Imagine the possible conversation between a pair of rockers hanging out in Sarasota last week .
One of them, maybe Aerosmith frontman Stephen Tyler, is a bit peckish.
His pal, potentially Aerosmith guitarist and part-time Longboat Key resident Jos Perry, has an answer for a quick bite to eat: Morton’s Gourmet Market on South Osprey Avenue.
They agree.
“Walk
way,”
Longboat has full brainpower
The Longboat Key Paradise Center Brain Games that took place June 17 was filled with laughing, singing and storytelling.
The purpose of the games is to strengthen creative thinking and to help deal with complex issues like stress, memory and focus.
The Paradise Center encourages anyone curious to come and try it out, the next Brain Games will be on July 17, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Carlin Gillen Sylvia Day, Maria Ray and Angela Bennick (not pictured) all boosted their brainpower with fun cognitive thinking exercises.
Dana Kampa
Visitors touring Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium on City Island check out Shelley the loggerhead turtle. Longboat Key residents said they will miss having the knowledgeable, enthusiastic guides share facts about the aquarium’s animals when it closes to the public after July 6.
WEEK OF JUNE 26, 2025
BY THE NUMBERS
“Hi, I’m Steve Branham, and I’m a recovering CFO.’’
Town Commissioner Steve Branham, complimenting town staff on its work on the proposed 2026 budget. Read more on page 5
Parking talks come to end
Conversations between the St. Regis Longboat Key Resort and its condominium neighbor to the north about parking have come to an end with rejection of the idea, residents and the association president said last week. Residents say they were informed via a message from the Seaplace condo association that any agreement between the two was off and “would not be pursued.’’ Association president Paul Gold, in a story last week in the Longboat Observer, said the
proposal for the St. Regis to use up to 50 of Seaplace’s unused parking spaces was a “possibility’’ for discussion. In a second interview, he told the Observer last week that opposition levels made it clear the issue wasn’t worth pursuing. In the email sent to residents, Gold wrote: “At the time, this seemed like an idea worth exploring. However, even the informal discussion of the St. Regis request caused some owners anxiety and distress, and for that, I sincerely apologize.” Gold also said the paid-parking
proposal could have been a source of extra revenue for Seaplace at a time when insurance costs and other financial obligations for all condo associations statewide — but especially coastal ones — are on the rise, Even so, in a postscript to his email, Gold included this from the Seaplace association treasurer: “As we’ve stated numerous times during Finance Committee meetings, Seaplace is in excellent financial condition. We maintain significant equity and a sound balance sheet,”
Mattison’s adds SRQ airport location
A new restaurant has opened in the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. Past security, Mattison’s City Grille is now welcoming diners to its location in Terminal B.
Mattison’s City Grille also has locations on Lemon Avenue in downtown Sarasota and on Riverfront Boulevard at the Bradenton Riverwalk. Mattison’s Restaurant Group operates Mattison’s Forty-One and Mattison’s Catering on South Tamiami Trail, too. The eateries are known for their steak and seafood dishes and full bar.
According to SRQ, Mattison’s City Grille opened its airport location June 16.
The new restaurant is among a variety of updates transforming Terminal B.
SRQ gets new leader from Pittsburgh
Beginning this fall, Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport will be under new leadership.
On Tuesday, the Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority announced the unanimous selection of Paul Hoback Jr. as the incoming president and CEO, succeeding Rick Piccolo, who will retire this year.
Tentatively scheduled to begin at SRQ on Oct. 19, Hoback is currently executive vice president and chief development officer of the Allegheny County Airport Authority, operator of Pittsburgh International Airport.
“Leading Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport is an incredible opportunity and I’m so excited to follow Rick’s amazing tenure and continue the legacy he has built over three decades,” Hoback said in a news release. “Thank you to Rick, the board and the community. I am truly honored to have been selected and I look forward to serving the region as we continue to grow SRQ together.”
Piccolo will retire on Nov. 30 and will continue in an advisory capacity through June 30, 2026.
“We are very pleased that (Hoback) has accepted the challenge and we look forward to him and his family relocating to our community,” said SMAA Chairman Jesse Biter.
A more resilient St. Armands?
Now that Sarasota County has received approval from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, its plan is to spend, in general terms, $210 million in hurricane recovery grant money. Local jurisdictions are submitting requests for a share of those dollars.
Dubbed Resilient SRQ, the county’s action plan earmarks buckets of funds for creek dredging, roadway and bridge improvements, flood mitigation and other infrastructure.
The city of Sarasota has submitted applications for four projects, including a request for $10 million to address recurring flooding problems on St. Armands Key with an emphasis on one of the county’s economic engines, St. Armands Circle.
The other three project applications, all on the mainland, are Hudson Bayou Resiliency and Stormwater Mitigation, $5.7 million; Whitaker Bayou Resiliency and Stormwater Mitigation, $14.5 million; and Sarasota Stormwater Resiliency and Flood Mitigation Initiative, $11.93 million.
Compelling arguments can be made for each of the proposed projects, but perhaps none more so than St. Armands, which flooded three times during the 2024 hurricane season and has suffered multiple freshwater flood events in recent years.
Consistent failures of the overwhelmed pump and drain system on St. Armands have resulted in regularly flooding businesses in the lowlying St. Armands Circle and the older ground-level homes that surround the business district. Storm surge from both hurricanes Helene and Milton engulfed the Circle with several feet of water, forcing nearly all retailers, restaurants and other businesses to close for weeks or even months as they cleaned up, dried up and fixed up their establishments.
“I often hear that St. Armands is the county’s number one tourist destination, and if that is true, I would hope that the county says, ‘What can we do to protect this asset?’” said Chris Goglia, president of the St. Armands Residents Association. “It’s not just the city’s asset, it’s the county’s asset, and they need to make sure that businesses can open in weeks, if not days, instead of months and to make sure that the roads are open so that tourism and commerce can continue.”
Goglia’s assessment of the popu-
ST. ARMANDS RESILIENCY AND FLOOD MITIGATION PROJECT
The St. Armands Resiliency and Flood Mitigation Project is a comprehensive effort to reduce storm-related flooding, strengthen stormwater infrastructure and enhance coastal resilience for one of Sarasota’s most critical commercial and residential areas.
KEY PROJECT COMPONENTS
Stormwater Drainage System
Enhancements:
■ Upgrade pump stations with corrosionresistant equipment and backup generators and design to 100-year storm
■ Install tide backflow prevention devices at stormwater outfalls
■ Improve weirs and control structures to better regulate stormwater flow
MORE THAN ST. ARMANDS
HUDSON BAYOU RESILIENCY AND STORMWATER MITIGATION
Project description:
The Hudson Bayou Resiliency and Stormwater Mitigation Project is a critical flood mitigation and water quality improvement initiative that will enhance the stormwater conveyance capacity of the Hudson Bayou through dredging, bank stabilization and improved stormwater outfalls.
Key project components:
■ Comprehensive design, engineering and permitting for environmental compliance
■ Dredging the entire Hudson Bayou to restore depth and improve stormwater conveyance
■ Sediment testing and safe disposal of dredged materials at approved upland sites
■ Bank stabilization and native vegetation planting to reduce future erosion and sedimentation
■ Stormwater infrastructure improvements, including upgrades to outfalls and flood control structures to enhance drainage efficiency
Project cost:
■ Total $7 million
■ City of Sarasota and surtax contribution: $1.3 million
■ Resilient SRQ funds requested: $5.7 million
WHITAKER BAYOU RESILIENCY AND STORMWATER MITIGATION
A comprehensive flood mitigation and water quality improvement initiative that will enhance the stormwater conveyance capacity of Whitaker Bayou through dredging, stormwater infrastructure upgrades and water quality enhancements.
Key Project Components:
■ Comprehensive design, engineering and permitting for environmental compliance
larity and economic impact of St. Armands Circle comes with backing by USA Today, which recently named it the seventh best shopping center in the U.S.
SOLUTIONS
POSSIBLE
On the list of projects proposed for St. Armands are stormwater drainage and pump station upgrades, underground stormwater vaults, permeable pavement and drainage and the purchase of removable flood barriers. City Engineer Nik Patel said those measures aim at mitigating the impact of heavy rain events — not necessarily storm surge from the nearby Gulf shore — that have flooded businesses and homes as the aging pump and drain system. Sarasota County manages the system via interlocal agreement with the city.
Minus the flood barriers, the St. Armands mitigation projects are part of a Complete Streets proposal, which was shelved because of its $45 million price tag and no identified state funding.
St. Armands Circle Association
Executive Director Rachel Burns said she would like to see some specifics, such as locations of new equipment, what the permeable pavement might include, whether to add any new storm drains and placement of the stormwater vaults.
Those answers aren’t available yet, Patel said, as infrastructure planning has gone no further than the Complete Streets conceptual stage.
The flood barriers, though, would resemble those successfully deployed by Tampa General Hospital during recent storms.
“They’re easily put together, and essentially, they’re to put around the St. Armands businesses because they got impacted quite a bit,” Patel said. “If we knew a major storm or major flood event is coming, this could provide flood protection for the businesses. It’s also to protect the roadways, too. Our plan is to make sure the evacuation routes clear.”
Burns said any new pumps and drain pipes won’t matter unless there are more outfalls to swiftly remove water from the roadway.
“Two weeks ago, we had a heavy downpour, and all the pumps were working. I drove around, I watched the water swirling, trying to go down the drains but the water coming down was at too fast a rate for the number of drains,” Burns said. “There was no impact on the merchants, but there was water over the curbs, and that just was a regular rainstorm.”
NO PROJECT PRIORITIZED
Which projects the county chooses to pursue with the Resilient SRQ funds begins with the Public Works Department — which manages stormwater for the city — and those administering the Resilient SRQ program. Patel said the city is not in a position to advocate for or prioritize its applications with county personnel.
Resilient coastal and roadway protection measures:
■ Design storm surge protection measures along John Ringling Boulevard and St. Armands Circle
■ Install underground stormwater storage vaults to absorb excess water
■ Incorporate permeable pavement and infiltration elements for enhanced drainage Flood barrier system for emergency response:
■ Purchase and deploy removable flood barriers to protect key roadways and businesses during storm events
■ Integrate with Sarasota’s emergency response and evacuation strategy
■ Coordinate with FDOT, Sarasota County and the city to align regional resilience planning
FUNDING AND COST BREAKDOWN
The total project cost is $10 million, with the city of Sarasota contributing $478,000 in local funds. Resilient SRQ is requesting the remaining $9.52 million to fully implement the project.
■ Design, engineering and permitting, $1.5 million
■ Stormwater drainage and pump station upgrades, $3.8 million
■ Underground stormwater vaults, $2.2 million
■ Permeable Pavement and drainage, $1 million
■ Purchase removable flood barriers, $1.5 million
■ Total project cost, $10 million
“We are partnering with Sarasota County Public Works to assist them with application process assuming that they want to move those projects forward as part of the program,” Patel said. “We submitted our projects, and if they decide that they want to move forward we’re going to be working closely with them.”
