When Doug Mason played a round of golf with a friend Dec. 8, he thought that would be the highlight of his day.
Not even close.
Mason came home to find his yard filled with solar-powered displays and energy efficient decorations by Florida Power & Light to honor the Army veteran.
FPL also gave Mason $1,000 gift card to Home Depot and gifts for the single father’s two young sons, while Wishes for Heroes offered Mason a check of $3,500 covering his electric bills for 2026.
“I guess stunning would probably be the best word I could use to describe it,” Mason said. “I’ve never had so many people around just for me. It’s pretty unbelievable.”
Literary arts on display
Art Center Sarasota has discovered that many of its members are also accomplished authors and illustrators, according to its executive director Katherine Ceaser.
Caesar says the organization’s first Authors & Illustrators Book Fair on Dec. 6 allowed the organization to highlight the work of its local authors.
“We were truly moved by the response to our first book fair,” Ceaser said in an email. “The turnout went far beyond what we expected.”
The organization is celebrating its 100th anniversary, which includes free events, partnerships and opportunities, and it is currently planning another book fair for December 2026.
$0.10
What goes up, downtown?
RULES FOR ROCKIN’
Ian Swaby
Braelyn Butts, 7, and Claire Douberly, 6, participate with Pork Roll Pete’s during the Sarasota Holiday Parade on Dec. 6.
Ian Swaby
Courtesy image
WEEK OF DEC. 11, 2025
BY THE NUMBERS
$25
$142,000
“Every stakeholder group that I can think of is going to be there saying this project is important, and they’re going to be hitting them from all different angles.”
Chris Goglia on the Dec. 16 County Commission hearing on Resilient SRQ funds for St. Armands Key. Read more on page 6A
n
Sarasota Police Department’s annual Shop with a Cop event — in association with Sarasota Housing Authority, Breeze Transit and Target — will return from 6-8 a.m. Saturday at the Target store at 5350 Fruitville Road.
The SHA will pair 125 local underprivileged children with SPD officers to shop for holiday gifts.
“For almost 15 years, our collaboration with the Sarasota Housing Authority on the Shop with a Cop program has been a powerful reminder of why we
serve,” said Sarasota Police Chief Rex Troche in a news release.
“Sharing this experience with children, helping them choose gifts, hearing their stories and being a part of their holiday joy is something our officers and civilian employees cherish each year.”
Sarasota Housing Authority raises more than $19,000 for this event through its 501(c)(3) affiliate, Sarasota Housing Funding Corp. This year’s event will be made possible through donations by Communities Unified, Community
Foundation of Sarasota County, Target, First Horizon Foundation and other private donors. Donations for Shop with a Cop may be made through the Sarasota Housing Funding Corp. Checks can be made payable to the Sarasota Housing Funding Corp. with “Shop with a Cop” in the memo line. Checks or cash donations may be dropped off at the Sarasota Housing Authority office at 269 S. Osprey Ave. in downtown Sarasota. For information, call 941-361-6210, ext. 221.
FST receives $1M Arts Plaza donation
With an anonymous seven-figure gift in hand, Florida Studio Theatre has launched a matching challenge to double the $1 million donation to be applied toward development of its now-under-construction McGillicuddy Arts Plaza. Florida Studio Theatre announced the gift on Dec. 4 and the donor’s wish for FST to use the gift “where it would do most good,” according to a news release. The organization will leverage the generosity to match all donations made toward the Arts Plaza project dollar for dollar.
“An anonymous donor has stepped forward with an astonishing $1 million gift, and with it, they have ignited Act 2 of the McGillicuddy Arts Plaza campaign,” said FST Managing Director Rebecca Hopkins.
“Act 1” of the McGillicuddy Arts Plaza is a $46 million phase on track to open in August 2027, which will include the eight-story building’s full exterior, a 127-space parking garage and 57 artist housing units. Those apartments will include 39 extended-stay studios to accommodate more than 250 guest artists per year, plus 18 units supporting year-round local artists.
With Act 1 fully funded, FST is turning its attention to a $6 million phase to include two cabaret theaters — the Maier and Schlegel Cabarets — adding 200 new seats, accompanying dining spaces and a welcome lobby. The estimated total cost of the project is $57 million.
CORRECTIONS
A story on the Thanksgiving Wednesday Community Luncheon incorrectly identified a matched donation by the Gulf Coast Community Foundation.
A headline in the Dec. 4 issue incorrectly stated that Sarasota Opera Artistic Director Victor DeRenzi is retiring. He is stepping down.
Photo courtesy of Sarasota Police Department Sarasota Deputy Police Chief Scott Mayforth delights a young shopper at a previous Shop with a Cop event.
Going Up
Cranes dot Sarasota’s skyline as multifamily construction continues infill redevelopment with a growing trend toward rental units.
While speaking before the Downtown Improvement District Board of Directors, Downtown Sarasota Condominium Association board member David Lough advised of a looming deceleration of residential development in downtown proper, but not necessarily so in the greater downtown area.
Lough, who keeps detailed data of residential development in downtown and in his Rosemary District neighborhood, noted new development is migrating north and east of the Downtown Bayfront and Downtown Core zone districts as those become built-out.
Regarded by some in Sarasota government as an unofficial city employee because of his presence in most meetings of various boards that affect downtown development, Lough brought the receipts to educate the DID board members of what’s coming to the center city, and where new development hotspots are emerging.
Citing the underway construction of residential properties in the downtown zone districts — which includes the Rosemary Residential Overlay District — that range in various stages from site clearing for Amara on Golden Gate Point to the topping off of the Ritz-Carlton Residences in The Quay, Lough highlighted:
■ Sarasota’s full-time population of 58,000, which grew about 6.3% in the past four years, and could grow by as much as 10% in the coming five to six years
■ Estimated population in downtown and the Rosemary District is approximately 14,000
■ As condo towers replace lower-scale development, downtown accounts for some 60% of the city’s population growth over the last decade
■ At 1.8 square miles — not including Golden Gate Point — the condo association’s area is roughly 7% of the city’s land mass but accounts for 22% of its entire population And more is on the way.
“We’ve got 971 units under construction as of now,” Lough said, adding that there are some 1,500 in varying stages of the city’s development review and approval process. Although it’s feasible not all of those will make it to construction, “In theory, six or seven years from now, we could have an additional 2,600 dwelling units.”
Residential development in downtown is also trending toward more rental apartments, suggesting a greater emphasis on year-round over seasonal residents and for, relatively speaking, less pricey options. Rental apartment developments recently completed were Aster & Links at the 1900 block of Main Street and Cordelia in The Quay, which combined bring 664 new apartments, none of them, though, fitting into the city-defined affordable or attainable price category.
For those not priced affordable — the luxury market — Gigi Silverberg, broker associate with Douglas Elliman, said the new inventory coming online may be more than the market can absorb right now.
“I don’t see that many people coming here. I don’t see the demand now,” Silverberg said. “That may change, but we’ve had one of the slowest seven months ever. There’s not enough people coming to absorb all the condos that are going up. But these guys are professionals. They do their studies, and they think that there is, but you can’t see it in the sales for sure.”
Simon Bacon, director of developer services with Michael Saunders & Co., agrees the luxury condo market has slowed since its midCOVID-19 peak, but he sees signs of stabilization. Roughly half of the new condos under construction, he said, are under contract.
“I think that in general, it’s going to be a very competitive market,” Bacon said, adding typical days on the market now are ranging from 100 to 120 days, which he calls the norm from 2015 to 2019.
“I don’t see that many people coming here. I don’t see the demand now. That may change, but we’ve had one of the slowest seven months ever. There’s not enough people coming to absorb all the condos that are going up.”
Gigi Silverberg
“That is a good sign that says to us that the market is stabilizing, and the listing discount has started to reduce as well,” Bacon said. “Those are metrics that flipped upside down
in the second quarter of 2022, which was the statistical peak of the COVID bump, something that we take as a positive sign of the market kind of finding its footing again.”
Of the 971 multifamily residences under development, 584 of them, or 60.1%, are planned as rentals, 171 of those in the affordable category provided by both private development and the Sarasota Housing Authority.
Although luxury condos remain dominant among the 19 projects in the review and approval pipeline 452 of the 1,074 units, or 42% — albeit subject to change at this early stage — are planned as rentals, 385 of them affordable.
The chart below shows the projects under construction and where in the city they are located.
Photos by Andrew Warfield
Construction of the RitzCarlton Residences II in The Quay. The project will add 78 condos to downtown.
The Edge at 290 Cocoanut Ave. will have 27 units.
City considers more rental unit oversight
The city of Sarasota investigates the costs of expanding its short-term vacation rules to areas encompassing 82 known rental units.
Of the 86 citizen complaints about vacation rentals in Sarasota since 2022, all but four have been directed at properties not covered by a city program requiring rental registration and rule enforcement.
