WEEK OF AUG. 14, 2025
BY THE NUMBERS
“I
believe I can bring what I’ve learned (in Pittsburgh)
into that role and leading the airport.”
New SRQ CEO and President Paul Hoback Read more on page 3
Longboat Key Italian restaurant is opening a second location in Manatee County, this one on the mainland. The restaurant is Ventura’s Italian Kitchen. Its Longboat location, Ventura’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, is at 6814 Gulf of Mexico Drive. The new one — with a grand opening scheduled for Friday — is at 4805 Cortez Road W. in Bradenton. The Cortez location, according to a statement, “promises a warm,
welcoming atmosphere where guests can savor traditional recipes passed down through generations.”
“We’re excited to bring our passion for cooking and family to the Bradenton community in our new open air kitchen,” owner Debra Murphy said in the release. “Ventura’s isn’t just a restaurant — it’s a place where families gather, friends toast and every meal feels like Sunday dinner.”
The Bradenton location will feature lunch and dinner daily, takeout and delivery, catering, a wine bar and gelato.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday at the Cortez location. It includes complimentary tastings of signature dishes, exclusive giveaways for the first 25 families, and a meet-and-greet with the Ventura family and Executive Chef Anthony “Fabio” Davi, the release states.
Allegiant to start route to Rochester
Allegiant Travel Company has added five new nonstop routes beginning in early 2026, two of them from central Gulf Coast airports.
The new route between SarasotaBradenton International Airport and Rochester, New York, via Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport will begin Feb. 13, 2026. On March 5, 2026, Allegiant will begin nonstop service between St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport and Huntsville, Alabama, via Huntsville International Airport.
“We’re happy to see Allegiant continue to expand its service at SRQ,” said Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport President and CEO Rick Piccolo in a news release.
“Adding a new route to Rochester not only strengthens our ties to the Northeast, but also continues to provide our passengers convenient, nonstop travel options.”
Tickets for all newly announced routes are now available. Flight days, times and the lowest fares can be found at Allegiant.com.
SMH earns honor from Medicare
Sarasota Memorial Hospital has received the federal government’s highest quality rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services setting a 10-year benchmark for five-star care.
Of more than 4,000 U.S. hospitals evaluated each year, SMH-Sarasota is the only one in Florida — and among fewer than 20 nationwide — to receive a five-star rating each year since CMS began the overall hospital quality star ratings in 2016. It is also the only hospital in the Tampa Bay region to earn five stars this year.
“As SMH marks a century of service, we want to recognize the dedicated physicians, nurses and staff who have been providing outstanding care to our community since 1925,” said Sarasota Memorial Health Care System CEO David Verinder in a news release. “The exceptional care they deliver year after year, and through the decades, demonstrates our deep roots and long-term investment in the health and well-being of our community.”
Paul Hoback, the next president and CEO of Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, gives a media tour of terminal improvements at Pittsburgh International Airport.
Paul Hoback brings airport rebirth expertise to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.
If airports are all about making connections, Paul Hoback has a head start prior to assuming the title of president and CEO of Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport in October.
As a youngster, his grandmother lived in Zephyrhills. He had an uncle who lived in St. Petersburg. Many summers and vacations were spent in the area, including Siesta Key. Later, his sister lived in Fort Myers for a decade.
Starting Oct. 20, Hoback will follow in the footsteps of Rick Piccolo, who for three decades led SRQ, first
Paul Hoback said he is going from working for one of the most accomplished airport CEOs in Pittsburgh International Airport’s Christina Cassotis to succeeding another in Rick Piccolo. In a statement to the Observer, Cassotis said she is proud, albeit “a little sad,” that he is moving on after his 25 years at PIT.
“I congratulate the SarasotaBradenton community for being the place that Paul chose for the next phase of his successful aviation career,” Cassotis told the Observer. “Paul is a fantastic leader who capped his tenure here at Pittsburgh International Airport as our chief development officer, responsible for delivering our new terminal, roadway system, multimodal complex and customer service building program, all while continuing to serve as a key member of the executive leadership team working with me on making strategic decisions and implementing our overall business and operational strategy.”
She added Hoback leads with integrity, enthusiasm, vision and tenacity.
“Paul has been a trusted advisor and great partner to me and the PIT team and for the Pittsburgh region,” Cassotis added.
“Your region is lucky to get him. We will miss him.”
through a transition of governance, then out of a debt of tens of millions of dollars and finally through a half-decade of necessary facilities expansion to keep pace with a mid and post-pandemic explosion in passenger growth from fewer than 2 million to more than 4 million and climbing.
Meanwhile, Hoback spent his entire 25-year career in aviation helping guide Pittsburgh International Airport through the loss of its USAirways midsize hub status, serving some 21 million passengers in 2000 to just more than 7 million in the years following.
Today, PIT serves nearly 10 million flyers as — like SRQ — an origin and destination airport. As executive vice president and chief development officer, Hoback has led a $1.7 billion transformation of its passenger terminal, baggage handling system, structured parking addition and more.
While Hoback was overseeing the renaissance of PIT, Piccolo spearheaded the growth of SRQ. In partnership with the Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority, since 2020, the airport added hundreds of surface parking spaces, guided the construction of the new Concourse A that opened in January 2025, the installation of a new and more efficient baggage handling system and planning for a parking reformation that will eventually include a multilevel deck for passenger parking and rental car operations.
In other words, the two airports are on a somewhat parallel track and, if it needs to happen at SRQ, Hoback has probably already done it at PIT.
“We started a master plan process to really reimagine our facilities, because we were not that hub anymore. And that was OK. We are going to be the best origin and destination airport we can be,” Hoback said of PIT’s de-hubbing and reimagining. “We knew we needed to have facilities that would enable us to have a great customer experience, have that ease of use and because we had aging infrastructure that wasn’t maintained for many years.”
To achieve that objective, Hoback led the terminal modernization program, a $155 million airside renovations effort, and strategic direction for all other capital development projects at both PIT and the Allegheny County Airport in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania.
The similarities between PIT and SRQ, he said, are many.
“I see a growing facility. I heard from the board, from Rick and from team members I talked to that it is so important for that region to make sure that you continue to have that family feel, that boutique feel, that small airport feel but have facilities that are going to be able to match the growth and be able to still provide that exceptional customer experience. That’s what I’ve been living the
last 12 years up here in Pittsburgh. I believe I can bring what I’ve learned here into that role and leading the airport.”
