WEEK OF MAY 1, 2025
BY THE NUMBERS
“In general, there is a great deal of economic uncertainty right now.”
Bird Key Yacht Club Vice Commodore Tony Britt on the 25% increase in the club’s new clubhouse construction Read more on page 10
SPD officer leaps aboard speeding runaway boat
Sarasota Police worked with several other agencies and a commercial marine salvage service to bring under control a powerboat with no one aboard in Sarasota Bay on Monday.
The incident on the water finally came to a close around 1 p.m. when a Sarasota Police marine patrol officer jumped from his boat into the circling 26-foot fishing craft, the operator of which had fallen overboard.
The officer was not injured and the boat operator, who was not wearing a life jacket, sustained minor injuries.
Two marine patrol officers’ body cameras captured the incident.
Police reported initially receiving a call of a boat in distress north of Ringling Museum in the bay between the mainland and Longboat Key. First reports were the operator had fallen overboard, and the vessel was circling at about 40 mph. Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Sarasota Sheriff’s Office and Venice Police assisted city police. Commercial tow service SeaTow tried several times to tangle the outboard motor’s propeller using a rope, with enough eventual
success to slow the speed.
From there, Sarasota Police officers positioned their boat on a parallel course, moving close enough for one officer to leap aboard and cut the throttle.
The man who fell overboard told officers he was returning the boat after a weekend boat show. In navigating a larger boat’s wake, he fell over the side. He was not wearing an engine cutoff device that would have shut off the engine.
Police also used the opportunity to remind boaters that flotation devices and motor-kill switches are advisable.
Town sets virtual hurricane prep program
The next hurricane season is right around the corner.
The town of Longboat Key and Emergency Manager and Fire Chief Paul Dezzi want to ensure residents are prepared ahead of June 1, when the season officially begins.
From 10-11 a.m. on Thursday, May 8, Dezzi will host a virtual hurricane preparedness program to help the community prepare and give advice on preparing for and responding to a hurricane.
This is an annual program held by Dezzi and the town.
More information and the details on how to join the virtual program can be found on the town’s website at LongboatKey.org. Questions or ideas about specific topics to be covered can be directed to Fire Administration Manager and Public Information Officer Tina Adams at TAdams@LongboatKey.org.
New
permitting system now live
Longboat Key’s new online permitting system, Accela, is now live.
With the new program, building permits and code enforcement complaints can be submitted 24/7 using the online portal.
Any permits that were filed before April 16 will be processed through the old system, and any changes to those permits must be submitted via email to the Planning, Zoning and Building Department.
Accela is a more user-friendly and public-facing program than the town’s previous method. Additionally, contractors in the Sarasota and Manatee area are familiar with this program from other municipalities. The software includes GIS mapping that allows users to locate a property and start requests. For more information or questions, contact the Planning, Zoning and Building Department at PermitDesk@LongboatKey.org or 941-3161966.
SOMETIMES, LOOKING BACK IS THE BEST WAY TO LOOK AHEAD.
The attractions of Amara, diverse and extraordinary, know no equal. This begins with its Golden Gate address— for the Point is one of those rarest of natural wonders — an enclave that looks across the bay and back to the city — once-in-a-lifetime views that are yours every day. Now accepting reservations.
Tyranny of Trump’s tariffs
Who is ripping off whom in international trade? How can Donald Trump know more about tariffs than 250 years of economic evidence? Tariffs punish everyone.
Before the November 2024 presidential election, we offered this cynical (but true) assessment: After the votes are counted, all we really do when we replace a Democrat with a Republican in the White House, or vice versa, is trade one autocrat for another. One president’s and political party’s versions of interfering in our lives versus the other president’s and party’s versions. They both stink. Nevertheless, when the choice was Trump versus Harris, we sided with closing the borders; banning men from girls’ sports; no electriccar mandates; fewer regulations; lower taxation; no DEI military; and emptying the swamp.
Few paid much attention to Donald Trump’s tariff talk. Eyes glaze over quickly when candidates start talking about “balance of payment deficits,” and “reserve currency exchange rates.”
But Trump buttressed his support when he talked about those things in terms that resonate with the average American: “China has been ripping us off for decades. No more!” … “We’re going put America first and bring back all those beautiful manufacturing jobs.” … “No more unfair trade.” Oo-rah!
But in a repeat of the Obama and Biden elections — of the feckless national media not investigating Obama’s anti-American beliefs; or Biden’s open-border plans — the press did nothing to goad Trump into explaining how his tariff plans were going to affect our lives.
So we are getting what we got the first time around — Trump’s chaos. Liberation Day? Ha. No one is feeling it. Quite the opposite.
The stories of business disruption and chaos have become a tsunami of adverse consequences. Here are just a couple examples from local conversations in the past few days:
■ Mark Rutledge, CEO of Sarasota-based World Precision Instruments, maker of sophisticated instruments that analyze human cells in the development of pharmaceuticals, told us WPI is shifting supply chain strategies to minimize the cost impact of the tariffs.
