling between the two counties to meet at a designated location and transfer between our service and Manatee County’s Longboat shuttle service, which was a reservation-based service where riders had to plan their trips in advance,” said Jane Grogg, director of Breeze Transit. “The town of Longboat Key championed the partnership, asking both counties to come together for a single transportation solution for the entire island.”
An interlocal agreement was signed and OnDemand service became available across the county line on Longboat Key in late January 2024.
Sarasota County spent $417,547 to provide the service in 2025. Grogg said Sarasota County pays Via Transportation by the hour for the service, which operates from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays.
Manatee County pays Sarasota County $29.68 per ride that starts, ends or is entirely in Manatee County limits. Transit Planning Manager Chris DeAnnuntis said since the partnership began, 13,114 rides have been Manatee County trips.
“Breeze renegotiates this contract every year. Originally, when we started this service, the cost was $30.67 per trip, and it’s gone down over the past couple years,” DeAnnuntis said. “I will say that the residents and the political body in Longboat Key wanted this, and this is what was provided. Longboat Key puts a lot of tax dollars into both Manatee and Sarasota, and this is what they wanted, so this is what they got.”
HISTORY LESSON
Back to 2018. Route 18 was an important route for employees.
A Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce survey held after news of the coming service cut revealed that bus service was used widely by those who
But the route was also highly subsidized with lower than average ridership. According to a 2019 presentation by SCAT, Route 18 had 30,205 total riders in the 2018 fiscal year with a subsidy of $14.25 per customer trip.
The elimination of Route 18 was part of a larger cost-saving shakeup of SCAT that included the removal of several other routes in North Port, Venice and Englewood. The OnDe mand zones filled the hole the removal of those routes left.
“There were about 14 or 15 routes of the 30 some that had so few riders for the amount of time they were operating that it seemed out of balance. This overall analysis across the entire county led to the elimination of 14 routes,” Grogg said. “The funds that were previously spent on that were then allocated for a contract to allow us to provide on-demand service in specific areas, and the areas targeted were those areas where we previously had bus service and no longer did.”
Data suggests some who once used public transportation to get to and from Longboat Key have resorted to other methods. In 2019, Route 18 had a ridership of 37,782. OnDemand service, by comparison, saw ridership of 28,926 in 2025.
“When I look at the different dynamic of a bus service versus an on-demand zone, I see sort of mixed results. Some positives and maybe a con,” Grogg said. “The ridership when we were operating Route 18 in 2019 was about nine or 10 thousand passengers more than the 2025 ridership in the on demand zone.
“But part of the question is: Is ridership your goal or is your efficiency of delivering the service your goal?
Route 18 had a one-hour frequency, so you had to wait an hour between every bus no matter what. In the ondemand zone, you request a trip and a vehicle is dispatched to your area. Our target is to do that within 30 minutes.”
Sarasota spends less annually to provide OnDemand service ($417,547) than it did to pay for Route 18, which cost $454,704. But the cost per passenger is higher for OnDemand ($16.71) than the bus ($12.03). But that’s the price of convenience.
“I think that those that use the service have expressed their appreciation for it. The town of Longboat Key has provided very positive feedback in that transportation service for their town,” Grogg said. “The flipside to that is I would say one of my personal approaches toward work is continuous improvement. We’re always exploring for more ways to get
“It’s the same as an Uber. You have an app, you request it, you put the address in and it says the car will be available in 20 minutes. Usually, it’s terrific.”
— Phillip Zweifach, Longboat Key resident
the best bang for our buck.”
Image courtesy of Breeze
Manatee County Area Transit bus stops are unused on Longboat Key as on-demand service using vehicles like the white Ford Explorer pictured are now the only public transpor-
The Longboat Key/Lido Key/ Downtown Sarasota Breeze OnDemand zone allows riders to book a ride that begins and ends within the zone outlined on this map.
pm The GROVE, Lakewood Ranch Scan QR code or visit:
Roundabout plans
South-side roundabout pops up in planning documents, but is still a long way off.
rogress on the Broadway Roundabout on the north end of Longboat Key is well underway, but there’s a second roundabout planned on Longboat Key’s main street.
The Longboat Club Road roundabout is being considered as an intersection improvement on the southern end of the Key. Longboat Key Assistant Town Manager Isaac Brownman said the roundabout could slow speeding drivers and increase pedestrian safety.
“Roundabouts are safer and can be a more efficient traffic solution to signalized intersections under the right conditions,” Brownman said. “By nature, properly engineered roundabouts during most times of day throughout the year can slow down speeding traffic while also providing more efficient vehicular turning movements, better pedestrian and bicycle safety, and have far less vehicular conflict points.”
Don’t expect it to solve the biggest issue on the island as Longboat Key citizens see it — seasonal traffic congestion.
“In terms of solving peak season traffic congestion, it will not do that as nothing on island will do that. Nearly all peak season traffic congestion begins with off-island choke points that have limited capacity during high-volume peak periods,” Brownman said. “However, where a traffic signal cannot adjust efficiently in real time when traffic is clearer downstream, the roundabout can afford better flow as the traffic can self-manage and continue regular flow.”
It’s also not coming any time soon. The roundabout is not listed on FDOT’s five-year work program,
meaning there is no funding earmarked for the project. Engineering plans have not begun and a project development and environment study is not underway.
Brownman described the project as a “conceptual, future project with an undefined timeframe and funding source.”
Although it is a project for the distant future, it has begun to pop up in planning documents. The Sarasota/ Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization included the Longboat Club Road roundabout project in its 2026 List of Project Priorities as a cost feasible intersection improvement.
“Projects included in the Cost Feasible Plan are eligible for funding consideration through the MPO’s project prioritization process,” the MPO’s 2026 list explains.
State Road 789 is a state road, and the Florida Department of Transportation would run any intersection improvements.
The intersecting road, Longboat Club Road, is owned by the Longboat Key Club. Managing Director Rick Konsavage isn’t worried about rushing the project.
“I don’t think that’s a big priority because it’s going to take years of studies, it has no funding and there’s more immediate issues to look into, like the bridges,” he said. “More than anything, what stops traffic is the drawbridge.”
S.T. Cardinal
Longboat Club Road is the first signaled intersection when entering Longboat Key from the south from City Island.
Issues and asks
The goals and objectives workshop gave community organizations a platform to discuss issues and suggest policies to the Town Commission.
each-facing lighting, traffic congestion and a northend community center were all discussed at the town of Longboat Key’s goals and objectives workshop.
At the workshop meeting April 6, a handful of community leaders spoke on behalf of organizations they represent. The workshop is considered one of the first public steps in the town’s monthslong formation of the budget.
“It’s part of our strategic planning data gathering,” Town Manager Howard Tipton said. “We do the community survey, we get information from that. But then specifically
from the groups that are active on the island, we want to hear from them about what their key priorities are.”
Tipton said the goals and objectives workshop “brings a lot of the conversations that are year-round to the board at a time when they’re thinking about what’s next.” The town’s strategic planning retreat is scheduled for Monday, April 20.
Mayor Debra Williams said at the beginning of the workshop that the Town Commission uses the goals and objectives meeting to guide priorities of the town in the next fiscal year.
“We will consider your comments and provide the town manager with direction on the goals for next year,” Williams said. “The town manager will use this information to assist in preparation of the final budget and to consider town operation to achieve the goals prioritized.”
A dozen community organization representatives were on hand for the meeting, with many speaking in front of the Commission and others providing written comments ahead of time. The following is a sample of some of the organizations, issues and requests made to the town.
LONGBOAT KEY TURTLE WATCH
Issue: After dunes were destroyed by the hurricanes of 2024, new lighting is visible from the beach, which increases the number of sea turtle disorientations.
The ask: The group requested the town host an annual workshop to raise awareness of turtle protection ordinances for residents and business owners. The Turtle Watch, Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium and the town of Longboat Key could work together to organize and host the workshops to share how beach furniture, lighting, holes dug in the sand and dune preservation all impact nesting sea turtles.
FEDERATION OF LONGBOAT KEY
CONDOMINIUMS
Issue: Traffic backups along the Key.
The ask: A letter to the Town Commission describes traffic during peak season as debilitating and urged the town to work with the state government to find ways to resolve the issues, with two recommendations being to consider deploying traffic control officers during congested times in season and to implement and utilize traffic engineering studies at known choke points.
