Imagine the possible conversation between a pair of rockers hanging out in Sarasota last week ...
One of them, maybe Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler, is a bit peckish. His pal, potentially Aerosmith guitarist and part-time Longboat Key resident Joe Perry, has an answer for a quick bite to eat: Morton’s Gourmet Market on South Osprey Avenue. They agree.
“Walk this way,” Joe says, resulting in a Facebook post by the Sarasota business after the two stopped in for lunch.
Building sand castles like a pro
The technique of handstacking, or stacking different pancake-like layers of sand, can be used to create towers on a sand castle.
However, the uses go further in creating sculptures like a shark or a sea turtle.
It’s among the techniques kids learn at Sarasota County’s Sand Sculpture Camp, which wrapped up on June 25 with a series of sculptures encircling a spot on Siesta Key Beach.
“In their mind, they can start already thinking, ‘Oh, cool, there’s just this one technique. I can make all different things,’” said camp leader and professional sculptor Mitch Guerrero.
After learning how sculptors use forms, kids also learn how to use tools to add features like windows, doors, rocks, bricks and more.
$0.10
Ian Swaby
butterfly garden at the Leonard Reid House.
Andrew Warfield
Sarasota Planning Board members (from left) Vice Chair Shane Lamay, Chair Dan Deleo, Dan Clermont, Douglas Christy and Terrill Salem
Courtesy image via Facebook
Aerosmith rockers Steven Tyler and Joe Perry stopped into Morton’s Gourmet Market last week.
Ian Swaby
WEEK OF JUNE 26, 2025
BY THE NUMBERS
“There was little to do (downtown) for young people. It was mainly office. You get here at 8 or 9, you leave at 5, or you get a happy hour at 5, and then you’re gone.”
Sarasota attorney Bill Merrill. Read more on page 6A
■
Savor Sarasota extends through summer
There is still time to sample the area’s flavors, as a selection of restaurants extend their Savor Sarasota fixed-price offerings beyond the original 20 days in June.
Sponsored by Visit Sarasota County, Savor Sarasota is celebrating its 20th anniversary.
Originally a week-long event in 2005 to boost restaurant patronage after season ended, Savor Sarasota expanded to two weeks in 2020 to help give eateries a lift after COVID-19 shutdowns.
The 2025 edition expanded to 20 days to connect with its 20th
anniversary.
Diners may select from special menus and pay $25 for lunch specials and $45 for dinner.
Among the spots expanding their Savor Sarasota deals, according to Visit Sarasota:
Through June: Dolce Italia (through June 28), Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse, Wink Wink Food & Drink, Duval’s Fresh. Local. Seafood, Crab & Fin and Fins at Sharky’s.
Through July: Café Gabbiano (Sunday through Thursday only), Fat Rabbit Pub, Harry’s Continen-
tal Kitchens, Kolucan, Miguel’s Restaurant and Libby’s Neighborhood Brasserie (lunch only). Through August: Café Barbosso and The Maine Line (through Aug. 15).
Beyond August: Amore Restaurant, Andrea’s Sarasota, B&B Chophouse, Bodrum Restaurant, Café on St. Armands, Marcel DW, Mattison’s Forty-One, Michael’s On East and Tripletail Seafood & Spirits.
Additional restaurants may also extend their Savor Sarasota menus and prices.
Crystal Classic tickets now on sale
Tickets are now on sale for the 2025 Siesta Key Crystal Classic International Sandsculpting Festival set for Nov. 14-17 at Siesta Beach. The event annually attracts some of the world’s most skilled sand sculptors who create their pieces live in front of visitors.
The discounted early tickets are available for a limited time. Festival highlights Include:
■ Live sand sculpting competition featuring international master sculptors
■ Daily live entertainment
■ A vendor village featuring 75 specialty vendors
■ “Quick Sand” speed sculpting competitions
■ Amateur sand sculpting contest
■ Expanded children’s play area and the “Learning Curve” sand sculpting lessons for children
■ People’s Choice voting and specialty sand sculpture photo opportunity
In addition to tickets, a variety of sponsorship opportunities are available at My.SiestaKeyChamber.com or by calling 941-349-3800. Tickets and advance-purchase parking passes are available for purchase at SiestaKeyCrystalClassic.com.
Chamber awarded for communications
The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce has been named one of 12 Communications Award of Excellence winners by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. The program is designed to showcase top communications and marketing work of chambers of commerce and similar organizations. All winning entries will compete for the Best in Show title within their total annual revenue range category.
The three winning entries will be revealed at ACCE’s annual convention in Philadelphia on July 23.
The Chamber was recognized for an entry that showcased a strategic, multichannel communications campaign elevating the 2024 Small Business Awards through storytelling, targeted outreach and record-breaking engagement across platforms.
Courtesy photo
Tripletail Seafood and Spirits at 4870 S. Tamiami Trail is a participant in the extended days of the 2025 Savor Sarasota event.
How attainable is affordable
An apartment complex public hearing morphed into a discussion over whether the city of Sarasota’s affordable housing incentive program is serving those in need.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
Is affordable housing really affordable to those who need it?
During its deliberations over a proposed apartment complex on a portion of the property owned by Temple Beth Sholom, members of the Sarasota Planning Board deviated into a debate over the true cost of renting the planned affordable and attainable units to be included in the project.
The board unanimously voted to recommend denial of the project to the City Commission, in part because even though the plan provided three times the number of required affordable units per city code, they said it wasn’t enough for the density benefit Gilbane Development would gain as a tradeoff for a Comprehensive Plan amendment and rezoning.
Gilbane proposes a four-story, 275-unit apartment building with 20 affordable and attainable units, although the city’s affordable housing density bonus program requires only seven.
Per code, affordable and attainable housing units to be included in a project must equally divide among three rent levels considered attainable for households and individuals earning 80% or less, 81%-100% and 101%-120% of the area median income. The area median income is determined by the average wages across all income levels within Sarasota County.
Since the City Commission approved the bonus density program for downtown zone districts in 2022 and for commercial corridors and centers two years later, developers started taking advantage with several projects already in the planning stages or under construction. To gain the bonus density, which varies per each zone district’s base density, developers must offer at least 15% of the bonus units as affordable and attainable.
Affordability is based on 30% of household income dedicated for rent and utilities.
During the discussion, board member Terrill Salem asked what the monthly rent was for the affordable units priced at 80% AMI. The answer: $1,300 for one bedroom, $1,500 for two bedrooms and $1,700 for three-bedroom units, utilities included.
For one bedroom, the qualifying income for up to 80% AMI is $52,000 per year, for two bedrooms $60,000 per year and for three bedrooms $68,000 per year.
“You’ve talked to commissioners, right? They don’t even make enough money to live here,” Salem said. “I’m growing increasingly dis-
DEBATING SUPPLYSIDE ECONOMICS
gusted when people come in and talk attainable and affordable when it’s truly not. When you say that these are attainable, this is not attainable. I’m only saying this because you’re asking us to give you a lot. What I’m doing is I’m fighting for the citizens of Sarasota.”
SUPPLY AND DEMAND
Salem’s fight could be considered misplaced as the definitions of affordability are based on city policy. Developers — as the staff and City Commission designed — are taking advantage of the policy to bring more units defined as attainable and affordable to market. And when they do, they must remain priced at that level for no fewer than 30 years; a restriction follows the deed to successive ownership.
A relatively wealthy countywide population tends to skew the average median income, which in Sarasota County was $80,633 per household in 2023.
Compounding that is a recent list by U.S. News & World Report of the most overvalued rental markets in the country, which ranked the North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton metropolitan statistical area as the 13th highest.
“A number of factors, including a shortage of rental apartments, may be the cause for this overvalued rental housing market,” Manager of Long Range Planning David Smith told the Planning Board. “Basically, there’s more demand than supply.”
That wasn’t sufficient for Salem, who questioned Smith on why the city would continue to pursue more market rate housing when the focus should be on the lack of affordable
Manager of Long Range Planning
David Smith (right) with Planning Director Steven Cover
residences. Providing more housing, Smith replied — be it market rate or attainable to lower incomes — growing the housing stock to meet, if not exceed, demand provides downward pressure on rents.
Gilbane Senior Development Manager Daniela Rodriguez said it’s a numbers game.
“It’s very expensive to build nowadays, especially with the incoming tariffs,” she said. “We have made every effort possible, and unfortunately, the 20 affordable housing units that we’re offering is the maximum that the project could handle without it being unfeasible.”
The equation, then, becomes simply this: build only market rate apartments at densities permitted by code or get at least a handful of affordable and attainable units per project by utilizing the bonus densities. The third possibility is no new housing with or without the bonus densities.
AFFORDABLE VS. ATTAINABLE
There is some confusion in the marketplace in part caused by the definition of affordable and attainable. They are not one and the same.
For One Stop Housing Managing Partner Mark Vengroff, whose company specializes in true affordable housing — much of it priced at 60% or below AMI — said affordability stops at 80%. Vengroff considers anything higher workforce housing.
“Anywhere between 60% and 80% AMI is the top of the affordable range for families, but it’s still well below market rate,” Vengroff said. “Attainable, which is kind of a new term that someone came up with that to make it sound better, still is not attainable to me. That would be more of a nice luxury apartment that’s anywhere from 80% to 120% of AMI, with market rate being 120%-plus.”
Vengroff disagrees with Salem the rents remain too high under the city’s affordable and attainable housing program because those rents must also include all essential utilities.
“If you’re going to charge $1,900 and claim 80% AMI that they use as the guideline, the net effect is really $1,600,” Vengroff said. “It doesn’t seem as scary when you when you look at it that way.”