His company has parts manufactured in Germany and China and distribution offices in a dozen countries. “We’re not only redirecting supply routes, we’re also looking at dual sourcing in countries other than China,” Rutledge told us. No doubt about it, he believes, WPI’s sales will decline.
■ Despite Trump’s recent cherrypicking for automakers, a Longboat Key resident who has been a manufacturing engineer and executive for multiple companies in the automotive industry told us if Trump sticks with his mayhem, some automotive suppliers can easily fall into bankruptcy.
Consider: If automakers require suppliers — many of which import parts from Asia — to live with pretariff contractual pricing and not pass along the cost of the tariffs to the manufacturers, those higher costs will wipe out the suppliers’ already thin profit margins.
And if that occurs, manufactur-
TARIFF EXPERTS FROM 1776-2025
From Adam Smith in 1776 to Thomas Sowell in 2025, read a compendium of history’s experts on tariffs. They’re unanimous: They’re bad for everyone. Go to YourObserver. com/Opinion.
ers, in turn, will have to curtail production, reducing the supply of new cars and, inevitably, result in raising the sale prices of all cars and loss of jobs throughout the chain — contrary to what Trump has promised.
■ A personal story: Daughter Kate runs a 450-student ballet school in Colorado Springs, which includes a retail store that supplies students with ballet shoes and dancewear. For 2025, the plan was to open a second store.
But last week, suppliers notified her of growing disruptions to manufacturing and shipments. We put plans for the new store on hold. Stories like this are everywhere. Everyone is adversely affected.
And yet, there seems to be only seven people who think Trump’s reciprocal tariff plans make sense: Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Trade adviser Peter Navarro, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Steve Miran, chair of the Council of Economic Advisers.
But now put those seven names next to 25 of the nation’s most noted conservative and libertarian economists and 1,700 more economics professors, fellows, scholars, policy experts and business leaders, all of whom came out April 18 against Trump’s tariffs. All of those noted economic experts authored and signed “The AntiTariff Declaration: Reaffirming America’s Prosperity and A Call to Reject Harmful Tariff Policies. (Go to Anti-Tariff.org/#Declaration.)
“For 250 years,” the declaration says, “the United States of America
has demonstrated to the world that a people left free to innovate and produce for themselves, and for all who trade with them, will enjoy increasing abundance, higher standards of living, and greater security both economically and militarily.”
In one of the bullet points, the declaration says: “The administration’s protectionist policies repeat the catastrophic errors of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff of 1930 … Rates resembling Smoot-Hawley are being imposed upon a significantly more integrated global economy, risking a similarly devastating outcome for ordinary Americans.”
One of the 25 co-authors of the declaration is Florida State University’s eminent economist, Randall G. Holcombe. We asked Professor Holcombe to explain for our readers the concept and effects of “balance of payments deficits.” Holcombe shows how trade deficits actually benefit Americans (see below).
Ever since Adam Smith penned “The Wealth of Nations” in 1776 — 250 years ago — economists the world over have never wavered over their support for free trade and the harm tariffs inflict on the masses.
But Donald Trump and his advisers know better. Such hubris.
To be sure, there is much in the federal government that needs disruption and elimination. But the question on so many minds is this: Did Trump and his advisers not do what we all do when we’re about to make a big decision? We ask ourselves: What are the likely consequences of the decision?
Paraphrasing economist/philosopher Thomas Sowell: Worldwide trade wars have a devastating history. “All that happens is you get a great reduction in international trade.” What’s more, if Trump is constantly changing the rules, uncertainty will reign. “That is a formula for having people hang on to their money,” Sowell says. “And when a lot of people hang onto their money, you can get results such as you got during the Great Depression of the 1930s.”
In truth, our trade deficits benefit Americans
RANDALL G. HOLCOMBE
While the Trump administration’s economic policies are aimed at least partly toward eliminating the nation’s balance of payments deficits, Americans should understand that they benefit from those deficits.
A balance of payments deficit occurs when the value of goods imported exceeds the value of goods exported. In short, we are getting more than we are giving up, and that’s good for Americans.
We have to pay for those goods, of course, and one issue critics raise is that a balance of payments deficit means that American dollars are flowing overseas. That’s correct, but what happens to those dollars?
Some of those dollars stay overseas. The U.S. dollar is the world’s reserve currency, which means that many transactions not involving the U.S. are undertaken with dollars. Dollars are cheap to create, so when foreigners obtain dollars to use in their transactions, we benefit by cheaply printing up dollars and getting valuable goods in return. Those dollars that stay overseas impose no cost on us.
Some of those dollars come back into the country in the form of foreign investment. President Trump seems to like it when foreign businesses or individuals invest in the U.S., but where do they get the money to invest in the U.S. economy? They get money to invest in the U.S. by selling goods to us. It comes from our balance of payments deficit.
More foreign investment increases the productivity of our economy, and foreigners like to invest in the U.S. because it is the safest and most productive economy in the world. Foreign investment adds to domestic investment. There is not a fixed amount of investment, so foreign investment does not reduce domestic investment. It adds to the investment Americans are under-
taking. More investment in the U.S. economy, wherever it comes from, benefits the U.S.
