Imagination took flight last weekend as youngsters enjoyed performances of “Alice in Wonderland” and other colorful fun at the Fall Family Fest.
The festival took place Sept. 27 at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.
Justin Gomlak, Van Wezel’s education and community engagement director, said the center put on the event as part of its mission to give back to the community.
“This time it was for folks with sensory needs and families. And the joy, warmth and laughter was palpable … even through the raindrops,” he said.
Standing strong for fall prevention
About one in four older Americans experience a fall each year.
However, on Sept. 18, Senior Friendship Centers made an effort to reduce that statistic during an interactive event preceding Falls Prevention Awareness Week from Sept. 22-26, held at its Sarasota campus.
Attendees had the chance to have their fitness and balance tested, while the event also included presentations and community resources.
“These measurements give seniors a clear picture of where they stand compared to their peers and, more importantly, show them simple exercises they can do every day to stay strong and independent,” said Kelly Ward, fall prevention coordinator for the Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County.
$0.10
Big Top bill dispute froths up
WEEK OF OCT. 2, 2025
BY THE NUMBERS
$500,000 Approximate cost quoted by Hermitage Artist Retreat to complete hurricane damage repairs PAGE 6
$248,827
Cost to equip a new Sarasota County sheriff’s deputy, including first year salary and benefits PAGE 10
8 Days to visit the Hallowgraves Haunted Manor at the Fruitville Grove Pumpkin Festival PAGE 18
CALENDAR
n Sarasota City Commission regular meeting — 9 a.m., Monday, Oct. 6, Commission Chambers, City Hall, 1565 First St. n Sarasota Planning Board regular meeting — 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 8, Commission Chambers, City Hall, 1565 First St. n Sarasota County Commission regular meeting — 9 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 8, Commission Chambers, 1660 Ringling Blvd.
“Parking is a big, big, big issue for the merchants. They have major concerns about how that’s going to impact their businesses, and I really have to heed that.”
City Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch. Read more on page 3
Tourism bureau replaces 3 board members
Three new members to Visit Sarasota County have been named to replace three departures for the 2026 fiscal year, which began Oct. 1.
Joining the board for two-year terms are Cindy Moore, regional director of sales at Lodgco Hospitality; Mark Sherwin, general manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota; and Kim Farrell, chief operating officer at Fox Lea Farm.
”Their diverse backgrounds and innovative thinking will be invaluable as we continue to drive growth and navigate new
opportunities,” said VSC President and CEO Erin Duggan in a news release, Named to the 2026 executive committee are John LaCivita, president and CEO of Willis Smith Construction; Richard Russell, general director of Sarasota Opera; Tim Self, managing partner of Siesta Wealth; and Wes Santos, general manager of Art Ovation Hotel.
Departing are Nick Mavrikas, area general manager of Spark by Hilton; Kara Morgan, CEO of Venice MainStreet; and Mark
Gordon, managing editor of the Business Observer (sister publication of the Sarasota Observer).
Other board members are Ron Cutsinger, Sarasota County commissioner; Mike Quillen, president of Gecko’s Hospitality Group; Susie Bowie, president and CEO of The William G. and Marie Selby Foundation; Stacey Corley, president of Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation; Jason Samson, general manager of Aloft Sarasota; and Heather Van Wie, president and CEO of The Cottages on the Key.
County Commission adopts FY26 budget
In a split vote, the Sarasota County Commission on Sept. 30 adopted the fiscal year 2026 budget as well as countywide and special ad valorem districts, totaling a spending plan of just more than $2.5 billion. With Commissioner Ron Cutsinger absent, the commission unanimously adopted the total property tax millage of 3.3842 mills — of which 3.2273 mills is earmarked for general operating funds — and the other ad valorem districts. Commissioner Tom Knight, though, cast a dissenting vote on the budget, particularly the $520.8 million general fund budget, the portion controlled by the County Commission.
“I will support the motion when it comes on the millage rate; I will not support the motion on our budget,” Knight said. “The budget is increasing rapidly and it has my concerns. The Sheriff’s Office budget is increasing rapidly again. Our own increase of our budget is over 8%, and I believe we can all do better.” Included in Knight’s objections is a $23 million fund balance transfer used to balance the coming year’s budget.
New roundabout wins national recognition
Sarasota’s newest roundabout at the intersection of Ringling Boulevard and Pine Place has received the 2025 Transformational Roundabout Corridor/Interchange Project recognition from the International Association of Transportation Engineers. The roundabout opened in February 2023.
As part of this honor, Sarasota Chief Transportation Planner Alvimarie Corales presented the project during a panel discussion with transportation engineers internationally. The International Association of Transportation Engineers invited Corales to present virtually about the roundabout. During the webinar, she discussed the design, implementation strategies and community safety benefits of the new roundabout, speaking along with representatives from Libertyville, Illinois, who also were recognized for their transformative transportation efforts.
Courtesy photo
Outgoing Visit Sarasota County Board of Directors members Kara Morgan (left) and Mark Gordon (right) stand with VSC President and CEO Erin Duggan.
Parking vs. walkability will be the focal point of the Main Street Complete Street design phase.
The Main (Street) issue
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
Visioning of a reimagined Main Street is now complete, and, thanks to a 4-1 vote by the Sarasota City Commission on Sept. 2, design and engineering can begin. Citing concerns expressed by downtown merchants over sacrificing perhaps upward of 100 angle parking spaces to enhance the downtown pedestrian experience, Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch was the lone dissenting vote to send the community vision for Main Street to the planning and design phase with firm Kimley-Horn.
The presentation of the visioning phase for the 1.2-mile project between U.S. 41 and School Avenue was the culmination of a year of public engagement to gather feedback via the project website, doorto-door canvassing of businesses, mapping, surveys, social media, tables at public events, workshops, open houses, stakeholder meetings and two surveys.
Distilling that data into the vision for the future of Main Street took another year for Chief Transportation Planner Alvimarie Corales and Senior Transportation Planner Corinne Arriaga to produce the 442page document providing the canvas for the planning and design phase, which can take another two years to complete.
“The purpose of the Main Street Complete Street vision plan was to establish design elements and concepts that continue to support downtown Sarasota,” Corales told commissioners. “The goals were to engage residents, businesses and visitors to develop a cohesive vision, identify opportunities to enhance safety, accessibility and mobility and investigate opportunities for the public realm, streetscape and right of way improvements.”
Envisioned is a variety of treatments for the diverse nature of five segments that comprise the length of the project, each occupying a number of city blocks. The common thread, though, is to enhance walkability with wider sidewalks, providing more shade with street trees and provide opportunities for a temporary pedestrian mall by closing streets with embedded bollards — think Lincoln Road in Miami Beach, for example.
To accomplish all this, though, requires converting angled parking spaces to parallel spaces in a number of locations, an idea that sets the stage for debate between the dueling concepts of perceived convenience vs. walkability related to which is best for retail business.
Many downtown merchants, Ahearn-Koch said, insist that losing parking spaces directly outside or near their shops will be detrimental. No representatives of the business community spoke at the hearing. Ahearn-Koch was alone in her assessment among the commission, though, as her colleagues maintained creating a more vibrant, walkable environment generates greater foot traffic vital to retail activity.
And besides, said Mayor Liz Alpert, the odds of a customer finding an open parking space just outside their destination is a rarity.
“Businesses thrive on foot traffic,” Arriaga said while addressing Ahearn-Koch’s concern. “Where they park doesn’t necessarily have to be in front of their business. That doesn’t have any economic benefit. It’s more about the people walking by their shop seeing what’s in there and wanting to go in and explore.”
Downtown also suffers from a lack of destination chain retail, Commissioner Kyle Battie said, in part because — while the collection of one-off restaurants and independent retail is appealing — Main Street doesn’t present a true pedestrian-friendly environment.
“You look at places like the mall. You park in the parking lot and where you’re going shopping is damn near a mile away,” Battie said. “If you go
park at St. Armands Circle, you’re walking everywhere. Very rarely are you going to be able to park right in front of where you’re going to be.”
Downtown, however, isn’t a mall, and retail customers who go there are often targeting a specific merchant rather than perusing a wide swath of retailers. And pushing them toward parking garages, said long-time Downtown Improvement District board member Eileen Hampshire, won’t work.
“Women won’t go into garages and ride in the elevator with strange men and all that,” Hampshire, owner of luxury rug store Art To Walk On, told the Observer. Her store is near the intersection of Palm Avenue and Main Street.
Making customers walk several blocks, she said, is also an unrealistic expectation.
“You can say, ‘Oh people should walk.’ Well, maybe they should, but they don’t,” Hampshire said. “I’ve got seven parking places behind my store, but for the other people on the street, we’ve lost a lot of them. They just couldn’t make it without parking. So if you want shopping downtown, you have to have good parking. We’re certainly not a city of walkers.”
“We can’t afford to lose one parking space. We don’t have enough parking as it stands. Could our street use a renovation? Yes, but removing 100 spots is crazy to me.”
Harmoni Krusing, owner Lotus at 1464 Main St.
A ‘BIG, BIG, BIG ISSUE’
As the No. 8 priority in the 2020 Sarasota in Motion plan, the Main Street concept included converting all angle parking to parallel, widening sidewalks, landscaping enhancements, consideration of a pedestrian mall and safety improvements. It identified the project limits between U.S. 41 to U.S. 301, since expanded east to School Avenue.
Two decades earlier, Main Street was identified in the Downtown Master Plan, which is currently under update review by a commissionappointed committee, as a walkable environment. In 2018, it was identified by the Sarasota-Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization as a high-crash location, having more than 250 angle parking-related crashes within a five-year period.
That was followed by the two-year visioning process that began in 2023.
“With all of this information, we created the vision for Main Street, and that was a walkable, inclusive Main Street that supports local businesses and preserves historic character while balancing current and future community needs,” Corales said. “This vision has these key features — wider sidewalks, improved landscaping, integrated street amenities, accessible parking and adaptable design solutions.
“What we did was strike a balance. We looked at what the community wanted, what the businesses wanted, what the merchants wanted.”
What the merchants want, Ahearn-Koch insisted, is a convenience for their customers to park in front of their shops, particularly along “lower Main” between Orange Avenue and U.S. 41. That section on the concept shows a mix of parallel and angle parking on each block between Gulfstream and Pineapple avenues, which will remain the same as it is today with the 34 existing spaces. Improvements there will be limited to utility work and lighting.
Any parking changes on lower Main will occur only between Pineapple and Orange avenues, consistent with most blocks the remaining
Main Street
FROM PAGE 3
length of the project.
“Parking is a big, big, big issue for the merchants,” Ahearn-Koch said. “They have major concerns about how that’s going to impact their businesses, and I really have to heed that.”
Sarasota in Motion, Corales reminded commissioners, recommended converting all parking along Main Street to be converted to parallel spaces. The vision plan, she said, represents a compromise between the public preferences and the merchants’ needs.
“In listening to the businesses and the merchants, we needed to strike that balance, so we created different concepts,” Corales said. “Some sections you will see a combination. Some you will see all parallel.”
PARKING GARAGES
UNDERUTILIZED
In addition to creating a more pedestrian-friendly environment, Battie said a reduction in street-side spaces will push parking into cityowned parking garages, specifically the State Street Garage at mid-Main and the Palm Avenue Garage at lower Main, each about one-half block from Main Street.
Both are underutilized, he said, bolstered by the data supplied by Corales. Parking analyses conducted during season in November and March during weekdays and weekends, she said, ranged from 45% to 55% capacity, depending on the day. In all, the city controls approximately 2,000 parking spaces in the downtown area. Some 1,300 of those spread among the State Street and Palm Avenue garages and the private garage across from Whole Foods between First and Second streets, of which two floors are leased by the city for public parking.
“That means that if you take the bigger number, 45% were unoccupied,” Corales said of the parking study. “That was in our peak times, and that was during our season.”
Harmoni Krusing, DID board member and owner of women’s clothing boutique Lotus at 1464
BEER GARDEN | LIVE MUSIC AUTHENTIC FOOD | REGATTA
Kick off the Fall Season with the whole family at the first ever Oktoberfest at Nathan Benderson Park! Catch the action of the Benderson Chase, a rowing extravaganza, while enjoying delicious fall foods, a kids zone, music, dancing - and of course, refreshing beers!
Come one, come all for a brew-tiful fall day at Nathan Benderson Park. Catch the action of the Benderson Chase, a rowing extravaganza, around Regatta Island while enjoying cold beer, authentic food, and live German music by Polka Cola all afternoon long. With Biergartens and a kinder-zone, there is something for everyone! Bring family and friends out to kick off the fall season at the first annual Sarasota O presented by Nathan Benderson Park & Sarasota Crew.