When the program was expanded from the barrier islands to singlefamily and multifamily residential zone districts citywide in February 2024, Downtown Edge, Downtown Neighborhood and North Trail Overlay districts were exempted. And of those four citizen complaints, one was filed in Downtown Neighborhood and three in the North Trail.
The question before the City Commission at its Dec. 1 meeting, then, was whether to expand the vacation rental ordinance again to include the three additional zone districts and if it’s worth whatever additional expense would be incurred to regulate the total of 82 units identified as vacation rentals by the city’s webbased monitoring system. And not all of those units would be subject to the ordinance as some are owneroccupied, which also exempts them.
The projected cost to staff and regulate the 574 registered vacation rentals going forward stands at more than $400,000 per year for a program that will generate an estimated $245,000 in revenue. The cost of expansion, Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch said, is a key point to consider.
Staff presented the commission with three options:
n Keep the vacation rental program as it exists today, applicable to Single Family and Multiple Family Residential zone districts citywide
n Direct staff to create an ordi -
nance to expand the program to the Downtown Edge, Downtown Neighborhood and North Trail Overlay zone districts
n A hybrid expansion to one or two of the zone districts deemed most appropriate
Commissioners unanimously approved directing staff to return with financial details of implementing the hybrid option.
Not much would change for those vacation rental owners other than the cost to register and undergo initial safety inspections.
All vacation rentals in single-family homes across the city are already required to host guests for a minimum of seven days.
“So is this pretty much continuing this,” said Commissioner Kyle Battie.
“Yeah to just to get more information about dollars and cents and what it will cost us, and whether it’s worth or not,” said Ahearn-Koch, who made the motion.
As of now, the city has identified 62 vacation rental units in the Downtown Neighborhood, 17 units in the Downtown Edge and three units in the North Trail zone districts.
How much noise is too much?
In a long-awaited new ordinance, the Sarasota City Commission says if you can hear it from 100 feet away, it’s too loud.
hen it comes to noise, it always comes down to a central question: How much is too much? Which is closely followed by a second question: And how does one measure too much noise?
After waiting nearly a year for now-retired City Attorney Robert Fournier to present a new noise ordinance plus an almost three-hour discussion amid an 11-hour meeting, the Sarasota City Commission on Dec. 1 unanimously approved new standards while directing further study on the issue.
In separate motions, the commission voted to adopt an ordinance that mirrors that of the city of Miami Beach, one that has successfully navigated legal scrutiny in Florida courts. In simple terms, that law prohibits sources of sound plainly audible from a distance of 100 feet between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.
The approved motion made by Mayor Debbie Trice, though, extends those hours on weekends and select holidays from 11 p.m. to midnight.
A second approved motion directed staff to hire a consultant to conduct a sound study for a recommendation of decibel levels and perhaps noise zones in which those limits may vary. The ordinance may be revisited once that study is complete.
For now, though, the plainly audible standard is just that. If sound can be heard from 100 feet away, it is a violation enforceable by a city code enforcement officer. And although the ordinance will apply citywide once approved in a second reading,
“I think you can apply a plainly audible standard based on the precedent that was set with the city of Miami Beach.”
City Attorney Robert Fournier
downtown is clearly ground zero. For years, the city has fielded complaints from residents about loud music emanating from restaurants, bars and what some claim as an oversaturation of special events as the downtown district becomes increasingly surrounded by residential towers.
The meat of the city’s current noise ordinance is based on decibel readings between the source and the location from where the complaint originates, the fairly standard 75 decibels if high frequency (dbA) and 80 decibels of low frequency (dbC), as in bass during the day, and 65 dbA
and 70 dbC at night. That’s difficult to enforce as frequencies that measure lower may still be audible and disturbing, especially for residents of nearby condominium buildings.
The new code is intended to strike the delicate balance between residents’ rights of ease and enjoyment of their property, the city’s desire for a vibrant downtown that relies on nightlife and freedom of speech protected by the Constitution.
Fournier said the Miami Beach ordinance cleared the latter hurdle by being upheld by the 11th Circuit Judicial Court of Florida in Miami.
“I think you can apply a plainly audible standard based on the precedent that was set with the city of Miami Beach,” Fournier said. “That’s what the court relied on to say that it met the legal standard of being narrowly tailored to just focus on achieving the significant governmental interest, which is to protect its citizens from unreasonable sounds.”
Sarasota’s change to the “plainly audible” standard may serve as an
interim measure and could change if the consultant recommends something different, Fournier told commissioners.
The ordinance will require a second reading for final adoption. Although most second readings appear in a nondiscussion consent agenda, the sound legislation appears destined for further dialogue. Depending on the timing, that could include the consultant’s recommendations on decibel levels and varying sound zones, depending on timing.
“I’ve talked to two (consultants) and I could probably get them here do site visits, which would occur over a weekday night and probably a couple weekend nights, and try to be here when there’s a special event,” said city Attorney Joe Polzak. “We have New Year’s Eve coming up, so one of them I know could probably do December. Otherwise, more realistically, maybe January.”
The second reading of the noise ordinance has not been scheduled.
SOUND POLICIES
St. Armands to speak up for flood funds
County leaders plan to decide on resiliency-project money.
ANDREW
WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
When the Sarasota County Commission takes up a request by the City Commission for $25 million in Resilient SRQ funds for St. Armands Key on Dec. 16, Chris Goglia wants to pack the meeting chamber.
Last week, the president of the St. Armands Residents Association issued a plea via email to its members to make the trip to Venice, where the commission will meet until the county’s new administration building opens early next year. He said a show of force may be necessary to persuade commissioners that, after years of perceived neglect of the key’s stormwater drainage systems, the time to act is now.
Only two days after sending the email, Goglia said the response inspires optimism for the turnout.
“If we have 30 speakers, and I think that’s a realistic number, and they all use their three minutes, that’s an hour and a half right there of public comment,” Goglia said. “This is a regular County Commission meeting with a huge agenda. I could see us having 40 speakers.”
The group of advocates will include key staff from the city of Sarasota. Similarly, Goglia anticipates the same from the town of Longboat Key, whose primary interest is access to and from the south end of the key through St. Armands. Following Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024, up to 3 feet of water cut off that access for several days.
“Every stakeholder group that I can think of is going to be there saying this project is important, and they’re going to be hitting them from all different angles — investing in homes, investing in businesses and being a viable tourism destination.” Goglia said.
St. Armands doesn’t flood only during hurricanes — much of the
2024 flooding came from storm surge — but it has also suffered heavy rain events.
The pump system, which has often failed to keep up, is to blame and may compromise the Gulf and bay outfalls.
Sarasota County administers stormwater management in the city, including St. Armands, via interlocal agreement.
County Commissioner Mark Smith, whose District 1 includes St. Armands, Lido Key and the portion Longboat Key within Sarasota County, said a show of support will be important as commissioners balance Resilient SRQ funds — $57 million of which is earmarked for repair, replacement and enhancement of public infrastructure to mitigate future risks and address urgent needs — with other requests countywide.
“It’s very important. St. Armands is the crossroads because it’s an evacuation route,” Smith said. “It’s the gate that you’ve got to get through in order to get off the islands. You can elevate your residence or your business, but you’re not going anywhere if you can’t get through the Circle.”
Smith said stormwater maintenance has been in general neglect countywide, and until recent years the county has been “lucky” to avoid major hurricanes for decades.
The recent separation of stormwater maintenance from the Public Works Department and the appointment of Ben Quartermaine to head the new Stormwater Department, he said, will help the county play catch-up on updating “older systems like St. Armands.”
“I feel their pain of being flooded myself,” Smith said. “My office was flooded. It missed my house by a foot. I’m not sure the whole $25 million is going to make it out there, but we’ve got to have some money. Like with everything in government, there’s always more need than money. I’m not sure how many millions it’s going
to take, but we have to devote enough to get the rainwater out and keep sea water from coming in.”
As a significant attraction for tourists, visitors and residents alike, Goglia said the importance of addressing St. Armands flooding ranges further than just the residents and commercial property owners there.
“If you think about great cities around the world, they have an identity. They market that identity, and they’ve really tied it to St. Armands and all the barrier islands,” Goglia said. “This is a plea to the county not to let that just wither away.”
As our new mausoleum nears completion, we invite families who wish to plan ahead to reserve from the limited indoor spaces available.
A beautifully landscaped setting designed for families who choose cremation. Offering permanent memorial spaces where loved ones can be honored and remembered with dignity. Planning today ensures your wishes are respected tomorrow, while easing the burden on those you love. Contact us for a personal consultation.
HAVE YOUR SAY
The next meeting of the Sarasota County Commission will begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16, at the South County Administration Building, 4000 S. Tamiami Trail in Venice.