As a lifelong Pennsylvanian, Hoback’s move is more than a professional one. It also represents a significant change in latitude, from a city with three major professional sports franchises to one with none. From a view of the Allegheny Mountains to one of the Sarasota Bay. “The next logical step, especially after this project, was I’d love to run my own airport. I’d love to be part of something special,” Hoback said. “As soon as the headhunter approached me about this job, I just saw so much opportunity. What an act to follow and to be able to help cement the legacy that (Piccolo) helped create and the board there has helped create and the incredible region that is really growing. It’s so special.”
“The best place to live, the best places to work, the best place to do business, the best place to visit and everything kept speaking to me about paradise. It was a no-brainer. I wanted it.”
Paul Hoback
Synergies between Pittsburgh and Sarasota extend beyond growing and thriving origin and destination airports. They also include the Pittsburgh Pirates spring training in Bradenton — “Half of Pittsburgh typically travels down there, especially that time of the year,” Hoback said — plus the Pirates’ Bradenton Marauders Class A Advanced minor league baseball team.
Hoback said he has heard multiple stories of connections between the Steel City and the Suncoast area.
In addition to familiarity, Sarasota’s thriving arts and cultural community were attractive to the 50-year-old Hoback and his wife, Amy, who have been together since age 15. Their 19-year-old son, Cannon, is a sophomore at Arizona State University.
“My family is everything to me,” he said. “That’s why I do what I do.”
As he researched his prospective new home during the interview process, the area’s superlatives became more apparent.
“The best place to live, the best places to work, the best place to do business, the best place to visit
Paul Hoback has spent his entire 25-year aviation career with the Allegheny County Airport Authority at Pittsburgh International Airport. Here is how he worked his way up to accumulate the qualifications as the next president and CEO of Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.
DECEMBER 2000-AUGUST 2008 Hired as engineering project manager
AUGUST 2008NOVEMBER 2010 Manager, maintenance administration and planning
NOVEMBER 2010-FEBRUARY 2012 Director of maintenance
FEBRUARY 2012-APRIL 2014 Director of maintenance and capital improvements
APRIL 2014-MARCH 2015 Vice president, operations and facilities
MARCH 2015-JANUARY 2018 Senior vice president, facilities, engineering and maintenance
JANUARY 2018-MAY 2019 Senior vice president, engineering, planning and capital development
MAY 2019-JANUARY 2022 Chief development officer
JANUARY 2022OCTOBER 2025 Executive vice president and chief development officer
OCT. 20
Begins as president and CEO of SarasotaBradenton International Airport
ENSURING SUCCESSFUL SUCCESSION
Hoback will officially start here 17 days after the scheduled gala to celebrate the finishing touches of terminal and other facilities improvements at PIT. Meanwhile at SRQ, passenger experience enhancements in Concourse B and in the passenger terminal are nearing completion, including upgraded food and beverage options.
“They have an excellent master plan with triggers that need to be implemented and executed when growth hits certain numbers,” Hoback said. “I’d love to get down there, roll up my sleeves, get into that master plan and figure out how we continue to elevate year after year. It is so important to have a front door to that region that they truly deserve and that reflects the community. I see that in SRQ.”
Piccolo will remain for an additional six weeks in a consulting role to help facilitate the leadership tran-
sition. Hoback will inherit a master plan that would ultimately include further expansion of Concourse A, an overhead connector between concourses A and B, construction of a Concourse C and a four-level parking structure at the current location of short-term and rental car parking, similar to one recently built at PIT.
“I can’t wait to get down there and learn everything I can and be that sponge working closely with Rick.”
Paul Hoback
“I can’t wait to get down there and learn everything I can and be that sponge working closely with Rick,” Hoback said. “The transition is so important … and we’ve already started. We’re in constant communication with each other now and making sure that he’s helping prepare me. I’m really looking forward to learning everything I can from him. I couldn’t be more fortunate to have been given the opportunity to lead the airport after all the amazing work that Rick has done.
“It’s such an honor.”
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The new running club meets on Saturdays at 7 a.m. at Sips coffee shop, 6830 Gulf of Mexico Drive. The group is free to the public, and registration is not required.
Erin Hogan Jones, her daughter, Madeline Jones, and their 5-year-old pup, Arlee Dana Kampa
Opportunities to get active while enjoying the outdoors aren’t easy to come by in August. But one group is beating the heat with an early morning jog on the weekends, and anyone in the community is invited to join.
The new running club recently launched on Longboat Key, meeting at 7 a.m. Saturdays at Sips coffee shop.
Chris Carter got the group up and moving on Aug. 9. While they took a southward route from the shop on Whitney Plaza for the inaugural meeting earlier this month, participants headed north this time to avoid sidewalk construction.
As runners stretched and warmed up, Carter explained that organizers hope to bring together residents and visitors to reap the physical rewards of getting the blood pumping, but also the social benefits.
“It’s just something fun to do on a Saturday morning, and an opportunity to get the community together,” he said.
The three-mile route took runners across the bridge, where they were greeted by a pleasant post-rainstorm breeze. They ran up to the Coquina Beach Cafe before looping back toward the shore and to the shop. Participants are welcome to set their own pace, whether a brisk run, easygoing jog or power walk with the dog. Those joining in August can also benefit from some preseason conditioning before the
start of a multitude of fun runs scheduled for the fall.
Resident Erin Hogan Jones said she appreciated having a new venue to socialize and exercise on the north end.
Runner Justina Carter agreed, adding, “I think it’s good to have something like this so we can build a stronger sense of community here on Longboat, especially given it’s a smaller community. Plus, it supports healthy habits.”
Shimon Otsuka said that is exactly why the founders wanted to create the group, inspired by the popular Sarasotabased 99 Bottles Run Club that meets on Wednesdays.
“Everybody is welcome,” he said. “You can run, walk, move however you want to. We’ll have water and towels.”
He joked that getting out of bed early on a Saturday isn’t always the easiest thing to do, but members can enjoy good company and a pick-me-up coffee afterward.
Lorenzo Condensa said Sips was happy to provide a meeting point for the early crowd.
“We just wanted to give the community something to be excited about,” he said. He said participants can find some specials at the shop while partaking in post-run conversations or taking a coldwater plunge.