The city’s program picks up where the Sarasota Housing Authority, One Stop Housing, Tampa’s Blue Sky Communities, which is building New Trail Plaza at 4644 N. Tamiami Trail, and others leave off. Those organizations, according to Vengroff, capture the truest essence of afford-
Shortly after exchanging pleasantries at the beginning of the public hearing over the Temple Beth Sholom apartment proposal, project consultant Joel Freedman and Planning Board member Terrill Salem debated over the supply-and-demand dynamic of housing prices in Sarasota.
“I’m a perfect example,” Freedman said of downward pressure on rents. “I just got to renew my lease, and it didn’t go up for the first time that I’ve lived in this apartment complex, and I live in a nice apartment at CitySide. It didn’t go up because of the competition.”
“No, it didn’t go up because there are a lot of vacant units available for apartments right now for market rates,” Salem replied. “It’s because of the supply that’s being provided.”
Freedman told Salem his assessment proves his point.
“That’s right, and in downtown, that’s what’s happening, and there’s nothing out here in this area,” he said. “There is a very limited the number of apartments, so I believe that by providing these 275, units, you will help the overall housing situation.”
Aligning with Freedman’s supply-side philosophy, Sarasota Manager of Long Range Planning David Smith, a member of the planning staff for 25 years, defended the city’s efforts to bring affordable housing to the city.
“In the last several years, we’ve done a lot more than we did at first because we have the density bonus program that’s providing attainable housing,” he said.
“We have the Urban Mixed-Use land use category that provides attainable housing that could be transit-oriented development spread throughout the city once that comes to fruition. I think we’ve done some things, but there’s always more that can be done.”
able housing — asset limited, income constrained, employed — or ALICE. Such developers fall squarely in the range of serving the region’s AMI at 80%, and even 60%, and below.
Besides operating thousands of affordable units in Sarasota and Manatee counties — many of them converted older motels — One Stop Housing expects to break ground this fall on Sarasota Station. That project will have 202 units, all priced at below 80% and below AMI, half of those at 60% and below.
“The 80% AMI units are not income restricted. That’s just for anybody who works and needs a place they can afford,” Vengroff said.
“For the 60% AMI, you have to show your income to qualify based on the HUD dollars.”
The latter factor — dealing with federal government housing vouchers — is one reason for-profit developers stop at 80% AMI when planning the affordable housing components of their projects.
The incentive programs are beginning to show results for housing stock across all price levels in Sarasota. Among more than 900 affordable and attainable units currently under planning or development, more than 260 are included in market rate developments.
Photos by Andrew Warfield
Mark Vengroff is finishing what his father started at One Stop Housing.
New Trail Plaza by Blue Sky Communities, with all 90 of its units priced as affordable and attainable, is under construction at 4644 N. Tamiami Trail.
SRQ names new president and CEO to succeed retiring Rick Piccolo
Currently at Pittsburgh International Airport, Paul Hoback Jr. will come in after generating $2.5 billion in economic impact for western Pennsylvania.
Beginning this fall, SarasotaBradenton International Airport will be under new leadership.
On Tuesday, the Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority Board of Directors announced the unanimous selection of Paul Hoback Jr. as incoming president and CEO, succeeding Rick Piccolo, who will retire this year.
Tentatively scheduled to begin at SRQ on Oct. 19, Hoback is currently
executive vice president and chief development officer of the Allegheny County Airport Authority, operator of Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT). He has served in various leadership roles in aviation for 25 years.
“Leading Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport is an incredible opportunity, and I’m so excited to follow Rick’s amazing tenure and continue the legacy he has built over three decades,” Hoback said in a news release. “Thank you to Rick, the board and the community. I am truly honored to have been selected, and I look forward to serving the region as
we continue to grow SRQ together.”
In his role with ACAA, Hoback provides leadership, oversight and strategic direction for all capital development projects in addition to operations and maintenance. Most recently, he has guided PIT’s $1.7 billion new terminal program that is credited for generating $2.5 billion in economic impact for western Pennsylvania.
In his current role, he oversees several departments within ACAA where he has advanced a variety of regional initiatives, including the Neighborhood 91 additive manu -
facturing campus, a world-leading airport energy micro grid and the expansion of airport cargo facilities.
Hoback also serves on several community and charitable boards in Pittsburgh, as well as aviation and construction industry committees. He holds a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering and an MBA from Geneva College in Pennsylvania.
“The board, with the assistance of the professional search firm Korn Ferry, did an extensive search and review of potential candidates and Mr. Hoback was a unanimous choice,” Biter said in the release.
Piccolo will officially retire as president and CEO on Nov. 30 and will continue in an advisory capacity to the Airport Authority until June 30, 2026. He was to step down originally in June and fully retire at the end of 2025.
When he took over as president and CEO three decades ago, SRQ was $115 million in debt and losing passengers in part because of its proximity to Tampa International Airport to the north and Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers to the south.
The airport faced waves of controversy, Piccolo told the Observer in November 2024, as the eight-member board of directors — elected by voters — four from Sarasota County and four from Manatee County, each serving four-year terms with half of
them up for election every two years. Those electees stirred constant issues for the airport director.
“The Sarasota airport had a terrible reputation in our industry, and the reason for that at the time was the board was one of only two boards in the country directly elected by the populace,” Piccolo said at the time. “Every two years, the airport director was spending time fending off criticism from its own board, regardless of performance.”
That changed in 1995, when voter approval of a public referendum in both Sarasota and Manatee counties changed the composition of the Airport Authority Board of Directors from elected representatives to governor appointees.
Most recently, Piccolo has overseen rapid growth of the airport in passenger count, facilities and an aviation industry ecosystem surrounding the airfield. Since the pandemic, SRQ has become the fastestgrowing airport in the world, leaping from 1.3 million passengers in 2018 to more than 4 million per year currently.
To help accommodate that growth, SRQ opened its new Concourse A in January 2025. All five gates are leased by Allegiant.
Piccolo has also led the diversification of the airport’s revenue sources with the addition of multiple aviation industry companies and organizations, most recently announcing plans by Swiss business jet manufacturer Pilatus to build a plant and offices on the east side of the airfield.
The ecosystem includes fixedbase operators including Sheltair, which is currently building a new facility near the Pilatus site, as well as education facilities such as the Manatee Technical College airframe and powerplant program, and the Team Success charter school for grades six through 12.
“We are very pleased that (Hoback) has accepted the challenge and we look forward to him and his family relocating to our community,” said Biter in the news release. “We are extremely grateful to Rick Piccolo for his three decades of service to the airport, the community and industry, and his impact on SRQ cannot be overemphasized. We wish him a long and enjoyable retirement.”
Andrew Warfield
Rick Piccolo has spent 30 of his 53-year airport career at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.
Courtesy image
Paul Hoback Jr. has been named president and CEO of Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.
Sarasota Police honors personnel with quarterly awards
Police Chief Rex Troche honors sworn officers and civilian personnel for life-saving and crime-solving performances.
ANDREW WARFIELD
arasota Police Department personnel in three disciplines received honors with quarterly awards by Police Chief Rex Troche. The awards are bestowed privately in the office and are not open to the public.
Recognized were detectives Maria Llovio and Jessica Sullivan, crime scene investigator Marissa Zacarolli and sergeants Jeffrey Ball, Travis Forrister and Charles Riffe.
While following up on an attempted murder case, detectives Llovio and Sullivan discovered a witness who was nonresponsive in a restroom. The detectives rendered life-saving aid and administered CPR until EMS arrived. Their quick action saved a life. As a result of their quick action, they received the Lifesaving Award. Crime Scene Investigator Zacarolli went above and beyond in multiple complex investigations, including a traffic fatality and an armed robbery. Her diligent forensic work led to suspect identification within hours. A certified drone pilot, she also assists in drone operations. She is the Civilian Employee of the Quarter.
Following a homicide in February, sergeants Ball, Forrister and Riffe demonstrated exceptional leadership, coordination and persistence as they traveled to Louisiana to recover critical evidence and help secure a crime scene within the first 48 hours. They received Sworn Co-Supervisors of the Quarter.
“The actions of (the award recipients) exemplify the highest standards of professionalism and compassion,” Troche said in a statement. “Whether it’s solving a homicide, identifying a violent suspect in hours or saving a life during a medical emergency, these individuals went above and beyond the call of duty.
“Their teamwork, determination and dedication to public safety reflect the true spirit of the Sarasota Police Department. I’m incredibly proud to recognize their outstanding service to our community.”
From left, SPD Chief Rex Troche, Sgt. Travis Forrister, Sgt. Charlie Riffe, Deputy Chief Scott Mayforth and Capt. John Todd
Images courtesy Sarasota Police Department
SPD Chief Rex Troche and Crime Technician Marissa Zacarolli
From left, SPD Chief Rex Troche Det. Maria Llovio, Det Jessica Sullivan, Sgt. Charlie Riffe, Deputy Chief Scott Mayforth and Capt. John Todd
Attorney advises downtown plan committee on avoiding challenges
Bill Merrill recounts to members of the Sarasota Downtown Master Plan 2020 Update Committee how he successfully forced changes to Sarasota’s current downtown master plan more than two decades ago.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
Land use attorney Bill Merrill has witnessed two transitions of downtown and, as a representative of property owners and developers, was deeply involved in the latest one.
Growing up here as a Sarasota native and Riverview High School graduate, he recalls a sleepy little town where there was little to do in the core of the city. There were very few residents in the central business district with a smattering of small retail anchored by department stores such as Maas Brothers, JCPenney and Montgomery Ward.
Then came the suburban flight of retail that followed residential growth east of the city and, by the late 1980s and early 1990s, big retail either closed or moved to malls, leaving downtown as little more than commercial offices.
“There was little to do there for young people. It was mainly office.
You get here at 8 or 9, you leave at 5, or you get a happy hour at 5, and then you’re gone,” Merrill said during a May 28 presentation to the Downtown Master Plan 2020 Update Committee. “We used to kid around and say that Sarasota back then was very walkable because there were no cars around and you could take a nap in the middle of Main Street and not get run over.”