A MALFUNCTIONING OUTFALL
Earlier this year, St. Armands Residents Association President Chris Goglia sent a photo to Sarasota County of a backflow preventer that had broken off. In the email, he said residents had observed salt water pushed into the streets, citing the damaged outfall.
“The county was unaware of this, and to my knowledge, this has not been corrected,” he wrote in the email. “How long was it like this? Nobody can say. In the same way that Phillippi Creek had been ignored and in need of dredging, elements of the St. Armands’ stormwater management system similarly seem to have been neglected.”
St. Armands Circle was several feet underwater after hurricanes Helene and Milton. File images
A broken duckbill backflow preventer on an outfall that empties stormwater from St. Armands Key into Sarasota Bay.
Will some of us say goodbye to property taxes?
A proposed cut to property taxes sounds like a good idea, but, as always, it comes with unintended consequences.
ADRIAN MOORE CONTRIBUTOR
Iam an enthusiastic fan of tax cuts. I think it is crucial that government prioritizes its spending and tries to provide necessary services as efficiently as possible. So, I am taking great interest in Gov. Ron DeSantis’ call for a reduction or elimination of property taxes for some Florida residents.
Negotiations are still hot and heavy up in Tallahassee, but the basic outline is the governor and Legislature are proposing an immediate one-time $1,000 rebate for all homestead property owners in Florida and putting a measure on the 2026 ballot to phase out non-school property taxes on homesteaded properties over a period of years. There is also talk of including things like increasing homestead exemptions and putting a cap on annual assessment increases.
These proposals have pitched a fight between people who pay homestead residential property taxes in Florida and would benefit from these ideas, versus all those who would still have to pay property taxes and local governments which would suffer most of the revenue losses.
HOW PROPERTY TAXES WORK IN FLORIDA
For those of you who don’t pay property taxes in Florida or don’t pay attention to the details, here’s the basics. Property owners pay a locally assessed and locally collected tax on the value of real property. Those dollars go to fund schools for one part of the tax and either the city or county you live in for the other part of the tax. The local government determines the value of the property and sets the rate of
the tax you will pay. In addition, for properties that are the primary permanent residences, property owners can exempt from the property tax up to $50,000 of the assessed value, which lowers the property tax bill.
PROS AND CONS OF PROPERTY TAXES
As taxes go, property taxes are better than most. They are economically efficient because they don’t invite as much evasion and manipulation as most taxes do, nor do they distort people’s incentives to invest or spend efficiently as much as do many other taxes. They are also a tax that links who is paying and what they are paying for. Local property owners consume local services and local schools, and property taxes go to pay for those. Other taxes are not spent in any way directly related to who pays the tax.
And a well-designed property tax can be very transparent. Sarasota County, for example, has clear property tax statements that do an excellent job of explaining what property owners are paying, and what they are paying it for, and what proposed changes in tax rates would mean for what they pay.
The downside of property taxes is, first and foremost, they are levied based on valuation of property, which is simple, but doesn’t make a lot of sense. An expensive beachfront home does not require more schools, roads, police, or fire services than does an inexpensive old one-bedroom house inland. So, there’s no clear reason why they should pay radically different property taxes. Also, property values in Florida tend to go up because it’s a desirable location, which means retired folks and others on fixed incomes often seeing rising tax bills, even as they stay in a house they’ve been in for a long time. And of course, they are not consuming any more services and yet they’re having to pay more.
THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY OF TALLAHASSEE PROPERTY TAX PROPOSALS
The good things about what Tallahassee is proposing are the immediate proposals to put some money back in some property taxpayers’ pockets, reducing spikes in property tax bills for the many Florida residents living on fixed incomes, and lower property taxes going forward, furthering Florida’s position as a low-tax state.
But there are some downsides to the proposed changes. First, this would definitely be a regressive tax
cut. Homestead property owners in Florida on average are middle to high income, and these tax changes would keep existing property tax burdens on multifamily housing, which means renters would not get any breaks, even though they tend to be lower income.
Also, these tax reductions would mean a big hit to local government revenues. School property taxes are protected by most of the proposals, but local governments would likely face a 17% or 18% reductions in revenue. If local governments were reducing spending, and that created space for reducing property taxes, that would be great.
But that is not the case. Indeed, it is unlikely they would simply cut spending by that much, but rather they will raise other taxes that they control, such as sales taxes, business taxes and tourist taxes. All those taxes are more distortionary than property taxes and will hit residents in ways they don’t expect.
In addition, there are some ugly uncertainties about proposed property tax cuts. We don’t yet know what the Legislature might pass and the governor might sign, nor do we know what will be on the ballot in 2026 if the governor gets his way on that.
Also, it’s unclear how this change will affect housing. In general, when you reduce property taxes, it boosts the value of homes because people will pay more for homes that have lower property taxes, all other things being equal. But that makes it harder for first-time homebuyers to afford a home. And lower property taxes mean local governments will have less incentive to allow new housing to be built, which will further exacerbate the housing shortage in Florida. So, the property tax reductions could benefit some people now but cause a great deal of pain in the future.
In the end, the current property tax reform proposals seem to create as many problems as they solve. Rather than singling out a small percentage of property owners to give a big benefit, the governor and Legislature should buckle down and do comprehensive property tax reform that incentivizes local governments to keep the burden low, base the taxes on the services provided to property owners, provide transparency on tax payments and expenditures, and avoid rising tax payments on properties that are not consuming more services than before.
Adrian Moore is vice president at Reason Foundation and lives in Sarasota.
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State grant helps SPD focus on dangerous drivers
The Sarasota Police Department has received a $142,000 grant for a high-visibility traffic enforcement campaign.
OBSERVER STAFF
Included in items approved by the Sarasota City Commission at its Dec. 1 meeting consent agenda was a budget amendment to accept a $142,000 Florida Department of Transportation Speed and Aggressive Driving Enforcement grant to the Sarasota Police Department.
The grant, which the SPD also received last year, will enable the department’s patrol division to once again conduct a speed and aggressive driving, work zone safety and a high-visibility enforcement campaign.
“This Speed and Enforcement Grant gives us the opportunity to tackle traffic complaints in addition to our normal duties,” said officer Jason Frank of the SPD Patrol Division/Traffic Homicide Investigations Unit. “This grant is citywide with no distinctive parameters on locations or times.
We are free to move around the city. We concentrate on areas we know have a high probability of speed-
ers, reckless drivers or those driving under the influence.”
The grant reimburses the SPD for overtime to conduct high-visibility, zero-tolerance enforcement operations at locations that experience frequent traffic crashes, failure to obey traffic laws and citizen complaints.
The city’s growth in population and visitors results in a substantial increase in traffic, leading to more traffic violations and crashes resulting in serious injuries or fatalities.
The funding objectives include decreasing speed and/or aggressive driving crashes and fatalities citywide by 5% when compared to the Oct. 1 to June 30 period from the previous year; conducting or participating in community outreach and education events to increase speeding and aggressive driving awareness; and to provide information and education to the public via message boards, local media, social media or press releases.
“Safety for the people who live,
GRANT RESULTS
For the 2024-25 FDOT Speed and Aggressive Driving Enforcement Grant cycle, officers with the Sarasota Police Department spent 448.25 additional hours on duty, making 883 contracts and writing citations for 1,100 violations.
work, travel and drive through our city is our utmost priority, and we strive to continue to do our best to keep them safe while using our roadways,” Frank said. “We hear about complaints throughout the city at different times of the day and this grant gives us the opportunity to actively work those times. Besides traffic enforcement, officers in the division are traffic homicide investigators, which means they are on call 24/7. They may be working in an area of traffic complaints and receive a call for a fatal crash.
“If that happens, this grant gives us the opportunity to still work those complaint areas in addition to all the other things we do,” Frank said.
TUESDAY, NOV. 4
SIBLING RIVALRY
2:20 p.m., 500 block of Ohio Place
Dispute: A mother told a responding officer her children had been involved in a verbal dispute that stemmed from the concealment of a device charger. Her 18-yearold son had let her 16-year-old daughter borrow his charger and, when he wished for it to be returned, was told she did not have it.
When she was asked to check her room, she retrieved the charger inside. That turn of events set off the son, who yelled at his sister until she left the house.
Now assuming the role of parent, the officer explained to the son that he was an adult now and he would have to deal with situations without resorting to yelling. The officer further suggested he no longer allow his sister to use his belongings if she was going to hide them and then advised his sister to avoid her brother and she was no longer going to be allowed to use his personal property.
FRIDAY, NOV. 7
FAILURE TO HOOK UP
7 p.m., 4900 block of Old Bradenton Road
Civil dispute: Dispatched to a location to investigate a possible larceny, an officer determined the matter was a civil dispute between two parties.
To arrive at that conclusion, the officer first made contact with the complainant, who stated he has purchased a semi-truck trailer off a popular online marketplace and was advised whom to contact to receive the merchandise, for which he paid the princely sum of $900.