— DANA KAMPA
J. Jeremy T. Whatmough 1934-2025
On July 21, 2025, J. Jeremy T. Whatmough passed away at home surrounded by his family. The son of Joshua Whatmough and G. Verona Taylor, Jeremy was born on September 24, 1934, in Boston, MA. Predeceased by his parents and his sister -Theodora, Jeremy is survived by his wife of 64 years Myrna, his son Joshua (Lessa), his daughter Jocelyn (Guille), and great-niece Diana. Jeremy lived his life on his own terms and chose when he wished to leave this world.
From ages 7 through 17, Jeremy attended Upper Canada College in Toronto Canada as a boarder. Rather than stay for grade 13, Jeremy entered Harvard in the Fall of 1952 and he graduated in 1956 with a degree in Economics. During college summers, Jeremy worked on the Ford assembly line; like his degree, this prepared him for his employment in the automotive industry. Jeremy was recruited by Ford right out of college and enjoyed many years with them.
After his tenure with Ford, Jeremy was recruited by American Motors and ultimately oversaw the Jeep Division. Even though Jeremy was a devoted automotive
person, Conrail, a freight railroad, needed his help and expertise. He answered the call and was one of a handful of people who saved the company which then went on to become publicly traded. While at Conrail, Jeremy was thrilled to return to Harvard to complete the Advance Management Program in 1986 and most enjoyed overseeing the Conrail Police Department. He retired from Conrail in 1994 but that did not last long. Jeremy then set off for Pittsburgh and ultimately retired for good from MK Rail.
Once Jeremy retired to Longboat Key, he became very involved in the community - The Garden Club, Planning and Zoning Board, Kiwanis, Commissioner and
Mayor. Jeremy was also active in The Harvard and Ivy League Clubs as well as All Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church. Jeremy and his family moved to the Lakewood Ranch full time in the mid2000s. Here Jeremy enjoyed taking care of his multi-acre property, being with Myrna and enjoying Sunday polo.
Jeremy will be remembered as a type A personality who never demanded more of anyone else than he did himself. Both professionally and personally he cared deeply about everyone around him. Jeremy was a man who loved his wife Myrna and was the greatest supporter and role model to his children. To say he will be missed is an understatement.
449099-1
Having outgrown its facilities built on Coon Key in 1958, Sarasota Yacht Club has received approval to expand its facilities on its 3.76 acres just east of Plymouth Harbor.
On July 21, the Sarasota City Commission, with little discussion, unanimously approved a rezoning amendment and site plan to allow the club to construct a new threestory building, expansion of its existing clubhouse and structured parking plus an expanded outdoor dining deck area.
The club plans to build more than 12,000 square feet of new building space, including a 1,000-squarefoot expansion of its existing outdoor dining deck. The project will include a 4,691-square-foot expansion of the existing clubhouse and a new 8,200-square-foot, three-story multiuse building to house offices, classroom space and a fitness center; a 2,540-square-foot roof deck; and additional parking spaces.
On May 14, the Sarasota Planning Board unanimously recommended commission approval of the club’s rezoning amendment request and site plan.
“The membership has grown in a way that we found that the fitness
has been much more in demand, and the existing fitness room in the building is not big enough,” said architect Mark Sultana, a 17-year member of the club and principal of DSDG Architecture. Of the new building, Sultana said, “We will have an entire floor devoted to fitness and wellness for the members. The second level will be office and classroom space for the sailing program that they have for youth. Right now, the kids have to be outside to get instruction from the coaches.”
Atop the new building will be a rooftop deck.
The 4,700-square-foot expansion to the existing building will include a grill room that will provide the added benefit of dining space for members when events such as weddings and bar mitzvahs are taking place in the dining room.
Immediately to the west of the club and sharing Coon Key is the retirement community of Plymouth Harbor, which is planning an expansion of its own. The only concern raised by the commission is noise that may emanate from the club after hours when special events may be held.
Project consultant Joel Freedman told commissioners hours of operation of the club will not change and all special events have a hard stop of 10 p.m.
Some homeowners have homes finished, some are starting from scratch and others are getting out.
MICHAEL HARRIS MANAGING EDITOR
Since that cursed morning of Sept. 27 of last year, BJ Bishop and her husband, Dave, have had a crow’s nest view of the Buttonwood Harbour community.
What they have witnessed in the past 11 months has been a slow progression of recovery and that “notwhat-it-was” feel.
“It felt like a real neighborhood,” she said. “It’s not the same environment. Buttonwood was one of the first neighborhoods where we had a lot of year-long residents.”
Now, according to Bishop and resident John Wegman, there is a mix of repair, return or sell as there are some leaving Longboat Key entirely.
We have Hurricane Helene to thank for that. The topic of repairing homes or selling or just getting out is an ad nauseam discussion carrying through the neighborhoods, coffee shops and, of course, media outlets.
But for Longboat residents, they cannot get away from it. Currently, BJ and Dave are in the middle of tearing down their house at 634 Buttonwood Drive, where they’ve lived since 2013, only to rebuild.
The house received 5 feet of Helene’s surge water gushing through the rooms.
The Bishops have been staying in an apartment above the garage since Helene.
“At the beginning, it was a little eerie, because we were literally just about the only people at this end of the street,” she said. “I grew up on a farm, so, you know, I’m used to living like that.”
A s backhoes eat through the remains, reducing it to crumbs, the Bishops plan to rebuild it bigger, stronger and higher — much higher.
A new house next to the garage will sit 12 feet higher.
“We’ll bring in 2 feet of dirt to raise the lot a little bit, and then we’ll go 10 feet up,” she said. “And that will be where the first floor is.”
At the other end of the spectrum is Wegman, who lives at 670 Longwood Drive, and also got hammered by Helene’s flooding. But he reacted immediately.
“We started taking everything out, cutting the drywall, 4 feet below, things like that,” Wegman said. “So then when Milton came, we closed the house back up and we didn’t get any additional flooding.”
Whereas the Bishops are living above their garage, the Wegmans are back in their fully remodeled house.
Post-Milton, Wegman said they had dryers in the house as soon as the electric switched on and they were on the phone with contractors.
They were also one of the first on the island to get with the town and get permitting.
“We took the permit over,” Wegman said. “We went down to the town and we said we want to be owner permitted. I felt the town was really good about that.”