SATURDAY
WATCH THE PRESENTATION
View the Main Street Complete Street presentation by the transportation planning staff to the City Commission at SarasotaFL.gov and click on the Meetings, Agendas & Video icon.
Main St., said the parking analysis was not conducted during peak season, and that parking in the Whole Foods deck and State Street Garage are regularly full by midday. As for the Palm Avenue Garage, “Forget it,” she said. “Nobody is walking here from there.
“We can’t afford to lose one parking space. We don’t have enough parking as it stands. Could our street use a renovation? Yes, but removing 100 spots is crazy to me. The locals do not want to park in garages. They want to park on the street during the summer because it’s close.”
As the design and engineering work moves forward and, as Vice Mayor Debbie Trice pointed out, more public input is involved. Design work will take another two years before any construction may begin, presuming funding is available.
“They’re going to get a lot of more input from the public and I’ve got confidence that they will incorporate the parking issues,” Trice said.
OCTOBER 11TH
Come one, come all for a brew-tiful fall day at Nathan Benderson Park. Catch the action of the Benderson Chase, a rowing extravaganza, around Regatta Island while enjoying cold beer, authentic food, and live German music by Polka Cola all afternoon long. With Biergartens and a kinder-zone, there is something for everyone! Bring family and friends out to kick off the fall season at the first annual Sarasota Oktoberfest, presented by Nathan Benderson Park & Sarasota Crew.
SATURDAY
OCTOBER12TH
Parking $20 | Noon to Five
Andrew Warfield
Multiple lenders accuse Sarasota brewery of not paying millions in loans
Big Top Brewing Co. is involved in multiple lawsuits over allegations it has not made loan payments.
ELIZABETH KING BUSINESS OBSERVER
ASarasota brewing company with multiple locations is embroiled in lawsuits with two lenders claiming it owes anywhere from $600,000 to more than $4 million.
Berkeley Alternative Income Fund LLC and SouthState Bank, in separate lawsuits in Sarasota County Circuit Court, claim Big Top Brewing Co. has not made payments this year on its loans.
Michael Bisaha, co-owner of Big Top Brewing Co., declined to comment for this article due to the ongoing litigation. However, Big Top has filed a counterclaim against Berkeley alleging the business was overcharged, which court filings contend “sets off any claim of default for failure to pay on the loan.” All three Big Top Brewing locations remain open.
CONSTRUCTION LOAN
Berkeley Alternative Income Fund LLC alleges Big Top Brewing Co., an affiliated LLC and its owners owe $4,036,000 in principal plus prejudgment interest. It is suing
BOTTOM LINE
Key takeaway: Multiple lenders are suing Big Top Brewing Co. for not paying on its loans. Core challenge: In one case, Big Top filed a counterclaim, saying it made “exorbitant” interest payments. What’s next: The company to which Big Top owes the most money — in the millions of dollars — plans to file for summary judgment in the next two months, the lender’s attorney says.
Big Top and owners Bisaha, Seth Murauskas and Josh Wilson, as well as their company Sixty Seven Fifty Ventures LLC for breach of contract and foreclosure of mortgage, among other claims.
Berkeley and Big Top signed an agreement for the more than $4 million loan on Sept. 30, 2021, according to court filings. It involves property at 3045 Fruitville Commons Blvd., which Sixty Seven Fifty Ventures LLC purchased for $1.4 million on Sept. 13, 2021, according to Sarasota County property records.
The loan was for construction of the Big Top Brewing building at Fruitville Commons, which the Business Observer previously reported spans 18,000 square feet and opened in spring 2024. (When that location opened, the owners told Observer Media Group they knew it was a big expansion risk, with Bisaha saying he and his business partners aren’t a large corporation with endless resources. “We have it all on the line here,” Bisaha told Observer Media Group for a story April 3, 2024.)
In early January 2025, Berkeley sent notice to Big Top that it had defaulted under the terms of the loan for nonpayment as of Dec. 1, 2024, calling for the business to pay $4.27 million. That includes the principal, interest and a construction overage agreement, in addition to more than $976 a day, according to court filings.
In a counterclaim that Big Top Brewing’s attorney filed Sept. 15, the business alleges Berkeley has charged “an exorbitant amount of interest” on the entire loan of $4,036,000 when the business “had not drawn down on the loan anywhere near the full amount.”
The interest rate on the loan was 9%, but the counterclaim says the business was required to pay 30%
interest instead.
“The loan in question was part of an SBA loan package. SBA regulations do not allow a lender to charge interest on undisbursed construction loan proceeds,” the counterclaim says, alleging Berkeley “breached its contract … by charging interest on undisbursed construction loan proceeds which caused Defendants to incur damages.”
From the first draw in November 2021 until the last draw in February 2024, Berkeley required Big Top to pay $30,400 a month plus extension fees, the counterclaim says, adding: “This resulted in an overpayment of interest in an amount exceeding $500,000.”
As a result of the overpayment, Big Top incurred damages including being forced to borrow other funds, loss of revenue since the building did not open as soon as it should have and loss of the SBA loan that would have paid off the Berkeley loan, according to the
counterclaim.
Berkeley believes the counterclaim regarding the overcharging of interest is “factually incorrect,” according to the company’s attorney, Steven Hutton. In addition, Hutton, in a phone interview with the Business Observer, says Big Top released Berkeley from any counterclaims by signing four referral notes and a deferral agreement. Big Top disagrees it has waived its right to file counterclaims. The contract with Berkeley “should be declared unenforceable as it was procured by fraud, misrepresentation and/or economic coercion,” according to its counterclaim, which says the lender improperly administered the loan and threatened to accelerate it or sue for foreclosure if Big Top did not sign documents extending the contract.
SOUTHSTATE CASE
In a separate lawsuit, Winter Haven-based SouthState Bank claims Big Top Brewing Co. owes it more
LEGAL ISSUES
Big Top Brewing Co. faces multiple nonpayment lawsuits, in addition to the allegations from Berkeley Alternative Income Fund LLC and SouthState Bank. Other lawsuits, according to Sarasota County court records, include:
■ North Mill Equipment Finance: $131,655.72
■ Matthews Homes: $123,193.75
■ American Capital Group: $78,219.36
■ Pawnee Leasing Corp.: $41,302.58
than $600,000.
SouthState entered into a loan agreement with Big Top for $1,016,000 on July 5, 2018, according to court filings.
Starting in January 2024, the bank claims in court filings, Big Top failed to make its payments “as well as all subsequent payments.”
In July 2024, the bank and the brewing company entered into a forbearance agreement, under which Big Top agreed to make its payments on time. However, after the business defaulted, SouthState demanded all payments due by Dec. 12, 2024, court filings show.
As of Dec. 17, 2024, court filings contend, Big Top owes SouthState $617,913.99 in principal, $10,813.81 in accrued interest, $6,763.74 in late fees, and $11,521.24 in miscellaneous fees. That totals more than $647,000.
After a Sept. 18 motions hearing in Sarasota County Circuit Court, court records show the “matter should be resolved” by the attorneys.
Big Top Brewing’s attorney James Burgess says in an email: “We are working on a resolution with SouthState,” declining to comment further.
Jay Heater
Big Top Brewing Co. co-owners Mike Bisaha and Seth Murauskas stand next to the art that greets patrons when they enter the Fruitville Commons location.
Hermitage repair estimates are less than $500,000
Artist retreat continues legal wrestling with the county.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
As Sarasota County continues to wrestle with how to affect, and perhaps even expedite, hurricane damage restoration at the campus of The Hermitage Artist Retreat at Blind Pass Beach Park, both parties remain engaged on a parallel track on potentially conveying the county-owned site to the nonprofit organization.
Now a year since damage left behind by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and maybe at least another year before restoration efforts by the county can begin, The Hermitage paints a bleak picture of operations hampered by not being allowed to make repairs to multiple buildings, some carrying historic designation, unless permitted by the county.
Further complicating the matter are the bureaucratic machinations required for the county to have any hope of reimbursement from FEMA, which would disappear should it grant the organization’s request to repair the damage and bill the county for the approximately $500,000 cost, that estimate relayed by Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg.
All that and more was presented to the Sarasota County Commission at its Sept. 24 meeting. Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Director Nicole Rissler told commissioners her department and designbuild contractor A² (pronounced A squared) Group are prioritizing the Hermitage restoration project. To be certain the work qualifies for notyet-certain FEMA reimbursement — and that the work is compliant with state and local permitting, historical
review approvals and the Manasota Key Conservation District — it will take about another year or longer for work to begin.
That, Sandberg told commissioners, is in violation of the terms of the lease between Hermitage and the county, which specifies in the event of a natural disaster that restorations be completed in “a reasonable time.”
“We would argue that this being a year, and being told it will be potentially more than another year is not reasonable,” Sandberg said. “The Hermitage board and staff made a proposal in the aftermath of the storms where we offered to take over the repairs. We presented bids. We presented proposals with the same contractor we are presenting now.”
That contractor is Bach Land Development of Tampa, which has completed other work on the campus in the past five years, according to Sandberg.
“They are highly professional. They know the property inside and out,” he said.
According to Sandberg, Bach estimates construction repairs at less than $400,000 and electrical repairs at less than $100,000.
“My understanding of the proposal from A² as I read it, it says $603,000 to get to the stage where they’re then talking about construction, actual costs and repairs,” Sandberg told commissioners at the meeting. Every day that goes by that we are not doing repairs is delaying our ability to move forward fully with our business.”
Sandberg was referencing a notto-exceed design and pre-construction services agreement being drafted based on A² Group’s proposal of $606,070.
Although no action on Rissler’s report was scheduled — the Hermitage issue will again be placed on their meeting agenda for Oct. 8 — commissioners chimed in with thoughts
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from both ends of the spectrum.
“It’s pretty clear to me that the responsibility of the repairs is definitely in the hands of the county, and the ability to be able to do everything possible to get reimbursed by FEMA,” said Commissioner Teresa Mast, who added Hermitage, as a tenant, is a guest in a county-owned property “worth millions of dollars.”
“I would say you need to help us to help you, and vice versa,” she said. “I think what’s so important is that we try and look at this from the perspective of what is in the best interest of the taxpayers who actually paid for this.”
Commissioner Tom Knight noted Hermitage has retained attorney Steven Solowsky of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, and that he and the County Attorney’s office should work together to craft a solution.
“What I’m reading is they want to be a force multiplier and be helpful to us,” Knight said. “We’re a governmental body. It’s not as easy (for government) as private industry to do that. Certainly, there are laws out there I’ve got to believe makes it not as easy to put a line in a contract and say, ‘Give us your resources and we’ll go ahead and use your resources to speed this up.’”
Prior to the Sept. 8 meeting, County Administrator Johnathan Lewis suggested commissioners consider whether they are willing to
HERMITAGE LETTER TO COMMISSIONERS
Given the time necessary to negotiate and execute a possible conveyance of the Hermitage Artist Retreat site within the county-owned, 61-acre Blind Pass Beach Park, in an email dated Tuesday, Sept. 23, Hermitage Artist Retreat
Artistic Director and CEO Andy Sandberg proposed the organization be allowed to complete restoration work, initially at its expense, to be later reimbursed by the county.
“The Hermitage remains ready, willing and able to take over the outstanding repairs,” the email reads. “Our recommended contractors have provided a very reasonable quote and they are ready to go ASAP for any items not requiring permits, and as soon as permits can be cleared on the other items.”
He called unnecessary the funds already spent by the county in hopes of potential FEMA reimbursement. Contractor Bach, he wrote, is “topnotch,” “at the ready,” and “has done significant (and arguably more complex) work on the historic buildings in recent years.”
risk uncertain FEMA reimbursement and allow Hermitage to spearhead repairs, reimburse it for the cost and forgo any chance of restitution.
Proceed with county designbuild contractor:
n Continue to prioritize the designbuild contractor and restore campus with protection and mitigation for the future.
n Work within FEMA guidelines to maximize reimbursement.
n County continues to manage project.
n Timeline is uncertain but estimates for full restoration a minimum of one year once contract amendment is complete.
Allow The Hermitage to take over repairs and restoration:
n Withdraw this site from the designbuild contract.
n Turn over the repairs and restoration to Hermitage at its expense.
Both options will require state and local permitting and historic preservation regulations which will take varying timeframes to successfully obtain.
Source: Sarasota County
Image courtesy of Sarasota County
Storm damage repairs at Hermitage Artist Retreat could be as long as a year away according to Sarasota County staff.
