Take the opportunity to have your insight heard on proposed traffic congestion remedies.
The Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization is circulating a public survey detailing eight improvement strategies. Officials are seeking residents’ input on which approaches to prioritize under the Barrier Island Implementation Plan.
Options include modifying certain lane configurations, creating secondary routes to main corridors like Gulf of Mexico Drive and adjusting traffic lights, among others. Specifically on St. Armands Circle, one suggestion is to create raised pedestrian crossings and allow traffic to more easily bypass the circle.
To check out the survey, visit SurveyMonkey.com/R/BarrierIslandImplementationPlan.
Church to host flooding fundraiser
Seeing a need to extend a helping hand in the aftermath of a natural disaster, Christ Church of Longboat Key is hosting an event to support those recovering from severe flooding in Texas.
Flash floods affected the Hill Country region of Texas over the Fourth of July weekend. More than 100 people died, and more went missing.
Congregation members have ties to affected communities, and they were inspired to host a fundraiser luncheon to support the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund.
The Texan food-inspired buffet is free, and all donations go toward helping affected families. It begins at 11 a.m. on Aug. 3 at 6400 Gulf of Mexico Drive, immediately after the 10 a.m. service.
Call 941-383-8833 with inquiries.
Road roughens for recovery
Carlin Gillen
Dana Kampa Coordinator Tammy Fagan lines up the next batch of sea oat seedlings to go in at Katie Pierola Sunset Park.
Carlin Gillen
Longboat Key Turtle Watch volunteer Sam DiGiammarino separates hatched and unhatched eggs, while Brenda Jameson gathers the eggs from the nest and Caleb Jameson records the data.
WEEK OF JULY 31, 2025
BY THE NUMBERS
“I think it is when you’re truly appreciated that you give it your all.”
Max Miranda, Sarasota Yacht Club Operations Director Read more on page 14
Last pole marks milestone
With the removal of a solitary wooden pole in the 600 block of Bay Isles Parkway earlier this month, the town officially is out of the overhead utility cable business.
Crews pulled the pole out of the soil on July 15, marking a milestone in the yearslong project to convert the island to underground utilities.
“What a difference the undergrounding project has made on the island,” wrote Town Commissioner Penny Gold in an email to Assistant Town Manager Isaac
The project started in November 2015, when the town proposed a referendum to borrow $25.25 million to pay for the part of the project along Gulf of Mexico Drive.
After that was secured, another referendum in March 2016 gave the town permission to issue bonds not exceeding $23.85 million for the neighborhoods’ portion of the project.
In a ceremony in June, Mayor Ken Schneier said 1,134 poles were removed, along with
743,000 feet of wiring.
He also said the town finished the project at least $6 million under budget. According to Florida Power and Light, more than 70% of outages are because of vegetation and debris flying into the lines during storms.
The company said response times and power restoration are often faster in communities with underground power during outages, including those caused by storms.
New police chief sworn in next week
Russ Mager will be sworn in as the town’s chief of police in a ceremony scheduled for 10 a.m., Aug. 4 in the commission chambers of Town Hall, 501 Bay Isles Road.
Mager recently retired from the Delray Beach Police after more than 29 years. He was hired from more than 75 applicants in Longboat Key’s nationwide search to replace George Turner, who left the position in January. His hiring was announced in midJune.
The public is welcome to attend. Light refreshments will be served.
Allegiant begins new route to Toledo
Among multiple new nonstop routes serving Southwest Florida announced by discount airline Allegiant is a round trip service between Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport and Toledo, Ohio via Toledo Express Airport.
The new route begins service on Nov. 20, operating out of the new Concourse A at SRQ.
Allegiant is the only carrier serving the Toledo market.
“We’re excited to see Allegiant continue to expand its offerings at SRQ,” said airport President and CEO Rick Piccolo in a news release.
“The addition of Toledo marks the 35th nonstop destination served by Allegiant at SRQ and strengthens our connections to the Midwest.” Allegiant’s full network expansion announcement of new flights includes three from Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers. They include Allentown, Pennsylvania via Lehigh Valley International Airport starting Nov. 13; and Appleton, Wisconsin, via Appleton International Airport and Des Moines, Iowa, via Des Moines International Airport, both beginning Nov. 21.
Closer to home, Allegiant will also begin a new service between Punta Gorda Airport and New Orleans via Louis Armstrong New Orleans International, also beginning Nov. 21.
Brownman.
LONG ROAD BACK
Lawsuit adds to Spanish Main’s hurricane recovery uncertainty.
DANA KAMPA STAFF WRITER
ERIC GARWOOD DIGITAL NEWS EDITOR
Adrive down Spanish Drive South or Spanish Way on a sunny, summer day still appears as an idyllic Florida retirement spot at first sight. On both sides of the street, gleaming white, one-story dwellings accented with pastel pink, purple and seafoam green shutters are everywhere.
Yet, the homes remain quiet with only the occasional cluster of construction trucks parked here and there. Upon closer inspection, almost every house has a yellow notice of restricted use taped to the windows, dating back to November.
Almost every resident and business owner on Longboat Key experienced effects of Hurricanes Helene and Milton this past fall. But while many are far along on the road to recovery, residents at Spanish Main Yacht Club have struggled with returning to their homes.
Now, a dispute with a damageremediation company has gone to court.
Spanish Main Yacht Club has until early August to respond to a lawsuit filed in Manatee County Circuit Court by a Michigan company seeking to enforce a construction lien against the condominium association over unpaid repair bills totaling more than $13 million.
In the 55-page lawsuit, filed on July 7, RACM LLC which does business as Servpro of Saginaw, Michigan, leveled several legal complaints against Spanish Main, including breach of contract and enforcement of a 2025 construction lien related to repairs by the company after Helene in September 2024. The lawsuit was served on July 17, court records show.
By law, Spanish Main has 20 full days to respond. As of July 28, no such response had been filed, court records show.
In an email, one of Servpro’s Miami-based attorneys denied the ultimate goal was foreclosure on the property. Spanish Main board president Janet Burmeister, elected in April along with new board officers, did not return phone messages left seeking comment.
“This is not a foreclosure action, but an action to enforce a lien by Servpro to recover monies owed for extensive work performed on the property,” wrote Marlyne Zakher of the Goldberg Segalla firm, representing Servpro. “Servpro is working amicably with the Association to resolve this matter.”
In January, Servpro filed a lien for $13,521,635.46 charged for repair work. Roof work totaling $175,360.64 was also billed and remains unpaid, according to the lawsuit.
“This claim of lien shall apply against all of the units in the condominium according to their respective percentage of the common expenses of the condominium,” the lien states.
SELLING OR STAYING
Two properties in Spanish Main sold about a month before the storm: one for more than $900,000 and the other for more than $350,000. Eight have sold since the storm for prices between $180,000 and $400,000, two to the same new owners, a married couple from Palma Sola.
The July contract and indebtedness lawsuit claims Spanish Main is in breach of contract.
CALLING IT QUITS
Frustration has caused some residents to leave.
One such homeowner is Joseph Gutmann, who, along with his siblings, inherited the property at 683 Spanish Drive S. in July 2024. He bought his siblings’ shares shortly thereafter.
He sold the property in July for $10,000 less than he paid.
“Think the ship is going to sink.
That’s why I got out,” he said.
Looking at the current status of the complex, he said, “I don’t believe there’s any significant number of units that are habitable. I know some people did their own thing and are, more or less, able to move in.”
Gutmann said he was among the homeowners urging community leaders not to employ Servpro in the early stages of rebuilding.
“I pleaded with the board not to engage with them because I was concerned they were going to get pricegouged,” he said, adding he refused to sign agreements with vendors connected to the condo association.
A VISION Hurricane Helene struck Longboat Key on Sept. 27, 2024, with flooding storm surge in some areas, predominately on the northern half of the island. Spanish Main was among the communities hardest hit, experiencing water infiltration and roof damage from wind.
A contract signed on Sept. 28, 2024, specifies an estimated repair price per each of the 212 dwellings of $40,000 for initial repairs and water-remediation services, court records show. Common areas also were mentioned. The number of units multiplied by the price totals about $8.5 million. An invoice dated Dec. 18, 2024, for work on the residential units, clubhouse and maintenance shed reflects a balance due of $13,521,635.46, court records show.
Another invoice for roof inspections and repair for $175,360.64 was delivered Dec. 16.
Gutmann said he brought in two different developers to potentially buy out the homeowners, seeking concurrence among at least 90% of the 212 parties to potentially redevelop the property.