In Florida, under statute 489.103(7), property owners can act as their own contractor and obtain permits to do contracting work on their own property, subject to specific restrictions.
“It gives you a lot of flexibility to reach out, get your own contractors
because everybody’s super busy,” Wegman said.
Now, in fairness, there was a bit of time to fully get back in the house. Wegman said they were able to return around Thanksgiving, but the kitchen was without cabinets and appliances.
But according to Wegman — minus a few odds and ends to finish — everything was complete by the end of January.
Bishop, on the other hand, says it will take up to two years to rebuild their house.
“Our biggest problem was Florida Power & Light,” she said. “We’re still living there, and they said, ‘But you’re tearing the house down.’ We’re not tearing the garage down.”
Bishop said it was a friend in Tallahassee who called the CEO of FPL and said “common sense does not play a role in the department.”
In between the Wegmans and the Bishops have been a mix throughout the Buttonwood community. Bishop says some people who are not elevating their houses are back in, while others are selling, others are buying.
Wegman, who lives on one of Buttonwood’s canals, said the houses on both sides of him are completely gone and those owners are selling the empty lots.
“One gentleman who lives here lived on the noncanal side, and he wanted a house on the canal,” Wegman said. “He was able to have the opportunity and buy a lot.”
The hope for Buttonwood residents, as is for all of Longboat Key, is they’ve seen the last of the flooding. Bishop isn’t taking that chance by elevating her house.
“Many have rebuilt on the ground. They’re just hoping that it really was a 100-year flood, and I just didn’t have that same comfort.”
Mexico Drive Marine rescue: Police marine patrol was dispatched when a couple’s pontoon boat had run aground on a sand bar in the Gulf.
The officer observed the area was severely shallow, and the tide was very low. The officer advised the man and woman of their options, which were to abandon the boat and wait for the tide to come up or stay with the vessel and wait for the tide to rise.
The couple agreed they would abandon ship and needed a ride back to port. The man was able to properly secure the vessel for the time being with two anchors. The officer provided the couple with a courtesy transport to the Sara Bay Marina (7040 N. Tamiami Trail), from where the couple had launched.
FRIDAY, AUG. 1
BURGLARY, NOT BURGLARY
1:28 p.m., 5951 Gulf of Mexico Drive
Suspicious person: Longboat Key police responded to what was originally a burglary call, which was changed to a suspicious person, before not being suspicious at all.
Police canvassed the property and there was no forced entry and individuals matching the description of two males turned out to be land surveyors, who needed the dimensions for all coastal properties per EPA guidelines.
The complainant was advised, and no further action was taken.
SATURDAY AUG. 2 I KNOW WHO HE IS
12:11 a.m., 400 North Shore Road. Suspicious vehicle: Officers responded to a call of a suspicious kayak tied up to the caller’s dock. The complainant stated he had not been to the residence for longer than a month and his grandmother is no longer living at the house.
A computer check of the hull number revealed the owner of the kayak to be a friend of the family and the man was familiar with the person.
GOING
POSTAL
3:15 p.m.
3538 Fair Oaks Lane
Suspicious incident:
An officer responded to a caller in New Hampshire who witnessed, through her doorbell camera, a woman at the front entrance of her door.
The complainant stated she
was not expecting anyone at the residence and was concerned because she was out of state. The officer found no signs of forced entry or criminal activity. Upon review of the video and still photos, the female was wearing a United States Post Office shirt/hat and looked to be holding a package or letter. It was confirmed that it was the USPS, where a “We Missed You” delivery note was left by the USPS. The caller was satisfied with the findings.
WEDNESDAY AUG. 6
TRASH BANDITS
2:43 p.m. 400 Gulf of Mexico Drive
Animal problem: An officer responded to a complaint about four to seven raccoons trapped in a dumpster. The officer observed said raccoons inside the dumpster with the lid propped open by a piece of wood. The raccoons did not say if they were trapped, taking shelter or hiding from the law. All raccoons were retrieved by animal services from the dumpster and released without incident.
Florida should follow Texas’ lead by focusing on legalizing accessory dwelling units, streamlining permitting and loosening restrictive zoning regulations.
At 640 million acres, more than a quarter of America’s total land area, the federal government’s real estate portfolio dwarfs that of private developers and corporations. The U.S. federal government owns more land than France, Spain and Germany combined. When some in Congress recently proposed selling a small amount of federal land to build affordable housing, the idea met fierce bipartisan resistance and was dropped.
The barriers to building housing are best addressed at the state and local levels, so it was for the best that provision failed. However, the intense emotions surrounding the divestment of even one of those 640 million acres illustrate how challenging it has become to confront the government’s poor asset management and spending.
About 12.9% of Florida’s land is owned by the federal government, or about 4.5 million acres. That is over 1 million acres more that the feds own in Georgia and Alabama combined. The National Park Service controls over half of federal land in Florida.
It’s understandable to get passionate about protecting Everglades National Park or Big Cypress National Preserve and other crown jewels of our national parklands. Or the 17 wilderness areas in the state. But that’s not the lands for which we should be reconsidering federal ownership.
Most calls for land divestment focus on the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service, the agencies that hold nearly 70% of all federal lands. BLM land is mostly in the West, but the forest service controls about 1 million acres in Florida. Almost 600,000 of those acres are wetlands or wilderness areas, so they are not being considered. Most of the rest is also off the table, situated in remote areas far from job centers and existing infrastructure.
The land that has potential are small parts of the Apalachicola National Forest near where it borders Tallahassee and small parts of the Ocala National Forest near Orlando. Some of that acreage may not be crucial to the park, especially given extensive nearby state parks as well, and could be better used for commercial purposes.
The Government Accountability Office has flagged federal property management as “high risk” since 2003. Maintenance backlogs for federal land have gone from $170 billion to $370 billion
in just seven years. Federal facilities are crumbling, underutilized and poorly configured for modern needs. Therefore, it should not be heresy to suggest that targeted, data-driven divestment could save taxpayers money, prioritize lands with genuine development potential near existing communities, while preserving crown jewel parks, wilderness areas and wetlands that provide clear public and ecosystemic value.
The federal government owning nearly 50% of the area west of the Mississippi suggests a massive misallocation of resources and missed economic opportunities. While there are pockets of parks, and recreational and industrial revenue generation from public lands, many federal land holdings offer minimal public benefit while imposing substantial carrying costs.