Merrill was among five presenters to the committee at that meeting, each providing a unique perspective of Sarasota before and after the current downtown plan was adopted in the early 2000s. He joined the city’s longest-serving planning staff member David Smith, former Mayor and City Commissioner Mollie Cardamone, Gillespie Park neighborhood leader Linda Holland and commercial real estate broker John Harshman.
Merrill’s early career took him to Aspen and Fort Collins, Colorado, Fredericksburg, Virginia, and many points in between, where he per-
LESSONS LEARNED
Bill Merrill offered this advice to the Sarasota Downtown Master Plan 2020 Update Committee to avoid potential challenges:
■ Open and inclusive process
■ Clear and definitive standards
■ Over-incentivize preferred and desirable development to make it easier for the city to gain the desired results
■ Retain, expand and enhance administrative review
■ Avoid litigation and administrative challenges
formed public sector work for local and regional governments. That included work on a comprehensive plan and land development code in Fort Collins in the mid-1990s alongside a proponent of New Urbanism, not too unlike the approach he would find upon returning to Sarasota.
“The (Fort Collins) master plan (was) similar to Andres Duany,” Merrill said of the architect of the city’s current downtown development code. “It was totally foreign to me at the time, and it was a big shift.”
His prior work on a similar comprehensive plan left him aware of the benefits of Duany’s approach, but also of potential pitfalls. In representing private land owners and developers here, he leaned on that experience to challenge various aspects of the Downtown Master Plan proposal before its final adoption as a Comprehensive Plan amendment in 2003.
Merrill brought seven issues related to the Comprehensive Plan
amendment to the forefront:
■ Lack of measurable standards to define compatibility. Permitting a building and its use should deem them compatible, with special consideration given at the Downtown Edge adjacent to the “walk-to-town neighborhoods.”
■ Better defining the relationship between the Downtown Master Plan and the controlling Comprehensive Plan amendment.
■ On-site parking. The plan would require the city to build parking lots and structures, but still permit onsite street parking.
■ Lack of development incentives that could be approved via administrative review.
■ The need to allow for administrative adjustments for building recesses and property-line setback change the definition of new building height limits within the Downtown Core — which at the time defined as 180 feet — to 10 stories with no height restriction.
■ Prohibit drive-through businesses on Main Street only but permit them on secondary and primary streets under limited circumstances.
A legal settlement in 2003 resolved the seven issues, leading to adoption of the Master Plan and the corresponding amendment to the Com-
prehensive Plan. To avoid similar entanglements as it develops the plan update, Merrill emphasized the importance of an open, inclusive processes, clear standards and incentivizing desired development. Merrill left the committee with some final thoughts from those he represents in the development community
“Some of the biggest complaints that we’ve had are building too close to the road, which was required by the code, and also the some of the height issues where they’re going above the heights that we normally would expect for a 10-story or 18-story building,” Merrill said.
Among the principal tenets of New Urbanism is building to the edge of the street and placing parking behind the buildings. That is a Duany philosophy intended, in part, to create a visual corridor that naturally slows speeds, particularly along highways such as U.S. Highway 41. Merrill would like to see that addressed in the update.
“Our group objected to the zerolot lines for the high traffic roads like U.S. 41 within the downtown,” he said. “We’re fine with that on the local roads, but on the main highways, we actually wanted to have those setbacks.”
Andrew Warfield
Land use attorney Bill Merrill (speaking) led a legal challenge to the Downtown Master Plan 2020.
File photo
The Solle Apartments on North Tamiami Trail are an example of the New Urbanism approach of placing buildings adjacent to the street.
Vatter President,
The show will go on
Here is the news: There will be fireworks on the Fourth of July. There will be fireworks on the lake on Thursday, July 3, at Nathan Benderson Park. There will be fireworks on Friday, July 4, on Siesta Key public beach. And there will be fireworks on Friday, July 4, in downtown Sarasota. No fireworks on Longboat Key. (Maybe the St. Regis will step up next year?) However, there will be a great parade at 9 a.m. Friday, July 4, at Bicentennial Park (see box).
Let’s just say: Whew. As of a few months ago, the Sarasota fireworks were not a sure thing.
At a special City Commission meeting May 12, Deputy City Manager Pat Robinson (full disclosure — my husband) reported to commissioners that as of that date, the city did not have a permit application for the Fourth of July fireworks. Mayor Liz Alpert expressed concern: “I just don’t know how we can, as a city, not have fireworks.” Robinson reminded the commission that the downtown Sarasota Fourth of July fireworks display launched from Bayfront Park is not a City-run event, and a private entity previously operated it.
For the past 15 years, Suncoast Charities for Children in partnership with Marina Jack (Suntex Marinas) has organized the Fourth of July fireworks.
Last year, I wrote a similar column when Suncoast Charities for Children turned to the community for support. Rising costs and the dissolving of the Sarasota Grand Prix P1 powerboat races during the July 4 festivities put the fireworks show in jeopardy.
While the agency managed to pull off the 2024 fireworks display, Suncoast Charities for Children’s board of directors ultimately voted in February 2025 to abandon the fireworks business.
Hearing this, Greg Corvelle, regional director of food and beverage for Suntex Marinas in Florida, started working on finding a new nonprofit partner for the Independence Day show, an event that draws around 15,000 spectators each year.
Suntex Marinas, which operates Marina Jack, is fronting the $35,000 cost of the firework show at this year’s event, because of its importance to the community, says Corvelle.
“There’s a perception that the city pays for fireworks,” Corvelle says. But while Marina Jack is a city-leased property, the city does not contribute funding for any events.
Even though the city does not provide direct financial assistance, it does provide in-kind services from the Sarasota Police Department, Special Events Department and Public Works. In 2023, the city’s in-kind personnel costs for the fireworks display came in at $41,047. The city also waives any special event fees for the Fourth of July fireworks.
To solicit additional financial support to cover other fixed costs such as barricades, port-o-lets, etc., Corvelle needed a 501(c)(3) to accept contributions from vendors.
So he reached out to Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.
Selby, Marina Jack’s neighbor to the south, had previously sponsored the Fourth of July fireworks display and hosts its own Fourth of July “All-American Cookout” on its campus. Which is a great place, by the way, to enjoy food and family friendly games and view the fireworks over Sarasota Bay.
Thankfully, a week after the special City Commission meeting on May 21, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens agreed to serve as a co-sponsor with Suntex Marinas. Corvelle says any funds left over will go to Selby.
“The Fourth of July fireworks are such a wonderful Sarasota tradition and a Selby tradition. We’ve had a viewing event for many years,” says Jennifer Rominiecki, president and CEO of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. “We’re thrilled to co-sponsor with Marina Jacks to continue this really beloved tradition for our city.”
Meantime, while Sarasota was scrambling, the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce was working on a grassroots fundraising effort for the chamber’s annual Fourth of July fireworks display. Chamber CEO Sarah Firstenberger says, at a minimum, it costs $50,000 for the experience. “The more we raise, the bigger the show is every year,” she says.
The Siesta Key fireworks, which is 100% community-funded, will be a 20-minute show at dusk produced by Zambelli Fireworks, or the “men with the powder,” as Firstenberger calls them.
To fund this production, the Siesta Key Chamber fundraises year round; it will begin fundraising for 2026 immediately following this year’s event. Firstenberger
said there are opportunities to get involved up to the day of July 4. You can donate on its website: My.SiestaKeyChamber.com/Store/ Fireworks-Contribution.
Many of the chamber’s partner businesses are involved as sponsors, but Firstenberger is most pleased with how the entire Siesta Key community came together to fundraise this year. She highlighted how Morton’s Siesta Market and Crescent Market orchestrated “roundups,” asking customers to round up their grocery charges to go to the 2025 fireworks display.
Todd Morton, owner of Morton’s Market and Morton’s Siesta Market, said the roundup campaign that ran from March to May raised more than $4,000.
“Running the campaign during tourist season spread out the cost of the fireworks with them, too,” said Morton. “Most of the money for the fireworks is coming from business owners, very few off of the island. The money with tourists helps ease the pain, which is nice.”
Morton said he plans to repeat the campaign next year starting in February.
Firstenberger says what’s really special about the Siesta Key Community Fireworks is the fact it is on the beach and about the community. “It’s an amazing feeling to have your toes in the sand while you watch the fireworks over the Gulf,” she says. “It’s truly unique to Sarasota and our community.”
Not only is the Siesta Key Chamber raising funds for next year’s fireworks show, it also has started fundraising for the nation’s 250th anniversary next year. Firstenberger says in mid-July or early August the chamber will announce some of the activities it has planned.
Sounds like Sarasota needs to learn a lesson from Siesta Key and get its act together in time for the Semiquincentennial. Where’s Paul Thorpe when you need him?
We have a saying at the Observer that if you want to get something done, you need a champion, someone to lead the initiative. Maybe we should put together a Sarasota version of America250, which is the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission that was established by Congress in 2016, to organize all the events and activities surrounding our 250th anniversary.
How about a committee called America250 SRQ with founding members including the mayor of Sarasota, Corvelle from Suntex, Rominiecki, Firstenberger and Morton?
Let us know if you’re interested. Let’s make sure to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with a Big Bang.
Email us your thoughts at Publisher@YourObserver.com.
President and Publisher / Emily Walsh, EWalsh@YourObserver.com
Executive Editor and COO / Kat Wingert, KWingert@YourObserver.com
Managing Editor / Michael Harris, MHarris@YourObserver.com
Staff Writers / Ian Swaby, ISwaby@ YourObserver.com; Andrew Warfield, AWarfield@YourObserver.com
FIREWORKS ON THE LAKE: 5-9:30 p.m. Thursday, July 3, at Nathan Benderson Park. Tickets: $30 to $105. Visit FireworksOnTheLake. com.