The balance of payments deficit benefits Americans because:
• 1) We can consume more in foreign goods than we export to foreigners. Because we get more in terms of foreign goods we import than we give up in American goods we export, our standard of living rises.
• 2) Many of the dollars we pay for those goods stay overseas so people in other countries can use
Randall G. Holcombe, the DeVoe Moore professor of Economics at Florida State University, was one of 25 renowned American economists who authored on April 18 “An Anti-Tariff Declaration. He wrote the above column for the Observer.
Dr. Holcombe is also Senior Fellow at the Tallahassee-based James Madison Institute; a Senior Fellow at the Independent Institute in Oakland, California; and is a Research Fellow at the Law & Economics Center at George Mason
them for their transactions. It costs us almost nothing to produce dollars. A balance of payments deficit means we send cheap-to-produce dollars overseas and get valuable goods in return.
• 3) Many of the dollars that go overseas come back as foreign investment in the U.S. economy. Greater investment increases the productivity of our economy. Those who object to our balance of payments deficits argue that American jobs are being shipped overseas and that this has resulted
University. He is vice president of the Mont Pelerin Society (2024-2026) and past president of the Public Choice Society and the Society for the Development of Austrian Economics.
Dr. Holcombe is the author of 20 books and more than 200 articles published in academic and professional journals. His books include “Political Capitalism: How Economic and Political Power Is Made and Maintained” (2018); “Liberty in Peril: Democracy and Power in American History” (2019); and “Following Their Leaders: Political Preferences and Public Policy” (2023).
“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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in de-industrialization of the U.S. and reduced our national security. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, U.S. industrial output has increased by 50% since 1990. While it did show substantial dips during the 2008 recession and during the 2020 COVID pandemic, it has bounced back since then.
While it is true that manufacturing employment as a share of the labor force has been falling, that’s mostly because manufacturing is becoming more automated. U.S. manufacturing output is near an all-time high. While some argue that the balance of payments deficit is taking American jobs, the current unemployment rate is 4.2%, which most economists would call full employment. It’s difficult to argue that the balance of payments deficit is costing American jobs when the economy is at full employment.
The U.S. has run a balance of payments deficit every year since 1975, and during that half-century, the American economy has prospered. The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis reports that real output (GDP) is 60% higher today than it was in 2000.
Americans who think that our on-going balance of payments deficits are hurting the economy are mistaken. Our balance of payments deficits benefit Americans.
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Mother's Day Gift Guide
THE GIVING TREE GALLERY
5 N Blvd of the Presidents • Sarasota, FL 34236 941-388-1353 • www.TheGivingTreeGallery.com
Celebrate Mom with thoughtful, artful jewelry from award-winning designers. For over 30 years, The Giving Tree Gallery has offered unique, handcrafted pieces on St. Armands Circle. From meaningful keepsakes to 18KT fine jewelry, find a gift as special as she is-paired with exceptional service in a warm, welcoming space this Mother’s Day.
CAFÉ ON ST. ARMANDS
431 St Armands Circle • Sarasota, FL 34236 941-388-4415 • www.CafeOnStArmands.com
Join us at Café on St. Armands this Mother’s Day for an unforgettable culinary celebration! Pamper her with exquisite dishes like a Rack of Lamb, Chicken Al Limone, & our decadent Black Forest Cake. Visit our pop-up flower truck on the Circle to pick a stunning bouquet for Mom! Make it a day to remember & a meal to treasure!
MCCARVER & MOSER
1301 Main St • Sarasota, FL 34236 | 1601 Gulf of Mexico Dr • Longboat Key FL 34228 941-387-8000 Sarasota • 941-330-7246 Longboat Key • www.mccarvermoser.com
McCarver & Moser Jewelers has sophisticated design collections from around the world. We provide customer service that exceeds expectations with our knowledge, hand crafted designs and a personal concierge team that represents over 115 years of experience. Making our customers happy and beautiful is our passion.
SIRIUS DAY SPA, SALON & MED SPA
11585 E SR70 • Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 941-357-4611 • www.SiriusDaySpas.com
The Perfect Gift for the Moms in your Life, a Gift Card from the #1 Luxury Spa, Salon & Med Spa. Featuring over 200+ services including Massages, Facials, Botox, Fillers, Permanent Make Up, Laser Hair Removal, CO2 Laser (Cool Peel), Morpheus8, IPL, Lash Services and More. Receive $15 Bonus card for every $100 Gift Card purchased through Mother’s Day! Happy Pampering!
BARTLETT JEWELERS
Creekwood Crossing I-75 & SR70, Bradenton, FL 34203 941-751-6600 • www.BartlettJewelers.com
For 52 years, Bartlett Jewelers has been the trusted source for beautiful gifts. Find the perfect present for your mother among our wide selection of fashion jewelry, colored gemstones, and both mined and lab-created diamonds, all at a range of prices to fit any budget. Celebrate her with a gift as radiant as she is, a lasting symbol of your love. Open Mon-Sat 9:30am-5:30pm.