The Sarasota County Commission will ultimately determine which countywide projects put forth by staff will receive funding.
It pleases Goglia and Burns that St. Armands Circle is among those preliminary considerations.
“We are extremely happy that the county and the city are looking to actually make some improvements to St. Armands Circle,” Burns said. “There haven’t been any major improvements to the infrastructure in 20 years.”
While Goglia urges residents to advocate for the St. Armands projects via the association’s newsletter, as its representative to the Coalition of City Neighborhood Associations, he recognizes all the city’s applications are high priority,
“I’m very aware that it’s not just my neighborhood that’s having problems,” he said. “I think the Phillippi Creek basin has received the most attention, but the city has the Hudson Bayou and Whitaker Bayou as well and the people in those neighborhoods are very concerned about those waterways and the flooding issues associated with them.”
■ Dredging of Whitaker Bayou to restore depth and improve stormwater conveyance
■ Sediment testing and safe disposal of dredged materials at approved upland sites
■ Bank stabilization and native vegetation planting to reduce future erosion and sedimentation
Stormwater infrastructure improvements include:
■ Upgrades to outfalls and flood control structures to enhance drainage efficiency
■ Installation of nutrient-separating baffle boxes to capture sediment, trash and pollutants before entering Sarasota Bay
■ Construction of floodplain storage and pollutant removal areas to reduce flooding and nutrient loading
Project cost:
■ Total: $14.5 million
■ Resilient SRQ funds requested: $14.5 million
■ City of Sarasota contribution: $0
SARASOTA STORMWATER RESILIENCY AND FLOOD MITIGATION INITIATIVE
Bee Ridge Road and Beneva Road — Phillippi Creek Problems:
■ Street flooding on evacuation routes due to sediment accumulation
■ Stormwater ponds in the Forest Lakes subdivision are at reduced capacity Resiliency Improvements:
■ Sediment removal and restoration of stormwater ponds to permitted capacity
■ Installation of nutrient-separating baffle boxes to capture sediment, trash and vegetation
■ Floating wetlands and filtration systems to remove pollutants from runoff
■ Total cost: $5,259,236
Pinecraft — Phillippi Creek Problems:
■ Historic headwaters of Phillippi Creek with high sediment deposition and erosion
■ Dense urban development has little stormwater treatment
Resiliency Improvements:
■ Convert an existing wet pond into a dry pond with enhanced pollutant removal capacity
■ Stream restoration along Phillippi Creek to improve bank stability
■ Denitrification wall installation to filter groundwater pollutants
■ Sediment removal and stabilization to reduce ongoing erosion
■ Total Cost: $2,074,518
Sarasota Memorial Hospital and U.S. 41
— Coastal Basin
Problems:
■ Street flooding in Harbor Acres subdivision due to tidal influence and limited drainage infrastructure
■ Drainage from dense commercial areas impacts residential flooding
Resiliency Improvements:
■ Enlarge outfall pipes to increase capacity and reduce street flooding
■ Install one-way check valves to block tidal flooding from entering the drainage system.
■ Nutrient-separating baffle boxes to capture debris and prevent pollutants from reaching the bay
■ Total cost: $4,666,246
St. Armands Circle was several feet under water following Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Chris Goglia, president of the St. Armands Circle Association, is one of several neighborhood leaders encouraging the city to reconsider its stance on regulating hosted rentals in residential areas.
Lori Sax St. Armands Circle Association Executive Director Rachel Burns says her mission is to find new and innovative ways to bring people to St. Armands Circle.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
Unknowns cloud view of budget for 2026 and beyond
ERIC GARWOOD
DIGITAL NEWS EDITOR
Building a 2026 budget between what’s already happened and what’s still to come, Longboat Key Town Commissioners are proceeding cautiously with several fiscal unknowns on the horizon.
On Friday, during their final scheduled meeting before their summer hiatus, Town Commissioners are expected to set the 2026 budget’s not-to-exceed millage rate, based on what they do know. Property valuations are up, based on preliminary figures supplied by county tax assessors. Final numbers are expected by July 1, but they typically don’t vary significantly. In early conversations, the town has said a reduction in millage could take place alongside higher property values.
One of the big unknowns over the next 12 months, though, is the state of property-tax reform in Florida. Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed last session for relief for property owners in the form of higher exemptions, rebates and more.
None of that passed, but a $1 million study of the issue in Florida did find its way into the state’s $115 billion spending plan, and supporters of the issue vowed to return with a renewed effort in 2026 — an election year. DeSantis has said property taxes, on which Longboat Key and other cities and counties rely for general revenue, is like “paying rent to the government.”
According to an amendment added to the state’s tax package, the study would “analyze the potential impact of eliminating or significantly reducing ad valorem assessments on homestead property and provide policy options for mitigating negative fiscal consequences.”
As the town began making budget decisions this spring and summer, projections provided by Finance Director Sue Smith showed revenue
Tallahassee tax relief, tax appeals factor into town’s deliberations on spending plan.
in the 2026 budget would rise 4.8% (with the current millage rate of 1.96 per $1,000 of value) and operating expenses would rise 4.6%.
“I do warn that we do need to be ready for potential decreases by July 1, you never know,” Smith said. “The July 1 certified values could come in less, they could come in more.”
She added St. Regis property values are new to the tax rolls this year.
“They’re a corporation, so you never know, they might go to the Value Adjustment Board. It’s their first tax bill here, so there’s a possibility they might fight some of the numbers they are seeing.”
Smith said she hadn’t seen assessed values of St. Regis property broken out, but much of the town’s half-billion dollar new construction values were in Sarasota County. “Most of that is St. Regis, I would say,” she said.
Adding to some of the caution are potential appeals by individual property to the Value Adjustment Board, based on hurricane damage. Homes still standing at the end of 2024 but demolished in early 2025 could be
assessed based on their usefulness.
Town Commissioner BJ Bishop said that issue bears watching for value adjustments, applications for which are due 25 days after county Truth in Millage statementsare sent in August.
“I started pulling up individual properties and when I noticed that properties that had been demolished post-storm, none of their values had changed, and so I talked to the county office and they said they probably would not change until the upcoming year because they couldn’t even calculate demolition because they started demolishing in November and December.”
Bishop said that would have an impact on the next budget cycle and not so much this one.
On Aug, 1, during their summermeeting break, Town Commissioners will receive a proposed budget and consider it in September in time for the town’s new fiscal year that starts Oct. 1.
“At the end of this, we’ll have one big beautiful bill . . . of our own,” Mayor Ken Schneier said.
TAX FAX
Here are five things you might not know about Longboat Key budget and property tax matters:
1 With the exception of a downward wobble of less than $55 million (out of a total of more than $6 billion), Longboat Key’s assessed property values have steadily climbed since 2014.
2 Assessed property values have more than doubled in 10 years.
3 Property taxes account for 75% of the town’s general fund revenue.
4 Personnel costs account for 80% of the town’s general fund expenses.
5 At $9.4 million, the fire-rescue department’s annual budget is more than double the next largest, that of the police department.
Source: Town of Longboat Key
KEY MILESTONES STILL TO COME
Friday: Town Commissioners set notto-exceed millage rate for property taxes. That figure can be reduced but not easily raised.
July 1: Final property valuations are due from Manatee and Sarasota counties. Preliminary valuations were delivered in early June and indicated an islandwide increase fueled by new construction but tempered by storm damage.
Mid-July: Town expects to have a firm idea of state funding coming its way.
Aug. 1: A proposed budget is due from town staff. This is a town charter requirement.
Sept. 8: First of two special meetings for the purposes of discussion and initial vote on the proposed budget. By state law, this and the following special budget meeting must take place after 5 p.m. to allow for public access.
Sept. 22: The second of two special meetings to vote on a proposed budget. Also scheduled for 5:01 p.m.
Oct. 1: First day of the 2026 fiscal year for the city (the state of Florida’s fiscal year begins July 1).
Image via Realtor.com
The Residences at The St. Regis Longboat Key is at 1591 Gulf of Mexico Drive.
Town moves cautiously on new hires
Mayor urges the town to focus on “needs, not wants” when considering expansion of staff.
ERIC GARWOOD
Though not written into the town’s budget proposal for the next fiscal year, a pair of new firefighter positions could find their way into Longboat Key’s preliminary spending plan by the end of the week.
A new road-patrol position for the police department likely won’t make the cut this time around, though.
As Town Commissioners close in on their annual summer break, which runs through July and August and into September, town budget pencils typically get sharper and sharper.
This week, during a workshop that focused largely on revenue and expenses that connect with property taxes — the general-fund portion of the budget — Town Commissioners heard from Town Manager Howard Tipton and Finance Director Sue Smith on several hiring possibilities.
One of them wasn’t even a living, breathing employee, but a “robot” to help with purchase-card transactions, something Smith said was a time-consuming process.
On Friday, commissioners will meet for a final time before their summer break to put a finer point on Tipton’s budget recommendations. And they’re expected to potentially give an initial thumbs up or down to not only the potential new first responders but also the rest of the preliminary budget.
Personnel costs amount to about 80% of the town’s expected operating expenses in 2026. That’s about $19.1 million when salaries and benefits are taken into account, about $700,000 above the current budget.
Fire Chief Paul Dezzi has requested the addition of two new firefighter positions for the 2026 spending year. Because rescue operations that involve the department’s boat, or more serious medical calls such
as heart attacks or strokes require more personnel, Tipton said there are times when one of the town’s two fire stations “goes down, and that happens more frequently than you would think,” Tipton said, referring to staffing levels.
“We can talk about that on Friday when we get together to see if there’s maybe a late-year implementation that has less of an impact this fiscal year but would get us started on this path going forward,” Tipton said.
In a March 9 memo to Tipton, Dezzi states adding two firefighters with the goal of upping minimum staffing levels from nine to 11 firefighter/paramedics per shift will cost $252,819 in 2026 and $259,692 in each of 2027 and 2028.
Dezzi writes call volume on Longboat Key has risen 35% in the last 10 years with no increase in staffing. Over the same period, overtime has risen 40%.
He also raised the issue of continued new construction on the island, including the St. Regis residences and hotel spaces.
Tipton said a new police officer, as requested by Deputy Chief Frank Rubino in his role as interim police chief, likely now set aside until Russ Mager assumes his new role, which is planned in August.
Mager is expected to be at Friday’s Town Commission meeting as well.
Tipton said the department recently created a detective position out of a road-patrol position, opening up that slot, but he would leave it up to Mager to decide.
The preliminary budget already included other personnel moves.
