On March 28, nearly 350 community members turned out for All Faiths Food Bank’s Walk to End Summer Hunger, held at Riverview High School, to raise money and kick off its annual Campaign Against Summer Hunger.
This year, the campaign will receive a $1 million match, funded annually by the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation and Gulf Coast Community Foundation since the campaign’s inception. As the walk began, students from area schools, including Booker Middle, where campaign Chair LaShawn Frost was principal for nearly 14 years, cut the ribbon.
Witness to tradition
Father Charleston Wilson serves as rector of downtown’s Church of the Redeemer. But on March 25, he helped facilitate global ties for the church, a member of the Anglican Communion.
Wilson traveled to Canterbury, England, for the enthronement of the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, at Canterbury Cathedral.
Taking place on the Feast of the Annunciation, the occasion symbolized the start of ministry of the archbishop, who serves as the senior bishop in the Church of England. The service was attended by leaders of the Anglican Communion, including William, Prince of Wales.
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Courtesy image Maria Peredes pushes Melanie Peredes in a stroller.
Courtesy image
Father Charleston Wilson visits Canterbury Cathedral.
WEEK OF APRIL 2, 2026
BY THE NUMBERS
6
20
n Sarasota City Commission regular meeting — 9 a.m., Monday, April 6, Commission Chambers, City Hall, 1565 First St. n Sarasota County Commission regular meeting — 9 a.m., Tuesday, April 7, South County Administration Building, 4000 S, Tamiami Trail, Venice
n Sarasota Planning Board regular meeting — 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 8, Commission Chambers, City Hall, 1565 First St.
“I feel like I’ve got one more big adventure in me.”
First parallel Legacy Trail section opens
For a 1.5-mile stretch of Legacy Trail, with more to come, walkers and joggers may now more peacefully coexist with bicycles, scooters, roller bladers and operators of other wheeled means of conveyance.
On March 31, Sarasota County cut the ribbon on the first phase of bifurcated trail, a parallel, 6-foot-wide strip of asphalt designated for pedestrian users. The project is funded through a grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Recreational Trails
Program, with matching funds from Sarasota Friends of the Legacy Trail and Sarasota-Manatee Bicycle Club.
The parallel trail runs between Shade Avenue and Beneva Road, where an extension now crosses at South Beneva Road to the north across Fruitville Road to Circus Trail.
It now terminates just south of the entrance to Bobby Jones Golf Club.
From there, a city project would continue the trail into Bobby Jones to the adjacent
nature park and to the county’s 17th Street Regional Park.
Sections of Legacy Trail between downtown Sarasota and the Palmer Ranch area were designed with additional width to accommodate bifurcating in some of the busiest sections.
Phase 1 is part of a 4.18-mile widening project financed by $400,000 in grants, $497,000 in grant-matching money, $117,000 in impact fee revenue and $320,000 in private donations.
Main Street Italian restaurant closes
A restaurant that has been a mainstay on Main Street in Sarasota for decades has closed. Bravo’s Pizzeria & Italian Eatery is no longer in business as of March 31.
“It is time for me to enjoy my golden years,” says a note posted on the door, signed by Bravo’s owner Antonio Giacinto.
As reported in the Business Observer, a sister publication to the Sarasota Observer, Bravo’s opened in 1998, according to its website. It is next to the Hollywood 11 movie theater near the intersection of Main Street and U.S. 301.
“It has been my pleasure to serve you for the past 30 years, and appreciate your support,” Giacinto wrote in his note. “Thank you for understanding. New things are coming.”
SCSO arrests two in illegal gambling raid
A Sarasota County business was shut down and two employees arrested after a months-long investigation into illegal gambling operations countywide. Spin 24/7 Social Club at 5709 S. Beneva Road has been closed following a probe by the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office that also netted 66 slot machines. Mohamed Belyaquot, 52, of Bradenton and Mabielka C. Cumbrera, 45, of Sarasota, have been charged with keeping and maintaining a gambling house and possession of slot machines.
Belyaquot was arrested March 26 at the club and released the following day after posting $300 bond, according to SCSO records. Cumbrera was taken into custody on March 27 at her home in Sarasota and released the same day after also posting $300 bond. The Sheriff ’s Office has been investigating illegal gambling casinos around Sarasota County since early 2025, and the Beneva Road business had already been put on notice. In March 2025, detectives say they served Spin 24/7 with a cease-and-desist letter and observed rows of slot machines inside during their visit.
Photo by Andrew Warfield
Sarasota County has completed the first bifurcated section of Legacy Trail.
TOAST OF THE TOWN
Karie Friling puts off early Florida retirement for a new ‘adventure’ as Sarasota city manager.
Karie Friling had it all planned out. After threeplus decades of public service in the Chicago area, she would retire and move to Florida.
The Florida Keys, to be precise.
The plan was no secret to her coworkers, even back to her stint as assistant village manager of Orland Park, Illinois, where she worked from 2006 to 2019. With four now-grown daughters, in a few years she and her husband, Darrell, would perhaps settle on Islamorada, where she would take a morning-shift waitressing job, serving breakfast and chatting with fishermen before they head out for their catch, then spend her afternoons as she pleased.
“That was my vision, so when I left Orland Park, they got me an apron and they all signed their names on it,” she said of the staff. “I have it hanging in my office right now, and I’m bringing it down there when I come.”
At age 55, her intended retirement age of 58 is now postponed to well into the future as she comes to Florida earlier than expected, and in a capacity she never foresaw. Rather than fishermen, she will serve the residents of Sarasota as she begins her new job as city manager on May 29, almost exactly 32 years to the date of starting her career in local government as an intern in her hometown of Peoria, Illinois.
“May 31 of 1994 was my first day of work at the city of Peoria in my hometown, where I graduated high school, and I was able to stay there and work my way up to being their economic development director,” Friling said. “It was an honor to be able to serve my hometown, and I will be officially leaving Illinois 32 years from that date.
“Things happen for a reason. I believe very strongly in that.”
What “happened” was a surprise contact from recruiter Warren Hutmacher of Sumter Local Government Consulting with an invitation to apply for the position. Content as executive director of Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, Illinois, her board had been aware of her retirement plans in three years.
“I thought ‘No way! Sarasota city manager?’” Friling said. “I really intended to be here three more years with my current board, and I had already announced that I would be retiring then. We had already started planning succession and what that would look like. And then, lo and behold, Sarasota came across my desk.”
Now there is no reason to retire to Florida so soon, she said, because she will already be here. And if she were still planning to retire in three years, “I would have never applied for the job.”
“This was always her dream to get to Florida,” said Jill Hodge, a close friend who worked with Friling in Orland Park. “That was thinking more toward retirement, but when this opportunity came along, she said, ‘You know, this is the perfect opportunity.’ So she just went for it. She’s a go-getter. As really sad as I am, I’m going to be making plenty of visits to see her, and I know she’s going to be great.”
FRIENDS AND FAMILY
Friling is no stranger to Florida or Sarasota. She has visited the city and Gulf Coast region many times. Her parents once owned a home in Fort Myers. She has a brother who lives in Florida. One of her best friends
KARIE
FRILING AT A GLANCE CAREER
Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, Illinois
■ Executive director, 2021-present
Village of Homer Glen, Illinois
■ Village manager, 2019-2021
Village of Orland Park, Illinois
■ Assistant village manager and development services director, 2006-2019
City of Peoria, Illinois
■ Economic development and budget leadership, 1994-2005
EDUCATION
■ Master of Public Administration, Southern Illinois University
■ Bachelor of Arts, Western Illinois University
FAMILY
■ Husband, Darrell; daughters Abi, Josie, Rachel and Grace.
moved to the Tampa area a decade ago. One of her twin daughters, Josie, 23, works for Disney World, and her twin sister, Rachel, is finishing her degree at Columbia University and might also work at Disney, Friling said.
Her oldest daughter, 32-year-old Abi, lives and works in the Chicago area, and 19-year-old Grace is a freshman at University of Michigan.
As recently minted empty nesters, Karie and Darrell are positioned for a change of venue.
“I don’t know if you call it fate or serendipity, but there’s a reason I was sitting before the (City Commission) in February,” Friling said. “It wasn’t because I was looking for a job. I love where I work now. I have had a very, very blessed career here.”
That career included working under former Orland Park Village Manager Paul Grimes, who is now the city manager of McKinney, Texas. Grimes, who has known Friling since 2008, said Sarasota is getting a “strong leader.”
“She has a dynamic personality. She’s very charismatic and she’s very disarming,” said Grimes. “She has a lot of experience and knows development, knows how to deal with people. She knows how communities work, the hot buttons, and how to deal with the issues.”
At more than 58,000, Orland Park, where Friling was assistant village manager and development services director, has a population similar to Sarasota. As Homer Glen village manager, she led a government serving about 24,500 people. As executive director of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, she leads a public agency of a county of 950,000 and a $150 million budget. It has more than 500 employees, 1,000 volunteers, seven community centers, three golf courses, and 26,500 preserved acres.
“That’s a forest preserve district that’s all about trying to preserve the quality of life in a community,” said Grimes. “Her experience with the
“I don’t know if you call it fate or serendipity, but there’s a reason I was sitting before the (City Commission) in February. It wasn’t because I was looking for a job. I love where I work now. I have had a very, very blessed career here.”
— Karie Friling
forest preserve will help the folks in Sarasota have some assurance that she knows a something about how to preserve those things that make communities unique.”
Friling leaves behind not only decades of public service in Illinois, but also lifelong relationships.
“They used to call her department the happy place because nobody left,” Hodge said. “Everybody stayed because she created such a warm environment.”
NO ‘HOW WE DO
THINGS UP THERE’
Between now and the end of May, Friling said she has one foot in Illinois and the other in Sarasota and is trying to stretch as far as she can. In between closing the books on one job and studying for the next, she’s also busy making plans for daughter Rachel’s May 17 college graduation.
She will bring with her government experience, but not the “how we do things up there” mindset.
“I don’t come with any preconceived notions,” Friling said. “I come with a very open door and wanting to keep my mouth shut and listen. I’m not going to come into a community that I do not know and I’ve only seen in my previous life as a tourist, and tell you what you need. That’s not my job as a city manager. My job is to help the board that’s been elected by the residents make well-informed, good decisions.
“When I can facilitate that and bring my expertise to the table to do those things, then I am doing what they hired me to do.”
In the interim, serving breakfast in the Florida Keys can wait. Somewhere in the city manager’s office is a wall waiting to be adorned by her autographed apron.