Rural communities across the West have long chafed under federal land rules that limit local economic development and constrain local tax bases. That is less of a problem in Florida, but not zero — some counties suffer considerable tax revenue loss. A smart approach to federal land sales could strengthen rural economies, increase local property tax revenue, and bring environmental protection and land management under local oversight.
It’s not about selling Everglades or Big Cypress; it’s about unloading underutilized properties that drain federal resources without delivering commensurate benefits.
The best path forward requires Congress to launch a comprehensive inventory of federal holdings, identifying properties ripe for divestment while safeguarding truly national assets. It could even create a bipartisan federal lands committee modeled after the Base Realignment and Closure Commission, which successfully navigated the closure of hundreds of the country’s military bases through a fair process with minimal politics and maximum pragmatism.
When it comes to Florida’s and America’s housing crisis, selling federal land isn’t the answer. Local land-use regulations, zoning laws, subdivision ordinances, delays in permitting, poor regional planning
and governance, and other regulatory barriers are to blame for the lack of housing and high prices. These regulations, red tape and long delays prevent builders from meeting the demand for housing.
Rather than relying on Congress to provide a solution, leaders in Florida should follow the lead of major cities in Texas, such as Austin and Houston, by focusing on legalizing accessory dwelling units, streamlining permitting processes and loosening or eliminating restrictive zoning regulations. These types of reforms can help increase housing supply quickly and at scale and are far more impactful than what could be expected from distant federal land sales.
Recent housing reforms in Texas and Montana demonstrate what’s possible when state governments are motivated to finally address long-standing problems.
States and localities must continue to build momentum in implementing the zoning and permitting reforms that actually increase housing supply and drive down costs.
Congress can’t solve the housing crisis by selling federal land, but that doesn’t mean we should cling to an outdated land ownership model that serves nobody well. It’s time to right-size the federal government’s real estate empire — not because it will make housing more affordable, but because responsible stewardship demands it.
The federal government should focus on safety, security and truly national priorities, not on being America’s largest and worst landlord. And state and local governments should remove the barriers they’ve created to building more housing. That’s the path to more affordable housing and a little less government.
Leonard Gilroy and Adrian Moore, both are vice presidents at Reason Foundation.
Matt Walsh will be on leave until mid-October.
State and local governments should remove barriers on federal land and allow for more affordable housing.
“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.” Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944
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MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER
Carole J. Bufford belts out a sizzling ode to summer in FST’s ‘Too Darn Hot.’
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
he science fiction writer
Robert Heinlein gets credit for saying “Every generation thinks it invented sex.”
That observation may be true, but cabaret singer Carole J. Bufford knows that’s not the case.
For her summer cabaret show at Florida Studio Theatre, “Too Darn Hot: Songs for a Summer Night,” Bufford digs deep into the annals of American popular music to celebrate summer pastimes of days gone by, including one called “makin’ whoopee.”
Before TV, there was radio. Its songs and serials educated the young about the rites of adulthood in a different manner than did the minister in his pulpit.
For those with the means, the automobile provided a way to get off the front porch and escape the watchful eyes of parents and neigh-
Away from home, there were the pleasures of the movie theater and later, the drive-in. For many years, the drugstore counter was a prime meeting spot for members of the opposite sex. It was here that you cooled off with Coca-Cola, which came from a fountain, not a bottle
The drugstore often had a jukebox, and in some places, people even danced. Such dangerous activity was banned in bars and restaurants by the City of New York in 1926. The Cabaret Law remained on the books until Bufford spans the decades in her FST show. Her repertoire — and her costumes — transport you to a slower, steamier time where summer provided ample opportunity for misbehavin’.
As the Cole Porter song that gives Bufford the title for her show reminds us, sometimes it’s “Too Darn Hot” to do much of anything, except perhaps roll in the hay. But there could be a price to pay for such abandon, as Bufford warns us with that Jazz Age favorite “Makin’ Whoopee.”
Bufford, a red-headed siren, organizes her show by the summer months —June, July, August and
September. Each month is introduced with a poem to set the mood. During the show, it quickly becomes evident that not only is Bufford a dazzling entertainer, she is a scholar.
A SINGER WITH A KNACK FOR RESEARCH
A lot of cabaret singers ad lib their librettos (the spoken word part of the show), but Bufford has done her homework, not only in her wideranging selection of songs, but in the stories behind them. Even those well-versed in the popular music of the 20th century may learn something new.
With its subtitle “Songs for a Summer Night,” it’s not unexpected to hear Bufford croon George Gershwin’s 1934 song, “Summertime,” his aria from the opera “Porgy and Bess.” But Bufford demonstrates her vocal versatility by performing the song in the style of Janis Joplin, who recorded it with Big Brother and the Holding Company in 1968 before going solo.
Sometimes, Bufford flips the switch, like when she belts out Bob Seger’s “Fire Down Below,” a masculine salute to strippers and their faithful followers that one might not expect in the set of a songstress, even a sultry one. With this and other knowing nods in “Too Darn Hot,” Bufford embraces the power of female sexuality.
But the heat of summer can lead to destructive pursuits. Randy Newman is known for his humorous and often sardonic ditties like “Short People” and “I Love LA,” the tonguein-cheek anthem he wrote for the 1984 Summer Olympics.
But how many people have heard Newman’s “Let’s Burn Down the Cornfield?” Bufford brings her considerable powers of persuasion to this sinister number. Her seductive delivery reminds you that in a onehorse town before high-tech pastimes, this might have been someone’s idea of fun.
Back in the days before information was instantly available on the internet, a New York City-based performer such as Bufford would have had to spend a lot of time in the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center, a cultural repository of books, sheet music, audio and video.
But with the help of Google and evolving AI tools, Bufford isn’t tied to the Lincoln Center NYPL branch.
Thanks to her research both online and off, you’ll leave “Too Darn Hot” full of factoids that you can regale your friends with or maybe win a round of “Jeopardy!” if you watch at home.
During a recent performance, Bufford confessed to her audience she was once criticized by a professor at Ithaca College, where she earned a BFA in musical theater, for being too old-fashioned in her musical tastes. Obviously, she’s gotten the last laugh, having made a career out of cabaret.