SAIL AWAY STUDIO (SAS) COASTAL CHIC BOUTIQUE
6612 Gateway Ave • Sarasota, FL 34231
508-971-4410 • www.instagram.com/SailAwayNewport
Come in and find something as unique as she is! From Euro, chic, clothing, jewelry and accessories for Mother’s Day. To fine soaps and house warming gifts and enjoy our superb customer service. You won’t be disappointed! Open Mon-Thur 11am-5pm & Fri-Sat 10am-6pm
MOLLY’S! A CHIC AND UNIQUE BOUTIQUE
1874 Stickney Point Rd • Sarasota, FL 34231 941-921-1221 • www.MollysSarasota.com
Your perfect Mother’s Day gifts can be found at Molly’s! Named Best Gift Store in Sarasota for 5 years, you are sure to find something special to give or get for yourself. Beyond gifts, enjoy their large selection of quality shoes, jewelry, apparel and accessories too.
FRIDAY, APRIL 18
CYCLISTS LEAVE TRACKS
7:45 a.m., 500 block of Bay Isles
Road
Citizen Assist: A Longboat Key sergeant sent an officer to investigate a report of possible criminal mischief at the tennis center. The responding officer met with a tennis center staff member who said four individuals rode their bikes across the tennis courts the night prior, which left surface damage on some of the courts. One of the courts showed signs of tire indentations about a quarter- to a half-inch thick. Security camera footage confirmed the activity, but the damage did not appear criminal since the cyclists only rode through for a few minutes before leaving the scene. Another worker on staff said he could repair the courts, and the office recommended the department conduct more frequent patrols in the area.
SATURDAY, APRIL 19
CITIZEN OFFERS
COURTESY TOW
12:24 p.m., 6900 block of Bayside Drive
Citizen Assist: A citizen called to report a loose vessel, and the responding officer quickly located the 40-foot sailboat near the shore. The complainant said the vessel broke anchor and the owner left the area. To avoid damage to other vessels at his dock, the complainant said he was going to attach the adrift vessel to his own and tow it himself. The officer observed the complainant tow the vessel about 300 yards offshore and securely anchor it.
MONDAY, APRIL 21
ABANDONED MARIJUANA
3:09 p.m., 200 block of Sands Point Road
Lost/Found Property: A security guard at a local resort said a guest left his marijuana in his room and did not want it back. According to company policy — and, likely, common sense — the security guard reported the narcotics to the police. The responding officer took possession of 56 grams of prerolled marijuana, which the report said would be destroyed.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23
GUITAR THERAPY
1:04 a.m., 6400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Suspicious Person: While on patrol, a Longboat Key officer noticed a vehicle in a parking lot of a church after hours.
The officer investigated further and quickly found a man walking down the stairs of the church. The man said he was driving on the island and made a pit stop because he was sad. He had an urge to play music, so he called a friend and played guitar on the back steps of the church. When the officer found the man, he was holding a guitar, which helped to corroborate the story. The man said he was not an employee of the church, nor did he have permission to be there. The officer checked the perimeter to ensure the man did not illegally enter the church, and once the search returned negative, the man was asked to leave the premises.
TUESDAY, APRIL 22
WANDERING WOMAN CHECKS OUT
1:44 p.m., 4300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Suspicious Person: A property manager called police to report a suspicious woman walking around the property. The officer located a woman matching the description, and she said her aunt owns one of the units. Now, having received the names of the suspicious person and unit owner, the officer reported back to the property manager, who confirmed the information was correct and the woman was no longer deemed suspicious.
Sowing seeds of success
Dreamer’s Academy has a new dream for inspiring youngsters to learn about nature, and with a little magic from the Longboat Key Garden Club, it should soon become a reality.
The club has supported environmentally minded community projects for years with its annual grant and scholarship awards. It has continued to do so, and even added new projects like the creation of a butterfly garden for students at the academy to enjoy.
The club gave out the awards on Arbor Day at Longboat Key Chapel, presenting $35,750 to area schools and educational groups. Members also awarded student Annie Camille Haut a $15,000 scholarship to finish out her senior year at the University of Florida, studying biotechnology and sustainability.
President Melanie Dale welcomed attendees by acknowledging the challenges of the past year, but also sharing her excitement for the rebuilding projects to come.
Grant awardees include Ballard Elementary School ($2,000), Cortez Village Historical Society ($1,600), Dreamer’s Academy ($1,200), Friends of the Florida Maritime Museum ($700), Longboat Key Turtle Watch ($3,000), Marie Selby Botanical Gardens ($7,000), Mote Marine Laboratory ($6,250), Save Our Seabirds ($10,000), St. Martha Catholic School ($2,000) and Southside Elementary School
Green Team ($2,000).
The club also reviewed its finances as of April 20, noting a more than $20,500 net income from Taste and Tunes of the Keys this year.
Outgoing treasurer Jennifer Shimek said between the club’s event fundraising and community donations, it would end the fiscal year with about $87,000.
