As senior vice president of communications for the Baltimore Orioles, Jennifer Grondahl said she wears orange just about every day.
However, while speaking to the Rotary Club of Sarasota, at Marina Jack on March 5, she wore pink for the March 8 International Women’s Day.
President-elect Pam Akins, who has been part of Rotary since it was first opened to women in 1987, said she appreciated the club’s recognition of International Women’s Day at the meeting.
“It’s nice for that recognition to happen, because women are an integral part of society and in the business society,” she said. “Rotary is an organization of business and professional people, and women are part of that.”
The foundation raised $509,240 in support of Sarasota County’s public libraries, when it welcomed 600 guests to its 13th annual Love Our Libraries Author Luncheon on Feb. 7 at The Ora.
“We’re incredibly grateful for our community partners and donors whose generous support helps the foundation to strengthen Sarasota’s public libraries,” said Alisa Mitchell, executive director of the foundation in a media release. These funds will go toward summer learning programs at all 10 libraries, advocacy efforts and the libraries’ audio book collection.
$0.10 For the books The Library Foundation for Sarasota County announced this week what it says is a record.
Janet Combs
G., Payton R., Avery H. and
love jumping around at the Boys and Girls Club.
Photo courtesy Jusup Sandoval
Ian Swaby
Jennifer Grondahl and former Rotary President Lee-En Chung
Courtesy image Guest author Ann Patchett speaks at the luncheon.
WEEK OF MARCH 13, 2025
BY THE NUMBERS
“The
hardest part is your mind is telling your body that it shouldn’t be doing this, and so for the first week to
10 days your mind is screaming at you to stop.”
Ultra endurance runner Nels Matson. Read more on page 3A
Having catalyzed $50 million in private funding toward The Bay park, Patterson Foundation is providing a capping gift of $1 million in unrestricted funding to the 53-acre signature public park along Sarasota Bay.
The gift completes the Foundation’s cumulative investment into The Bay at $10 million from individual gifts and donation match opportunities.
“The Patterson Foundation’s support of The Bay was born from our shared mission to strengthen people and commu-
nities by creating opportunities to enhance quality of life and connection for all,” said Debra Jacobs, Patterson Foundation president and CEO in a news release.
The Patterson Foundation has contributed to the efforts to build The Bay park since 2016 through unrestricted catalytic funding, thought partnership, technical assistance and challenge match opportunities to incentivize donations from private philanthropy at key milestones during The Bay’s creation.
Most recently, The Bay achieved a $4 million challenge match from the Foundation by raising $20 million from private donors.
Beyond the new green space, free programs and events, The Bay actively conserves, restores, improves and transforms the surrounding natural environment, annually treating more than 70 million gallons of polluted stormwater before it enters Sarasota Bay. Once complete, the park will treat an estimated 300 million gallons annually.
Applications open for GCCF leader institute
Gulf Coast Community Foundation is accepting applications for its 2025 Gulf Coast Leadership Institute. The program aims to grow a network of skilled, action-oriented leaders committed to using leadership skills to help transform their communities through service.
A maximum of 25 candidates will be selected to participate in leadership development sessions over a two-month period beginning in May.
Led by faculty of the Leadership Development Institute at Eckerd College, the program will provide leadership skills and resources necessary to positively influence the region. The program is offered free of charge to participants.
Sessions will be held at GCCF’s Sarasota Philanthropy Center, 1549 State St., in Sarasota. The application period will close Tuesday, April 22. The online application, statement of commitment and overview for the program are available at GulfCoastCF.org/GCLI.
Document shredding event on Saturday
Shred Stock, a free document shredding event, will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 15, in the parking lot of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.
The city hosts the drive-up shredding event in partnership with The Bay park. Residents may dispose of as many as four boxes of documents. Attendees should remain in their vehicles throughout the duration of the process, and proof of city residence may be required.
Any paper document or folder containing or not containing staples can be shredded. Not accepted are binders, binder-clipped documents and digital media storage items. Participants should place their boxes in the trunk of their vehicle where city staff will collect them. Once all documents have been shredded, the boxes will be returned.
While they wait, participants may enjoy a performance of 1960s classics by The Garbage Men, a local sustainability focused band known for its upcycled homemade instruments.
Courtesy photo
Patterson Foundation grants to the Bay Park Conservancy have totaled $10 million.
HOW TO DONATE
RUN FOR THE WARRIOR
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
Nels Matson never met Navy SEAL Chris Campbell. He died along with 14 fellow SEALS and 13 others when his Chinook helicopter was shot down over Afghanistan in August 2011.
Inspired by Campbell’s story and a hand-written note in his will wishing for 100,000 people donate to the Wounded Warrior Project in his name, Matson embarked on a mission few have accomplished — to run across the United States with a two-fold goal of fulfilling Campbell’s wish and making the run in record time.
Although he fell short of the record — Matson’s time of covering 3,063 miles in 46 days, 17 hours and 26 minutes is the third fastest on record — he succeeded in expanding the number of donors from 30,000 to 130,000 by the end of 2024, recently surpassing 140,000 and still counting.
Matson, a Sarasota accountant, received a citation awarded by the Sarasota City Commission at its March 3 meeting, recognizing his run that started Sept. 8, 2024, in San Francisco and concluded Oct. 24 at New York City Hall.
Although he never knew Campbell, Matson worked with his sister, Cindy Campbell, at a downtown accounting firm beginning in 2018. They became friends, and through conversation, learned of a mutual connection with another of the SEALs who died in the same incident. That led to Cindy recommending a book, “Among Heroes” by Brandon Webb, that detailed Chris Campbell’s life and heroics.
“Cindy was actually interviewed for the book and she talks about Chris’ mission and the note that he left in his will that he wanted 100,000 people to donate to Wounded Warrior Project,” Matson said. “That’s where I learned about Chris, and it started getting the wheels turning.”
It was December 2020 when Matson told Cindy about his idea and asked if she was amenable to him running across the country to help meet Campbell’s goal, while also attempting to break the world record set by Pete Kostelnick in 2016 at 42 days, six hours, and 30 minutes.
Kostelnick was 29 years old.
“I have the third-fastest time, but I am the fastest old guy, the fastest over 40,” said the 42-year-old Matson.
A BIG HEART FOR HEARTS
Discovering his affinity for running as a wrestler — “You run a lot as a wrestler,” he said — Matson com-
Sarasota accountant completes crosscountry run to honor fallen Navy SEAL.
Nels Matson’s run is over, but the campaign to raise funds in Chris Campbell’s name for the Wounded Warrior Project continues. For more information and to contribute, visit ProjectCampbellsCall.com.
Chris had put out there.”
peted collegiality at Iowa State University. Now a frequent competitor in ultra endurance events, he was born with a heart defect, undergoing open heart surgery as a young boy. That experience serves as inspiration to participate in endurance runs to raise money for other similarly affected children.
In 2013, for example, he ran from Bradenton to the Cambodian Embassy in Washington, D.C., a distance of 1,200 miles, to raise money for children in Cambodia to undergo heart surgeries. In training for his run across America, he peaked at 200-mile weeks. Eight months before his run, he participated in a six-day, 440-mile race in Arizona, running approximately at the 12- to 13-minute per mile pace needed to set a record for traversing the country on foot.
Throughout his training, the story of Chris Campbell was never far from his mind.
“The book gave me this insight about Chris and how he was described by his friends this very contagiously positive per son,” Matson said. “He was put through a lot of crazy things, but he had this bounce-back, positive attitude. What ever was thrown at him, he would take it and get stron ger. That’s what also inspired me to ask how far along they were in this mission of 100,000 donors that
PASSING THE TIME
The mind can tend to wander spending 16 hours a day on your feet with nothing but open road before you.
Nels Matson said he passed much of time listening to books on audio. A certified public accountant, when he did allow himself to think or to distract himself from discomfort of the moment, he relied on his acuity for numbers.
“I tried to keep my thoughts pretty simple most of the time,” he said. “What I do is count forward and backwards. It’s funny, if you’re counting, you can’t think about other things. You can’t think about those negative thoughts.”
Matson partnered with Wounded Warriors Project for Project Campbell, the charity helping to secure publicity for the run. He was interviewed, literally on the run, by reporters trotting alongside him. His route took him through his hometown of Ames, Iowa, where he was greeted by well-wishers while passing through. It was well before he reached the Midwest — even before he began climbing the Rocky Mountains — that he knew he was going to finish his run.
It was only a matter of when.
“After Nevada, I knew I was going to complete it,” Matson said. “Trying not to take it all in at once was a struggle. That’s what I had to also overcome. It applies to big projects at work or anything else. You see this huge project out there, and in reality, you’ve just got to break it down hour by hour and get through it.”
First crossing the Rockies early in the run and then the Poconos in the latter stage, the high altitude air near the start and finish was light on oxygen for someone whose training is primarily at sea level.
“That was a little difficult for the Florida man,” he said.
A SUPPORTIVE CREW
To cover nearly two marathons per day, Matson averaged 16 hours per day on his feet. While alone in his thoughts, he wasn’t in his journey. His wife, Denise Zolla
Pizzo-Matson, was never far ahead or behind in the RV that served as living quarters at night, when he averaged six hours of sleep.
A massage therapist, she also helped ease his muscular aches
“She helped me get up every morning,” Matson said. “I definitely needed a massage. It took me about 40 minutes to get out of bed most
There was also a support crew alter-
Nels Matson ran an average of two marathons a day for 46 days in his run across America to honor fallen Navy SEAL Chris
“The hardest part is your mind is telling your body that it shouldn’t be doing this, and so for the first week to 10 days, your mind is screaming at you to stop.”
Nels Matson
nating along the way, seeing to his hydration and nutritional needs, sometimes serving as emergency navigators when coming across an unexpected detour. He routed his trip similar to that of the recordsetting Kostelnick, but some things had changed since 2016.
“We had a few bridges that were out and had to make some reroutes,” Matson said. “In some places, the roads had changed. They were now private roads that were fenced off. My crew was quick on their feet and they made fast adjustments and nobody panicked.”
Nor was there panic when a minor injury limited Matson to only a sixmile day while crossing Ohio. During the first 10 days, he experienced deep body aches and pains that eventually subsided. Any early moments of doubt, he said, were erased by recalling what Campbell endured during Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training.
“Really, when you put it into perspective, it was pretty small compared to what others have to deal with,” he said.
With the finish line at New York City Hall in sight, Matson increased his running time from 16 hours per day to 18 hours.
Following a greeting from New York Mayor Eric Adams, he marked the grueling six-plus-week ordeal by pouring water he had collected from the Pacific Ocean into the Atlantic.
It’s still too soon, Matson said, to consider whether he’d ever attempt to run across the country again. Still somewhat in recovery, his daily training runs are shorter for now. He is considering a run that would involve others in celebration of Campbell’s birthday this year, which is Sept. 16.
Meanwhile, new donors continue to contribute to Wounded Warrior Project in Campbell’s name, thanks largely to the attention brought to it by Matson’s run.
“It’s pretty amazing from one man’s wish written down on a note,” Matson said.
Photos courtesy of Jusup Sandoval
The Nels Matson Project Campbell crew takes a pause when reaching Colorado on his crosscountry run.
Nels Matson, flanked by members of the Sarasota City Commission, was presented with a citation from Mayor Liz Alpert.
Photo courtesy of City of Sarasota
Nels Matson receives nutritional assistance from members of Project Campbell crew.
Campbell.
Plan submitted for Checkers site redevelopment
The plan is to build 22 apartments at East Avenue and Ringling Boulevard.
Development consultant Joel Freedman said he is very sad the Checkers restaurant at the corner of East Avenue and Ringling Boulevard is gone.
On the upside, its demolition brought him a new client who plans to build a seven-story, 22-unit multifamily development with a streetlevel restaurant.
On March 5, Freedman and MRM Management made their first submittal appearance for the mixed-use project before the city’s Development Review Committee. Besides the apartments, the proposal includes a 3,100-square-foot restaurant and 800 square feet of retail/commercial space at the street level. The developer will modestly price two of the apartments.
Among the usual list of comments to be addressed for an initial submittal was one contentious matter of what defines a wall. The developer intends to have an open-air dining area along the street, separated by a low wall with columns to support the floors above. That plan doesn’t meet setback requirements, said Chief Review Planner Noah Fossick, without enclosure from the top of the wall to the ceiling.