LBK CITIZENS GREEN TEAM
Issue: Raising awareness of local environmental initiatives.
The ask: Have the town install signage in parks explaining oyster gardens and seawalls, and expand bioswales and permeable parking lots wherever possible. The Green Team encourages the town to “encourage and educate” Longboaters of the benefits of the above, as well as “green roofs,” micro-
forests, solar energy installations, electric landscaping tools and rain gardens.
LONGBOAT KEY FOUNDATION
Issue: Limited recreation space on the Key.
The ask: Begin the process of replacing the aging Bayfront Park recreation center.
Foundation Chair Susan Phillips wrote in a letter to Town Commission that the foundation would love to collaborate with the town on a fundraising effort to replace the building. The foundation encourages the town to “escalate design schematics” and estimate costs for the project so the foundation can begin a private fundraising effort.
LBK NORTH Issue: The lack of a north-end community center.
The ask: Establish plan or agreement for north-end community center to give residents access to meeting space and a place to participate in classes and other activities.
LBK North’s board wrote to Town Commission that the Paradise Center at Longboat Island Chapel may be a short-term solution to a lack of community space and asked the town to also develop a longer-range plan “to establish a site and building to accommodate meeting venues, art workshops, fitness activities and general recreation events that can be enjoyed by all LBK residents.”
Longboat Key Turtle Watch volunteers survey the beach for turtle tracks during nesting season, rope off nests to protect them and excavate certain nests and send the results to Mote Marine to track sea turtle nest statistics.
Vertical oyster gardens hanging from Mar Vista’s dock.
S.T. Cardinal
Manatee County is working with Longboat Key North, Paradise Center and Longboat Island Chapel to come to an agreement that will allow the upstairs portion of the church to be used as a community center.
File images
JOIN LAPENSEE PLUMBING
Canal fees up for a vote
Noncanal-facing homes valued at the same $500,000 would pay just the $31.15 annually for 10 years.
It’s been 23 years since Longboat Key’s canals were dredged.
Now, after years of discussions, tweaks and public meetings, the Town Commission is finally set to vote on a funding mechanism to begin a dredging program.
“It’s a program, not a project,”
Public Works Director Charlie Mopps has repeated time after time, making the point that canals would continuously be maintained.
of Longboat Key, as more particularly set forth in Ordinance 2026-09: ORDINANCE NO. 2026-09 AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF LONGBOAT KEY, FLORIDA, AMENDING TITLE 15, LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE; AMENDING CHAPTER 158 ZONING CODE; AMENDING ARTICLE V: AMENDING DIVISION 7, PARKS AND OPEN SPACE LAND ACQUISITION; AMENDING SECTION 158.115, PARKS AND OPEN SPACE LAND ACQUISITION; REPEALING AND REPLACING THE PARKS AND OPEN SPACE LAND ACQUISITION FEE WITH A PARKS AND RECREATION IMPACT FEE; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
The public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Board on proposed Ordinance 2026-09 will be held on April 21, 2026, at 9:15 a.m., or as soon thereafter as may be heard, in the Town Commission Chambers at Town Hall, 501 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key, Florida.
All interested persons may appear and be heard with respect to proposed Ordinance 2026-09 Copies of Ordinance 2026-09 and related material associated with the amendment may be viewed at the Planning, Zoning & Building Department, 501 Bay Isles Road, between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. weekdays prior to the hearing. Questions may be directed to the Planning, Zoning & Building Department at 941-316-1966. The proposed amendment will affect property within the corporate boundaries of the Town of Longboat Key as shown on the map appearing at the bottom of this advertisement.
No verbatim record by a certified court reporter is made of these proceedings. Accordingly, any person who may seek to appeal any decision involving the matters noticed herein will be responsible for making a verbatim record of the testimony and evidence at these proceedings upon which any appeal is to be based (see Section 286.0105, Fla. Stat.). In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 286.26, F.S., persons needing a reasonable accommodation to participate in this proceeding should contact the Town Clerk’s office at 941-316-1999 seventy-two (72) hours in advance of this proceeding. If you are hearing impaired or require an alternative means of communication, utilize Florida Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 (TTY) or one
On May 4, the town will hold its first public hearing to enact a funding mechanism to pay for the program. It will hold another hearing in June to finalize the decision, with assessments to begin in November.
The first round of dredging is expected to cost $9 million. The proposed source of funding is a combination of flat annual fees placed on canal-facing properties and a 0.0623 property tax millage placed on all properties. Noncanal-facing property assessments will pay for 20% of the initial round of dredging. Flat fees and canal-facing property taxes will pay for 80%.
Under this formula, a canal-facing house valued at $500,000 would pay a $620 flat fee and $31.15 in property taxes each year for five years. The flat fee would be reduced to $318.04 for the next five years.
Arriving at the 80/20 formula has taken years of discussion.
“There’s been 30-plus Commission meetings since only 2013 (on canal dredging),” Mopps said.
The town’s financial analyst, Jamie Thomas, told commissioners she estimated that Mopps has spoken for 320 hours at meetings on the subject.
Whether dredging is necessary was never in question. The sticking point was how to pay for it.
The town hired engineering and consulting firm First Line Coastal to survey and grade 88 canals in the town. Of those, more than half were given a grade lower than C, 18 were given a D and four were given an F.
The report card may look worse if the survey was completed today.
Sleepy Lagoon Homeowners Association President Blythe Jeffers told the Commission at its Goals and Objectives meeting that the canals have deteriorated since the 2024 hurricanes.
“We have a buildup of shoaling along the Sleepy Lagoon area, and it is limiting our navigability and access to the Intracoastal,” Jeffers said. “So, we find that the canal maintenance or waterway navigation maintenance program is important to us because we do have an immediate need to open those channels.”
S.T. Cardinal
Boat lifts flank the canal in a Country Club Shores neighborhood. The town of Longboat Key is preparing to enact a continuous canal maintenance program that would include flat fees and advalorem assessments for residents.
JAWS OF LIFE
Longboat Key Fire Rescue holds training exercise, removing roof of Ford Focus to save passenger.
S.T. CARDINAL STAFF WRITER
Ametallic crunch bellowed and crescendoed with a loud pop followed by the clatter of broken glass.
That symphony — the sound of a Ford Focus being ripped apart during a training exercise — was performed by Longboat Key Fire Rescue during its annual extrication training.
The instruments? Hydraulic rescue tools known colloquially as the Jaws of Life and pry bars. Struts kept the vehicle from tipping and cribbing kept it from rolling forward or backward. Firefighter paramedic Tyler Brunton has been with Fire Rescue since September and said training exercises like these help him realize the capabilities, limitations and best ways to use the tools the department has at its disposal in case of emergencies.
“This goes a long way so when we actually have to utilize them in case someone is in a vehicle accident that’s going to require us to cut them out of their car, lift the dash, whatever it is we need to do to get them safely out,” Brunton said. “And on the patient side of things, at the end of the day, it’s already been a traumatic experience. We don’t want to add any more to that. The goal is to get them out as quickly and safely as possible.”
Extrication is not needed too often on Longboat Key as most accidents are fender benders on the barrier island. But just weeks before the training exercise, an SUV had flipped on its side after the driver of the vehicle lost control and crashed into trees on the east side of Gulf of Mexico Drive.
In the back of the Ford Focus lent to Fire Rescue by Glueck’s Auto Parts was a child-sized dummy seat-belted inside the vehicle. The sedan lay on its side in the Fire Station 91 parking lot and the race was on to get the patient out and on a stretcher.
“They were a restrained passenger, so getting them out was the goal,” Training Capt. David Eggleston said. “A lot of times there are easier ways to get your passenger out. Sometimes the passenger can unbuckle themselves and walk out or climb out, but the goal here was they had to stabilize, take the roof off and then they could access the child.”
About 10 minutes into the exercise, two firefighters lifted the roof off of the sedan and plopped it on the asphalt a few feet away. Three minutes later, the child-sized dummy was lifted from the back seat, carefully placed and strapped onto a gurney and carried away.
“Thirteen minutes is pretty good. The first crew that we did, we had the van rolled on the side. It took them 12 minutes to access the patient and get the patient out,” Eggleston said.