Although sad her friend is moving, Hodge said she is excited for Friling’s next phase.
“They’re very lucky to have her,” she said of Sarasota.
For Friling, the opportunity represents an optimal way to cap a career in what she calls a noble profession.
“I feel like I’ve got one more big adventure in me,” she said.
SPEAKING UP
In addition to being what former colleagues describe as having a dynamic, loyal and kind personality, Karie Friling is also recognized as an accomplished public speaker. She is a member of Toastmasters International, a global nonprofit educational organization that helps individuals improve their communications, public speaking and leadership skills.
“She’s a is a wonderful public speaker,” said friend and former co-worker Jill Hodge. “As a Toastmaster, she’s really honed her skills over the years. One of her great strengths to public speaking. She is very gifted.” More than an accomplished communicator, Hodge said of Friling, “She’s loyal and merciful and kind. But you never want to mistake her kindness for weakness. She’s a tough cookie. She’s a master negotiator. She’s got this real gentle, kind way, but when she’s in an office and dealing with some tough business people trying to work a deal, she doesn’t back down.”
Karie Friling meets with Sarasota community members during the open house portion of the immersive two-day interview process with four other finalists for the city manager position.
Image courtesy of city of Sarasota
Courtesy images
Newly named Sarasota City Manager Karie Friling discusses the site plan for the new DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center in her current role as executive director of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, Illinois.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
Police Department swears in new officers
istration from Ashford University.
former professional baseball pitcher, a U.S. Coast Guard officer, U.S. Army veteran and the daughter of a pair of retired Sarasota police captains are among the most recent class of newly sworn officers of the Sarasota Police Department.
During the March 27 swearing-in and badge-pinning ceremony, Chief Rex Troche and Capt. Rob Armstrong introduced the six new officers following the nearly yearlong process that includes a five-month criminal justice academy program and 13 weeks of agency-specific training.
“I’d like to take this time to thank all the families for coming here today and raising such great individuals,” Troche said. “We’re very lucky to be bringing them into our SPD family.”
The new officers will now spend several weeks on patrol with a field training officer. They are:
n Officer Eric Coley, a 2021 graduate of Syracuse University, where he played defensive back for the football program. His goal is to become a SWAT team member and part of the Marine Patrol Unit.
n Officer Drew Ferguson, a Sarasota native who earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice at University of Central Florida. From 2018 to 2025, he served in the U.S. Coast Guard as a boarding officer. His law enforcement goal is to become a detective.
n Officer Noah Green, who served in the U.S. Army from 2017 to 2021 as a cavalry scout. From 2022 to 2025, he was a patrol deputy for the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. His goal is to become a field training officer and a member of the SWAT team.
n Officer Olivia Ledwith, a Sarasota native whose parents, Patrick Ledwith and Corey Stanish are both retired SPD captains, Stanish the agency’s first female captain. She earned her bachelor’s degree in science with a major in finance at University of South Florida, grew up admiring her law enforcement parents and would like to join the Criminal Investigations Division.
n Officer Jason Creasy, who spent 13 minor-league baseball seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks and Atlanta Braves as a right-handed pitcher. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business admin-
n Officer Benjamin Newman whose wife, Angie Roberts, is a crime analyst at SPD. His father, David Newman, is a retired deputy in Ohio. Newman began his career in Granville, Ohio, in 2011 and in 2020, was promoted to sergeant at the Clinton Township Police Department. His interests include training, leadership development and advancements in law enforcement technologies.
Image courtesy of Sarasota Police Department
Drew Ferguson, Jason Creasy, Noah Green, Benjamin Newman, Olivia Ledwith and Eric Coley are the newest sworn officers of the Sarasota Police Department.
Citywide speed limits set at 20 miles per hour on local streets
Study finds a lot of traffic isn’t moving that fast on neighborhood streets. Still, new signs will go up, and warnings will precede citations as changes are made.
ANDREW WARFIELD
s part of the Sarasota City Commission’s directive to develop a traffic calming plan, a speed study by the consultant tapped to spearhead the work has completed a study for all local, collector and arterial roadways throughout the city.
The idea was to identify average speeds on the various types of roadways and, following state statutes, set speed limits accordingly. Roadways where speeding is identified as a problem, then, will be subject to coming traffic-calming measures resulting from the data.
The study’s recommendation is to reduce the speed limits to 20 miles per hour on local roads, such as neighborhood streets, and to set maximum speed limits of 35 mph on other roadways, excluding the interstate connectors and U.S. 301, from 17th Street north to the city limit. Those recommendations were unanimously approved by the commission during its March 23 regular meeting.
“In order for us to reduce the speed limits, we must follow the Florida statute, which calls for also following the FDOT guidance on speed limiting,” Renato Coletti of Lakelandbased Rummel, Klepper & Kahl told commissioners.
Statute requires determining the speed at or below which 85% of vehicles travel and compare that to the current speed limits. The differential between the two is where speed limits may be set.
“The major takeaway is that there is a good amount of local roadways in which vehicles the traveling at 85 percentile speed is below 20 miles per hour,” Coletti said. “Guidelines
SPEED STUDY METHODOLOGY
Speeds of traffic on local, collector and arterial roadways was culled from StreetLight and spot speed data sources.
StreetLight is a mobility analytics service that provides on-demand, historical and real-time vehicle speed metrics for nearly any road in the U.S. and Canada. It uses aggregated GPS data from mobile apps and vehicles to calculate metrics such as average speed, 85th percentile speeds and speed distributions to evaluate traffic safety, congestion and compliance with speed limits.
Spot speed data is the instantaneous speed of individual vehicles recorded at a specific location, representing the speeds when free from congestion. Data is collected via radar, lasers or sensors.
say that the speed limit posted needs to be within three miles of the 85th percentile speed.”
The speed study covered varying time periods throughout the day for all of the year 2024 on Tuesdays through Thursdays and Saturdays and Sundays. The study was also divided between season and off-season to differentiate between heavier and lighter congestion times of year.
What that means is, at least when it comes to neighborhood streets, little will change since 85% of traffic was already traveling below 20 miles per hour.
Implementation of the new speed limits will occur in one quadrant of
the city at a time.
“That way, our staff can install the new signs and then SPD can come in and enforce in that first quadrant,” said Alvimarie Corales, the city’s chief transportation planner. “And then, once there’s a certain time frame that passes by, we move on to another quadrant of the city.”
Deputy City Manager Patrick Robinson told commissioners once signs are posted, a comprehensive education campaign will be executed by communications personnel with the city and the police department to inform drivers of the changes.
After one or two weeks to allow the signs to be noticed, enforcement likely would move into a period of warnings issued by patrol officers.
“Then actually issue uniform traffic citations on the back end of that for a specified period until they move into another area, just to make sure everybody has a decompression time period for the new change,” Robinson said.
Meanwhile, community meetings have been underway as staff introduced proposals for traffic-calming plans throughout the city in areas where the new speed limits may prove to be less effective. Trafficcalming measures include narrowing lanes and installing roundabouts, chicanes and speed tables, among others.
“We have proposed solutions on all of the corridors that exceed that 85th percentile,” said Senior Transportation Planner Corinne Arriaga. “The goal with the implementation of the traffic-calming plan is to lower the speed limits as those traffic-calming treatments get implemented, and think about doing that in batches because there’s most likely going to be more than one project happening at a time.”
Residents may view proposed traffic-calming projects and provide comments by visiting the web page at Sarasota.FL.gov. The public comment period ends April 17.
Andrew Warfield
Corinne Arriaga are leading development of the city’s traffic calming plan.
City works to expand workforce housing project
At its April 6 meeting, the Sarasota City Commission will be asked for input on a staff proposal to purchase a third parcel on First Street for a city-led housing project.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
Nearly two years after thenSarasota City Manager Marlon Brown presented the concept of building workforce housing on property along First Street near City Hall, the initiative will again appear before the City Commission at its next regular meeting on Monday, April 6.
The vision was to acquire parcels between First Street and Main Street, bounded by North Orange and North Lemon avenues‚ specifically 1544 and 1590 First St.‚ and develop two towers with funding support from local nonprofit organizations. An additional parcel at 1558 First St. was mentioned at the time as a possibility.
Brown proposed the city lead a project to build two 10-story buildings totaling 192 affordable and workforce-priced apartments.
The city acquired the parcels for a total of $7.1 million. Including acquisition fees, the total cost was $7.38 million, of which $2.9 million came from the city’s general fund.
As the planning progressed, the prospect of acquiring 1558 First St. emerged. The city already owns an adjacent parcel, used as a parking lot, at 1530 First St. Acquiring 1558 First St. would result in contiguous property ownership spanning nearly the entire northern half of the block, separated from Main Street by an alley. A commercial strip at the corner of First Street and North Lemon Avenue occupies the remainder of the block.
City staff and Ian Black Real Estate are negotiating final terms of an option agreement for 1558, the loca-
tion of First Street Credit Union, and seeking from the commission input on potential terms. City staff and First Street Credit Union are undergoing due diligence on a new location with the assistance of an architecture firm retained by the credit union.
MORE FUNDING FOR McCOWN TOWERS
Another item on the agenda, seeking to satisfy the dual needs of an expansion of senior affordable housing and city parking space in the Rosemary District, the Sarasota Housing Authority will ask the City Commission for an additional $4 million in bond funds for 3 McCown Tower.
The SHA is proposing a four-story affordable housing building on property it owns at 1300 Boulevard of the Arts. The expansion of current facilities there would include 96 units of senior affordable housing and 316 parking spaces. Along with development partner Fortis, SHA has secured $9.12 million in state funding for the project. The authority also applied for a Sarasota County Resilient SRQ Community Development Block Grant, but was unsuccessful.
On Jan. 5, 2026, the City Commission approved $8 million to fund the parking garage as part of the development. Planned are 160 city-owned parking sports within the garage at a construction cost of $50,000 per parking spot. The 4-1 approval also directed staff to collaborate with SHA on a two-story parking garage as part of the development and to present a design at a later date.
The SHA will request a total parking bond, to be paid by parking rev-
enues, of $12 million, to complete the development’s capital stack. The land for the deck would be provided to the city free of charge, which the SHA says could be sold for approximately $3 million.
VAN WEZEL REPAIR EXPENSES
Among the meeting’s consent agenda items, the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall is requesting a transfer of $1,265,000 from Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall Fund to the Van Wezel Capital Projects Fund.