Bufford’s created her own shows, including “speak easy” featuring Grammy winners Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks, and has performed with Michael Feinstein’s Great American Songbook series at Jazz @ Lincoln Center and in “Broadway by the Year” concerts in New York and California.
When Bufford was growing up in what she calls a “one-stoplight town” in Georgia, there weren’t many opportunities for her to hone her performing skills. To help her accumulate showbiz credits, her father directed her in a performance of “The Wizard of Oz” when she was in high school.
A Georgia 4-H club, “Clovers and Company,” brought Bufford together with like-minded young performers. “I loved it because I finally got to meet people like me,” she says. Talent shows and singing at beauty pageants while judges tallied their votes also helped Bufford get more stage experience.
Along the way, she figured out that “nearly all the songs I loved, especially those in the Great American Songbook, came from Broadway musicals.” That’s why she decided to major in musical theater.
Asked how her musical taste developed as a child, Bufford says family members played a part. Her dad was fond of the Great American Songbook, her mom liked Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand and her grandparents played country and western music on the radio and stereo.
ON THE TRAIL OF LIZA
But the single greatest influence on Bufford’s budding professional
aspirations was a woman who made a name for herself as “Liza with a Z.”
That’s Liza Minnelli, the daughter of Garland and film director Vincent Minnelli.
“We had a Betamax at home and my dad had recorded Liza’s 1980 HBO special in New Orleans. I used to come home from school every day and watch it,” she recalls. Bufford was also a student of Garland’s now classic movies, including “Summer Stock,” “For Me and My Gal” and “Easter Parade.”
After establishing herself in New York’s cabaret scene, Bufford got the chance to meet her idol for the first time in 2011. The meeting came during a break while Bufford was performing with Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks during his regular Tuesday gigs downstairs at the Hotel Edison. (They have since moved to the jazz club Birdland.)
“Vince brought me over and introduced me to Liza and Michael Feinstein,” Bufford recalls. “She was lovely and complimentary. That week it seemed like I saw Liza at least five times. She must have thought I was stalking her.”
Since then, Feinstein and Liza (Like all divas, she’s known only by her first name.) have become part of Bufford’s extended circle or vice versa.
“Some friends of mine are involved in her memoir, which is coming out next year,” Bufford says. “I can’t wait.”
“Too Darn Hot” marks the fourth time Bufford has brought a show to Florida Studio Theatre at the invitation of FST Associate Artist Catherine Randazzo, who supervises the Summer Cabaret series. Bufford was last on the FST stage in 2021, with “Vintage POP!” Two years earlier, she starred in “Come Together: When the ’60s Met the ’70s.”
Her maiden journey at FST was in 2017 with “Roar,” where she celebrated the music of the flapper and speakeasy era. You can hear echoes of that time throughout “Too Darn Hot.”
“Roar” was an offshoot of “speak easy” (lower case intentional), the collaboration between Bufford and the Nighthawks that played at the New York City nightclub 54 Below.
The first time Bufford had a gig at FST it was for eight weeks. This year she’ll be here for three months, until Sept. 14, when “Too Darn Hot” closes.
“Usually in cabaret, a show is only a night or maybe as long as a week. But with the long runs at FST, my shows become a cabaret/theater hybrid,” she says.
Before being hired by FST, she came to Sarasota for the first time under the auspices of Artist Series Concerts, then run by Lee Dougherty Ross. “That was around 2012 or 2013, which was when my cabaret career really started taking off,” she says.
After discovering the warmth of Sarasota audiences, Bufford is always happy to return to Florida’s “Cultural Coast,” especially to FST.
“I can’t think of a place in the country that has such a dedicated subscriber base,” she says.
A TIGHT TRIO MADE TO ORDER
It’s an article of faith that an artist will say their latest endeavor is their best yet. Bufford is no different, although she seems quite sincere. In her opinion, what helps makes “Too Darn Hot” so effective is her band.
Joining Bufford on stage are Isaac Mingus on bass, Angela Steiner on piano and Aaron Nix on drums.
Bufford put together the trio herself, with help from Mingus, who accompanied her on “Vintage POP!” He suggested Nix and Steiner, whom he knows from working on musicals at Asolo Repertory Theatre.
Mingus, a 2023 New College of Florida grad, is a Renaissance man who has attracted a cult following among jazz enthusiasts in Sarasota despite his tender age.
Nix is also a local, but the adjunct professor of percussion at State College of Florida has performed with touring Broadway shows, including “Cats,” Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” and “West Side Story.”
Steiner is a music director based in the Denver area, with extensive national music director and conductor credits. She’s usually in charge of many more instruments than just her own piano.
Bufford generously gives the members of her band a chance to shine and improvise. The chemistry between the three musicians and with Bufford is palpable. It’s clear that four stars are on stage and they all love what they’re doing.
As the creator of “Too Darn Hot,” Bufford ask her personal music director, Ian Herman, to do arrangements. She sent MP3 digital audio
files to Mingus, Steiner and Nix ahead of her arrival to prepare them for the FST show.
When she got to town, she and the band had two days to rehearse for “Too Darn Hot.”
“But we really needed a half-day because they were so prepared,” she says.
Sitting in FST’s Court Cabaret watching Bufford sing, shimmy and strut (“I don’t dance, really”) surrounded by her tight trio, it’s possible to go briefly back in time, to “when we were young,” to borrow the title of an Adele song in “Too Darn Hot.”
Even the best laid plans for adultery can go awry, especially when a scheming wife sees an opportunity for a little hankypanky of her own with her husband’s best friend. Written by Marc Camoletti (“BoeingBoeing”) and Robin Howdon, “Don’t Dress for Dinner” is a high-speed farce sure to shake anyone out of their summer torpor. Runs through Aug. 24.
IF YOU GO
When: 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 15
Where: FST’s Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St. Tickets: $42 and up Info: Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
THURSDAY
JAZZ THURSDAYS AT SAM: O SOM DO JAZZ
5:30 p.m. at Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail Free for members; $25 Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org.
Brazilian jazz group O Som do Jazz performs on the Marcy and Michael Klein Plaza at Sarasota Art Museum in the Jazz Thursdays series sponsored by the Jazz Club of Sarasota. The band’s frontman is David Manson, and its vocalist is Andrea Moreas Manson. The evening features extended hours in the galleries, Bistro and museum shop.