“I brought a developer in who was going to give everybody market value of their homes, plus 20%, before the storm,” he said. “My deal would have been great, but there were some people who weren’t happy with the terms.”
In 2018, Spanish Main owners took heart in a landmark Longboat Key zoning change that opened the door for residents to consider redevelopment of properties more in keeping with contemporary standards or rebuild from catastrophe.
Concepts were developed, including one that called for 52 three-bedroom units, a clubhouse, amenities, roads, sidewalks and covered parking with an ample setback from Gulf of Mexico Drive. The front of the development would have a “Las Vegasstyle” water feature. At the time, community leaders emphasized, the notions were simply visions, not firm plans.
Spanish Main was one of Longboat’s first condos, built in 1965 at an overall cost of $4 million.
Four units are actively listed for sale with prices ranging from $359,000 to $399,500. A fifth was under contract in late July, listed for sale at $299,000. Common on Spanish Main real estate listings is verbiage that explains the status of the properties, either with renovations completed and awaiting final décor choices or something similar to: “This community is in the buildback stage due to damage from hurricanes in 2024. All 212 units in Spanish Main are under FEMA regulations, guidelines and stringent adherence to rebuild specifications. This unit is built back to drywall, electric and plumbing guidelines. Insurance payout will transfer with the villa. This is an opportunity to make this villa your custom home.”
Gutmann noted he doesn’t have as much of a monetary investment in the property as some other longtime residents, so deciding to sell was not as difficult.
“My parents were there for over 20 years, and I get it,” he said. “I know them all there. But you got hit by a hurricane, you’re building back to where you were.”
Gutmann hopes fellow residents find a positive resolution, but he’s doubtful. He had hoped to live out his retirement years in the same place his parents called home, and he may find another place in the area.
But it won’t be in Spanish Main.
“I sold my unit. I’m out.”
“Think the ship is going to sink. That’s why I got out.”
File image
Piles of water-damaged furniture and other items from a unit in Spanish Main following the hurricanes in October. Spanish Main residents continue to wait for the proper permits to fix or rebuild their homes.
Flooding and high winds from Hurricanes Helene and Milton hit homes at Spanish Main Yacht Club particularly hard this past October.
Photos by Dana Kampa
Only a few months remain before the anniversary of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and the majority of homes at Spanish Main Yacht Club remain under restricted use.
Pat Evans, an independent contractor, works on interior trim on a house in Spanish Main Yacht Club.
— Joseph Gutmann, former Spanish Main homeowner
A true Longboat man is gone
Jeremy Whatmough, who was involved with town commission, Kiwanis and Longboat Key Garden Club, has died.
MICHAEL
HARRIS MANAGING EDITOR
The way Susan Phillips tells it, Jeremy Whatmough had a distinct look about him.
“Starched collar, button-down, white shirt and khaki pants,” she says.
Whatmough’s casual yet dapper attire was very much the same, whether he was at a board meeting of the Longboat Key Garden Club, a Kiwanis meeting or serving as a member of the Longboat Key Town Commission. Although for town meetings, he would wear a jacket.
On July 21, Whatmough, the former Longboat Key mayor, town commissioner and Kiwanis Citizen of the Year, died at the age of 90. Like a modern-day version of lawyer-turned-farmer Oliver Wendell Douglas from Green Acres, Whatmough carried his signature spotless style no matter where he went.
“It was hilarious because he would have creases in his pants and shirt and he’d be out there, raking leaves, riding his lawn mower, putzing around doing stuff, “ said his son, Josh. “And always clean-shaven, my dad never stopped being clean shaven. He always looked immaculate.”
Whatmough graduated from Harvard in 1956 and began working on the assembly line at Ford Motor Co., where he moved up the career assembly line to various executive
positions at Ford.
He left Ford in 1972 and began working for American Motors Corp. as the general plant manager in Brampton, Ontario, which made the Jeep CJ series of vehicles.
“He testified before Congress on behalf of Jeep,” his daughter, Jocelyn said. “In the early ’70s, it was the precursor to the Wrangler because ‘60 Minutes’ did an episode on how unsafe they were and what a rollover threat they were. He actually testified in front of Congress, and he said, ‘This is absolutely false.’ They had the wrong tires on the vehicle.”
In 1979, he moved the family to Philadelphia to begin a position with Conrail railroad systems.
He and his wife, Myrna, wanted to pick a place to retire. He had spent parts of his youth on Longboat Key, so that’s where they settled in 1996.
As Josh says, Jeremy was too busy with his career to get involved in community affairs, such as the town commissions or civic organizations.
But in retirement on Longboat, little stopped him from being involved — Whatmough thrived on it.
As an assistant to the town manager for 27 years, the recently retired Phillips knew Whatmough well not only in town matters, but also through the Longboat Key Garden Club.
“I tell you another side of Jeremy the people may not know is he served as president of the Longboat Key Garden Club,” she said. “Jeremy served on the Longboat Key Garden Club Scholarship Committee with me. He was on the committee until he moved off the island.”
Whatmough was a six-time commissioner with Longboat Key starting in 2002 and culminating as mayor and commissioner in 2007.
He served with Longboat Kiwanis,
“He was extremely protective of Longboat Key, I think because it had such an impact on him when he was truly a little boy. And I just know any decision he ever made was for the good of Longboat Key.”
— Jeremy Whatmough’s daughter, Jocelyn
and received their Citizen of the Year award in 2000. He also spent time on Longboat’s Planning and Zoning Board, served as president and CEO of Solutions to Avoid Red Tide and was a lay reader and communion server at All Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church.
While on the commission, he advocated to get a cell phone tower on the island, which was a community controversy in the mid-2000s.
And every holiday season, you could find him in front of Publix.
“He thoroughly enjoyed ringing the bell at Publix during Christmas time for The Salvation Army; he got a kick out of that,” Jocelyn said. “He was extremely protective of Longboat Key, I think because it had such an impact on him when he was truly a little boy. And I just know any decision he ever made was for the good of Longboat Key. My dad never made a decision that was for his benefit.”
In 2013, Whatmough, who is survived by Jocelyn, Josh and his wife, Myrna, moved from Longboat Key to Sarasota Polo Club to allow some romping room for the family’s 11
Airedale terriers.
The move left a void at Christmas time for community members since Phillips said Whatmough was wellknown for his holiday parties.
“Basically anyone and everyone on Longboat was invited, and I mean, literally, they’d have 300 to 500 people every year for their Christmas party,” said Jocelyn, who said the parties were held at the Whatmough house. “They lived right across from the Longboat Island Chapel. So my dad would hire off-duty police, and everyone would park at the chapel, and the police would control traffic so people could walk across.”
Jocelyn said her dad knew just about everyone on the island. It’s just the way he was.
Josh offered the fact that no matter what his father did: work, play, or volunteer, it would be done right.
“My dad never did anything (halfbaked),” he said. “If he wanted to learn how to do something, he put 100% effort into it and did it until he was satisfied with the results. You know, he had no quit in him.” Right down to the way he dressed.
Jeremy Whatmough poses with Virginia Sanders in this 2013 photo. Whatmough, a former town commissioner and mayor, died on July 21.
Plant to protect
More than 400 volunteers plant 12,000 sea oats on Anna Maria, giving the dunes protection.
undreds of people spent their Saturday morning digging their trowels in the sand of Anna Maria Island. But they weren’t crafting sand castles or searching for seashells. They were helping protect coastal areas from erosion.
Jennifer Hoffman, executive director of Keep Manatee Beautiful, said the organization and its partners have been coordinating volunteerled plantings of sea oats for the past five years, planting 1,000 annually. However, they ramped up the effort this year, planting 12,000 seedlings on Coquina Beach and other parks along the shore.
“This is, by far, our biggest effort yet,” she said. “I couldn’t be more proud to see this many people come out this early in the morning and give back to the community without asking for anything in return. It’s just
gated at sunrise on the southern end of Coquina Beach, where they collected commemorative trowels and learned from Hoffman how to properly plant the seedlings.
Sea oats are a type of grass that captures and holds sand in place, helping build dunes and protect coastal areas from erosion during extreme weather.
amazing to me.”
She said they had hoped enlist the help of 300 volunteers, and that’s how many turned out.
They came from all over the region, including Longboat Key, Sarasota, Palmetto, Lakeland, Tampa and beyond.
“It’s wonderful,” Hoffman said.