Among them:
n A building permit front-counter position, funded by revenue generated by fees paid to the Planning, Zoning and Building department.
n An analyst position for geographic information systems, work that is now contracted out. “We are not where we could be with GIS capabilities,” Tipton said, adding such an in-house conversion would mean the difference between about 40% of a staffer’s attention to 100%. Other work could be accomplished
within the boundaries of the additional 60%, he said. All expenses considered, the town would likely face a $35,000 difference as compared to the contracted cost.
n Retirement of Senior Office Manager Lynn Curreli in 2026 and Human Resources Manager Lisa Silvertooth in 2028 are being planned for now. Tipton listed a panoply of responsibilities under Silvertooth’s umbrella, “it’s really a tent, not an umbrella,” he said. Tipton’s plan would be to create a 20-hour position preceding Silvertooth’s retirement and hire a full-time HR staffer to train under Silvertooth for possibly 18 months to get the feel for the range of responsibilities. “If Lisa won the lottery and left tomorrow, there would be a big hole,” Tipton said.
Smith said she was considering an artificial intelligence “robot” that could not only save the town about $36,000 annually in a return on investment but also allow other staffers to pursue work beyond the laborious accounting of town creditcard use.
“I’m not saying that we would be laying somebody off, but we’d be able to do some things that aren’t
being done,” she said. “Because we have a lot of things to do, and some stuff just doesn’t get done.”
One of the uncertainties facing budget considerations date back to 2024’s hurricanes. Town Commissioner BJ Bishop said properties that were extensively damaged but not demolished until 2025 still show up on tax assessments as useful structures.
Though property values were up islandwide for 2024, appeals to county property appraisers could have an effect as could the tally of damaged or demolished properties for the 2027 budget.
Likewise, St. Regis resort property is showing up on tax rolls for the first year, and Smith said the property’s corporate ownership might dispute initial tax assessments as part of the appeal process.
“The notion for us should be to focus on needs rather than wants but especially in a time like this where we’ve had some financial issues and may be facing some more that we have to be even more careful about adding to personnel, because these are recurring expenses,” Mayor Ken Schneier said.
Eric Garwood
Both police and firefighter positions were requested to be included in Longboat Key’s 2026 budget.
New top cop
MICHAEL HARRIS MANAGING EDITOR
Well, that retirement didn’t last long.
Russ Mager and his wife, Beth, were all set to enjoy the early retirement with plans for settling in the Sarasota area.
Then Longboat Key called, and well, Russ is back in blue.
“Timing is everything,” Mager
On June 19, Longboat Key announced Mager will be the new chief of police starting in August. Mager “retired” at the beginning of June as chief of the Delray Beach police department, where he served for 29 years, starting on the road as an officer in 1996.
“The town is very excited to have selected Mr. Russ Mager as our next chief of police,” Longboat Key Assistant Town Manager Isaac Brownman said. “He will be bringing a lot of experience to the town from his leadership roles within the city of Delray Beach. The town received a lot of interested and well-qualified applicants for this position, and it was not an easy decision.”
The Magers were planning on moving to the area, since Beth’s family is from Sarasota. They were coming here anyway, so why not put in for Longboat Key position he thought?
“It was mutually exclusive,” he said. “My wife was ready to move, and I was coming to end of my contract, so why not? And if I got it ‘great,’ and if I didn’t well, that was
Beth had just retired from law enforcement herself, where she served as a sergeant with the Coral Gables police department.
Now, for those unfamiliar with the distance the two worked from each other, it’s 56 miles. And in South Florida traffic, that can be as much as two hours away.
labor relations, budget management, and community policing.
As Delray Beach’s police chief, a position beginning in 2022, Mager led an increase in sworn personnel from 166 to 174, expanded a unit for citywide crime, expanded the motor unit to handle traffic issues and added a second Marine Patrol boat.
Prior to becoming Delray’s chief, Mager served as Assistant Chief of Police of Field Operations from 2020 to 2022. He began as a road patrol officer in 1996 and has served as a SWAT team member, detective, sergeant and lieutenant.
The town commission will introduce Mager at the June 27 meeting, and he will formally begin on Aug. 4.
“I want to be effective in the community,” Mager said. “And I want to teach and mentor young officers.”
Mager will hold a $160,000 salary with a six-month probation period before being eligible for a 3% increase.
Mager will take over after interim Chief Frank Rubino has served since the beginning of 2025 while the town conducted the search.
Mager said they lived in Broward County and each of them drove an hour in opposite directions.
That may be an indication of why he’s coming to Longboat.
“Longboat is that little slice of paradise,” he said. “But I really wasn’t ready to give up. I have plenty left in the tank.”
Mager has extensive experience in areas including strategic planning,
“The town as a whole, and me personally, also want to acknowledge and give our utmost gratitude to Mr. Frank Rubino, our interim chief of police, for doing an excellent job in guiding the police department during this time of transition and moving the department forward.” Brownman said. “His contributions to the department and the town continue to be greatly appreciated.”
Rubino filled in for George Turner, who left the department on Jan. 11. Turner had been the chief of police on his second stint with the town beginning in 2021.
Former Delray Beach Police Chief Russ Mager is named the Longboat Key Chief of Police.
Images courtesy of the City of Delray Beach
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Russ
The show will go on
Marina Jack, operated by Suntex Marinas, and Marie Selby Botanical Gardens step up as this year’s sponsors of the city of Sarasota’s Fourth of July fireworks display.
Here is the news: There will be fireworks on the Fourth of July. There will be fireworks on the lake on Thursday, July 3, at Nathan Benderson Park. There will be fireworks on Friday, July 4, on Siesta Key public beach. And there will be fireworks on Friday, July 4, in downtown Sarasota. No fireworks on Longboat Key (Maybe the St. Regis will step up next year?). However, there will be a great parade at 9 a.m. Friday, July 4, at Bicentennial Park (see box).
Let’s just say: Whew. As of a few months ago, the Sarasota fireworks were not a sure thing.
At a special City Commission meeting May 12, Deputy City Manager Pat Robinson (full disclosure — my husband) reported to commissioners that as of that date, the city did not have a permit application for the Fourth of July fireworks. Mayor Liz Alpert expressed concern: “I just don’t know how we can as a city not have fireworks.” Robinson reminded the commission that the downtown Sarasota Fourth of July fireworks display launched from Bayfront Park is not a City-run event, and a private entity previously operated it.
For the past 15 years, Suncoast Charities for Children in partnership with Marina Jack (Suntex Marinas) has organized the Fourth of July fireworks.
Last year, I wrote a similar column when Suncoast Charities for Children turned to the community for support. Rising costs and the dissolving of the Sarasota Grand Prix P1 powerboat races during the July 4 festivities put the fireworks show in jeopardy.
While the agency managed to pull off the 2024 fireworks display, Suncoast Charities for Children’s board of directors ultimately voted in February 2025 to abandon the fireworks business.
Hearing this, Greg Corvelle, regional director of food and beverage for Suntex Marinas in Florida, started working on finding a new non-profit partner for the Independence Day show, an event that draws around 15,000 spectators each year.
Suntex Marinas, which operates Marina Jack, is fronting the $35,000 cost of the firework show at this year’s event, because of its importance to the community, says Corvelle.
“There’s a perception that the city pays for fireworks,” Covelle says. But while Marina Jack is a city-leased property, the city does not contribute funding for any events.
Even though the city does not provide direct financial assistance, it does provide in-kind services from the Sarasota Police Department, Special Events Department and Public Works. In 2023, the city’s in-kind personnel costs for the fireworks display came in at $41,047. The city also waives any special event fees for the Fourth of July fireworks.
To solicit additional financial support to cover other fixed costs such as barricades, port-o-lets, etc., Corvelle needed a 501(c)3 to accept contributions from vendors. So he reached out to Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.
Selby is Marina Jack’s neighbor to the south, had previously sponsored the Fourth of July fireworks display and hosts its own Fourth of July “All-American Cookout” on its campus. Which is a great place, by the way, to enjoy food and family-friendly games and view the fireworks over Sarasota Bay.
Thankfully, a week after the special City Commission meeting on May 21, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens agreed to serve as a co-sponsor with Suntex Marinas. Corvelle says any funds left over will go to Selby.
“The Fourth of July fireworks are such a wonderful Sarasota tradition and a Selby tradition. We’ve had a viewing event for many years,” says Jennifer Rominiecki, president and CEO of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. “We’re thrilled to co-sponsor with Marina Jacks to continue this really beloved tradition for our city.”
Meantime, while Sarasota was scrambling, the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce was working on a grassroots fundraising effort for the chamber’s annual Fourth of July fireworks display. Chamber
CEO Sarah Firstenberger says, at a minimum, it costs $50,000 for the experience. “The more we raise, the bigger the show is every year,” she says.
The Siesta Key fireworks, which is 100% community-funded, will be a 20-minute show at dusk produced by Zambelli Fireworks, or the “men with the powder,” as Firstenberger calls them.
To fund this production, the Siesta Key Chamber fundraises year round; it will begin fundraising for 2026 immediately following this year’s event. Firstenberger
says there are opportunities to get involved up to the day of July 4. You can donate on its website: My.siestakeychamber.com/store/ fireworks-contribution.
Many of the chamber’s partner businesses are involved as sponsors, but Firstenberger is most pleased with how the entire Siesta Key community came together to fundraise this year. She highlighted how Morton’s Siesta Market and Crescent Market orchestrated “roundups,” asking customers to round up their grocery charges to go to the 2025 fireworks display.
Todd Morton, owner of Morton’s Market and Morton’s Siesta Market, said the roundup campaign that ran from March to May raised more than $4,000.
“Running the campaign during tourist season spread out the cost of the fireworks with them too,” said Morton. “Most of the money for the fireworks is coming from business owners, very few off of the island. The money with tourists helps ease the pain, which is nice.”
Morton said he plans to repeat the campaign next year starting in February.
Firstenberger says what’s really special about the Siesta Key Community Fireworks is the fact it is on the beach and about the community. “It’s an amazing feeling to have your toes in the sand while you watch the fireworks over the Gulf,” she says. “It’s truly unique to Sarasota and our community.”
Not only is the Siesta Key Chamber raising funds for next year’s fireworks show, it also has started fundraising for the nation’s 250th anniversary next year. Firstenberger says in mid-July or early August the chamber will announce some of the activities it has planned.
Sounds like Sarasota needs to learn a lesson from Siesta Key and get its act together in time for the Semiquincentennial. Where’s Paul Thorpe when you need him?
We have a saying at the Observer that if you want to get something done, you need a champion, someone to lead the initiative. Maybe we should put together a Sarasota version of America250, which is the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission that was established by Congress in 2016, to organize all the events and activities surrounding our 250th anniversary.