FREEDOM FEST: 9-11
a.m. Thursday, July 4, at Bicentennial Park, Longboat Key.
ALL-AMERICAN COOKOUT: 5:30-9:30 p.m. Thursday, July 4, at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. Tickets: members, $25; nonmembers, $35; Children 5–17, $10; Children 4 and younger admitted free. Visit Selby.org.
SIESTA KEY COMMUNITY FIREWORKS: Dusk on Thursday, July 4, at Siesta Key Public Beach.
SARASOTA BAYFRONT FIREWORKS: 9 p.m. Thursday, July 4, at Bayfront Park.
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Ian Swaby
EMILY WALSH
Marina Jack, operated by Suntex Marinas, and Marie Selby Botanical Gardens step up as this year’s sponsors of the city of Sarasota’s Fourth of July fireworks display.
Russ Zolatov watches the 2024 Sarasota Bayfront Fireworks.
Army’s 250th anniversary of its founding was proof that liberals have no respect for our military.
To foul the air Saturday with their chants and posters showed all who have ever worn a U.S. uniform, all who have been sent overseas, all who have endured combat, all who have been wounded and lastly all who have died in these liberals’ service that you are not worthy of all we have endured.
To my brothers in arms in the U.S. Army, this Marine says “Duty, Honor, Country” is who you are. Be proud of your service and don’t let the noise from these protesters take from your Day of Remembrance and Glory of your service.
COL. JOHN SAPUTO, USMC RETIRED, LONGBOAT KEY
A king counter
Mr. Walsh lists multiple attributes of kings, as catalogued by Thomas Jefferson, and asks if any of them sound like Trump. Let’s look at some:
1. “Erecting a multitude of New Offices ... to harass our people.” DOGE springs to mind.
2. “Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us.” The Marines in Los Angeles, anyone?
3. “Cutting off our trade with all parts of the world.” I guess imposing taxes on every country in the world doesn’t count.
4. “Imposing taxes on us without our consent.” Pretty much every reputable economist feels that his import taxes will be paid by Americans in the long run.
5 and 6. “Depriving us in many cases of the ‘Benefits of Trial by Jury;’ ‘Transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offenses.’” Has Mr. Walsh forgotten about El Salvador already?
Go through Mr. Jefferson’s list and see how many of his items are NOT being pursued by Mr. Trump, then decide if he is acting kingly or
not. As to whether or not he might be promoting fascism in some form, Mr. Walsh quotes that fascism includes an “aggressive nationalism and often racism.” I’ll let the reader decide for themselves whether that fits Mr. Trump’s profile.
JON MATTHEW FARBER LONGBOAT KEY
Trump a
fascist? Let’s say maybe not — ‘yet’
Thank you for your recent treatise providing us with your “Worst Of” for both long past kings and fascists. In so doing, you have narrowly capsulized the tyranny of those systems at what might be best described as their respective zeniths. However, they were not born at the pinnacle of their powers.
Like so many systems of government, they began with small measures that only grew greater and more forceful over time. Their power and reach accumulated across days, then months and finally years.
Not unexpectedly, your stance on the recent “No Kings” protest in Sarasota (bundled together with some exaggerated portrayals of similar protests across the country) completely whiffs on the primary reason why Americans are protesting. You are certainly old enough to recall that Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart once opined that while it was difficult to define what was, or was not, hard-core pornography “I know it when I see it.” America is changing under Trump and, in the opinion of many, not for the better. We understand what we see happening and where it is headed. The actions of this administration (as well as the many monied interests that support it) may not equate to full-blown royal transgression or fascist overreach at their worst — yet. And while Trump may have stated “I don’t feel like a king,” his words are not typically those which one might choose to trust. We should focus less on his words, while more actively concerning ourselves with his intentions. Then, once again, we might want to add — yet.
GREG WITT SARASOTA
Bidding farewell to City Island exhibits
Visitors turn out to Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium in droves.
DANA KAMPA STAFF WRITER
Anyone who has brought home a goldfish from the pet store is likely familiar with the basic process of catching, quarantining and acclimating a fish to a new tank. Now, imagine that process scaled up to coordinate everything from alligators to manatees, from minuscule seahorses to titanic tarpon.
Mote Marine is officially getting the moving process underway this week as it shifts public-facing exhibits from City Island to its new Mote Science Education Aquarium at Nathan Benderson Park in East Sarasota County.
As volunteers with Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium described it, visitation at the island-based center experienced a “massive uptick,” with waves of people bidding their final farewells to the facility. Mote announced on June 18 that it would officially close to visitors after July 6 while staff focuses on preparing for the upcoming move to the facility near University Town Center.
Mote has yet to announce an official opening day for the new facility.
Visitors shared this moment is bittersweet for longtime supporters. Many appreciate how a bigger, modernized facility will hopefully increase Mote Marine’s reach and capacity to help the marine animals they so love, perhaps even inspiring more future marine biologists and experts.
But Longboat Key residents shared their sorrow to see a significant chapter in the island’s history close.
Mote Marine has provided upclose, awe-inspiring encounters with some of Florida’s most beloved aquatic animals for generations. Its origins date back to 1955, when marine science devotee Dr. Eugenie Clark founded the one-room lab
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Up until the final day on July 6, the aquarium plans to be open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway. Tickets are $29 for adults; $21 for children ages 3 to 12; and free for infants ages 2 and younger. Call 941-383-4441 with inquiries.
years, were among the many making their final trips this week.
“Unlike other aquariums where it is all for show, here, you feel it was really designed for the habitat, to give visitors a better appreciation and feel for the local environment and sea life,” David said. “I’m going to miss it.”
TIMELINE FACTORS
in Cape Haze that later earned the moniker “Mote Marine Laboratory” after benefactor William Mote. From the early days, Clark placed a premium on philanthropy and community partnerships.
Marine experts opened the City Island aquarium in the early 1980s. Its capacity grew, taking in manatees, sharks, fish, alligators and myriad other oceanic animals.
In the interest of expanding its reach, Mote moved forward with plans to open a new $132 million facility. This new public-facing center frees up the City Island facility to focus on research and rescue efforts.
Upon hearing news of the impending public closure, visitors packed the aquarium this week, waving to Shelley the Loggerhead Turtle, giggling at the center’s pair of river otters happily splashing about amid the summer rainstorms and taking a final opportunity to give a gentle, two-fingered touch to the sandpapery skin of juvenile epaulette sharks.
Visitors David and Amanda Trocker, who became full-time Longboat Key residents last year but have been coming to the island for about seven
The timeline for the new aquarium depends upon two main factors.
Vice President Kevin Cooper explained in a press release that marine experts need to carefully calibrate water chemistry and critical life support, specifically focusing on how microbes in the water interact.
He wrote that staff also need to ensure there are no potentially harmful water-soluble materials left in the exhibits from their construction.
While experts are keeping a close eye on thoroughly leaching out those components, part of the process is simply a waiting game.
The second major step is safely quarantining, transferring and acclimating the animals moving to Mote SEA. Veterinary staff will also be keeping a close eye on how well the inhabitants settle in to their new enclosures.
“Until such time that all animals have fully acclimated to their new habitats, Mote SEA will not open for general admission,” Cooper wrote. He continued, “Ceasing public operations of Mote Aquarium on City Island immediately after the Fourth of July weekend will allow Mote SEA to open as soon as possible.”
Dana Kampa Shelley is a female loggerhead turtle that was born in 1977 in North Carolina. She and fellow turtle Montego came to Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium in 1998, and the pair has become a fan favorite.
Costco buys Sarasota Square property for $10.5 million
The plan is to build a mixed-use facility, complete with commercial and office space with a central area for events.
retail giant recently purchased the property where its store in Sarasota County is located.
Costco Wholesale Corp. bought 8201 S. Tamiami Trail, Suite 501, for $10.5 million, according to Sarasota County property records.
The seller is 8201 Sarasota Mall East LLC, an LLC that corresponds to Torburn Partners, the Illinois company that owns and is redeveloping the former Sarasota Square Mall.
Demolition of the mall began this past winter. The entire building is set to be demolished, except for JCPenney, which will stay open, and the nearby Costco. AMC Theater, which closed last Halloween, will remain vacant, according to county records.
Torburn Partners plans to create a mixed-use project on the more than 93-acre property that will include up to 1,200 apartments, more than 690,000 square feet of commercial/ office space and a central area for events.
In the past several years, the developer has spent tens of millions of dollars buying up Sarasota Square properties, including the mall structure itself for $19 million in 2021. More recently, county records show, Torburn Partners purchased the JCPenney property for $18 million in August 2024.
Costco opened its Sarasota Square store in 2012.
Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation makes leadership move
Board Chair Jim Travers steps back as Jenne Britell and Drayton Saunders step in as co-chairs.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
After six years as chairman of the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation, Jim Travers is stepping back from his leadership position, but will remain a member of the board of directors.
In his place, the board has named Jenne Britell and Drayton Saunders as co-chairs.
The change comes at a critical juncture as the foundation is seeking Sarasota City Commission approval of an implementation agreement for continued design of a new Sarasota Performing Arts Center.
“Jim Travers has been an extraordinary steward of this organization, guiding the Foundation with vision, dedication and generosity during one of its most transformative chapters,” said SPAF CEO Tania Castroverde Moskalenko in a news release.
“As we welcome Jenne and Drayton as co-chairs, I am energized by their shared passion for the arts, deep ties to our community and steadfast commitment to building a performing arts center that will inspire generations to come.”
Travers has served as a board member since 2016. Besides chairman, he stepped in as interim CEO and was a member of the CEO Search Committee that brought Castroverde Moskalenko to lead the foundation and its signature project, construction of the new PAC.