“Overall, we’re right in the ballpark. Two different crews, roughly the same amount of time doing the same task. That’s pretty good.”
“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.” Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944
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TOOLS OF THE TRADE
Longboat Key Fire Rescue has three different types of extrication equipment, all manufactured by Hurst, a North Carolinabased company that specializes in extrication equipment. Each LKFR engine is equipped with the following:
Cutters: The cutter can be compared to gardening sheers on steroids. The Jaws of Life cutter applies 10,150 pounds of force per square inch.
Spreaders: For forcing doors open on vehicles with body panel damage. Exerts more than 14,000 pounds of spreading force.
Ram: Like an overpowered car “bottle jack,” it can be used to force a dashboard away from an entrapped passenger. The ram can exert more than 28,000 pounds of force.
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A child-sized dummy was pulled from a vehicle from which Longboat Key firefighter paramedics removed the roof.
Longboat Key firefighter paramedic Tyler Brunton and Lt. Daniel Heath place a strut on the bottom of an overturned vehicle during an extrication training session March 26, at Longboat Key Fire Station 91.
Longboat Key firefighter paramedics used the ram to push the dashboard of a Ford Focus away from the passenger seat.
Longboat Key firefighter paramedic Tyler Brunton cuts a support beam as Lt. Daniel Heath pulls the roof back from an overturned vehicle during an extrication training session at Longboat Key Fire Station 91 on March 26.
Photos by S.T. Cardinal
St. Armands visioning wraps up, but more work remains
Following two public workshop sessions, Sarasota city staff now has its list of priorities, as planning and projects for a more resilient St. Armands Circle continue.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
At the beginning of Monday evening’s second and final visioning session for the future of St. Armands Circle, city-hired facilitator David Brain took a quick poll of who among the approximately 80 were in attendance.
When he asked how many were from Longboat Key, only a few hands were raised, this compared to 8.2% of attendees in February’s first session.
“Thank you for representing,” Brain said, “but where’s the rest of you?”
Like the first session, Monday’s workshop was at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium on City Island, but the format was decidedly different. Rather than arranging attendees at 20 round work tables — at which they conceived more than 61 suggestions for improvements to St. Armands and its recurring traffic and flooding issues, retail tenant mix and the condition of commercial buildings and public realm amenities — chairs were arranged in rows for a presentation of results of the first session and to discuss projects already underway and address some concerns.
Chief among them is traffic, which comprised 27.86% of the table responses’ lists of three issues, followed by concerns about redevelopment of the commercial district at 24.59% with flooding at the Circle’s boutique character at 18.03% each. Public realm — conditions of sidewalks, landscaping, etc., completed the list at 11.47%.
Although it was the last of two sessions, the visioning work will be ongoing, Brain pledged, as staff will revisit comments from both workshops as the city works to balance the needs and desires of the residents and those of the commercial property owners and the merchants, which at times can be at odds.
S.T. Cardinal
ST. ARMANDS IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
SHORT-TERM ACTIONS (0-5 YEARS)
RESILIENT SRQ DRAINAGE AND EVACUATION ROUTE RECOVERY
Lead: Sarasota County
Funding: $13.5 million county, $479,000 city
Status: Preliminary scoping is underway. The intent is to improve how quickly water is removed from critical evacuation and recovery routes.
STATE ROAD 789
During the Q&A, and, as it turned out, comments portion of the workshop, residents generally agreed that until persistent flooding is addressed — even that resulting from occasional heavy rains — little else matters when it comes to the vitality of St. Armands Circle.
Hannah Brechue, who represented the year-old Sarasota County Stormwater Division, said planning for relief is underway with how to most effectively spend $13.5 million in Resilient SRQ federal funding.
“After this meeting, we are going to move forward with the solicitation scope for design so that we can get a good design put together, and then from there, we will go through permitting processes that we need to go through,” she said. “We are estimated to start construction in 2029, but again, that all depends on solicitation.”
IMPROVEMENTS FROM BIRD
KEY DRIVE TO SUNSET DRIVE
Lead: FDOT
Funding: $12.3 million from state
Status: Construction is underway. Adds dedicated bicycle and transit lanes on the Ringling Bridge, drainage upgrades, raised seawall cap near Sunset Drive, resurfacing and new traffic signals. Completion anticipated in early 2027.
LIDO BEACH RENOURISHMENT AND NEW PASS DREDGING
Lead: Army Corps of Engineers and city
Funding: $12 million federal
Status: Expected completion April 2026. Restores 1.2 miles of shoreline using up to 300,000
cubic yards of sand sourced from dredging project.
BUSINESS SUPPORT AND RETAIL STRATEGY
Lead: City and Economic Development Corp. of Sarasota County
Status: Business and commercial property discussions to continue alongside infrastructure work to address vacancies, tenant mix, storefront reinvestment and long-term retail competitiveness.
LONG-TERM ACTIONS (5-20 YEARS)
BARRIER ISLAND UNDERGROUNDING AND RESILIENCY DISTRICT
Lead: City, utility companies, property owners
Estimated Cost: $30 million to $50 million
Concept: If supported by City Commission and affected property owners, the program would bury power and communication lines, reduce outage vulnerability, improve recovery after storms and strengthen the public realm. Potential delivery window 20312033.
LITTLE RINGLING BRIDGE REPLACEMENT
Lead: FDOT
Funding: $74 million state
Status: Design stage of project to replace Little Ringing Bridge structures to improve emergency evacuations and add bike and
Free FamilY Festival
The dredging machine “Clearwater” digs a 13-foot, 180-foot-wide ditch on the bottom of New Pass, using pumps to carry the dredged sediment through pipes onto the northern end of Lido Key for a renourishment project.
pedestrian lanes. Construction anticipated later this decade.
ST. ARMANDS CORRIDOR/ PUBLIC REALM IMPROVEMENTS
Lead: City Cost: Not available
Concept: Improvements to sidewalk, crosswalk, curb, drainage, lighting, signage, landscape and speed management. Project currently on hold because of funding constraints. Park activation is also anticipated to be considered.
PRIVATE PROPERTY RESILIENCE
Lead: Home, commercial property and business owners
Cost: Not available
Concept: Property-level adaptation to augment infrastructure improvements. Includes front and rear entry flood barriers, flood proofing, elevation where appropriate, seawall improvements where permitted, resilient utilities and improved on-site drainage.
MULTIMODAL ACCESS AND TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
Lead: City, county and FDOT
Cost: Not available
Status: In addition to more roadway capacity is better crossing management, safer walking and bicycling, more reliable barrier island access and continued evaluation of transit, shuttle, water transit and advanced air mobility options where feasible.
Presented by
Suncoast
Andrew Warfield
Hannah Brechue of the Sarasota County Stormwater Division said county-funded storm resilience work at St. Armands may begin by 2029.
items from the condo. Shortly thereafter, a woman and her daughter showed up and explained that a restraining order had been filed against the man but it had not yet been served. She also told police the man had a pistol at the residence and said he would need to go through the court to retrieve any items. She also said the man had no items at the residence as everything was cleared out after the hurricanes. The officer then returned to speak with the man who disagreed with the latter point, claiming his bicycles were still at the residence. The officer searched for active warrants and judgments and found none, but with the information provided the officer logged the man’s license plate in the town’s license plate reader system as a “hot entry” for 30 days. The man left and the case was closed.
SUNDAY, APRIL 5
NOT A STANDARD LOST BAG
2:48 p.m., Sands Point Road
Lost/found property: Security at a country club restaurant called police after finding a bag left behind with suspicious contents, a gun and drugs inside. When police arrived, the officer inspected the bag and found a gun and prescription medication. The owner of the bag arrived shortly after and took custody of the bag from security. Police then closed the case.