Because of the timing of a pending state grant and city match requirements, the Van Wezel needs to accelerate the existing improvement plan schedule for theatrical upgrades, costs currently in the capital improvement program for the facility in future years. The timing of the work also must be coordinated with that of scheduled performances.
The planned work includes:
n Main stage improvements: $815,000
n Instruments and apparatus:
$400,000
n Carpet installation cost increase: $50,000
n Total: $1,265,000
As an enterprise fund, the Van Wezel supports its expenses through the revenue it generates. The transfer is internal to the Van Wezel’s funds and does not affect the city’s general fund.
DID TERM LIMITS
Commissioners will consider term limits for members of the Downtown Improvement District Board of Directors.
At its Jan. 6, 2026 workshop and at its Feb. 3, 2026 regular meeting, the board discussed term limits and recommends adoption of an ordinance to provide that members shall not serve more than two full consecutive terms. After a one-year period of not serving, proposal allows a member to become eligible for a new appointment term.
When: 9 a.m. Monday, April 6
Where: Sarasota City Hall, 1565 First St. in downtown. Meetings may also be viewed online at SarasotaFL. gov or on the city’s Facebook page.
There are numerous misconceptions and strategies surrounding the process of establishing residency in Florida. Our team offers complimentary seminars to provide in-depth information on these strategies and related topics.
The expansion of McCown Towers would surround the parking structure that would include 160
In pursuit of a good laugh
From monorails to teeny-tiny garbage bins, we spread the jokes out last week in our April Fools’ issue. Readers were amused … mostly.
KAT WINGERT EXECUTIVE EDITOR & COO I
It’s a long tradition here at The Observer, but not everyone’s in on the joke of our annual April Fools’ issue.
For over 25 years, around April 1, we have been printing parody stories (now better known as fake news) on pages 1-4A. Our longtime readers know this and are trained to be on the lookout this time of year (and sometimes even call us with ideas), while our newer readers and visitors — they’re a little bit of an easier target for our tomfoolery.
We try to make them all in good fun, usually poking at public subjects and silly make-believe businesses as to do no harm.
While sometimes the jokes touch on some nerves (one story on the misalignment of the Ringling Bridge while it was being constructed drew particular ire), most of our readers enjoy a good chuckle and maybe even a sigh of relief when they learn the story is in jest.
To try to mitigate some of the disturbance to our public servants involved in the jokes, we include our phone number in hopes that upset readers call us instead of the city or county. This doesn’t always work. And, so we don’t contribute to the fake news plague online, the beginning of each article’s headline published on our website starts with “APRIL FOOLS.”
Putting together the issue is certainly fun, from the pitch meeting to the design of fake photographs, but our favorite is once it’s pub-
n the olden days, about now is the time we would get calls from readers asking us to start their mailed subscriptions to their homes up north. Obviously, times have changed. People come and go a bit more than they did back then, and the post office is no longer the best way to get your news back home. Luckily, we’ve changed with them, and we have an app for that. Those of you who have already discovered the YourObserver app know that it’s the
lished. We get a kick out of gathering responses from readers who fell for the joke and enjoy getting to tell them they can stand down — a monorail will not be making its way to Longboat Key, Bobby Jones will not be fracked for natural gas and Manatee County’s garbage bins are staying as they are.
A few of our favorite reader comments from this year:
We do not understand how the monorail could provide benefits.
The problem is limited stops and limited access. People at the St. Regis will ride the monorail to Publix? I don’t think so. We are located south of the St. Regis. Would we drive and park to use the monorail? Seems very inconvenient. We sometimes go north on LBK and to Anna Maria Island, but the monorail stops are too limited to be useful. I would be very interested in seeing an explanation of the thinking before this big project goes forward.
Let Sarasota stick to proper municipal services like sewer, water and clerk salaries. Get out of the golf business. Capture your mineral bonanza now and leave the dog track of Bobby Jones to people who know golf!
Seems the wrong date (April 1, 2026) occurred on the first four pages of the weekly paper. I am sure you received a few notifications of that fact.
I want you to know that I read all of those articles and believed each one, especially the trash barrels. I couldn’t wait to mention the stories to my wife when she got home today. She believed it until she picked up the paper and said to me “didn’t you see the Gotcha?” I totally missed it because I went directly to the articles. Great Job!
It wasn’t all fan mail, though. Especially in the East County Observer, where we touched a sensitive subject when we wrote that residents’ much-maligned “big bins” were now going to be replaced with four mini “Barbie bins” in response to so many complaints. This joke was apparently too soon for Manatee County residents.
What in the world were you all thinking publishing an article about the Manatee County garbage cans
changing from one to four as a joke — and not even on April Fools’ Day, when we might think twice??? This has been such a hot topic and people have enough to be upset about in their lives without this. It’s very disappointing that a supposedly reliable and factual source of news would do this.
I for one didn’t think your fake stories were funny at all. Not what a newspaper should do. I for one will not read this rag anymore. Whoever thought of this should be fired or resign.
I will be sure to tell our CEO, Matt Walsh, that he’s fired. Actually, the idea came from a onetime Arts and Entertainment editor, who had come from a paper that had a similar tradition. Always ones to enjoy bucking convention and having fun at the same time, our owners Matt and Lisa Walsh were game.
Throughout the years, we’ve gotten our share of heat, and not just from fooled readers. Government officials who are inconvenienced get peeved (and we send our apologies), and I’ve even gotten shamed from those in the journalism world who say we are tearing down the credibility not just of our publication, but of newspapers in general.
To that, all I can say is: lighten up. One of our values at The Observer is to take our content but not ourselves too seriously. We feel like this reflects that spirit.
As for journalism at-large and its trust issues, I think there are bigger fish to fry than the Observer’s four pages of parody once a year.
Many appreciate and enjoy the break from the every day, especially, as that reader most correctly pointed out: We have enough stress in our lives.
It’s the positive reviews, of which we get many, that reinforce we are providing a valuable service, as silly as it is.
I just had to write to commend you on the April Fools’ issue. I laughed and laughed on every page! It was well thought out, creative, entertaining and just plain delightful! Thank you for brightening my day!
As the wise Mark Twain once said:
Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944
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‘What Fresh Hell Is This?’
Dorothy Parker’s book title, “What Fresh Hell Is This?” is an apt description of the push by developers and their local cheerleaders to expand short-term rentals in Sarasota.
A recent Observer article on condo hotels included comments from a consultant for developers that require correction and context (“A luxury ghost town?” March 19 issue).
First, the facts are wrong. The claim that luxury condos sit empty “10 or 11 months a year,” creating a “luxury ghost town,” is nonsense. Most, if not all, residents with second homes spend most of the year in Sarasota to maintain tax residency. In fact, many residents of these condos live here year-round. But yes, people do leave in the summer months. For the same reason that beach resorts in New Jersey are quiet in January.
Second, the consultant failed to disclose that he is paid by the out-of-state developer behind the proposed Saravela project, a nearly 300-unit building marketing rentals as short as three days. His comments appear to be reflective of his client’s commercial interests rather than an impartial analysis.
Third, he suggests that Sarasota’s seasonal slowdown can be fixed by more short-term rentals, which include condo hotels, Airbnb’s and hotel houses. We are no different than other resort communities in Florida that lack a diversified economy. Last summer’s slowdown in tourists had more to do with a soft economy, recent hurricanes and reduced international travel driven by political tensions than a scarcity of short-term rentals.
Keep in mind that residents of the city’s luxury condos pay a disproportionate share of local taxes and are major supporters of Sarasota’s cultural institutions — support unlikely to come from transient short-term renters.
The wish of a few developers to expand short-term rentals will erode Sarasota’s reputation as a
desirable place to live and retire, while destabilizing neighborhoods through increased transiency. I don’t see support for more short-term rentals among our peer communities in Florida. Just the opposite.
This “fresh hell” appears to be uniquely ours.
PETER BLANTON SARASOTA
Regime change is the best outcome
I am truly astonished at the inability of some people to appreciate Iran’s malevolence.
Turning the other cheek is a Christian value, not an Islamic one, and far from that of an Islamist, and it is not an option.
Iran has been at war with the U.S. (and Western civilization) since 1979, and it has killed several hundred Americans and thousands of Iranians who commit the cardinal crime of disagreeing with the government of the mullahs.
They are religious fanatics, who believe they are doing God’s work in spreading globally their extreme version of Islam.
Anyone who opposes them, including their own citizens, opposes Mohammed, at least in their view, which is punishable by death.
As bad as this is, they believe that a global war would hasten the return of the 12th Imam, uniting the world under their version of Islam, so they have religious reasons for seeking atomic weapons to promote such a catastrophe.
Previous presidents who have been warned about this have stated publicly they would never permit Iran to develop a nuclear weapon, but they did nothing.
Regime change in Iran is the best outcome for our children, our country and the entire world.
CHARLES LIEBERMAN LONGBOAT KEY
SOMETHING TO SAY?
Send your letters to Kat Wingert at KWingert@YourObserver.com.
LETTERS
County seeks new ways to pay for prettier roadways
Sarasota on the hook for landscaping upkeep years after FDOT installs it.
ERIC GARWOOD DIGITAL NEWS EDITOR
Homeowners associations and resident groups eager to have the state’s transportation department pay for landscaping upgrades on adjacent state-maintained streets or highways might someday have to pay those maintenance costs themselves.
Sarasota County commissioners last week asked staffers to look into the possibility of improvement districts, with connected taxes, to pay for such things as watering, pruning, mowing and fertilizing.
Right now, the county’s transportation department is on the hook for maintaining landscaping built along state roads “in perpetuity,” said county Director of Transportation Spencer Anderson. In at least one example recently, a proposed median-beautification project along about a mile and a half of U.S. 301 from Myrtle Street to University Parkway was scuttled by the state over the county’s refusal to pick up the maintenance tab.
Anderson said that state officials require maintenance agreements be worked out before Florida Department of Transportation will agree to install the first tree or shrub. Without such contracts, no landscaping upgrades are made.
Routine mowing of grass, though, falls to the county with state payments covering about 66% of the cost, Anderson said, with Sarasota County workers typically accomplishing the work at a higher level than what the state would provide. But once an upgrade to landscaping is made, all of the work becomes county responsibility.
“We’re having a tough time applying resources to our required level of service as it is on county roads and the portion of state roads that we do maintain under contract, so we have not been receptive to those,” Anderson said.