How about a committee called America250 SRQ with founding members including the mayor of Sarasota, Corvelle from Suntex, Rominiecki, Firstenberger and Morton?
Let us know if you’re interested. Let’s make sure to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with a Big Bang.
Email us your thoughts at publisher@yourobserver.com
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JULY 4TH EVENTS
FIREWORKS ON THE LAKE: 5 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, July 3, at Nathan Benderson Park. Tickets: $30 to $105. Fireworksonthelake. com
FREEDOM FEST: 9 to 11 a.m. Thursday, July 4, at Bicentennial Park, Longboat Key.
ALL-AMERICAN COOKOUT: 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, July 4, at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. Tickets: Members, $25; Non-Members, $35; Children 5 – 17, $10; Children 4 and under, free. Selby. org.
SIESTA KEY COMMUNITY FIREWORKS: Dusk on Thursday, July 4, at Siesta Key Public Beach.
SARASOTA BAYFRONT FIREWORKS: 9 p.m. Thursday, July 4, at Bayfront Park.
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President
Ian Swaby
EMILY WALSH
Zolatov watches the 2024 Sarasota Bayfront Fireworks.
To veterans: Ignore the noise; be proud
As a retired military officer, I think I speak for all veterans. The No Kings protests across the country that coincided with the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary of its founding was proof that liberals have no respect for our military.
To foul the air Saturday with their chants and posters showed all who have ever worn a U.S. uniform, all who have been sent overseas, all who have endured combat, all who have been wounded and lastly all who have died in these liberals’ service that you are not worthy of all we have endured.
To my brothers in arms in the U.S. Army, this Marine says “Duty, Honor, Country” is who you are. Be proud of your service and don’t let the noise from these protesters take from your Day of Remembrance and Glory of your service.
COL. JOHN SAPUTO, USMC RETIRED, LONGBOAT KEY
A king counter
Mr. Walsh lists multiple attributes of kings, as catalogued by Thomas Jefferson, and asks if any of them sound like Trump. Let’s look at some:
1. “Erecting a multitude of New Offices...to harass our people.” DOGE springs to mind.
2. “Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us.” The Marines in Los Angeles, anyone?
3. “Cutting off our trade with all parts of the world.” I guess imposing taxes on every country in the world doesn’t count.
4. “Imposing taxes on us without our consent.” Pretty much every reputable economist feels that his import taxes will be paid by Americans in the long run.
5 and 6. “Depriving us in many cases of the Benefits of Trial by Jury’; ‘Transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offenses.” Has Mr. Walsh forgotten about El Salvador already?
Go through Mr. Jefferson’s list, and see how many of his items are NOT being pursued by Mr. Trump, then decide if he is acting kingly or
not. As to whether or not he might be promoting fascism in some form, Mr. Walsh quotes that fascism includes an “aggressive nationalism and often racism.” I’ll let the reader decide for themselves whether that fits Mr. Trump’s profile.
JON MATTHEW FARBER
LONGBOAT KEY
Trump a fascist? Let’s say maybe not — ‘yet’
Thank you for your recent treatise providing us with your “Worst Of” for both long past kings and fascists. In so doing, you have narrowly capsulized the tyranny of those systems at what might be best described as their respective zeniths. However, they were not born at the pinnacle of their powers.
Like so many systems of government, they began with small measures that only grew greater and more forceful over time. Their power and reach accumulated across days, then months and finally years.
Not unexpectedly, your stance on the recent “No Kings” protest in Sarasota (bundled together with some exaggerated portrayals of similar protests across the country) completely whiffs on the primary reason why Americans are protesting. You are certainly old enough to recall that Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart once opined that while it was difficult to define what was, or was not, hard-core pornography “I know it when I see it.” America is changing under Trump and, in the opinion of many, not for the better. We understand what we see happening and where it is headed. The actions of this administration (as well as the many monied interests that support it) may not equate to full-blown royal transgression or fascist overreach at their worst — yet. And while Trump may have stated “I don’t feel like a king,” his words are not typically those which one might choose to trust. We should focus less on his words, while more actively concerning ourselves with his intentions.
Then, once again, we might want to add — yet.
GREG WITT SARASOTA
Bidding farewell to City Island exhibits
Visitors turn out to Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium in droves.
DANA KAMPA STAFF WRITER
Anyone who has brought home
a goldfish from the pet store is likely familiar with the basic process of catching, quarantining and acclimating a fish to a new tank. Now, imagine that process scaled up to coordinate everything from alligators to manatees, from minuscule seahorses to titanic tarpon.
Mote Marine is officially getting the moving process underway this week as it shifts public-facing exhibits from City Island to its new Mote Science Education Aquarium at Nathan Benderson Park in East Sarasota County.
As volunteers with Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium described it, visitation at the island-based center experienced a “massive uptick” with waves of people bidding their final farewells to the facility. Mote announced on June 18 that it would officially close to visitors after July 6 while staff focuses on preparing for the upcoming move to the facility near University Town Center.
Mote has yet to announce an official opening day for the new facility.
Visitors shared this moment is bittersweet for longtime supporters. Many appreciate how a bigger, modernized facility will hopefully increase Mote Marine’s reach and capacity to help the marine animals they so love, perhaps even inspiring more future marine biologists and experts.
But Longboat Key residents shared their sorrow to see a significant chapter in the island’s history close.
Mote Marine has provided upclose, awe-inspiring encounters with some of Florida’s most beloved aquatic animals for generations. Its origins date back to 1955, when marine science devotee Dr. Eugenie Clark founded the one-room lab
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Up until the final day on July 6, the aquarium plans to be open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway. Tickets are $29 for adults, $21 for children ages 3 to 12, and free for infants ages 2 and younger. Call 941-383-4441 with inquiries.
7 years, were among the many making their final trips this week.
“Unlike other aquariums where it is all for show, here, you feel it was really designed for the habitat, to give visitors a better appreciation and feel for the local environment and sea life,” David said. “I’m going to miss it.”
TIMELINE FACTORS
in Cape Haze that later earned the moniker “Mote Marine Laboratory” after benefactor William Mote. From the early days, Clark placed a premium on philanthropy and community partnerships.
Marine experts opened the City Island aquarium in the early 1980s. Its capacity grew, taking in manatees, sharks, fish, alligators and a full myriad of other oceanic animals.
In the interest of expanding its reach, Mote moved forward with plans to open a new $132 million facility. This new public-facing center frees up the City Island facility to focus on research and rescue efforts.
Upon hearing news of the impending public closure, visitors packed the aquarium this week, waving to Shelley the Loggerhead Turtle, giggling at the center’s pair of river otters happily splashing about amid the summer rainstorms, and taking a final opportunity to give a gentle, two-fingered touch to the sandpapery skin of juvenile epaulette sharks.
Visitors David and Amanda Trocker, who became full-time Longboat Key residents last year but have been coming to the island for about
The timeline for the new aquarium depends upon two main factors.
Vice President Kevin Cooper explained in a press release that marine experts need to carefully calibrate water chemistry and critical life support, specifically focusing on how microbes in the water interact.
He wrote that staff also need to ensure there are no potentially harmful water-soluble materials left in the exhibits from their construction.
While experts are keeping a close eye on thoroughly leaching out those components, part of the process is simply a waiting game.
The second major step is safely quarantining, transferring and acclimating the animals moving to Mote SEA. Veterinary staff will also be keeping a close eye on how well the inhabitants settle in to their new enclosures.
“Until such time that all animals have fully acclimated to their new habitats, Mote SEA will not open for general admission,” Cooper wrote.
He continued, “Ceasing public operations of Mote Aquarium on City Island immediately after the 4th of July weekend will allow Mote SEA to open as soon as possible.”
Dana Kampa Shelley is a female loggerhead turtle that was born in 1977 in North Carolina. She and fellow turtle Montego came to Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium in 1998, and the pair has become a fan favorite.
Fire up the stove
The
thank
a
lunch sprouted out of the
of the pandemic, when masked members of the Rotary Club of Longboat Key enlisted the help of area chefs to bring a bit of brightness to those on the frontlines. Now, even though responders have made it through those dire days in 2020, chefs have revived the special meal out of a desire to give back.
Chefs José Martinez and Juan Gomez of Maison Blanche busted out the paella pan on June 22, preparing a pasta-centric version of the beloved Spanish dish.
Rotarian Carol Erker said it was the restaurant staff that approached their group about reviving the tradition.
She said the original idea was a win-win for both the restaurants in need of a boost because of suspended in-person dining and first responders could use some moral support from the community while navigating unprecedented challenges.
Several restaurants participated, and Maison Blanche was among those that contributed a meal at no charge.
When asked why he wanted to bring back the tradition last year and again this year, Martinez explained, “We just wanted to bring some joy to the fire station.”
Rotary and the restaurant have a longstanding relationship, dating back to the group’s formation. When members held their inaugural charter dinner in 2014, it was at Maison Blanche.
The highly lauded chef brought his experience as a Michelin-star culinary expert in Paris to Longboat Key in 2002.
— DANA KAMPA
Photos by Dana Kampa
Chef José Martinez of Maison Blanche hops in the cab of a fire engine after he and Juan Gomez join the Rotary Club of Longboat Key in preparing a special thank-you lunch to members of Fire Station 2 with Longboat Key Fire Rescue.
The chefs at Maison Blanche prepared a pastabased version of paella for members of Fire Station 2 with Longboat Key Fire Rescue.
MONDAY, JUNE 2
PRIME SUSPECT
HAD STORMY
EYES
Noon, 3300 block of Sabal Cove Place
Citizen assist: The owner of property theorized that someone might have torn down an American flag, pole and bracket from the front of his home while he was away. An officer who came to investigate inspected the damage and said more likely the bracket fell because of wind, short screws and inadequate wall anchors.
FLOATING A THEORY
700 block of Broadway Street
SATURDAY, JUNE 14
FOUR-WHEEL DAMAGE
10:21 a.m., 6400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Citizen assist: A representative of a local organization called police to report damage to its parking lot and supply information on the vehicle that might have caused it. After some investigating, the officer learned that a person who parked in a muddy section of the lot and became stuck. The vehicle wouldn’t shift into reverse or four-wheel drive. In the process of extricating the large pickup truck, it drove over a curb causing superficial damage. The vehicle owner agreed to be responsible for repairs.
OVERBOARD
5:20 p.m., near Jewfish Key
Citizen assist: While on marine patrol, an officer was flagged down by a boater who passed along that a nearby yacht had lost its dinghy. The town officer spoke to the operators of that vessel, who said they had been trying to pull aboard passengers who fell overboard, but the dinghy wasn’t working. The overboard passengers had been rescued by another boater and were brought to the original boat by the marine patrol officer.