At the end of October, he advised the officer, he asked for a full refund because the trailer did not meet the specifications of his needs, namely it was not of the hook-up-and-go variety. The seller declined to refund the full amount of the purchase, and instead remitted $375 to his online payment account. The jilted purchaser said he wished for the incident to be documented for civil court purposes.
MONDAY, NOV. 10
OVERFLOWING EMOTIONS
9:19 a.m., 2100 block of Sixth Street
Civil dispute: A man only trying to have a toilet fixed in his rental home said he was under threat of eviction by his landlord. The complainant told an officer that just prior to calling, his landlord posted a seven-day eviction notice on his door, accusing the tenant of denying access to the residence.
The complainant denied the access claim as he wanted the landlord to repair the plumbing issue and that the landlord had been harassing him since he moved in two months prior. Previous complaints had been filed by the tenant with SPD regarding the matter.
The landlord, who was on the scene, said the tenant called him early that morning, leaving a voicemail advising his toilet was backed up. He also claimed the complainant didn’t want him to make the repair but rather contract the job to a third party. He added the tenant threatened to restrain him with zip ties and call law enforcement if he arrived to affect repairs himself. The property owner further advised he never entered the residence because the issue can be addressed without going inside, and that the tenant had been causing issues since he moved in and intended to file the paperwork for eviction soon. The officer advised both parties to remain cordial while repairs are completed and in the future until the tenancy issue is resolved.
Image courtesy of Sarasota Police Department Sarasota Police officer Michael Pietron uses a radar to check speeds on the Ringling Causeway.
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Micro approach to macro problem
Condo group representative advocates for transit options to bring nearby residents downtown.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
As residential development continues in the downtown area, infill projects are expanding into the outer reaches of the downtown zone districts.
Not as close as the occupants of the taller condo towers in the Downtown Bayfront and Downtown Core zone districts, these new residents will more likely find themselves driving into the central business district to search for parking near their dining or shopping destinations.
Or they may just go somewhere else.
Downtown Sarasota Condominium Association board member David Lough brought that warning to the Dec. 2 meeting of the Downtown Improvement District Board of Directors, seeking an advocacy partnership to bring a micro transit option not unlike the former i-Ride service the city canceled in 2018, or a low-cost circulator into those neighborhoods.
MORE RIDES, LESS PARKING
According to a report drafted by the Downtown Sarasota Condominium Association, the city and the central business district faces challenges that may be mitigated, at least in part, by new transportation options.
Challenges
■ The Complete Streets plan for Main Street is opposed by merchants because of the loss of parking and the prohibitive cost of structured parking.
■ The city’s affordable housing crisis requires a range of transportation options available to those without cars.
Lough’s pitch was met with somewhat mixed reactions. Board Chairman Ron Shugar reminded his colleagues and Lough that the board’s first obligation is to those who pay additional taxes within the overlay district to the city for enhanced services and special programs, and the DID does not exist to pursue greater convenience for the downtown condo residents.
Longtime board member Eileen Hampshire — who is not only a commercial property owner but also a business owner and resident within the DID — said the organization should consider the hand that feeds it.
“I wear all these hats and live downtown. I really think we gain,” she said of a possible collaboration with the condo association. “You’ve got the goose that laid the golden egg. Where do people come from to come to our stores? They bring all kinds of money. It’s lively at night. David’s constituents bring the money to us.”
According to a draft transportation needs assessment prepared by DSCA:
■ Common short trips for many of its residents are too long to walk and too short to drive
■ Critical population and density mass is close to being reached in downtown
■ New housing continues in and around The Quay, along Main Street and in the Rosemary District
■ Travel is growing to the increasingly popular The Bay park
■ A complement to Sarasota County’s Breeze OnDemand service is needed, and at a lower cost
Many of the issues could be resolved, according to the DSCA, with tried and true micro mobility systems used in other cities, such as a point-to-point shuttle and/or circulator van service running a continuous loop through the downtown area and nearby neighborhoods.
Board member Wayne Ruben agreed with Lough’s observation
■ Parking challenges exist in the city’s growth areas, which hurts businesses.
■ Parking challenges for future patrons who need convenient access to a potential new performing arts center, The Bay park, the Van Wezel and other downtown venues.
New Micro Transit Options
■ Circulator electric vans with approximately 16 seats on frequent loops and/or point-topoint vehicles.
■ Builds on Bay Runner trolley success.
■ Familiarity with many visitors and proven elsewhere.
Circulator vehicles
■ Up to 18 passengers. Low, easy-access floor. Range of 130 miles. One-hour recharge. Autonomous model available.
BocaConnect hybrid autonomous vehicle pilot example
■ Add a fixed-route shuttle loop
■ Complements existing on-demand service
■ Encourages downtown access
■ Addresses peak demand and service gaps
■ Start small, scale sustainably over time
■ A step toward embracing technology and innovation to enhance mobility
that downtown residents are crucial to the commercial property owners and their merchants amid competition from the continually growing University Town Center complex.
“We’re fighting the big beast out east,” Ruben said. “Free parking, great selection, great lighting and cleanliness; that’s our competition. We appreciate the support of the residents downtown to shop local, and you’re right about parking. Parking is a challenge.”
Board member Chris Voelker characterized Lough’s pitch as a conversation starter and the talks should continue off-line until more developed, and that a partnership of some form between the DID and DSCA may be worth pursuing.
“I’m trying to put the ball in play,” Lough concluded.
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Image Courtesy of Downtown Sarasota Condominium Association
An example of what a downtown Sarasota point-topoint shuttle might look like.
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Expanded, improved wastewater plant opens
With a few weeks to spare, Sarasota County on Friday cut the ribbon on the Bee Ridge Advanced Wastewater Treatment Conversion and Expansion Project, a massive Public Works project designed to improve quality and capacity of wastewater collection and treatment.
The county has been under a consent order from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to convert the facility on Lorraine Lane, just north of Rothenbach Park, to an advanced wastewater treatment facility since 2019.
Five years and about $210 million later, county commissioners joined Director of Public Utilities Brooke Bailey and other dignitaries at the site for the ribbon-cutting on Dec. 5. The deadline had been Dec. 31.
smaller footprint. That will allow for further expansion as needed, though the thought is its current capacity to be effective for 20 years, she said. A similar project is underway in Venice, and there are plans for a third.
The Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure awarded the design of the upgrade an Envision Gold Award.
Commissioner Theresa Mast, who represents the district in which the facility sits, said she had taken a tour of the facility recently with Bailey and learned something about its standing in the world.
“She said there are several countries, not states, countries that have come to visit this project because of how forward-thinking it is,” Mast said.
Cattleridge Medical Building I 3333 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota, FL 34232
Family Practice 921 S. Beneva Road, Sarasota, FL 34232
Capacity of the new operation is up to 18 million gallons a day from 12 million, and the system reduced harmful nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus released into the reclaimed-water irrigation. Such nutrients can prompt algal blooms in Sarasota Bay’s estuary system.
Bailey said not only is the revamped facility able to treat 50% more wastewater a day, it is now doing so on a
Jeaneanne Gettle, a deputy regional administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, said she saw some things at work inside the facility that she had never seen employed before. But she said the effects of cutting-edge technology on residents and businesses is much easier to understand.
“Today marks a significant milestone for Sarasota County and the 434,000 local residents who will benefit,” she said. “You have more resiliency, you have more capacity, you have cleaner water. And cleaner water is what we want.”
DIGITAL NEWS EDITOR
courtesy of Sarasota County
Paul Emil Geck, age 81, passed away peacefully at his home in Longboat Key, Florida, on November 18, 2025.
Born on January 4, 1944, in Detroit, Michigan, Paul grew up in the city and attended De La Salle Collegiate High School where he met some of his lifelong friends. He
automotive industries and
taught the Advanced HighStrength Steel Seminar for SAE International. He held two master’s degrees in engineering and an MBA from the University of Michigan. His work generated numerous publications in computer-aided engineering, noise and vibration engineering, steel technology, and automotive weight reduction. Among his professional honors, he received the Industry Leadership Award from the American Iron & Steel Institute in 2006, the Long-Term Contribution Award from the Auto/Steel Partnership in 2007, and earned the SAE-Automotive Resources Institute Registered Consultant designa-
Outside of his professional achievements, Paul enjoyed both energetic pursuits and quieter pastimes. In earlier years, he could be found on a motorcycle or on a court or field, playing or watching sports. He loved being on the water, boating and fishing, and he especially loved visiting friends in Saratoga, New York, and spending time at the race
track. At home, he relaxed with drawing, reading, doing puzzles and playing solitaire–his mind always active. He once coached a high-school basketball team and hosted a public-access cable show where he interviewed experts in their fields, reflecting his wide-ranging curiosity and steady patience.