“Serving as chairman of the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation has been an honor during such a
dynamic period,” Travers said in the news release. “I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together, moving closer to realizing a world-class performing arts center. I have full confidence in the leadership of Jenne Britell and Drayton Saunders to guide the Foundation through its next exciting chapter.”
A board member since 2019, Britell was previously vice chair. A retired banking executive, corporate board leader and experienced nonprofit advisor, she has held senior leadership positions in both public and private sectors and has been a member of several Fortune 500 and nonprofit boards, including the Lincoln Financial Corp., TIAA-CREF, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Curtis Institute of Music and the Santa Fe Opera. Locally, she has served on the board for Ringling College and the Circus Arts Conservancy. She was a senior executive of GE Capital as executive vice president
of Global Consumer Finance and president of Global Mortgage and Commercial Banking. She has been chair of United Rentals Inc., chair and CEO of Structured Ventures Inc. and has been a board director of Crown Holdings Inc. and Quest Diagnostics Inc.
As president of Michael Saunders & Co., Saunders brings a commitment to Sarasota’s cultural and civic life. Currently, he spearheads the foundation’s fundraising efforts as Campaign Cabinet chair and has been an active member of the board since 2021.
He also serves on the board of directors of Gulfside Bank and is a member of Sarasota County’s Affordable Housing Advisory Committee. Previously, he was on the board of directors of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County and the Community Foundation of Sarasota County.
Elizabeth King
Costco is located at 8201
S. Tamiami Trail, Suite 501, Sarasota.
Courtesy images
Drayton Saunders and Jenne Britell are the new co-chairs of the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation.
Midtown Plaza redevelopment begins its run through city approval
Plans are to redevelop the site of the long-vacant Winn-Dixie next to Michael’s On East into a mixed-use project with apartments, a hotel and retail.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
Since the Winn-Dixie supermarket vacated the Midtown Plaza commercial center in 2018, property owner Midtown Associates has sought to rezone and repurpose three-and-a-half acres of the seven-and-a-half-acre site on 1299 S. Tamiami Trail at Bahia Vista Street.
At the time the grocer vacated the 40,000-square-foot space, Midtown Associates and principal Gavin Meshad successfully sought to rezone the property, which includes Michael’s On East, from Commercial Shopping Center Community to Commercial General District in hopes of attracting a new tenant for the space. There were no plans at that time to make any physical changes to the property.
On June 18, development consultant Joel Freedman appeared before the city’s Development Review Committee on behalf of the owner for the first submittal of a plan to redevelop that southern portion of the site into a mixed-use project that would include 112 apartments, a 145room hotel and 5,800 square feet of retail. Of the apartments, 28, or 25%, would be attainable housing units for a period of 30 years. Included is a planned parking structure.
The rezoning was contentious six years ago as residents of nearby Arlington Park neighborhood opposed bringing the higher density because of fears of bring additional traffic to the intersection of Bahia Vista Street and South Tamiami Trail.
PLYMOUTH HARBOR
On its first resubmittal, the expansion plan for Plymouth Harbor encountered a minor snag. Originally thought of as an easement vacation, a portion of the site includes a lift station that is property owned by the city, and vacation is not possible.
Project consultant Joel Freedman told the DRC his client has initiated negotiations to explore the city’s ability to sell the portion of the site to Plymouth Harbor.
Located at 700 John Ringling Blvd. on the south side of Coon Key, the retirement community is planning to add to its campus an eight-story, 115-foot-tall building for 153 additional independent living apartments plus amenity areas, support facilities and a second on-campus dining option for residents.
Eventual approval will also require City Commission rezoning from Medical Charitable Institutional to Residential Multiple Family.
Since opening its 215-unit independent living residential tower in 1966, Plymouth Harbor has added assisted living and memory care units to its 25-acre campus. It shares the portion of Coon Key south of John Ringling Causeway with Sarasota Yacht Club, which is also planning its own expansion.
The project has received partial DRC sign-off.
SAGE PARK TOWNHOMES
Armed with a recommendation of approval by a 3-2 vote of the Planning Board for an 83-unit townhome development on the site of the for-
During that time, the neighborhood opposed plans for an apartment complex at South Tuttle Avenue and Bahia Vista Street, the former site of Doctors Hospital of Sarasota. That project, Bahia Vista Apartments, is currently under construction. The redevelopment plan does not impact Michael’s On East or any other merchants on the north side of the property. A Starbucks in an outparcel in front of the former grocery store will be relocated within the development.
mer “Circus City” mobile home site on North Beneva Road, Sage Park Townhomes made its first appearance before the DRC.
Planned by national home builder DR Horton, the seven-and-ahalf-acre site just north of Circus Boulevard was once a mobile home residential enclave of the 155-acre
Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus winter headquarters.
The site, which to the east abuts the par-3 Gillespie Course at Bobby Jones Golf Club, has been vacant for several years. The project received partial DRC sign-off. Once it receives full sign-off, the site plan must have approval by the City Commission.
Plymouth Harbor on Coon Key opened in 1966. At the time, the 25-story residential tower was the tallest in Florida.
The owner of the vacant Winn-Dixie site at Midtown Plaza is planning to redevelop it into a mixed-use project that includes apartments, a hotel and retail space.
Photos by Andrew Warfield
COPS CORNER
Hearing the door slam shut on his rear lanai, a homeowner reported an unknown adult male had entered the screened area “and just stood there,” according to the incident report. Standing near a washer and dryer, the man told the complainant he needed a towel to clean his hands because they were wet.
The complainant ordered the subject off his property, and he left without incident. He wanted the encounter to be documented and a trespassing warning issued if the man was found. Officers were unable to locate the subject.
PUBLIC RESTROOM
WEDNESDAY, MAY 28
TWICE LOST HEADLIGHT
3 p.m. 3700 block of Colorado Street
11:40 p.m., 1500 block of Main Street Lewd and lascivious act: While officers were on were patrol in downtown, they were flagged down by staff outside of two establishments who reported a man pulled a knife on one of the security personnel then exposed himself to everyone around while relieving himself in the street.
After detaining the subject, a security guard explained the man was kicked out of a bar because he was highly intoxicated and began antagonizing other patrons inside. Moving outside, he began arguing with the security guard and made a move toward him, making a movement toward a pocket knife at his right side and then immediately pulling out a switchblade with his left hand.
The subject, however, did not attack the guard. Upon backing away and leaving, the guard said he began to make a video recording for identification when the man stopped, dropped his pants and began to urinate on the crosswalk, the entire episode clearly visible in the video.
While speaking with officers, the subject, not surprisingly, smelled heavily of alcohol and his speech was slurred. Being trespassed
Criminal mischief: For the second time, a woman noticed one of her headlights missing from her vehicle, although she did not report the first disappearance.
The complainant told an officer she was uncertain whether, in the first incident, the headlight was stolen or fell off on its own. She said she paid $100 for a new headlight and her brother-in-law provided the installation. As for the second disappearance, she was uncertain when it occurred.
With no video evidence available, the complainant was advised to install a camera at her home in order to deter any further such incidents.
from the bar being the least of his problems, he was also placed under arrest for indecent exposure. He asked why he was being arrested and was informed of the video evidence of him using the street as a urinal. To that he responded, “Well, they would not let me inside to use the restroom, so was I supposed to just (colorful metaphor for urinating) myself?”
He was placed in custody and transported to Sarasota County Jail.
Joint Pain? Let’s That
At Sarasota Memorial, you’ll find orthopedic excellence at the honors level and in a class of its own. From hip to spine and knee to shoulder, our surgeons and specialists aren’t just experts — they’re professors of precision with a curriculum of cutting-edge care.
Employing the latest tools and techniques, including minimally invasive technologies like robotic-assisted surgery and endoscopic spinal repair, this award-winning team pioneers the latest solutions that erase chronic joint pain and provide our patients with relief that lasts.
From total joint repair and replacement to non-surgical remedies and personalized rehabilitation plans, supplemented by pre-habilitation classes before treatment and home health care services after, this is advanced orthopedic care catered to each individual and dedicated to restoring movement, relieving pain, and empowering every patient. Because
“I
use mirrors to reflect what’s now. I’m playing with time.”
—
TRA NS LU CE NT TAPESTRIES
Lillian Blades’ first solo museum show sparkles and shines at Sarasota Art Museum.
IF YOU GO
‘LILLIAN BLADES: THROUGH THE VEIL’
When: Through Oct. 26
Where: the Sarasota Art Museum campus of Ringling College, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail
Tickets: Free for museum members; $20
Info: Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org.
MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
The word “installation” does workhorse duty in the art world, but it doesn’t do justice to the shimmering curtains in “Through the Veil,” the first solo exhibition of Lillian Blades, currently running at the Sarasota Art Museum campus of Ringling College.
Some people use the word “collage” to describe the Bahamian native’s dazzling creations. Others prefer “assemblage.”
Blades, who holds an MFA from Georgia State University, is partial to “quilts” when talking about her mixed-media pieces, which are wired together and hung from PVC piping, an homage to her plumber father.
In a telephone interview from her Atlanta studio, Blades cites the iconic Gee’s Bend quilts, memorialized on a set of U.S. postage stamps in 2006, as one of her influences. As fate would have it, some of the Gee’s Bend quilts, which have been assembled for more than a century by Black artisans in Alabama, are also on display right now at SAM, a contemporary art museum housed in the former Sarasota Art Museum. They are part of an exhibition called “Personal to Political: Celebrating the African American Artists of Paulson Fontaine Press.”
Blades’ mesmerizing pieces are on SAM’s third floor, while the Gee’s Bend quilts are on the second floor, a happy coincidence for museum patrons.
Like the Gee’s Bend quilts, Blades’ patchwork creations are assembled in a collective fashion, often incorporate found materials and frequently have asymmetrical patterns, a style called “improvisational” in the quilting world.