Accounting for roadway-landscaping upkeep is another example of how county leaders are more broadly looking at costs as part of discussions leading up to this summer’s budget hearings. Required by state law to maintain a balanced budget and facing slowdowns in property value increases, Sarasota County leaders have aimed to limit spending next budget year to 1.6% growth. By holding growth to around 3.6% into 2030, balanced budgets should be possible.
On a larger scale than the U.S. 301 proposal, designs for residentrequested and state-designed landscaping along a 6-mile stretch of River Road between Interstate 75 and U.S. 41 near Venice could change for the same reason.
The county’s maintenance expenses for the proposed $3.2 million landscaping upgrades on that stretch were estimated at $420,000 a year in current dollars, Anderson said.
“It’s a pretty healthy construction project for landscaping, lots of trees, lots of shrubs in the median and on the shoulders,” he said. “So that was requested directly from residents along those subdivisions along River Road.”
Similarly, a project on U.S. 41 in the Osprey area would add $60,000 a year to the county’s responsibility after the county already planned to spend about $700,000 to enhance landscaping along about a mile of highway.
“Construction is finite,” said Commissioner Mark Smith. “Maintenance is infinite.” Whether the establishment of an improvement district to cover
Boutique Living.
ongoing landscaping costs is even possible is an open question, said County Administrator Jonathan Lewis.
“Funding-wise, we might have some problems creating a district on a state road where the associations already exist,” he said, adding the county’s legal staff will look into how and if such districts might work. Spencer said such a district could put the county in an awkward spot, acting as a middleman between the state and homeowner groups.
Though no projects required immediate action, county commissioners said they would wait to hear back on the improvement district idea on how proceed, potentially asking the state to scale back plussed-up landscaping plans in the future, or eliminate them all together, to curtail ongoing maintenance costs likely to rise in the future.
Commissioner Tom Knight recommended considering landscaping options more tolerant of Florida’s climate as one means of reducing maintenance and costs.
Teresa Mast said in an either-or equation of maintenance versus new roads with no landscaping extras, is easy to solve.
“I’ve got roads to build, you’ve got roads to build, I love trees, I love to have things beautified, but I need the roads more than I need the trees,” she said.
The Quiet Side of Downtown. The Best of Sarasota.
Set along the coveted bayfront of Golden Gate Point, Peninsula Sarasota offers an intimate collection of boutique luxury residences overlooking Sarasota Bay. With only a limited number of homes available, this private enclave delivers the serenity of waterfront living just steps from the vibrant energy of downtown Sarasota.
Each expansive residence—ranging from approximately 2,400 to more than 3,000 square feet—features open-concept living spaces, soaring ceilings, and floor-to-ceiling windows that frame breathtaking views of Sarasota Bay and the downtown skyline. Private elevator entry, oversized terraces with outdoor grilling areas, and beautifully curated interiors create a home designed for both relaxation and elegant entertaining.
Privacy.
Via Sarasota County video
Spencer Anderson said Sarasota County is not receptive to future maintenance agreements with FDOT.
TUESDAY, MARCH 3 ONE BORN EVERY MINUTE 6:30 p.m., 4800 block of Old Bradenton Road Civil dispute: A man told a responding officer he was scammed out of $6,000 earlier that day. The complainant said he was moving and had listed numerous items for sale on an online marketplace. He received a message from a someone who said they wished to purchase two “antiques” listed at $30. The profile stated the alleged buyer had a business Zelle account that requires a minimum transaction of $1,000. The subject asked if the victim would be willing to accept the $1,000, then send back $940 for the purchase.
He then received an email he believed to be from Zelle support, stating he had a pending payment of $30 and the funds would be transferred to his account once the minimum balance of $1,000 was completed. He then received another email stating he must add an additional $1,000 because of an undisclosed issue with the payment.
That’s $2,000. That was followed by another message stating there was a verification error with the payment and it must be resubmitted.
That’s $4,000.
A number of additional error texts were sent from the same number, suggesting the $2,000 must be resubmitted a second time.
Total: $6,000.
The victim said he talked to friends and family about the episode, at which point he realized, finally, he may have been scammed. He attempted to call the number back, but it had been disconnected, or perhaps never existed in the first place.
The complainant was advised to contact his bank as soon as possible to attempt to reverse the payments.
THURSDAY, MARCH 5
ROOMMATE LIGHTS UP HIS LIFE
3:20 a.m., 1300 block of 24th Street
Dispute: Frequent arguments between roommates over flipping light switches boiled over into a physical altercation as a complainant said his rental housemate pushed him against a wall. The complainant, who turned out to be light switch offender, said he had grown tired of the constant arguments and wants them to cease.
The complainant asked officers to contact the landlord, whose residence is in one of the three rooms in the house, regarding the situation. He
FRIDAY, MARCH 6
STEALING SIGNS
7:17 p.m., 1500 block of Main Street
Criminal mischief: Three subjects believed to be juveniles allegedly damaged a parking sign before leaving on foot toward North Orange Avenue. Responding officers met with the manager of the parking lot, who said she noticed the group standing nearby and holding one of the parking signs. Confronted by the complainant, when asked where they got the sign they said they found it on the ground, then they vacated the premises.
She followed up by reviewing the surveillance video, which showed them forcibly removing the sign from the ground. The sign post was slightly bent but was able to be returned to its upright position.
Initially saying she wished to press charges should the malcontents be located, the complainant changed her mind and said she did not want them to be arrested should they be located. Because the damage was minimal, no further action was taken.
woke up the landlord, who proffered the solution that one of them must move out.
Twenty minutes later, the complainant requested officers return, saying the subject was knocking on his window and saying he was going to come into his room. An officer contacted the man, who said he had recently been released from prison and that the complainant keeps leaving the lights on, a situation with which he could not deal.
An officer advised the dispute was civil in nature and suggested they remain in their respective rooms for the night, then speak with the landlord about the situation the next day.
Branching out
Many drivers along South Tamiami trail may not know that The Landings neighborhood contains the largest swath of privately owned mangroves in the United States, according to its management association.
The public had the chance to see it for themselves during the neighborhood’s third year of Nature Day by the Bay on March 29.
Nature lovers turned out to walk on trails and visit 16 exhibitors along the path, while local residents assisted with activities such as fishing, kayak rides and staffing booths.
“Every year, it just gets larger because there’s more to celebrate, there’s more involved and all the people who live here know it,” said volunteer Darka Hawrysz. “We love living here. That’s the key. What people don’t understand is that this is not just a place to live. It’s really just like Nirvana.”
Looking around at the mangroves in both directions, she added, “I mean, seriously, look at this!”
The trails also include the neighborhood’s microforest, which was planted in late 2024 and early 2025. It features 1,800 plants representing 60 native spe-
cies, according to Hans Hawrysz, Darka Hawrysz’s husband, who is treasurer of the Landings Management Association.
With an upcoming addition, the forest will total close to an acre, says Pamela Callender, a specialist in the design of Florida native gardens.
She says these environments are essential for restoring habitats that the state of Florida has not preserved and says complaints about an overabundance of animals such as rabbits stem from a lack of habitat for their predators, like foxes, owls or bobcats.
Hawrysz says the forest has grown significantly in a short time.
“People are kind of astonished at the level of growth,” he said. “These things were 3 feet tall, and now they’re 15 feet tall.”
— IAN SWABY
Bluey the chicken, of Sarasota County’s Mosquito Management unit, meets Eloise Adelfang, 10.
Photos by Ian Swaby
William Wenrick and Audria Dennen take a trip in a kayak.
Keith Anderson, Janie Pratt and Lora Lyn Frederick take a walk down the trail.
Steps toward a cure
Last year, the Walk to Defeat ALS raised $92,318 in support of resources and research for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
After she was
The Lakewood Ranch resident says she normally stays home reading, one of her favorite pastimes.
However, along with her supporters and family members, she is awaiting the chance to attend the Walk to Defeat ALS, which will be held April 11 at Payne Park.
“I get to see people that I haven’t seen for a while,” she said. “That’s nice.”
It’s also a meaningful occasion for her family as they work to raise funds for resources and research.
According to event organizer Ashia Zayas of the ALS Association, last year’s walk had more than 400 in attendance, with 37 teams, some of the highest numbers she has seen in three-and-a-half years with the organization.
“We’re excited and hoping to grow that this year,” she said.
Participants in the 1-mile walk will make one lap in honor of those with ALS, and one in memory of those who have died from the disease.
The funds benefit resources and research for the progressive neurodegenerative disease, also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, which leads to paralysis and is fatal.
Last year’s walk raised $92,318, and Zayas says this year’s goal is $90,000.
“Right now, our main mission is to make ALS livable, meaning that hopefully, no one’s passing away from the disease, but they’re still able to live with the disease, and then, of course, eventually, as well, find a cure, so no one has to go through this,” she said.
She says initiatives that will be funded include support groups; resources, such as an equipment loan program that provides families with the free use of items like an electric lift; and research opportunities.
The research explores different aspects of ALS, she says, including why it happens, as well as drugs with the potential to slow progression.
Greenstein had long suspected she would have the disease. She has a hereditary variation that is thought to include only to 5% to 10% of cas-
WALK TO DEFEAT ALS
Check in at 9 a.m., walk at 10 a.m. April 11 at Payne Park, 2010 Adams Lane. For information, visit ALS.org.
es. Her grandmother, aunt and two cousins all died from ALS, and her sister currently has it.
Her husband, Steve Greenstein, says when her condition was diagnosed, it was probably an affirmation of what she had suspected.
“I remember her walking out of the neurologist’s office like the champ she is, and she says, ‘I’ve got it, and we’re going to do our best from here on out,’” he said.
“I have three children and five nieces and nephews, and they all have a 50% chance of getting ALS, and I want to make sure they don’t go through what I’m going through,” Christina said. “I want a cure for this thing. I thought when my mother died of it in 2001, that when I finally got it, there would be a cure.”
At last year’s walk, she was part of a team that involved more than 60 people, which became the event’s top fundraising team.
Zayas says her desire to help combat the disease is related to the greater risk it poses for military veterans.
“My dad served, and so anything that has to do with veterans always hits very close to home for me, and it’s something that I’m passionate about,” she said.
The event also features a live band, a kid zone and a face painter.
“It’s just an incredible time to come out and see the support that people have for their family members, for their friends, for those who are currently living with the disease and fighting it and those who have passed, and it just really means a lot to them,” Zayas said. “It’s a special time for a lot of people.”
Courtesy image Participants head out on the Walk to Defeat ALS in 2025.