Experience waterfront living at its finest at Lakewood Ranch’s most coveted address. Wild Blue at Waterside offers stunning designer homes by premier builders, plus world-class lifestyle amenities. Now under construction and opening Fall 2026, the 30,000-square-foot clubhouse will feature indoor and outdoor dining, resort-style pools, fitness, and a premier putting course. As the social hub of the community, the clubhouse will offer everything from billiards and an indoor golf simulator to a private theater and outdoor yoga lawn.
Don’t miss this chance to join Sarasota’s most exclusive waterfront community.
ISLAND TIME
Visitors and residents enjoy a slow evening on Siesta Key.
It may be off season on Siesta Key, but on the evening of Sept. 20, visitors and residents were still strolling the streets and enjoying the island vibes before the pace picks up.
“We’re coming down and checking out Siesta Beach before it gets crazy,” said Linda McNally, of Palmer Ranch, as she explored Siesta Key Village with Lisa Hotchkiss, a friend from New York.
People enjoyed restaurants, live
music, sweet treats and simple walks past the shops along Ocean Boulevard as the day drew to a close.
Some of them included visitors from afar, such as Michelle Jackson, Janet Thonvold and Ann Roggio, who came from Iowa to celebrate Thonvold’s 50th birthday on Siesta Key.
“We’re having a great time,” Jackson said. — IAN SWABY
“If
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of
Adelyn Lewis, 10, and her parents Brittany and Trevor Lewis, look at the treats on display in Siesta Key Fudge Factory.
Linn Lavi performs at The Hub Baja Grill.
The village begins to light up in the early evening on Siesta Key.
Andrew Ierardi walks away from The Blasé Café & Martini Bar with a stack of pizzas for a group at Freedom Christian Church.
Photos by Ian Swaby
Michelle Jackson, Janet Thonvold, and Ann Roggio came from Iowa to celebrate Thonvold’s 50th birthday in Siesta Key.
A decoration hangs outside a shop in Siesta Key.
Glenn Nebs, 2, enjoys the sights of Siesta Key.
Habitat for Humanity wins approval for 17-unit townhomes
The project will include two buildings on a neighborhood lot surrounded by detached Habitat housing.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
As the effort continues to bring more attainable housing to Sarasota continues, Habitat for Humanity has received City Commission approval to build 17 townhomes in the Park East neighborhood. Planned for a vacant 1.35-acre parcel at the corner of Aspinwall Street and Rhodes Avenue, the attached single-family community is based on the same owneroccupied model of Habitat’s freestanding homes. The units will be platted as individual lots. With two unanimous votes at its Sept. 15 meeting, the commission approved rezoning from
Office Regional District to Urban Mixed Use, the site plan and the subdivision plat plan. The project received Development Review Committee sign-off on March 26, followed by unanimous Planning Board approval on June 30.
“We’re very excited to have the opportunity to provide 17 townhomes on this site,” Habitat for Humanity of Sarasota President and CEO Renee Snyder told commissioners. “These are single-family homes. They may be attached, but they are two-story structures. And again, it’s very much in scale.”
Each home will be approximately 1,765 square feet and include three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a one-car garage. The development will be spread across two buildings,
one containing nine units and the other with eight.
The project is surrounded by a Habitat for Humanity neighborhood of 80 homes, according to Snyder.
Although Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit developer, it is still required to conform with the city’s tree removal mitigation code. The wooded site included 168 trees at the time of the tree survey, of which 150 are proposed to be removed. Of those, 78 trees and 44 palms require mitigation, 29 are invasive species and two are in poor condition. There are three grand trees on the site, one of which will be removed.
Mitigation trees to be planted include 72 3-inch caliper trees with 26 additional 3-inch trees required to be planted off site or credit to be paid into the city’s tree fund, for the site cannot accommodate the remaining 26 trees required.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 6
WISHING ‘PIGS WERE SHOT’
5:27 p.m., Main Street at Lemon Avenue
Disturbance: A male subject was behaving in disorderly fashion by yelling at passersby on the street. A responding officer spoke with the subject. A complainant advised the man had stumbled into a tree in an effort to keep himself upright and was yelling at people.
An officer immediately smelled the heavy odor of alcohol and requested he leave the area and avoid further disruption. He admitted only to consuming a beer, but denied yelling at anyone.
As he was compliantly vacating the area, though, he continued to scream and curse in the presence of people who, reads the incident report, “were trying to enjoy their Saturday afternoon.”
The man was subsequently placed under arrest and charged with disorderly intoxication.
Further endearing himself to law enforcement while being booked, the subject threatened the officer with bodily harm, stating he was going to get a 4-inch blade and stab him in the neck and eye. He also stated he wished “pigs were shot.” A Sarasota County deputy witnessed those threats.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 7
EXHIBITIONIST
7:52 p.m., 1500 block of Main Street
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 3
COOKING OIL CAPER
1 p.m., 2500 block of Main Street
Larceny: The owner of a company that collects used cooking oil from restaurants for recycling reported that 110 gallons of the product were removed from a container behind one Main Street restaurant and 80 from behind another. With a market value of approximately $4.50 per gallon, he told an officer the estimated loss is $855.
Both containers, he said, were emblazoned with appropriate signage and were secured by locks. Both the containers and locks were damaged during the theft, the victim stated, estimated at another $900.
Lewd and lascivious act: Having been refused bar service, a staff member of a downtown bar said an unruly patron who was “obviously drunk” pulled down his pants and exposed himself in all his glory before bending over and treating customers and staff to a full moon. Upon making contact with the complainant, he pointed to a man now nattily clad in salmon shorts and a multicolored, button-down shirt, according to the report.
As an officer approached the subject, staff members said, “He just exposed himself to everyone.”
With that probable cause, the man was detained in handcuffs as the investigation ensued. The subject responded by screaming at officers, hurling derogatory slurs
The victim provided video of two males wearing high-visibility vests pumping the used oil into a white tanker truck. The SPD’s Crime Investigations Division is currently working on multiple previous, and possibly related, similar cases.
and racial epithets, and just generally making a now fully clothed nuisance of himself.
The complainant explained he entered the bar behaving belligerently and requested an alcoholic beverage. He became irate after being refused service and was asked to vacate the premises. While being escorted to the door, he put on the offending floor show.
The incident report reads, “The defendant did willfully and unlawfully expose himself in a public place, with no legitimate reason to do so.” What legitimate reason there may be for such behavior is not known.
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New single-family homes now selling from the high $200’s
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Sheriff tells Chamber law enforcement worth the costly price
Hoffman says crime rate is on the decline.
ANDREW WARFIELD
STAFF WRITER
When it comes to the crime rate in unincorporated Sarasota County, the good news is it is on the decline. The notso-good revelation, though, is the cost to keep that trend in its downward trajectory is rapidly rising.
Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt Hoffman delivered that message to members of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce on Sept. 23 during its quarterly State of the Community luncheon. Hoffman appeared with Sarasota Police Department Chief Rex Troche to discuss trends in law enforcement capabilities.
While Troche’s presentation was focused on SPD’s technology advancements, Hoffman centered his comments on the growth of the Sheriff’s Office necessary to match that of the county’s population. At 1,068 employees both sworn and civilian, the SCSO is the 11th largest sheriff’s office among Florida’s 67 counties. Ironically, Hoffman pointed out, the population of Sarasota County Jail, which his office is charged to administer, on that specific date was 1,064.
“Which one of those two gives you the most problems?” Hoffman asked rhetorically. “Let me give you a hint. Crime is easy. People are hard. One of those groups, you can turn the lights out at nine o’clock.”
NEW DEPUTY COST
With jurisdiction stretching from “the airport to North Port,” the SCSO patrol vehicles travel just more than 7 million miles per year. That doesn’t include two helicopters that are deployed regularly according to Hoffman, all-terrain vehicles to access more remote parts of the county and four boats that patrol the coastline and other navigable waters.
Besides all that hardware is manpower, and for fiscal year 2026, a budget of $221.17 million, up from $198.52 of the recently ended fiscal 2025.
In addition to patrolling the streets and skies, the SCSO also operates the Sarasota County Jail and the countywide 911 call center, which last year fielded some 780,000 calls for emergency service.
The bulk of the SCSO budget is directed toward personnel costs, including benefits and pensions, which consistently rise year over year.
The same goes for equipment, as Hoffman, who was first elected in 2021, drew comparisons between 2016 and 2025.
“Take, for instance, vehicles. We’re an all-General Motors fleet and Chevrolet Tahoes went from $31,000 to $58,000,” Hoffman said, that price not including upgrades for law enforcement operation. “Guns, radios, uniforms, bulletproof vests, sirens, tires, batteries, cars, boats — everything has gone up. So that is the challenge right there. Seventy-two percent this last year of our budget is directed toward personnel. Those 1,068 men and women who keep you safe is a very large portion of what we do. It is extremely expensive to police this community.”
Comparisons between cost to outfit a new deputy between 2016 and 2025. 2025 2016 Increase
SARASOTA COUNTY VIOLENT CRIME REDUCTION
Violent crime in unincorporated Sarasota County has decreased by 62.8%between 2009 and 2024, including 10.6% since Kurt Hoffman was elected sheriff in 2021.
The payoff, however, is a substantial decrease in crime across the county since 2009, when there were 9,131 reported cases of violent crime. Despite the population growth since then, violent crime decreased to 3,437 cases in 2024 a drop of 62.8%.
With a population of just more than 294,000 in unincorporated Sarasota County, local law enforcement agencies including SCSO are also charged with the safety of the 2.5 million tourists who visit annually. In March of this year alone, Hoffman said, some 600,000 disembarked at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.
The SCSO is also responsible for patrolling the bulk of Legacy Trail and its annual 190,000 walkers, joggers and riders.
“What does that mean? You’ve got the speeding bikes, you’ve got drugs, you’ve got people who are drinking, you’ve got people who are fighting. Everything you can imagine that occurs outside occurs on that trail as well,” Hoffman said. “We recently took a very dangerous individual, who was propositioning women down in Nokomis, off of that trail, who had a very bad criminal history.”
Hoffman credited the 2009 implementation of intelligence-led policing for the decline in violent and serious crimes countywide.
“If you would have told me violent crime would drop by over 62% in that time period, I’d have lost my house,” Hoffman said, had he been a gambler. “It proves the adage that the majority of crimes are committed by a small percentage of folks, and when you pluck them out of your community and put them somewhere where they can’t harm the rest of us, you see this number start to go down.”
Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt Hoffman speaks at the Sept. 23 Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce State of the Community luncheon.
It’s all accomplished, Hoffman said, with one of the lowest deputies-per-capita ratios in the state. Sarasota County has 1.20 deputies per 1,000 unincorporated population. This compares to similar-size counties Manatee at 1.32, Escambia at 1.74, Seminole at 1.76, Volusia at 1.86 and Brevard at 2.30. Compared to regional counties, that protection also comes at a lower cost, which is $633 per 1,000 taxpayers countywide. According to SCSO data, that cost is $644 in Manatee and Charlotte counties, $667 in Lee County and $715 in Collier County. “I’ve lived here for 42 years. I went to high school here, raised my family here,” Hoffman said. “There’s no better place, I think we can all agree, than Sarasota County, and Rex and I want you to know we take it very seriously protecting this community.”
Grand Opening Celebration
Andrew Warfield
Top 10 Giving Strategies Before 2026
Plan ahead to make the most of your charitable impact
Charitable giving can take many forms, and the right approach can make a gift even more powerful for both the donor and the community they care about. At Gulf Coast Community Foundation, we work with individuals, families, and advisors every day to help shape giving strategies that create lasting impact. Here are our top giving strategies to support you as you support the causes that matter most.
1. Bundle Your Gifts: By combining several years of contributions into one larger gift, donors may maximize their tax benefits while still supporting favorite causes over time.
2. Make a Direct Gift from Your IRA: For those 70½ or older, giving directly from an IRA can reduce taxable income while supporting meaningful work.
3. Donate Appreciated Stock: Giving stock that has grown in value can avoid capital gains taxes while offering a charitable deduction.
4. Use Cryptocurrency for Good: Digital assets can be donated directly, eliminating capital gains taxes and supporting a wide range of causes.
5. Give Non-Cash Assets: Real estate, business interests, or other appreciated property can be donated, often providing significant advantages for both donors and charities.
6. Plan Ahead for a Business or Property Sale: Certain charitable trusts can help donors support causes they value while easing the tax burden of selling a business or real estate.