Chris Gallagher of Hoyt Architects said simply adding glass, for example, to meet code “doesn’t make sense” if the glass can be opened to achieve the same effect as no glass at all.
“We’ve got a dining area and wall
around it, so why is it not a building?” Gallagher asked. “At what point does it not become a building? Is because it doesn’t have windows? We’ve got to take that up. I don’t think that’s correct.”
Both sides agreed to disagree on that point and take the matter up offline, for which there is plenty of time to resubmit before the staff panel.
The plan comes with two requested administrative adjustments, which won’t be under consideration until the DRC provides final signoff on the project. At approximately 9,900 square feet, the site is small, but the applicant also owns an adjacent lot, which, among its uses, is a loading zone, refuse collection area and additional surface parking.
File photo
Chris Gallagher of Hoyt Architects has questions regarding the mixed-use development on East Avenue and Ringling Boulevard.
Big downtown project faces big adjustments
DRC tells the developer of Adagio it must reduce apartment density and height to comply with zoning codes.
ANDREW WARFIELD
Just days after a sign went up near the Ringling Boulevard and South Pineapple Avenue intersection announcing a new development there, the developer of Adagio had its pre-application conference before the city’s Development Review Committee on March 5.
The Lutgert Cos. of Naples revealed plans to build a two-tower mixed-use development above a sin-
gle podium building on multiple parcels. It plans an 18-story, 100-unit luxury condominium building in the west tower and a nine story, 67-unit, all attainable rental apartment west tower above structured parking and 18,584 square feet of street-level retail and office space.
Project consultant Joel Freedman described the plan as “very preliminary,” and the purpose of the conference was for staff to meet the architects as they begin to refine the project.
That refinement will require reducing the number of rental units and firing out how to carve three stories off the top of the condo tower.
Zoned Downtown Core, the property currently has a surface parking lot and an office/retail building.
To achieve 18 stories in Downtown Core, which has a height limit of 10, Adagio will be developed under provisions of Florida’s Live Local Act which, among other benefits, requires municipalities to allow height matching that of permitted
uses within a one-mile radius of a project if it includes requisite housing prices as attainable for households earning up to 120% of the area median income.
Additionally, to achieve the density, Adagio is proposed to incorporate the City of Sarasota’s downtown bonus density ordinance.
That’s where conflict arose with the DRC over the zoning code.
Among his comments, Development Review Chief Planner Noah Fossick told the developer to intersperse all attainable units among at least half of the floors and to ensure they share a common entrance with the market rate units. Additionally, the plan must demonstrate how the building entrance of the attainable units is indistinguishable and functionally equivalent to the market rate units. Exterior appearances, also, must be indistinguishable and functionally equivalent to the market-rate units.
“The plan was to have market rate and affordable in separate towers,” said Freedman.
Fossick repeated the plan must demonstrate the attainable units are interspersed throughout the project.
“OK, so that’s your interpretation of the Live Local Act?” asked Mathieu Picard of the project architecture firm, Kobi Karp of Miami.
“This is our attainable housing requirement,” Fossick replied.
After Picard responded, the project is being submitted under the Live Local Act, Fossick said, “The density proposed is utilizing our bonus density, so you now have to comply with our attainable housing requirement.”
Reducing the rental units to 50,
Freedman, right, described plans for the Adagio development as preliminary.
which meets base density, would no longer require application of the local ordinance, Mathieu suggested.
“Yes,” confirmed Fossick. “Live Local only authorizes base density.”
In addition to the previously planned density, prior to its initial submittal to staff, the developer must also reconcile a conflict regarding its parking structure design. Because a portion of the two-level deck is below grade, Lutgert representatives contended that qualifies as a basement and should not count toward the 18-story limit.
The grade change from one end of the block to the other, however, nullifies Lutgert’s argument as Fossick said the current design, including the parking, is 21 stories and must be reduced by three.
“No basement level can extend more than four feet above the finished grade, and since this entire building is from Palm to Pineapple, that includes the finished grade on Palm, so you are extending more than four feet above the finished grade for that first basement level,” Fossick said.
The Lutgert Cos. assembled five parcels for the project along Ringling Boulevard between Palm and Pineapple avenues, including the U.S. Garage building at 330 S. Pineapple Ave. and a parking lot now formerly owned by Church of the Redeemer. It paid $26 million in separate transactions, one in July and one in January. Although the developer has not commented on the project, Senior Vice President Mike Hoyt wrote about it in a blog post, “It’s not often that a property as unique as this comes along in Florida.”
Courtesy image
A preliminary conceptual rendering by Kobi Karp Architecture of Adagio as viewed from the intersection of South Palm Avenue and Ringling Boulevard.
Commission to decide on Hyatt appeal, SPAC agreement on Monday
SPAC implementation agreement, appeal of Hyatt Regency redevelopment highlight Monday’s City Commission agenda.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
Sarasota city commissioners will take up two significant matters at its Monday, March 17, meeting when it weighs the appropriateness of the plan to redevelop the Hyatt Regency hotel site and decides on an implementation agreement between the city and the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation to build a new $407 million facility.
First, under the unfinished business portion of the agenda, the City Commission, following two delays, should render its verdict on whether to proceed beyond the initial concept design of the Sarasota Performing Arts Center. Should it approve the implementation agreement as outlined in the April 2022 agreement between the city and the Foundation, it will green-light the upward of a three-year design process. It will also commit both the city and the Foundation to the completion of the $36.9 million design agreement with architect Renzo Piano Building Workshop, the cost equally shared between the two entities.
That agreement, approved by the city in May 2024, commits Renzo Piano to procure and compensate the services of the multiple disciplines required of the design and construction process.
Monday will mark the first public discussion by the City Commission of the implementation agreement since a Feb. 11 workshop in which even the location of the SPAC remained in flux. Plans are to build it on the western edge of The Bay park along U.S. 41 at 10th Street largely because of a view corridor easement held by two condominium towers across North Tamiami Trail from the park. That easement does not permit
ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY
The Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation will bolster its case for moving forward with the SPAC with a fresh update of an economic impact study prepared by HR&A Advisors, a national real estate and economic development firm. The study projects more than $194 million in annual economic activity, which it reports exceeds by 68% the current economic impact of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.
Key findings in the study include:
Visitor Impact: Expected annual visitors of 495,000
Job creation and wages: The SPAC is anticipated to generate more than 1,550 permanent jobs with annual wages totaling $68 million
Construction phase benefits: During construction, the study forecasts an injection of $669 million in countywide spending, creating 3,700 temporary jobs and $192 million in temporary wages
Fiscal impact: Projected $400 million in tax revenue generated over 30 years
any structure higher than 90 feet in the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall parking lot, the original placeholder location for the SPAC.
Barring a mutual reconciliation of that easement, that location can’t accommodate the necessary height of the SPAC unless it is not elevated above flood hazard levels, contrary to one of the reasons for replacing the Van Wezel.
Commissioners will also have to decide if the future capacity exists for the city’s portion of the funding of the SPAC — the tax increment financing district surrounding The Bay park and extending into nearby
areas of downtown — should the county, as it appears likely, choose to not participate in the SPAC project. The TIF district allocates its revenues to The Bay park, projects within the park, and improvements throughout the district that benefit the park.
Like The Bay, building the SPAC would use 50% public and 50% private funds.
HYATT REDEVELOPMENT APPEAL
A group led by Quay 1 and 9, the developer building One Park with approval to build One Park West in The Quay, has appealed the plans by Kolter Urban to redevelop the Hyatt Regency hotel site adjacent to The Quay. On Monday, the commission will take that matter up as a quasijudicial public hearing.
The group is challenging the appropriateness of a Dec. 11, 2024, Planning Board adjustment approval to relocate its main driveway access to the project, dubbed 1000 Boulevard of the Arts, and to widen that driveway to 33 feet, nine feet more than the 24 feet permit-
ted by code. That’s the basis for the appeal, but Quay 1 and 9 also want commissioners to consider multiple factors including:
■ Traffic congestion and safety concerns over a podium building of 622.5 linear feet along Boulevard of the Arts, which already serves The Bay park, the primary entrance into The Quay and the only access into five condominium towers and other residences west of the Hyatt
■ Encroachment on public and private easements, including a 20-foot-wide easement for a vacated alley and a 12-foot-wide pedestrian access easement. Quay 1 and 9 owns two-thirds of the alley easement, the encroachment restricting its ability to access and develop its own property
■ The driveway relocation requiring use of a U-turn for all traffic to access 1000 Boulevard of the Arts, including the condos, hotel, ballroom and restaurant activities
■ The accuracy of Kolter Urban’s traffic study Before hearing the appeal, the commission will have to decide if
IF YOU GO
The next meeting of the Sarasota City Commission will be Monday, March 17, starting at 9 a.m. in the Commission Chamber at Sarasota City Hall, 1565 First St. Online at SarasotaFL.gov.
Quay 1 and 9, besides nearby condo owners, have legally recognized aggrieved party status, a gray area at best.
Florida statute defines an aggrieved party as any person or local government that will suffer an adverse effect to a project that exceeds the general interest or community good. Whether negative impact on one party exceeds that of the general public, or its benefit, is subject to interpretation. In addition to the Planning Board ruling appeal, commissioners can consider other aspects of the project or send it back to the Planning Board for further action.
Courtesy image
A rendering by SB Architects of 1000 Boulevard of the Arts, which will include 117 condominiums in the west tower (right) and a Hyatt Centric Harborside hotel in the east.
The end of property taxes?
Gov. DeSantis has achieved extraordinary results in his six years. Ending property taxes would be the clincher.
If you have any interest in knowing what the Legislature is going to do to you in its current year session, a good preview can always be found in the Legislature’s opening day — in the governor’s State of the State address and the Senate president and House speaker’s opening day addresses.
For Gov. Ron DeSantis, it’s quite clear he is aiming to go down in history as one of Florida’s most accomplished governors. Accomplished in the sense of landmark and the boldest legislative achievements.
It’s accurate to say he is shooting for the best for last. DeSantis wants to eliminate and replace Florida’s onerous and increasingly onerous property tax system.
In his recounting of his and the Legislature’s successes in previous years — of being “a friend to the taxpayer,” he tossed this grenade to legislators in his opening speech: “Escalating assessments have created a gusher of revenue for local governments — and many in Florida have seen their budgets increase far beyond the growth in population.
“Taxpayers need relief.
“You buy a home, pay off a mortgage — and yet you still have to write a check to the government every year just to live on your own property?
“Is the property yours, or are you just renting from the government?
“I know members of the Legislature are studying the issue in anticipation of formulating a proposal to place on the 2026 ballot to provide constitutional protections for Florida property owners.
“Please know you have my support.” This would be a legislative, public-policy and political earthquake if it happened. And it would indeed enshrine DeSantis as perhaps Florida’s highest achieving governor.
He is right. All of you who allegedly own your homes, you don’t. It’s like the shop owner in New York or Boston paying the Mafia ransom each year for what the mobsters call protection.
Now, you can imagine how all of the county, municipal and school board elected officials will scream
at the thought of losing their property-tax money spigots.
And the obvious question will become: What tax or taxes will replace the property tax? The most likely approach would be to adopt a singular consumption tax, or sales tax.
The thought of that, too, will be alarming to many because you logically could think that would mean a ridiculously high, doubledigit sales tax rate. To be sure, the state’s sales tax rate would climb, but much of the rate would be offset by including most of the existing sales-tax exemptions.
Don’t fret about this yet. The most that is likely to happen on this proposal is the passage of Senate Bill 852, which would require the Office of Economic and Demographic Research to study the elimination and replacement of property taxes.
Meantime, there are more than 70 bills pending dealing with property-tax exemptions — all illustrating Floridians’ increasing frustration with rising property taxes. (See box above.)
But wait, there’s more.
DeSantis, of course, has much more on his agenda, as seen in his speech and budget. But in almost a footnote in his speech, he cited three other top issues: ■ Petition-amendment fraud: Three bills propose to add a myriad of new requirements, restrictions, regulations and costs to the state’s constitutional petition initiatives (SB 1414, SPB 7016 and HB 1205).