Paul is survived by his wife, Karen Geck; his brother, Joseph Geck; his sister, Anna Geck; his sister-in-law,
SPORTS
FAST BREAK
“I have a lot of hobbies, but this is more than a hobby to me. I live this game. I wake up thinking about basketball.”
Along road has reached its end for the Booker Tornadoes. In the FHSAA Class 3A state semifinals on Dec. 5, Booker football (12-2) suffered a season-ending defeat to Jacksonville Raines (13-0).
The 28-8 result at William M. Raines High School marked the team’s first loss since Aug. 22, snapping a 12-game winning streak. In a rematch of last year’s semifinal — which the Vikings also won, 28-23 — the Tornadoes were held scoreless through the first three quarters. That allowed Raines to build a 21-0 advantage heading into halftime. The eight total points scored by Booker were its fewest since dropping six in a season-opening loss to Auburn (Alabama). It’s also the end of high school football for one of the greatest classes in program history. Safety Karaijus Hayes wide receiver Tyren Hornes Edge Kevontay Hugan, cornerback Chauncey Kennon quarterback Joel Morris, Edge Jamaun Thompson and wide receiver Dylan Wester are all headed to Division I collegiate programs. The Tornadoes finish with 12 wins and their third straight state semifinal in the first-year under coach Carlos Woods ... Sarasota boys basketball is 4-0 as of Dec. 5, including a signature early season victory over IMG Academy, 71-47, at home on Dec. 4. The Ascenders boast five players ranked in the top 75 of the Class of 2026, per ESPN, though it’s unclear who among them was active against the Sailors — statistics are not readily available on MaxPreps. Sarasota, entering its fourth season under coach BJ Ivey, has gone 73-12 overall since he took the reins in 2022-23. The Sailors reached the 7A state semifinals last season and finished 28-3.
... The early winter has also been kind to Sarasota Christian girls soccer, which now stands at 4-1-1. On Dec. 5, the group throttled Sarasota Military Academy, 8-1, at home. The Blazers also beat Admiral Farragut, 4-2, on Nov. 4, Booker, 1-0, on Nov. 12 and Cambridge Christian, 2-1, on Nov. 18. The team’s leading scorer through its first four games was seventh grade forward Reagan Volkert with five goals.
CARRYING THE TORCH
JACK NELSON SPORTS REPORTER
The lineage before Mason Jordan is laden with winners. Multiple predecessors didn’t just play sports — they performed at the highest levels.
A Super Bowl champion. A national hall of fame inductee. An all-time scoring leader. He calls all three of them close relatives.
Football is his way of carrying forth their legacy.
“From a young age, I just knew it was my passion,” Jordan said. “That’s where I feel most like myself.”
The senior wide receiver has established his own branch on the family tree with Cardinal Mooney football. As a three-year starter and 2023 state champion, he’s become a powerful presence around the program, carving a niche for himself in the passing game.
Jordan has operated as the go-to guy in the slot this season with 608 yards and five touchdowns on 37 receptions entering Dec. 10’s FHSAA Class 2A state championship. Among all Cougar pass-catchers, his yardage and catches rank second most, while his scores are third most.
Playing alongside North Carolina signee Kymistrii Young and senior wide receiver Bo O’Daniel, he has proved to be a useful target as they pursue the third state title in program history.
“Everything he does he knocks out of the park because of how much he cares about the people around him,” said coach Jared Clark. “He will work himself to death to make sure he doesn’t disappoint his teammates.”
The Cardinal Mooney locker room features seven early signees to NCAA Division I teams. More than a few elite talents sit on both sides of the ball.
Standing out from the crowd, though, hasn’t been a struggle for Jordan. It’s just what his family does.
John Neidert, his grandfather, won Super Bowl III with the New York Jets as a linebacker — the game where Joe Namath famously made his guarantee the Jets would upset the Baltimore Colts. Neidert played for Louisville in 1965-67 and was inducted into the school’s hall of fame in 1993.
His other grandfather, Richie Jordan, has his own name immortalized in the National High School Sports Hall of Fame. Dubbed the “Fennville Flash,” he earned 16 varsity letters at Fennville High (Michigan) in 196265, and went on to become a threesport athlete at Michigan State.
Then there’s Mason Jordan’s father — Mick Jordan. He still holds Cardinal Mooney’s all-time scoring record in basketball with 2,069 points, accumulated in 1994-98.
The school has long been synonymous with the Jordan Family in one way or another. In total, six of Mason Jordan’s relatives either attended or are currently enrolled at Cardinal Mooney. And his younger brother, Dalton Jordan, is set to join for the 2026-27 academic year.
But it wasn’t a foregone conclusion that Mason Jordan would carry the torch. For a while, he felt no fate to be a Cougar.
“It was kind of up in the air. I didn’t know where I was going to go until I went to Mooney football camp here,” Jordan said. “They just made me feel really wanted, and that was ultimately what led to my decision — coach Clark’s belief in me and knowing that I had a home here.”
His childhood wasn’t spent in Sarasota. He wasn’t even in the state of Florida when he picked up a football for the first time.
Jordan’s origins trace back to Savannah, Georgia, where he lived for his entire elementary education and much of his Pop Warner days. It was when middle school came around that he moved to the area.
The impression he made as a freshman earned him a varsity spot, though there wasn’t much worth remembering. Cardinal Mooney went 4-7 that season and didn’t record a playoff win.
Ever since, he’s seen just four losses total. The Cougars have reached three consecutive state semifinals. Back in 2023 — Jordan’s first year as a starter — he became a state champion, earning an unforgettable feeling.
“It’s truly special, not only for what it means for my school and my community, but also the bonds that you create with your teammates that last forever,” Jordan said. “I still text
all those guys on that team.”
Not just ball is on his brain, alongside fellow senior Layla Larrick, he currently serves as a student community leader, implementing and running the school’s new house system.
Introduced for 2025-26, the system organizes the Cardinal Mooney student body into six houses and another six families within each house, hoping to strengthen connections across grade levels. Each family meets twice weekly for games, activities and/or service projects.
But it’s also changed the pep rallies — dramatically. There’s more energy. There’s more enthusiasm. According to Jordan, they’ve become a staple of the school calendar.
“That’s been a major success. It’s completely transformed them from just something that we do every now and then to a huge thing that the school gets really pumped for,” Jordan said. “You should see the kids’ reactions ... they win one game, and it’s like they won the Super Bowl.”
Football, though, remains his greatest passion. He’s always felt that pull to sports which his predecessors once felt, too.
Jordan has yet to commit anywhere to play at the next level, though as of Dec. 8, he holds 21 offers from various college football programs.
He’s already assembled an athletic career of his own, following in the footsteps of his grandfathers and father before him.
Wherever he may go, Jordan will be a proud bearer of the family flame.
MASON JORDAN BY THE NUMBERS
2025
608 yards, 37 receptions, five touchdowns
105 kick-return yards, 56 rushing yards
14 games played
2024
131 yards, eight receptions, two touchdowns
196 kick-return yards, 67 rushing yards
12 games played
2023
213 yards, 14 receptions, two touchdowns
260 kick-return yards, 30 rushing yards
11 games played
Jack Nelson Booker senior cornerback Chauncey Kennon walks back to the sideline during the Dec. 5 loss to Jacksonville Raines.
— Paisley Binswanger, Sarasota High girls basketball SEE PAGE 18A
Mason Jordan, a longtime starter for the Cougars, is the latest in a line of elite athletes.
Image courtesy of Mason Jordan
The extended Jordan Family gathers on the turf at Cardinal Mooney’s Austin Smithers Stadium for senior night, held Oct. 31. From left: coach Jared Clark, John Neidert, Julie Jordan, Mason Jordan, Mick Jordan, Dalton Jordan, Lindy Neidert and Richie Jordan.
Jack Nelson
Mason Jordan (81) begins his route as the Cougars look to cross midfield. As of Dec. 8, he holds 21 offers from college football programs at varying levels, but did not sign during the NCAA’s early signing period from Dec. 3-5.
Headed upstream
Sarasota Scullers, a local youth rowing club, is pursuing a million-meter triathlon to fund its future.
Asmall but loyal following defined the Sarasota Scullers a few years ago. Bernhard Stomporowski reckons they were only seven to 15 members strong when he entered the fray.
The youth rowing club had been around for over three decades by the time he became head coach in December 2022. And still, with all that time to grow, its numbers were low.
He likes it that way. He always has. To him, rowing has never seemed a numbers game.
“There are things which me, as an individual, can attack better than just a bigger machine,” Stomporowski said. “Bigger machines, basically, just come and replace things, but that’s not the way I think this thing should work.”
The Scullers remain a humble group. Their membership spans 34 to 36 people now, paling in comparison to neighboring powerhouse Sarasota Crew, which serves over 350.