7. Consider a Charitable Gift Annuity: A CGA provides steady income to the donor or a loved one for life, with the remainder benefiting charity.
8. Pass Along Retirement Assets: Naming a charitable trust as a retirement account beneficiary can provide for heirs and ultimately benefit your favorite causes.
9. Explore Charitable Lead Trusts: These allow gifts to flow to charity for a set period before the remaining assets revert to the donor or family.
10. Create a Legacy Fund: Establishing a legacy fund ensures that your causes are supported for generations to come. At Gulf Coast, we know that giving is personal. The best approach depends on your unique goals, but your impact remains constant. Our team is here to guide donors and their advisors in choosing the strategies that best match their goals, ensuring their generosity creates meaningful change now and for years to come.
Together, let’s build a strong legacy of giving!
Family inspired flavors
New Greek restaurant to open in Gulf Gate.
IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER
chilles Kouskoutis says with 40 years in the restaurant business, he’s never had a bad experience. He expects it to be the same story for Nikki’s Greek Cafe, which is targeting an early October opening in Gulf Gate.
The restaurant is the response of Kouskoutis to a lack of Greek restaurants in the Gulf Gate area, and he says the dishes it offers will draw from his experiences growing up in a Greek family.
The restaurant business runs in Kouskoutis’ family.
His father, Charlie Kouskoutis, came from Greece to Tarpon Springs when he was 7 years old, and was also a restaurateur. In San Diego, where Charlie Kouskoutis owned two restaurants, Achilles also opened his first, a Greek hamburger restaurant called Mission Beach Steakburger, in 1984.
Achilles’ earliest experience, however, was washing dishes for his father beginning when he was 9. His father paid him $2 per day, and put one of those dollars in the bank.
When he was older, he lived with his grandmother, who taught him how to cook a variety of Greek food, including how to roll grape leaves and prepare Greek chicken.
His work in the restaurant industry has taken him in a variety of directions, from a role as a food and beverage director at a San Diego hotel, to opening a succession of pizza joints in New Hampshire, to the corporate restaurant world as a district manager for Checkers/Rally’s.
The name of his new restaurant follows Nikki’s Greek Gyros, which he opened in 2000 in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, and says was “a really big success,” although he closed
IF YOU GO
NIKKI’S GREEK CAFÉ
Where: 6584 Superior Ave. When: Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
the business after rising rents. His daughter, Nikki, for whom the restaurant was named, worked there as a cashier at the age of 9.
“That’s why I name it Nikki’s, because she always, always wants to help Dad,” he said.
Later, after moving to Sarasota, where Nikki was living, he worked in the construction industry for a time before finding the space in Gulf Gate.
“I found this place and thought, ‘you know what? Let’s open a little restaurant,’” he said.
Kouskoutis says the restaurant’s food preparation will emphasize fresh and healthy ingredients, using beef tallow for deep fryers and olive oil everywhere else.
The menu items range from pastas, to meat and seafood dishes, to Greek spreads and dips. One offering Kouskoutis notes is the Pasta Mediterranean, which will feature angel hair pasta with fresh tomatoes, Kalamata olives and feta cheese.
“It’s spectacular. It’s delicious,” he said.
Once he obtains a license, although he doesn’t know if that will be before opening, the restaurant will offer beer and wine as well.
Serving in the role of restaurant decorator is Nikki, who also suggested adding an additional dessert, baklava with ice cream.
“Basically, you take off the top of the baklava, you put some ice cream on it and close it make like an ice cream sandwich,” Achilles Kouskoutis said.
His son, Zach, will work in the restaurant, as well.
Ian Swaby
Achilles Kouskoutis
Jim D.
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of attorney Jim D. Syprett. He passed away peacefully in the arms of his beloved wife, Charlie Ann Syprett, on September 13, 2025.
LJim was born in Clarksville, Tennessee, on June 11, 1941, to Dennie and Evelyn Syprett. He spent summers with his friends and family on the Cumberland River where he discovered his lifelong passion for the water. After earning his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University in 1963 and his law degree from the University of Florida in 1965, he moved to Sarasota. He began his fabled legal career with the Law Offices of Dick Lee. In 1968 he and John W. Meshad co-founded the Syprett Meshad Law Firm which proudly carries on his legacy of excellence in the practice of law today. He was a natural in the Courtroom – a charming southern accent, a gifted and prolific storyteller, and an unequaled command of the law and the details of his case – all which made him a formidable, but respected foe. A “lawyer’s lawyer,” Jim’s work ethic was legendary. His integrity, dedication and warm nature earned him the respect of all who worked with him. His colleagues and clients loved him, his opponents revered him, and the judges admired him. He also served
as a mentor to many young lawyers throughout the Bar and was a most trusted and reliable colleague to the lawyers in his firm. In 2023, the Senior Counsel of Sarasota County presented Jim with the Esteemed Colleague Award.
Jim firmly believed in service to our community. He was a longtime advocate for the Family Counseling Center and the Cancer Support Community. He often counseled and comforted men diagnosed with prostate cancer. He served on the Board of the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation for over ten years and was elected as its president for three terms. He played an integral role in transitioning the Foundation to the dynamic organization that it is today. He was most proud of his part in planning the new state of the art Jellison Cancer Institute. His commitment to SMHF earned him the admiration of fellow board members, and hospital administration.
Jim’s greatest passion, however, was his family. He was a most loving husband, devoted father of two treasured sons and an adoring grandfather to four beautiful grandchildren. He met and married Charlie Ann, the love of his life in 1995. Theirs was a love story for the history books; loving each other fiercely and unconditionally until the very end. Together they lived life to the fullest, riding Harleys, exploring the waters on Jim’s beloved trawler Blue Heav-
en, and traveling throughout the world. One of Jim’s most cherished memories was his captaining Blue Heaven with Charlie Ann as his first mate into the Atlantic Ocean with no land in sight, just the two of them, for days.
Jim was kind, generous, and accepting of others regardless of their background and circumstances. He was a true Southern Gentleman with a quick wit and relaxing manner. All who met him felt immediately comfortable and welcome in his presence. He was a shining light in the lives of all who had the privilege of knowing him or working with him. His journey on this earth and the impact he had on those in the community was marked by love, compassion and an unwavering faith and belief in the potential of others. He often expressed his wish that others practice more kindness.
He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Charlie Ann, his sons Troy D. Syprett and Todd D. Syprett, his four precious grandchildren, Alexa, Jameson, Cameron and Reagan and his loyal Boston Terriers, Stella and Olive. The family wishes to extend a sincere thank you to his loyal and compassionate caregivers Richard Cassarino and Chris and Katrina Gittens.
SERVICE:
A celebration of Jim’s life will be held on October 7th at 5:30PM at the Sarasota Yacht Club. An rsvp to 941-780-6740 or to quailcovey@aol.com will be appreciated but not
necessary. Jim wrote in his instructions to his wife:
“It is my sincere hope that all who attend my service celebrate the good life that I have lived. I enjoyed nearly every day and as for those that I did not enjoy, I decided many years ago to forget and forgive. I had fun and I will be watching!”
DONATIONS:
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Jim’s memory to the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation, 1515 S. Osprey Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34239 or smhf.org.
451657-1
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
NICE DAY FOR
80S NOSTALGIA
Sarasota Players revives high hair, heavy metal and shoulder pads for ‘The Wedding Singer.’
MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER
EDITOR
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
In the history of musical theater, the Broadway show often gives birth to a not always successful attempt to transfer a winning story to the silver screen, often with bankable Hollywood stars who can’t sing (their voices are dubbed) and can barely dance. Of course, there’s an exception to every rule.
The 1978 movie “Grease” comes to mind, with stars John Travolta and Olivia Newton John somehow pulling off the pretense of being teens.
The traditional creative evolution took place the other way around with “The Wedding Singer.” The story hit the big screen first, with a 1998 rom-com starring Adam Sandler as a band leader who falls for a catering hall server ( Drew Barrymore) who’s involved with a Wall Street hotshot.
It wasn’t until 2006 that “The Wedding Singer” was adapted for the stage and opened on Broadway. Set in the 1980s, the musical has become a favorite with nostalgia-crazed high schools and community theaters who love the big hair, shoulder pads and heavy metal that reigned supreme during the decade.
It’s not only in movies and musicals where dreams come true. It’s happening right now at the Sarasota Players, the 96-year-old community theater where Jalex Scott is making
his directorial debut at the helm of “The Wedding Singer.”
About 20 years ago, Scott was a high schooler with theatrical ambitions who listened to the soundtrack of “The Wedding Singer,” with music by Matthew Sklar and lyrics by Chad Beguelin, on a nonstop loop.
Even before he got his first directing assignment for the Players, Scott knew everything there is to know about a wedding singer looking for love in all the wrong places.
“It really is my favorite musical,”
Scott confessed in a recent interview in the former retail space in The Crossings at Siesta Key mall where the community theater makes its home until it moves to Payne Park in 2026.
Patrons of the Players (now known formally as Sarasota Players) may recognize Scott’s name because he won the theater’s new play contest back in 2020, with “The Mantle.” COVID-19 and other delays prevented the play from being produced until 2023. Scott has also been seen on stage around town in recent years.
On a recent afternoon, there was no place for a reporter to interview Scott and Katie Priest, the music director of “The Wedding Singer,” in the Players’ lobby. Wasting no time, Scott stepped behind a curtain and reappeared with a round table, as if out of thin air. Chairs soon followed.
It was an apt introduction to a
production where sets appear out of nowhere and then just as quickly vanish.
As Scott and Priest patiently explained the optimistic romancedriven plot of “The Wedding Singer” and outlined the conflicts faced by its protagonists, the 1985 song, “The Power of Love,” by Huey Lewis and the News came to mind.
You don’t need money, don’t take fame Don’t need no credit card to ride this train It’s strong and it’s sudden, and it’s cruel sometimes But it might just save your life That’s the power of love
In addition to its original songs, ’80s hits like this one fill the air as patrons take their seats and during intermission. Let’s hear it for Pat Benatar!
With an ensemble cast led by Christos Nicholoudis as wedding singer Robbie and Lacey Knispel as the waitress Julia torn between the search for love and stability, Scott leans into the decade where it was morning in America, greed was good and people woke up from the laidback 1970s to learn they were living in a Material World.
In addition to a faux three-piece band led by Nicholoudis that also includes Kevin Moroney and Kelly Leissler, Priest fronts a real band that can be seen in an alcove.
Audiences may remember Priest’s star turn in Manatee Players’ 2021 production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella,” but her “day
IF YOU GO ‘THE WEDDING SINGER’
When: Runs through Oct. 5
Where: Sarasota Players, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail Suite 1130 Tickets: $35; $15 students; $150 VIP Info: Visit SarasotaPlayers.org.
job” is teaching voice and music at the State College of Florida and privately. There will be no plot spoilers here, but let it be known that Scott’s raucous, joyful production brings back familiar faces from the ’80s, including Imelda Marcos, Mr. T and Billy Idol, best known for his hit song, “Nice Day for a White Wedding.”
Choreographers Brian Finnerty and Tahlia Chinault demand a lot from the ensemble cast of “The Wedding Singer.” The players deliver in big ’80s fashion with dance numbers that move in a circular motion to accommodate the Players’ theaterin-the-round space. The floor’s bright geometric pattern reminds us of fashion’s fascination with triangles, circles and other shapes in ’80s, but also echoes the stained glass of a church.
“The Wedding Singer” plays through Oct. 5 at the Sarasota Players’ performance space in The Crossings at Siesta Key mall.
Photos courtesy of Amanda Iglesias
The band gets the crowd rockin’ on the dance floor in Sarasota Players’“The Wedding Singer,” running through Oct. 5.
Photo courtesy of Adrian van Stee
With the average production cost of a Broadway musical now more than $20 million, it’s fun to see what a
community theater can do with nearly 100 years of props and a
of
and ingenuity.
Props, wigs and costumes get starring roles in “Wedding Singer,” as members of the ensemble assume different roles throughout the show. Even music director Priest does a cameo as Nancy Reagan when the action moves to Las Vegas, whose wedding chapels are known for celebrity impersonators who officiate at on-the-fly nuptials.
Finnerty, who is the Players’ production manager, handles props while costume designer Jill Castle pulls together looks inspired by “Material Girl” Madonna as well as rockers Boy George and Cyndi Lauper, whose edgy, color-infused locks later went mainstream.
As for those frumpy, flowery Laura Ashley and Belle France frocks that women of all ages wore in the 1980s, they have thankfully been relegated to community theater costume shops and thrift stores.