SUNDAY, JUNE 15
AID RENDERED
12:20 p.m., Longboat Pass
Marine rescue: The rider of a stricken personal watercraft was taken under tow by a police marine patrol boat when the craft began sinking in Longboat Pass. The officer towed the watercraft to shallow water to avoid it sinking into the deep channel. While maneuvering in shallow water, the police boat’s propeller inadvertently cut another boat’s anchor rope. That boater recovered the anchor and reset it. A commercial service salvaged the sinking personal watercraft and took its owner to land.
TOO CLOSE, TOO FAST
12:33 p.m., 3400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Reckless boat: An officer responding to a report of a reckless boater spoke to the operator of a person-
Lost/found property: An officer answered a call about missing water gear and heard an unverified theory on what might have happened to some of it. The person who called police said she was initially missing a kayak and oar, along with other gear. The kayak had been found nearby, but a paddleboard and more paddles were still gone.
Though she said she couldn’t be sure if the items still missing had been stolen, floated off with the tide or were purposely shoved into the water, she said she thought people were upset with her liveaboard arrangement and were trying to make that point clear. The woman was unable to provide serial numbers for the missing items but wished to document the losses nevertheless.
al watercraft that had been seen operating at high speed close to the beach. The officer explained to the man, who said he did not know the rules, that no-wake speeds are required within 300 yards of the beach.
PRIVATE PARKING
8 p.m., 6500 block of Gulfside Drive
Illegal parking:
A resident called the police to report the latest round of beachgoers parking on private property. The officer who came out said the issue wasn’t a police matter because the property wasn’t public, but that the cars could be towed if the property owned made arrangements. The officer also walked to the beach and alerted a group about his previous conversations about towing, and they agreed to move their vehicle immediately.
MONDAY, JUNE 16
COOL FIND
10:58 a.m., 4200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Found property: An Igloo-brand cooler an officer found on the road contained a wallet with ID, credit cards and more than $200 in cash. The officer was able to connect with the owner, and they soon met.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18
UPLIFTING OUTCOME
3:07 p.m., 700 block of Lyons Lane Citizen assist: A boat that was found adrift in a residential canal was returned home. Police found the 24-foot vessel against a seawall. Using a boat lift remote control an officer found aboard, he activated a nearby lift and knew where to go. The boat was secured and a business card was left for the property owner to alert them about the incident.
THURSDAY, JUNE 19
YOU PICKED A FINE TIME TO LEAVE ME, LOOSE WHEEL(S)
9:29 a.m., 6600 Gulf of Mexico Drive
Disabled vehicle: Officers spoke with the owner of a vehicle broken down partially in the roadway. The owner said both front tires had fallen off at the same time. Officers stuck around until a tow truck arrived.
LOCKED AND (A LITTLE) RUSTED
12:13 p.m., 300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive Citizen assist: A condominium community called police to report a bicycle locked to a tree for an undetermined period. Police reported the bike looked largely OK but with a little damage and a little rust, particularly on the handlebar basket. Concerned that it might be a worker’s means of transportation, and that it was on private property, the police said they would keep an eye on it. Condo management said that ongoing tree work might necessitate the removal of the lock, chain and bike.
WORSHIP directory
Pole vaulted
CARLIN GILLEN OBSERVER INTERN
Asense of relief and excitement washed over the town commission and residents of Longboat Key as they clapped and cheered for the removal of the last utility pole.
“Today really is about looking at the future and saying, we are going down the right path. That brilliancy is our future and today is a celebration of a huge part of that,” said Town Manager, Howard Tipton.
The morning of June 23, Longboat Key town commission held their undergrounding project celebration at the Longboat Key Fire Rescue Station 91, saying a farewell to one of the last utility poles. The last few are to be taken down in the coming weeks.
Those in attendance applauded as they saw a final end to the slanted and troublesome poles, but cheered on as they saw a new beginning for the town.
The celebration started with opening remarks from Tipton and Isaac Brownman, assistant town manager. Tipton presented him with an award of “Exceptional Leadership in the FPL Underground Project” for his incredible efforts on an increasingly complex project. Brownman gratefully
accepted and acknowledged all the various efforts made throughout the 10-year project.
Mayor Ken Schneier followed with a speech going into detail on the accomplishment with overwhelming challenges, including the 1,134 poles that were removed, the 743,000 feet of wiring, 263 streetlights and 46 street signs. Schneier also announced the town finished the project at least $6 million under budget within reference to its $49.1 million in bonds for the project.
The Area Manager for Florida Power and Light, Devaney Iglesias shared her gratitude. According to Iglesias more than 70% of outages are because of vegetation and debris flying into the lines during storms.
She also mentions response times are quicker for outages and storm resilience.
Photos by Carlin Gillen
The removal of one of the last poles on Longboat Key by Irby Construction.
Town Manager, Howard Tipton giving his opening remarks for the undergrounding project celebration.
Joint Pain? Let’s That
At Sarasota Memorial, you’ll find orthopedic excellence at the honors level and in a class of its own. From hip to spine and knee to shoulder, our surgeons and specialists aren’t just experts — they’re professors of precision with a curriculum of cutting-edge care.
Employing the latest tools and techniques, including minimally invasive technologies like robotic-assisted surgery and endoscopic spinal repair, this award-winning team pioneers the latest solutions that erase chronic joint pain and provide our patients with relief that lasts.
From total joint repair and replacement to non-surgical remedies and personalized rehabilitation plans, supplemented by pre-habilitation classes before treatment and home health care services after, this is advanced orthopedic care catered to each individual and dedicated to restoring movement, relieving pain, and empowering every patient. Because
“I
use mirrors to reflect what’s now. I’m playing with time.”
—
TRA NS LU CE NT TAPESTRIES
Lillian Blades’ first solo museum show sparkles and shines at Sarasota Art Museum.
IF YOU GO
‘LILLIAN BLADES: THROUGH THE VEIL’
When: Through Oct. 26
Where: the Sarasota Art Museum campus of Ringling College, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail
Tickets: Free for museum members; $20
Info: Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org.
MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
The word “installation” does workhorse duty in the art world, but it doesn’t do justice to the shimmering curtains in “Through the Veil,” the first solo exhibition of Lillian Blades, currently running at the Sarasota Art Museum campus of Ringling College.
Some people use the word “collage” to describe the Bahamian native’s dazzling creations. Others prefer “assemblage.”
Blades, who holds an MFA from Georgia State University, is partial to “quilts” when talking about her mixed-media pieces, which are wired together and hung from PVC piping, an homage to her plumber father.
In a telephone interview from her Atlanta studio, Blades cites the iconic Gee’s Bend quilts, memorialized on a set of U.S. postage stamps in 2006, as one of her influences. As fate would have it, some of the Gee’s Bend quilts, which have been assembled for more than a century by Black artisans in Alabama, are also on display right now at SAM, a contemporary art museum housed in the former Sarasota Art Museum. They are part of an exhibition called “Personal to Political: Celebrating the African American Artists of Paulson Fontaine Press.”
Blades’ mesmerizing pieces are on SAM’s third floor, while the Gee’s Bend quilts are on the second floor, a happy coincidence for museum patrons.
Like the Gee’s Bend quilts, Blades’ patchwork creations are assembled in a collective fashion, often incorporate found materials and frequently have asymmetrical patterns, a style called “improvisational” in the quilting world.
But the Gee’s Bend quilts are just one of the many threads running through Blades’ pieces. Others are the African diaspora, a Bahamian festival called Junkanoo and the yearning for her mother, a seamstress who died giving birth to the artist. Blades was raised by her aunt, who treated her as a daughter.
“I tend to gravitate to smaller objects that I find that have a connection to the Caribbean, Africa or the South,” Blades explains.
Asked to enumerate some of the things that have found their way into her giant quilt-like tapestries, Blades slowly rattles off “toys, small musical instruments, picture frames, knickknacks, sculptural figurines, jewelry, household utensils, small textiles.” There’s even a clock without hands.
She finds these objects, which represent the past and memories, including those denied or forgotten,
Image courtesy of Cydney Maria Rhines
A detail from Lillian Blades’ installation, “Perennial,” part of her solo show, “Through the Veil.”
Images courtesy of Ryan Gamma
Lillian Blades’ “What is Your Reflection?” is on display at the Sarasota Art Museum through Oct. 26.
Image courtesy of Toni Smailagic
Lillian Blades in her Atlanta studio.
Lillian Blades’ installation “Sanctuary”
Lillian Blades
in thrift stores and at garage sales. To symbolize the present, Blades often incorporates small mirrors into her assemblages. Of course, you can’t drill a hole (to run the wire through) in a mirror without breaking it, so Blades glues them onto other materials, such as acrylic and wood.
“I use mirrors to reflect what’s now. I’m playing with time,” she says.
Like many children, Blades was introduced to art through coloring books and a box of 64 Crayola crayons. But even as a kid, the future artist liked to work collectively. “I’d be coloring one page, and I’d ask somebody to color the one facing it,” she says.
Blades became a more skilled artist after she was given an oil painting kit in eighth grade. “I was either going to be a child psychologist or an artist. I wanted to create, but there weren’t many female artists in the Bahamas,” she recalls.
She originally studied painting at Savannah School of Art and Design, but then stepped beyond the twodimensional world in the 1990s, when she attached a pair of worn African sandals to the surface of one of her paintings.
Over time, Blades’ paintings started getting smaller and smaller, and she started joining them together like a quilt. “By joining one piece to another, I was trying to piece fragments of things that had been severed,” she says.
With her use of bright colors, Blades is sometimes compared to Jackson Pollack, the Abstract Expressionist who splattered and poured paint onto his canvases. But her work also recalls “combines,” or 3-D assemblages made popular by Robert Rauschenberg, whose centenary is currently being celebrated at The Ringling and other museums.
FROM CRAYONS TO CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL COSTUMES
Being a member of groups that created the colorful, elaborate costumes for Junkanoo was a dress rehearsal of sorts for Blades’ future artistic endeavors.
The raucous Bahamian carnival takes place on Boxing Day (the day after Christmas), New Year’s Day and July 10, the country’s Independence Day. The groups that prepare for Junkanoo are similar to the krew-
es that produce the many parades that take place in New Orleans in the days leading up to Mardi Gras.
The krewes’ Bahamian cousins gather in shacks where they assemble intricate colorful costumes in a spirited competition. Blades loved the experience so much, that today, she belongs to a Junkanoo group in Atlanta, where she lives.
It’s a cliche to say something has to be seen to be believed or that the pictures don’t do justice to a particular scene, but sometimes these axioms hold true.
That’s certainly the case with “Through the Veil,” which occupies two galleries, one filled with pieces in dark and neutral tones, and the other occupied by brightly hued creations, including one that incorporates all the colors of the rainbow.
It’s appropriate that a visitor stepping out of the elevator into “Through the Veil” is greeted by a piece called “Gumbo,” because mixing flavors and different cultural traditions certainly defines the ethos of Blades’ work.