Members also voted on this year’s officers, returning Dale as president for another term. Joining her are Susan Phillips as first vice president, Sharon Meier as second vice president, Chris Parker as third vice president, Cathy Bishop as treasurer, Nicholle McKiernan as recording secretary and Susan Loprete as corresponding secretary. John Newman, website manager, also received a special recognition award.
— DANA KAMPA
Photos by Dana Kampa
Recipients of this year’s grants from the Longboat Key Garden Club shared stories of how the funds will bolster their environmental educational efforts.
Longboat Key Garden Club President Melanie Dale starts a new term after getting reelected on Arbor Day.
Taking steps for education
With 17 participants, Tuttle Elementary assembled the largest team for the Education Foundation Ringling Bridge Run.
“We know we’re supporting an organization that will give back to our school, and it’s fun to see all the educators out here too, our friends, they’re all excited, and it’s a beautiful morning,” said Principal Patti Folino.
However, there were thousands of participants as the run returned for its second year on April 27.
The event supports visibility for the foundation’s mission and helps fund services for students and teachers, including helping kids design post-secondary plans and providing them with mentors and scholarships and celebrating teachers.
The races included a 10K and 5K, which began and ended at The Bay and crossed over the John Ringling Causeway and back, with a one-mile fun run option as well.
The event also featured student musicians and an expo at The Bay.
“It is amazing to be able to run over the iconic Ringling Bridge on a beautiful spring morning with thousands of runners with us,” Vigne said. “It’s very special, and to do it for a purpose and a cause makes it even more meaningful.”
— IAN SWABY
WORSHIP directory
Diego Chappa, 6, and his brother, Tadeo Chappa, 8, showcase their medals.
Participants, including Scott Parrish (front), make their way over the bridge.
Photos by Ian Swaby Jazmine Davis claims a medal at the finish line.
Katelyn Garner cheers to show some spirit along the race course.
Erik Wydner pushes his kids, Noah Wydner, 7, and Ellie Wydner, 5. “I push them in every race,” he said.
Hank Stump, 3, his mother, Casey Stump, and his sister, Lucy Stump, 2, watch the race.
YOUR NEIGHBORS
A Key that stole her heart
Actress fell in love with the islands.
DANA KAMPA STAFF WRITER
One moment, Courtney Warner is patrolling the streets of Memphis as a police officer. The next, she is enthusiastically welcoming a gruff visitor back to his hometown, where it’s “Valentine’s Day every day” and he just may find love.
Such is the life of the Bird Keybased actress who has some exciting film projects coming out now and plenty of others in the works. Warner spoke with the Observer to share a glimpse of her acting journey, future ambitions, and offer advice to up-and-coming actors.
Warner first moved to the area nearly nine years ago from York, Pennsylvania. Considering this is where her now-husband, Charlie Shrem, proposed to her, Longboat Key will always hold a special place in her heart.
“Charlie and I weren’t planning on moving here, but when you come around Mound Street and see that beautiful landscape, you realize there is no other place like it,” she said. “We’ve been all over the world, and I don’t see myself leaving.”
She added, “It really is God’s country here.”
While she has enjoyed traveling the world through her work, she said she is glad to make Bird Key her home base so she can be close to her family on Lido Key and stay involved in local organizations, especially those promoting animal welfare and advocating against domestic violence.
Her mother, Diane Sterner, is special events director with the Lido Key Residents Association. When Warner visited her several years ago, planning to help her mother with a move, Sterner was secretly conspiring with Warner’s soon-to-be fiancé on a surprise proposal.
Warner appreciates the tight-knit community here, and she credits her involvement with the Sarasota-based Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center for helping launch the resurgence of her acting career a few years ago.
She volunteered to walk the runway — wearing go-go boots in one trip — for the organization’s annual
fashion show fundraiser, and that is where she connected with her nowmanager, Gabriella Messina.
Messina moved to the area from New York, and one of the projects she took on in her spare time was directing the SPARCC fashion show.
Warner had recently reached out to Messina for professional guidance, but they really connected after the show.
“I called her, and she immediately said, ‘Wait, you’re go-go boots?’”
Warner said with a laugh.
“To her credit, she is the one who got me out of my stage fright and studied with me to help me get out of my own head,” she said. “Because of what she did for me five years ago, I am able to do what I do on camera now.”
Warner started her career in the arts in New York City in 2002, where she got a dance contract with the MSA agency after studying with the Broadway Dance Center.
Her repertoire includes street jazz, hip-hop and modern dance, among other styles. She started dancing at the age of 5, and it was a dream of hers to work professionally in the field.
She found it rewarding to work as a performer. But she eventually shifted focus to acting, starting with commercial work. Under the guidance of agent Lucille DiCampli, Warner leaned into her upbeat, animated charm to transition to working in front of a camera.
“I was auditioning during the day and waitressing in a cocktail bar in the evenings,” she said.
The first movie role she played was a featured background character in the 2011 film “Two Wasted Lives,” which traces an adolescent’s spiral into a world of crime.
The short film went on to win a Royal Reel award at the Canada International Film Festival in 2012.