“It’s not just our community that uses the beaches, so it’s not just our community that helps.”
Among those volunteers was Cyndi Seamon, vice president of Longboat Key Turtle Watch.
She shared her appreciation for the plant that grows deep roots at an impressive rate. She joined the team working at the beach access point off 52nd Street, and she said they got through their seedlings quickly.
Hoffman said she has been in conversation with Longboat leaders about expanding the effort to the island.
On Saturday, volunteers congre-
Hoffman instructed the volunteers to plant the seedlings deep in the sand, covering the roots and a third of the plant itself. Each little plant was given a few feet of space, allowing room for its robust roots to grow.
“They will hold the sands in place when the storms are not too bad, acting as a water break before it comes and floods the inner part of the island,” she said.
Besides physically supporting the dunes, the freshly planted sea oats will also afford the dunes some regulatory protection, Hoffman said.
“There is no protection enforcement on dunes that do not have vegetation,” she noted. “In putting these out, we protect the dunes and officers can fine people who damage them. While they were bare, they were simply considered sand.”
The seedlings only need about four to six weeks to grow in, and Hoffman said if they can last two months, they’ll typically survive.
Richard Larsen, a county forester with the Florida Forest Service, said if the conditions work out, up to 95% of those seedlings could take root.
WHAT ARE SEA OATS?
Sea oats are a type of perennial grass that plays a vital role in stabilizing and building sand dunes. They typically grow to about 6 feet tall, and according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, their massive root systems hold soil in place during extreme weather events like hurricanes, making them a key protector of barrier islands. They have the added benefit of requiring little management to thrive. In densely packed portions of the grass, birds, turtles and other seaside wildlife find refuge.
Volunteers had all manner of motivation for joining the Herculean effort to get the 12,000 plants in the ground. It took some sweat to get done as the powdery white sand of the beaches could quickly fill in a freshly dug hole just as quickly as it was made.
However, attendees quickly got the hang of it, working row by row to fill in the designated planting areas on the beach.
Teams worked at Coquina Beach, as well as parks along Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach.
The volunteers included those of all ages, including Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts from local troops.
While they crouched to carefully
put each plant in place, the volunteers spoke about how restorative it felt to take an active role in doing something to protect the shore.
Volunteer Wanda Thoreson explained, “Seeing the beaches after the storms was a little bit heartbreaking, so I want to do my part to restore it and bring it back, because I enjoy the area.”
Hoffman said the impact on the environment from just one day of planting will be immeasurably profound.
Anyone wishing to support future plantings can donate through ManateeBeautiful.com.
DANA KAMPA STAFF WRITER
Cub Scouts from Pack 22 in Bradenton turned out to help plant sea oats on Anna Maria Island. From left, Christina Burke, Edward Alvarez, Stefano Alvarez, Christopher Burke, Dan Murphy, Liam Murphy and Shannon Murphy.
Photos by Dana Kampa
Jennifer Hoffman, executive director of Keep Manatee Beautiful, welcomes volunteers at the Coquina Beach meeting point.
Richard Larsen, a county forester with the Florida Forest Service, said if the conditions work out, up to 95% of the sea oat seedlings planted could take root.
City sinks MarineMax extension
The marina operator sought to recoup a planned $11 million in investment to repair hurricane damage and enhance its facilities.
ANDREW
Having suffered significant damage from last season’s tropical turmoil, the leaseholder operating the marina in the city-owned Ken Thompson Park on City Island is seeking a 25-year extension to its current lease that expires in 12 years.
Saddled by long-term leases of city property in the past, the Sarasota City Commission didn’t feel the MarineMax proposal held water, and at its July 7 meeting, unanimously voted to instruct staff to enter into negotiations for a more traditional lease, one that extends 25 years from 2025 rather than from 2037.
MarineMax, which manages some 110 locations and 68 marinas, was seeking the extension in exchange for investing $11 million in repairs, renovations and additions to the marina it has operated since 1996. Its current 25-year lease commenced on Feb. 28, 2014, and expires on Dec. 31, 2037.
Represented by Bill Galvano of the Bradenton law firm of Grimes Hawkins Gladfelter & Galvano, MarineMax suffered considerable destruction from the storms and requires essential repairs and replacement of facilities for the general purpose of operating a marina as well as related sales and a subleased restaurant building on the property occupied by The Old Salty Dog.
Of the estimated cost, approximately $5.8 million will address public infrastructure replacement — the seawall and bulkhead — and the remaining $5.2 million would replace the infrastructure of the private business, including the sales office and boat racks. In addition, MarineMax is asking for a rent credit applied
to each year to reimburse $5 million of the seawall and bulkhead cost.
Under the current lease, the base rent adjusts annually based off the consumer price index with a minimum of 2% and maximum of 4%.
During the prior three years, that escalator has increased at the maximum rate.
For 2025:
■ Base rent is $472,639, prior to rent credits
■ Rent credits total $132,975
■ Like rent, rent credits are also increased by the CPI-based escalator, with same minimum and cap Total value for 2025 is $20,475
■ Adjusted base rent for 2025 less the credit is $339,664, plus 3% sales tax
Rent credits are granted on the same CPI-based escalator to help MarineMax offset capital investment in the city-owned property.
One point of discussion among commissioners was that gray area that exists in all agreements the city makes with regard to special considerations — public benefit — as they grilled MarineMax Vice President of Real Estate Sam Lowrey about accessibility of temporary docking by the public, services such as fueling and boat maintenance available to nonboat storing customers and more.
MarineMax says it will meet its public benefit obligations “by maintaining a full-service marina and sales facility to enhance public access to recreational boating and waterfront amenities as existed prior to the hurricanes.”
Other public benefits provided by MarineMax since 2014 cited by Galvano include:
■ Support of 125 jobs
■ Investment of $2.8 million in infrastructure improvements owned by the city, exceeding its commitment by $1.1 million
■ Generating tourism, a staterecognized public benefit
■ More than $10 million in on-site capital improvements
■ A $250,000 contribution to the city’s stormwater mitigation efforts
■ Working relationship with the Sarasota Police Department Marine Patrol
“Right now, they still have 12 years left,” Galvano said. “Milton came along. Helene came along. I don’t need to tell you what occurred there. And so they have a decision to make.
They immediately put $1.7 million into recovery efforts, and now they’re at a crossroads. Do we just get things repaired and live out 12 years or do we invest $11 million more into this property? A 25-year extension will give them that financial security, and what they will create there is even better than what has been there, and will bring the property up to the highest level of resilience.”
Wayne Appleby, the city’s manager of economic development, said common lease extension practice is
to reopen the lease, the option city commissioners unanimously preferred. That process includes an updated fair market appraisal of the lease value, which had not been done since the 2014 benchmark on which annual rent and rent credit increases tied to the 2%-4% annual escalator are based.
“Everything is up, especially since the last appraisal,” Appleby said of fair market value. “Since 2020, everything has gone up substantially, so as you use a CPI escalator, you don’t always keep up with that market. … So I think it’s why you would have a standard practice, if you’re going to renew a lease or you reopen a lease, that you do an appraisal.”
Mayor Liz Alpert, who did not preside over the meeting because of her remote participation, made the unanimously approved motion to reopen the lease, authorize a fair market appraisal and negotiate terms based on a 25-year extension beginning this year.
“I think it’s important for us to move toward having a more standard lease term,” said Vice Mayor Debbie Trice. “If we’ve got a commercial lease with a commercial tenant, let’s do what everybody else does in terms of the various terms and conditions.”
Courtesy image
A rendering of the boardwalk and public access of the proposed MarineMax post-storm renovations.
Carlin Gillen
MarineMax has operated its sales office in this temporary trailer since the 2024 hurricanes.
One ‘Mighty Banyan’
It’s a wonderful story of college spirit and pride — how one of Sarasota’s own, Anna Lazzara, created the new mascot for New College.
Sarasota native Anna Lazzara will forever be in the history and lore of New College of Florida. In June 2023, she created and sketched what is now the college’s mascot — the Mighty Banyans.
It’s a wonderful story of college spirit and pride, and it fits the phrase: “Local girl makes good.”
Not many people know the story of Lazzara’s creation. That’s largely because when the New College Board of Trustees and its president, Richard Corcoran, approved the adoption of the new mascot, as usual, the “againsters” panned it.
One of the critics stated the final illustration of Lazzara’s creation was racist, referring to it as reminiscent of the Tarzan books “full of vile racial stereotyping.”