After contemplating “Gumbo,” one steps farther into the John & Charlotte Suhler Gallery, where a standout piece is “Obsidian,” an allblack structure made of wood, fabric and acrylic that has a variety of textures.
“I see it as a protective veil, like a shield,” Blades says of the piece, whose title comes from the natural glass stone formed by the cooling of volcanic lava.
Informed that Obsidian also is the name of a controversial, highrise tower that has been proposed in downtown Sarasota, Blades comments, “Mmm. That’s interesting.”
Let’s face it, “Obsidian” isn’t a name you hear every day. Like sharing a museum with the Gee’s Bend quilts, this kind of synchronicity is not unfamiliar terrain for Blades.
Moving into the larger, brighter Tom & Sherry Koski Gallery, one finds the centerpiece of “Through the Veil” — “Sanctuary,” a circular piece dominated by Barbie Pink (Yes, that’s a real color: Pantone 219c.) and other orchid-inspired hues.
The roof of the piece’s inner core was part of a 2024 exhibition at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. It has been expanded and now is surrounded by curtain-like assemblages.
Blades uses so many salvaged materials in her art; why not repurpose an installation? Why not, indeed?
The end result is majestic, as skylights in the gallery alter the appearance of “Perennial” throughout the day. In fact, the exhibition could have easily been called “Just Add Light,” because that’s the missing ingredient.
During a tour of the exhibition, SAM curator Lacie Barbour indulged a visitor, joining them on a bench to contemplate “Sanctuary” as a cloud passed by.
“Depending on the time of year, the pieces look very different because of the angle of the sun,” says Barbour, whose official title is associate curator of exhibitions.
My visit came as the summer solstice was approaching, but I’ll be back again before the exhibition closes on Oct. 26 to see what it looks like around the autumn equinox.
Even the less colorful works in the Suhler Gallery have targeted lighting that amps up the scintillation factor.
Blades says she doesn’t have a favorite piece among the 13 works on display at SAM, but I confess that I do. It’s “Perennial,” a rainbow-hued collage that also made its debut at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens as part of its 2024 “Orchid Daze” exhibition.
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Like some of the Gee’s Bend quilts, “Perennial” moves from a grid-like layout to a displaying its components on the bias (diagonally).
With its mounted components, including a clock with no hands and 200 empty wooden picture frames, “Perennial” is more grounded and less ethereal than most of the other assemblages. But its metallic frames surrounded by riotous rainbow stripes may invoke “Finian’s Rainbow,” “The Wizard of Oz” or Pride Week, depending on your point of reference.
The floral motifs in “Perennial” honor life’s progression through the seasons and the hope of renewal. They also pay tribute to the florists in the artist’s family, including her mother, aunt and grandmother, known as Grammy. It is fitting that “Perennial” was first displayed in a botanical garden.
Blades says the empty frames refer to missing memories, the ones she never got to experience with her mother.
But those blank spaces also allow the viewer to mentally insert their own portraits of family and friends and frame those Instagram-worthy photos of vacations, birthdays and other milestones. It leaves room to imagine the selfie yet to be taken, the memory yet to be made.
Yoshida Hiroshi (Japanese, 1876–1950), Lugano (detail), from the series Europe, 1925. Woodblock print; ink and color on paper, 9 13/16 × 14 9/16 in. Gift of Charles and Robyn Citrin, 2016, SN11557.122
Lillian Blades’ installation, “Gumbo,” greets visitors arriving for her solo show at Sarasota Art Museum.
DON’T MISS
‘JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR’
This is it — the one we’ve been waiting all season for! Broadway Director Josh Rhodes (“Spamalot”) returns to Sarasota to direct and choreograph Asolo Rep’s production of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” the granddaddy of rock musicals. The show is biblical in more ways than one. Look for Sarasota’s own Ann Morrison, Mary in the original Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Merrily We Roll Along,” as King Herod. Runs through June 28.
IF YOU GO
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 26
Where: FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail
Tickets: $35-$95 Info: Visit AsoloRep.org.
THURSDAY
SUMMER CIRCUS SPECTACULAR
11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at The Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Road
$20 adult; $13 child Visit CircusArts.org.
Pack up the car with Grandpa and the kids and head for the Circus Arts Conservatory’s annual Summer Circus Spectacular at The Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theater. This thrilling, 60-minute circus of fresh new acts is perfect for people of all ages with short attention spans. There’s room for walkers, strollers, wheelchairs, you name it — but please arrive early so ushers can store them. Make it a circus day by adding a ticket to The Ringling’s famed Circus Museum for just $5 on the day of the show. Runs through Aug. 9.
Born in Australia and now based in L.A., Monty Franklin toured the U.S. with Rob Schneider on his standup comedy tours and appeared in Schneider’s Netflix show “Real Bob.” His other credits include Fox’s “New Girl,” Foxtel’s “Stand Up Australia” and Hulu’s “Hollywood Darlings.” Runs through June 29.
THIS WEEK
‘FROM 145TH TO 98TH STREET’
7:30 p.m. at Urbanite Theatre, 1487 Second St.
$30-$44
Visit UrbaniteTheatre.com.
Urbanite Theatre wraps its season with Nia Akilah Robinson’s world premiere, “From 145th to 98th Street,” which follows a Black family’s move to a “better” neighborhood in search of a better life for their children. The American Dream proves elusive when the family’s son is wrongfully accused of a crime committed by someone with the same name. But the power of family prevails in this realistic tale of New York City life sure to resonate with all audiences. Runs through June 29.
‘HOW SWEET IT IS’
7:30 p.m. at FST’s Goldstein Cabaret, 1239 N. Palm Ave.
$18-$42
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
As the mercury rises, locals know how to escape the heat — at Florida Studio Theatre’s Summer Cabaret.
“How Sweet It Is,” a Motown tribute led by dynamic vocalist and songwriter Luke McMaster, demonstrates the enduring appeal of hits like “Tracks of My Tears,” “You Can’t Hurry Love” and others. Runs through Aug. 3.
‘TOO DARN HOT: SONGS FOR A SUMMER NIGHT’
7:30 p.m. at FST’s Court Cabaret, 1265 First St. $39 and up
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
Songstress Carole J. Bufford easily skips eras and genres. Whether she’s singing songs by Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra or Patsy Cline, she exudes a retro vibe. What’s more, her cool costumes in “Too Darn Hot” evoke everything from flappers of the 1920s to the neo-swing era of the 1990s. Runs through Sept. 14.
‘DAMES AT SEA’
8 p.m. at FST’s Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St. $42 and up Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
Fresh from his success with Florida Studio Theatre’s “Jersey Boys,” Ben Liebert directs and choreographs “Dames at Sea.” A parody of 1930s musicals, “Dames at Sea” first debuted Off-Off Broadway in 1966. With the help of sailor/songwriter Dick, Utah chorus girl Ruby lands a role in a musical that’s trying to find its footing. FST’s Ruby is Emily Ann Brooks, making her FST debut. Runs through July 6.
FRIDAY
PATTI SMITH: ‘A BOOK OF DAYS’
10 a.m. at Selby Gardens Historic Spanish Point, 401 N. Tamiami Trail, Osprey Included with $20 admission Visit Selby.org.
Selby Gardens collaborates with poet and musician Patti Smith, its artist-in-residence, on an outdoor exhibition of large prints taken from her newly published bestseller “A Book of Days.” By displaying her photographs outdoors, Selby brings them into conversation with nature. Runs through Aug. 31.
KRISTINA KOLLER
8 p.m. at Fogartyville, 525 Kumquat Court
$13-$22
Visit WSLR.org.
For her latest album, “Walk on By,” New York-based singer/songwriter Kristina Koller incorporates elements of R&B and funk into her contemporary jazz arrangements of Burt Bacharach’s timeless songs, some made famous by Dionne Warwick.
SATURDAY
‘GEORGE HARRISON: A GARDENER’S LIFE’
10 a.m. at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens,1534 Mound St. $28 Visit Selby.org.
It’s last call for “George Harrison: A Gardener’s Life,” the ninth installment of the annual Jean and Alfred Goldstein Exhibition Series. Walking around the 15-
acre sanctuary, where gardens and botanical displays have been erected to mirror those in Harrison’s estate, Friar Park, you can’t help feeling the late Beatle would approve of this living tribute. Runs through June 29.
MONDAY
‘CONJURING THE SPIRIT WORLD: ART, MAGIC AND MEDIUMS’
10 a.m. at the John and Mable Ringling Art Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Road Free with $25 admission; Mondays free Visit Ringling.org.
Go on the trail of things that go bump in the night with this fascinating interactive exhibition, which follows the growth of Spiritualism in the mid-19th century, from its roots in dining room seances to traveling shows featuring magicians and mediums. Along the way, you’ll see an assortment of memorabilia and tools used both to contact spirits and trick audiences. Runs through July 13.
TUESDAY
‘LILLIAN BLADES: THROUGH THE VEIL’
10 a.m. at the Sarasota Art Museum campus of Ringling College, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail Free for museum members; $20 Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org.
Award-winning artist Lillian Blades invites visitors to get lost in her first solo museum exhibition. Her installations of “veils” combine handcrafted and found objects to create a mesmerizing display. Blades attributes her use of dazzling color to her childhood in The Bahamas and her process of creating large-scale assemblages from a hodgepodge of materials to her late mother, an accomplished seamstress. Runs through Oct. 26.
OUR PICK
‘KEY CHANGE: A RETURN TO THE BEACH’ Daniel and Patrick Lazour, finalists for the 2024 Hermitage Greenfield Prize, and returning Hermitage Fellow Michael Sonnenblick are headliners of the first beach concert at the Hermitage Artist Retreat since the Englewood arts incubator was struck by back-to-back hurricanes in 2024. The Lazour Brothers received several nominations for their recent New York production of “We Live in Cairo,” while Sonnenblick recently collaborated with Elton John on the West End production of “The Devil Wears Prada.”
IF YOU GO When: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 26 Where: Hermitage Beach, 6660 Manasota Key Road, Englewood
Tickets: $5 with registration Info: Visit HermitageArtistRetreat.org.
Image courtesy of Adrian Van Stee
Heath Saunders plays Judas in Asolo Repertory Theatre’s production of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” which closes June 28.
Courtesy image Daniel and Patrick Lazour
EATING WITH EMMA
Find your own Kokomo
Get ready to go coconuts for National Coconut Day at these Sarasota-area eateries.
EMMA BURKE JOLLY
CONTRIBUTOR
My mom once frequented the Colony Beach & Tennis Resort on Longboat Key, a place so legendary it practically shimmered in the Florida sun. One particular evening, she and her gal pals were busy minding their own business and sipping champagne. Suddenly, Mom felt someone behind her. Simultaneously holding her glass and clutching her purse, she inched closer to the Monkey Bar in an effort to avoid the stranger. The bartender calmly leaned in and whispered, “Do you know who that is? He’s not trying to steal your bag.”