Warner progressed to having a named role in “The Instant Messenger,” also released in 2011. Relationships she built on set led to her opportunity to work on “The Will,” filmed in Denmark. This hair-raising thriller follows the death of a billionaire and his family’s attempts to secure an inheritance.
The movie isn’t the only suspenseful one in her filmography. Warner played the character Lily in the 2023 film “Trauma Therapy: Psychosis.”
She said working on this movie
meant a lot to her considering she acted with Tom Sizemore in it, the last movie he made before he died in 2023. He is best known for his roles in “Saving Private Ryan” and “Blackhawk Down.”
Her most recent release is “Love Unleashed,” a family friendly caninecentric romantic comedy that came out last February.
Several other projects are in post-production, including “After All,” “DNA Secrets” and “Break the Cycle.”
Warner said she perhaps is most proud of her performance in an upcoming heist film named “Whiskey Run” directed by Aaron Mirtes.
“There’s a lot of action, and I enjoyed the character because she’s very quirky and funny, but she gets to have some serious moments, as well,” she said. “There is a lot of great music from some Nashville stars to look forward to.”
Reflecting on her career so far, Warner said she, like many, had moments of doubt. In particular, she remembers feeling despondent after losing a shot at working with Viacom.
“That really scared me, and I had a moment of thinking that maybe I’m not cut out to do this,” she said.
Now, Warner enjoys a career as a full-fledged actress with about 20 films in her catalog.
There are certain moments she’ll treasure forever, like when former “Three’s Company” star Joyce DeWitt nicknamed her “Courty Bear” on the set of “Ask Me to Dance.”
One of the most rewarding moments she’s experienced came not long ago, when a friend’s sister dove into watching all her films, which brought her some muchneeded cheer as she navigates a cancer diagnosis.
“That’s my goal,” Warner said. “That’s what I want.”
Bird Key resident Courtney Warner has acted in the following films. n “After All” (Post-Production) n “DNA Secrets” (Post-Production) n “Break the Cycle” (PostProduction) n “Love Unleashed” (2025) n “Curry Scent” (2024) n “Dark Night of the Soul” (2024)
n “Valentine’s Town” (2024) n “Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point” (2024)
n “Roommate Regret” (2024)
n “The Vance Institute” (2023)
n “Trauma Therapy: Psychosis” (2023)
n “Ask Me to Dance” (2022)
n “The Will” (2014)
n “Help” (2012) n “The Instant Messenger” (2011)
n “Two Wasted Lives” (2011)
Dana Kampa
Courtney Warner, of Bird Key, started her career in entertainment through dancing but transitioned to acting, and she looks forward to the release of several upcoming films.
Courtney Warner gets on-set instructions for a soon-tobe-announced heist film set in Nashville.
Courtesy images
Fans and cast from “Trauma Therapy: Psychosis” stand before the marquis for a showing in Los Angeles in 2023. They include Tom Malloy, David Lawrence, Courtney Warner, Charlie Shrem and Vince Lozano.
Changing legacies
Having weathered an early opening, back-to-back hurricanes, retraining staff members who had only just begun to find their flow and all the other daily quandaries that arise when running a large-scale luxury resort, St. Regis Longboat Key Resort General Manager Winfred van Workum joined community members for a discussion about where the hotel is now and its predecessor, The Colony Beach & Tennis Resort.
Alitza Trumpler invited van Workum and former general manager of The Colony, Katie Moulton, for a Q&A with residents at Pierre Condominiums on April 23 about the change of watch.
Moulton shared stories of her time managing The Colony, which opened in 1954, gaining renown for its premier tennis courts and pristine beach views over the Gulf. Her father, Dr. Murray “Murf” Klauber, founded the Longboat Key staple in hospitality.
Trumpler took the group back to the resort’s heyday by playing a 1988 promotional video and other glimpses of the legacy it built.
Attendees Neil and Marsha Goldman warmly remembered their then-8-year-old daughter’s delight at finding a hub where
she could play sports with kids her age.
Eventually, the resort closed in 2010 amid legal disputes. About 14 years later, St. Regis officially opened last August.
Van Workum recounted the trials the new resort faced. Mere months after the opening, hurricanes hit the Key with tremendous force. But he takes pride because staff didn’t just rebuild, but excelled well enough to land a spot on the “Travel + Leisure” list of top 100 new hotels.
“It feels really good,” he said. “It’s been really intense, and everyone deserves a break, though I’m not sure it’s coming based on demand in the next few months.”
He said he is proud of the recognition, but even more so of their high booking numbers and positive guest feedback.
“We’re grateful for the local community too,” he said, glad they could assuage some early apprehension about the resort’s effect on commutes.
Moulton said she shares their pride in seeing the new resort thrive in a place she cares about so deeply.
“I love seeing all the people around and hearing the sounds of laughter again,” she said. “It sat there, dormant, for so many years. It came alive again, and I love it.”
— DANA KAMPA
Let’s
see some energy
For those curious about the potential benefits of biophoton energy healing, Medge Jaspan encourages them to give it a whirl.
She hosted an open house on April 23 at the Mediterranean Plaza, offering attendees an opportunity to try out the technology from Tesla BioHealing. Participants took turns sitting in a dimmed room, hoping to rejuvenate their minds and bodies.