This is such a paradox. Republicans often wave the flag of liberty, and yet they just as frequently push liberty-limiting legislation — couched in the veil of protecting us.
The argument for this legislation is cast as protecting Florida’s constitution from out-of-state influencers and nefarious funders like George Soros and preventing petition-signature gatherers from signing up people fraudulently.
The proposed legislation, for instance, would prohibit petition gatherers who are not Florida residents. In addition, the political committees seeking to get their proposed amendment on the ballot would be required to post a $1 mil-
ALBRITTON, PEREZ’S TOP PRIORITIES
Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, has been definitive on his priorities.
In his opening session speech, he told lawmakers:
“As I’ve said before, I was born and bred in Florida citrus, and this vital industry is not going down on my watch.
“To those growers who are left in the business, hear me when I say, you are not forgotten, you are not alone, and I’m running to this fight.”
But he has also said his top priority is this: “We’ve seen tremendous economic growth in urban areas of Florida, and as I’ve said before, it’s rural Florida’s turn” — an economic revival of rural Florida.
Albritton also vowed to bring the state government’s information technology into the 21st century, saying IT should become a cabinet-level agency.
Meanwhile, Speaker Daniel
lion bond to cover any fines that could be levied for petition violations.
And there is this: Any voter who signs a petition would be required not only to give his/her home address, but also his/her driver license number or the last four digits of his/her social security number. Think about that: If you’re asked by a stranger at a public event to sign a petition to place a proposed constitutional amendment on the state ballot, how willing will you be to share those numbers?
Floridians don’t want out-ofstate scoundrels buying their special interest ways into our constitution, but at the same time Floridians do want the petition initiative process to be available for the average state citizen to redress his/her government.
The three bills cited above don’t do the latter. Read the bills; give your feedback to your legislator.
■ Condos: DeSantis is counting on the Legislature to continue to address the financial stress on condominiums whose residents faced huge assessments as a result of complying with the Legislature’s demand in 2024 to address structural deficiencies.
Florida’s lawsuit against Target: hypocrisy
In February Florida’s attorney general filed a federal lawsuit against the Target Corp. on behalf of the State Board of Administration.
The SBA manages the pension system for many government workers in Florida and holds some shares in Target. The lawsuit alleges that Target defrauded investors by not properly disclosing the risk to investors posed by its Pride month activities and products.
The lawsuit’s genesis is a legally and factually inaccurate letter sent in July 2023 to Target by a group of seven Republican state attorneys general threatening Target with lawsuits over their Pride month merchandise and donations.
The letter made clear the objection to Target’s activities was about its message — aka its speech — on Pride month and LGBTQ issues in general.
Because their objection was to specific messages, their objection was in fact to the speech exercised by Target. Likewise, threats by
attorneys general were a clear threat to Target’s free speech.
Florida’s new attorney general, James Uthmeier, who was not a party to that 2023 letter, nevertheless chose to take up the gauntlet in a show of political alignment and file suit against Target.
This lawsuit is a startling case of hypocrisy by the state of Florida, both in terms of pension fund investments and more importantly, free speech.
Let’s start with the lesser issues.
Florida’s accusations that Target is guilty of financial misconduct are pretty hypocritical when you consider that the Florida Retirement System, which has the stock in Target that is the crux of the lawsuit, is itself nearly $46 billion in debt, a number that has been growing in recent years. Florida legislators are currently considering a bill to expand worker retirement benefits that could add another $47 billion in costs over the next 30 years.
Florida’s pension system is not in dire financial straits because it lost some pocket change on investments in Target. The problem is it keeps promising state workers benefits it is not willing to fully pay for in each year’s budget.
And that is conceding that Florida lost money on its investments in Target. While it may have done that, the lawsuit provides no evidence that Target’s Pride month marketing caused its stock price to fall and harmed the state.
Lots of things affect Target’s stock price. Proving any one cause for a stock price rise or drop is difficult at best. Indeed, it may be that
Perez, R-Miami, appears to be taking an unconventional approach to his two-year term in charge of the House.
In years past, virtually every House speaker has ruled the House agenda as an authoritarian — what he wants is what he gets.
If you’re not on the team, your bills go nowhere.
To that end, Perez told his House colleagues on opening day: “I said I would be foregoing the traditional presiding officer game of defining the work of session around a set of my own personal priorities; that this process needed to be less about ‘me’ and more about ‘we.’
“I will not find meaning for my speakership in personal priorities. The mission of my speakership is to have this House be the most engaged, vibrant and dynamic legislative chamber in the country.”
HOW TO CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATOR
■ Sen. Jim Boyd, District 20 — (941) 742-6445 Boyd.Jim. web@FLSenate.gov
■ Sen. Joe Gruters, District 22 — (941) 378-6309 Gruters. Joe.web@FLSenate.gov
■ Rep. William “Will” Robinson, District 71 — (941) 744-5097 Will.Robinson@FLHouse.gov
■ Rep. William “Bill” Conerly, District 72 — (941) 327-0150 Bill.Conerly@FLHouse.gov
■ Rep. Fiona McFarland, District 73 — (941) 361-2465Fiona.McFarland@FLHouse.gov
■ Rep. James Buchanan, District 74 — (941) 429-4560 James.Buchanan@FLHouse. gov
■ Second Amendment: DeSantis is supporting four bills — Senate Bill 94, 920 and 1716 and House Bill 759, each of which, among other provisions, would lower the age for young adults to acquire firearms from 21 to 18. — MW
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backlash to Target’s capitulation to culture war attacks over Pride merchandise had an even greater detrimental impact on its stock price. What then?
Of course, this isn’t really about stock prices. We know this because, as the kids say, “he admit it.” In his (weirdly unnecessary) video announcing the lawsuit, AG Uthmeier outright said that the lawsuit was aimed at Target’s expression: “a class action lawsuit for … pushing a harmful leftist agenda.”
Whatever one might think about the impact of Target’s expressive decisions on its stock price, one thing is clear: Florida is trying to use the facade of a shareholder lawsuit as an end-run around the First Amendment to punish speech it dislikes. Florida’s stated objection is to the message conveyed by Pride merchandise, placing this squarely within the First Amendment. If the First Amendment means anything, it means that this is unacceptable. Indeed, the Supreme Court has made it clear that when a state business regulation conflicts with the First Amendment, the latter must control. Governments cannot simply purchase stock in a company and declare that they now have the right to threaten the company over their protected speech.
Florida’s attempt to do exactly that represents galling hypocrisy of the worst kind.
Florida Republicans were justifiably upset when the Twitter files and the Facebook files revealed the Biden Administration had implicitly threatened social media companies to suppress speech the administra-
tion didn’t want people to hear. Yet, here is the DeSantis administration committing the same offense, attempting to influence and punish a private party’s free speech. No government of either party should use state power to suppress speech. And if one party violates that trust and citizens’ free speech rights, the other party should defend them, not join the violation.
Democrats should not use the power of government to impose “woke” speech requirements in universities, public squares or corporate board rooms. Republicans who object to “woke” speech should respond with their own speech, not use the power of government to suppress speech they don’t like.
The SBA’s fiduciary duty is to maximize returns for the plan to ensure a secure retirement benefit for state workers at the least feasible cost to state taxpayers. Going after Target for its environment, social and governance policies rather than for bona fide financial mismanagement or fraud puts state worker pensions at risk.
When partisan objectives take precedence over maximizing investment returns, public pension system investments face a higher risk of underperformance, ultimately placing the financial burden on taxpayers through increased taxes and contributions.
For Florida to fail its fiduciary duty to taxpayers and state workers while also trampling on free speech rights is shameful.
Dr. Adrian Moore is vice president at Reason Foundation and lives in Sarasota. Ari Cohn is lead counsel for tech policy at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE).
Observer Media Group Inc. is locally owned. Publisher of the Longboat Observer, East County Observer, Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer, West Orange Times & Observer, Southwest Orange Observer, Business Observer, Jacksonville Daily Record, Key Life Magazine, LWR Life Magazine, Baldwin Park Living Magazine and Season Magazine
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ADRIAN MOORE & ARI COHN
Numbers for SPAC aren’t adding up
At a recent Sarasota City Commission workshop, proponents for the Sarasota Performing Arts Center cited three arts centers as comparables. Two of these centers were noted in a recent editorial in the Observer. But the numbers aren’t all that comparable.
What’s more, of the three comparables presented at the City Commission workshop, one isn’t being built and the two that were built had unique funding sources that don’t apply to Sarasota.
First was the Steinmetz Hall in Orlando. The presenters boasted at the workshop the SPAC will have a lower percentage of public funding than the Steinmetz Hall.
However, the bulk of the public funding for that theater came from hotel taxes. The Orlando area receives $75 million from annual visitors and has 130,000 hotel rooms.
In fact, the local government kicked in only around $25 million for the Steinmetz Hall. The two million or so Orlando-area residents paid little versus what is expected of city of Sarasota taxpay-
ers for the SPAC — about 10 times what the Orlando-area taxpayers paid in total.
Another theater was the new Tennessee Performing Arts Center in Nashville. However, Nashville and that arts center never signed an agreement because of a dispute over infrastructure costs.
The numbers for a theater that won’t get built aren’t terribly relevant.
The third theater cited was the Perelman Performing Arts Center in Manhattan. That center had unusually high construction costs because of the use of translucent marble and its location by the World Trade Center Memorial. A couple New York billionaires (Ron Perelman and Mike Bloomberg) funded much of that project.
Now let’s look at some numbers that directly apply to Sarasota.
The current Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall has 1,741 seats. The proposed SPAC will have a 3,000 seats. The new Sarasota Orchestra campus on Fruitville will have 2,500 seats. Building both the SPAC and Sarasota Orchestra campus will more than quadruple the seats available in a three-mile radius, an increase of 5,500 seats over the
existing 1,741 seats.
Even if the Van Wezel is torn down, the number of available seats will triple (an increase of 3,800 seats).
Also, note 1,000 seats are now available in the main ballroom of The Ora; 200 planned seats for the new Payne Park Auditorium; and Florida Studio Theater will also be expanding seating.
Demand for classical music, plays, traveling Broadway shows and variety acts simply won’t triple or quadruple just because you build the capacity. Already, the vast majority of the performances at the Van Wezel do not sell out. This town could be awash in a sea of empty seats.
The burden of overbuilding will fall largely on the shoulders of the city’s taxpayers. Sarasota County is now steering clear of the SPAC. In the proposed private/public partnership agreement, the city was hoping to contribute only 25% of the costs, with Sarasota County paying another 25%. Now, the city has to provide double that amount because of the county likely pulling out.
Someone needs to hit the pause button on the SPAC and figure out a way to coordinate with the Sarasota Orchestra and Sarasota County.
The city can ill afford to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on a new performance center when there could be a near duplicate facility five miles down Fruitville Road.
Moreover, we should wait a few months for the Van Wezel Purple Ribbon Committee’s recommendations on the future use of that hall, which is less than five blocks from the proposed SPAC.
If we don’t wait, we may find out that the numbers don’t add up.
PETER BLANTON SARASOTA
What is the cost of Gulf of America?
On Feb. 24, Gov. Ron DeSantis, in an effort to cut back Florida’s spending, announced he signed an executive order to establish a statelevel version of DOGE to eliminate
wasteful government spending.
Days later, Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, introduced Senate Bill 1058 that proposes to rename Tamiami Trail/U.S. 41 between State Road 60 and U.S. 1 in MiamiDade, Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Sarasota, Manatee and Hillsborough counties as “Gulf of America Trail.”
What is the financial cost of the name change to government and business?
How many street signs will need to be changed and at what cost to taxpayers in making the signs, removing the old signs, installing the new signs, disposing of the old signs, changing state maps and changing state brochures distributed through the state and in other states to attract visitors?
How many businesses are along Tamiami Trail? What is the cost for the businesses to change their signage, menus, contracts/purchase orders, business cards, business displays, websites, etc.?
Tamiami Trail is a key 284-mile roadway in Southwest Florida. It has been in existence since 1928 and built through the Everglades as a way to remove the economic development barrier between Tampa and Miami.
If we are looking at cutting back waste, why would our elected officials be in favor of the name change? Is not the current name descriptive of the great connector of the state?