The student rep on the board of trustees complained the student body deserved to have more of say in whether to retire the college’s previous mascot, “Null Set,” in favor of the Mighty Banyans.
Oh, please. For one, whatever the heck is a “Null Set?” How inspiring. And, really? New College is not a democracy. No school is.
It was unfortunate the whining drowned out what should have been celebrated: That one of Sarasota’s own — a native, lifelong Sarasotan and graduate of Sarasota High — is the Mighty Banyans’ creator. No small thing.
It’s a story that will be part of the Lazzara family lore for generations — as well as being cemented in the history of New College.
Anna Lazzara, 21, is the daughter of Scott and Leanne Lazzara, also lifelong Sarasotans. Lazzara’s father, who moved to Sarasota at age 4, is the founder and owner of Florida Payroll Consultants, a 15-year-old, independent payroll/ PEO and employee benefits outsourcing brokerage. Leanne Lazzara is the office manager of her brother’s chiropractic practice and also a bartender/server at a Del Webb community clubhouse.
“She’s a Chatty Cathy,” Lazzara says of her mother. “She likes talking with people.”
As the saying goes: Apples don’t fall far from the tree.
Talk to Lazzara, and you’ll find she overflows with positive effervescence and enthusiasm.
Lazzara will be a senior this coming fall, majoring in humanities and museum studies. She chose New College almost by happenstance. She wanted a liberal arts college and was considering Rollins College in Winter Park or Eckerd College in St. Petersburg. But then her cousin, an alumna of New College, suggested she take a look. “I was blown away,” Lazzara says.
She loves New College — especially now that the physical campus has been transformed. “I like to show off my campus, especially being from Sarasota. It’s like a point of pride for me, like a point of pride for our city for our area.”
In the course of interviewing Lazzara recently about her three years at New College and how the atmosphere of the college has changed, the subject of the creation of the Mighty Banyan came up. That was all it took.
In her own words, here is how the Mighty Banyans came to be:
“When they announced that they were going to come up with a new mascot, they sent out this survey with some options. I was like, ‘No,
these aren’t any good. They don’t represent what New College is.’
“So I said, ‘What if I come up with my own idea?’ I’m an artist, a creative person.
“I was thinking about the spirit of New College, because I feel very, very connected to New College and its past — especially having a family member who’s an alumna. And I know that this place is unique.
It’s never going to be your run-ofthe-mill state school, so I knew it couldn’t have a mascot that was just average.
“I was thinking about our natural landscape at New College. OK, what’s something that really represents New College? What’s something that’s here on campus?
“I was thinking: Oh my gosh, we have so many banyan trees on this
campus and over next door at the Ringling Museum.
“They’re everywhere, and people gather at the banyan trees. We have parties under the banyan trees. I was thinking this is such a central figure to New College culture. Even in the 1960s, they were talking about the banyan trees. They’ve been here forever.
“I was like: ‘Oh my gosh, what if we were the Mighty Banyans?’
“So I did this sketch, and I swear it took me, I don’t know, five, 10 minutes. I was, like, I need to make it look athletic because this is for an athletics program.
So I did this kind of flexing pose, right? I was, like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is so in the moment, this is so funny; I’m going to keep this for myself as a little memento of my
■ Florida State University, Tallahassee — Seminoles
■ University of Central Florida, Orlando — Knights
■ University of Florida, Gainesville
— Gators
■ University of North Florida, Jacksonville — Osprey
■ University of South Florida, Tampa — Bulls
■ University of West Florida, Pensacola — Argonauts
THESE NAMES DIDN’T CUT IT
The New College administration sent out these suggestions for the school’s new mascot:
■ Sailfish (State designated saltwater fish)
■ Otters
■ Bears (Oxford University, for which New College was founded, has the Bears as its mascot.)
■ Spoonbill
■ Oystercatchers
■ Pelicans
■ Pilots
■ Trailblazers
■ Ambassadors
■ The Leaders
■ Explorers
■ Conquistadors
■ The Rebels
■ Gamechangers
■ Other
time, and they’re going to move on and choose their mascot.’
“I showed it to my mom, and she said, ‘Anna, no, you have to bring this to somebody. This is awesome. This could really be something.’
“So we actually went together and went to visit (athletic director) Mariano Jimenez in his office. We showed him, and he was like, ‘Wow, this is really cool. I will definitely support this in conversations with the president.’
“Then flash forward a week later.
I got an email from the president’s executive assistant asking to meet with me, and then we talked about it. He made sure it was my original idea and I didn’t take it from anywhere.
“Then they hired a company to do the actual logo, but I retained the actual sketch.
“It’s been the highlight of my time at New College.”
Matt Walsh will be on leave until October.
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for the
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MATT WALSH
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When the New College administration surveyed for a new mascot, Anna Lazzara, native Sarasotan and soon-to-be New College senior, thought: “OK, what’s something that really represents New College?”
Above: New College senior Anna Lazzara’s original sketch of her Mighty Banyan.
“I swear it took me, I don’t know, five, 10 minutes … ”
The final version of the New College Mighty Banyans mascot.
The recent July 24th Observer article is devoted to the desire of Longboat resident George Reenstra to have GMD renamed Gulf of America Drive, to align with President Trump’s executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.
Mr. Reenstra, a Vietnam War veteran as a helicopter pilot, is all in on Trump’s action. But he writes that his support is nonpartisan, motivated by a desire to see “America stand up again like it used to be.”
I am not a Vietnam War veteran like Mr. Reenstra, but President Eisenhower did send me to the Middle East in 1958 as a member of the 187th Airborne Battle Group. And I would dearly love to see America “stand up again” as it stood under President Eisenhower. To that end, we should not fall for President Trump’s relentless efforts to divide the American people, as by setting up phony “Patriotism” litmus tests: Do what I demand and you are a patriot. Decline and you are antiAmerican.
His “Gulf of America” issue is a classic, blatantly political ploy. The world has been OK with the Gulf of Mexico for 200-plus years; all that has changed is Trump’s megalomaniacal triumphalism. True, America no longer has the status on the world stage that it had even a year ago.
That status is plummeting ever more each day under the Trump brand of governance. Doubt it? Check the world press, beginning with Canada. Let us not further indulge this man.
PHILIPPE KOENIG SARASOTA
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SATURDAY, JULY 19
WHEEL OF MISFORTUNE
12:14 a.m., 700 block of Broadway Street
Disabled vehicle: An officer on patrol encountered a boat trailer, with one wheel missing, in the middle of the road and unable to be moved away. The owner who was present said he’d call a tow truck to resolve the road obstruction.
EVERYONE GETS A CHANCE
5:21 p.m., 100 block of North Shore Road
Reckless boat: Operators of a pair of personal watercraft drew the attention of a resident who called police over the riders’ frequent back-and-forth trips to the beach. In meeting with the responding officer, the caller said the vessels picked up and dropped off people over and over. The officer said this was allowed, so long as the watercraft were being operated slowly approaching the shoreline.
SUNDAY, JULY 20
NO FISHING!
3:39 a.m., 200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Suspicious person: While patrolling in the south end of the town, an officer noticed a man and woman cross Gulf of Mexico Drive to enter a town park. The officer spoke to them and reminded them that after-hours fishing on town property is not allowed. They were each issued a civil citation.
AT HER SERVICE
4:04 p.m., 100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Animal problem: A woman with a dog in a town park first apologized, then told an officer her animal was service-related and she was leaving anyway. Dogs in general are not allowed in town parks, the officer said. The woman got in her car and left.
MONDAY, JUNE 21
FULL CIRCLE
2:04 p.m., Police headquarters
Lost item: The owner of a large flotation mat was reunited with his wayward beach gear through the power of social media and good Samaritan vibes. A vacationer brought the large floaty to the
FRIDAY, JULY 18
HOT STUFF
7:10 p.m., 700 block of Bayport
Way
Assist other agencies: An officer who responded to a report of a fire alarm at a home quickly ascertained that cooking smoke — not a fire — triggered the incident. He immediately requested fire rescue units discontinue their emergency response.
police department, noting he had seen it fly out of a passing pickup on Gulf of Mexico Drive. The vacationer did not leave a name, saying, “he did not want to risk being mentioned in the local newspaper.” The owner posted about his loss on social media, received word from someone about its possible fate and made arrangements to pick it up. The owner produced a receipt proving it was his.