SPORTS
CHARTING THEIR COURSE BACK
Under new leadership, Sarasota softball eyes another deep postseason run.
JACK NELSON SPORTS REPORTER
Cleats were worn in lieu of glass slippers. They donned jerseys instead of ball gowns. To a symphony of extra-base hits, strikeouts and dugout cheers, they danced.
Sarasota High’s softball team was the Cinderella of last year’s FHSAA Class 7A postseason.
After falling in the first round of the 7A-12 district tournament, the team rattled off three straight wins, reaching the state semifinals for the first time since 2015.
But this year’s squad is no Cin derella — at least, not how coach Andrew Jensen sees it.
“We’ve got a good run in us, 100%,” Jensen said. “We just want to take it one game at a time.”
A long postseason is what Jensen anticipates, and what the Sailors expect of themselves. They sit at 11-4, as of March 30, just past the midway point of the regular season. They’re ranked No. 8 in 7A, per the FHSAA, and No. 38 overall in the state.
Four of their top six hitters from 2025 are back, including senior third baseman/pitcher Ashlan Guengerich and senior center fielder/outfielder Gianna Williams. Those two batted .455 and .430, respectively, as juniors.
“I’ve been doing track my whole life. It’s something I’ve continued at. It’s what I was built on.”
Gone from the equation are nowSaint Leo outfielder Sommer Speers and now-Georgia Southern outfielder Carley Ramsden. They combined for 27.4% of Sarasota’s hits this past season, while Speers carried a team-high .500 batting average.
This year’s group, though, has operated at an even higher level than what Guengerich witnessed as a junior.
“This team has more grit. We have more hustle,” Guengerich said. “All of us want it so bad, and it’s really different to have everyone on the same page.”
Continuity contributed to the 2026 roster, but change came from the top down. The Sailors welcomed in new leadership ahead of this season.
Jensen was announced as their coach on Oct. 6, 2025. He made the move from Lakewood Ranch High, where he guided the Mustangs to a 13-12 record in his only season.
Former coach Heather Mushrush spearheaded Sarasota from 2022-25 after three seasons as an assistant for the program. The team went 69-31 with her at the helm.
Taking over those reins marks a homecoming for Jensen. He played for Sarasota baseball in 1994 en route to the 5A state title, and with the Class of 1995, graduated from the school.
“What better opportunity than to come back and coach at your alma mater?” Jensen said. “I always felt like I looked better in black and orange than forest green.”
Before taking the job, he knew what he was getting into — a winning situation. He understood the Sailors returned multiple impactful players from the state semifinals.
Guengerich was one of them.
This season, she’s hit .528 with 12 RBIs across 53 at-bats, as of March 30. Her 1.387 on-base plus slugging, 28 hits and 23 runs all rank as best among her teammates.
Mushrush’s tutelage was all she knew in her high school career. For her final year, Guengerich has been asked to embrace a first-year coach in Jensen.
“He’s brought a lot of energy this season. He has a lot of heart, and he cares about us a lot,” Guengerich said. “I love a coach who’s invested in us, no matter what.”
Sarasota rolled to an 8-0 start, but lost four of its following seven contests. It played eight games from March 13-28 — all in tournaments — which were separated into fourgame stretches over two-day spans. Wear and tear from all those backto-backs factored into mixed results, Jensen said. He also said injuries to key players have mounted.
Junior pitcher/outfielder Gemma Mulhollen is unavailable, as of March 30, with lower back soreness. Then there’s Williams, who has been
REMAINING REGULAR SEASON FOR SARASOTA SOFTBALL
April 7 vs. Manatee at 7 p.m.
April 8 vs. Lakewood Ranch at 7 p.m.
April 13 at North Port at 7 p.m.
April 14 vs. Parrish Community at 7 p.m.
April 16 vs. East Bay at 7 p.m.
April 22 at IMG Academy Blue at 5 p.m.
out with a broken hand, but should return to action in a week, per Jensen.
When healthy, Williams has one of the busiest bats in the lineup. She had a .579 batting average and a .692 on-base percentage — both teamhighs — through seven games played before her injury.
Mulhollen is Sarasota’s ace with a 1.60 ERA in 57 innings pitched, featuring 49 strikeouts against 19 walks.
“The biggest thing we teach her is to try to get ahead and attack the hitters early in the count,” Jensen said. “She’s a workhorse. She’s our No. 1, no doubt. We need her healthy.”
Offensively, senior second baseman/utility Madison Culbertson has stormed onto the scene. It’s the first season of high school softball she’s played since her freshman year at Lakewood Ranch.
All that time away hasn’t seemed to hurt her game. She owns 18 RBIs and 21 hits, as of March 30, and her .438 batting average trails only Guengerich among those with 10 or more games played.
“It’s definitely a mental game and going up (to the plate) relaxed,” Culbertson said. “If I go up there knowing I can’t do it or I can’t hit this pitcher because she’s too fast or too slow, that just gets me in my head.”
Postseason play is fast-approaching. District tournaments begin April 27 across the state and run through April 30.
That gives the Sailors less than a month to not only get healthy, but also round into the form of a contender instead of relying on a Cinderella run.
They’ll continue charting a course which, they hope, will bring them back to the statewide stage.
FAST BREAK
Orion Kerkering, son of Sarasota emergency manager Todd Kerkering, has begun his fifth season of professional baseball with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs — a Triple-A minor-league affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. The right-hander is on rehab assignment after a hamstring strain during a bullpen session before spring training. He threw a scoreless inning for the IronPigs on March 28. Kerkering was a reliever for the Phillies in 2025 and posted a 3.30 ERA with 65 strikeouts against 27 walks across 60 innings pitched. His throwing error in Game 4 of the 2025 NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers, though, cost the Phillies the series 3-1.
“We’ve got a good run in us, 100%. We just want to take it one game at a time.”
— Andrew Jensen, coach
... The Elizabeth Moore Sarasota Open will be held at IMG Academy from April 5-12, marking its first year at that location. The ATP Challenger Tour event features professional men’s tennis on clay courts in singles and doubles. Last year’s singles champion was Emilio Nava of the United States, and Robert Cash and JJ Tracy of the United States won the doubles title. As of March 30, Nava is No. 104 in the world for singles. Tracy and Cash are No. 36 and No. 43, respectively, on the doubles circuit. Those interested in attending can buy tickets at Events.TicketLeap.com/Events/ Sarasota-Open-4/2026-Elizabeth-Moore-Sarasota-Open. Davin Davidson, junior quarterback for Cardinal Mooney football and a four-star recruit, has narrowed his list of colleges to eight — Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Miami, Mississippi State, Notre Dame and Virginia Tech. He held 32 offers from NCAA Division I programs, as of March 21. Davidson guided the Cougars to the FHSAA Class 2A state title this past season with 2,360 passing yards and 23 touchdowns on a 64.6% completion rate. It was his first season as the full-time starter under center. ... Cardinal Mooney baseball, meanwhile, keeps on winning. The Cougars are 17-3, as of March 29, and have won 11 consecutive games. Senior first baseman/left hander Mateu Dalmau leads with a .429 batting average across 56 at-bats, also responsible for 17 RBIs. Senior infielder/right hander Wyatt Hossenlopp isn’t far behind him, hitting .407 through 59 at-bats with 17 RBIs of his own.
Image courtesy of Philadelphia Phillies Orion Kerkering, a Venice High graduate, is with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs of Triple-A to begin the 2026 season. The right-hander made his MLB debut with the Philadelphia Phillies on Sept. 24,
— Jacobey Mobley, Booker High track and field SEE PAGE 19A
Andrew Jensen, who coached Lakewood Ranch softball in 2025, has taken over at Sarasota. He once played under six-time state champion coach Clyde Metcalf with Sarasota baseball.
Madison Culbertson, now a senior, returned to high school softball with Sarasota after playing her freshman year at Lakewood Ranch. She ranks second on the team with 18 RBIs, as of March 30.
Ashlan Guengerich celebrates an out during Sarasota softball’s game at Parrish Community on March 31. The senior owns a .528 batting average which ranks best among Sailors with 10 or more games played.
Photos by Jack Nelson
Small step forward
A bill awaiting DeSantis’ final OK will improve pay for some coaches, but not all.
Ask thousands of high school coaches why they do what they do and you’ll hear an overwhelming consensus among them.
During their upbringing, every coach finds inspiration to mentor young athletes. Very few — if any — will point to money as their reason.
“You coach because you want to help kids,” said Jordan Borges, the Braden River High girls weightlifting coach. “That’s the start and the end to it.”
Not that there’s much money to be had, anyway. High school coaching has long been perceived as volunteer work, and accordingly, compensation is next to nothing. The value of coaches at this level is immense. They deserve more — much more.
Among other things, Senate Bill 538 seeks to address that by allowing money generated by booster clubs to be used for extra pay of coaches, except for severance. It also allows coaches who classify as administrative personnel to negotiate with their superintendents for higher pay, up to the highest-paid administrator in their respective districts.
On March 11, the Florida Senate passed the bill by a 37-0 vote, two days after the House did the same by a 104-6 vote. It was filed Nov. 17, 2025, by Sen. Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee.
The bill is now on Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk, still awaiting his signature, as of March 30. If signed, SB 538 will take effect July 1 ahead of the 2026-27 academic year.
“Coaches are doing this yearround, so to find a way to reimburse that time is great,” said Jeff Harris, the Riverview High boys basketball
coach. “It allows coaches to stay in it versus being pulled in different directions and other states.”
High school coaches currently receive pay supplements that vary in amount by sport and by district. Those supplements are negotiated in collective bargaining agreements with teachers’ unions.
For the 2025-26 academic year, supplements for head coaches in Sarasota County were set at $6,360 in football, $5,035 in basketball and $4,770 in baseball/softball. Weightlifting and fall cheerleading were the lowest at $2,650 and $2,120, respectively.
Whatever the sport, whatever the dollar amount, it’s nowhere near enough.
Operating a successful program entails work before and after the season dictated by the Florida High School Athletic Association. Many coaches work hundreds of hours yearly on their own dime.
“If you want things done, you have to do the things you want to get done,” said Anthony Campbell, the Sarasota High football coach.
“I get in here between 5:30 and 5:45 every morning ... There’s a lot of time and hours that you put in that a lot of people don’t know.”
Compensation of high school coaches is similar nationwide, but in Florida, it’s particularly pitiful. Look no further than the state’s average teacher salary, which was $54,875 in 2025, according to the National Education Association. That’s nearly 25% lower than the national average of $72,030.