BETH GOTTHELF LONGBOAT KEY
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The audience listens to a presentation by the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation about plans for a new performing arts center.
Andrew Warfield
Van Wezel engineering report:
Good as is for now, not for later
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
Even as city residents await the decision of whether to proceed with the design concept of the Sarasota Performing Arts Center, the committee seated to recommend how to repurpose the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall continues its work as if it is a foregone conclusion.
At its Feb. 24 meeting, the Purple Ribbon Committee received a second update from Karins Engineering when David Karins responded to questions submitted to him since his initial update on Jan. 13. This time, though, Karins had with him representatives of various consultants participating in the study, from acoustics to seating to architecture.
The scope of Karins’ work is a physical assessment of the facility and the costs to keep it functional as its current use. No suggestions or costs associated with converting it into an alternative purpose is included within that scope, although the process still remains a point of confusion among some committee members.
“If certain elements are not covered in this study, it’s because they were not part of the defined scope,” Karins said. “All of us on this team are really happy to be involved in those processes moving forward. We’d love to be involved and take the next step of doing schematic designs and developing a design that can fit within a budget that the city sets forth.”
All in due time.
The committee has until July to submit its recommendations of how to put the Van Wezel into its second use, since 1970 serving as the primary performing arts venue in the city. That is assuming the City Commission approves the implementation agreement with the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation to build its replacement, at which time the Van Wezel would be regarded as obsolete in its current form.
In January, Karins told the committee the cost to shore up some internal systems, affect repairs, preserve and protect the Van Wezel is approximately $17 million. That, in the wake of the $10 million in flood damage from Hurricane Milton, includes water intrusion mitigation such a hardened seawall or portable flood wall system.
In its present configuration, Karins and the consultants told the committee, the Van Wezel is best suited for “truck and bus” shows and not major Broadway productions that
require considerably greater logistics such as load-in, load-out and longer term on-site storage of props, sets, etc. Acoustically, it is not well-suited for nonamplified performances.
The continental-style seating — no aisles breaking up long rows of seats — is also a detriment, according to the consultants.
“Continental seating was very much in vogue when the Van Wezel was designed. It is not something that we would do these days,” said Joe Mobilia of theater consultant Fisher Dachs Associates. “In the report, we touched on how the continental seating could be modified to have a more conventional arrangement with intermediate aisles that would take care of the disadvantages of continental seating.”
That, though, would result in fewer seats to attract the then more popular “bus and truck” shows unless a balcony could be added either by “raking” the seating bowl or literally raising the roof, either method coming at considerably more cost and a long-term closure. The three loading bays are also inadequate for high-profile shows, according to the consultants.
What the committee heard, without being told directly, is barring significant structural changes and associated costs, the Van Wezel as designed is outdated for contemporary uses. Repurposing, and how, is up to the members themselves outside of Karins’ purview.
Chairman Charles Cosler said it was clear to him until a new performing arts center comes online, the Van Wezel must remain viable as is with some modifications to enhance acoustics and prevent future flooding. Beyond that, any major renovation is off the table.
Entering the final stages of its two years of work, Purple Ribbon Committee members are turning toward crafting their thoughts individually in writing before drawing their consensus on the second life of the Van Wezel.
Andrew Warfield
The bay side entrance to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall is to the right of the three loading dock doors, which General Manager Stu Klein describes as an unappealing first impression of the building. Point to Sarasota Bay just behind the building, he said, “We hope they are distracted by this view.”
COLE COLLINS
SCOLLO INGRID CARUSO KANDY
JULIE PONDER PAN STEELE HARRIET STOPHER
JESSICA HOFFMAN MARY BETH HUDSON KAREN IANTORNO BRUCE MIBACH GEORGE MILLER
JULIA MONTEI LINDA RILEY CHRISTA SPALDING
Spring Forward With A New Smile
School board approves positions
IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER
As Sarasota’s school board convened on March 11, it added five new positions, while also approving a leasing agreement for its
Superintendent Terry Connor said at this point, the school district was not necessarily committed to funding the new positions, but the district was looking to be proactive regarding future priorities.
He said the role of innovative program specialist will be useful as the district drives the expansion of its programs through its strategic plan over the next six years.
The role will oversee initiatives to include but not limited to STEAM, dual-language, early college and work-based competency programs.
“We’ve got a lot on the horizon for this school district because we know we can’t continue to do the same thing and expect the different results,” Connor said, stating the district, which is currently “hyperfocused” on instruction, was at capacity.
The second position, charter school program specialist, drew multiple critical comments during the public comments session of the meeting.
Sarasota County School Superintendent, Terry Connor.
Specialist of exceptional student education: Pending budget
authorization
Professional learning credit specialist: Pending budget authorization
“If we want to be a top district, why are we wasting a proposed $107,000-plus dollars to hire someone to help charter schools do better, at a time when we are facing financial problems due to loss of state funding to vouchers and the potential loss of federal dollars?” retired teacher
Robin Williams said. “We could hire new classroom teachers for that price or use it to further support (English Language Learner) students with important services.”
Connor said the district would fund this position only if the charter schools have a commitment to helping fund it.
“With the expansion of over 7,000 students that are in our charter schools, and we know that they are
continuing to grow, we believe, and we’ve looked at the data and I’ve shown the data very clearly publicly in workshops, that without us intervening with some support or inviting some support there, we can’t continue to achieve our goals of being the No. 1 school district,” he said. He said the role of specialist, exceptional student education was fulfilled at the elementary level with an individual who can build curriculum resources and assessments, provide coaching for teachers and participate in impact reviews.
However, he said the district did not have this role for grades six through 12, and this position would specifically serve the secondary school level.
Finally, the district also approved a new leasing model with Enterprise Fleet Management for its white fleet, or non school-bus, vehicles.
STEPSTOBEACH
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We use only the finest materials, collaborate with top consultants and trades, and leverage the latest technologies to ensure every detail of each project is a success. Our Seaward Curated homes feature elevated first-floor designs, superior concrete structural elements, and glass systems that often exceed code requirements-ensuring beauty, strength, and durability. Additionally, we offer clients construction schedules, open-book pricing, and a dedicated full-time project manager for added peace of mind. May we assist you with your new build? Seaward Homes would love to talk to you about building your Dream Home. 941.323.0033
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Rev. Robert Dziedziak, Pastor
The Old Salty Dog reopens
A longtime waterfront Sarasota restaurant has reopened for the first time since Hurricane Milton.
KING BUSINESS OBSERVER
The Old Salty Dog is back in business on City Island in Sarasota, five months after Hurricane Milton forced it to close down for repairs. A staff member at the restaurant says it reopened March 1.
The restaurant on Ken Thompson Parkway, known for its hot dogs, burgers and seafood, had to shutter following the October hurricane after waves and wind dealt a blow to the establishment. Feet of water flooded the interior, and the bar was ripped apart.
The Oct. 9 storm came about two weeks after Hurricane Helene hit in late September, inundating the restaurant, which opened in 1991, with
four feet of water. New wiring, computer systems and kitchen equipment had all been installed before Hurricane Milton came through, YourObserver.com reported.
In the months since the eatery closed, it has fixed everything from damaged concrete slabs to the bar, which was made of an old wooden racing boat. It also backfilled some areas to address erosion. Finally, the restaurant needed to get permits from the city before welcoming back customers. There are two other Old Salty Dog locations, both of which rebounded relatively quickly following the fall hurricanes. The Old Salty Dog on Siesta Key and the one in Venice had both reopened by mid-October 2024.
Salty Dog City
The Old Salty Dog reopened its location on City Island after a nearly five-month closure following Hurricane Milton.
By the time officers arrived at the Westin Hotel, all parties involved in a scuffle had separated. Officers spoke with the complainant, a valet attendant, who said he arrived at the fight scene after it had already begun and two men were engaged in fisticuffs. Turning referee, the valet said he managed to separate the combatants and both had left the scene.
An officer spoke to one subject who said there were four people in his group and, after leaving the rooftop bar, one of his friends became belligerent to people around him and was heckling those in the other party’s vehicle. One man exited the vehicle, he said, and after a verbal confrontation, eventually threw the first punch. At that point, the valet said he was trying to exercise diplomacy and bring the skirmish to a peaceful end.
Officers then spoke with the man who made first physical contact, advising the agitator “smacked” the side of his vehicle, the handprint remaining visible. He added while he was fighting with the man, other members of his group punched and kicked him. Although suffering a small laceration on his ear, the man was seeking to achieve detente by declining to press charges. He said he did not want to create trouble for his former foes, adding it was “just a fight.” No further action was taken.
A WOMAN SCORNED
6:39 p.m., 1200 block of North Palm
Avenue
Disturbance: Responding to a miscellaneous call for service, an officer made contact with a man at the Art Ovation Hotel who explained that five hours earlier his girlfriend had left him at the hotel. He said nothing had happened and was not sure why she left, adding he wanted to return home to Fort Pierce and did not want to stay in the hotel for the night.
MONDAY, MARCH 3
ABANDONED AT THE HOTEL
9:43 p.m., 1000 Boulevard of the Arts
Disturbance: Responding officers arrived at the Hyatt Regency Hotel where they made contact with a woman locked outside of her room. She advised an argument had ensued with her boyfriend just 30 minutes prior, and both had separated for the night.
Once access to the room was provided by hotel staff, officers observed glass from a picture frame on the wall shattered on the floor. Food that appeared to be thrown was also stuck on the walls of the room. The woman stated she and the man were arguing over her parents being in town and his boat, which was docked at the hotel’s pier, being dirty. It was not specified whether the woman’s parents were responsible for the soiled condition of the boat.
An officer received the man’s cell phone number from the woman and, when contacted, said he was no longer at the hotel and was on foot several blocks away. The officer inquired about the broken glass on the floor, for which he blamed the woman. He added he would not return to the hotel and he would be taking his boat home to Saint Petersburg.
Advised of this, the woman packed her belongings and hailed a ride to take her back home, also in St. Petersburg. She said they do not share a residence and she would be safe at her home.
The man later revealed his girlfriend was upset with him for something that occurred earlier at the hotel pool “involving other females,” according to the report, but denied anything had happened. He then told officers he wanted them to find his girlfriend and arrest her for DUI, alleging she was driving after drinking. Quickly pivoting to his desire for reconciliation, he then said he was hopeful she would return to the hotel to be with him for the night. The woman was not located and whether she returned to the hotel later was not documented in the incident report.
Who knew a 22-acre peninsula of land called Golden Gate Point, originally owned by circus mogul John Ringling, would become a coveted slice of paradise for those longing to live luxuriously near the water in the heart of downtown Sarasota?
Cross off your Bucket List homeowners. Dreams really can come true with the creation of The Owen Golden Gate Point, now under construction.
Thanks to the Naples-based Ronto Group, in partnership with Wheelock Street Capital, those looking for a world-class address to match a desire for a casual Florida lifestyle will find a stunning new condominium with panoramic views of Sarasota Bay, the marina, and the John Ringling Causeway bridge.
WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD
The community gave a hearty welcome to The Owen Golden Gate Point when they broke ground in June 2024 showcasing the vision to create 29 condominium residences on ten floors.
The Owen Golden Gate Point is ideally situated on the southern tip of the Point. Residents can quickly access either the bridge over to St. Armands Circle leading to the award-winning beaches or easily access the shops and dining options a few blocks away on and around Main Street.
THE OWEN GOLDEN GATE POINT
Situated on a coveted 1.8-acre site, the building’s three bedroom, three and a half bath open concept floor plans range from 2,263 to 3,065 square feet under air plus a balcony with a gas grill.
Three of the floor plans also include a study. The gated mid-rise boutique building offers an ideal spot to gather with family and friends and celebrate the best of Florida West Coast living.
Slated for completion by March 2026 prices for The Owen Golden Gate Point residences start at $2.64 million.
Designed by MHK Architects and Planning, and built by Connor & Gaskins Unlimited, the building’s contemporary design will feature partial bay and marina views.
This beautiful peninsula in the heart of Sarasota combines a relaxed ambiance with a distinctive and luxurious lifestyle. Urban dwellers will appreciate Golden Gate Point’s easy access to the best of Sarasota’s cultural offerings.