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.
Organized by the Foundation for the Exhibition of Photography, the exhibition features 70 breathtaking works of birds in a variety of locales, including nature, the studio and the museum. The show is curated by William Ewing and Danaé Panchaud, the same team that brought “Flora Imaginaria” to Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in 2022. The photos are displayed in the galleries of the Museum of Botany & the Arts and throughout the gardens, where some of the birds appear right at home. Runs through Sept. 14.
MONDAY
JAZZ JAM SRQ
5:30 p.m. at Selby Library, 1331 First St. Free Visit JazzClubSarasota.org.
Piano, bass and drum set are available at the free jam session open to professional and amateur jazz musicians. Sign up to play or just come to enjoy the music and people-watching.
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 combines 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.
A BAND CALLED HONALEE
7:30 p.m. at FST’s Goldstein Cabaret, 1239 Palm Ave. $39 and up Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
The subtitle to Florida Studio Theatre’s last cabaret show of the summer season is “A Tribute to Peter, Paul and Mary … and Friends,” but any self-respecting folk rock fan can spot the play on words in the name A Band Called Honalee. ICYMI, it refers to the mythical land made famous by Peter, Paul and Mary’s “Puff the Magic Dragon.”
The incarnation of A Band Called Honalee appearing in Sarasota includes Brian Ott, a veteran of FST’s “59th Street Bridge,” who has been touring with the group since 2019. Also on stage are Michael Grieve, Geoffrey Neuman and Sigrid Wise. Runs through Oct. 26.
DON’T MISS PATTI SMITH: ‘A BOOK OF DAYS’
Give yourself a break from routine and make a right turn when you see the sign for Selby Gardens Historic Spanish Point while you’re driving south on Tamiami Trail. You’ll find an outdoor exhibition of large prints taken from poet/ rocker Patti Smith’s newly published bestseller “A Book of Days.” By displaying her photographs outdoors, Selby brings them into conversation with nature. But there’s more to see at Spanish Point, a 33acre campus that Marie Selby Botanical Gardens adopted in 2020. You’ll find a Butterfly House filled with live Florida species, gardens developed by Sarasota pioneer Bertha Palmer with a lovely pergola, Mary’s Chapel with an historic cemetery and an Indian burial grounds that dates back 2,500 years. Runs through Aug. 31.
IF YOU GO When: 10 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 17
Where: Selby Gardens
range of aircraft
DANA KAMPA STAFF WRITER
Just after City Island’s Old Salty Dog rushed to replace flooddamaged kitchen equipment and electronics within 10 days of Hurricane Helene hitting the area, the waterfront bar was hit again by Hurricane Milton.
The restaurant took a breather for five months as it worked to rebuild from the second storm. But staff’s commitment to resilience and bringing back the spirit of this institution that has been on the island for more than three decades paid off.
USA Today recently listed the Old Salty Dog among the handpicked Top 29 best bars in America.
Manager Amy Blair has been there since the beginning, and she said the team is overjoyed by the news, and the community response.
“We first heard about being included on the list when people started calling in to congratulate us,” she said. “Everyone, including those from out of state who have been coming here forever, have been calling in with congratulations.”
Owners Philip Needs and Judy Fryer opened the open-air bar overlooking Sarasota Bay in 1991.
Blair said it has been a privilege to see so many patrons, particularly families, make the watering hole a favorite go-to place for years.
“It’s really the atmosphere,” she said when asked what set the bar apart. “It’s a family restaurant, and we allow dogs in designated areas.”
The road to reopening wasn’t always easy to navigate considering the restaurant, like many other locations on Longboat Key, experienced floodwaters reaching up to 4 feet inside the establishment.
Work on rebuilding one of its docks is still underway, but otherwise, the Old Salty Dog has just about resumed usual business.
Blair said she was thrilled to welcome back the team after the bar’s hiatus, which includes about 60 staff members rotating throughout the season.
When it comes to daily operations, she said there’s no beating the sight of seeing vacationers and residents get equally excited about seeing a dolphin or cruising shark pass by the waterfront, all while enjoying a frosty margarita or one of their signature battered hot dogs.
“It means everything,” she said what it means to her to receive this recognition after managing the res-
taurant for years, being there for regulars’ special moments. “We had somebody in yesterday who hadn’t gotten to visit in years, and they asked about my family, and I asked about theirs. We talked about the kids growing up, and how now they have babies. It’s been wonderful.”
The top bar listing isn’t the only cause for celebration this year for the Old Salty Dog franchise. The original location on Siesta Key celebrates its 40th anniversary in October.
Both of the owners are from England — Fryer from London and Needs from Devon. The pair have been partners in life and business through it all.
Fryer said they came up with the name after they bought the hot dog place called Mustard’s Last Stand on Siesta Key. They pivoted to an oyster bar but still paid homage to the original business by calling it the Old Salty Dog.
They, of course, had to include a classic fish and chips dish on the menu.
The couple is still involved with operations at City Island, Siesta Key, and the third franchise location on Venice Island. Needs’ band, The Relics, performs there regularly.
Blair noted the outdoor bar isn’t just pooch-friendly by name — customers are sincerely welcome to
bring their dogs to enjoy friendly company and a cooling salty breeze.
Pat Lucerino, who has visited the restaurant with her 9-year-old golden retriever for special occasions since he was a puppy, said the restaurant’s spark comes down to friendly staff and a great location.
As they arrived, team members were quick to bring out a bowl of ice water for the pup to enjoy in the shade on a hot summer afternoon.
Blair thanked everyone who has supported the City Island establishment with its recovery.
“The main reconstruction is done, and we’re happy with it,” she added.
“It’s pretty much the same as it was,
but better, stronger.”
Facing the last few months of the quiet season and reduced foot traffic with the closing of the public aquarium at Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, the restaurant has the same challenges with which to contend as any.
But Blair reassured regulars the Old Salty Dog has been here long enough to see plenty of tots grow up and bring their own families to visit, and it will be on City Island to facilitate many more memory-making moments to come.
“It really is the best office in town,” she said while looking out over the water.
FRIDAY, AUG. 15
A SWEET TREAT
11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. starting at Lo’ Key Island Grille, 5620 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Join a doubleheader networking afternoon with lunch at Lo’ Key Island Grille and dessert at the neighboring Three Island Monkeys gift shop. Cost is $30 for members; $35 for nonmembers. Tickets are available at the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce’s website at LongboatKeyChamber. com or call 941-383-2466.