SB 538 is sorely needed. It was overdue.
Union-negotiated supplements have rarely increased, and when they do, still fall well short of equitable pay.
Bill Zarrella is in his seventh year at Lakewood Ranch High, and now coaches boys cross country/track and field. His pay supplement has increased on just two occasions,
Anytime. Anywhere.
including this academic year, when it was upped by 4%.
“When I started coaching track in the 1990s in Massachusetts, I made more then than I’m making now,” Zarrella said. “Which is hard to believe.”
The bill is a step in the right direction, no doubt, but will have an inequitable impact.
It was far more ambitious in the beginning. SB 538 initially proposed decoupling supplement schedules from teachers’ unions while authorizing district school boards to set salaries for coaches.
Coach compensation would have been tied to an hourly salary in accordance with the state’s $15 minimum wage, which will take effect in September. Every head coach was assigned a number of hours relative to the length of their sport’s season.
Football coaches, for instance, had 1,500 hours and thus would have been paid $22,500 — more
than triple what Sarasota County currently pays.
“When I first saw the way it was being promoted, I was ecstatic,” said Cezar Sharbono, the Braden River High wrestling coach. “I was thinking, ‘Hey, we’re finally going to see a significant raise,’ and at one point in time, wrestling coaches were getting 1,100 hours.”
That won’t happen. It didn’t make the final version of the bill.
Instead, booster clubs will be the primary avenue through which coaches can receive extra pay. That puts power in the hands of parents and community members who oversee club finances.
Boosters generally don’t see all sports as equals. More often than not, they fundraise for major programs like football and basketball, leaving everyone else behind.
Coaches of programs which already enjoy strong booster support are poised to prosper. That will have a trickle-down effect on ath-
letic success as the rich get richer and poor get poorer.
Two pennies are still more valuable than one penny. This marks positive movement in the longfought battle for higher pay.
Some coaches will receive compensation more comparable to what they deserve. For many others, though, pay will remain poor until more aggressive legislation is pushed through.
“It would be a whole new world,” said Cole Richardson, the Lakewood Ranch High girls soccer coach. “If I could be paid a proper salary somewhere.”
Anthony Campbell, the Sarasota High football coach, regularly arrives at the school
responsibilities for which he’s barely paid.
Jack Nelson
Jacobey Mobley
The track and field season has been a sprint for Jacobey Mobley. The Booker High senior won the 200and 400-meter dashes at the Hurricane Invite on March 27 at Manatee High. He ran a 22.55 in the 200 and 50.08 in the 400, winning the latter race by 0.12 seconds. Mobley was also a running back for Booker football in 2025, racking up 739 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 12.5 yards per carry. Mobley is the Sarasota Athlete of the Week.
How has this season gone for you so far?
It’s been straight. I’m not running the times I’m really looking for. I’m really trying to go 47 (seconds in the 400-meter dash) this year, so I can get some notice and looks from other schools. That’s really my goal.
What have you focused on lately in practice?
I’ve got an extra trainer outside of school practices, so I put extra work in. I try to wake up early every morning, go to the trainer and work for that 400. That’s what I really want to take on to college.
What are your goals for your senior season with Booker?
My goal is to break my own record (48.40 seconds in the 400). Really, that’s my biggest goal.
How did you realize speed was a skill of yours?
I’ve been doing track my whole life.
It’s something I’ve continued at. It’s what I was built on.
When and why did you start running track?
I really started running track because of my dad (Corey Mobley). He put me in sports when I was young, and ever since then, he’s been training me — working me, pushing me.
Why have you stuck with this sport after all these years?
I love the competitiveness. I really like racing other people and taking it to a different level. You get to see
If you would like to make a recommendation for the Sarasota Observer’s Athlete of the Week feature, send it to Jack Nelson at JNelson@ YourObserver.com.
how fast other people are. I don’t win all races, and I like to see people who are actually faster than me.
What quote or piece of advice
have you always carried with you?
“Give it your all — 100%.” Regardless, you’re going to be tired, so just do it at 100%. Whether you jog it or you sprint it, you’re going to be tired at the end of it.
What’s a fun fact about you not many people know?
I like to eat a lot. I’m skinny, but I really like to eat.
If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would you eat and why?
My go-to is chicken and fries. Chicken and fries always do it. You can’t mess it up.
If you could go anywhere for a dream vacation, where would you go and why?
Bora Bora.
What music gets you in the zone during practice or before a meet?
Montana 700. That’s that rapper. He’s going to put me in that mood and turn me up. It gets my blood flowing like I’m ready to do it.
Finish this sentence. Jacobey Mobley is ... Dependable. You can depend on me to do this, or you could depend on me to be there and put in that work. 100%.
ATHLETE
OF THE WEEK
The climb to contentment
Rock climber turned horse trainer says the
It wasn’t traveling around the world as a rock climber that showed Nate Gold the key to happiness.
It wasn’t an unexpected trip free soloing up the face of Matthes Crest in Yosemite National Park, nor was it having his own horse-training business in Sarasota.
He found it after he broke his ankle three years ago in a horse accident. Somewhere along the path, he’d gotten lost.
He wondered what had happened to the rock-climbing kid who flowed with life, the one who had later become a horse trainer who did the same.
The 43-year-old owner of Gold Horse Training says today, he’s learned what it means to truly live in the moment.
REACHING GREAT HEIGHTS
Gold’s fascination with rock climbing started when he turned 15, with the release of the 1993 film “Cliffhanger” starring Sylvester Stallone. Then, when a friend took him to an indoor climbing gym in his hometown of Stamford, Connecticut, he was hooked.
At the time, he was overweight, and the skill did not come naturally to him.
“I wasn’t known for being the best rock climber,” he said. “I was known as the guy who doesn’t give up, and sometimes it might take somebody a few tries, and it might take me 50 tries, but I’m going to do it.”
Although he competed in sport climbing, Gold’s forte was bouldering, which is performed on small rock formations without a harness. He enjoyed the camaraderie and the different ways each member of the
“Become
Nate Gold
group would climb the formations, known as bouldering problems, while spotting one another.
At 19, he was working at a local climbing gym and struggling to make ends meet when a fax that came through that caught his attention.
It was for a competition in Kennesaw, Georgia, with a cash prize of about $5,000 to be split between winners. Gold wrote an article asking for support and posted it in the gym. With what he got, Gold headed to the event with his father to support him.
There, he was chosen from a small number of pre-qualifiers, before receiving sixth place.
“I was like, ‘Whoa. Like, OK, I didn’t make money, but I beat those guys,’” he said. “Like, I just couldn’t believe that I beat those guys. These are the guys that are in the magazines, that are sponsored.”
That led to being approached by two climbers who were looking to make a bouldering film and were in search of a third climber. They were Chris Sharma and Katie Brown.
“They were on posters in my room when I was 15,” he said. “They were the best woman climber and the best man climber in the world at that time. And in my opinion, probably still pretty close. They’re very, very good.”
Gold joined them for the 2003 documentary “Pilgrimage,” about a bouldering journey to Hampi, India. He found the country different to navigate from the United States, with people crowding him on the streets, but he says people were, for the most part, kind and loving.
Something that impressed him
was that he constantly saw prayer, yoga and meditation around him.
“Being thankful was a big lesson I think I learned, especially from people who have very little,” he said.
He’s visited numerous other countries, including Japan, New Zealand, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Canada and Mexico.
“What was interesting for me traveling to all these places was that, for me, it really wasn’t always about if the rock is good or not or if the climbing is good,” he said. “It was about, is the culture good? Are the people good, or is the company good, who I’m with?”
Another experience that made an impression, was one he didn’t plan at all.
He went freesoloing — climbing without a rope — thousands of feet above ground at Matthes Crest in Yosemite National Park.
He’d thought his friends would be climbing just 50 feet to watch the sunrise from a ledge, but Sharma started climbing farther, Gold says, and he ended up going with the flow.
“It was not a hard climb at all,” he said. “It was a super-easy climb, but just the fact that we were up there, that high, without ropes, so exposed to just the openness, was just a pretty wild and intense experience. So, some of the stuff I did wasn’t always the smartest. I don’t recommend people just go and jump into that.”
He says while he doesn’t dislike free soloing, he doesn’t consider himself a freesoloer.
“I just have a lot more to live for than to do that,” he said. “So, it didn’t resonate with me, but I tried it.”
However, with all his experiences around the globe, it wasn’t until the past few years that he found the key to happiness.
LIVING IN THE MOMENT Gold became interested in horses while filming “Dosage Volume III” and staying at an Arkansas ranch. His experience as a climber played into his bond with horses and their owners. One aspect was the ability to mesh with others, as he did when staying at the homes of people in other cultures.
But he says the biggest thing was being in the moment.
“With rock climbing, it was becoming one with the rock. Don’t fight the rock. Become one with the rock, and be the rock, and with the horse, it’s the same thing … and when you can connect your energy,
Ian Swaby
Nate Gold stands with his horse, Alonzo, at his home in Myakka Valley Ranches.
Nate Gold performs bouldering.
Courtesy images Nate Gold competes in the Teva Mountain Games.
IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER
your aura, your heart rhythm, to theirs, you sync up in a way where you have a connection that can be very special and trusting and generous and willing, if it’s done properly.”
Meanwhile, seven or eight years into his climbing career, he was finding his enjoyment of the sport fading. Although he’d started off chasing experiences, he began to feel he was always chasing the next magazine appearance.
That’s when he decided to drop everything and focus his energy on horses.
After reading the book “The Man Who Listens to Horses: The Story of a Real-Life Horse Whisperer” by Monty Roberts, he was inspired to attend Monty Roberts International Learning Center in California, where he took a course, then received a scholarship to finish his schooling there.
While completing school, he began working for Roberts, joining him on tour and visiting locations that included many European countries as well as others like Brazil, Israel, Egypt and Jordan, serving as a backup rider for demonstrations and handling horses.
“I’m not just working for him; I’m in the middle around thousands of people, so it was very similar to being in the video with Chris Sharma and Katie Brown,” he said.
About 18 years ago, he moved to Sarasota after meeting his wife, Roni Gold, with whom he now has two sons, Nash, 16, and Bodhi, 13.
Here, he has held a succession of jobs involving horses, living first in Gulf Gate, then near Riverview High School, before the family made the move to Myakka Valley Ranches, where they have been for about 14 years.
At the time, he had established success as a horse trainer in North Port, which convinced him the investment, although costly, would be worthwhile.