29 LUXURY RESIDENCES ON GOLDEN GATE POINT
The owners’ lobby/amenity level will feature a club room with a bar. A fitness center will offer state-of-theart Technogym equipment, a massage suite, stretching/ yoga area, steam and sauna rooms and locker rooms. Social seating and an indoor/outdoor bar will be featured in a game room with an assortment of table and arcade games.
Secure parking with two spaces per residence, one of which will be pre-wired for a 4-amp power outlet electric vehicle charging, and climate-controlled resident storage rooms are included.
Residents will enjoy the privacy and safety of a gated community and embrace the amenities offered from a fenced dog park to a saltwater pool with infinity edge.
Interior designer Carrie Riley is the owner of the award-winning Riley Interior Design firm in Sarasota and looks forward to working with the new Owen Gold-
en Gate homeowners who she says will “fall in love with our beautiful city” as she has for the past 25 years of living here.
Carrie has over 30 years of experience with high end design concentrated in residential single-family homes and condominiums. As well as boutique, commercial, and sports venue interior design. Carrie’s distinctive design eye has led the Riley Interior Design crew to specialize in creating dramatic and elaborate interiors for various types of clientele.
THE RONTO GROUP
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325 Golden Gate Point (site address) Sarasota, Florida 34236 www.owengoldengate.com
SPRING INTO SAVINGS
Petticoat Painters exhibit debuts March 17
Works of the all-female group of artists will be on display at the Sarasota City Hall atrium.
The walls of Sarasota City Hall will showcase the works of the Petticoat Painters when the next installment of the city’s Cultural Heritage Exhibit Series begins Monday, March 17. Titled “Now You See Us,” the exhibit is part of the city’s recognition of Women’s History Month. Formed in 1953, the Petticoat Painters is one of the oldest continuously exhibiting women’s art groups in the country. The collective was formed to showcase the talents of female artists when women had difficulty finding venues to display their work. The exhibit will contain pieces from the collective’s 20 members and will be refreshed with new works after six months.
“The significance of installing this collection during Women’s History Month in March is twofold,” said Sarasota Public Art Administrator Ciera Coleman in a news release. “Not only does the collection embody women’s empowerment through these artists and their mission, but their historic connection to Sarasota is also something that we’re proud to spotlight for our residents.”
A free opening reception and lecture will be held 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, March 21, at City Hall, 1565 First St., with a brief presentation in the Commission Chambers beginning at 4:30. The exhibit is free and open to the public during regular City Hall hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The City Hall Cultural Heritage Exhibit was launched in November 2022 in an effort to beautify the City Hall lobby while sharing Sarasota’s and Florida’s arts and culture history.
Courtesy image
Members of Sarasota’s Petticoat Painters whose works will be exhibited at Sarasota City Hall.
SPORTS
FAST BREAK
The Sarasota High baseball team won two games and lost one from March 3-6 to improve its record to 7-3-1. Sailors senior Blake Norman threw a complete-game shutout against Manatee in a 4-0 win, and junior Mark Metcalf had a 4-for-5 night in an 8-7 win over Palmetto in 10 innings. Senior pitcher Cesar Garmendia has led the team to a winning start with a 2-0 record, zero earned runs allowed and 27 strikeouts through 23 innings pitched.
... Three Sarasota-area wrestlers went to the state championships from March 6-9 at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee. CJ McCutcheon of Riverview had the area’s best performance, winning four matches and losing one. After losing in the semifinal round of the 215-pound weight class of the Class 3A state championships, the senior rallied to win his next two matches, finishing in third. He finished his season with a 60-12 record. Marco Virgala of Sarasota lost his first two matches in the 157-pound weight class of the 3A state championships. He ended his season with an 11-8 record. Roderick Schwartz of Booker won one match and lost two at the 1A state championships. He finished the season with an 18-7 record.
... Riverview softball pushed its record to 8-0 with four wins from March 3-10. Senior pitcher and first baseman Allison Cole continued her dominance with 42 strikeouts and no earned runs allowed across three starts. Cole also went 8 for 13 with four runs, four RBIs and a home run.
... Riverview track and field had a day to remember at the Larry Richardson Invitational at Booker High on March 7. The boys team finished third out of 11 teams and the girls team placed second out of 13 teams. Anthony Miller, a junior, set the school record for the javelin with a throw of 51.87 meters and Ella Dabringhaus, a freshman, set a school record in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:25.59.
VINNIE PORTELL STAFF WRITER
If the Cardinal Mooney softball team needs any evidence it can win a state championship one day, all it needs to do is open the state record book.
Thirty years ago, the Cougars were one of the best softball programs in Florida.
Cardinal Mooney made it to the state championship game every season from 1994 to 1998, winning state championships in ’94 and ’95.
However, girls at Cardinal Mooney eventually began gravitating to other sports, like volleyball, lacrosse and track and field. With a student body of around 500, there were few athletes to spread around.
That led to the softball team disbanding from 2013 to 2018.
After the program’s return in 2019, however, the Cougars are starting to show signs they’re on their way back to contending for championships, thanks to a few pivotal people.
A ROCKY START
Cardinal Mooney assistant softball coaches Patty Wacha and Julie Jordan know the potential of the program as well as anyone.
Wacha just missed out on winning a state championship as a member of the school’s junior varsity team as a freshman in 1995. Jordan also missed a title by one year after she transferred from Sarasota for the 1996 season.
The team finished as state runnerup each year during Wacha and Jordan’s tenure.
After going their separate ways after high school, the opportunity to revive their former softball team brought them back together in 2019.
Jordan said Bill Donivan, Cardinal Mooney’s athletic director, reached out to her to help coach the team during its first season back. Jordan, a stay-at-home mother, knew she couldn’t commit to the responsibility of being a head coach.
That led her to reach out to Wacha on Facebook for some assistance.
“When the program went away, it broke my heart,” Wacha said. “Back when I played, we were a pretty solid team and pretty well known throughout the state. So for me, being a part of bringing that program back is hard to put into words.”
Restarting the program wasn’t without its obstacles.
Cardinal Mooney had few students with any softball experience. Then, the program went through four head coaches — Shawn Donelson, Liz Chappell, Terah Guengerich and Kirsten Smith — in its first four years.
However, Wacha and Jordan stuck around to give the players some stability.
“I think the two of them are the reason it didn’t fall apart because they kept fighting for the girls and the girls knew they would still be here no matter what,” said Chappell, who returned as the team’s head coach in 2023.
Wacha and Jordan have proved to be invaluable, but their presence didn’t turn the Cougars into instant contenders.
Cardinal Mooney won just one varsity game from 2019 to 2020 and didn’t have a winning season until this past year, when it went 15-5. Without a few pivotal players in those first few seasons, that turnaround might have never happened. SETTING THE FOUNDATION Gianna Newsome had been “taunt-
“I also liked the time I got to spend with my dad because he played college baseball, so I think that was a really cool thing that we got to bond over.”
Cardinal Mooney softball turns back the clock
Two former players believe a young and talented Cougars team is nearing a full return.
ing and haunting” Donivan to bring the softball program back for twoplus years as a student at Cardinal Mooney until he finally relented during the 2018-19 school year, Chappell said.
Newsome’s time on the field was brief — she was a junior in 2019 and a senior during the COVID-shortened 2020 season — but her persistence created the possibility for players to follow her lead.
Natalie Mercadante was a freshman during the team’s first year back in 2019 and grew into a four-year player who became a team captain.
Madison Duncan was one of the team’s top hitters for all four years of her high school career from 2021-24. She hit .571 with 37 runs and 29 RBIs as a senior on last year’s team.
Caity Patterson may have the best success story. She was one of the Cougars’ top hitters and their ace when she played from 2020-23 and went on to play for Florida Gulf Coast University (2024) and Florida International University (2025).
“We’ve had a couple of key players who kept it alive for us, and that’s a really important part of building a program,” Jordan said.
A NEW ERA
With players like Newsome, Mercadante, Patterson and Duncan paving the way, Cardinal Mooney has become a viable option for area softball players.
However, Chappell said she never expected that to lead to a freshman class filled with players ready to make a big impact in 2024.
Olivia Lockhart and Ava Proffitt, two players the coaches agree have
collegiate potential, had breakout seasons last year as freshmen.
Lockhart hit .721 with 10 home runs and 52 RBIs as the team’s starting shortstop, and Proffitt hit .469 with 34 runs and 18 RBIs as the team’s starting second baseman.
Two other 2024 freshmen, Kayla Skaarup (.404 with 20 runs) and Erin Suggs (team-high 48 innings and .381 average) added some depth.
Sam Mitchell (.354 with 22 runs), who transferred to Cardinal Mooney from Sarasota Christian as a junior, is another impact player who has helped lead the team’s success.
This season, Cardinal Mooney (4-2) is putting itself to the test against tougher competition. Despite opening with losses against Sarasota and Venice, the Cougars bounced back with four straight wins.
“I think we’re getting there,” Chappell said. “Opening with Sarasota and Venice this year was hard, for sure, but I knew that we could handle being on the field with them this year. Two years ago? Absolutely not.”
Proffitt, Lockhart, Skaarup and Suggs have been at the heart of success this year, along with new help.
Freshman Isabella DeCarlo is off to a strong start, as are Michelle Will, a senior, and Katie Will, a sophomore who both transferred from Inspiration Academy.
One who knows what it takes for Cardinal Mooney to be great, likes the Cougars’ chances of returning atop the mountain of Florida prep softball.
“I know we can get back to where we were,” Wacha said. “And we’re well on our way.”
“We’ve had a couple of key players who kept it alive for us, and that’s a really important part of building a program.”
— Sommer Speers, senior, Sarasota High softball SEE PAGE 23A
Vinnie Portell Sarasota senior pitcher Cesar Garmendia hasn’t allowed an earned run through 23 innings on the mound this season.
Image courtesy of Liz Chappell
Gianna Newsome, Julie Jordan, Patty Wacha and Liz Chappell have each played crucial roles in the resurgence of Cardinal Mooney’s softball program.
Photos by Vinnie Portell
Ava Proffitt is a sophomore who has Cardinal Mooney coaches buzzing with excitement for the future.
baseman Ava Proffitt are two sophomores who the Cougars hope to build around in coming seasons.
Area basketball teams have built lasting foundations
Booker girls and Sarasota boys are set to return plenty of talent next season.
The
in the semifinal rounds.
That begs the question of when (or if) those two programs can lift a state championship trophy of their own.
BOOKER GIRLS
There’s no doubt that Booker has proven it can compete for regional championships.
The Tornadoes have made it as far as the regional final in each of the past three seasons, but have not made it past the state semifinal round.
That’s an impressive feat, and coach Ty Bryant said he thinks his team has outperformed expectations.
“I think we overachieved,” Bryant said. “I don’t think people expected us to get as far as we did. We had a 20-win season and some of the girls really stepped up and grew. They were basically playing a six- or seven-man rotation.”
Bryant has worked with what he’s been given in his five years as head coach.
This season, that meant playing a guard-heavy rotation. Booker had just one player — 6-foot-1 senior Charity McKnight — who was taller than 5-foot-10.
The Tornadoes had some talented players this season, like Yvette Brown, Brianna Behn, Jsiyah Taylor, Marayah Stuart and Kennedy Guy, but Booker was outmatched when it went to Lakeland, losing 70-39 to Melbourne Palm Bay.
Palm Bay featured Jaida Civil, a four-star prospect committed to play for the University of Tennessee and Trishay Collins, a player committed to Seton Hall.
That’s tough for any team to beat, no matter how efficient, hard working or motivated they are.
“The athleticism and their size, I mean they’re huge,” Bryant said of Palm Bay. “When we reach the state playoffs, we’re playing some of the best players in the country, not just in the state. They were tough.”
Bryant said he doesn’t think he’s going to have a player the caliber of Civil or Collins walk in the doors of Booker, and that could be a permanent roadblock in between Booker and a state title.
I’m a bit more optimistic. There’s certain logic to what Bryant thinks, but it might not take a nationally recruited player to make that difference.
Booker made it to the state semifinal round while lacking depth, height and experience. To his point, those deficits won’t be easy to overcome next season.
The Tornadoes are losing Behn (13.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per game), Taylor (11.5 points per game), McKnight and three senior role players, but there is hope.