TUESDAY, AUG. 19
GATHER AND GIVE
5-7 p.m. at Longboat Island Chapel, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Gene Tischer and Gary Scott from Stillpoint Mission will be guest speakers at the upcoming Gather and Give drive. The church is collecting socks, shoelaces and athletic shoes at this month’s potluck.
THURSDAY, AUG. 21
SHOP ’TIL YOU DROP
4-6 p.m. at Whitney Plaza, 6838 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Support local businesses at the latest Summer Night Out while sipping on beverages and trying some treats. Participating shops include Design 2000 Salon, Driftwood Beach Home and Garden, and Ventura’s Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar. Call 941-960-0568 with questions.
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 941-3836493.
BEST BET
TUESDAY, AUG. 19
TAKE IN MIDSUMMER MUSIC
7 p.m. at St. Armands Key Lutheran Church, 40 N. Adams Drive. The Klassika Ensemble is set to perform at the church’s Midsummer Night Music Festival, bringing a signature classical crossover style. Free and open to the public, with complementary parking available. Seating is first-come, first-served. Visit SAKLC.com for details.
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.
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 941-3836493.
FRIDAYS UP YOUR TAI CHI SKILLS
10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Certified instructor Reuben Fernandez leads a weekly intermediate tai chi class, held outdoors when weather 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 941-383-6493.
Those seeking some late summer artistic inspiration can find it at All Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church.
The Longboat Key church is hosting its summer version of its popular New to You art sale now through the end of September.
Like the larger spring sale, proceeds from this New to You summer sale will go toward supporting Turning Points.
The nonprofit provides aid for Manatee County families and individuals facing homelessness.
Linn Torres, All Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church administrative assistant and art sale coordinator, said this sale includes a good mix of items saved from the February sale and new pieces donated by community members.
“This will be a rotation of about 30 items, more of a boutique selection,” she said.
Among the painted art pieces being offered are several works by George Morton Prout. The artist is known for incorporating unconventional elements in his artwork.
He was born in Illinois but later moved to Florida, among other states he called home as an adult. He only moved away following the Great Miami Hurricane of 1926. He later returned to Sarasota in the 1950s, where he built a studio. Prout died in Bradenton in 2016.
The sale includes a variety of paintings, prints and photographs, many featuring some of Florida’s most iconic flora and fauna.
Also, being featured are decorative miniatures, jewelry, pottery and more.
After the sale concludes, printmaker Zerbe Sodervick will be returning to curate a collection of
miniature oil paintings, sales from which will support St. Boniface Episcopal Church. The facility was badly damaged by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Out-of-towners who miss the summer sale can still look forward to February’s blowout.
Torres invites anyone who would like to donate pieces for the sale to stop by during normal hours of operation or contact her at LT@AllAngelsLBK.org.
— DANA KAMPA
Even in the low season, first responders are out and about on Longboat Key, answering emergency calls and patrolling neighborhoods. Members of Longboat Island Chapel took the opportunity last week to thank those responders with a provided lunch.
Congregation members shared a
meal with firefighters at Longboat Key Fire Rescue on July 31 at Station 92 and with police officers on Aug. 5 at the Longboat Key Town Police Department headquarters.
In addition to sub sandwiches from Publix and other snacks, Chef David Stone whipped up desserts including pumpkin muffins and cheesecake.
The Rev. Brock Patterson, joined by Stone, Carol Peschel and Connie DiMaggio, said the church was happy to make the show of support. Peschel said they’ve done similar luncheons for about the past five years, which she believes
started with an idea by resident Lesley Rife.
LKPD Deputy Chief Frank Rubino, who served as interim police chief from January to the Aug. 4 swearing in of new Police Chief Russ Mager, thanked the community members for their support.
“The nice folks at Longboat Island Chapel have always supported the police department, and we appreciate the support from all the members of the town of Longboat Key,” he said. “It’s so nice when they come, and the officers really appreciate it.”
He continued, “The fact that
business owners and religious leaders take the time out of their busy schedules to do things like this is sincerely appreciated.”
The fire service offered similar gratitude in a statement shared by Fire Administration & Communications Manager/PIO Tina Adams.
“A heartfelt thank you to Longboat Key Island Chapel for generously providing lunch to our team,” the department stated. “The Publix subs, chips, and delicious homemade desserts were truly appreciated and enjoyed by all.”
— DANA KAMPA
More than 200 homes across Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, and Lee Counties are opening their doors for this extraordinary event.
Your dream home could be just a visit away!
If you wait for the headlines to say “Now is the time to buy” – it may already be too late.
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
Mario-Hernando Paez Lancheros, of Tampa, sold his Unit A-803 condominium at 545 Sanctuary Drive to Robert Haas, of Longboat Key, for $2,175,000. Built in 1991, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,375 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,058,500 in 2012.
in 1982, it has one bedroom, one bath and 732 square feet of living area. It sold for $550,000 in 2006.
SLEEPY LAGOON PARK
Robin Sorensen, Personal Representative, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, sold the home at 663 Penfield St. to Leaman Properties LLC for $975,000. Built in 1970, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,446 square feet of living area. It sold for $210,000 in 1997.
LONGBOAT KEY Charles and Marguerite Godels, of St. Petersburg, sold their home at 765 Saint Judes Drive N. to Expert Marketing Group LLC for $750,000. Built in 1963, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 1,900 square feet of living area. It sold for $525,000 in 2020.
Lacon, trustee, sold the Unit 106 condominium
mere, for $490,000. Built in 1974, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 928 square feet of living area. It sold for $170,000 in 1994.
LONGBEACH
Michael Lightfoot, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the home at 7030 Lois Ave. to Michael James Cavallaro, of Durham, Pennsylvania, for $415,000. Built in 1948, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 1,040 square feet of living area. It sold for $58,900 in 1983.
KEY TOWERS SOUTH
Gary Eugene Simmons and Stepha-
nie Dean Simmons, trustees, of Sarasota, sold the Unit 3-B condominium at 1750 Benjamin Franklin Drive to Stephanie Simmons and Thomas Allman, of Sarasota, for $400,000. Built in 1970, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,364 square feet of living area. It sold for $59,500 in 1973.
The
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