A LONG WAY FROM HIALEAH
11:01 p.m., Gulf of Mexico Drive and Companion Way
Citizen assist/service call: A man lying down on the grass next to a bus stop prompted a call to police from a concerned passerby. When an officer arrived, they found a man lying on the grass near the former bus stop. The officer approached the man who provided his identification card and said he did not have any
NOT QUITE
2:18 p.m., 4400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Suspicious incident: Police were called to the beach after a caller reported two women in their 20s that were topless. An officer rushed to the scene and saw two women matching the age description, but noticed “no violations of Florida law or local ordinances.” The officer explained the reason for his visit and asked if the two had been topless earlier. The women both said they had not, but were on their stomachs sunbathing earlier. They hypothesized that they may have been briefly exposed when turning over onto their backs. The officer asked for identification from the women, but they refused to provide it. With no crime witnessed, the officer “did not compel identification” and closed the case.
medical issues and was only resting. At that time, Fire Rescue arrived and were told their help was not needed by the responding officer. The officer then asked if he needed a ride to Salvation Army, which the man refused. The man said he was instead trying to get to Hialeah, Florida, which is nearly 250 miles from Longboat Key on the east coast. The man said he would like a ride to a 7-Eleven in Bradenton instead. The officer got permission to provide a courtesy ride and transported him to the mainland. The officer then closed the case.
By the water, in the water, on the water. Whenever you wish. Wherever you want. All this, steps to Sarasota, yet tucked privately away on Golden Gate Point. This is the incomparable life Amara, unquestionably, Sarasota’s most exciting and remarkable residences, ever.
TRIBUTES
Helga Williams
A bittersweet farewell
Helga Williams, 84, passed away peacefully on March 27, 2026, in Siesta Key, Florida. Born on April 30, 1941, Helga lived a life defined by strength, resilience, and unwavering devotion to those she loved.
A graduate of the University of South Florida, Helga pursued a successful career as a real estate broker. Her determination and independence were hallmarks of her professional and personal life. She was known for her love of learning and her ability to inspire and guide others with her wisdom and quiet strength.
Helga found joy in tennis, reading, and walking along the beach. She was a devoted member of the Siesta Key Chapel community, where her presence was cherished by many. Her life was a testament to caregiving and
1941-2026 461904-1
compassion, as she showed her love through her actions and steady support. She is lovingly remembered by her grandson, Brennan Williams, and his husband Cody Williams, as well as her daughter-in-law Becky Williams. Helga was predeceased by her beloved husband, Hank Williams. Helga will be deeply missed by all who knew her. Her legacy of strength and love will continue to inspire those whose lives she touched. May her memory bring comfort to all who mourn her passing.
SERVICE: A funeral service to celebrate Helga’s life will be held on Sunday, April 19, 2026, at 12:00 noon at Siesta Key Chapel, located at 4615 Gleason Ave., Sarasota, FL 34242.
DONATIONS: In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota in her memory.
Christ Church thanks teachers for contributions to outgoing Reading Buddies program.
DANA KAMPA STAFF WRITER
As Reading Buddies Director Bev-
erly Sutton illustrated during the April 12 service, Christ Church of Longboat Key’s after-school reading program was about far more than putting books in children’s hands. Volunteers sat with students day in and day out, lending a supportive ear while the youngsters honed their reading skills. Leaders also helped coordinate interactive activities and visits from guest speakers.
Sutton held up a copy of the book before the congregation and said, “Because of you, when we read ‘Playing at the Border: A Story of Yo-Yo Ma,’ the lead cellist from the North Port Symphony Orchestra came and played for the children. They were enthralled.”
During the special service, she and other volunteers took the time to thank teachers, families and every-
one else who contributed to the Reading Buddies program, which is coming to an end.
Reading Buddies teachers Erma Roberts, Joe Grissett, Shirley Jenkins and Henry Miller attended as special guests.
The program launched in 2008, when Christ Church started sponsoring the after-school reading remediation and enrichment program for students in kindergarten through third grade in Bradenton.
Volunteers from the church worked one on one with students at the 13 Avenue Dream Center every other Thursday, supporting teachers by helping improve students’ reading comprehension, vocabulary and other literary skills.
At the end of February, Christ Church announced it had come to the “painful but resolute decision” to terminate the Reading Buddies program.
The leadership team said the determining factor was lower-thanrequired recruitment.
The announcement detailed, “Since last May, we have been dealing with issues which have remained unresolved. Although there are many mitigating factors which forced our decision, the chief factor relates to the $50,000 annual grant from the Charles T. Bauer Foundation. The conditions of the $50,000 grant are not being met.”
The grant was intended to cover salaries of three certified teachers and one teaching assistant, reaching 45 children. However, the church said in the announcement the program was only serving 31 children.
Program leaders said as stewards of the grant funding, they couldn’t in good conscience continue the program, despite their efforts over the previous eight months to reach a resolution.
At the April 12 service and following reception, congregation members shared their sadness in seeing the program come to an end. Sutton said about 80 church volunteers have contributed their energies over the years. But members also shared their
appreciation for the joy the program brought to both participants and volunteers.
Sutton told congregants: “Over our 22-year partnership with the 13th Avenue Dream Center, you have worked to instill a love of reading in hundreds upon hundreds of children.”
Referencing a Victor Hugo quote about the spark-inspiring power of reading, Sutton continued, “Adding together all the sparks of all the hundreds of children who have learned to read in your loving tutelage, please know you have lit a bonfire in Bradenton.”
The Rev. Julia Piermont said the church wanted to take the time for a proper farewell reception because, “We wanted to honor the people who have put the most devotion into it.” She said the way the program allowed volunteers to stick with a particular student throughout the school term is part of what helped make it so special and effective.
“I think people really valued the opportunity to work one on one with someone,” she said. “The best kind of mission is mutual. Both parties are changed.”
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Popcorn & Candy Concessions
• Fantastic Prizes Awarded throughout the evening
EXCITING LIVE AUCTION ITEMS INCLUDE:
• OPAL Properties 3-day/2-night stays at:
• Mote Marine VIP Tour
• Opal Key West Resort with Key West Express Ferry for 2
• Reefhouse in Key Largo
• Hutchinson Shores Resort & Spa
• OPAL Grand in Delray Beach
• Zota Beach Resort
• St. Regis Resort & Spa, Longboat Key 3-day/2-night w/ breakfast
• Longboat Key Dental In-Office Whitening Procedures & Pro Products
• and MUCH MORE!
Reading Buddies volunteers Beverly Sutton and Don Mateer connect and reminisce at the April 12 service recognizing teachers and supporters of the program.
Photos by Dana Kampa
Reading Buddies participant Saleeah KofarNaisa, 8, and teacher Erma Roberts, visited Christ Church of Longboat Key on April 12 for a reception recognizing the teachers who contributed to the after-school literacy program.
Artists in the Garden: Part Deux
The second annual Arts in April officially kicked off this past weekend with the return of the “Artists in the Garden” showcase, bringing new and familiar faces to the scene.
A baker’s dozen of local creatives shared their work at the two-day exhibition starting April 11 outside Longboat Island Chapel.
Coordinator Susan Phillips said as board chair of the Longboat Key Foundation, she wanted to bring the event back for another year because it places such an emphasis on uplifting area artists.
“Everyone has been busy, and every single person has sold work,” she said during the second day of festivities.
Phillips said the event also boosted sales at the neighboring Lord’s Warehouse on Saturday. Participating artists allocated 30% of the proceeds from their art sales to go to the foundation, which Phillips said will help with community improvement projects at the chapel and throughout the island.
Visitors milled about the art displays in the springtime sunshine, chatting with the artists, who said they appreciated how many attendees supported their work by
making purchases.
Returning artist Marie Therese Lacroix said she was especially pleased that one of her latest works, “Love Will Save the World,” found a home.
“This was unique because I chose the title before making the painting,” she said.
“I think we all need that at this moment.”
Patrons Jacqueline Russell and Laszlo Sikora said they were glad to see the garden event return considering they purchased a piece from Collin Rowland last year, and they were excited to show him where they prominently displayed the art at their house.
Phillips said she appreciates the positive energy all the local artists have brought to the events so far, and she looks forward to showcasing their work at the remaining activities.
Upcoming Arts in April events include the April 16 comedy night at the Town Center Green, the 10th annual art exhibition and artists’ reception on April 23 at Longboat Key Town Hall and the dinner and movie night on April 24 at Longboat’s Bayfront Park. See the upcoming events on LongboatKey.org for full details.
— DANA KAMPA
Artist Ena Jasmin Carroll credited her friend and fellow artist, Pat Lundy, with bringing her in for the second annual Artists in the Garden this past weekend at Longboat Island Chapel. Local artists showcased and sold their works at the two-day event.
WORSHIP directory
Strings say hello to spring
Music lovers closed out this season being serenaded by the Sarasota Bay Chamber Orchestra with a selection of string-based classical pieces.