In the past few seasons, Booker has received significant talent through transfers. Behn (Cardinal Mooney) and Guy (Riverview) transferred in before this past season while Stuart (Bayshore) transferred in two seasons ago.
Who’s to say that more transfers don’t come before next season?
Couple a transfer or two and a promising freshman or sophomore with returners like Brown, Stuart
and Guy and Booker could find itself in a similar — or better — position next year.
SARASOTA BOYS
Anyone familiar with the Sarasota boys basketball team should be excited about what took place this season despite an exit in the state semifinal.
The Sailors went 28-3 and hadn’t made it to the final four since 1968 before this past season.
They ran into a defensive-minded Windermere team and lost 59-39 in the semifinal round, but it’s hard to call this season anything but a success.
“I think you have to look back on this season as what it was. It was truly special and remarkable that a group of kids came together and truly lived up to the brick by brick mindset,” Sailors coach BJ Ivey said. “They were intentional about their work every single day, and at the end of the day they accomplished all of the goals they set for themselves.”
It doesn’t take any advanced analytics or basketball experts to see what has caused that turnaround.
Sarasota immediately became a winner when Ivey took over in the 2022-23 season and has finished with better results every year since.
The Sailors went from a 5-20 season in 2021-22 to a 21-6 team in Year 1 of Ivey, so it would be a stretch to say that they’re going to take a step back now.
Sarasota is losing some key players, though.
Senior guard Oliver Boyle (14 points and 5.6 rebounds per game) was a key cog in this year’s starting lineup, and senior guard Aaron Clark (8.1 points and 4.1 assists per game) was the team’s best distributor.
Several role players will be graduating, too, including guard Nick Tregembo and forward Harris Hawke. The loss of that leadership can’t be discounted, but Ivey emphasizes culture, and what he’s built seems sustainable.
There will be two key returners.
RETURNING STARTERS NEXT SEASON
BOOKER GIRLS
n Junior guard Yvette Brown (13.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.8 steals per game) n Junior forward Marayah Stuart (9.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 3.0 steals per game) n Junior guard Kennedy Guy (8.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.7 steals per game)
SARASOTA BOYS
n Sophomore guard Johnny Lackaff (21.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 3.1 steals per game) n David Young (12 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.9 steals per game)
guard
junior David Young should make sure the Sailors keep teams honest in the paint. Ivey isn’t counting them out from an even better season next year, and neither am I.
“Now it’s about the guys who come after this group to follow their lead and build upon what they’ve already built,” Ivey said of next season. “Obviously, to win a state championship, a lot of things have to come together and align, but I definitely don’t think that’s impossible.”
Sophomore
Johnny Lackaff led Sarasota in scoring this year, and 6-foot-6
Vinnie Portell
Sophomore Johnny Lackaff (No. 12) should be a key returner for the Sailors after leading the team in scoring this season.
Vinnie Portell is the sports reporter for the Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer. Contact him at VPortell@ YourObserver.com.
Sommer Speers
The Sarasota High softball team won three of five games during a grueling stretch from March 3-8, and senior outfielder Sommer
Speers played a crucial part of those triumphs.
Speers went 6 for 14 at the plate with two doubles, five runs, seven RBIs, four stolen bases and two walks.
She’s a slap-hitter but said she’s leaning more into her natural swing this season, and that’s helped lead to better statistics. She currently leads the Sailors in hits (13) and batting average (.565).
When and why did you start playing softball?
I think I started when I was in the fifth grade. My best friend at the time just started, and I wanted to be like her, so I started, too. I also liked the time I got to spend with my dad because he played college baseball, so I think that was a really cool thing that we got to bond over.
What’s been the most memorable part of this season so far?
We went axe throwing last week, and that was really fun. That was kind of like a let loose kind of day. We were wound up pretty tight from a long week and it was just a fun way to go into a tournament.
What’s your favorite softball memory?
I played on a 16U travel ball team and there was a tournament we were playing in. It was a late-night game, it was the day before my 16th birthday and I had a two-run home run and we won against a team we always loved playing. That was a big win and a really fun night.
What has gone right for you so far this season?
I would say I’ve been really dialed in with hitting. I’ve gone up to the plate without any stress or anything that was weighing on me.
What is your favorite meal? At home, I like tacos or anything
If you would like to make a recommendation for the Sarasota Observer’s Athlete of the Week feature, send it to Vinnie Portell at VPortell@ YourObserver.com.
Mexican. As far as restaurants, I like Mr. and Mrs. Crab. It’s this seafood boil place up in Bradenton. I get like a whole pound of crab, shrimp, potatoes and crawfish.
What’s your favorite TV show or movie?
My favorite TV shows are “Friends” and “The Office.” Movies depend on the genre, but I’d say “Ten Things I Hate About You.” It’s a really fun rom-com that I like.
Do you have a go-to warm-up song? I like listening to grunge music, like Alice in Chains and Metallica. Just kind of those straight rock bands.
If you’re not playing softball, what are you doing?
I’m at the gym or I’m at the beach with my friends. We kind of go out and do a lot of random things sometimes, but I’m usually at the gym or the beach.
What’s been your most humbling moment in softball?
Last summer with my travel team. It was the worst season I’ve ever played, and it was tough because my head coach for my travel team is an assistant coach at the college I’m going to, so that was really stressful, absolutely blowing it and him being there to watch me and coach me for the first time.
Finish this sentence. Sommer Speers is ...
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Edward Pinto is leading an effort to restore the damaged St. Armands statues to their former glory.
RESTORE AND PROTECT
DANA
KAMPA STAFF WRITER
St. Armands Circle draws visitors from all over the world for its shopping, proximity to Lido Beach and its key location as a gateway to Longboat Key. But the area also has a unique draw not exactly replicated anywhere else.
Dotted throughout the roundabout streets is an assortment of 30-some life-sized statues.
No one is more well-versed in the history of those Renaissanceinspired statues than Edward Pinto, who led the effort to install the pieces in 2007 and recently appeared before the St. Armands Residents Association to appeal for help to bring them back to their former glory.
A handful of the sculptures can be traced back to Sarasota’s star, John Ringling. Pinto pointed out these pieces while giving a walking tour of the collection extensive enough to surprise, perhaps, even longtime residents.
Those few from his collection have some visible wear, mostly occurring from their brief stay on nearby beaches, where they faced the harshest elements. Pinto said planners
already have taken measures to prevent their further degradation with a fine coating that preserves the sculptures.
Of bigger concern are some more modern pieces, particularly a handless Christopher Columbus.
He noted city officials have carried out some preservative works, though the use of steel not resistant to the ravages of salty air, burrowing lichens and other corrosive elements leaves more work to be done.
So, he is sending out the SOS to the community — Save Our Statues.
Pinto said community members can donate to the St. Armands Residents Association charitable fund to help support the work, which was jumpstarted with an anonymous $25,000 donation in September 2022.
Besides wear from natural elements, vandals have caused damage to some statues, Pinto said. Until a month ago, a headless, handless statue titled “Music” that is one of the “Seven Virtues” greeted visitors to the Circle from the south.
“There are two that were completely destroyed,” he said, the other being part of “The Four Seasons Allegory” near Monroe Drive.
The “Music” statue held many layers of meaning for the Sarasota area, particularly the importance of performing arts in its history. Ringling famously brought Czechoslovakian band music to the region, and the artists have continued to flourish in the community for decades.
Pinto recently was able to facilitate its replacement through the same studio that crafted the original, giving her a new harp in recognition of his wife’s mother’s talent.
But he’s not stopping there.
Besides repairing Columbus, Pinto is prioritizing work on Apollo and Daphne, depicting a scene in which the nymph transforms into a laurel tree to escape his grasp.
Preserving the statues inspired by Ringling’s vision has become Pinto’s lifelong passion project, one he is sharing with his son.
Photos by Dana Kampa
Edward Pinto shows the corrosive damage plaguing some of the statues.
Edward Pinto, one of the minds behind the development of St. Armands Circle’s attention-grabbing sculptures, says there is a renewed effort underway to restore some of the damaged pieces.
“Music,” one of the seven virtueinspired statues on St. Armands Circle, recently got replaced as part of efforts to revitalize the sculptures.
The handless Christopher Columbus statue
Icon Larry Greenspon lauded with international support
Hundreds came together Sunday to celebrate the legacy of the man who has encouraged compassion and unity through his philanthropy and love of tennis.
DANA KAMPA STAFF WRITER
Friends from near and far offered many words of appreciation and pride when it comes to the work of local legend Larry Greenspon to use his passion for tennis to bring people of all creeds together amid surging strife and discrimination. But at the center of it all was one sentiment: true generosity.
The hundreds of attendees at Sunday’s groundbreaking and honorary dinner commended Greenspon’s
generosity with his time, labor and financing to provide tennis centers for youths to enjoy. Members of the Israel Tennis & Education Centers and the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee shared how his support has facilitated programs to flourish.
Greenspon said at the ribbon cutting it was immensely meaningful to him to return to his roots when visiting Jerusalem, and he was inspired to bring his favorite sport to the youth.
“Through the game of tennis, lives were being changed in positive ways,” he said. “Through the game,
kids were mixing together, of all different religions. It’s teaching children to be tolerant of all people. We can do it at the federation here, too.”
After toasting to Greenspon, attendees walked to the site of the anticipated Greenspon Sports Facilities off McIntosh Road in Sarasota to lift their shovels in celebration.
Shepard Englander said, “Where we are standing right now, in four months, there will be beautiful, premium tennis courts. There will be pickleball courts, basketball courts and playing fields.
“This is all part of a dream that Larry had when we first started thinking about developing the campus and breathing life back into it.”
They then made their way indoors to a dinner honoring Greenspon at The Ora.
Co-Chairs Tom Bernstein, Ellen and Alan Goldner, Yekaterina and Eric Pressman and Ronna and Wayne Ruben organized the celebration. Eric Pressman welcomed attendees, who included a cohort of young people visiting from Israel. Part way through the presentation, they showed everyone the back of the T-shirts they were proudly proclaimed they were “Larry’s Children.”
“Thank you for everything you do for the children of Israel,” he said.
“What a great opportunity to honor our benefactor, Larry Greenspon, for everything he is doing.”
Even those who couldn’t come in person found a way to share their appreciation, offered a pre-taped thank you message from around the world.
Greenspon has a long history of charitably, recently donating $3.5 million to support building the new 32-acre facility.
Family members said they deeply appreciated the show of support for Larry.
“Through the game of tennis, lives were being changed in positive ways.”
—
Attendees dig in their shovels at an evening celebrating philanthropist Larry Greenspon and the groundbreaking of the new Greenspon Sports Facilities in Sarasota.
Larry Greenspon
Photos by Dana Kampa Larry Greenspon offers remarks on the importance of sports to uniting people and combating prejudice.
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Little shop with performers
hen you’re shopping at a Parisian-style outdoor market on a perfectly sunny and cool Saturday morning, the only thing that might be missing is some beautiful music to go with it.
Well, at Le Marche Marketplace in downtown Sarasota at Selby Five Points Park, those in attendance stopped their shop to enjoy an operatic performance from the balcony of the Sarasota Opera House across the street.
Five apprentice artists of the opera house’s Winter Festival treated onlookers on the street to a show of powerful vocal force. No microphones and the singers still cleared the annoying rumble of a garbage truck on Pineapple Avenue
According to Marco Nistico, Artistic Administrator of the Sarasota Opera House, the impromptu performances began every Saturday morning in the fall.
“People really like it,” Nistico said. “They comment all the time and I like the fact they enjoy it.”
— MICHAEL HARRIS
Judy Bryant, left, of Bradenton, and Bonnie Kissan, of Sarasota, enjoy the morning at Selby Five Points Park.
Margaret Maier Henry, Henry Horstman, center, and Matteo Adams are three of the apprentice artists of the Sarasota Opera House Winter Festival. They performed from the balcony Saturday.
Photos by Michael Harris
Dana Heppe of Dana Heppe bags displays her items at Le Marche Marketplace on Saturday at Selby Five Points Park.
From courtroom leaders to careers
Teen Court of Sarasota offers an alternative to a traditional trial, in which those ages 8 to 18 with a misdemeanor or low-level, nonviolent felony charge, can undergo a trial conducted by their peers.