But he still didn’t want to let the family down. He began working six or seven days a week, with eight to 12 horses in training at all times.
Everything took a turn when he broke his ankle.
Gold says he had been taking on too many clients, who often had unrealistic expectations. Today, he is much more selective.
He says if clients tell him other trainers have promised certain results in 30 days, he might tell them six months, the timeline he really expects.
“By all means, please go to them. Please go to them,” he said. “Because the moment they can’t do it, the moment it doesn’t work, they’re all going to call me because I finally built this reputation here. I’ve finally grown up enough, or just grown into it enough, to where I’ve been doing it long enough and have the confidence to know what I’m talking on, and so that feels really, really good.”
He says he’s earning the same amount of money as before, but also has more opportunity to live life, enjoying the experience of bringing his kids home from school or helping them with their homework, or mentoring others in life or in rock climbing.
Looking back at everything, he calls himself “just in awe of my life, and just so content and at peace with things.”
“I’ve just been very fortunate in that way, to see life through my lens and try not to get caught up in things that aren’t really real,” he said. “The things that I believe are real are love, relationships, memories, experiences, and that’s basically it.”
Ian Swaby Nate Gold climbs a wall in his personal gym.
A New Standard of Wellness Living Arrives in Downtown Sarasota
As the definition of luxury continues to evolve, so too does the expectation of how we live each day. Today’s most sought-after residences are no longer defined solely by finishes or location, but by how thoughtfully they support overall well-being. In Downtown Sarasota, One Park Sarasota is emerging as a response to this shift—introducing a lifestyle centered on balance, movement, and daily renewal.
Currently under construction within The Quay’s waterfront district, the boutique luxury condominium is designed to integrate wellness into everyday life through more than 40,000 square feet of curated indoor and outdoor amenities.
Fitness with a View of Sarasota Bay
At One Park Sarasota, wellness begins with movement. The building’s state-of-the-art Fitness Studio is designed to make exercise both energizing and intuitive, pairing highperformance equipment with expansive views of Sarasota Bay. Floor-to-ceiling windows fill the space with natural light, reinforcing a connection between physical activity and the surrounding environment.
Dedicated Pilates and spin studios provide space for more focused training, while an outdoor yoga and fitness lawn extends the experience beyond the walls, offering residents the opportunity to bring fresh air and sunshine into their daily routines.
The Art of Restoration at the Wellness Spa
Recovery and relaxation are equally central to the wellness experience at One Park Sarasota.
The Wellness Spa is designed as a dedicated retreat, an environment where residents can move seamlessly from activity to restoration without leaving home.
At its center is the Hammam Spa, inspired by ancient Turkish bathing traditions and reimagined for modern living. Through a sequence of heat and steam experiences, the Hammam is designed to promote deep cleansing, improved circulation, and full-body renewal. The ritualbased nature of the space encourages a slower pace, allowing residents to disconnect and reset both physically and mentally.
Complementing the Hammam are separate his and her sauna and steam rooms, providing additional opportunities to detox, relax muscles, and support overall well-being.
Private locker areas and thoughtfully designed transitions between spaces create a seamless, spa-like experience, one that prioritizes both comfort and privacy.
A Pool Deck Designed for Connection and Balance
Elevated above the city on the fourth-level amenity deck, the pool experience at One Park Sarasota is designed to bring together wellness, social connection, and open-air living.
Positioned to capture light, views, and breezes from Sarasota Bay, the resort-style pool and deck offers a layered environment where residents can move effortlessly between relaxation and activity. Lounge areas are thoughtfully arranged to encourage both gathering and quiet retreat, while the elevated setting provides a sense of separation from the pace of the city below.
Hot and cold plunge pools introduce a wellness-driven element, supporting circulation and post-workout recovery, while
the surrounding spaces invite residents to spend extended time outdoors. A juice bar complements the experience, offering fresh, health-conscious options that align with an active, balanced lifestyle.
“Wellness has become a defining part of modern luxury. At One Park, it’s about creating an environment where movement, relaxation, and connection are part of everyday living.”
—Robert Robinson, One Park Sales Executive Wellness That Extends Into the Residence
At One Park Sarasota, the concept of wellness continues within each private residence. The building’s 86 homes are designed to foster a sense of calm and connection, with floor-toceiling glass inviting natural light and expansive views into everyday living.
Private terraces create an extension of the home outdoors, while smart home technology, refined finishes, and thoughtfully integrated features, such as midnight bars in the primary suites, add both comfort and intentionality to daily life.
ARTIST CONCEPTUAL RENDERING
Two Generations. One standard of excellence. Generations. standard of excellence.
A dip for eggs
Marissa Taylor and her kids, Arlo Taylor, 10, and Harold Taylor, 12, said they enjoy being near Arlington Park & Aquatic Complex, including during the Easter season.
An event they had the chance to enjoy, for the second time, was the Aqua Egg Hunt, held March 28.
“We love it,” she said. “We love Arlington Park. We live right down the street, so we can ride our bikes here.”
The event allowed kids to swim for Easter eggs in the heated pool — in hunts divided by age group and sometimes involving help from parents — with prizes available in certain eggs. They also had the chance to meet Pete the Bunny.
“It’s a nice twist,” Taylor said.
Another attendee was Emily Goldreck, who said her kids, Rowan Goldreck, 11, Sage Goldreck, 9, are part of the Sarasota Tsunami Swim Team. She said everyone feels like the egg hunt is an extension of that when they come to the event.
“We did it last year. They did this year. It’s a highlight of the year,” she said.
— IAN SWABY
Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties Welcomes David Barcomb to Board of Directors
Sarasota, FL (February 27, 2026) — Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties (BGCSDC) is proud to welcome David Barcomb to its Board of Directors.
“We are honored to welcome David to our Board of Directors,” said Bill Sadlo, President/CEO of BGCSDC. “His commitment to young people and the experience he brings will enhance our organization’s ability to deliver life-changing programs and opportunities to youth across Sarasota and DeSoto Counties. We are grateful for his service to help guide our work so that even more of our community’s future leaders can reach their full potential.”
An accomplished wealth management executive, Barcomb brings more than 30 years of experience building one of the nation’s most successful practices within Merrill Lynch’s Private Client Group. Recognized multiple times by Forbes and Barron’s for excellence in client service, leadership, and investment performance, he is known for his client-centric approach and disciplined investment management. Barcomb has served as a Managing Director and Wealth Management Advisor in Boston, MA, and Sarasota, FL. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Economics from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.
As a Board member, Barcomb will help provide governance, strategic direction, and operational oversight for BGCSDC.
For more information about Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties or to learn how you can get involved, please visit bgcsdc.org.
ABOUT BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF SARASOTA AND DESOTO COUNTIES
Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties has been a leading youth-serving organization since 1970 and provides enriching after-school and summer programs to thousands of youth, ages 6 to 18, in Sarasota, Venice, North Port, and Arcadia. The organization’s mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need services the most—to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Programs are designed to empower youth to excel in school, become leaders, adopt healthy habits, and create plans for success after high school graduation.
For more information, visit bgcsdc.org or call 941-366-3911.
Kelsey Barr and her daughter, Madelyn Barr, 3, look over Madelyn’s findings.
Noor Hachoum, 1, shows her prize to a lifeguard at the stand.
Photos by Ian Swaby
Roland Nyarfadi, 7, finds an egg.
Jacoby Corn throws eggs into the water.
River Bowers, 2, and his mom, Hassel Bowers, look for prizes inside the eggs.
Leah Cornelius, 10, reaches the deck with some eggs in hand.
Valentinta Torrielli, 7, her brother, Giovanni Torrielli, 9, and Arlo Taylor, 10, and his brother. Harold Taylor, 12, enjoyed participating in the Aqua Egg Hunt.
Paws on pavement
t
Middleton.
Get Your Mutt Movin’ was held March 28 at Payne Park, raising about $45,000 for Satchel’s Last Resort.
Middleton says the annual event involves lots of former animals from the no-kill shelter returning with their owners.
“Our animals, specifically, are animals that have no chance anywhere else, and it is just a beautiful thing to see them go through this change of being somebody’s unwanted, to the gift in someone’s life that heals them,” she said.
In addition to a 5K run and walk, the event also featured a pie eating contest.
In the 5K race, Lee Chandler was the male winner, Ariana Pressimone was the female winner and Sasha was the firstplace dog.
“We have so many return people who do this event, return vendors who come back, and it means a lot to us to see these faces and to know that they’re out there supporting us because this is a hard mission to be a part of, and it really buoys your spirits and keeps you going,’’ Middleton said.
— IAN SWABY
Greg Jaeger helps Guinness during the pie eating contest.
Danielle Carpico walks Ludo.
Photos by Ian Swaby
Kellen Dorsch and his wife, Alanna Giuliani, sit with Velly.
BY ADNAN DEDIC
In the world of ultra-luxury real estate, the term “unique” is often overused—but at 3990 Higel Avenue, it is the only word that applies. Represented by Adnan Dedic, this true “1 of 1” masterpiece is currently under construction and rising above a private acre of Sarasota’s most coveted Gulf-front shoreline.
WELCOME TO 3990 HIGEL AVENUE
Set for completion in August 2026, the estate is the result of a “dream team” collaboration: architectural vision by the acclaimed DSDG Architects, masterlevel execution by Nutter Construction, and bespoke interiors by Angela Rodriguez Interiors. The result is a residence that functions less like a house and more like a world-class resort.
The residence is a masterclass in blurring the lines between structural innovation and natural beauty. In the Great Room, floor-to-ceiling windows and retractable glass walls dissolve the boundaries between the gourmet kitchen and the turquoise Gulf waters.
The primary suite serves as a private sanctuary within the home, featuring a spa-inspired bath and a private balcony designed for mesmerizing sunset views. Beyond the five ensuite bedrooms in the main house, the estate features a detached two-bedroom guest house, an elegant wine room, and a dedicated party room designed for large-scale entertaining.
AN INSIDER’S LOOK
The Estate Grounds
An exclusive one-acre Gulf-front sanctuary, introduced by a grand tropical driveway and a stately, private entrance.
The Architectural Footprint
13,035 square feet of living space across a main residence and a detached two-bedroom guest house, engineered for both stormresiliency and aesthetic grace.
The Waterfront Advantage
Rare direct ocean frontage featuring a deeded, private 20,000 lb boat lift—connecting the estate seamlessly to the Gulf of Mexico.
The Resort Experience
An infinity-edge pool, reflecting fountains, and expansive lounging terraces curated for an unparalleled al fresco lifestyle.