Despite the embrace of wealth and glitz, the decade portrayed in “The Wedding Singer” seems quite innocent by today’s standards. The musical has great fun reminding us of life back when cellphones were clunky brick-like devices for just the rich and famous and when video and music were moving into the Digital Age. “What’s a CD player?” is a typical line that draws appreciative laughter from the audience.
Class consciousness comes into view in a playful way as “The Wedding Singer” pokes fun at the bridgeand-tunnel crowd who drive into Manhattan from the suburbs to party with “Saturday Night in the City.”
One of the musical’s most infectious songs, “All About the Green,” reminds us how hedge funds and junk bonds first became household words back in the ’80s.
The rainbow-colored dance floor is where most of the action takes place, whether it’s at a wedding reception, a bar mitzvah or a stand-in for New York nightclubs of the 1980s like Danceteria and the
Palladium.
For more intimate moments, as when Robbie’s grandma (Nancy Denton) offers him words of wisdom in his bedroom, beds and chairs on wheels rapidly appear and then disappear. This is community theater on the move, thanks to a team led by Finnerty that demonstrates great creativity in the quick-change sets.
Denton, a favorite with Players audiences, wins adoring applause for grandma’s sexy duet with Jacob Brown in “Move That Thang.”
The rousing optimism of “The Wedding Singer” is the polar opposite of the Players’ recent production of “Cabaret,” set in a 1930s Berlin nightclub as the decadence of the Weimar Republic is giving way to authoritarian impulses.
The blind faith in the power of money displayed by some characters in “The Wedding Singer” seems naive at times, but the darkest place the show takes us is a garbage bin, where Robbie is encouraged to “Come Out of the Dumpster.”
Some audience members may
recall there was a stock market crash and a savings and loan crisis in the 1980s, but the musical’s characters don’t know that belief in unbridled free markets and Yankee exception alism will be momentarily shaken.
The anguish of a woman torn between love and security is wellknown to readers of Jane Austen’s novels, where the size of one’s annual income is publicly discussed by neighbors and potential suitors. It was also recently mined to great effect in the film “Materialists.”
But while the two steps forward, one step back march down the aisle in “The Wedding Singer” follows a well-worn path, it’s not cliché except when it wants to be. The musical, with book by Beguelin and Tim Her lihy, never takes life too seriously. It doesn’t want you to, either. Think “Happy Days” meets the ’80s.
Scott’s raucous, joyful production of “The Wedding Singer” brings back familiar faces from the ’80s, including Imelda Marcos, Mr. T and Billy Idol, best known for his ’80s hit, “Nice Day for a White Wedding.”
“The Wedding Singer” invites the audience to fall head over heels. With any luck, padded shoulders will cushion the fall if things don’t work out the way they’re supposed to.
Christos Nicholoudis plays the titular role in “The Wedding Singer” and Nancy Denton portrays his grandmother.
Valerie Rozon and Jacob Brown play a bride and groom in Sarasota Players’“The Wedding Singer.”
THIS WEEK
THURSDAY
‘THE WEDDING SINGER’
7:30 p.m. at Sarasota Players, 3501
S. Tamiami Trail Suite 1130 $35; $15 students; $150 VIP table Visit SarasotaPlayers.org.
This ’80s nostalgia romp will restore your faith in romance and big weddings, big hair and big shoulder pads. Jalex Scott directs an ensemble cast led by Christos Nicholoudis, who plays the titular role. With no less than 20 songs and more sequins that can possibly be counted, “The Wedding Singer” is a dizzying romp through a decade where it was morning in America again, greed was good and everyone woke up from the 1970s to find they were living in a material world.
‘FEELING GOOD’
7:30 p.m. at Florida Studio Theatre’s Court Cabaret, 1265 First St. $18-$42
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
The latest musical revue created by Rebecca Hopkins and Richard Hopkins, “Feeling Good” pays tribute to singers some call contemporary crooners, artists like Michael Bublé and Bette Midler. A dynamic trio of FST newcomers — Haley K. Clay, Andrew Leggieri and Russell Mernagh — performs swingin’ hits like “Come Fly With Me,” “It Had to Be You” and “Me and Mrs. Jones.” “Feeling Good” reminds us that seduction works best with a little savoir faire. Runs through Feb. 8.
OUR PICK
MASTERWORKS: HIDDEN TREASURES
Giancarlo Guerrero, the new music director of the Sarasota Orchestra, takes the baton this season for the first time with a Masterworks program that includes lesser-known versions of famous works, including the fourth and final version of Beethoven’s “Fidelio.” Oliver Herbert is the featured cellist on the original version of Tchaikovsky’s “Rococo Variations,” which was modified by the cellist who first premiered it. Also on the program is Mahler’s “Blumine,” which was cut by the composer from his Symphony No. 1, and two versions of Mozart’s Symphony No. 31. If you’ve never seen Guerrero conduct, prepare to be dazzled by his energetic, engaging style.
IF YOU GO
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4
Where: Sarasota Opera House, 61 Pineapple Ave.
Tickets: $25-$65
Info: Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org.
‘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 this Florida Studio Theatre cabaret show is “A Tribute to Peter, Paul 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 the children’s song “Puff the Magic Dragon.” The incarnation of the 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.
FRIDAY
CLASSIC MOVIES AT THE OPERA HOUSE: ‘BEETLEJUICE’
7 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. $12 Visit SarasotaOpera.org.
There are lots of imitators, but this is the original that got it all started. Tim Burton’s classic 1988 film tells the story of Lydia Deetz, a strange and unusual teenager whose whole life changes when she meets a recently deceased couple and a demon with a thing for stripes.
‘NUNSENSE’
7:30 p.m. at Venice Theatre’s Raymond Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave. W., Venice $40 Visit VeniceTheatre.org.
Join Mother Superior Sister Mary Regina and the rest of the nuns as they stage a madcap variety show to help defray the cost of funerals after a culinary disaster. With book, music and lyrics by Don Goggin, “Nunsense” began as a line of greeting cards before becoming an Off-Broadway musical in 1985 that has since morphed into a
DON’T MISS
‘ART DECO: THE GOLDEN AGE OF ILLUSTRATION’
phenomenon. Murray Chase directs Venice Theatre’s production, which features choreography by Vanessa Russo and music direction by Donna Smith. Runs through Oct. 5.
RICHARD O’BRIEN’S
‘THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW’
7:30 p.m. at Venice Theatre’s Raymond Center, 140 Tampa Ave. W., Venice
$40-$18
Visit VeniceTheatre.org.
Can it really be the 50th anniversary of this timeless classic? Let’s do the “Time Warp” again as Venice Theatre presents the story of Brad and Janet, repressed sweethearts who end up in the spooky mansion of a mad, cross-dressing scientist after they get a flat tire. Cosplay and audience interaction is encouraged. Runs through Oct. 25.
SATURDAY
FST IMPROV: ‘WE’RE DOOMED!’
7:30 p.m. at Florida Studio Theatre’s Bowne’s Lab, 1265 First St.
$15-$18
VisitFloridaStudioTheatre.org.
’Tis the spooky season, and one way to get some thrills, chills and a few laughs at the same time is with an original horror movie created by FST
Improv performers with audience input. As the action unfolds, you decide whether to press “rewind,” “fast forward” or “play” on this never-before-seen production. If you’ve never seen an FST Improv show, you don’t know what you’re missing. It’s one of Sarasota’s bestkept secrets, except among the young people who flock to Bowne’s Lab every Saturday night, drawn partly by affordable ticket prices. Runs Saturdays through Oct. 25.
THE SHAELYN BAND
8 p.m. at Fogartyville, 525 Kumquat Court $25 Visit WSLR.org.
Fronted by Florida’s own Shaelyn (aka Shae Mulberry), this band specializes in genre-busting blues. Some of the band’s fans will be familiar with its second album, “Juke Joint,” which features songs like “Fake Love” and “Saturday.” You’ll want to be in the room when the Shaelyn Band brings its “Blues Storm” to Fogartyville.
MONDAY
‘ANCESTRAL EDGE: ABSTRACTION AND SYMBOLISM IN THE WORKS OF NINE NATIVE AMERICAN WOMEN ARTISTS’
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at The John and Mable Ringling Art Museum, 5401 Bayshore Road Free with $30 admission; Mondays free Visit Ringling.org.
The Ringling has been bringing more visibility to contemporary Native American art, first with its 2023 show, “Reclaiming Home” showcasing members of Florida tribes, and now with “Ancestral Edge” featuring nine female artists from across the U.S. Their bold multimedia works occupy the Keith D. Monda Gallery for Contemporary Art through April 2026.
The Sarasota Art Museum celebrates the 100th anniversary of the exposition that kicked off the Art Deco movement. More than 100 eyecatching posters from the Crouse Collection, as well as industrial furniture, home furnishings and other objects loaned by the WilsonianFlorida International University, are on display. In addition to consumer products, there are posters for automobiles, train and ocean travel, as well as sports competitions, reflecting a growing love of speed and luxury. Through March 29, 2026.
IF YOU GO When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday
Where: Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail Tickets: Free for museum members; $20 Info: Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org.
Image courtesy of Poster House
“Chrysler,” a 1930 lithograph by Roger de Valerio, is on display at Sarasota Art Museum’s exhibition “Art Deco: The Golden Age of Illustration” that runs from through March 29, 2026.
Courtesy image
Venice Theatre presents Richard O’Brien’s “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” just in time for its 50th anniversary.
Giancarlo Guerrero Image courtesy of Matthew Holler
The Sarasota Ballet has promoted Michelle Butler from senior director of philanthropy to deputy executive director, a new position designed to strengthen the company’s management structure.
In her new role, Butler will continue to lead philanthropic activities at Sarasota Ballet while working closely with Executive Director Joseph Volpe and Director Iain Webb to further expand her responsibilities and impact throughout the organization.
“Michelle’s deep knowledge of both the Sarasota community and our organization have been invaluable. As the Sarasota Ballet looks ahead, it is essential to strengthen our leadership team to ensure the continued stability and growth of the company,” Volpe said in a statement.
“Michelle embodies the kind of leadership we need as we move forward.”
A Florida native who has called Sarasota home since 1998, Butler is a seasoned nonprofit leader with extensive experience in business development and human resources.
Before joining Sarasota Ballet last year, she held key roles with Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation, the Southwest Florida YMCA, JCI Jones Chemicals Inc. and the MakeA-Wish Foundation.
The Ringling to open renovated gallery
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art expects to open “Ancient Art from Cyprus and the Mediterranean” on Oct. 11, a Ringling spokeswoman confirmed on Sept. 26.
The renovated Gallery 12 will highlight art from the island of Cyprus with 201 works from The Ringling’s permanent collection of ancient Mediterranean art, nearly all of which were purchased by museum founder and circus magnate John Ringling at auction in 1928.
The pieces include limestone and terracotta sculptures, as well as ceramic vessels, glass and gold and silver jewelry.
The makeover of Gallery 12 is part of The Ringling’s multiyear project to reinstall all 21 galleries in the Museum of Art that house art from its permanent collection. The museum is administered by Florida State University in Tallahassee.
John Ringling bought the majority of Cypriot art put up for auction by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the early 20th century, including pieces that were duplicates.
Both the Cypriot collections at the Met and The Ringling were excavated by Luigi Palma di Cesnola in the 19th century, yielding some of the world’s most significant examples of ancient Cypriot art spanning the Bronze Age to the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
Galerie La Plume opens in Osprey
Professional art broker Joseph Cohen has opened Galerie La Plume in Osprey and hired Collin Rowland, an artist and art consultant, to run the gallery.
Rowland, who is based in Sarasota, has a degree from the University of Cincinnati in both Fine Art and Music. He was director of his own gallery and studio for eight years in Cincinnati.
Galerie La Plume aims to serve both seasoned collectors and newcomers with an eclectic roster of artists that includes Peter Max, LeRoy Neiman, Norman Rockwell, Victor Vasarely, Rowland and several local artists to be announced.
Among Galerie La Plume’s services are art consultation and custom curation for residential and commercial spaces, art installation and refurbishment, art brokerage, custom commissions from select artists and “test drive” acquisition, giving art buyers the opportunity to try out a piece before buying it.
Galerie La Plume opened quietly at 3983 Destination Drive, Suite 104 in Osprey over the summer, but will have a grand opening celebration from 5-8 p.m. on Nov. 7-8. For more information, visit GalerieLaPlume. com.
based on a play by Celeste Raspanti
In this family friendly play about the children of the Terezin concentration camp during WWII, a teacher gives the children the courage to write and draw about their memories, their lives in the camp, and their hopes and dreams. Students are free when accompanied by an adult.