But that’s enough to pursue an ambitious goal — 1 million meters in one day.
On Dec. 13, the nonprofit organization will hold its annual Million Meter Day, with the goal of raising $50,000 to help build back from damages to equipment and facilities suffered during past hurricane seasons.
Athletes across its high school and middle school programs will team up for a triathlon of rowing, biking and erging. Beginning at 6:30 a.m., they plan to row from the Scullers’ boatyard at 800 Blackburn Point Road in Osprey to the Albee Road Bridge and back.
They then bike from their boatyard to the 1927 Historic Venice Train Depot and back. The final leg — done on stationary indoor
rowing machines — will take place at the Scullers’ clubhouse at 153 N. Tamiami Trail.
“Last year, we raised the money for a pair (two-person boat),” Stomporowski said. “At the end, we didn’t get a pair. We actually got two fours out of that money.”
Competitors are encouraged to ask relatives, friends and others in the community to donate for every meter they complete. If a pennyper-meter model was applied, an athlete who contributes 25,000 meters would raise $250 toward the cause.
One million meters in one day would have been a laughable notion for 10 or so young athletes.
Approaching it with 20 would still be a considerable challenge.
But that feat can be accomplished with 35 of them. On average, each athlete would have to contribute 28,571 meters, though in reality, some will do more and some will do less. That’s about 17.75 miles per person — less than the 26.2 required in a marathon.
The funds from this year’s effort will largely be directed toward purchase of a high-quality double boat. Any money raised beyond that investment will be used for new oars, general maintenance costs and paying of assistant coaches.
Founded in 1991, the Scullers are the longest-running nonprofit youth rowing club in Sarasota County. Their focus on personalized, year-round development via middle school, high school and masters programs continues to attract rowers from outside county lines.
And the organization has been a major magnet for the Redman family.
Currently living in Lakewood Ranch, they spend their summers in
Michigan. They’ll return to Florida occasionally in the sweltering-hot months for regattas.
Ashley Redman, a homeschooled senior, joined the Scullers about a year and a half ago. Despite coming from a polo family — far-removed from aquatic sports — she got hooked on rowing by watching it in action at Nathan Benderson Park.
Now, she practices six days a week. She just can’t get enough of it.
“It’s made me more self-confident, healthier physically and it’s taught me a lot of discipline,” Redman said. “Training that many hours and then getting homework done and everything else — it’s tough.”
Roger Redman, her father, currently serves as treasurer on the Scullers’ board of directors. Her mother, Amy Redman, is a boisterous advocate for the Osprey-based club.
She speaks highly about it because it’s taken student-athletes to great heights. Not only has the organization turned her shy daughter into a coxswain for the masters program, but it has, quite literally, spared others from failure.
“We have kids who were failing out of high school that are now A students on the honor roll since joining the Scullers,” said Amy Red-
Unwrap the Magic
holiday
man. “It is really transformative for these kids. It gives them a purpose.”
When they’re not making strides in the classroom, they’re lapping opponents on the water. The right equipment is necessary for them to do so.
That’s where a new two-person boat for the Scullers comes in. With a larger number of members than years past and a commitment to equitable opportunity, the club is in need.
High-quality boats aren’t hard to find in this country, per Stomporowski, but that doesn’t mean they’re cheap. There’s a price to pay.
By Ashley Redman’s account, a single can cost between $7,000 and $15,000 for a high-line model. Eights can range from $60,000 to $100,000 while fours average around $35,000.
Optimized for racing, these boats are made of fiberglass, a material that’s prone to damage if not protected properly. They require careful maintenance, so costs inevitably exceed the up-front investment.
Even Redman, a relatively-new rower, understands the value of a high-quality, race-ready vessel.
“It makes a big impact. I started out on the lower end, and when I moved to the higher end, I could definitely feel the difference,” Red-
man said. “It was a lot smoother, faster, lighter.”
The Scullers aren’t raising funds to buy a boat for the sake of buying a boat. As Stomporowski rightly pointed out, that would be “putting pearls in front of pigs,” as the old expression goes in his home country of Germany.
High-caliber athletes are worthy of high-caliber boats. The club now has enough of them to warrant such purchases. And they hope more will choose the Scullers in the years to come.
“I’m steering to the mark which I think is optimum for me and for the club, which is something between 45 to 60 people,” Stomporowski said. “And if it’s getting bigger, I probably can’t remember every first name anymore.”
That won’t change this tight-knit community of rowers.
Growth comes at a cost, but this club won’t pay by sacrificing what makes it unique.
Jack Nelson is the sports reporter for the East County and Sarasota/Siesta Key Observers. Contact him at JNelson@ YourObserver.com.
Jack Nelson
Four boys compete for Sarasota Scullers in the Plant High Winter Sprints on Dec. 6 at Nathan Benderson Park. The Scullers, founded in 1991, are hosting a fundraiser on Dec. 13 to build back from damages suffered during past hurricane seasons.
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MedicalSchool:
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Hospital Affiliations: Sarasota Memorial Hospital
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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Paisley Binswanger
If the final season of Paisley Binswanger’s high school career is anything like those of years past, something special could be brewing. The 5-foot-8 senior guard and Samford signee surpassed 1,000 career points in December 2024 and crossed 500 rebounds in January 2025. As of Dec. 7, she’s averaging 14.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 3.2 steals per game — all teamhigh marks — for Sarasota High girls basketball (2-4). Binswanger is the Sarasota Athlete of the Week.
When and why did you start playing basketball?
My mom (Ali Binswanger) actually played at Florida State, so she’s my inspiration with that. I played other sports for a while when I was younger, but when I found basketball, it was just my thing. Loved it.
What’s driven you to stick with the sport after all these years?
The biggest thing is I just have fun playing. I have a lot of hobbies, but this is more than a hobby to me. I live this game. I wake up thinking about basketball.
What’s been the highlight of your career so far?
Honestly, just the relationships I’ve formed with my teammates. As much as I love basketball, I love the people it’s brought me more. I’ve actually had three coaches at Sarasota High (Sara Nuxol, Radhika Miller and David Gaulman), and I feel like every year, I’ve had a genuine relationship with
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.
my coaches. But especially in the past two years, Coach Sara has done so much for me — to build me as a point guard to get ready for Samford and for college.
Why is Samford the right fit for you and this next step of your basketball journey? It’s a Christian university — that was the biggest deal to me. I’m a really strong person by faith, and I want to go somewhere where they build me as a Christian and not just as a player. The women’s basketball program, specifically, really sticks to that.
What are your goals for your senior season with Sarasota? I want to win the district championship because we haven’t done that yet. We made it to the championship my freshman year and lost to Venice. That’s my biggest goal. I think we can do it this year, we have a really strong team, and I’m so happy with the progress we’ve already made from the beginning of the year to now. So I think by the time February comes around, we’ll be an even stronger team. Individually, my two goals are 300 assists and 1,500 points. I’m probably a little less than 200 away from 1,500 and 30 or so assists from 300.
What’s one quote or piece of advice that you’ve always carried with you?
“Don’t let anything hold you back.” I had a goal of playing college basketball at the highest level I could, and I know throughout high school, if I had chosen to do different things with my time, then I probably wouldn’t be where I am. If you have a goal, you can’t let anything get in your way of that.
Finish this sentence. Paisley Binswanger is ... A follower of Christ.
erek Newberry says he’s attended holiday parades all over Florida.
However, he says he’s never found one quite like the Sarasota Holiday Parade, which was held along Main Street on Dec. 6.
“It’s like, real personal,” Newberry said. “Everybody knows everybody, but it’s still like a big city. Sarasota has got everything a big city has, but it’s still homey. It’s a nice city.”
However, there were still big things to showcase in the community.
The parade brought together floats from throughout Sarasota, which featured many local organizations, businesses, schools and clubs.
Performers young and old had the chance to showcase skills from water skiing to circus arts, and organizations shared missions like the welfare of the community’s animals, before the parade concluded in the arrival of Santa Claus.
— IAN SWABY
Photos by Ian Swaby
Rachele Casasola takes a selfie with Santa Claus.
Vehicles from Sarasota County, including Sarasota County Stormwater, make their way across the parade route.
Humane Society of Sarasota County rides along Main Street. Floats were decked in festive decor.
The Grinch approaches on a bicycle.
Students from Sarasota High School’s marching band walk in the parade.
Hazel Curie, 10, and Clara Garcia, 10, of Circus Arts Conservatory, wave to crowds.
Starry-eyed St. Armands
of the
members of the
sang the
wintery tune “Rudolph the
Reindeer.” Dozens of attendees in the park lent their voices to bolster the singing right before Santa Claus rode in to help light the 60-foot-tall Christmas tree.