But the Gee’s Bend quilts are just one of the many threads running through Blades’ pieces. Others are the African diaspora, a Bahamian festival called Junkanoo and the yearning for her mother, a seamstress who died giving birth to the artist. Blades was raised by her aunt, who treated her as a daughter.
“I tend to gravitate to smaller objects that I find that have a connection to the Caribbean, Africa or the South,” Blades explains.
Asked to enumerate some of the things that have found their way into her giant quilt-like tapestries, Blades slowly rattles off “toys, small musical instruments, picture frames, knickknacks, sculptural figurines, jewelry, household utensils, small textiles.” There’s even a clock without hands.
She finds these objects, which represent the past and memories, including those denied or forgotten,
Image courtesy of Cydney Maria Rhines
A detail from Lillian Blades’ installation, “Perennial,” part of her solo show, “Through the Veil.”
Images courtesy of Ryan Gamma
Lillian Blades’ “What is Your Reflection?” is on display at the Sarasota Art Museum through Oct. 26.
Image courtesy of Toni Smailagic
Lillian Blades in her Atlanta studio.
Lillian Blades’ installation “Sanctuary”
Lillian Blades
in thrift stores and at garage sales. To symbolize the present, Blades often incorporates small mirrors into her assemblages. Of course, you can’t drill a hole (to run the wire through) in a mirror without breaking it, so Blades glues them onto other materials, such as acrylic and wood.
“I use mirrors to reflect what’s now. I’m playing with time,” she says.
Like many children, Blades was introduced to art through coloring books and a box of 64 Crayola crayons. But even as a kid, the future artist liked to work collectively. “I’d be coloring one page, and I’d ask somebody to color the one facing it,” she says.
Blades became a more skilled artist after she was given an oil painting kit in eighth grade. “I was either going to be a child psychologist or an artist. I wanted to create, but there weren’t many female artists in the Bahamas,” she recalls.
She originally studied painting at Savannah School of Art and Design, but then stepped beyond the twodimensional world in the 1990s, when she attached a pair of worn African sandals to the surface of one of her paintings.
Over time, Blades’ paintings started getting smaller and smaller, and she started joining them together like a quilt. “By joining one piece to another, I was trying to piece fragments of things that had been severed,” she says.
With her use of bright colors, Blades is sometimes compared to Jackson Pollack, the Abstract Expressionist who splattered and poured paint onto his canvases. But her work also recalls “combines,” or 3-D assemblages made popular by Robert Rauschenberg, whose centenary is currently being celebrated at The Ringling and other museums.
FROM CRAYONS TO CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL COSTUMES
Being a member of groups that created the colorful, elaborate costumes for Junkanoo was a dress rehearsal of sorts for Blades’ future artistic endeavors.
The raucous Bahamian carnival takes place on Boxing Day (the day after Christmas), New Year’s Day and July 10, the country’s Independence Day. The groups that prepare for Junkanoo are similar to the krew-
es that produce the many parades that take place in New Orleans in the days leading up to Mardi Gras.
The krewes’ Bahamian cousins gather in shacks where they assemble intricate colorful costumes in a spirited competition. Blades loved the experience so much, that today, she belongs to a Junkanoo group in Atlanta, where she lives.
It’s a cliche to say something has to be seen to be believed or that the pictures don’t do justice to a particular scene, but sometimes these axioms hold true.
That’s certainly the case with “Through the Veil,” which occupies two galleries, one filled with pieces in dark and neutral tones, and the other occupied by brightly hued creations, including one that incorporates all the colors of the rainbow.
It’s appropriate that a visitor stepping out of the elevator into “Through the Veil” is greeted by a piece called “Gumbo,” because mixing flavors and different cultural traditions certainly defines the ethos of Blades’ work.
After contemplating “Gumbo,” one steps farther into the John & Charlotte Suhler Gallery, where a standout piece is “Obsidian,” an allblack structure made of wood, fabric and acrylic that has a variety of textures.
“I see it as a protective veil, like a shield,” Blades says of the piece, whose title comes from the natural glass stone formed by the cooling of volcanic lava.
Informed that Obsidian also is the name of a controversial, highrise tower that has been proposed in downtown Sarasota, Blades comments, “Mmm. That’s interesting.”
Let’s face it, “Obsidian” isn’t a name you hear every day. Like sharing a museum with the Gee’s Bend quilts, this kind of synchronicity is not unfamiliar terrain for Blades.
Moving into the larger, brighter Tom & Sherry Koski Gallery, one finds the centerpiece of “Through the Veil” — “Sanctuary,” a circular piece dominated by Barbie Pink (Yes, that’s a real color: Pantone 219c.) and other orchid-inspired hues.
The roof of the piece’s inner core was part of a 2024 exhibition at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. It has been expanded and now is surrounded by curtain-like assemblages.
Blades uses so many salvaged materials in her art; why not repurpose an installation? Why not, indeed?
The end result is majestic, as skylights in the gallery alter the appearance of “Perennial” throughout the day. In fact, the exhibition could have easily been called “Just Add Light,” because that’s the missing ingredient.
During a tour of the exhibition, SAM curator Lacie Barbour indulged a visitor, joining them on a bench to contemplate “Sanctuary” as a cloud passed by.
“Depending on the time of year, the pieces look very different because of the angle of the sun,” says Barbour, whose official title is associate curator of exhibitions.
My visit came as the summer solstice was approaching, but I’ll be back again before the exhibition closes on Oct. 26 to see what it looks like around the autumn equinox.
Even the less colorful works in the Suhler Gallery have targeted lighting that amps up the scintillation factor.
Blades says she doesn’t have a favorite piece among the 13 works on display at SAM, but I confess that I do. It’s “Perennial,” a rainbow-hued collage that also made its debut at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens as part of its 2024 “Orchid Daze” exhibition.
Like some of the Gee’s Bend quilts, “Perennial” moves from a grid-like layout to a displaying its components on the bias (diagonally).
With its mounted components, including a clock with no hands and 200 empty wooden picture frames, “Perennial” is more grounded and less ethereal than most of the other assemblages. But its metallic frames surrounded by riotous rainbow stripes may invoke “Finian’s Rainbow,” “The Wizard of Oz” or Pride Week, depending on your point of reference.
The floral motifs in “Perennial” honor life’s progression through the seasons and the hope of renewal. They also pay tribute to the florists in the artist’s family, including her mother, aunt and grandmother, known as Grammy. It is fitting that “Perennial” was first displayed in a botanical garden.
Blades says the empty frames refer to missing memories, the ones she never got to experience with her mother.
But those blank spaces also allow the viewer to mentally insert their own portraits of family and friends and frame those Instagram-worthy photos of vacations, birthdays and other milestones. It leaves room to imagine the selfie yet to be taken, the memory yet to be made.
Yoshida Hiroshi (Japanese, 1876–1950), Lugano (detail),
Woodblock print; ink
Charles
Robyn Citrin, 2016, SN11557.122
Lillian Blades’ installation, “Gumbo,” greets visitors arriving for her solo show at Sarasota Art Museum.
DON’T MISS
‘JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR’
This is it — the one we’ve been waiting all season for! Broadway Director Josh Rhodes (“Spamalot”) returns to Sarasota to direct and choreograph Asolo Rep’s production of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” the granddaddy of rock musicals. The show is biblical in more ways than one. Look for Sarasota’s own Ann Morrison, Mary in the original Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Merrily We Roll Along,” as King Herod. Runs through June 28.
IF YOU GO
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 26
Where: FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail
Tickets: $35-$95 Info: Visit AsoloRep.org.
THURSDAY
SUMMER CIRCUS SPECTACULAR
11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at The Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Road
$20 adult; $13 child Visit CircusArts.org.
Pack up the car with Grandpa and the kids and head for the Circus Arts Conservatory’s annual Summer Circus Spectacular at The Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theater. This thrilling, 60-minute circus of fresh new acts is perfect for people of all ages with short attention spans. There’s room for walkers, strollers, wheelchairs, you name it — but please arrive early so ushers can store them. Make it a circus day by adding a ticket to The Ringling’s famed Circus Museum for just $5 on the day of the show. Runs through Aug. 9.
Born in Australia and now based in L.A., Monty Franklin toured the U.S. with Rob Schneider on his standup comedy tours and appeared in Schneider’s Netflix show “Real Bob.” His other credits include Fox’s “New Girl,” Foxtel’s “Stand Up Australia” and Hulu’s “Hollywood Darlings.” Runs through June 29.
THIS WEEK
‘FROM 145TH TO 98TH STREET’
7:30 p.m. at Urbanite Theatre, 1487 Second St.
$30-$44
Visit UrbaniteTheatre.com.
Urbanite Theatre wraps its season with Nia Akilah Robinson’s world premiere, “From 145th to 98th Street,” which follows a Black family’s move to a “better” neighborhood in search of a better life for their children. The American Dream proves elusive when the family’s son is wrongfully accused of a crime committed by someone with the same name. But the power of family prevails in this realistic tale of New York City life sure to resonate with all audiences. Runs through June 29.
‘HOW SWEET IT IS’
7:30 p.m. at FST’s Goldstein Cabaret, 1239 N. Palm Ave.
$18-$42
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
As the mercury rises, locals know how to escape the heat — at Florida Studio Theatre’s Summer Cabaret.
“How Sweet It Is,” a Motown tribute led by dynamic vocalist and songwriter Luke McMaster, demonstrates the enduring appeal of hits like “Tracks of My Tears,” “You Can’t Hurry Love” and others. Runs through Aug. 3.
‘TOO DARN HOT: SONGS FOR A SUMMER NIGHT’
7:30 p.m. at FST’s Court Cabaret, 1265 First St. $39 and up
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
Songstress Carole J. Bufford easily skips eras and genres. Whether she’s singing songs by Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra or Patsy Cline, she exudes a retro vibe. What’s more, her cool costumes in “Too Darn Hot” evoke everything from flappers of the 1920s to the neo-swing era of the 1990s. Runs through Sept. 14.