However, an important part of that mission is the teen volunteers who serve in roles not limited to judges and jurors.
The organization honored its largest group of scholarship recipients at its 2025 Teen Court Living Legends Scholarship Awards Dinner on March 5 at Michael’s On East.
“They do so much for our program. They are the heartbeat of our program,” said CEO Heather Todd. “The fact that you all showed up tonight for them, it’s no surprise to me, but this is amazing ... and I cannot thank you enough.”
2025 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
■ Layla Brownell
■ Matthew Crawford
■ Erik Dyadchenko
■ Emma Grimes
She stated turnout at the event totaled 266.
According to board Chair Megan Leaf, the organization has awarded $280,000 in scholarships since 1996.
Shen Miller, a high school senior, said Teen Court was an opportunity to build skills that included public speaking, understanding the court process and listening for the opposing side of an argument.
Miller received the Lynne Strong Award, which recognized exceptional service to the organization, and plans to attend USF for its Global Business and Business Honors programs, before attending law school and practicing international law abroad.
High school senior Shailee August received the Monice Neligon award for her “unwavering belief in the power of a second chance.” She is pursuing a double major in neuroscience and molecular physics with a minor in criminal justice.
“It’s just such an honor,” August told the Observer. “I’ve seen people grow and redeem themselves and constantly shift and morph into better people throughout all these four years, and it’s so nice to feel honored in this way, and I hope that every-
■ Shen Miller
■ Elias Juckett-Malone
■ Emily Fung
■ Angus Kirby
■ Ava Michalopoulos
■ Parker Wilding
■ Marisa VonBender
■ Amari Lopez
■ Anais Zambaux
■ Mackenzie Stencik
■ Alexa Smith
■ Chase Wanless
■ Ella Collier
■ Shailee August
one else who went through the Teen Court program feels just as honored as I do right now, too, because everyone really deserves it ... and I hope that if anyone hasn’t had the opportunity to experience a Teen Court session or meet the people here, that they will soon, because it’s such an amazing program.”
The dinner highlighted the contributions of individuals in the community, including Debbie Gigliotti and former senator and former Supervisor of Elections for Manatee County, Mike Bennett.
Ian Swaby Tal August, his daughter, Shailee August, a senior who was honored, and wife, Inbal August
Pure delight at Purim Carnival
MICHAEL HARRIS MANAGING EDITOR
You don’t have to convince the little ones to go to a celebration where they can dress up in costume, bounce on trampolines, play games and devour cookies.
Mention any one of the above and the answer will be a resounding “Yes.”
Sunday’s Purim Carnival at Temple Emanu-El in Sarasota had everything kids could want on a perfect morning, that even included a Sarasota County fire truck and Sheriff’s Department cruiser tours.
“It is an ancient holiday of a celebration where you tell the story of Queen Esther and Mordecai from Bible, and it’s a time of costumes, cookies and all kinds of revelries here,” Rabbi Brenner Glickman said. “We all grew up with it, and it’s great to give to our children these same memories that people so far from our childhood have experienced.”
One of those adults who grew up at Temple Emanu-El Religious School and now volunteers at Sunday school is Liann Bryant. She runs the full experience that Temple Emanu-El offers.
“I started with pre-school. I had my bar mitzvah here, and been confirmed here,” said Bryant, who spent part of her Sunday painting the nails of some of the girls at the carnival.
“Later, I was married here. I always try to do as much as I can here and usually it’s related to Sunday School.”
Giving back and getting together is the ultimate goal, according to Rabbi Michael Shefrin, especially with the turnout of approximately 200.
“It’s a great turnout with multiple generations here,” he said. “Kids are having a blast, the parents are enjoying themselves.”
Photos by Michael Harris
Ken Simon, left, and Eric Rodarte were cooking and serving up hamburgers and hot dogs Sunday at Temple Emanu-El.
Alie Jefferson, left, playing the part of King Achashverosh, and Naomi Hinckley, as the advisor perform during the Purim play Sunday at Temple Emanu-El.
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Honoring Sarasota’s roots
A new historical marker at Gillespie Park honors legacy of Sarasota’s first mayor, John Hamilton Gillespie.
IF YOU GO
hen a group of Scots arrived in Sarasota in 1885, they were met not with the platted town the sales pamphlets had promised, but instead a vast wilderness.
Although many colonists gradually left in discouragement, in 1886, the Florida Mortgage and Investment Company sent John Hamilton Gillespie, the son of the company’s owner Sir John Gillespie, to complete the project. Gillespie came to be known as the “father of Sarasota,” serving as its first mayor, and in 1924, developer Owen Burns donated the land to create Gillespie Park in his honor. Gillespie’s legacy, and the park, were honored with a new historical marker, which Sarasota County dedicated on March 7.
The Sarasota County Historical
Commission recommended establishing the marker, and the Gillespie Park Neighborhood Association supported its creation.
“The dedication of this marker is an opportunity to honor John Hamilton Gillespie’s contributions to Sarasota and to celebrate the enduring spirit of the community he helped build,” said Dr. Renee Di Pilato, director of libraries and historical resources, in a media release. Gillespie’s contributions include establishing early infrastructure in Sarasota, introducing golf to Florida, helping to found Church of the Redeemer and contributing to city landmarks, including the DeSoto Hotel.
SARASOTA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
The time is now. Let’s take this defining moment and show the world that Sarasota believes in the power of the arts to transform lives. Learn more at:
On March 17, the Sarasota City Commission will make a decision that will define our city for generations. The vote will determine whether we move forward with a worldclass performing arts center — one that captures Sarasota’s vibrancy and artistic vision. Will we embrace this chance to elevate our community and celebrate our creative spirit?
71% of respondents support the project
The Sarasota Performing Arts Center is a strategic investment in economic growth, cultural vitality, and community resilience. A recent countywide survey showed that 71% of respondents support the project, recognizing its far-reaching benefits. More than just a venue, it will drive economic activity, strengthen Sarasota’s status as an arts destination, and enrich the lives of residents and visitors alike.
A 50/50 PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP
This new center is a collaboration between the City of Sarasota and the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation. Under this agreement, the City will own the building, while the Foundation will oversee its design and construction, raise 50% of the building, and manage operations once completed.
In 2020, Sarasota and Sarasota County established a special taxing district to revitalize The Bay Park and support this state-of-the-art cultural anchor. Tax Increment Financing (TIF) ensures that rising property values fund the project — without increasing taxes. Revenue projections have already surpassed expectations by $210 million. The new center will generate $194 million annually, 68% more than the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, while creating 1,550 jobs and attracting 500,000 visitors each year.
A LEGACY OF COMMUNITY AND VISION
Beyond the numbers, this is about who we are as a community. The Sarasota Performing Arts Center will be a place where families gather, where students discover their passions, and where our city comes together. It’s a legacy project, one that will inspire, educate, and unite us. We are deeply grateful to every individual, organization, and civic leader who has contributed to this journey. From those who shaped the Bayfront 20:20 vision to the City of Sarasota, Sarasota County, The Bay Park Conservancy, the Van Wezel Hall, and the countless donors and supporters who believe in the power of the arts to transform communities — this progress is only possible because of you.
A VISION FOR SARASOTA: ARTS, GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY
Jennifer Lackland, copresident of the women’s association and event coordinator, said 100% of the proceeds go to the rescue.
“Last time, when we did it two years ago, we made over $4,000,” she said. “Today, before people even showed up, we had over $9,000 worth of sponsorships.”
About 30 dogs paraded down the catwalk in a friendly competition for the best trick, best costume and biggest diva.
— DANA KAMPA
Photos by Dana Kampa
Pembroke Welsh corgis Penny and Oliver get an early start celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with handler Lana Berry.
Emily Huynh, volunteering at the dog show with Sarasota Military Academy Prep, takes a moment to hold a puppy.
Carole Stone
The Titans of Wealth: From 19th Century Moguls to Today’s Tech Billionaires
Though many of us don’t want to acknowledge it, the pursuit of wealth is an important part of what defines the American experience. The last 150 years have generated the greatest production of wealth in the United States, unparalleled anywhere else in the world.
On Thursday, April 10th University of Texas History Professor Jeremi Suri will present Wealth in America, as he examines the lives and careers of some of the most important men who launched the American economy. A small group of individuals drove this wealth-creation, who went on to benefit in remarkable ways that are hard for the rest of us to even imagine.
The presentation will trace the careers of some of the most celebrated (and sometimes despised) men who expanded the American economy and became super-rich. In fact, the individuals Professor Suri will discuss created sums of money that even the phrase superrich do not do justice! The focus will be primarily on Cornelius Vanderbilt, Andrew Carnegie, and John Rockefeller, comparing their remarkable drive and ingenuity as well as their often-questionable behavior. Participants come to understand their actions, their risk-taking, and even their values. Professor Suri will assess both their contributions and their crimes.
Cornelius Vanderbilt was a self-made multi-millionaire who became one of the wealthiest Americans of the 19th century. After working on various steamships, Vanderbilt went into business for himself in the late 1820s, and eventually became one of the country’s largest steamship operators. In the 1860s, he shifted his focus to the railroad industry, where he built a far larger intercontinental empire and helped make railroad transportation more efficient, often to the detriment of other operators. He was the richest man in America when he died, but his wealth was soon eclipsed by someone else.
Andrew Carnegie made his fortune in the steel industry and controlled the most extensive integrated iron and steel operations ever owned by a single individual in the United States. He perfected the cheap and efficient mass production of steel by adopting and adapting the Bessemer process, which allowed the high carbon content of iron to be burnt away in a controlled and rapid way during steel production. Steel prices dropped as a result, and his steel was rapidly adopted for railways. In addition, Carnegie vertically integrated the entire industry. He came to own nearly a dozen different large steel companies, and then combined his assets and those of his associates in 1892 with the launching of the Carnegie Steel Company.
Carnegie spent his last years as a philanthropist and is often credited with developing the very concept of philanthropy to levels never even considered previously. He had written about his views on social subjects and the responsibilities of great wealth in an 1889 book titled The Gospel of Wealth, devoted the rest of his life to providing capital for purposes of public interest and social and educational advancement. He is best known for building Carnegie Hall in New York as well as the establishment of nearly 3,000 public libraries throughout the United States, Britain, Canada, and New Zealand, Professor Suri will then turn to the life of John D. Rockefeller, one of the wealthiest Americans of all time in fact one of the richest people in modern history. Beginning at age 20, he concentrates his business on oil refining. and eventually founded the Standard Oil Company in 1870. He ran it until 1897 and in retirement focused his energy and wealth on philanthropy as Carnegie had, but focusing instead on higher education and medicine.
The final section on of the presentation will focus on three modern ultra wealthy individuals: Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk. We will also see how earlier generations influenced these recent moguls. The presentation will conclude with some reflections on the historical role of wealth in our democracy.
This is your last chance to experience insights from one of the nation’s leading historians. Dive deep into American history as our expert speaker brings the past to life with captivating stories and fresh perspectives. Don’t miss out!
THURSDAY | APR. 10
JEREMI SURI University of Texas
Art in the Park
March 15 & March 16, 2025
10 AM - 5 PM
RAIN OR SHINE | OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FREE ADMISSION & PARKING
Art in the Park is a celebration of the fine art created in the University Park community. Over 170 pieces of art by 60+ artists will be on exhibit and for sale.
Visit ArtintheParkUPCC.com to find out more about the show!
7671 THE PARK BOULEVARD UNIVERSITY PARK FL 34201
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Honoring our youth
Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties celebrates 2025 Youth of the Year.
When it came to picking the Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties’ Youth of the Year, the judges did not have an easy task. Their job involved choosing among five finalists with accomplishment-packed resumes and video interviews.
President and CEO Bill Sadlo announced the winner at the club’s Youth of the Year celebration on March 7 to thunderous applause as Ava M. made her way to the podium to address the crowd of about 230 people at the Lee Wetherington Club.
“I’m happy to announce that I will be attending West Point Military Academy after my Pine View School graduation in May,” said Ava.
Finalists Angel V., Ava M., Liam D., Nazaria D., and Sophie B. mingled with guests, played cornhole and took photos during the cocktail reception prior to the announcement.