TUESDAY, JUNE 22
TURTLE MAKES A RUN FOR IT
9 a.m., North Shore Road and Gulf of Mexico Drive
Citizen assist: A caller to police advised officers an apparently domesticated turtle was crossing Gulf of Mexico Drive on its own, raising an alarm that the slowmoving animal might be hit by traffic. In a follow-up call, an officer learned the caller had carried the turtle to North Shore Road and Firehouse Lane and, at last view, was proceeding normally toward someone’s yard.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 23
EARLY BIRD GETS THE ... TERMITE?
4:21 a.m.7000 block of Bayside Drive
Suspicious incident: Responding to a report of a suspicious person on private property, an officer arrived to find a man with a flashlight trying to get into a home. The man’s truck, parked in the driveway, was registered to a pest control company. In the predawn darkness, the man said he was preparing the location for termite removal. The man produced documents to confirm his identity and
the purpose for his visit. He said he couldn’t get in with his provided key because an additional deadbolt had been locked.
THURSDAY, JULY 24 ON HIS WAY TO SEE MA
3:24 p.m., 6600 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Traffic stop: A vehicle flagged by the town’s license-plate recognition system was stopped by police, and its driver interviewed. The system reported an out-of-date vehicle registration, but the driver immediately conceded he had no valid driver’s license either. He was driving to his mother’s home because she was experiencing a medical issue, the driver said. Once assured the woman was in no danger, the officer wrote the man two tickets and told him he could no longer drive.
ONE ... HOUR ... LATER
9:37 p.m., 3200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Suspicious vehicle: Police investigated a report of a vehicle, occupied by a man and a woman, parked for more than an hour with the engine running. The pair told the officer they were on a date and continued to talk after seeing the sunset — at 8:24 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. Since neither the man nor the woman actually lived in the condo complex — or anywhere on Longboat Key, for that matter — they were asked to leave and did.
TUESDAY, JUNE 22
WHAT’S THE SOUND OF RULES BEING BROKEN?
7:40 a.m., 500 block of Ranger Lane
Noise disturbance: An early call to police alerted officers to the possibility of work being performed in violation of the town’s rules. An officer arrived at the residence and immediately noted the sound of power tools coming from the backyard. Upon further investigation, the officer found a craftsman on the job removing brick pavers from around a pool deck. The man said he had been unaware of the town’s restriction on such before 8 a.m. and that he was sorry and would take a break until the proper hour. He also promised to start at the proper time the next day. He was issued a warning.
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
Sarasota Players brings Kander and Ebb’s sexy, portentous musical to a
A thrilling, chilling
IF YOU GO
‘CABARET’ When: July 31Aug. 10
Where: the Sarasota Players, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail
Tickets: $35; students $15; VIP tables for two $150. Info: Visit ThePlayers.org.
MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Like several other arts groups in town, the Sarasota Players is a mom-and-pop shop. With husband and wife Brian Finnerty and Amanda Heisey Finnerty steering the creative ship, the community theater is skewing younger and edgier these days. Last summer, it leaned into sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll with Green Day’s “American Idiot” musical.
This summer, Sarasota Players is producing “Cabaret,” set in a seedy Berlin nightclub as the Nazis solidify their iron grip on Weimar Germany. First staged on Broadway in 1966, the Kander and Ebb musical gained broader audiences and Oscar gold with a 1972 film adaptation.
Directed by Bob Fosse with a screenplay by Jay Presson Allen, the film starred Joel Grey as the Emcee and Liza Minnelli as the sultry singer Sally Bowles. “Cabaret” has been revived several times on Broadway and the West End over the years, winning rave reviews and a Tony Award for Alan Cumming as the Emcee in 1998.
Even if you’ve never seen the musical or movie, you’ve heard the titular siren song:
“What good is sitting alone in your room?
“Come hear the music play.
“Life is a Cabaret, old chum, “Come to the Cabaret.”
Unfortunately, the cheerful ditty has led to some misconceptions about “Cabaret.” Amanda Finnerty, who stars as Sally in the Sarasota Players version, remembers the reaction of fellow theatergoers when she went to see Asolo Repertory Theatre’s production in 2022.
“I didn’t think it was going to be so
dark,” Amanda recalls a woman saying to her date. Evidently, it was too dark because the couple decided to leave at intermission, she says.
Brian Finnerty, who is directing Sarasota Players’ “Cabaret,” doesn’t want scare audiences away. In fact, they’re having fun with the staging, doing the show on a circular stage surrounded by tables that act as a VIP section of the Kit Kat Club, where “Cabaret” takes place. But with authoritarianism on the rise all over the world, the couple isn’t shying away from the underlying theme of the show, namely that good times and complacency can pave the way for autocracy.
Based on the previous collaborations of Amanda and Brian, that ominous warning will be leavened with plenty of sexy singing and dancing, even within the restrictions of the Sarasota Players’ temporary home in The Crossings at Siesta Key mall.
The Finnertys recently sat down to talk about their vision for “Cabaret” at the Sarasota Players’ costume shop on 10th Street. The conference table for the meeting sat on top of the round stage that had yet to be transported across town for “Cabaret.” It sat in the middle of a two-floor warehouse bursting with props and costumes from previous productions by the community theater, which kicks off its 96th season in September. According to Brian Finnerty, the round stage was last used for the production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” during the community theater’s 90th season in 2019. Back then the troupe was known simply as “The Players” and its home was at 838 N. Tamiami Trail, a theater across from the Sarasota Municipal Auditorium that it sold.
In “Joseph,” the round stage rotat-
Image courtesy of Adrian Van Stee
Jason Ellis plays the Emcee and Amanda Heisey plays Sally Bowles in the Sarasota Players production of “Cabaret,” which runs from July 31 through Aug. 10.
ed, Brian Finnerty says. However, this time, it will remain
ary and a ramp will allow the Kit Kat Club performers to strut their
To add to the nightclub ambience, there will be three VIP tables for two surrounding the stage. Those VIP seats, $150 each, include champagne and a charcuterie board from Pineapple Kitchen and chocolates.
The VIP seats sold out early. Brian expects those ticket holders to show up in attire appropriate to a Berlin nightclub in the 1930s. “If not, we’ll have costumes at the door that can help them dress the part,” he says. “We’ll have some fun little boas and such that they can throw on so they can be part of the story.”
Brian says those who have bought the VIP tickets have been told they will “get played with a lot” during the show, which runs from July 31 through Aug. 10.
DRESSED TO KILL
We’ll try to avoid spoilers, but one mannequin that greeted a visitor when she walked in the front door of the costume shop was dressed in a filmy black dress covered with satin glove-like hands. Yowza! That’s just one of many sexy outfits Sally Bowles wears in the show. “Each of the Kit Kat Club girls has six costume changes,” notes Amanda Finnerty.
About those costumes: They’re the handiwork of Jill Castle. Performing come-hither songand-dance is not a great leap for Amanda, a member of Hard Heart Burlesque under the stage name Karma Kandlewick. She and Brian performed together in various productions for six years on area stages before Brian popped the question on stage after an August 2021 performance of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.”
In that Dingbat Theatre Project production, Brian directed, choreographed and designed the costumes, while Amanda played Yitzhak, a Jewish drag queen. With the departure of Sarasota Players’ artistic director, Steven H. Butler in March 2024, the Finnertys, who married in 2024, have taken a greater role in the community
theater’s creative direction under CEO William Skaggs.
Brian’s official title is production manager, and Amanda serves as marketing and PR director, but they wear a variety of hats on and off the stage.
The Finnertys said they were initially thinking of putting “Rock of Ages” into their summer slot, given the success of last year’s “American Idiot,” which attracted a young, enthusiastic audience. “With college kids home from school, we try to do something a little more risque, a little raunchier than usual in the summer,” Brian says.
Still, no one could accuse the Sarasota Players of not having fun and not appealing to young audiences during its regular season. Among the productions in their 2024-25 lineup were “Seussical: The Musical,” “Little Women,” “Fun Home” and “Into the Woods.”
The Finnertys had some performers in mind for “Rock of Ages,” a jukebox musical of 1980s heavy metal anthems, but changed their minds at the last minute. “Things kept happening in the world, and we thought, ‘Let’s do ‘Cabaret,’” Brian says. “I think it’s probably the most important show we could do right now.”
In some of its productions, the Sarasota Players seats the audience on three sides of the stage, but “Cabaret” seemed a natural for a theater-in-the-round production, Brian says.
The community theater is quite creative at using the shopping mall
space that once housed a Banana Republic store as it waits to move into its permanent home in Payne Park. Renovations on the cityowned Payne Park Auditorium are expected to be completed by fall 2026, in time for the Sarasota Players’ 97th season.