‘DAMES AT SEA’
8 p.m. at FST’s Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St. $42 and up Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
Fresh from his success with Florida Studio Theatre’s “Jersey Boys,” Ben Liebert directs and choreographs “Dames at Sea.” A parody of 1930s musicals, “Dames at Sea” first debuted Off-Off Broadway in 1966. With the help of sailor/songwriter Dick, Utah chorus girl Ruby lands a role in a musical that’s trying to find its footing. FST’s Ruby is Emily Ann Brooks, making her FST debut. Runs through July 6.
FRIDAY
PATTI SMITH: ‘A BOOK OF DAYS’
10 a.m. at Selby Gardens Historic Spanish Point, 401 N. Tamiami Trail, Osprey Included with $20 admission Visit Selby.org.
Selby Gardens collaborates with poet and musician Patti Smith, its artist-in-residence, on an outdoor exhibition of large prints taken from her newly published bestseller “A Book of Days.” By displaying her photographs outdoors, Selby brings them into conversation with nature. Runs through Aug. 31.
KRISTINA KOLLER
8 p.m. at Fogartyville, 525 Kumquat Court
$13-$22
Visit WSLR.org.
For her latest album, “Walk on By,” New York-based singer/songwriter Kristina Koller incorporates elements of R&B and funk into her contemporary jazz arrangements of Burt Bacharach’s timeless songs, some made famous by Dionne Warwick.
SATURDAY
‘GEORGE HARRISON: A GARDENER’S LIFE’
10 a.m. at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens,1534 Mound St. $28 Visit Selby.org.
It’s last call for “George Harrison: A Gardener’s Life,” the ninth installment of the annual Jean and Alfred Goldstein Exhibition Series. Walking around the 15-
acre sanctuary, where gardens and botanical displays have been erected to mirror those in Harrison’s estate, Friar Park, you can’t help feeling the late Beatle would approve of this living tribute. Runs through June 29.
MONDAY
‘CONJURING THE SPIRIT WORLD: ART, MAGIC AND MEDIUMS’
10 a.m. at the John and Mable Ringling Art Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Road Free with $25 admission; Mondays free Visit Ringling.org.
Go on the trail of things that go bump in the night with this fascinating interactive exhibition, which follows the growth of Spiritualism in the mid-19th century, from its roots in dining room seances to traveling shows featuring magicians and mediums. Along the way, you’ll see an assortment of memorabilia and tools used both to contact spirits and trick audiences. Runs through July 13.
TUESDAY
‘LILLIAN BLADES: THROUGH THE VEIL’
10 a.m. at the Sarasota Art Museum campus of Ringling College, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail Free for museum members; $20 Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org.
Award-winning artist Lillian Blades invites visitors to get lost in her first solo museum exhibition. Her installations of “veils” combine handcrafted and found objects to create a mesmerizing display. Blades attributes her use of dazzling color to her childhood in The Bahamas and her process of creating large-scale assemblages from a hodgepodge of materials to her late mother, an accomplished seamstress. Runs through Oct. 26.
OUR PICK
‘KEY CHANGE: A RETURN TO THE BEACH’ Daniel and Patrick Lazour, finalists for the 2024 Hermitage Greenfield Prize, and returning Hermitage Fellow Michael Sonnenblick are headliners of the first beach concert at the Hermitage Artist Retreat since the Englewood arts incubator was struck by back-to-back hurricanes in 2024. The Lazour Brothers received several nominations for their recent New York production of “We Live in Cairo,” while Sonnenblick recently collaborated with Elton John on the West End production of “The Devil Wears Prada.”
IF YOU GO When: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 26 Where: Hermitage Beach, 6660 Manasota Key Road, Englewood
Tickets: $5 with registration Info: Visit HermitageArtistRetreat.org.
Image courtesy of Adrian Van Stee
Heath Saunders plays Judas in Asolo Repertory Theatre’s production of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” which closes June 28.
Courtesy image
Daniel and Patrick Lazour
EATING WITH EMMA
Find your own Kokomo
Get ready to go coconuts for National Coconut Day at these Sarasota-area eateries.
pals were busy minding their own business and sipping champagne. Suddenly, Mom felt someone behind her. Simultaneously holding her glass and clutching her purse, she inched closer to the Monkey Bar in an effort to avoid the stranger. The bartender calmly leaned in and whispered, “Do you know who that is? He’s not trying to steal your bag.” It was Brian Wilson. Not a pickpocket. Just a Beach Boy looking for a seat and perhaps a conversation with a woman who I imagine was one of the most beautiful at the bar. Wilson had left the Beach Boys by the time “Kokomo” climbed the charts in 1988, fueled by the movie “Cocktail” starring Tom Cruise. Kokomo is actually a town in Indiana, but according to the hit song, it’s a place “off the Florida Keys” filled with “cocktails and moonlit nights.”
In honor of National Coconut Day (June 26), we’re raising a toast to the late, great Beach Boy, who died June 11, and the endless summer that lives forever in my mom’s heart.
DUCK DONUTS
1580 Lakefront Drive, Unit 102, Sarasota; 941-357-4400; DuckDonuts.com
Coco-nuts for: The Sand Dollar ($2.75) donut made with vanilla icing, topped with toasted coconut
and powdered sugar. If you’re one of my three loyal readers, you know I just wrote about donuts. While it’s tough for me to admit, I missed this delicious donut spot. So dig in! Beach, please: Get your taste buds happy with the Lemon Coconut ($2.75) donut with lemon icing and toasted coconut or the Coconut Island Bliss ($2.75) with chocolate icing, peanuts and more layers of tasty toasted coconut.
TOMMY BAHAMA MARLIN BAR
6562 University Parkway, Suite 110 Pad D, Sarasota; 941-337-0568; TommyBahama.com
Coco-nuts for: The coconut cloud cocktail. Made with 1.5 ounces vanilla-flavored vodka, 1.5 ounces coconut-flavored rum, 1 ounce white rum, half-ounce Coco López and rimmed with toasted coconut flakes for garnish, this cocktail will have you reeling in some good vibrations or feeling like you’re surfin’ USA right there in Lakewood
Ranch. Good news? Happy hour at the bar is 3-6 p.m. daily. Beach, please: Not feeling the cocktail scene this summer? We (not necessarily me) but some other local foodies would totally understand. Bite into the world famous coconut shrimp with papaya-mango chutney ($14) for a tangy, crunchy and coco-nutty taste of the tropics.
SIESTA KEY RUM 2212 Industrial Blvd., Sarasota; 941-702-8143; SiestaKeyRum.com
Coco-nuts for: A local distillery. Pick up the Siesta Key toasted coconut rum 750 ml ($26.99) bottle to make a cocktail as fun as summer should be. Mix 9 ounces Siesta Key toasted coconut rum, 12 oz. cream of coconut, 12 ounces water, 9 ounces whipped cream vodka, 9 ounces key lime juice and 3 ounces hazelnut liqueur and — boom, you’re in a place called Kokomo. Beach, please: Want to take your cocktail up a notch? Add dollops of whipped cream and graham cracker crumbs and all the tart key lime slices you can get your hands on.
DUVAL’S FRESH. LOCAL. SEAFOOD 435 Main St., Sarasota; 941-3124001; DuvalsFreshLocalSeafood.com
Coco-nuts for: Coconut curry mussels ($17 and up) with scallions, sesame seeds and toasted coconut red curry. This downtown hot spot serves up a crave-worthy dish that
brings on the heat and island vibes with the perfect sprinkle of toasted coconut.
Beach, please: If you’ve gotten this far in the article as a noncoconut fan, here’s your moment. Duval’s has extended its Savor Sarasota prix fixe lunch ($25) and dinner ($45) specials through June 30.
Coco-nuts for: The Island Matcha ($7). This energizing, tropical sip is made with crisp coconut water and ceremonial grade matcha, crowned with a light, dreamy coconut cloud. It’s a refreshing, vegan-friendly escape in every glass. Beach, please: Fuel your day with an ocean bowl ($15) blending banana, pineapple, coconut water and spirulina into a nutrientpacked base. It’s finished with crunchy gluten-free granola, fresh fruits, almond butter and a sprinkle of coconut flakes.
Courtesy images
Passion Roots açaí bowls bring a refreshing burst of paradise to your day.
Chamber cheers
Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce honors local businesses with spectacle.
Michelle Olivo, of Castle Concierge, told attendees at the 2025 Sarasota Business Awards she has three principals she follows as a business owner.
They are passion, perseverance and patience. But after receiving the Breakthrough Business of the Year award, she had more to add.
“Today I’m going to add a fourth ‘P,’ and it’s pride,” she said. “I’m very proud of myself for being up here, in addition to being very honored.”
Held June 20 at The Ora, the awards, which are hosted annually by the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, drew a full house for a spectacle that included local entertainers and performers greeting guests as they entered.
Heather Kasten, president and CEO of the Chamber, said the event celebrated the excellence, perseverance and innovation on display.
“These are the folks who pour time, talent, their savings and their sanity, into building something that truly matters,” she said. “And let’s be honest, owning a business is not for the faint of heart. It takes grit, guts and a really good coffee maker. You’re the ones who work before the sun comes up and long after it goes down, and somehow, you’re the first ones to say yes when there is a need in this community.”
She said since October, the Chamber has welcomed more than 266 new members, and a few weeks ago, the Chamber was named a national finalist for Chamber of the Year by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, with results to come in July.