It was Brian Wilson. Not a pickpocket. Just a Beach Boy looking for a seat and perhaps a conversation with a woman who I imagine was one of the most beautiful at the bar. Wilson had left the Beach Boys by the time “Kokomo” climbed the charts in 1988, fueled by the movie “Cocktail” starring Tom Cruise. Kokomo is actually a town in Indiana, but according to the hit song, it’s a place “off the Florida Keys” filled with “cocktails and moonlit nights.”
In honor of National Coconut Day (June 26), we’re raising a toast to the late, great Beach Boy, who died June 11, and the endless summer that lives forever in my mom’s heart.
DUCK DONUTS
1580 Lakefront Drive, Unit 102, Sarasota; 941-357-4400; DuckDonuts.com
Coco-nuts for: The Sand Dollar ($2.75) donut made with vanilla icing, topped with toasted coconut
and powdered sugar. If you’re one of my three loyal readers, you know I just wrote about donuts. While it’s tough for me to admit, I missed this delicious donut spot. So dig in! Beach, please: Get your taste buds happy with the Lemon Coconut ($2.75) donut with lemon icing and toasted coconut or the Coconut Island Bliss ($2.75) with chocolate icing, peanuts and more layers of tasty toasted coconut.
TOMMY BAHAMA MARLIN BAR
6562 University Parkway, Suite 110 Pad D, Sarasota; 941-337-0568; TommyBahama.com
Coco-nuts for: The coconut cloud cocktail. Made with 1.5 ounces vanilla-flavored vodka, 1.5 ounces coconut-flavored rum, 1 ounce white rum, half-ounce Coco López and rimmed with toasted coconut flakes for garnish, this cocktail will have you reeling in some good vibrations or feeling like you’re surfin’ USA right there in Lakewood
Ranch. Good news? Happy hour at the bar is 3-6 p.m. daily. Beach, please: Not feeling the cocktail scene this summer? We (not necessarily me) but some other local foodies would totally understand. Bite into the world famous coconut shrimp with papaya-mango chutney ($14) for a tangy, crunchy and coco-nutty taste of the tropics.
SIESTA KEY RUM 2212 Industrial Blvd., Sarasota; 941-702-8143; SiestaKeyRum.com
Coco-nuts for: A local distillery. Pick up the Siesta Key toasted coconut rum 750 ml ($26.99) bottle to make a cocktail as fun as summer should be. Mix 9 ounces Siesta Key toasted coconut rum, 12 oz. cream of coconut, 12 ounces water, 9 ounces whipped cream vodka, 9 ounces key lime juice and 3 ounces hazelnut liqueur and — boom, you’re in a place called Kokomo. Beach, please: Want to take your cocktail up a notch? Add dollops of whipped cream and graham cracker crumbs and all the tart key lime slices you can get your hands on.
DUVAL’S FRESH. LOCAL. SEAFOOD 435 Main St., Sarasota; 941-3124001; DuvalsFreshLocalSeafood.com
Coco-nuts for: Coconut curry mussels ($17 and up) with scallions, sesame seeds and toasted coconut red curry. This downtown hot spot serves up a crave-worthy dish that
brings on the heat and island vibes with the perfect sprinkle of toasted coconut.
Beach, please: If you’ve gotten this far in the article as a noncoconut fan, here’s your moment. Duval’s has extended its Savor Sarasota prix fixe lunch ($25) and dinner ($45) specials through June 30.
Coco-nuts for: The Island Matcha ($7). This energizing, tropical sip is made with crisp coconut water and ceremonial grade matcha, crowned with a light, dreamy coconut cloud. It’s a refreshing, vegan-friendly escape in every glass. Beach, please: Fuel your day with an ocean bowl ($15) blending banana, pineapple, coconut water and spirulina into a nutrientpacked base. It’s finished with crunchy gluten-free granola, fresh fruits, almond butter and a sprinkle of coconut flakes.
Courtesy images
Passion Roots açaí bowls bring a refreshing burst of paradise to your day.
YOUR NEIGHBORS
Freedom Fest leader returns
After a busy year of pushing forward community development projects, including at the park where the Fourth of July fest takes place, Susan Phillips is leading the celebration as the marshal.
DANA KAMPA STAFF WRITER
Longboat Key residents know
Susan Phillips has a passion for uplifting the art community, particularly through her promotion of new “Arts in April” programs. But that enthusiasm for supporting creatives extends to her home as well, where she proudly displays a collection of paintings and photos largely centered around the landscapes and wildlife of the Key.
Phillips recently announced her retirement as the town manager’s assistant, and as a farewell present, local artist Lynn Wellings gave her a shoreside painting that shows the idyllic, relaxing side of Longboat Key’s natural beauty.
Even though Phillips retired from working with the town at the end of March, she has kept plenty busy.
Her dedication to celebrating the Key’s history and future runs deep, and the community is naming her the 2025 parade marshal for Freedom Fest. This is her second time leading the parade, which she first did in 2018.
She has been involved with some of the most significant projects on the Key, including the recent “Complete the Green” initiative to build a new hall at Town Center Green.
“I did go to the county commission meeting where they finally approved moving ahead with the project,” Phillips said. “After watching this project in different iterations over 25 years and being involved with all of them, finally seeing them say ‘Go build it’ meant a lot. ”
She added, “I’m very proud of any part I played in making that happen.”
Both the groundbreaking and
ribbon-cutting ceremonies will be something to see, Phillips said, adding, “I’ll be front and center, watching it all come together.” The groundbreaking is slated for early next year, and she’s optimistic it could be done by 2028 if all goes well.
Projects like this build a stronger community, not just in the short term, but for many years to come, Phillips said. She moved to the Key in 1998, and she has watched the island evolve since then.
“When I first moved here, there was the little post office on the north end, the original Publix on the island and three gas stations,” she said.
“It’s been crazy seeing the metamorphosis of the island over time, especially places like Bayfront Park,” she added.
The opening of the Karon Family Pavilion stands out as a key moment in the community’s development.
“The Sarasota Orchestra, for their 75th anniversary, played a medley of all the military songs they know,” she reminisced. “The ribbon cutting was so special, knowing this was such a gathering place for the community.”
In April, the pavilion hosted the first Comedy Night fundraiser as part of Arts in April. Phillips was thrilled by attendees’ feedback.
“I got nothing but good comments,” she said, adding they’ll make minor adjustments to make it even better next year, like shortening the “Artists in the Garden” segment to make the days its on more spectacular.
The Longboat Key Garden Club organized Arts in April as a largescale fundraiser to support beautification projects aimed at rebuilding from last year’s hurricanes.
Phillips is the former president of the garden club, and she has been joining volunteers to help replant Bicentennial Park, where Freedom Fest takes place every year.
Volunteers have lent a hand with completely reworking the Butterfly Garden run by the garden club, and Phillips has been there pretty much every day to help. She said to keep an eye out for little touches like newly planted orchids and additions to the succulent gardens.
She said work is progressing well, and while some of the plants will need a bit of time to grow in, she is pleased at the difference the club has already made in the park.
“They say ‘blessed are those who plant trees under whose shade they will never sit,’ especially with projects like the library and terrace. But I told them, no, I’m going to be sitting
under that, and I’m looking forward to enjoying that part,” Phillips said with a chuckle.
Looking back at those community projects and ahead to the construc tion of a new library on Longboat Key, Phillips shared her gratitude for everyone who has supported them financially and by enthusiastically spreading the word to others.
“It motivates other people to see this is a project the town needs,” she said. “The library will be such a gath ering place, and such an anchor for events. Everything will be free.”
Some things may ebb and flow, like the popularity of softball versus pick leball, but she said the heart of the community and strong ties among residents remain the same.
Phillips said she is humbled to once again hold the title of grand marshal. She said the recognition brings back warm memo ries of celebrating a fellow grand marshal, the late Lisa Walsh.
Walsh, former exec utive editor and coowner of the Long boat Observer, was a co-founder of Freedom Fest.
Phillips looks forward to celebrating those who have worked to give citizens the freedoms they enjoy today, particularly those in the armed forces. She said this fest will be particularly meaningful as everyone comes together for a bit of community fun after working so hard at the beginning of the year to rebuild from the storms.
“Everybody has their own personal form of patriotism, and none of them are wrong,”
she said. “Coming together as a community to celebrate, especially
GET FIRED UP FOR FREEDOM FEST
When: 9-11 a.m. on July 4
Where: Bicentennial Park, 500 Bay Isles Road
What: The Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce hosts the annual celebration, featuring a parade, butterfly release, entertainment by Chucko the Clown, music, a petting zoo and other family friendly activities. The best float or group will win a $500 prize.
The Rotary Club of Longboat Key is also holding its “Hot Diggity Dog!” costume competition, which will be judged during the parade. Contestants should line up by 8:30 a.m. at the Rotary booth near Truist Bank. Prizes will go to the “Most Patriotic Dog,” “Most Creative Dog Costume” and “Best Owner
Law@msn.com or calling
Carol Wetzig assists Susan Phillips with planting new succulents at Bicentennial Park.
Photos by Dana Kampa
This year’s Freedom Fest parade marshal is Susan Phillips, who recently announced her retirement as the town manager’s assistant.
Grand Marshal Susan Phillips and Jim Seaton as Uncle Sam
Owner of Driftwood Beach Home and Garden Heather Rippy and co-owner of Design 2000 Irina LaRose were beaming from ear to ear over the success of the monthly summer event, Summer Night Out. On Thursday, June 19, businesses at the Whitney Plaza stayed open late, while local residents engaged in shopping with prosecco at Driftwood Beach and pizza from Ventura’s Italian Kitchen next door.
Driftwood Beach caters to many local artists, and many came out to support.
“I love meeting people that have bought my artwork and hearing about how they used it,” says Michelle Romine, owner of Coastal Magpie Studios.
Rippy’s passion and enthusiasm echoed throughout the event. She highly encouraged everyone to come out and support local businesses, especially during slower seasons.
“The chains don’t miss you but we do!” says Rippy.
This monthly summer event brings not only sales but spirits up. The next planned Summer Night Out is July 17.
Community and artistry
Pop-up showcase
Traveling artist features painting series at Cirque St. Armands.
DANA KAMPA STAFF WRITER
Art-loving community members can rejoice in having another venue to take in creative works on Lido Key.
Cirque St. Armands Beachside, a luxury resort celebrating the legacy of the Ringling Circus with its unique decor, recently invited the public to attend a pop-up artist feature event.
Darnell “Solo the Artist” Kirkwood presented his six-episode painting series for a one-day showcase on June 17, depicting the relationship between the two characters Ama and Amore.