Mostly clad in denim, cowboy hats, boots, bandanas and flannel shirts to beat the chilly air, guests enjoyed a catered Gecko’s barbecue buffet and country music.
Longtime club supporters Steve and Marjolaine Townsend are both the first in their families to attend and graduate from college and said they pledge to help as many students as possible.
“Between Connecticut and Florida, we have put 550 students through their freshman and sophomore years of college. It is our life passion to help young people achieve their dream,” said Steve Townsend. This year, the couple awarded 30 scholarships that cover the first two years of college to kids at Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties.
The 2018 Youth of the Year winner, Rickey Tedesco, said he is an example of the impact Boys and Girls Clubs can have. Often bullied at school and having his car vandalized multiple times, Tedesco went on to win the Florida Youth of the Year and is now a working dancer, singer, actor and musician.
“I was a member of the Robert and Joan Lee Boys and Girls Club in Venice,” Tedesco said. “The club was my safe space, and I want students to know that through this club and the support I received, I could achieve anything that I was willing to work hard for.”
Tedesco, who has performed with the West Coast Black Theatre Troupe, brought the evening to a close as he performed a song from the movie “The Notebook,” which was met with a standing ovation.
DOGPerfect, proudly locally owned with locations in Sarasota, University Park, and Lakewood Ranch, offers personalized nutrition consultations.
Visit DOGPerfect.com to learn more and book a FREE nutrition consult!
JANET COMBS
Photos by Janet Combs
Bill and Robyn Sadlo with Mya and Jason Zoracki
2025 Youth of the Year Ava M. with President and CEO Bill Sadlo
A Nokomis home tops sales at $4.25 million
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
Andrea and Scott Blackwell sold their home at 2509 Bayshore Road to John and Kristin LaRocca, of Ambler, Pennsylvania, for $4.25 million. Built in 2016, it has five bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 4,575 square feet of living area.
SARASOTA
BAYSO SARASOTA
AKDG Investments LLC sold the Unit 1406 condominium at 301 Quay Commons to RDAB LLC for $1.5 million. Built in 2023, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,766 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,176,000 in 2023.
PINE SHORES ESTATES
Stephen Jaekel, of Sarasota, and Julie Jaekel, of Tallahassee, sold their home at 6426 Hollywood Blvd. to Kyle Silvestro, of Sarasota, for $1.45 million. Built in 1967, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,732 square feet of living area.
Ward Harris Patton III and Ruth Ann Lovelace, of Waynesville, North Carolina, sold their home at 6227 Elmwood Ave. to Lucy Holt, of Sarasota, for $549,000. Built in 1980, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,113 square feet of living area. It sold for $154,500 in 2009.
THE STRAND OF SARASOTA
Richard Scott Miswald, trustee of Sarasota, sold the Units A414 and A415 condominiums at 1709 N. Tamiami Trail to Aubrey and Kandy Ryan, of Sarasota, for $1.07 million. Built in 2022, it has two bedrooms, three baths and 1,728 square feet of living area. It sold for $775,800 in 2022.
GRANADA
Pamela Workman, trustee, of New York City, sold the home at 3521 Flores Ave. to 3521 Flores Ave LLC for $1,025,000. Built in 1954, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,156 square feet of living area. It sold for $510,000 in 2019.
5TH AND CENTRAL
Gary and Antoniela Hopkins, trustees, sold the Unit 205 condominium at 429 Central Ave. to Larry Anstine, trustee, of Sarasota, for $1 million. Built in 2008, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 1,874 square feet of living area. It sold for $663,000 in 2021.
SARASOTA BAY CLUB
Sarasota Bay Club LLC sold the Unit 106 condominium at 1301 Tamiami Trail to Tamra Shankman and Robert Mattia, of Sarasota, for $995,000. Built in 2000, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,546 square feet of living area. It sold for $612,000 in 2017.
RENAISSANCE
Michael Karl Greenseid, of Ponte Vedra Beach, sold his Unit PH-06 condominium at 750 N. Tamiami
Trail to Alan Kohn and Randi Kohn, trustees of Winnetka, Illinois, for $900,000. Built in 2001, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,360 square feet of living area. It sold for $617,500 in 2021.
Irmtraud Villari and Gunther Lesjak, of Austria, sold their Unit 1003 condominium at 750 N. Tamiami Trail to Doris Seta Mugrditchian, trustee, of Sarasota, for $675,000. Built in 2001, it has one bedroom, one bath and 970 square feet of living area. It sold for $280,000 in 2001.
THE BOATYARD
Victor Lametti, of Sedona, Arizona, sold his Unit 504 condominium at 1544 Stickney Point Road to Dick Oscar Fuster and Wendy Fuster, of Sarasota, for $880,000. Built in 1982, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,270 square feet of living area. It sold for $447,000 in 2012.
GULF GATE EAST
Steven and Susan Senn sold their home at 6609 Waterford Lane to Sarah Fuller and Russell Tatum, of Sarasota, for $684,500. Built in 1980, it has three bedrooms, twoand-a-half baths, a pool and 1,845 square feet of living area. It sold for $354,000 in 2019.
Patricia Demos sold the home at 3625 Kingston Blvd. to Ellen Lawlor, of Sarasota, for $525,000. Built in 1980, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,811 square feet of living area. It sold for $92,700 in 1989.
GULF GATE WOODS
Bonnie Lynn Rumbold, of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, sold the home at 7331 Biltmore Drive to Maxwell Peterson, of Sarasota, for $680,000. Built in 1972, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,826 square feet of living area. It sold for $350,000 in 2021.
HUNTINGTON POINTE
Janet Jorgensen, of Grovetown, Georgia, sold the home at 8956 Huntington Pointe Drive to Ernest Bart McDougal and Olga McDougal, of Sarasota, for $675,000. Built in 1994, it has three bedrooms, twoand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,539 square feet of living area. It sold for $419,000 in 2015.
PHILLIPPI LANDINGS
Jeffrey Hutton, of Ontario, Canada, sold his Unit 802 condominium at
TOP BUILDING PERMITS
5531 Cannes Circle to Rafael Berrios and Maria De Lourdes Berrios, of Sarasota, for $675,000. Built in 2006, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,706 square feet of living area. It sold for $450,000 in 2013.
FOREST HILLS
Malika Ammari and Robert Levan sold their home at 2633 Marlette St. to Daniel and Cheryl Kusz, of Akron, New York, for $659,000. Built in 1976, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 1,707 square feet of living area. It sold for $148,800 in 2002.
ONLINE
See more transactions at YourObserver.com
Other top sales by area
SARASOTA: $1.65 MILLION
Southpointe Shores
June Howell, of Sarasota, sold the home at 1750 Southpointe Drive to Johannes Mayr, of Sarasota, for $1.65 million. Built in 1967, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,743 square feet of living area. It sold for $410,000 in 1994.
SIESTA KEY: $3.85 MILLION
Hidden Harbor
Glen Smyth III and Cynthia Smyth, trustees, sold the home at 1290 Hidden Harbor Way to Dynan Construction LLC for $3.85 million. Built in 1969, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 2,647 square feet of living area. It sold for $405,000 in 1986.
PALMER RANCH: $1,075,000
Esplanade on Palmer Ranch
Ruth Wade, trustee of North Adams, Massachusetts, sold the home at 5473 Manchini St. to Kevin and Laurie Lemack, of Sarasota, for $1,075,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,343 square feet of living area. It sold for $738,200 in 2018.
OSPREY: $3,916,000
Oaks
Eric Smith Jr. and Sarah Powell-Smith, of Osprey, sold two properties at 601 Fernwalk Lane to Fernwalk Investments LLC for $3,916,000. The first property was built in 1986 and has three bedrooms, fourand-a-half baths, a pool and 4,621 square feet of living area. The second property was built in 1997 and has one bedroom, one bath and 832 square feet of living area. They sold for $700,000 in 2021.
Ian Swaby
The home at 1750 Southpointe Drive was built in 1967 and has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,743 square feet of living area.
How to Make Florida Your Legal Residence
Join Us for an Informational Seminar
There are many misconceptions about establishing residency and even more ways to create ties to Florida that people don’t know about. Our team hosts seminars November through March, free of charge, to further explore these strategies and more. Join us to learn the facts you need to know about making Florida your legal residence.
Scan the QR code or visit our website for our full list of seminar dates and times, or call 941-364-4558 to reserve your spot.
The Buskey McGinty Group Private Wealth Management
PLEIN AIR PAINTING AT THE BAY: KATIE DOBSON CUNDIFF
10-11 a.m. at The Nest, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Presented in partnership with Art Center Sarasota, this class teaches “plein air,” or “painting in the open air,” in the environment of The Bay. Local artist Katie Dobson Cundiff leads participants as they paint the park’s coastal settings and architectural structures. Basic student-grade supplies are provided free for beginners. More experienced artists must bring their own materials. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.
SATURDAY, MARCH 15
FAMILY ART MAKING
10 a.m. at John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Road. Free, but online reservation is required. Visit the Ringling Museum for these sessions featuring creative art projects inspired by objects in the museum collections. Museum admission is included in conjunction with the programs. Walk-in families with children 18 and younger are welcome as space allows. Visit Ringling.org.
TEEN STEAM: PAPER
ELECTRONICS FOR BEGINNERS
11 a.m. to noon at Gulf Gate Library, 7112 Curtiss Ave. Free. In this onehour workshop, discover how to create circuits using simple materials like copper tape, LEDs and paper. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket. com.
MONDAY, MARCH 17
SHELLS AND SHARK TEETH
1:30-2:30 p.m. at Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Library, 2801 Newtown Blvd. Free, but registration is required. For ages 12 and older. Join a UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County educator for education and crafting featuring local seashells. Learn about the animals that create seashells and the process that leads to fossilized shark’s teeth and make your own piece of jewelry. Space is limited to 12 participants. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.
THURSDAY, MARCH 18
MEET THE PUPS
BEST BET FRIDAY, MARCH 14 TO SUNDAY, MARCH 23
SARASOTA COUNTY FAIR
Various times (Gates open at 5 p.m. on Friday.) at Sarasota Fairgrounds, 3000 Ringling Blvd. Ages 13 and up, $12 at gate, $10 online; ages 6-12, $6 at gate, $5 online; senior citizens (55 and older) $6; military, $6; children (5 and younger) free; $2 Tuesday features admission, rides and food specials all for $2. The Sarasota County Fair offers rides, food and livestock exhibits, with live entertainment included in the price of admission every day. Visit SarasotaFair.com.
Jack O’Reilly, 3, Benny O’Reilly, 6, Sarah
THURSDAY, MARCH 20
UKRAINIAN VOICES: VOLUNTEERING IN UKRAINE
2-4 p.m. Selby Library, 1331 First St. Free. In this illustrated talk, photographer and artist Tania Vitvitsky reports on her recent working visit to Ukraine, discussing how ordinary Ukrainians are coping with war creatively and positively through self-help groups, cultural projects, cooking, volunteering and more and highlighting both civic groups and religious communities. The talk is followed by a Q&A. For information, email Anisa.Mycak@gmail.com.
4-5 p.m. at Selby Library, 1331 First St. Free. Meet therapy dogs and their owners, and enjoy the benefits of spending time with therapy pets. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket. com.
File image
O’Reilly, 3, and Lane O’Reilly, 12
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WANTED: Vintage/collector cars for cash purchase. Will buy 1 or a collection. (941) 993-4060
Jaffe- 50 years in biz, 3rd generation, new Sarasota resident. Other luxury timepieces available. GIA certi ed diamonds over 1 carat to 15 carats, very competitively priced! All calls returned, all questions answered!
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EDWARD
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To be considered for this position, submit a resume online at: careers.edwardjones.com
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SARASOTA PARADISE HAS ARRIVED!
Watch your soccer club grow from a USL League Two team in 2025 to a professional USL League One team in 2026. Join us at our new home, the Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch. Get your tickets now for the 2025 season (May-July) and follow our journey to the pros! Sarasota Paradise will be the heart of our community, shining on the field and developing players for the global stage. We’re committed to a great game-day experience, hospitality, and making a positive impact. Our values will unite Sarasota, create pathways for youth to go pro, and represent our city worldwide.