The 30-some attendees took in an intimate performance on April 10 at St. Armands Key Lutheran Church.
Conductor Glen Olsen led the dozen violin, viola and cello players in performances of pieces by Handel, Haydn, Bach and Mozart.
Trumpet soloist Ricardo Chinchilla accompanied the refined singing of the strings resonating in the church hall.
Resident Kay Nelson said the performance was “enchanting,” and she appreciated the clarity with which the trumpeter and string section played. She said she can appreciate a quality trumpet player, considering her brother-inlaw plays professionally, and she found Chinchilla’s performance that evening to be exceptional.
Violinist Laura Jensen-Jennings said she appreciated the acoustics of the hall and getting to play for St. Armands community members as the season winds down.
To keep up with future performances, visit SarasotaBayChamberOrchestra.org.
— DANA KAMPA
Trumpet soloist Ricardo Chinchilla and violinist Laura Jensen-Jennings were among the Sarasota Bay Chamber Orchestra musicians who entertained community members with a classical performance on April 10 at St. Armands Key Lutheran Church.
Photos by Dana Kampa
Conductor Glen Olsen introduces trumpet soloist Ricardo Chinchilla, who accompanied members of the Sarasota Bay Chamber Orchestra on April 10 for an end-of-season performance at St. Armands Key Lutheran Church.
Photos by Dana Kampa
Artist Collin Rowland discusses his works with visitors to Artists in the Garden.
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
Playing with
PRIMARY COLORS
Selby Gardens’ horticultural ode to Alexander Calder’s sculptures and mobiles creates an adult playground.
MARTY FUGATE
CONTRIBUTOR
“Alexander Calder: The Nature of Movement” finds a new spin on Calder’s kinetic creations at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. We take his restless “mobiles” for granted today, but they challenged a basic sculptural assumption of his time.
Sculpture isn’t supposed to move. If it does, it’s probably falling over. Calder disproved that assumption when he created his first mobile in 1931. His sculpture moved — without falling over! A simple idea — and simply radical.
Calder wasn’t the first sculptor to incorporate motion. But he was the first to make motion an artistic principle, not a gimmick.
David Berry, Selby Gardens’ chief curator, notes that Calder was both a trained engineer and an artist. He grasped how materials worked — and his mobiles were rooted in practical, engineering knowledge. The members of Selby Gardens’ horticultural team share that understanding.
“They know what they’re doing,” Berry says. “They really did their homework.”
Their horticultural vignettes in the 10th installment of the annual Jean & Alfred Goldstein Exhibition Series aren’t re-creations of specific Calder pieces. They’re original creations inspired by his kinetic sculpture and following his principles. Where
IF YOU GO ‘ALEXANDER CALDER: THE NATURE OF MOVEMENT
When: Through May 31
Where: Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 1534 Mound St.
Tickets: $28 Info: Visit Selby.org.
Where Calder shouted in primary colors, they whisper in earth tones. Minor differences. Calder’s sculpture had its own visual language. Selby Gardens’ team speaks it fluently. And they’ve got a lot to say.
Expressive logic drives the vignettes they’ve created in Calder’s vocabulary. This show’s not an academic exercise. You might learn something, but it’s an experience, not a lecture.
A FLASHBACK TO A YES ALBUM?
The experience begins in the Display Conservatory. Before entering, you pass below “Plants Above All,” a mobile of hanging air plants, swaying gently on red discs. More smallscale vignettes await inside.
A mobile of black stones and rugged bonsai hovers against a bloodred backdrop. It reminds one of Roger Dean’s floating islands on several “Yes” album covers. Or James Cameron’s rip-offs in the “Avatar” series.
Another untitled mobile balances black-and-white shapes resembling guitar picks. Palms, bromeliads and a calathea sprout in front of them in shades of riotous red, deep purple and dark green. More installations flank the serpentine path through the botanical gardens. The horticultural team created these as well. But on a much larger scale.
The “Calder Cascade” splashes down on the lily pond garden. Three metal sculptures: yellow, red and blue. Each is a waterfall. The water splashes down on tiered shapes resembling water lilies or the dancing forms of Calder’s mobiles.
“Red Mangrove” echoes a mangrove’s arching, crimson roots. It’s structured like one of Calder’s massive, motionless sculptures. Not a mobile, but a “stabile.” (Jean Arp, Calder’s friend and fellow artist, jokingly coined the term and it stuck.)
“Rooted in Nature” is a trio of gargantuan sculptures. These lovingly mimic the prop roots of the Selby Gardens iconic Moreton Bay fig tree.
“Sabal Stabiles” is a cluster of Calder-like forms facing Sarasota Bay. Instead of dangling from a mobile, they’re planted in ground. These brightly colored blobs resemble giant artist’s palettes. Each has a giant hole — with a sable palm threading its way through it. Art and nature become one.
“Passiflora” blossoms in huge red shapes like passiflora petals. (The real thing grows on a trellis a few steps away.) Metal flowers sprout in front of them. Like Calder’s wire sculptures, they’re just outlines and don’t block the view.
TAKING COUNTLESS
CALCULATIONS INTO ACCOUNT
Big or small, inside or out, these vignettes are impressive. According to Berry, that’s thanks to the horticultural team’s countless calculations.
These included weather patterns, topography, the optimum plants for each vignette, the quirks and needs of these plants, how they change over the seasons, and how visitors will respond.
Calder worked with sheet metal and wire, Selby Gardens’ creators employ the living medium of air plants.
Image courtesy of Matthew Holler
In “Sabal Stabiles,” each of the artist palette-like sculptures facing Sarasota Bay at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens has a giant hole with a sable palm threading its way through it.
Janet Combs Calder’s use of primary colors contrasts with the lush greenery of Selby Gardens.
Courtesy image
Sculptor Alexander Calder is given credit for inventing the art form known as the “mobile.”
A trio of gargantuan sculptures mimic the roots of Selby’s iconic Moreton Bay fig tree.
Photos by Marty Fugate
“Red Mangrove” is one of the most striking displays in the Calder show at Selby Gardens.
It’s a lot of hard work. If it sparks a sense of wonder, it’s worth it.
The Museum of Botany & the Arts circles back to Calder’s two-dimensional source code. The work you’ll see is his — not a homage. Reproductions of the artist’s early images include drawings, lithographs, illustrations and in-the-moment figure sketches of the horses, humans, lions and elephants at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus at Madison Square Garden (1925).
LOVE LETTER TO THE CIRCUS Calder’s circus studies vibrate with implied motion. Limbs kick. Horses rear. Acrobats tense like coiled springs. This art may be flat, but it’s charged with kinetic energy. It’s also Calder’s love letter to the circus. In fact, the artist loved the circus so much, he created his own miniature circus — the Cirque du Calder. With that, his art officially entered the third dimension.
André Kertész’ photos (1929) capture Calder hard at work on his tiny circus. He’s having fun with puppets and wagons — and he’s also making them move. It’s a baby step. But the artist’s vector of motion leads directly to his later mobiles. Thanks to a loan from The Ringling, the museum boasts an actual Calder mobile. “Black Cascade — 12 Verticals” (1953) is delicately hypnotic. It’s a chain of black metal shapes that seem to fall like drifting leaves. But that’s an illusion. Because the mobile
is perfectly balanced on spidery legs, they never hit the ground.
It’s a stunning exhibition. The talents of Selby Gardens design and horticultural teams did outstanding work. Berry worked with Nathan Burnaman, Ian Cole, Nadine Kremblas, Angel Lara and Mike McLaughlin on Selby Gardens’ horticulture team. He also collaborated with Abby Wright Day, Craig Kroeger and Megan Laureno on the museum exhibition team.
But is Calder’s art right for Selby Gardens?
Previous exhibitions in this series typically revolved around artistic depictions of nature. Calder’s art is far from typical. At first glance, his mobiles seem utterly unnatural.
Even their birth process was industrial. To make them, the artist cut out crazy shapes from sheet metal, painted them in race-car colors, then hung them from wires. But look closer. You’ll see they’re subtle imitations of life.
Like leaves, clouds and butterfly wings, the abstract shapes of Calder’s mobiles have no right angles. (They’re “biomorphic,” if you’ll pardon my artspeak.)