The Dedic Turnkey Offering
While currently under construction, the estate can be delivered fully furnished, curated to the exacting standards of Angela Rodriguez Interiors.
A TIMELESS RETREAT
Every detail—from the structural integrity to the cutting-edge smart home engineering—reflects the timeless elegance and innovation the Dedic name represents. 3990 Higel Avenue is more than just a home; it is a convergence of luxury and tranquility, offering an extraordinary living experience for the most discerning collector.
For inquiries regarding this $30,000,000 exclusive listing, contact Adnan Dedic.
PHOTO CREDIT: JOHN REVISKY
Indian Beach home tops week’s
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
Caroline Williams, trustee, of Lakewood Ranch, sold the home at 4423 Bay Shore Road to Es Ca Bay LLC for $9.5 million. Built in 1938, it has five bedrooms, five-and-five-half baths, a pool and 7,615 square feet of living area. It sold for $3,375,000 in 2013.
SARASOTA
INDIAN BEACH
Caroline Williams, trustee, of Lakewood Ranch, sold the home at 4401 Bay Shore Road to Es Ca Bay LLC for $5.5 million. Built in 1996, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,949 square feet of living area. It sold for $3.5 million in 2014.
POINSETTIA PARK
Maria Krahn, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the home at 1905 Goldenrod St. to William Todd Pond and Jamie Baraff Pond, of Sarasota, for $2.6 million. Built in 2020, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,176 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.8 million in 2020.
1834 Bougainvillea LLC sold the home at 1834 Bougainvillea St. to Carlos Sanchez, of Gallatin, Tennessee, for $1.75 million. Built in 1966, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 1,850 square feet of living area. It sold for $850,000 in 2025.
Pamela Tibbetts, of Sarasota, sold her home at 1925 Magnolia St. to 1925 Magnolia LLC for $705,000. Built in 1951, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 1,072 square feet of living area.
VUE Sandra Moore sold her Unit 1102 condominium at 1166 N. Gulfstream Ave. to Sean Sanford and Tracey Stetler, of Sarasota, for $1.9 million. Built in 2017, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,939 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,244,900 in 2017.
Nancy Finkel, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the Unit 708 condominium at 1155 N. Gulfstream Ave. to David William Kennedy and Elina Marjatta Toskala-Kennedy, of Philadelphia, for $1.65 million. Built in 2017, it has two bedrooms, two-and-ahalf baths and 1,591 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,265,000 in 2020.
LADUE LANE
James and Minta Getzen sold their home at 1434 Ladue Lane to Brian and Anne Marie Timm, of Sarasota, for $1,775,000. Built in 1979, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,466 square feet of living area. It sold for $840,000 in 2014.
GREENWICH
Pierre and Valerie Szenberg, of Sarasota, sold their home at 2234 Hibiscus St. to Jonathan Alan Ber-
man, of Sarasota, for $1.55 million. Built in 2024, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 2,644 square feet of living area.
BURNS COURT
446 Burns Court LLC sold two properties at 446 Burns Court to John Victor Murphy IV and Kimberly Joy Murphy, of Sarasota, for $1,187,300. The first property was built in 1926 and has one bedroom, one bath and 946 square feet of living area. The second property was built in 1971 and has one bath and 367 square feet of living area. They sold for $1.2 million in 2022.
JAMES S. HALL
Andrea Seager and Michael David Seager sold two properties at 1628 Seventh St. to Jillian Beaulieu and Ryan Topal, of Sarasota, for $1,155,000. The first property was built in 1926 and has two bedrooms, one bath, a pool and 984 square feet of living area. The second property was built in 1925 and has one bedroom, one bath and 435 square feet of living area. They sold for $875,000 in 2000.
ONE WATERGATE
Calda Wright, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the Unit 16F condominium at 1111 N. Gulfstream Ave. to Robyn Willow, of Sarasota, for $1,125,000. Built in 1974, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,577 square feet of living area. It sold for $375,000 in 2008.
PAYNE PARK VILLAGE
Joshua and Lydia Howard, of Sarasota, sold their home at 2245 Muesel St. to Ross and Meredith Switkes, of Sarasota, for $940,000. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 2,833 square feet of living area. It sold for $646,600 in 2021.
REGENCY HOUSE
Karen Bush sold her Unit 501 condominium at 435 S. Gulfstream Ave. to Barbara Katz, trustee, of Sarasota, for $835,000. Built in 1972, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,855 square feet of living area. It sold for $580,000 in 2021.
HUDSON PARK
Kathryn Ann Simon, of Broomfield, Colorado, sold her home at 2576 Wood St. to Shannon Delaney and Ezequiel Garcia Arredondo, of Sara-
sota, for $800,000. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,307 square feet of living area. It sold for $540,000 in 2019.
FOREST LAKES COUNTRY CLUB
ESTATES
Julie Chambers, of Green Cove Springs, sold her home at 2117 Riviera Drive to Wildflower Investments LLC for $749,000. Built in 1972, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 1,841 square feet of living area. It sold for $730,000 in 2021.
Other top sales by area
SIESTA KEY: $1.6 MILLION
Sara Sands Jerome and Brenda Sage, of Traverse City, Michigan, sold their home at 5121
Sandy Shore Ave. to 5121 In CBSS 5121 Holdings LLC for $1.6 million. Built in 2000, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,726 square feet of living area. It sold for $700,000 in 2002.
PALMER RANCH: $952,000
Promenade Estates
Joshua Lapides and Recel Aurellano Lapides, of Kalispell, Montana, sold their home at 5616 Soft Skies Drive to Mohammad Selim Sheikh and Farida Ali Sheikh, of Sarasota, for $952,000. Built in 2021, it has five bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,923 square feet of living area. It sold for $663,100 in 2021.
OSPREY: $800,000
Bay Pointe Vista III
Susan Sulzman, of Englewood, and Joseph Ross, of Greeneville, Tennessee trustees, sold the Unit 401 condominium at 242 Hidden Bay Drive to Leslie Sheldon, of Nokomis, for $800,000. Built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,100 square feet of living area.
NOKOMIS: $2.9 MILLION
Bayshore Road
Alex and Inessa Marinov, of Plymouth, Minnesota, sold their home at 2340 Bayshore Road to Rami Abukamil and Katie Roseann Agnello, of Nokomis, for $2.9 million. Built in 2023, it has three bedrooms, five-and-a-half baths, a pool and 4,108 square feet of living area.
A Holocaust Remembrance Concert
THURSDAY, APRIL 9TH AT 7:00 PM
YOUR CALENDAR
This powerful concert sheds light on the irreparable loss of Jewish composers of classical music in the Holocaust, featuring masterpieces that were nearly silenced forever.
Performed by French pianist Dimitri Malignan and American soprano Lily Arbisser
Suggested Donation $25 Students with ID are free
Temple Sinai, Sarasota 4631 S. Lockwood Ridge Rd, enter from Proctor
Run time: 75 minutes (with a brief intermission) Sips and Sweets Reception follows. SinaiSRQ.org for details
FRIDAY, APRIL 3
SARASOTA’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY
GOOD FRIDAY STATIONS OF THE CROSS PILGRIMAGE
7-8 a.m. starting at Regal Hollywood, 1993 Main St. and finishing at Church of the Redeemer, 222 S. Palm Ave. Trolley service available for those parking at end of route. Free. Twenty-seven ministers of 14 denominations will participate in this Good Friday tradition that originated in 15th-century Jerusalem and is now celebrated in more than 200 countries. Each station represents one of 14 events in Jesus’ crucifixion. Visit SarasotaFL.gov.
ART IN THE PARK: BOTTLECAP MANDALAS
10-11 a.m. at Ibis Playground Pavilion, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. In this activity, participants create mandalas, a configuration of patterns that can be used for meditation, using recycled bottle caps. This event is part of Good to Be Green Months (March and April) at The Bay. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.
GOOD FRIDAY AT THE FAIRGROUNDS
4:30-8 p.m. at Sarasota Fairgrounds, 3000 Ringling Blvd. Free. Hosted by First Sarasota Church, this event features inflatables, food trucks, a Good Friday service, a worship concert, a helicopter egg drop and a 50,000-egg hunt. Visit FirstSarasota.org.
SATURDAY, APRIL 4
RUN & WALK CLUB FOR ALL
7:30-8:30 a.m. at The Nest, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Runners of all ages and abilities are invited to this weekly club. Each week, Coach Elisha provides a recommended route and game plan. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.
MEET THE EASTER BUNNY
10 a.m. to noon at Siesta Key Village Gazebo, 5145 Ocean Blvd. Free. Meet and take a selfie with the Easter Bunnny at Siesta Key Village. Free gift bags will be offered to the first 140 kids. Enter to win Easter baskets donated by Siesta Key shops, restaurants and businesses. Visit EasterOnSiesta.com.
BEST BET FRIDAY, APRIL 3
STATE STREET SHUFFLE
7-10 p.m. at State Street. Free. The April edition of Fresh Fridays features hits from across the decades, as well as local vendors offering drinks and bites along State Street. Visit DowntownSarasotaDID.com.
EASTER FOAM PARTY + BRUNCH
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (brunch and $25 bottomless mimosas); noon to 3 p.m. (foam party) at The Dog Bar, 1314 10th St. $7; membership not required. Enjoy brunch, bubbles and foam fun along with vendors, raffles and adoptable pups. Visit Instagram. com.
TUESDAY, APRIL 7
SPRING FORWARD FOR UKULELE
1-2 p.m. at Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Library, 2801 Newtown Blvd. Free. Kick off the spring season by exploring popular chord progressions, practicing fluid transitions, and experimenting with strumming techniques in this session for adult beginners and intermediate players. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket. com.
THURSDAY, APRIL 9
CINEMA AT THE BAY:
‘SPRINGTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE’
7-9 p.m. at The Oval, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Enjoy a free outdoor movie (PG-13) under the stars at The Bay, with the story of how Bruce Springsteen crafted his 1982 album “Nebraska.” Visit TheBaySarasota.org.
Dr. Alissa Chandler brings to Intercoastal Medical Group at the Cattleridge II office a wealth of
Ian Swaby
THURSDAY, APRIL 2
FRIDAY, APRIL 3
SATURDAY, APRIL 4
ADDITIONALLY ... by Ricky Sirois, edited by Taylor Johnson
By Luis Campos
Geraldine Fabrikant snapped this stunning sunset over Sarasota Bay.