Talkback Tuesday
Carrie Seidman - Voices That Shape Sarasota: Journalism, Justice, and Local Truths
October 7, 4-6 pm
Arts Advocates Gallery
Carrie hosts WSLR’s Talk of the Town, a live weekly roundtable featuring politicians, activists, journalists, and scholars discussing local issues. She is a seasoned journalist who has been a staff writer for The New York Times and the Sarasota
Luncheon
How Theater Artistic Directors are Navigating Cultural and Funding Challenges
October 16, 11 am-1 pm Sarasota Yacht Club
Jay Handelman moderates a panel of leading artistic directors – Richard Hopkins, Nate Jacobs, Carole Kleinberg, Peter Rothstein, and Summer Wallace – in a discussion of how they are meeting the challenge of providing funds for their organizations.
among others.
Contrasts, October 12, 4:00 pm
The Queen’s Six, October 28, 7:30 pm
Grammy Lifetime Achievement winner Nicholas Eanet with Jungeun Kim, Natalie Helm, and Bharat Chandra performing works by Schubert, Dvorak, and Bela Bartok’s Contrasts, which was commissioned by Benny Goodman.
They performed at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and now return to ASC after a sold-out concert in 2023. Their vast repertoire promises a memorable evening of royal fun!
How Low Can You Go?, November 13, 11:00 am
Bassoonist Eleni Katz and double bassist Nina Bernat in a program of unusual duets that includes music by Bach, Mozart, and Piazzolla.
Herald-Tribune,
The Arts Advocates Gallery inside the Crossings at Siesta Key mall is open every Saturday from 2-4 pm featuring the works of
Courtesy image
Michelle Butler
A personal haunt
a pirate ship and a mine cart roller coaster.
When he was young, Ambro made an observation about Halloween: that trick-or-treating brought an audience to the house.
IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER
Hay rides, crafts by local artisans, food and carnival games are some offerings served up at the Fruitville Grove Pumpkin Festival, a fall event tradition in Sarasota.
Yet as of last year, the event also offered a high-tech side — with a new addition — Hollowgraves Haunted Manor.
In this walk-through haunted house experience, animatronic characters outnumber live actors, and rooms are bedecked with wallpaper, furnishings and other detail.
It may seem like the stuff of an amusement park, and indeed, the attraction brings a history from the seaside parks of New Jersey.
Yet, this haunted house isn’t a corporate property; it’s the dedicated vision of one Englewood resident, carried out across 34 years, and still in progress.
THE BONES OF AN IDEA
Stan Ambro is, reluctantly by his own admission, a master plumber and HVAC contractor, but for his whole life, he’s been trying to explore his passion — the theme and amusement park business.
When he first “caught the bug,” as he stated, he was a child visiting Wildwood, New Jersey.
That was where he first encountered the work of his hero, Bill Tracy, one of the best-known designers of dark rides (rides that tell stories through specially lit scenes) from the 1960s to the 1970s.
Many of Tracy’s attractions are now demolished, but Ambro has dreams of building new versions of some of Tracy’s rides, specifically
By age 12, he was creating Halloween experiences in his mother’s yard, which he says became threenight events that drew people from around the neighborhood.
A couple years later, the town building inspector told him he should build the attraction out of trailers, so it could be taken somewhere appropriate.
In 1990, when he was 19, he purchased a set of trailers from a freight company in New York City. By the next year, in a park for tractor trailers, he was cutting into them, shaping them into a walk-through experience.
Fortunately, the skills of his trades, including his knowledge of carpentry and electrical work, provided Ambro with the tools he needed to build something that made its way into the world of amusement parks.
When moving to Englewood with his family, and with the help of a friend in New Jersey, the trailers were loaded for Fruitville Grove.
KEEPING HOUSE
Before the 1,500-square-foot space could open in Sarasota, many features had to be repaired, although the trailers withstood the hurricanes that impacted the area in 2024.
Fortunately, the preparatory work was complete enough for the attraction to open for the Pumpkin Festival. Ambro says it’s still a work in progress.
That includes the animatronic figure of a prisoner Ambro is currently working on, which he says he’s been trying to include for 20 years. He says it will serve the role of scaring guests in the back of a group, rather than the ones in the front.
Right now, his major goal is for
the attraction to be able to be open throughout the year.
Currently, it is only allowed to open for eight days a year during the Pumpkin Festival, with the farm’s temporary use permit.
Fruitville Grove’s owner, Kim White, says the farm will have to see what happens in the future, although at this point the eight days are all that are permitted.
“I’m sure it would be fun to have that for the community more often,” she said.
She also said with new generations becoming involved with the farm, it’s possible they could add an additional festival in the future.
Visitors to the attraction will find the accumulation of years of work.
“Everything in here is a labor of Stan’s love,” says Ambro’s wife, Missy Ambro.
However, the family lends a helping hand, including Missy, who works on those aspects Stan says he doesn’t have the patience for.
“She’s always been more than supportive,” he said, noting her help with needs like the fine details of painting.
“She dry brushes — makes things look old that are new,” he said.
His son, Michael Ambro, 15, is also highly involved.
“Michael has been a really big part of it,” he said. “He drives me to come, like, ‘Dad you going?’ And I need that because I’m just so occupied with everyday life.”
He also has two other children, Nicholas Ambro, 19, and Valerie Ambro, 15.
Other than the animatronics, most of the decorations are items the family accumulated over the years.
That includes antique lights from a garage sale in New Jersey; a candelabra that was set to be discarded by The Brownstone banquet hall in Patterson, New Jersey; and an antique
IF YOU GO
When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekend in October: Oct. 4-5, 11-12, 18-19 and 25-26. Parking $5. Free admission. Attractions individually priced. More info: Visit FruitvilleGroveFarm.com.
fireplace from Missy Ambro’s old house.
Many items come from customers’ homes, especially from the boiler rooms of Stan Ambro’s past New Jersey customers.
“For whatever reason, when they don’t know what to do with something, they put it down by the boiler … ” Stan Ambro said. “You see something very unique, old picture frames or candelabras or lighting fixtures… Many times people were just glad to hear it was going to go to somewhere that people would appreciate.”
Although not directly on display, guiding a sliding bookcase is a dooropening mechanism formerly used at a ShopRite supermarket in New Jersey.
However, the animatronics are a slightly different story.
Ambro wasn’t much of a traveler, he says, but after he married Missy Ambro and they visited Walt Disney World and haunted houses in Salem, Massachusetts, he became convinced he had to re-create what he saw.
“We went to Disney, and the Carousel of Progress really woke me up,” Ambro said. “It was like, ‘Whoa.’ That was very sort of inspirational … I was never one to not do something, like if it was something I wanted to make, I re-created it.”
by
Also, although his haunted house had started off with paid actors, Ambro says this made it difficult to turn a profit, so he wanted to introduce automated actors.
The walk-through experience is now populated with various animated skeleton figures, which he built in a basement office.
The first one he created was a bartender, which incorporated a rib cage he made at age 17 using papiermâché and welded coat hangers.
It took about three months to develop it to the point that the eyes and neck moved to his satisfaction.
The bones of the skeletons are sourced from a company that manufactures models of anatomical features.
Ambro says he was able to pursuade the company to sell a second tier of its products that included imperfect items that can’t be used for the medical study for which they are intended.
The skulls are a Halloween item that was once sold in stores.
Ambro infuses the metallic skeletons of the animatronics into the insides of the bones, although in the future, he hopes to create the bones from the metal.
The robot’s movements are powered using motors and pneumatics, or the release of compressed air, although Ambro says he would like to incorporate the smoother hydraulicbased movements like those seen in many Disney animatronics.
Stan Ambro may be a plumber and an HVAC contractor by trade, but he doesn’t define himself by that.
“It is an art,” Ambro said. “I never wanted to admit that I was an artist before, but I have to say, over the years and growing up enough, to say, ‘Yes, I’m an artist.’”
Stan Ambro adjusts the animatronic of the bartender.
Photos
Ian Swaby
Hollowgraves Haunted Manor is part of the Fruitville Grove Pumpkin Festival.
GOLDEN EFFORT
s the years go on, the support still has not dwindled, said Laura Gilkey.
Her son, Benjamin Gilkey, was one of two students at Southside Elementary School who died from cancer in 2017, along with Avery Rann.
Laura Gilkey said it came as surprise to her that, even though students at the school years later would not have known Benjamin, they are still enthusiastic participants in Go Gold Day.
Held the last Friday in September, the event encourages students and parents in promoting awareness and providing support for children with pediatric cancer throughout the month of September, leading up to the day itself.
On that day, Sept. 26, students filed outside, largely dressed in gold, for a Go Gold Day pep rally. Started at Southside Elemen-
tary, the event has since grown beyond there, to schools throughout Sarasota County and two in Manatee County.
All funds raised go to the Benjamin Gilkey Fund for Innovative Pediatric Cancer Research, which Laura Gilkey co-founded.
“None of these kids knew my son, obviously, but they’re doing it because it’s beyond him now,” she said. “It’s bigger than that, which I love so much.”
Principal Allison Foster said it was “great for kids to learn about something that is so important and that’s impacting students.”
“It’s great to see the students be so involved, doing lemonade stands, cookie sales, other things to not only raise funds, but also to raise awareness,” she said.
The school is in the process of accumulating the total raised.
— IAN SWABY
Emilia, and the Theory of Multiple Intelligences. We emphasize individualized instruction and incorporate
and so much
Fourth graders Valerie Wright, Sloane Sanchez, Jackson Van Norman and Giovanni Torielli show their spirit.
Photos by Ian Swaby
Leo Biter enters the pep rally.
Third grader Lauren Ardila Meza offers a cheer.
Teachers John Freeman and Ashlee Middleton help rally the students.
Kindergartner Alex Gomez watches as the rally gets underway.
PET PICS
A Century Old Story
A story that began over 100 years ago and is still being written today. Once a beloved landmark, now an enduring icon reborn. Mira Mar is the future of luxury living in Sarasota, grounded in the grandeur of its past, and offering an unparalleled residential experience in the heart of downtown.
One of Sarasota’s few remaining flagships of the great Florida Land Boom of the 1920’s, it is with great pride that we restore the Mira Mar to it’s rightful place as a gleaming icon of Sarasota.
Rising elegantly above South Palm Avenue, the revived and resplendent Mira Mar presents a limited collection of 70 estate-style residences across two 18-story towers. Each home is designed to the highest standards, with sweeping views, refined interiors, and private access to best-in-class amenities.
Mira Mar is more than a residence — it’s a return to grace.
Sarasota resident Jordan Wenck wants people to eat their chickpeas. She says when they try her Beanie Bites mix and products, which will debut at the Sarasota Farmers Market on Oct. 4 after coming to the Farmers Market at Lakewood Ranch in March, they will be eager to eat them, too.
In fact, she says the baking mixes, which are made with beans and are gluten free, dairy free and have no added sugar, have been a hit with even some of the pickiest kid eaters.
“Most people don’t wake up and crave a bowl of minestrone,” she said. “But people will crave waffles and muffins and pancakes, and so we’re just sneaking a really, really healthy food. And beans, they’re so simple, but they’re so powerful.”
BEANS FOR BAKING
Wenck has been baking healthy items for years, and had long been interested in creating a product centered on chickpeas, which are actually a type of bean known as garbanzo beans.
She said once she realized she could sell Beanie Bites, which she originally created for friends and family members, as a mix, and perfect it using the feedback of customers, she hasn’t looked back.
“I would say the majority of people that try it say that you can’t tell a difference,” she said. “You would never know that there’s beans in Beanie Bites. It would be probably closer to baking with a whole wheat flour.”
As of Sept. 26, Wenck offers two mixes: the original, created from chickpeas, which can be used to make waffles, pancakes, muffins, breads and cookies, and a denser black bean-based chocolate mix for brownies.
She is in the process of reformulating the chocolate mix to also use chickpeas, which she says are more versatile, and hopes this version will replace the current mix.
Visitors to her booths can also purchase already-baked items made with Beanie Bites.
Wenck says part of what has driven her health journey is a history of chronic disease on both sides of her family.
That includes her biological grandmothers on both sides, her mother,
IF YOU GO
BEANIE BITES
Where: Sarasota Farmers
Market
When: Saturdays, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at North Lemon Avenue
Where: Farmers Market at Lakewood Ranch
When: Sundays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1561 Lakefront Drive
who died of multiple sclerosis when Wenck was 20, and her sister, who has an autoimmune disease.