More importantly, Calder’s kinetic sculpture shares the key distinction between the living and the dead. His mobiles move — just like every living thing on the planet.
Calder’s art is exactly right for Selby Gardens.
You’ll be moved when you see it.
Florida Studio Theatre puts its summer improv festival on ice for a year
The wildly popular weekend event will return in 2027 with a spring date.
“We’re in the middle of this massive $57 million construction project, which is putting a lot of pressure on the theater. We decided we were going to take a year off to catch our breath.”
— Rebecca Hopkins, FST managing director
MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER A+E EDITOR
Florida Studio Theatre will suspend its wildly popular summer improv festival for a year due to construction and project management demands for its new McGillicuddy Arts Plaza.
Founded in 2009 by FST Managing Director Rebecca Hopkins, the FST Improv Festival is one of the most anticipated events of the summer.
“We’re in the middle of this massive $57 million construction project, which is putting a lot of pressure on the theater,” Hopkins said in a telephone interview. “We decided we were going to take a year off to catch our breath.”
The Improv Festival typically runs over a weekend in July. It requires a lot of planning and coordination that isn’t possible while the 144,000-square-foot complex is going up on FST’s downtown campus, Hopkins says.
She expects that enough progress will have been made to allow the FST Improv Festival to return in 2027. She says FST is eyeing a May date, rather than its typical July run.
The hiatus will give Hopkins and Sarah Durham, associate director of improv and resident artist, the opportunity to “reimagine the festival,” Hopkins says.
This is not the first pause the FST Improv Festival has taken during its history. In 2020, it was presented in digital form due to the pandemic and didn’t happen at all in 2021-22. In 2023, it came back in full force.
Instead of booking popular improv troupes from New York, Chicago and Austin during a single festival weekend this summer, FST is spreading out their appearances, alternating them with FST’s own improv troupe.
The improv fun starts April 24-25 with Shitzprobe, whose profane name is a nod to the theater term “sitzprobe,” when singers first perform with the orchestra. Based in
New York City, Shitzprobe improvises a musical based on audience suggestions.
During last year’s FST Improv Festival, TV host and actor Joey Panek joined the troupe as they created a musical based on the “kisscam” scandal that occurred days earlier at a Coldplay concert.
The “Coldplay Kisscam Caper” came together seamlessly with a standout performance from the troupe’s keyboardist, who apparently had Coldplay hits in his repertoire. Of course, the troupe had juicy material to work with and a built-in soundtrack.
FST’s own Improv troupe will play Bowne’s Lab from June 6-27 and again from July 11-25, presenting “Comedy Lottery.” In this show, audience members select the night’s lineup of games.
We can’t wait to see the America 250 edition of FST Improv’s annual July Fourth event, “Freedom! The Musical.” It will be presented July 4. Be prepared for some events in U.S. history that you didn’t read about in school before the fireworks outside.
Orlando’s Forgotten Broadway improv troupe takes the FST stage July 31 and Aug. 1. Theater critic Marty Fugate calls its show “a love letter to Broadway flops you’ve never heard of.”
From Aug. 8 through Sept. 19, FST Improv takes over Bowne’s Lab with its “Out of Bounds.” The show is a smackdown between two teams who face off with games, skits and songs. Those who like improv on the wild side will welcome the return of Dad’s Garage to FST on Sept. 25-26. The Atlanta troupe’s inclusive cast teams with drag queens, puppet masters and a broad spectrum of no-holdsbarred performers to hilarious effect. For more information about FST Improv, visit FloridaStudioTheatre. org. Don’t wait until the last minute to order tickets because shows for out-of-town troupes sell out quickly.
Marty Fugate
An interior view of a Calder mobile juxtaposed with botanical creations at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.
THIS WEEK
DON’T MISS
Donelly Theatre.
THURSDAY
ARTS ADVOCATES LUNCHEON:
JOSEPH MCKENNA
11 a.m. at Sarasota Yacht Club, 1100 John Ringling Blvd. $50 Visit Arts Advocates.org.
Joseph McKenna is celebrating 25 years as president of the Sarasota Orchestra, but he’s not coming to the Arts Advocates luncheon to toot his own horn. McKenna will be on the podium to talk about the new $400 million-plus Music Center that the orchestra is building near the intersection of Fruitville Road and Interstate 75. No doubt he’ll also be discussing Giancarlo Guerrero’s first season as music director and the upcoming 2026-27 season.
‘FIDDLER ON THE ROOF’
7:30 p.m. at FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail $37-$99 Visit AsoloRep.org.
At Asolo Repertory Theatre, what’s old is new again under Producing Artistic Director Peter Rothstein. We expect Rothstein to breathe new life into “Fiddler on the Roof,” the feel-good musical set in a Russian village circa 1900. Famous from both stage and screen, “Fiddler” follows Tevye’s efforts to find husbands for his daughters as he balances the traditions of the past and the opportunities of the present. Runs through May 24.
OUR PICK MASTERWORKS 7
Sarasota Orchestra Music Director Giancarlo Guerrero returns to the podium for the final Masterworks concert of the season, “Bernstein and Mahler.” Violinist Chee-Yun will join the orchestra on Bernstein’s “Serenade,” one of the composer’s most lyrical works. Mahler’s emotional Fifth Symphony is a fitting climax to the maestro’s first season as music director and showcases the orchestra’s considerable talents. Runs through April 19.
IF YOU GO
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 17
Where: Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail
Tickets: $39 and up
Info: Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org.
‘A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN’
7:30 p.m. at Florida Studio Theatre’s Keating Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave. $59
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
Francesca Ferrari gets top billing as Janis Joplin, a member of the “27 Club” (stars who died at age 27), in Randy Johnson’s show at Florida Studio Theatre. But the Black singers who helped inform Joplin’s singing style (Odetta, Bessie Smith, Aretha Franklin, Etta James and others) are more than just backup singers in this knockout production directed by Ben Liebert. Runs through April 26.
‘BIRTHDAY CANDLES’
8 p.m. at Florida Studio Theatre’s Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St.
$46 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
“Birthday Candles” stars Sarasota favorite Rachel Moulton as Ernestine Ashworth, whose 17th birthday celebration does a time warp and moves ahead to her 41st, 70th and 107th birthdays, all with the same cake. A goldfish gets a supporting role and actors portray several characters as the years pass. This Southeastern premiere is directed by Kate Alexander. Runs through May 17.
FRIDAY
JAZZ AT TWO: THOMAS
CARABASI QUARTET
2 p.m. at Unitarian Universalists of SRQ, 3975 Fruitville Road
$20 Visit JazzClubSarasota.org.
There’s no better way to roll into the weekend than Jazz Club of Sarasota’s Jazz at Two series. This week’s featured performer is Thomas Carabasi, who returns with an all-new program. Carabasi will play a mix of classic jazz, popular standards and some Samba and bossa nova sounds from Brazil.
SATURDAY
WORLD CIRCUS DAY
10 a.m. at The Ringling, 5401 Bay Shore Road
Free Visit Ringling.org.
‘LIES, SPELLS & OLD WIVES’ TALES’
Westcoast Black Theatre
Troupe founder and artistic director Nate Jacobs is teaming up with his brother, retired attorney Michael Jacobs, again. Their last outing was the 2024 drama “Ruby,” about a wealthy Black woman who murdered her white physician in 1950s Florida. This Jacobs Brothers production is more lighthearted. “Lies, Spells & Old Wives’ Tales” is a musical comedy inspired by the sayings, stories and beliefs passed from one generation to the next. Runs through May 17.
IF YOU GO
When: 7:30 p.m. April 16
Where: Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N. Orange Ave.
Tickets: $50
Info: Visit WestcoastBlackTheatre.org.
Locals and tourists who take advantage of The Ringling’s free admission on Monday are often disappointed to learn it doesn’t apply to the Circus Museum, only the Art Museum. If you’ve ever wanted to see The Ringling’s unparalleled collection of circus posters, costumes, wagons and interactive exhibits, as well as Howard Tibbals’ miniature circus model with 42,000 pieces, this is your chance. There will be activities throughout the day. Come one, come all!
‘THE PIRATE SHIP AND THE SEA MONSTER & OTHER WINNING PLAYS’
10 a.m. and noon at FST’s Keating Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave.