ALL THE WORLD’S A (ROUND)
STAGE Theater in the round requires choreography and staging that keeps the show moving so performers never have their backs to part of the audience for long. Former dance kid Brian Finnerty is always ready to tackle choreography. “Of course, I’m biased, but I love Brian’s choreography,” says Amanda. “We don’t normally do things this dance-driven, and the Kit Kat Girls are killing it.”
Brian’s assisted in his “worldbuilding” for “Cabaret” by Technical Director Scott Schuster and Assistant Technical Director Logan Jenkins. Jason Ellis, the theater’s assistant director of operations, is ready for any challenge. He’s also multitalented, serving as the Emcee in “Cabaret.”
To add to the fun, “Cabaret” has not one, but two music directors. William P. Coleman, who recently appeared in “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill” at Stageworks in Tampa, will be on stage playing piano. Meanwhile, Heather Weiskerger, the in-house music director, will be handling music tracks that she recorded in advance.
No matter the Sarasota Players production, audience members must be prepared for characters entering and exiting from different corners of the room. But they’re given advance warning not to stick their feet out in the aisle, lest they trip a performer. This is community theater, folks!
Brian Finnerty uses the same qualifier in his spirited description of “Cabaret.”
“Yes, it’s community theater, but we have a really solid group,” he says. “They can sing, they can dance and they really care about the musical. It’s going to be a really great show.”
So what good is sitting alone in your room? Come hear the music play ...
Beams are rising at Venice Theatre
The Venice Theatre recently invited members of the public to sign a construction beam as it rebuilds following the destruction of its Jervey Theatre in 2022 by Hurricane Ian.
One of the largest community theaters in the country, Venice Theatre has raised $20 million toward its $25 million capital campaign from a variety of sources, including state and local grants and private philanthropy.
The public beam signing attracted about 100 families, elected officials, donors and industry vendors, including Sarasota’s Magnum Builders, which is handling construction on the Jervey Theatre.
“This moment transcends steel and concrete. It’s about the people who refused to let the arts vanish from their community,” said Kristofer Geddie, executive direc-
tor of Venice Theatre and president of the American Association of Community Theatre.
After the 432-seat mainstage Jervey Theatre was destroyed, the Venice Theatre moved quickly to transform its Raymond Center education facility into a theater that seats 130. It has also held performances in its 90-seat black-box Pinkerton Theatre.
The July 18 beam signing was designed to drum up support for the Venice Theatre’s Next Act summer fundraising campaign, in which donations will be matched, thanks to a $125,000 fund approved by the Venice City Council.
The goal is to make enough progress on rebuilding the Jervey Theatre, once the home of the Kentucky Military Institute, in time for the June 2026 AACT WorldFest, which is expected to attract 8,000 members from all over the U.S. for productions, parties and workshops.
Courtesy image
Brian Finnerty is production manager of the Sarasota Players community theater.
Image courtesy of Next-Mark
The Venice Theatre is making substantial progress in rebuilding its mainstage Jervey Theatre, which was destroyed by Hurricane Ian in 2022, top.
THIS WEEK
THURSDAY
‘A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD’
7 p.m. at FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail $15-$19 Visit AsoloRep.org.
Asolo Repertory Theatre rolls out a fun, family-oriented production that’s priced right. Adapted from Arnold Lobel’s children’s stories, Robert and Willie Reale’s musical follows the friendship of Frog and Toad through the seasons. Runs through Aug. 3.
DON’T MISS SUMMER CIRCUS SPECTACULAR
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, a jewelbox venue that elevates any show. 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.
IF YOU GO When: 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Thursday, July 31
Where: The Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Road Tickets: $20 adult; $15 child Info: Visit CircusArts.org.
‘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 in this showcase of stories and songs featuring the months June, July, August and September. Whether she’s singing songs made famous by Janis Joplin or Randy Newman, she leaves the audience with something they never knew before. Runs through Sept. 14.
‘THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE’
7:30 p.m. at Venice Theatre’s Pinkerton Theatre, 140 W. Tampa Ave., Venice $37, $15 youth Visit VeniceTheatre.org.
Brad Wages directs the Venice Theatre’s production of the Tony Award-winning musical about six lovable kids in a bid to win a highly competitive spelling bee. Wages choreographs, while Michelle Kasanofsky is music director for the show, which is recommended for middle school students and older. Runs through Aug. 3.
‘DOROTHY’S DICTIONARY’
8 p.m. at FST’s Keating Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave. $42 and up Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
Alice M. Gatling stars as Dorothy, who introduces a troubled teen played by Ethan Jack Haberfield to the healing power of books.
Directed by Kate Alexander, the tale explores memory, identity and how relationships can transform our lives. Runs through Aug. 10.
FRIDAY
LOOMIS BROS. CIRCUS
7:30 p.m. at Robarts Arena, 3000 Ringling Blvd. $30 adult ticket also admits two children; each additional child $8 Visit LoomisCircus.com.
Ringmaster Justin Loomis presides over a thrilling three-ring circus
OUR PICK
‘A TALE OF DUTY AND VALOR’ SaiNrityalaya School for Dance uses the Bharantanatyam dance form from Southern India to tell the tale of an exiled prince’s quest to rescue his wife from a demon monarch.
designed to bring back the glory days of the big top. Acts include “America’s Got Talent” competitors Chicago’s Official Flyerz Boys, Miss Natasha on trapeze, motorcycle daredevils, foot jugglers and animals of all kinds. Runs through Aug. 3.
SATURDAY
‘THE HIGH LIFE: CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY AND THE BIRDS’
10 a.m. at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 1534 Mound St. $28; $23 online Visit Selby.org.
This eye-catching exhibition features about 70 works of birds by more than 50 photographers from around the world. The works are displayed in the Museum of Botany & the Arts and outside in the gardens, where some of the birds look like they just flew in. Runs through Sept. 14.
MONDAY
RAUSCHENBERG: A CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
10 a.m. at The John and Mable Ringling Art Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Road Free with $25 admission; Mondays free Visit Ringling.org.
IF YOU GO
When: 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2
Where: Sarasota Opera, 61 N. Pineapple Ave.
Tickets: $20.60-$41.20
Info: Visit SarasotaOpera.org.
The Ringling joins museums around the world in honoring the centenary of maverick artist Robert Rauschenberg, who burst onto the art scene in the mid-20th century with collages he called “combines.” The exhibition includes works that The Ringling has in its collection, including pieces Rauschenberg created during his time on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Runs through Aug. 3.
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, at Sarasota Art Museum. Her installation 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 to her late mother, an accomplished seamstress. Runs through Oct. 26.
SCAN
Courtesy images
The duo Zeman Quick Change delights audiences at the Summer Circus Spectacular, which runs through Aug. 9 at The Ringling.
Florida Studio Theatre gives blue-eyed soul a spot in the limelight
Is,” Florida Studio Theatre’s Summer Cabaret featuring the songs of Motown and others inspired by Berry Gordy’s iconic record company.
“How Sweet It Is” is the “love child” of Canadian singer/songwriter Luke McMaster, a Motown aficionado who’s made a documentary about Lamont Dozier, the middle member of the famed HollandDozier-Holland songwriting team.
It’s the home stretch of McMaster’s run at FST, where he’s accompanied by journeymen performers Louis Tucci and Miles Aubrey. A veteran of the Broadway show “Jersey Boys,” Aubrey takes “How Sweet It Is” away from the Motown songbook with a Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons favorite. (We’re not telling which one.)
It’s not the only time the show leaves Hitsville U.S.A. (the name of the Detroit studio where Motown songs were recorded). There’s a song or two by Felix Cavaliere of the Young Rascals, as well as a memorable ditty by McMaster called “Vodka Martini,” inspired by a golf lesson the songwriter received from Smokey Robinson in Palm Springs. (Yeah, Smokey’s in hot water right now with sexual battery allegations, but that’s the man, not his music.)
The libretto, or storytelling part, of “How Sweet It Is” is more than just a pastiche of anecdotes and video found on the internet about the history of Motown. McMaster’s got his own story to tell about how the music label changed his life.
Despite his fears of being an “imposter,” which he voiced both on stage and during an interview, McMaster’s got the street cred to be a practitioner of blue-eyed soul.