Windy Schrag visited from Bradenton to try out the new energy-boosting tech.
“I love anything with energy work,” she said. “We’re energetic beings, and I’ve healed a lot of my body through energy work. We’re moving too fast in this world, and we’re all tired and exhausted. We need to get back to refilling our containers, resting, loving ourselves and giving our bodies what they need.”
The Delaware-based company claims its devices generate the same light energy emitted by living organisms.
“We’ve harnessed this power using natural, pre-activated materials through a proprietary process rooted in a comprehensive understanding of biology, physics and chemistry,” the company writes. Jaspan said she felt motivated to hold the open house to help community members be aware of how they treat their bodies, especially considering what pollutants they may encounter in their daily lives. She also featured John Nash, who practices deep-tissue massage. Nash said promoting the flow of fascial systems in the body can promote mobility and energy improving people’s emotional well-being.
SOCIALMEDIA MANAGEMENT
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— DANA KAMPA
Medge Jaspan and John Nash host an open house to share their insights on energy-based healing on April 23.
Photos by Dana Kampa Windy Schrag said she appreciates learning about holistic healing practices.
Dana Kampa
Alitza Trumpler leads a Q&A with Katie Moulton and Winfred van Workum at Pierre Condominiums about the transition from The Colony Beach & Tennis Resort to St. Regis Longboat Key Resort.
Parishioners celebrated a momentous occasion in the history of St. Armands Key Lutheran Church on Sunday morning, recognizing all the hard work that volunteers and contractors invested in restoring the flooded church.
“This has been a long time coming,” said the Rev. Kenneth Blyth.
He said congregation members’ reactions to the finished renovation have been “overwhelmingly positive,” especially bearing in mind the state of the church after Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Blyth said church members got inside the church within an hour of officials reopening access to St. Armands Key. What they saw devastated them.
Floodwaters wiped out the carpeted sanctuary and the gardens.
“It’s been a long, long, long road,” he said. “We got back into in-person worship pretty quickly, by the end of October, with bare floors, foldable metal chairs and half the drywall missing. Still, we were really blessed, especially keeping in mind other houses of worship that are really just getting back now.”
Blyth commended everyone who got involved with the cleanup, especially those who immediately got to work, getting on their hands and knees to “Hoover up” wa-
ter. Those early efforts paved the way for contractors to begin the reconstruction. Now outfitted with tile flooring better suited to withstand floodwaters than the previous carpeting and mobile seating, the church is ready to withstand whatever nature brings.
Blyth said he’s especially glad the church could host its Easter services in the gardens. Church leaders weren’t certain they could finish the work in time for the holiday, but they pushed to get it done.
The congregation participated in the rededication and a special service for the second Sunday of Easter, the morning of April 27, and in the evening, they joined an Easter hymn festival.
Organist John Behnke took to the keys for this special musical celebration, playing on the newly installed pipe organ. This was a special moment, since it was the first time a guest musician had played the instrument.
Special guests in attendance included the Rev. Robert Zimmer, who became the pastor at St. Armands Key Lutheran Church in 1990, and the Rev. Eric Wogen, who was installed in 2000.
— DANA
KAMPA
Acting Bishop Robert Rose, the Rev. Eric Wogen, the Rev. Kenneth Blyth and the Rev. Robert Zimmer celebrate the rededication of St. Armands Key Lutheran Church on April 27.
Dana Kampa
YOUR CALENDAR
THURSDAY, MAY 1
CHECK OUT THE TRUNK
9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at J. McLaughlin, 515 Bay Isles Parkway. The Longboat Key Garden Club is holding its spring trunk show from May 1-3. Part of the proceeds benefit the club’s scholarship program.
NESTING SEASON BEGINS
Starting today and continuing through Oct. 31, turtle nesting season officially gets underway. The town of Longboat Key reminds all residents that all lighting visible from the beach must be blocked or turtle-friendly. Property owners must also remove all beach furniture.
RECURRING EVENTS
WEEKDAYS
LONGBOAT LIBRARY
10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 555 Bay Isles Road. Call 941-383-6493.
SUNDAYS AND MONDAYS YOGA
10-11 a.m. Sundays and 6-7 p.m. on Mondays at St. Armands Circle Park, 1 St. Armands Circle. This slow-flow yoga class is free to those 18 and older or accompanied by an adult. Bring a mat or towel and water. Register at Paige@YogaWithPaige.us or visit YogaWithPaige.us to learn more. No class May 25.
MONDAYS STRETCH AND STRENGTHEN
10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. This class is mostly seated and great for all fitness levels. The focus is on strength training and flexibility for balance. Suzy Brenner leads the class. Fee is $20. Walk-ins welcome. Call 941383-6493.
TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS PILATES SCULPT
9-9:50 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Pilates Sculpt is a combination class mixing traditional Pilates exercises into a fun, challenging workout to upbeat music. It will make you sweat, encourage your body to burn calories, and make you stronger and more flexible. This class is for all levels. Cost is $20. Walk-ins welcome. Call 941-383-6493.