The tree lighting on Friday evening, orchestrated by the St. Armands Circle Association, included festive cookies for all, opportunities to mail a letter to the North Pole, ornament decorating and more.
Association Executive Director Rachel Burns said the St. Armands Circle Association is proud to host the annual event for free. She said such moments, where families connect, are invaluable to fostering a tighter-knit community and support-
ing local businesses.
“I’m a mom of two now-grown kids, and I remember going to these kinds of festivities, and your kids would want to do everything, and that can add up,” Burns said. “It’s really important to the St. Armands merchants that we provide a venue for families to come and not worry about saying no.”
Viewers can see the lights for themselves every evening throughout the month.
— DANA KAMPA
Kay and George Wygal dressed to impress.
Photos by Dana Kampa
rowds filled the street the night of Dec. 6 as the public prepared for the lighting of the Christmas tree at Selby Five Points Park.
It was the second year for the Downtown Improvement District’s new, larger Christmas tree at the location, and the lighting was part of the Fresh Fridays Light Up the Night block party at the location.
JT Grano of NextMark, which hosts the block parties, said the company expected a turnout of about 4,000 to 5,000 people. He also said the community had now come to expect the event.
“It’s great because now it’s a landmark, it’s a community event, and honestly, one of the things that we look forward to is just seeing as many people here as possible,” he said.
The evening also featured live music by The Rockefellers, an inflatable Santa sleigh and bites and drinks from local establishments.
— IAN SWABY
Taking to the stage for the lighting were Commissioner Kyle Battie and members of the Downtown Improvement District Board, including Chris Voelker, Vice Chair Wayne Ruben, Harmoni Krusing and Eileen Hampshire.
Valerie Flores and Julian Flores, 4, watch as the moment of the lighting arrives.
Autumn Tselios of The Rockefellers performs on stage.
Debi and Mike O’Leary take a look at the tree.
Photos by Ian Swaby
Sagan Shinn, 8, enjoys the snow.
Teagan Rose, 4, and her grandmother, Jean Anderson
Celebrating unity
Kwanzaa celebration held at Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Library prepares community for the holiday, which runs Dec. 26-Jan. 1.
IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER
Lamar Gary said whenever he’s asked to be part of the Kwanzaa Community Celebration, he will accept the request, no matter what else he might be doing.
Although he wouldn’t typically share material from a book he is working on, he chose to so during the event Dec. 4 at the Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Library.
During the “Gifts” section, he shared a story about the importance of standing up to bullies in life, and often enjoys sharing poetry or writing with the attendees.
“It’s just a wonderful experience. I love it,” he said.
A COMMUNITY HOLIDAY
The event serves as preparation for Kwanzaa, which takes place from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1. Although it used to be based at the library exclusively, it is now also brought to library patrons in the community, including those at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, said Lois B. Wilkins, chair of the library’s African American Cultural Resource Center.
together numerous parties from the community. Presenting the event were the Friends of Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota County Library and the library’s African American Cultural Resource Center, while serving as co-sponsors were the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, and the Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition.
Participants included the group Exceptional Tutoring; Stevey Jones, a mindfulness teacher known as “Mr. Stevey;” and Flourishing, an organization that offers middle and high school girls services that include academic support.
Two loyal attendees and supporters of the event are Marion Ruffin and Paul Ruffin, who were led there by Wilkins and her husband, David Wilkins, both longtime friends, in 2015.
The couple, who met in 1973, have been celebrating Kwanzaa since the 1970s and met the Wilkinses on their honeymoon in Jamaica.
Marion Ruffin said she was inspired to celebrate the holiday after learning about it when the Black Panthers became active on her campus at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.
Paul Ruffin began celebrating it after his time in the Air Force, and says he was struck by the history behind the holiday that he had never learned in school.
“It’s always interesting when you can learn something new about yourself ... ” he said. “It was so rewarding to have that in your knowledge bank, so that’s pretty much the reason then and now that I continue to celebrate.”
He says it’s also healthy for the young people involved, who learn about other resources and outlets in the community as a result of the Kwanzaa celebration.
7-DAY CANDLE LIGHTING
FRIDAY, DEC. 26
Umoja (Unity): Cultural Unity Presentation with Jetson Grimes ■ 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, at Newtown Historical Gallery, 2741 N. Osprey Ave.
SATURDAY, DEC. 27
Kujchagulia (SelfDetermination): Empowering self-determination with Margie Pierrelouis and the girls ■ 2-4 p.m. at Margwine Organization (Flourishing), 1920 Northgate Blvd.
SUNDAY, DEC. 28
Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): Understanding Collective Work and Responsibility ■ 11 a.m. at First Congregational Church of Christ, 1031 S. Euclid Ave.
MONDAY, DEC. 29
Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): Cooperative Economics to Strengthen the Community ■ 5-7 p.m. at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N. Orange Ave.
TUESDAY, DEC. 30
Nia (Purpose): Be Awakened to Your Purpose With Ceecee and Paige ■ 5-7 p.m. at The Historic Leonard Reid House, 2529 N. Orange Ave.
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 31
Kuumba (Creativity) ■ 5-7 p.m. at The Historic Leonard Reid House, 2529 N. Orange Ave.
Some believe the holiday is a substitute for religion, but it is a celebration of community, Wilkins emphasizes.
“We need to do things together,” she said. “We need to start trying to pull together.”
The event, hosted as a ceremony featuring music and drums, brought
It will also be followed by a 7-Day Candle Lighting Ceremony and Celebration to be held at various locations from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1. At the library, attendees come from beyond the African American community, she notes, with people of varying ethnicities and ages turning out to celebrate the holiday founded by activist Maulana Karenga in 1966 and based on African harvest festival traditions.
“I think the most important thing is togetherness and creativity, that you can be whatever you want to be, nothing can limit you,” said Marion Ruffin. “If you ignore the noise around us, you can do whatever you want, and you can bring it back to the community, and you can bring up someone else so that they can go out and come back.”
THURSDAY, JAN. 1 Imani (Faith): Kwanzaa Karimu and Understanding Faith ■ 2-4 p.m. at The Historic Leonard Reid House, 2529 N. Orange Ave.
Visit BettyJJohnsonFriends. org.
Michelle Marinangel and Casey McCabe, representing Sarasota County’s sustainability efforts, stand beside Mydahlia Glover.
Photos by Ian Swaby
Marion and Paul Ruffin have been loyal attendees of the event.
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YOUR CALENDAR
SATURDAY, DEC. 13
HOLIDAYS AT THE BAY COMMUNITY CELEBRATION
4-7:45 p.m. at The Bay, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Snap a free photo with Santa, create a holiday craft with Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation teaching artists, enjoy a holiday story read by Mr. Stevey, and attend a family movie showing of “Lilo & Stitch.” Ugly sweaters, hula skirts (as a film tie-in) and festive attire are welcome. Registration requested. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.
PORSCHES IN THE PARK
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1 St. Armands Circle. Free. This event promises the chance to see some of the most spectacular Porsche cars from all over Florida at St. Armands Circle Park and is sponsored by Suncoast Motorsports. Visit StArmandsCircleAssoc.com.
SATURDAY, DEC. 13
TO SUNDAY, DEC. 14
UNITED FOR RELIEF REGGAE FESTIVAL
11:30 a.m. to after 10 p.m. Saturday, and 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, at Sarasota Fairgrounds, 3000 Ringling Blvd. General admission $36.18. This two-day concert features internationally renowned Reggae artists performing in support of Jamaica‚ as recovery after Hurricane Melissa. The main stage performers are Burning Spear, Fortunate Youth, Kabaka Pyramid, Third World, Luciano, Yellowman and Eric Swanson Band. Visit EventBrite.com.
49TH ANNUAL SANDY CLAWS BEACH RUN
A 1-mile fun run/walk at 8 a.m., 5K runs at 8:20 a.m., at Siesta Beach Park, 948 Beach Road. $25-$45. Now in its 49th year, this run is hosted by Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources is an annual fixture in the local running community. Proceeds benefit the Summer in the Parks AdoptA-Camper scholarship fund. Visit RunSignUp.com.
SUNDAY, DEC. 14
A TASTE OF CHANUKAH
4-6 p.m. at Phillippi Estate Park, 5500 S. Tamiami Trail. $7 if purchasing tickets before Dec. 7; $10 afterwards. This community celebration of
BEST BET
SATURDAY, DEC. 13
39TH ANNUAL SARASOTA HOLIDAY BOAT PARADE
6:30-8 p.m. Free. Parade begins near the southern end of Longboat Key and passes City Island, before circling Sarasota Bay and passing Bayfront Park, 5 Bayfront Drive and Marina Jack, 2 Marina Plaza. Reservations are required in advance for Marina Jack and fill up quickly. This annual event features a series of elaborately decorated holiday boats, in support of Suncoast Charities for Children. A series of celebrity judges selects the winners. Visit SuncoastCharitiesForChildren.org.