The musical second son in a family of hockey-playing brothers has spent time writing songs in LA, Las Vegas and Nashville. He also made a half-hour documentary about Dozier (watch it on YouTube) before the legendary Motown songwriter died in 2022 at the age of 81.
“Sometimes, I wonder what my life would have been like if I’d been born in another place and time,” McMaster muses, perhaps imagining himself topping the charts instead of entertaining cabaret audiences in Sarasota.
It’s already been proven that being white isn’t a barrier to covering Motown hits. The label’s songs have been interpreted by plenty of white singers, including The Beatles (“You Really Got a Hold on Me”), Linda Ronstadt (“The Tracks of My Tears”), Phil Collins (“You Can’t Hurry Love”) and James Taylor, who recorded the song that gave McMaster the title for his show.
Before he made his FST debut this summer, McMaster played with his band The Undercovers on Florida’s
East Coast. When he got a callback after “cold-calling” FST Associate Artist Catherine Randazzo, she put him together with FST veteran Aubrey, who recently wrapped the FST Winter Cabaret show “The Music of Laurel Canyon,” and Tucci, a seasoned New York City musician. Randazzo, who oversees FST’s cabaret program, helped McMaster with his libretto. “I like to tell stories during my show, but Catherine helped me write a script that was precise right down to the minute and second,” McMaster says. “It was like having a tutor.”
Despite the fact that he’s working from a script, McMaster leaves room for spontaneity and interaction with the audience. During a recent matinee, he let an inquisitive audience member know that she can find “Vodka Martini” on Spotify and that he’ll earn “point zero, zero five cents” if she downloads the song.
Obviously, McMaster is driven by his love of Motown, not money. He says he first began writing songs as an adolescent, up in Brandon, Manitoba’s second largest city.
“There was a loose floorboard where I used to hide my notebooks,” he recalls. To practice his songs and
to mimic Smokey’s falsetto, he’d use a hairbrush as a microphone.
When he was growing up, never did McMaster imagine one day he’d hit the links with his idol. The Canadian accepted an out-of-the-blue invitation that came by telephone from Smokey to play golf, even though he doesn’t know how to play.
‘SHAKE IT LIKE A VODKA MARTINI’
When it became apparent to Smokey that McMaster needed some help with his swing, his advice was to “shake it like a vodka martini,” giving the novice duffer the inspiration for a song and a great anecdote for his cabaret show libretto.
One of the most moving parts of “How Sweet It Is” is when McMaster plays a clip from his “Icons of Soul” documentary about Dozier. McMaster got to collaborate on a song with Dozier, whose legacy has been overshadowed by the biggerthan-life Gordy, as well as Motown stars who both wrote and sang, such as Smokey. (Dozier was not a performer.) For the “Icons of Soul” documentary, McMaster and Dozier wrote “My Life is a Song,” which McMaster performs during his show. While McMaster’s co-stars prove
they are stars in their own right, one of the best parts of “How Sweet It Is” comes when Aubrey and Tucci leave the stage for a few minutes. During that time, McMaster puts down his guitar and sits down at the electronic keyboard, where he performs a medley of Motown hits at a slow tempo. Suddenly, the songs take on a new depth, bringing to the forefront the sorrow that has always been there but that you might have missed because you were tapping your foot or snapping your fingers to the infectious beat.
McMaster likes Sarasota so much that he’s decided to move here full time. He’s been house hunting in Lakewood Ranch and scouting venues for The Undercovers. He’s also working with Randazzo on a future cabaret show for FST. Mum’s the word on that one, McMaster says. Roger that. But if you want to see McMaster on stage before next winter, better a get move on. It turns out that rockabilly crooner Eddie Cochran got it wrong. There is a cure for the summertime blues; it’s called “How Sweet It Is.”
Image courtesy of Emiliano Mejias
Louis Tucci, Luke McMaster and Miles Aubrey star in Florida Studio Theatre’s cabaret show, “How Sweet It Is,” which runs at the Goldstein Cabaret through Aug. 3.
YOUR NEIGHBORS
DREAM TEAM
Leaders at Sarasota Yacht Club share insight into 100 years of success.
DANA KAMPA STAFF WRITER
What does it take to meet and exceed the expectations of members at a high-end yacht club that has been serving the community for 100 years?
It comes down to having a cohesive team working behind the scenes, orchestrated by team leaders who have a deep understanding of what patrons want, only made possible through years of experience in hospitality.
Perhaps that industry know-how comes through in a person’s ability to riff off a visitor’s favorite cocktail when they pay a visit to the bar. Maybe it is evident by expert wine pairings coupled with an inventive culinary menu.
According to Sarasota Yacht Club Operations Director Max Miranda, the ability to bring forward all these skills — plus whatever others may be required at a moment’s notice — is what sets his team apart.
Miranda, who has been with SYC for five-and-a-half years, is collaborating with Executive Chef Bruce Bailey and his team to bring a highend level of service to the community.
“It fulfills me when I can go above and beyond. It really does,” he said. “That’s something we really strive to instill in our whole team.”
He previously worked with Karen Harmon, who is now the general manager at SYC, when they both lived in Miami seven years earlier. He attributes their success in working together over the years to her genuine care for people.
Miranda was the food and beverage director at Deering Bay Yacht & Country Club. He moved to Miami with his family from Nicaragua at 12 years old, and he called the big city home for three decades. While he enjoyed Miami, he was delighted to take on a new role in Sarasota.
Bailey, who has been with SYC for a little more than nine years, shared
his appreciation for the unique status a yacht club head chef enjoys. He has the opportunity to work with exceptional ingredients and flex his creativity while catering to diners who return frequently.
He worked his way up from the position of sous chef, and now he appreciates giving up-and-coming cooks in his kitchen opportunities to display their own perspectives and talent.
“We’ve been able to do things like expanding our food and wine experience to two nights, and both sell out most of the time,” he said. “It’s because we try to do stuff that is unique and interesting.”
Bailey and Miranda work hard to understand complex yet complementary flavor profiles.
Culinary tradition dictates red wine pairs with a steak. But these two seek to make a more specific, complex match. Miranda might pair an Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon, noted for its robust black currant aroma, with Bailey’s caramelized onion, date- and bacon-topped New York strip steak so the differing sweet notes bounce off one another rather than becoming saccharine.
Bailey said the onion jam may be one component of the dish, but getting the balance just right has been a fun challenge.
“I’ve been trying it with various beef dishes, and we recently did a sampling with our wine education class,” he said. “We did a braised short rib with a version that incorporates apples instead.”
Patrons’ tastes are ever changing with the seasons. For example, Bailey said his watermelon salad with toasted nuts, accented with edible flowers and a balsamic reduction, has been particularly popular this summer.
While the two heads bring a wealth of personal experience in the fields of hospitality and culinary arts, they agreed that fostering a strong team goes just as far in making a guest’s
“It fulfills me when I can go above and beyond. It really does.”
— Max Miranda, Sarasota Yacht Club Operations Director
experience exceptional.
“I think it is when you’re truly appreciated that you give it your all,” Miranda said. “We want to make sure we’re creating a workspace that is safe, that is fun, and that is respectful.
(Harmon) really embodies that too.”
He also credited Stephanie Feltz, the SYC philanthropy and special projects coordinator, for her role in helping the club secure a spot among Forbes’ Top 50 most exclusive yacht clubs in the world in 2021.
Reflecting on his time in leadership so far, Miranda said he has strived to make Sarasota Yacht Club a “yes club and kitchen.”
“It could be something as simple as filling a member’s request to have a certain bourbon behind the bar,” he said.
The yacht club staff look forward to fully ringing in its 100th anniversary this fall, and Bailey and Miranda eagerly anticipate making the celebration extra special with their own twists, potentially including a commemorative house spirit.
Photos by Dana Kampa
Sarasota Yacht Club
Executive Chef Bruce Bailey adds the finishing touches to his signature steak dish.
The coconut-crusted grouper with mango crema and maduros is a crowd pleaser for seafood fans.
Sarasota Yacht Club Executive Chef Bruce Bailey said his team’s watermelon salad has been the perfect summertime refreshing bite for patrons.
Sarasota Yacht Club Operations Director Max Miranda explains the thought process behind his wine pairings.
Cheers to community
As the St. Regis Longboat Key Resort celebrates one year of operating in the Longboat Key community, residents had the opportunity to connect and learn more about its amenities at the Chamber of Commerce’s latest Off the Clock networking event on July 23.
The St. Regis offered tours of the property that members of the business community enjoyed while catching up with one another.