$12 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
Don’t let the kids spend weekends glued to digital devices. Bring them out to Florida Studio Theatre for family oriented fare. A 50-minute program of short plays written by grade schoolers from around the world features professional actors bringing heroes of all kinds to life.
2026 SARASOTA FILM FESTIVAL CLOSING NIGHT FILM
6 p.m. at New College of Florida/ Sainer Pavilion, 5315 Bay Shore Road
$50 Visit SarasotaFilmFestival.org.
SFF’s closing-night film will be Julian Schnabel’s “In the Hand of Dante,” featuring an all-star cast including Oscar Isaac, Gal Gadot, Al Pacino and Martin Scorsese. The film follows the journey of a handwritten manuscript from a priest to a mob boss to novelist Nick Tosches, who’s asked to prove its authenticity.
Schnabel will attend the screening, where he will be honored with the Achievement in Directing Award.
NASHVILLE BRASS BAND
7 p.m. at Holley Hall, 709 N. Tamiami Trail
$50 and up Visit JazzClubSarasota.org.
If you like your jazz with a country twang, this is the ticket for you. The Jazz Club of Sarasota presents the Nashville Brass Band, who’ve been performing for decades. Now led by trombonist Herb Bruce, the Nashville Brass carries on the legacy of founder Danny Davis, a legendary musician some will remember from the TV show “Hee Haw.” The band also features drummer Larry Hendrixson and trumpeter Ed Gaston.
RADIANCE — A CONCERT IN CANDLELIGHT
8 p.m. at First Congregational Church, 1031 S. Euclid Ave. $45 Visit KeyChorale.org.
Hundreds of candles will illuminate the stage as the Key Chorale Chamber Singers are joined by violin and cello soloists for a sublime concert featuring ethereal music by Fauré, Paulus, Gjeiloº and Ešenvalds. There will be no intermission to disturb the celestial vibe during this 80-minute program.
SUNDAY
JAZZ AMBASSADORS
3 p.m. at Northminster Presbyterian Church, 3131 61st St. $5 Visit SuncoastConcertBand.org.
Now in its 39th season, this volunteer band of seasoned musicians is led by David DeWitt. The Jazz Ambassadors are known for their renditions of Big Band favorites made famous by Count Basie and Duke Ellington. This program is called “History of the Big Band, Part 1.” Call 941-907-4123 to check on ticket availability.
WEDNESDAY
THE NAKED MAGICIANS
7 p.m. Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail $46-$116 Visit VanWezel.org.
It’s adults night out for a cheeky performance by the R-rated Australian magic duo Mike Tyler and Chris Wayne. Known for their “sleeves up, pants down” style of magic for audiences 18 and older, The Naked Magicians have shocked and amazed audiences during their Las Vegas residency and on TV, where their performances are toned down, but just a bit.
Courtesy image
Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s “Spells, Lies & Old Wives’ Tales” runs through May 17 at WBTT’s
Mission Possible luncheon
Photos by Janet Combs
Roseanne and Bianca Martorella with the “greatest of all time” Larry Goats.
Centennial Celebration cochairs are Sue Neumann and Lynn Blackledge.
Louis Kosiba, Ina Goldberg and Greg Campbell
Libbie and Tom Glembocki with Julie Planck and Chuck Albers
Audrey Robbins and Harry Leopold wave their Victor DeRenzi stick-heads
Dr. Nainesh Parikh, Event Chair Eileen Curd, Graci McGillicuddy and guest speaker Josh Carpenter head into the event.
Beth Wexler, Katherine Harris, Alyssa Fiumano and Barbara Kelly
Photos by Janet Combs Evella Feldhacker and Debi Wheeler
Photos by Janet Combs
Executive Director Doug Staley with his wife, Sabrina
Above: Fay and Jerry Bainbridge are longtime supporters of the CPC.
TENNIS TRAINING
TRIO
Meet the pros at Longboat’s public tennis center.
DANA KAMPA
STAFF WRITER
The three pros at the Longboat Key Public Tennis Center bring wide-ranging experiences to the role. But they share one thing: They all discovered a passion for the sport of tennis before the age of 10, and they have turned that appreciation into prolific careers.
Tomasz Borucki, Robbie Salum and Robert Jendelund are the coaches staffing the center, under the watch of longtime fellow pro and general manager Kay Thayer, and they shared what they believe sets
LESSON TYPES
The Longboat Key Tennis Center offers a variety of lessons for players of all experience levels, for both members and nonmembers.
They include private sessions for 30 minutes, 1 hour or 1.5 hours; two-person semi-private lessons for 30 minutes, 1 hour or 1.5 hours; three-person private clinics for 1 hour or 1.5 hours; four-person and up private clinics for 1 hour or 1.5 hours; and hour-long two-ontwo lessons. For pricing and registration, visit the shop at 590 Bay Isles Road or call 941-316-8367.
these courts apart from anywhere else in the world.
Salum is the longest-serving coach at the center, having instructed there for 14 years. He said the Longboat facility is a hidden gem for tennis fans.
“It’s a state-of-the-art public center with amazing people who are very friendly,” he said. “People come from all over the place, both members and nonmembers.”
The center is supported by the nonprofit group The Friends of Tennis Inc.
Salum said he believes it is important for a community to have highquality sports facilities open to the public, both for the physical and mental health benefits.
Especially considering how many Longboat Key residents are here part time, he said players often say how glad they are to have access without needing to pay annual dues.
Salum started playing tennis at 5 years old while growing up in Argentina and began competing at age 7.
He was also a solid soccer player, but his father sagely recommended pursuing tennis if he hoped to play beyond high school.
At 17 years old, he started coaching others.
His proficiency for teaching led him to travel internationally as a coach, working at the Van der Meer Tennis Clinics in South Carolina and Bradenton’s Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, now known as the IMG Academy.
Working alongside sports psychologist Dr. James Loehr has been a career highlight, he said.
Salum made his way to Longboat Key through The Colony Beach and Tennis Resort, where he worked as head pro and tennis director.
An important part of turning coaching into a career is keeping up with certifications and new opportunities, he said. Salum is a national tester with the Professional Tennis Registry and has five other certifications.
“Basically, we teach coaches how to teach,” he said.
FROM AN EARLY AGE
Borucki and Jendelund started on paths similar to Salum’s. Both started playing tennis around 7 and have
been engaged in the sport ever since.
Borucki is the newest addition to the Longboat team, coming from Poland. He was a top Polish junior and medaled multiple times at the Polish National Championships. He played with the Sopot Tennis Klub, one of the country’s oldest tennis institutions, established in 1897.
He also coached throughout the U.S., leading academies and clubs in New York and Connecticut before moving to Florida.
Jendelund, originally from Sweden, splits his time between the Hamptons and Longboat Key. He spent 15 years coaching at CityView Racquet Club in New York City. He played collegiate tennis at Armstrong Atlantic State University (now part of Georgia Southern University), winning the ITA National Doubles Championship in 2004 and achieving a No. 1 national ranking.
That opened the door to coaching in Sweden and internationally with clubs in Austria, Italy and the U.S.
His wife grew up in Venice, Florida, and the pair moved here so their 3-year-old son could also grow up in the Sunshine State. The youngster has already picked up a racket of his own.
Jendelund has competed professionally in the ATP Futures Tour.
Though he enjoys being part of the competition, he said coaching and spending time with his son keep him plenty busy at the moment.
The coaches said one of the best aspects of the Longboat facilities is that they are open year-round.
While late-summer heat is a factor in how many people play, those who live on the island year-round enjoy the less crowded courts. Then, they all look forward to welcoming back familiar faces in the fall.
Reflecting on his first season, Borucki said he appreciates how welcoming the community has been.
“I love it. Everybody is very friendly and laid back, but still wants to learn.”
He said it has been a pleasure getting to know the facilities and the people who enjoy them, especially considering the tennis center previously flew under his radar.
“When I was working with the Longboat Key (Club) Resort, I used to pass by this place all the time,” he said. “You see it, but I never stepped in.”
Through a recent exhibition, he met Thayer, who showed him the facilities and introduced him to the team.
“We love her. She’s such a calm and collected individual, and very friendly to everyone,” he said. “She’s easy to get along with, and a great coach, too.”
In addition to managing the center, Thayer has been coaching there for 26 years. She brought her experience teaching tennis at The Colony for five years prior and was glad to join the coaching team when she learned a position was open.