“I always just have been very called toward health and wellness, partly because I don’t want to get sick myself, but there’s just something about it that I feel very drawn to,” she said.
While obtaining her master’s degree in human nutrition from the University of Alabama, she was employed in roles involving the brands of small businesses that sold online, and says as a result she fell in love with what those businesses offered the community.
She calls Beanie Bites, which she began working on in November 2024, the perfect intersection of business, social media and e-commerce, and with the expansion to the Sarasota Farmers Market, it has now become a full-time endeavor.
“It’s been a very exciting year for me, building my dream business,” she said.
What Wenck loves about beans is their numerous health benefits.
“Beans have been studied to add, on average, four years to your life, and there’s so many studies that say beans help with inflammation, they help reduce your cholesterol, they help with detoxing,” she said.
Wenck uses only sprouted beans, which are considered more nutritious than unsprouted ones, and which are also more difficult to source.
“It’s not like I just order from a catalog in Sysco, which is what most restaurants and food vendors do ...” she said. “Every ingredient is very specifically sourced, and it really makes a difference in the taste, for sure.”
She said the process of sourcing involves lots of searching online,
phone calls and testing samples she receives.
“As I grow, I really would like to purchase directly from the farm,” she said.
Nutritional scientists say that when a bean is sprouted, it becomes easier to digest, as well as to absorb its nutritional profile.
“I’m sure you’ve heard a lot of people say beans upset my stomach, or they give me gas, or I can’t digest it, or whatever,” Wenck said. “Sprouted beans are easier to digest, so I’ve had a lot of people already tell me that, normally I can’t eat beans, but I can eat Beanie Bites.”
Wenck spends about three days a week in a commercial kitchen, one day of which involves making the mix, which is about 120 bags per day,
and the other days baking, while her boyfriend, Tyler Oakley, helps her seal all of the packages.
While her nutritional background gives her information for the recipes, she’s attempting to build her skills on the baking side.
That includes taking a course with Alina Eisenhauer, a gluten-free celebrity baker who has been on the Food Network.
Wenck says her efforts have been well-received in Lakewood Ranch and thinks that will continue to be the case as she expands to the Sarasota Farmers Market.
“I hope to inspire people that it is possible to eat really delicious food and feel really good afterwards,” she said. “You can have it all.”
Sarasota resident Jordan Wenck created Beanie Bites.
Courtesy images Beanie Bites can be used to create a variety of items, including waffles and pancakes.
Beanie Bites will make its debut at the Sarasota Farmers Market on Oct. 4.
children 0-4, free. See Selby Gardens’ Historic Spanish Point campus transformed into Spooky Point with botanically themed Halloween creations. Last entry into Lights at Spooky Point is at 8:30 p.m. and the campus closes at 9 p.m. Visit Selby.org.
SATURDAY, OCT. 4
NAMIWALKS SARASOTA AND MANATEE
8-11 a.m. (Opening ceremony starts
8:30 a.m. and walk begins 9 a.m.) at Payne Park, 2010 Adams Lane. Free. Walk in support of advocacy, education and support for mental illness with the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Visit NAMIWalks.org.
ART CENTER SARASOTA
FREE FAMILY SATURDAYS
Noon to 3 p.m. at Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami Trail. Free. This drop in art experience, held every Saturday, is intended for kids and adults to enjoy together. Create hands-on projects that draw from artists, exhibitions, and cultural traditions, with Halloween-themed offerings to come this month. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.
OKTOBERFEST AT THE BAZAAR
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime, 821 Apricot Ave. Free. The Bazaar celebrates Oktoberfest, with polka lessons at 11:30, a stein holding contest at 1 p.m. and a yodeling competition at 2 p.m. Visit HamletsEatery.com.
BEST BET
FRIDAY, OCT. 3
MAIN STREET MIXER
7-10 p.m. on Main Street. Free. The Fresh Fridays block party series returns, kicking off its fifth season. The first Friday of each month, these events will feature offerings including local food vendors, refreshments, free giveaways, and live music by top local bands and artists. Visit DowntownSarasotaDID.com.
SUNDAY, OCT. 5
SUNDAYS AT THE BAY FEATURING ROYALE
6-7 p.m. The Oval, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. This concert series features a different band or artist each week. This week features Royale, a trio that “merges soulful piano artistry and contagious drum grooves with warm and jazzy vocals,” with soul and R&B influences. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.
MONDAY, OCT. 6
UF/IFAS — FLORIDA-FRIENDLY
LANDSCAPING: FOODSCAPING FOR THE SUNCOAST
10:30-11:30 a.m. at Selby Library, 1331 First St. Free. Learn about the region’s best fruits, nuts and foodscaping plants. Visit SCGovLibrary. LibraryMarket.com.
TUESDAY, OCT. 7
RINGLING MUSEUM STORYTIME
11 a.m. to noon at Selby Library, 1331 First St. Recommended for ages 3-6. This free storytime program aims to combine art with early literacy and features a story with an accompanying art activity. Visit SCGovLibrary. LibraryMarket.com.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 8
SARASOTA TRIVIA WITH B TRIVIAL
7-9 p.m. at Sun King Sarasota, 1215 Mango Ave. Free to play. This trivia session is hosted weekly at Sun King, allowing you to test your knowledge of music, sports, travel and other topics. Free prizes will be offered, and all ages are welcome. Visit SunKingBrewing.com.
YOUR CALENDAR
Ian Swaby
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens decorated its Historic Spanish Point Campus in Osprey for its annual Lights at Spooky Point event.
the Oaks II sells
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
Stephen and Sue Krzeski, trustees, sold the home at 478 Oriskany Court to Michael and Veronica Strobel, of Orlando, for $2,625,000. Built in 1999, it has four bedrooms, five-and-twohalf baths, a pool and 5,778 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.55 million in 2016.
SARASOTA MARK SARASOTA
Siesta Key Holdings LLC and Bryan Marino, of Lakewood Ranch, sold the Unit 918 condominium at 111 S. Pineapple Ave. to Sarasota Retreat LLC for $1.16 million. Built in 2019, it has two bedrooms, two-and-ahalf baths and 1,498 square feet of living area. It sold for $500,000 in 2020.
PHILLIPE CREST
Cari McCoy, trustee, and Harold Glenn McCoy sold two properties at 2537 Ashton Road to Seabreeze 1st Group LLC for $925,000. The first property was built in 1951. It has two bedrooms, one bath and 864 square feet of living area. The second property was built in 1952. It has two bedrooms, two baths and 800 square feet of living area. They sold for $219,000 in 2017.
LA LINDA TERRACE
Ten-K Corp sold the home at 2189 Hillview St. to LCM Partners LLC for $815,000. Built in 1953, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 1,078 square feet of living area. It sold for $425,000 in 2024.
ROSELAWN
Lea Graf and Zachary Santoro, trustees, of Sarasota, sold two properties at 2054 Roselawn St. to Jeffrey and Lauren Wolff, of Wilmette, Illinois, for $749,000. The first property was built in 1953. It has five bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 1,396 square feet of living area. The second property was built in 1953. It has two bedrooms, one bath and 1,005 square feet of living area. They sold for $580,000 in 2022.
SOUTH GATE
David Matthew Glickman, of Quebec, Canada, sold his home at 2610 Jefferson Circle to Lisseth ConzaBerman and Jeremiah Berman, of Fryeburg, Maine, for $735,000. Built in 1960, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,636 square feet of living area. It sold for $345,000 in 2020.
Valerie Falahee, trustee, and Lauren Falahee, of Longboat Key, sold the home at 2560 Sunnyside St. to Robert Seth-Ward, of Sarasota, for $595,000. Built in 1960, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,388 square feet of living area. It sold for $695,000 in 2024.
MARQUEE EN VILLE Deutsche Bank National Trust
Co., trustee, sold the home at 235 Cocoanut Ave. to Hubert Rojas Rodriguez Revocable Trust for $730,000. Built in 2006, it has two bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 2,105 square feet of living area. It sold for $819,700 in 2006.
HARTLAND PARK
JMB Management Development Group LLC sold the home at 1857 Siesta Drive to David Damiani and Jillian Randazzo, of Sarasota, for $615,000. Built in 1952, it has two bedrooms, one-and-a-half baths and 1,003 square feet of living area. It sold for $480,000 in February.
COLONIAL TERRACE
Corey and Kristy Cartwright, of Gallatin, Tennessee, sold their home at 2908 Mayflower St. to Santiago and Lillian Martos, of New Rochelle, New York, for $600,000. Built in 1971, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,540 square feet of living area. It sold for $617,000 in 2022.
GULF GATE WOODS
David and Darla Gulliver sold their home at 2703 Coventry Drive to Abbie and Mark Poniatowski, of Louisville, Colorado, for $565,000. Built in 1974, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,915 square feet of living area. It sold for $443,000 in 2006.
SIESTA KEY
OCEAN BEACH
Richard Kennedy, of Sarasota, sold his home at 514 Ralph St. to Joliene Weiss and Kyle Weiss, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, for $825,000. Built in 1957, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 1,855 square feet of living area. It sold for $385,000 in 2001.
SIESTA’S BAYSIDE
Nancy O’Brien and Scott Miller, of Sarasota, sold their home at 710 Birdsong Lane to Kathryn Belfi, of Bristol, Connecticut, for $815,000. Built in 1980, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,522 square feet of living area. It sold for $426,000 in 2012.
WHISPERING SANDS
Margaret King, of Plymouth, Massachusetts, sold the Unit 301 con-
dominium at 20 Whispering Sands to Richard Cantees, of Sarasota, for $800,000. Built in 1973, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,282 square feet of living area. It sold for $860,000 in 2020.
THE ANCHORAGE
Andrew Scott Barry and Susan Colleen Barry, of Fremont, Indiana, sold their Unit 909 condominium at 6415 Midnight Pass Road to AJB Rentals LLC for $660,000. Built in 1975, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,290 square feet of living area. It sold for $619,000 in 2021.
ONLINE
See more transactions at YourObserver.com.
Other top sales by area
SARASOTA: $2.6 MILLION
Johnson Estates
James Dunn and Joanne Gavan, of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, sold their home at 1530 Pine Bay Drive to Justin Powell, trustee, of Sarasota, for $2.6 million. Built in 2017, it has five bedrooms, fourand-a-half baths, a pool and 3,805 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.55 million in 2017.
SIESTA KEY: $2.4 MILLION
Sara Sands
James Frangos, of Amherst, New York, sold his home at 5168 Sandy Cove Ave. to Angela Kristine Campellone, of Sarasota, for $2.4 million. Built in 1976, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,762 square feet of living area. It sold for $1 million in 2023.
PALMER RANCH: $1,354,000
Silver Oak
Michael Iovine Jr., trustee, of Osprey, sold the home at 8999 Wildlife Loop to Jan Suma and Petr Myska, of the Czech Republic, for $1,354,000. Built in 2004, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 4,037 square feet of living area.
Dana Kampa
SPORTS
“I didn’t really like sweating all that much. So I picked a sport where I didn’t have to sweat ...”
BEASTS in the BACKFIELD
BIG GAMES
BY
RIVERVIEW RUNNING BACKS
n Belt: 305 yards, 4
TDs — Sept. 12 vs. Melbourne Central Catholic
n James: 290 yards,
4 TDs — Sept. 26 vs. Sarasota
n Belt: 188 yards, 3 TDs — Sept. 26 vs. Sarasota
n James: 160 yards, 2 TDs — Sept. 5 vs. Palmetto
n James: 114 yards, 2 TDs — Aug. 29 at Tampa Riverview
Belt (5) celebrates with senior wide receiver Noah Chieffo after scoring a touch-
JACK NELSON SPORTS REPORTER
Toryeon James had dashed, juked, spun and cut his way past defenders for over two hours. His body just couldn’t take any more of the punishment.
As the junior athlete trotted back toward the Riverview bench early in the fourth quarter, he fell to the turf. The 80-yard touchdown sprint he just ripped off left him utterly winded.
Only a minute or so passed before he rose to his feet. After catching his breath, James got back up, rested under the tent for a moment and joined his fellow Rams on the sideline.
“I love all my teammates to death, and they see me as a leader,” James said. “They see me as a captain, and I appreciate them, so I do everything for them.”
Then he watched as his team’s running game continued to wreak havoc — just as it has all season — on its biggest rival.
Riverview foot
Toryeon James and Isaiah Belt combined for seven touchdowns in their latest showing against Sarasota.
Sept. 26, racking up 486 yards on 34 carries as the team set a new seasonhigh with 14.3 yards per carry. James and senior running back Isaiah Belt combined for seven touchdowns as teachers of that masterclass.