Tour guides highlighted the spa and restaurant offerings, as well as the waterbased fun available for guests.
Lorna Kirwan, the resort’s director of sales and marketing, said she was glad to welcome members for their first networking event there. She highlighted the available spa and restaurant services, particularly The Monkey Bar, which pays homage to the former watering hole at Colony Beach & Tennis Resort, which occupied the property prior to the St. Regis.
“We have seven different food and beverage outlets here, and five are available for guests as well as for the wider community,” she said.
— DANA KAMPA
Early morning mission
As the sun is just beginning to rise, the volunteers of the Longboat Key Turtle Watch have been up for much longer in preparation to host its Saturday walk and talk group.
At 6:45 a.m. on July 26, as about 20 people begin to gather along the shore, volunteers hosted their final education walk of the summer.
Volunteers, who go through training at the Mote Marine Laboratory, say what
happens in these walks can be unpredictable. Each walk is informative and educational, but there may be times when volunteers may help disoriented turtles or hatchlings.
Which is exactly what happened to volunteer Caleb Jameson when he first attended the turtle walks as a child. At his first walk, he was able to help save a turtle from disorientation and name it Sunrise.
This catapulted Jameson’s interest, and he is currently getting his degree in marine biology at New College of Florida.
“The more I looked into it, the more I became interested,” Jameson said.
On this last walk, the group could see how nest data is collected and counted, where volunteers excavate the nest (three days after nest has hatched) and count the number of hatched and unhatched eggs, as well as the depth of the nest. The data collected on Saturday was 81 hatched, 19 unhatched and 63 centimeters to the bottom.
— CARLIN GILLEN
Photos by Carlin Gillen
Caleb Jameson collects data from turtle tracks.
Connie Schindewolf leads the Longboat Key Turtle Watch.
The group of turtle watchers gathers around to see the turtle nest excavated by volunteers for research.
Members of the Longboat Key business community enjoy an evening of connecting on July 23 at the St. Regis Longboat Key Resort. From left, Lisa Matile, Jen Braden, Julie Wilson, Charlie Murphy and Chris Fehr.
Photos by Dana Kampa
Jennifer Chou gives a tour of the St. Regis Longboat Key Resort at the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce’s Off the Clock networking event on July 23.
Monica Carruth checks out the rays in the St. Regis Longboat Key Resort’s Under the Sea Lagoon.
RECURRING EVENTS
MONDAYS DISCUSSION GROUP
1-2:30 p.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Chat about world affairs, pop culture, news and more at a discussion led by Mike Karp. Free. Call 941-383-6493.
TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS
LONGBOAT LIBRARY
10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 555 Bay Isles Road. Call 941-383-6493.
TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS QIGONG
10-11 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.
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.
BEST BET
SUNDAY, AUG. 3
FUNDRAISING FOR TEXAS
11 a.m. at Christ Church of Longboat Key, 6400 Gulf of Mexico Drive. To help raise money for those recovering from extensive flooding in Texas, the church is hosting a fundraising buffet after the regular 10 a.m. Sunday service. The buffet featuring all sorts of Texas-inspired treats is free, and all donations go toward the Kerr Flood Relief Fund. No reservations required. Those who can’t attend but would like to contribute can send checks payable to Christ Church of Longboat Key, with the relief fund in the memo line. Call 941-3838833 with questions.
WEDNESDAYS CHAIR YOGA
11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Debby Debile leads a class on improving stability and mobility. Accessible for all ages and fitness levels. Cost is $20. Call 941-383-6493.
FRIDAYS UP YOUR TAI CHI SKILLS
10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Certified instructor Reuben Fernandez leads a weekly intermediate tai chi class, held outdoors when weather 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.
IT’S READ EVERYWHERE
Headed on a trip? Snap a photo of you on vacation holding your Observer, then submit your photo at YourObserver.com/ ItsReadEverywhere for a chance to win a $500 cash prize and help a local nonprofit!
showing today.
OUI, OUI: Medge and Michael E. Jaspan with the Longboat Observer in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
File image
The Rev. Julia Piermont of Christ Church of Longboat Key gave the sermon at the interfaith service.
John Ringling Estates home
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
Andrew Robert Gilbertson and Gregory Scott Gilberston, trustees, of Lone Tree, Colorado, sold the home at 400 N. Washington Drive to Christopher and Maria Bowers, of Sandy Spring, Maryland, for $5.8 million. Built in 1992, it has five bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,348 square feet of living area. It sold for $2,737,500 in 2012.
Mark Antos and Lisa Antos, of
Properties LLC for $2.7 million. Built in 1962, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 4,127 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,563,500 in 2007.
THE BEACHES OF LONGBOAT KEY
Stephen Van Dyck, trustee, of University Park, sold the Unit 902 condominium at 775 Longboat Club Road to Jeffrey Clayton, of Jersey City, New Jersey, for $1.7 million. Built in 1984, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 1,842 square feet of living area. It sold for $960,000 in 2011.
DREAM ISLAND
Margaret Ann Romanes, of Sarasota, sold her home at 671 Emerald Harbor Drive to Jeffrey David Undorf, trustee, of Tampa, for $1.15
LONGBEACH
Eric Gordon Bell and Mara Kelsch, of Bradenton, sold their home at 651 Fox St. to William Pochintesta, of Katonah, New York, for $500,000. Built in 1954, it has one bedroom, one bath and 1,416 square feet of living area. It sold for $95,000 in 1990.
SPANISH MAIN YACHT CLUB
two baths and 1,540 square feet of living area. It sold for $55,000 in 1978.
TOP BUILDING PERMITS
guez and Margarita Valcarcel, of Winter Park, for $250,000. Built in 1970, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,361 square feet of living area. It sold for $260,000 in 2024.
Joseph Gutmann, of Lutz, sold his Unit 214 condominium at 683 Spanish Drive S. to Carmen Rodri-
images
The home at 671 Emerald Harbor Drive, built in 1964, sold for $1.15 million.
The 400 N. Washington Drive home was built in 1992 and has five bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,348 square feet of living area.
From Lazy to Lo’ Key
Lo’ Key Island Grille manager recounts journey six months post-opening.
Taking on opening a new restaurant on Longboat Key is no small task, especially when it comes with zoning debates and some unfortunately timed hurricanes. But that didn’t deter the team at Lo’ Key Island Grille.
Leaders at the north end-based restaurant took a moment to celebrate their success so far at this month’s meeting of the Kiwanis Club of Longboat Key on July 22. Lo’ Key Island Grille is nearing six
months since its grand opening at 5620 Gulf of Mexico Drive.
The restaurant bills itself as an eatery that focuses on fresh fish from the Gulf Coast, with a bit of pan-coastal Southern flair thrown into the mix.
Several dozen Kiwanians joined the midsummer social hour, sampling menu staples like the fresh oysters and housesmoked fish dip while hearing from General Manager Courtney Rossler about the restaurant’s journey thus far.
The July meeting was a special one for Kiwanis Club President Michael Garey, who worked with Kessler at his restaurant, Lazy Lobster, for 14 years.
Kessler said she appreciated that Garey never sugar-coated anything, which she said gave her valuable insight into the restaurant business.
“There wasn’t much left to the imagination with the business,” she said. “But actually doing it and opening a place is a whole other animal.”
She met her now business partner, Kevin Pass, by happenstance at Lazy Lobster. The idea for the restaurant came from one day out on a boat trip.
“We’re all just so proud of you,” Garey told her. “You’ve done a fantastic job here.”
— DANA KAMPA
•
•
Photos by Dana Kampa
Michael Garey, owner of Lazy Lobster and president of the Kiwanis Club of Longboat Key, listens intently as General Manager Courtney Rossler shares the challenges and rewards that have come with opening Lo’ Key Island Grille.
Courtney Rossler, general manager of Lo’ Key Island Grille, recounts the journey of opening the restaurant with members of the Kiwanis Club of Longboat Key.
NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH
FORECAST
FRIDAY, AUG. 1
SUNRISE / SUNSET
AUG. 2
MOON PHASES
TIDES
UNGEP
“ZNKY MI N HMIYNIY. MK MI DYNB’I JYIIYWUYB NWH MK JNLYI FI HX KYBBMSCY KZMWUI MW N IZNHXP XD XFB SYKKYB IYCRYI.” VXCMW DNBBYCC
INNER CONFIDENCE by Adrian Johnson, edited by Jared Goudsmit
By Luis Campos
Donna Jablonski took this photo of an egret hanging
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