YOGA
11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Debby Debile of Feel Good Yoga & Massage leads a gentle yoga class that can be done on a mat or in a chair. Cost is $20. Call 941-3836493.
FRIDAYS UP YOUR TAI CHI SKILLS
10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Certified instructor Reuben Fernandez leads a weekly intermediate tai chi class, held outdoors when weather per-
BEST BET
SATURDAY, MAY 3
BUST OUT THE SCISSORS
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Beaufort Bonnet Co., 12 N. Boulevard of the Presidents. Celebrate the reopening of this boutique for babies with a refined sense of style. Festivities include a 10 a.m. ribbon cutting, balloon animals, face painting and more. Call 941-3137318 for details.
mits. Fernandez also leads a beginner class at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays, but builds off those skills with a focus on Chen Style, Lao Ca Dija. It’s recommended to wear close-toed shoes with low heels rather than running shoes. Cost is $20. Call 941383-6493.
Courtesy image
File image
Reuben Fernandez teaches tai chi at The Paradise Center.
$16,000,000
John Ringling Estates home tops week’s sales at $9.75 million
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
Kendall and Susan Kellaway, of Sarasota, sold their home at 40 N. Washington Drive to George Duke, of Bradford, Pennsylvania, for $9.75 million. Built in 2021, it has four bedrooms, fiveand-a-half baths, a pool and 4,794 square feet of living area.
KEY CLUB
Gregory Knox Jones and Ann Jones
sold their Unit B-604 condominium at 535 Sanctuary Drive to Ellen Berkowitz, of McLean, Virginia, for $3.05 million. Built in 1990, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,590 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.15 million in 2009.
VILLA DI LANCIA
Laurie West, trustee, of Orlando, sold the Unit 245 condominium at 2185 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Virginia O’Connor, of Longboat Key, for $2.6 million. Built in 1996, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,528 square feet of living area. It sold for $2.1 million in 2020.
BEACHPLACE
Douglas and Charlene Nolan, of Shelton, Connecticut, sold their Unit 305 condominium at 1145 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Kevin Beckmann, trustee, of Ladue, Missouri, for $2,277,000. Built in 1980, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,819 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.2 million in 2016.
SANDPIPER BEACH HOUSE
RB Development Inc. sold the Unit 2 condominium at 3015 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Heather Marie Kompelien, of Maple Plain, Minnesota, for $1,585,000. Built in 1956, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,155 square feet of living area. It sold for $730,000 in 2020.
THE PRIVATEER NORTH
Michael and Rae Ann Blazer, trustees, of Pueblo, Colorado, sold the Unit 801 condominium at 1050 Longboat Club Road to Robert Stephens Jr., of Salisbury, Maryland, for $1.25 million. Built in 1974, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,409 square feet of living area. It sold for $579,500 in 2012.
ISLANDER CLUB OF LONGBOAT
Allison Byrd, of Seven Lakes, North Carolina, sold her Unit 21-N condominium at 2301 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Kim Marie Neuscheler, of St. Petersburg, for $1,225,000. Built in 1970, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,235 square feet of living area. It sold for $549,000 in 2019.
LIDO BEACH CLUB
Ronald Koopman, of Sarasota, sold his Unit 1103 condominium at 1212 Benjamin Franklin Drive to Barry and Sheri Smith, of Brentwood, Tennessee, for $1,075,000. Built in 1974, it has two bedrooms, two
and 1,421 square feet of living area. It sold for $615,000 in 2009.
GULF FRONT Falin McMellon, of Bradenton, sold his Unit 104 condominium at 5201 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Rennard
TOP BUILDING PERMITS
Group LLC for $940,000. Built in 1980, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 1,184 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.09 million in 2023.
WESTCHESTER
Michael Connors, trustee, of Brooklyn, New York, sold the Unit 303 condominium at 4825 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Jose Barrutia and Mary Ellen Barrutia, trustees, of Fontana-on-Geneva Lake, Wisconsin, for $900,000. Built in 1970, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 1,393 square feet of living area. It sold for $665,000 in 2017.
FAIRWAY BAY
Lois Freedman, of Longboat Key, sold the Unit 152 condominium at 1930 Harbourside Drive to Joseph and Kimberly Taff, of Carmel,
Indiana, for $752,000. Built in 1982, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,192 square feet of living area. It sold for $535,100 in 2021.
LONGBOAT HARBOUR Lawrence Bateman Jr., trustee, of Barrington, Illinois, sold the Unit 203 condominium at 4340 Falmouth Drive to Michael Harold House and Robin House, trustees, of Wilton, Connecticut, for $375,000. Built in 1969, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,072 square feet of living area. It sold for $130,000 in 1999.
See more transactions at YourObserver.com
Image courtesy of Drew Russell
The John Ringling Estates home has four bedrooms, five-and-a-half baths, a pool and 4,794 square feet of living area.
Jules Mackie | Tracey Stetler | Nicholle DiPinto McKiernan | Patrick DiPinto | Rene DiPinto | Steven Moore | Janet Coughlin