Hanukkah features a helicopter dropping Hanukkah gelt, a 4-ton snow slide, a trackless train ride, an LED light robot performer and stilt walker, kosher food and other offerings, and is hosted by Chabad of Sarasota. Visit ATasteOfChanukah.com.
SUNDAYS AT THE BAY FEATURING BOOKER HIGH’S MODERN BAND
4:30-5:30 p.m. at The Oval, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Every Sunday, this free concert series features a different local performer. This week, it hosts Booker High School’s Modern Band program, which allows student musicians to explore contemporary music through performance, songwriting, and collaboration. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.
Ian Swaby
The crew of the “Lotus” celebrates as the yacht makes its way along the parade route.
Shell Road home on Siesta
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
Colleen Sjogren, trustee, of Siesta Key, sold the home at 3916 N. Shell Road to Robert Patton and Kathryn Kent, of Siesta Key, for $3,542,800. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, three-and-two-half baths, a pool and 4,087 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,865,000 in 2017.
SARASOTA
THE LANDINGS
John Lucas and William Takacs, of Osprey, sold their home at 1627 Peregrine Point Court to Kristen Walker and Jonathan Loomis, of Sarasota, for $1.65 million. Built in 1984, it has four bedrooms, threeand-a-half baths, a pool and 3,230 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,132,500 in 2019.
BAY POINT APARTMENTS
Brian Christopher Coltharp and April Elizabeth Coltharp, trustees, of Sarasota, sold the Unit 33 condominium at 350 Golden Gate Point to Janette Schafer and John Schafer, of Sarasota, for $1.15 million. Built in 1969, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,647 square feet of living area. It sold for $788,000 in 2021.
BOULEVARD ADDITION TO SARASOTA
James and Sherry Nave sold their home at 1135 Florida Ave. to Edward Eaton, of Pismo Beach, California, for $940,000. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,359 square feet of living area.
SARASOTA BAY CLUB
Sarasota Bay Club LLC sold the Unit 912 condominium at 1301 Tamiami Trail to Betsy Palmieri, of Sarasota, for $850,000. Built in 2000, it has one bedroom, one bath and 984 square feet of living area. It sold for $496,000 in 2017.
SOUTH GATE
Barbara Owen, of Bluffton, South Carolina, sold the home at 2504 Tanglewood Drive to Kathleen Louise Hepburn, of Sarasota, for $822,500. Built in 1984, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,782 square feet of living area. It sold for $350,000 in 2015.
BAY HAVEN
Travis Dykes and Kathryn Dee Sandland, of Sarasota, sold their home at 887 Patterson Drive to Paul Leslie Hoback Jr. and Amy Anne Hoback, of Sarasota, for $750,000. Built in 1951, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,525 square feet of living area. It sold for $600,000 in 2023.
PAYNE PARK VILLAGE
Paige Laughlin, of Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois, sold the home at 2500 Boone Court to Lev Pliskin and Svetlana Feldman, of Sarasota, for $660,000. Built in 2023, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 2,070 square feet of living area. It sold for $720,000 in 2023.
TAHITI PARK
Eva Burnell, of Sarasota, sold her home at 1140 Tahiti Parkway to Beatrice Berkes, trustee, of Sarasota, for $515,000. Built in 1968, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,396 square feet of living area.
SIESTA KEY
ROYAL PALM HARBOR
Henry and Christine Franey sold their home at 1216 Northport Drive to Mark and Suzanne Merucci, of Northville, Michigan, for $2.85 million. Built in 2014, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,579 square feet of living area. It sold for $2.12 million in 2020.
GULF AND BAY CLUB
Anthony Sergi, trustee, of Highlands, New Jersey, sold the Unit 404 condominium at 5760 Midnight Pass Road to Jax On Da Beach LLC for $1,094,600. Built in 1981, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,361 square feet of living area. It sold for $880,000 in 2023.
SARA SANDS Bonami Ventures LLC sold the home at 5073 Higel Ave. to AGS Builders LLC for $1,075,000. Built in 1958, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,920 square feet of living area. It sold for $840,000 in 2012.
BEACH WAY APARTMENTS
Tricia Lee Gizienski, of Baden, Pennsylvania, sold her Unit D-3 condominium at 5600 Beach Way Drive to Peter and Karyn Brennan, of Indian Head Park, Illinois, for $712,000. Built in 1970, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,182 square feet of living area. It sold for $675,000 in 2021.
PALMER RANCH
PROMENADE ESTATES
Melissa Chester Armstrong and Philip Andrew Armstrong, of North Port, sold their home at 5833 Millennium Silver Court to Shai Petel and Grajina Gila Petel, of Sarasota, for $985,000. Built in 2023, it has five bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,840 square feet of living area. It sold for $930,800 in 2023.
WELLINGTON CHASE Terry Diedrich, of Clermont, sold the home at 4918 Avon Lane to Kimberly Longo, trustee, of Peo-
TOP BUILDING PERMITS
ria, Arizona, for $560,000. Built in 1996, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,222 square feet of living area. It sold for $163,500 in 1997.
NOKOMIS
CALUSA LAKES
John and Pamela Casella, of Osprey, sold their home at 1995 White Feather Lane to Joseph Thomas Lemon and Christina Elaine Kidston, of Downers Grove, Illinois, for $665,000. Built in 1999, it has four bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,474 square feet of living area.
ONLINE
See more transactions at YourObserver.com.
Other top sales by area
SARASOTA: $1,365,000
Vue Robin and John Butler, trustees, of North Reading, Massachusetts, sold the Unit 1106 condominium at 1155 N. Gulfstream Ave. to Mary Beth Schutte, of Prospect, Kentucky, for $1,809,700. Built in 2017, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,701 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,365,000 in 2019.
PALMER RANCH: $1.39
MILLION
Deer Creek
James and Kathleen Lyons, of Sarasota, sold their home at 8600 Woodbriar Drive to Charles and Stacey Kuhn, of Loveland, Ohio, for $1.39 million. Built in 1994, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,489 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,295,000 in 2023.
OSPREY: $540,000
Bay Oaks Estates
Donna Lynn Schoen, of Glastonbury, Connecticut, sold her home at 813 Oak Pond Drive to Leslie Lindberg, of Osprey, for $540,000. Built in 1996, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 1,982 square feet of living area. It sold for $555,000 in 2023.
NOKOMIS: $825,000
Sorrento Woods
Adam and Alexis Lindahl, of Brandon, sold their home at 1085 Sorrento Woods Blvd. to Thomas and Jillian Guido, of Nokomis, for $825,000. Built in 1987, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,578 square feet of living area. It sold for $365,000 in 2018.
Garden of lights
Maribel Pinckney called it a “huge honor” for her family to be invited to help flip the switch on the annual Lights in Bloom display at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, illuminating the campus with holiday lights.
The event was a special preview of the display featuring more than 2 million lights, which visitors to the gardens’ Downtown Sarasota Campus will be able to view from Dec. 6 to Jan. 3.
The family included Maribel and Marcus Pinckney and their two children, Nadia Pinckney, 9, and Alani Pinckney, 5, representing the 2Gen approach, which involves helping whole families, at the Community Foundation of Sarasota County.
Marcus Pinckney said he wanted to thank the foundation for the opportunity and called it an experience the family will definitely remember.
Phil and Carolyn Babas, the owners of the Bradenton company Affairs in the Air, lead the creation of the display each year, starting in October.
Carolyn Babas said what makes a quality display is enhancing what is already visible at the gardens.
“We just really appreciate how many people come as a family tradition,” Carolyn said. “It’s really nice to see — it really is — and Selby giving us the ability to create the way that they do, and the liberty to do how we see fit, and they just have a lot of faith in us.”
They said they try to repurpose certain features, so the experience is a little different every year, pointing to new features like a tree covered in dragonflies, a train decoration and new mushroom decorations.
“We stopped counting at 2 million (lights),” Carolyn said. “I don’t know if we’ll ever get to 3 million, but they’re increasing the size of the gardens all the time.”
— IAN SWABY
IF YOU GO
Lights in Bloom. General entry from 6:30-9 p.m. Downtown Sarasota Campus, 1534 Mound St. $34 nonmember adults; $29 member adults; $19 children ages 5-17; free for children ages 4 and younger. Visit Selby.org.
Photos by Ian Swaby Carey Taylor-Le Prince and Marc Le Prince walk through a lighted tunnel.
The moon shines between a pair of “Florida Reindeer.”
Maribel Pinckney, Marcus Pinckney, Nadia Pinckney, 9, and Alani Pinckney, 5, flip the switch with Linda Carson of ABC 7.
NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH
FORECAST
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LET THE MUSIC GUIDE YOU by Hannah Slovut-Einertson, edited by Jared Goudsmit
By Luis Campos
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