As the season winds down, players will have plenty of opportunities to get out on the court and hone their skills for the next tournament.
NATIONAL REACH
Players come from near and far to play in the national Longboat Key Masters Clay Courts U.S. Tennis Association Level 2 & International Tennis Federation 700 tournament, which takes place after Thanksgiving.
More than 300 players participated in the senior tournament this year, according to tennis pro Robbie Salum. It started as a men’s 60-plus competition but rapidly expanded. Next year, it will feature singles and doubles matches with four age divisions for women 50 through 80 and 10 men’s divisions from ages 45 and older. Salum said he has loved seeing the reach of the courts grow through such programs.
“It’s really rewarding because people there donate their time, and as coaches are part of coordinating it. We really enjoy it, and being part of a team.”
This year, the tournament takes place Nov. 30 to Dec. 6. Registration opens July 30 and is $110. See Friends-OfTennisInc.org for more information.
Photos by Dana Kampa
Robert Jendelund
Tomasz Borucki
Robbie Salum
‘Kraken’
Being the first to cross the finish line in a sailing regatta one year is one thing. But pulling it off two years in a row is one for the books.
Alan Staniforth of the “Kraken” multihull became the back-toback winner of the Price Cup after sailing in the Bird Key Yacht Club’s annual regatta April 11.
The titular Sarasota Bay Cup went to lifelong Sarasota resident Jon Dowd, captain of the “Whole Lotta Rosie.” The vessel took first place in the PHRF Multihull category, completing the 9-mile course in just over an hour.
“It was just nice, breezy and fast,” Dowd said.
BKYC Commodore Tony Britt said about 50 teams competed in this year’s cup. Under sunny skies and with light winds at their backs, the vessels partook in an easygoing afternoon out on the water.
The race was the cherry on top of an adventure-filled few weeks for the team of Anderson Brunsvold, Audrey Gaskill, and Nick and Jane Lovisa.
Earlier this month, the Lovisas
got married at the Sarasota Sailing Squadron headquarters, where the temporarily clubhouse-less yacht club held its post-race reception and awards ceremony.
The Lovisas said the headquarters is where they fell in love, so it made sense to hold their ceremony on the shores of Sarasota Bay.
Not long after celebrating their nuptials, they were already back out on the water, competing in the regatta with two of their friends.
The team had more to celebrate that evening at the reception as they took second place in the PHRF Multihull category, right behind the Sarasota Bay Cup winners.
Revelers concluded the awards by naming Sandy Gerber the winner of the Sportsmanship Award.
Gerber said she’s only been sailing for two years, and she deemed that afternoon her best day yet.
“I’ve had some great teachers with a lot of patience for me,” she said. “Today, I got out on the water and could hear all the voices of the people who have taken the time to instruct me. They sailed with me.”
— DANA KAMPA
The “Serendipity” crew makes quick work of the turn at the first checkpoint.
It was all smiles aboard the “Quinessential,” captained by Marvin Quin.
Alan Staniforth’s team with the “Kraken” became the back-to-back winner of the Price Cup at this year’s Bird Key Yacht Club regatta, and the team captained by Jon Dowd of the “Whole Lotta Rosie” was the winner of the titular Sarasota Bay Cup.
Photos by Dana Kampa
Contestants in the Sarasota Bay Cup said they appreciated the calm yet quick breeze that pushed them along on April 11.
The team aboard the “Triple Threat,” captained by John Novak, rounds the first marker of the Bird Key Yacht Club’s annual Sarasota Bay Cup regatta on April 11.
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2067 HARBOUR LINKS DRIVE, #4
Healthy habits can improve and preserve memory
Exercise, a good diet and getting enough sleep can pay big dividends on improving memory function and preventing memory diseases.
MIRABAI HOLLAND CONTRIBUTOR
The brain is your body’s processing chip. It controls everything: thinking, movement, senses, emotions, memory and lots more.
The brain does so much so well that we’re often unaware of it working. For instance, when we go out for a run our brain gets us in the mood for exercise, moves our body parts, feels the weather, sees the trail, feels the ground under our feet, smells the woods, and regulates our breathing and heart rate. And if we want to use that route again, we can memorize our route and everything we saw and felt and file it away as a long-term memory for future use, all thanks to our brains.
Short-term memories don’t usually last more than a few minutes, like that code you get texted to prove you are you. Your hippocampus, located deep inside the brain’s temporal lobe, helps form short-term memories and stores them in the prefrontal cortex. Once they’re no longer important, they’re gone.
But If that memory is important, like that running route we want to use again, it creates neural pathways, consolidates and transfers that short-term memory into a long-term memory. It gets stored in the cerebral cortex to be retrieved when you want to remember.
To recall a memory, your brain does a search. It retraces the neural pathways it used to create the memory. Then the memory plays back. It’s seldom perfect total
recall, but it’s pretty close. Memory loss is the brain’s inability to retrieve a memory. It’s one of our most feared health issues. Some mild memory loss is a normal part of aging because of changes that take place in the body, including the brain. Issues are normally small, like taking longer to remember someone’s name or forgetting to pay a bill. You’ll adapt. This is nothing to worry about.
MCI — mild cognitive impairment — is more serious. Chronic forgetfulness, trouble finding the correct word, getting lost in a familiar place. This condition requires life adjustment, but there are no personality changes or loss of self as with Alzheimer’s. Life stays mostly normal. The condition can remain stable or it may progress.
There are a number of tests you can take that can determine the severity of memory loss.
A PET scan may find plaque deposits in the brain that may mean Alzheimer’s or other dementia. If you’re at all concerned, don’t put off getting tested. The sooner any cognitive conditions are diagnosed, the more effective the treatment.
MEMORY TREATMENTS
Lifestyle plays a huge role in memory building and in prevention and treatment of memory loss.
Sleep. REM sleep, deep sleep with rapid eye movement, starts about 90 minutes after falling asleep. It helps move your memories from temporary storage in the hippocampus to permanent storage in the frontal cortex. Your brain prioritizes memories and makes the most useful ones important. That’s why you feel you want to sleep on it. For every hour awake you need a half hour of sleep to process and learn. Quality sleep is essential for staying sharp.
Unfortunately, because our lives are so jammed full, it’s one of the
Luxury Villas
most ignored lifestyle practices.
Stress. It’s hard to sleep when you’re stressed all the time. Chronic stress shrinks your brain volume in memory-critical areas like the hippocampus, making memory retrieval harder. It can cause blanking out and focus problems. Elevated cortisol creates higher risk for depression and later-life dementia.
Research shows stress reduction techniques like yoga, meditation, deep breathing, stretching and exercise — taking a break to do something that brings you joy — if practiced regularly can break the cycle of chronic stress.
Diet. You are what you eat. Your body, including your brain, responds profoundly to good nutrition. Eating a healthy diet is one of the most significant positive changes you can make if you’re currently eating junk. Gradually ease in to substituting old favorite junk foods with new favorite healthy food.
The Mediterranean diet is considered the healthiest and easiest-
to-stay-on diet in the world.
It’s not a strict set of rules, just guidelines that provide a delicious variety of healthy choices, enough for every taste. It lets you build your own personal cuisine.
It’s more plant-based. It features more fish, less red meat and occasional sweets.
Eating a mostly Mediterranean diet rich in fruits, vegetables and antioxidants reduces inflammation, slows cognitive decline and lowers risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s.
Exercise. Research shows exercise is major for mental health. It releases endorphins, serotonin, reduces stress and promotes quality sleep. It creates neural changes in the brain that help relieve depression, anxiety, lift mood and help you focus.
The winning combination is to build up to 150 minutes of cardio, 90 minutes of strength and 30 minutes of stretch per week. Patterned movement like aerobics and line dancing help preserve memory and cognition. It’s a
workout for your brain.
Patterned movement lights up the hippocampus, the prefrontal cortex and the cerebellum, key memory areas of the brain. It’s never too late to start taking care of your brain health and preserving your memory. Start by making one easily doable lifestyle change and bring in new ones as each change becomes permanent. Kicking unhealthy habits and replacing them with healthy ones can spell the difference between good cognition as we age and cognitive decline.
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. She is also an artist who believes creativity enhances health. Visit MirabaiHolland.com or email her at AskMirabai@movingfree.com.