The first two paintings in the “Discoveries Along the Way” series depict each character in their own frame, using abstract details to communicate their individual traits. Ama is a social media creator, and Amore aspires to be a star basketball player.
The following four paintings showcase their initial meeting, the first time they start to open up and deepen their connection, the moment they both learn of new opportunities to pursue their dreams, and an ambiguous final frame left up to the viewer’s perception of whether they will decide to make it work or bid one another farewell.
Kirkwood took the time to walk attendees through the paintings, pointing out subtle elements that indicate how the pair’s relationship changes over time. He also invited viewers to offer their own opinions of what they see in the art.
“This whole series is based off of true events from my life and from close friends,” he added. “I blended them into these two characters.”
Attendees took the opportunity to chat with the artist.
When asked what it means to him to see patrons actively engage with his work, Kirkwood said, “She did exactly what abstract artwork should prompt. It should draw you in, make you ask questions, instead of just automatically putting a label
on something. It means the world to me that people respond to it the way they do.”
Even though it took some extra steps to coordinate, Kirkwood said he is glad the traveling exhibition could include the original paintings rather than prints. Up close, viewers can better detect the subtle writings and other elements incorporated into the art.
Milos Davidovic, regional general manager, said the resort looks forward to offering similar events open to everyone in the community, especially considering how much residents appreciate the thriving local art scene.
He said Kirkwood was the perfect artist to feature as the resort seeks to extend its hospitality to the wider community, considering much of his work centers around human energy and connection.
“It correlates with our core values and what we represent as an industry,” he said.
Kirkwood, who is based in Los Angeles, brought his traveling exhibition to Lido Key as part of a fivecity tour among Opal properties. For more about his other works, visit SoloTheArtist.com.
Photos by Carlin Gillen
From left: Irina LaRose (co-owner of Design2000), Ashley Dawson, Liz Yerkes and Brigitta B. Gaspar (stylist at Design2000)
Dana Kampa
Artist Darnell
“Solo the Artist” Kirkwood shared his series
“Discoveries
Along the Way” with visitors at Cirque St. Armands Beachside during a pop-up event open to the community.
Palmetto partnership
Jean Brent Warren Yessin passed away at the age of 95 in her home on Longboat Key, FL on May 25th, with family and her longtime caregiver in attendance. She survived her husband Rudy Yessin, a Frankfort attorney, by almost 4 years. The two first visited Longboat Key on their honeymoon over 70 years ago. They moved from Frankfort to Longboat twenty years ago, but had enjoyed a second home on the island for more than 40 years. The couple’s 1955 wedding was attended by many notable Kentuckians, including Rudy’s UK basketball teammates, and political figures such as Governor AB “Happy” Chandler. The Governor beat Reverend Bloomfield to the door of Good Shepherd, delighting nearly everyone but the Bride, who excised all photographic evidence of the legendary Governor’s appearance.
Jean Brent Warren was
the daughter of John Cassell Warren and Genevieve Kelly Warren of Lexington, Kentucky where she was raised. A member of Tri Delta sorority, she graduated from the UK in 1951, after which she and three classmates sailed on the Queen Elizabeth for a Grand Tour of the recently liberated continent. She returned many times. She was active in the Episcopal Church in Frankfort, the DAR, Red Cross, and chaired the Central Kentucky Kidney Foundation for many years. She is survived by her son, attorney Brent Warren Yessin, granddaughter Kelly Brent Rushton (nee Yessin) and her Husband, Ward, and great grandson James Edward Yessin Rushton of Dallas. SERVICE: Millward Funeral Home in Lexington will hold a visitation at the Broadway location, with a service to follow at 12:30 June 23rd. Burial will be in the Lexington Cemetery shortly thereafter. To leave a remembrance for Jean and her family please visit www.milwardfuneral.com
447140-1
Longboat Island Chapel supports neighboring resource center.
DANA KAMPA STAFF WRITER
Shirley Pearson founded Palmetto’s Strength in Action program 20 years ago when she saw a need in her community. On June 17, she and Daniel West, the newly elected mayor of the city of Palmetto, took time to reconnect with partners at Longboat Island Chapel during the latest Gather and Give.
Pearson said several congregation members have volunteered with her organization at the Mount Carmel Community Resource Center. She walked away with more than reconnections though, as members gave her clothing items from this month’s donation drive, furniture from the Lord’s Warehouse and a check for $3,000.
“I can’t say thank you enough for all the good things you do for our center,” she told attendees. “It is such a blessing.”
The organization provides aid for necessities, including food assistance and social services, focusing on those leaving Manatee County Jail and the women’s center in Bradenton. Pearson partners with Bridges of America, which offers therapeutic services to those incarcerated at Bradenton Bridge Female Community Release Center.
“It makes such a difference when all the different organizations work together,” she said.
Mount Carmel also looks toward helping community members in the long term, offering access to educational resources for those seeking a GED or secondary education with the support of Step Up Suncoast and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
“When people come out, we want to show them a pathway, and that’s what God tells us to do — to reach out
and help other people,” she said. West, who said he befriended Pearson long before holding office, said these resources have an immeasurably positive impact for all residents. “In our community, we have a lot of people in need,” he said. “Ms. Shirley’s program at Mount Carmel really helps. They fill that void.”
He continued, “She works with folks coming out of jail to find a way to get them acclimated, help them get educated, and help them be successful when they come out. ... A lot of times, you’re out the door with no one there to guide you. The program will help those people.”
Pearson noted having support and a sense of place in the community is exceptionally valuable in reducing recidivism rates.
The Washington, D.C.-based Council on Criminal Justice says the most recent report from the Bureau of Justice statistics shows the rate of people returning to prison has
“When people come out, we want to show them a pathway, and that’s what God tells us to do — to reach out and help other people.”
— Shirley Pearson, founder of Palmetto’s Strength in Action
come down nationally over the past decade, and support programs like Pearson’s make a difference.
The church will continue collecting donations for Pearson’s organization throughout the month. The resource center is open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays and for daily evening classes. Visit MtCarmelResourceCenterPalmetto.org for more about its mission and available resources.
Dana Kampa City of Palmetto Mayor Daniel West, Strength in Action Executive Director Shirley Pearson and Longboat Island Chapel’s the Rev. Brock Patterson connect at the chapel’s latest Gather and Give drive.
YOUR CALENDAR
THURSDAY, JUNE 26
GIVING THANKS
Lazy Lobster, 5350 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Lazy Lobster and Kacey’s Seafood & More are joining forces to fight hunger in the area while offering patrons some festive holiday food. Benefiting Meals on Wheels and All Faiths Food Bank of Sarasota, the restaurants are serving traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinners with all the fixings for $29. Both Kacey’s locations at 4904 Fruitville Road and 7602 Lockwood Ridge Road are participating. The three restaurants are also offering rewards for patrons who bring at least five nonperishable food pantry items to donate from through June 27. See LazyLobsterOfLongboat. com and KaceysSeafood. com for individual hours.
SATURDAY, JUNE 28
LEND A WING
10 a.m. to noon at Save Our Seabirds, 1708 Ken Thompson Parkway. Learn from bird rescue efforts about how to help a bird in need at Save Our Seabirds’ latest training session, open to everyone with an interest. Get safety tips on how to handle an injured feathered friend and transport it to the medical team on City Island. Send questions or RSVP to Volunteer@SaveOurSeabirds.org.
RECURRING EVENTS
TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS
LONGBOAT LIBRARY
10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 555 Bay Isles Road. Call 941-383-6493.
SUNDAYS AND MONDAYS YOGA
10 to 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.
TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS
QIGONG
10 to 11 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Learn all about this ancient healing art of movement and meditation. Fee is $20. Walk-ins welcome. Call 941-383-6493. No class on June 26.
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 to 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 permits. 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.
Sleepy Lagoon home tops week’s sales at $2 million
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
Renato Katubig, trustee, of Bradenton, sold the home at 6537 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Shadrick and Iva Kralik, of Longboat Key, for $2 million. Built in 1990, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 2,313 square feet of living area. It sold for $850,000 in 2008.
SABAL COVE
Bryan Beck, trustee, of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, sold the home at 3303 Sabal Cove Circle to Nancy Medico, of Longboat Key, for $1.75 million. Built in 1995, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,142 square feet of living area. It sold for $632,500 in 1998.
EMERALD POINTE SOUTH
Francis Donald Kelly III and Tracy Albert Kelly, of Tallahassee, sold their Unit 14 condominium at 1906 Harbour Links Circle to Joseph and Kathleen Schena, of Longboat Key, for $1,575,000. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,180 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.4 million in 2022.
EMERALD HARBOR
Diana Cable, of North Haven, Massachusetts, sold the home at 740 Old Compass Road to Thomas Bartolozzi and Danielle Wrick Bartolozzi, of Longboat Key, for $1.5 million. Built in 1971, it has four bedrooms, two baths, a pool and
2,586 square feet of living area. It sold for $850,000 in 2010.
BAY ISLES Howard and Tena Tessler, of Sarasota, sold their home at 3341 Bayou Sound to David James Sobotka and Brianna Tulp Sobotka, trustees, of Longboat Key, for $1,325,000. Built in 1979, it has three bedrooms, twoand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,421 square feet of living area. It sold for $675,000 in 2012.
JOHN RINGLING ESTATES Beverly and Earl Scott, trustees, of Maryville, Tennessee, sold the home at 141 N. Adams Drive to 141 N. Adams LLC for $1.3 million. Built in 1951, it has four bedrooms, three
and 1,621 square
TOP BUILDING PERMITS
of
are the largest building permits issued by the Longboat Key Planning and Zoning Department for the week of June 13-19 in order of dollar amounts.
area. It sold for $200,000 in 2000.
SEAPLACE
B2B-America LLC sold the Unit G8-307A condominium at 1925 Gulf of Mexico Drive to John and Marisa Badanjek, of Royal Oak, Michigan, for $735,000. Built in 1978, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,257 square feet of living area. It sold for $700,000 in 2019.
LONGBOAT HARBOUR
Dominica and Robert Winter, of Sarasota, sold their Unit 301 condominium at 4310 Falmouth Drive to Danny Herron and Margarita Lenk, of Fort Collins, Colorado, for $675,000. Built in 1969, it has
two bedrooms, two baths and 1,316 square feet of living area. It sold for $400,000 in 2005.
REVISED LONGBEACH
Michael Ford, of Port Washington, New York, sold the home at 710 Fox St. to SPE No. 222 LLC for $440,000. Built in 1966, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,130 square feet of living area.
ONLINE
Courtesy images
The Sleepy Lagoon home, built in 1990, has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 2,313 square feet of living area.
NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH
MOON PHASES
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DON’T TAKE IT THE WRONG WAY by Jared Goudsmit, edited by Jared Goudsmit
By Luis Campos Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past