By torching the Sailors on the ground, the hosts scored their most points all campaign en route to a 15th consecutive rivalry win dating back to 2012.
“It’s hard for a defense to manage two fresh people. You’ve got me in the game and I’m going strong, then if I get tired, Tory(eon) comes in,” Belt said. “It’s hard for a defense to manage that when they’re tired.”
Entering Week 7, Riverview still has yet to lose. The 5-0-1 squad — ranked No. 6 in Class 7A as of Sept. 23, per the FHSAA — has scored 38 points or more in every completed contest since a season-opening tie. On top of that, it has hit 45 or more for three weeks running.
Paving the way has been arguably the area’s premier one-two backfield punch.
James’ 290 rushing yards on 12 carries Friday, as well as Belt’s 188 on 21, didn’t mark the first time either of them cracked 100 yards in a game this season. The former did so against Hillsborough Riverview and Palmetto on Aug. 29 and Sept. 5, respectively, whereas the latter put on a 305-yard clinic Sept. 12 versus Melbourne Central Catholic.
But the Rams’ triumph over the Sailors did signal the first such occasion where both ball carriers crossed that plateau together.
In doing so, the team around them finished with 707 total yards of offense — another new high in 2025.
“They care a lot about their craft. They practice really, really hard, and they hold their teammates accountable,” said coach Mark Cristiani. “They have wonderful relationships with the O-linemen — makes things easy.”
James is doing it all as a firstyear back. It’s his second season on varsity, but as a sophomore, he was used primarily in the passing game. And he wasn’t just another receiver last year. He was Riverview’s go-to guy out wide. The young talent totaled a
FAST BREAK
Cteam-best 517 yards on an average of 19.1 per catch in 2024. His involvement in the running game, though, was minimal, carrying the ball six times for 52 yards. Four of his teammates wound up with more rushing yards than he did.
At 5-foot-6 and 158 pounds, James is undersized relative to other college-hopeful players at his position, but that hasn’t stopped him from tearing apart opposing defenses. He’s now up to 782 rushing yards with 14 touchdowns after finding the end zone four times against Sarasota.
“I have tried to tell everybody in the country, and I will continue to beat on the desk for Toryeon James,” Cristiani said. “If people would stop worrying about height-measuring sticks and body weight, they’d realize he’s one of the most explosive and tough players in our area.”
Much of what the junior has learned in his switch from wide receiver to running back comes from Belt, who he lauded as an “absolute mentor,” after both of them powered their team’s Week 6 defeat of the Sailors.
After all, Belt was the primary running back last year — ultimately responsible for 766 of the Rams’ 1,178 rushing yards. He also accounted for 1,094 as the secondary option out of the backfield in 2023.
Offensive coordinator Brody Wiseman has made a habit of alternating between James and Belt to keep opposing defenses on their toes. Such an approach has yielded 640 yards on 73 carries for Belt, and combined with James, their yardage amounts to 1,422 on the ground.
Admiration is mutual between the two workhorses.
“I’ve known him since his freshman year — hard worker,” Belt said.
“I love his game. It’s nothing but passion, and I’m very proud of him.”
The two running backs have helped keep Riverview undefeated past the midway point of the regular season. For the program, that alone is something worth celebrating in light of its 4-6 finish a year ago.
But there are more games to come. With them will be more opportunities for James and Belt to slice through offensive lines and juke out defensive backs.
They’ll do so together, each throwing haymakers from the backfield.
ardinal Mooney football (4-1) returned to action after its bye week and defeated Fort Myers Bishop Verot by a 49-14 score on the road. Senior athlete and Indiana commit LaRon Dues returned a punt all the way to the house to cap 35 unanswered points for the Cougars in the first half. The visitors never let the contest tighten, ultimately securing a third consecutive victory — all of which have come by 35 points or more. Junior quarterback Davin Davidson got the starting nod after receiving his first Power Four offer on Sept. 24 from Northwestern. As of Sept. 23, Cardinal Mooney ranks No. 5 in Class 2A, per the FHSAA football rankings. ... Earning its most lopsided triumph yet, Booker football (51) thrashed district opponent Bayshore 50-0 at home to push its winning streak to five. The Tornadoes have now outscored their last three opponents by a combined 120-14, including a pair of shutouts. Their star-studded wide receiver depth chart includes seniors Tyren Wortham Dylan Wester Chauncey Kennon and Karaijus Hayes, who are committed to Michigan State, Pittsburgh, Florida State and Vanderbilt, respectively. The team pays a visit to Sebring on Friday at 7:30 pm for Week 7 competition.
... Sarasota Christian swimming set 11 personal records on Saturday at the Tampa Bay Classic. Sixth-grader Brynley Guengerich had two, submitting a 36.16 in the 50-meter freestyle and a 1:28.00 in the 100-meter backstroke. On the boys’ side, seventh-grader Gael Cardenas thrived in the freestyle, clocking a 39.57 in the 50-meter race and a 1:33.67 in the 100 meter — both personal bests.
... Completing a golden sweep, Sarasota cross-country placed first as a team in both the boys and girls races at the JT Memorial on Friday, staged at Austin Tindall Park in Kissimmee. Senior Owen Pulfer crossed the finish line at 17:28.45 to place seventh in the boys’ 5,000-meter run.
File image
Cardinal Mooney junior running back Connail Jackson
Photos by Jack Nelson
Toryeon James (21) of Riverview football sprints down the sideline en route to a touchdown against Sarasota. The junior ran for nearly 300 yards in the team’s defeat of its longtime rival.
Cross-country athletes take heat in stride
Every part of your body says otherwise. Drenched in sweat, your legs beg for a break, while your feet ache from the unforgiving ground below. Florida’s furnace exacerbates the ordeal.
High school cross country athletes know it — they brave hot and humid conditions on a regular basis, whether in practice or competition. Since they can’t escape it, they have to beat it.
“It obviously gets to you mentally, too. You’re sweating so much,” said Out-of-Door Academy senior Kevin Gyurka. “You don’t want to run half the time because it’s so unbearable.”
Cross country teams across the state were able to hold practices as early as July 28, and can compete as late as the Nov. 22 state meet. It’s one of three FHSAA fall sports to feature competition exclusively outdoors, alongside football and golf.
The hottest months of the year — July and August — are behind them, but in Florida, that doesn’t mean things get much better. Differences between summer and fall feel marginal in early October.
“It’s still difficult, because it’s very hot and you’re sweating a lot, so you can get dehydrated easily,” said Lakewood Ranch junior Addison Shear. “You don’t want to do that, because that can affect your times, and every little second counts.”
It’s unlikely to get any easier as student-athletes continue their careers. Current conditions are projected to intensify under our warming climate.
A study by the University of Florida published in April 2025 found
that over the past 60 years, Florida has experienced roughly two-anda-half more days of 91°F or more with each passing decade.
“From my personal experience, it has changed dramatically temperature-wise. I grew up in Florida, and I would play 18 holes walking (and) carrying clubs on my back when I was little, and had no issue with it,” said Sarasota coach John Stevenson. “Training-wise, I was pretty good in the heat, but now with climate change, it has intensified.”
The FHSAA uses the wet bulb globe temperature to draw a line between safe and unsafe conditions. WBGT measures heat stress in direct sunlight by accounting for temperature, humidity, wind speed, sun angle and cloud cover. If it exceeds 92.1, coaches are mandated to stop any outdoor athletic activity.
Alternatives are available when those situations do arise. Costs, though, come with being overly
reliant on indoor facilities in preparation for outdoor competition.
“Sometimes kids will, over the summer — if they’re not training with us — they’ll use a treadmill, because it definitely feels better,” said Out-of-Door Academy firstyear coach Erin Mulvihill. “But then you can see that afterward. Their bodies aren’t ready to run in the heat.”
Florida’s uniquely-awful humidity worsens already-high air temperatures, turning dry heat into a blanket that can feel suffocating when you need to catch your breath. Proper breathing makes a world of difference in the exhausting arena of cross country. Some athletes put cooling towels around their shoulders during practice to combat the sun while reducing upper-body tension. Sunglasses play an underrated role, preventing runners from using up energy by squinting their eyes, and instead conserve an extra ounce for
when they really need it.
How you fuel your body is everything. That goes beyond hydration, and as athletic trainers and coaches alike have hammered into runners’ minds, a proactive approach is essential.
In the format of cross country, athletes also need to consider what works in their favor versus what doesn’t.
“I used to be a sprinter, and I can tell you, you get a lot more breaks in-between reps than you do in long-distance,” said Sarasota junior Jasmine France. “So it’s actually just sitting outside in the heat more, and I think that makes you (even more tired), honestly.”
It’s tough enough for Florida natives to endure the heat whenever they seek exercise on the trails or the track.
For those moving into the state, handling it is a beast of a task.
Failing to prepare the body allows heat exhaustion and heat stroke to
enter the realm of possibility. “It was a completely different experience, moving here and starting cross country,” said Lakewood Ranch junior Caroline Bartlomiejczuk, a former Chicago resident. “It was like retraining yourself all over again because of the heat. You had to just adjust, and it was a big change.”
Floridians accustomed to the shining sun don’t exactly have it easy when they knot up their running shoes. Training in relentless heat can’t possibly prepare them for how their bodies will respond differently as they age.
For senior Caitlin Abrams of The Out-of-Door Academy, half-adecade has passed since she began running in sixth grade, and still, she sees no smooth sailing in the sport.
“The older I get, it does get a little bit harder, mainly because I realize how much more pain I’m in, and I realize what measures I need to be taking against the heat,” Abrams said.
“Realizing that, yes, it’s a hot day out today, (but) I’m still going to have to push through and get this workout done. (There’s a) mental balance of that, as well.”
Temperature and humidity concoct a potent mixture, making it that much harder to compete at the highest level. Cross country coaches in Florida thus face an elevated dilemma relative to that which their counterparts in other states confront.
They must push athletes to their limits while mitigating risks of overworking them.
Towing that line is an ever-evolving challenge. It’s not going away anytime soon.
Jack Nelson
Sophomore Marley Bowen (left), junior Zoe Zondor (center) and junior Jasmine France (right) of Sarasota girls’ cross country run together during a Sept. 29 practice at Payne Park.
Vito Sgroi
Riverview has established an elite legacy in swimming and diving, and Vito Sgroi is one of the program’s latest success stories.
The senior for the five-time boys’ team state champions committed to Arizona on Sept. 18. Also active with the Sarasota Sharks, Sgroi specializes in the individual medley, and posted multiple top-10 finishes at the 2024 FHSAA Class 4A state championships.
Last November, the then-junior placed fifth in the boys’ 200-meter individual medley with a mark of 1:51.32. He also clocked a 4:37.26 in the 500-meter freestyle to place eighth in the state.
Sgroi’s younger brother, Lupo — a sophomore — swims for Riverview, as well.
When and why did you start swimming?
I used to live in Italy, and I played soccer there growing up. I moved here when I was 7, and then I did a sum of different sports — all outside — and I didn’t really like sweating all that much. So I picked a sport where I didn’t have to sweat, and then swimming came across, and I chose swimming.
What do you enjoy most about getting in the pool?
Being with my friends and getting to race them every day in training. Just training with them every day.
What’s been the most humbling moment of your swimming career?
When I (was 12 years old), I got disqualified three times at one meet. That wasn’t a very fun experience, and since then, I’ve never gotten disqualified for the same thing.
What are your goals for your senior season with Riverview?
There’s a record board outside of where we train, and I want to get one of the records on there — particularly the 400 (individual medley). I’m four seconds off, so hopefully I can get it.
If you would like to make a recommendation for the Sarasota Observer’s Athlete of the Week feature, send it to Jack Nelson at JNelson@ YourObserver.com.
Why was Arizona men’s swimming and diving the right choice for you?
It was either Arizona and Utah, and I picked Arizona because of the team. The team felt like a family from the second I got there. So, I think that’s really what stood out most to me.
What’s one quote, if any, that you live your life by?
“Work hard, and you’ll see results.”
If you could meet any professional athlete, who would you meet and why?
Michael Phelps. Just to ask him questions on how he completed what he did.
If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go and why?
New Zealand, because of the beaches. It’s super pretty there and you get to surf there — I really want to surf.
If you were stuck on a desert island with only one item, what would you bring and why?
A phone, so I can call for help.
What’s your favorite movie?
“Rocky IV.”
What’s your favorite meal?
Probably spaghetti with clams.
Finish this sentence. Vito Sgroi is ... Energetic.