— IAN SWABY
2025 WINNERS AND FINALISTS
SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
n Fawley Bryant Architecture
n SRQ Med Spa
n Taco Fusion Express
MEDIUM BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
n DutchCrafters
n Sunshine Movers of Sarasota
n Swor Women’s Care LLC
LARGE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
n Sarasota Ford
n Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP
n The Bank of Tampa
COMMUNITY IMPACT
n DreamLarge
n RITE Technology
n The Bay Park Conservancy Inc.
NON-PROFIT OF THE YEAR
n All Faiths Food Bank
n Operation Warrior Resolution
n SunCoast Blood Centers
BREAKTHROUGH BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
n Castle Concierge
n Little Medical School — Suncoast
n Williams Solid Solutions
RISING STAR
n ActivAge Sarasota
n Angotti Design
n Fat Rabbit Pub
WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
n Concierge Capital
n Discover Sarasota Tours
n Mystical’s Dance Co.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT & INNOVATION
n Children First
n Chris-Craft Corporation
n NCN Electric Inc.
HOSPITALITY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
n Dutchman Hospitality Group
n Oysters Rock Hospitality
n Sarasota Jungle Gardens
Photos by Ian Swaby
ActivAge CEO Kris Chana holds the Rising Star award, with Deb Overley and April McNamara.
The team at Oysters Rock Hospitality claims the Hospitality Business of the Year award.
Mirza Velic, chief experience officer at Sarasota Ford, claims the Large Business of the Year award.
Harvest House’s Vice President of Advancement Katie McCurry and Director of Accounting and HR Sara Stoner
Jordyn Hill, 4, and Armani Fordham, 11
Community blooms
Kids come together to plant butterfly garden at Leonard Reid House.
he Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition first began talking with the Sarasota Butterfly Club a yearand-a-half ago about an opportunity for the Leonard Reid House.
However, it was on June 24, during National Pollinator Week, their project of a butterfly garden at the historic home, which now serves as an African American cultural center, finally took shape.
Kids from Girls Inc., Precious Jewels Academy Learning Centers, and
Star Lab had the chance to get their hands dirty as they learned skills like digging, placing plants into the dirt and watering plants. Afterwards, kids enjoyed a session of Hula-Hooping outside.
“I think they loved it. I know they’re going to be tired as soon as they get back and eat lunch,” said Ronald Mathis II, COO of Precious Jewels Academy. Volunteers from UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County assisted planters, while plants were donated by Sarasota County Butterfly Club, Kaleidoscope Butterfly Nursery and EarthBox Garden Center.
“That is what we want to do here at the Reid House,” said Vickie Oldham, president and CEO of SAACC. “Yes, it’s about history, but it’s about the environment, too, and saving the planet.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Where: Leonard Reid House, 2529 N. Orange Ave.
When: The next planting session is Thursday, July 31, at 10 a.m. For questions or to get involved, email SAACCSRQ@ gmail.com. Donation drop-offs will be accepted during designated hours on July 29.
More info: Visit TheSAACC. com.
The flowers bring a touch of color, including red, yellow and blue, and are intended to support butterflies and other pollinators, while the garden will honor influential local historical figures through a legacy walkway set to be installed.
Another planting session is set to take place July 31. According to a pamphlet, the but-
terfly garden symbolizes the beauty, diversity, and resilience of African American culture.
The house belonged to Leonard Reid, who helped establish Sarasota’s first Black community, Overtown, now the Rosemary District, and was considered the “right-hand man” to Sarasota’s first mayor, J. Hamilton Gillespie.
The SAACC raised the money to renovate the house, which was relocated from the Rosemary District to Newtown in 2022, and deeded to the city of Sarasota by a developer and leased to the SAACC. Built in 1926, the house has a historic designation both locally and nationally.
Oldham said she was thankful for everyone who came together to accomplish the planting, including Mydahlia Glover of the SAACC, who she called “the glue that keeps all this together.”
“That’s what this house is about,” she said. “This is what Black people did. They came together when they had little or nothing, and survived and then thrived in this community. It was just so beautiful to see Black kids and white kids and Hispanic kids working together. That was just so beautiful to me.”
Photos by Ian Swaby Kayne Sinner, 3
Raining Berries scores big
Former Rays pitcher is behind new Raining Berries location in Sarasota.
IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER
During his career as a Major League Baseball player from 2003 to 2019, Edwin Jackson played for a record number of teams.
Among those 14 teams are the Tampa Bay Rays, the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Atlanta Braves and the Baltimore Orioles.
He says his approach to the sport involved “just being resilient, never giving up, never losing grasp of who I am as a person and not just a player, not letting what happens on the field dictate who I am off the field.”
The Arizona resident says that resilience will be useful in his business venture in Sarasota, a branch of the coffee shop Raining Berries at Southside Village.
Jackson co-owns the shop with NFL running back Kenneth Gainwell, who was a Super Bowl champion with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2025, and recently joined the Pittsburgh Steelers.
People also know Jackson for his All-Star performance in 2009, his 2010 no-hitter and his place on the 2011 World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals.
PLAYING IN A NEW FIELD
A Florida-based lifestyle brand, Raining Berries centers on products including coffee, açaí bowls, smoothies and gelato.
Like founder and CEO Bimal Bhojani, Jackson says the brand was an easy fit with the image of an athlete.
“I feel like the way the world is moving now, is a lot of people are moving toward health, and a lot more people are health conscious, so that is an extra bonus that we have, that you can come here and it’s something that’s good for your body,” he said.
Bhojani urges guests to try the premium coffee, which he says is the real story behind the store; the Uganda native says his family has ties to the coffee business for almost 250 years.
After meeting Bhojani at a wellness summit and being impressed with him, his story and his products, Jackson and his wife flew to Florida to taste the items on the menu.
“I was a big believer in, I don’t want to just go into something looking at it from a monetary standpoint; I want to make sure that if I put my name behind something, that I also like what I’m putting my name behind,” he said. “That’s big for myself.”
IF YOU GO RAINING BERRIES
Where: 1935 S. Osprey Ave.
When: 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sundays to Thursdays and 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays Info: Visit RainingBerries.com.
On June 21, he was present at the Sarasota location to greet fans and offer signed baseballs in celebration of the store’s grand opening.
Jackson still carries the experience of his MLB career with him, he says, including the ups and downs of the game, and of the changes between teams, which he says occurred for varying reasons.
“It’s been a little bit of everything,” he said. “Some of it’s just been the business. Some of it, I didn’t play well enough. Some of it, I played too well.”
Yet he says just like when a baseball game set for a certain time and faces a rain delay, his mindset will still be based in the game.
“It’s the same with business,” he said. “Everything is not always
Like founder and CEO Bimal Bhojani, Jackson says the brand was an easy fit with the image of an athlete.
smooth, but being on a field and handling everything I handled on a field, I can take that into the business world, in a franchise world, and I can use it in a different way, but the same mentality, to get through any obstacles that we deal with. When you’re opening up stores, whether it’s inspections, whether it’s something that can go wrong, whether it’s budget, whatever it may be, I can keep the mind frame.”
Photos by Ian Swaby Olivia Brasseux, 9, Nikki Leak, 9 and Mason Brasseux hold autographed baseballs from Edwin Jackson.
Raining Berries founder Bimal Bhojani, Edwin Jackson and Edwin Jackson’s cousin, Gary Oliver, of Tampa
Sand and sneakers
The event takes place every Tuesday at Siesta Key Beach through July.
Joel Reynolds, of Pennsylvania, enjoys spending time in Siesta Key with his family.
However, there’s an event they’ve kept returning to — the Kids Summer Beach Runs — since they discovered it earlier this month.
They attended a run at Siesta Key Beach, before attending the one at North Brohard Park in Venice the following day.
On June 24, they were back at Siesta Key Beach for another round, and he said they were planning to head back to Venice the next day to “finish this four-banger.”
The runs, which are presented by Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources and New Balance of Sarasota, and hosted by Manasota Track Club, began on June 3 and have continued to draw a large turnout, said Rob Loeffler, a board member of Manasota Track Club.
He said upward of 75 kids were present for the June 3 run. Held since
IF YOU GO
■ Tuesdays, through July 29, at Siesta Beach, 948 Beach Road, Siesta Key.
■ Wednesdays, through July 30, at North Brohard Park, 1400 S. Harbor Drive, Venice.
All participants receive a finisher ribbon, and kids who complete four runs receive a free T-shirt, a free kid’s meal coupon for Gecko’s Grill & Pub and a 50% off coupon for kid’s New Balance shoes. Visit SCGov.net.
the 1970s, the runs have enjoyed enduring popularity.
“We have one of the most beautiful beaches in the country,” Loeffler said. “It’s one that we can easily mark, and there’s plenty of space for the regular beachgoers to come and enough space for our runners to run, and it’s just a great way to be a part of the community.”
Jennifer Gallagher, the track club’s president, said kids seem to get a kick out of the event, including the awards and popsicles that follow.
“The little ones just get so excited, and they love getting their little ribbons and they love getting their popsicles, and parents who used to do the beach runs, now they bring their kids.”
Pop-up showcase
DANA KAMPA STAFF WRITER
rt-loving community members can rejoice in having another venue to take in creative works on Lido Key. Cirque St. Armands Beachside, a luxury resort celebrating the legacy of the Ringling Circus with its unique decor, recently invited the public to attend a pop-up artist feature event.
Darnell “Solo the Artist” Kirkwood presented his six-episode painting series for a one-day showcase on June 17, depicting the relationship between two characters Ama and Amore.
The first two paintings in the “Discoveries Along the Way” series depict each character in their own frame, using abstract details to communicate their individual traits. Ama is a social media creator, and Amore aspires to be a star basketball player.
The following four paintings showcase their initial meeting, the first time they start to open up and deepen their connection, the moment they both learn of new opportunities to pursue their dreams, and an ambiguous final frame left up to the viewer’s perception of whether they will decide to make it work or bid one another farewell.
Kirkwood took the time to walk attendees through the paintings, pointing out subtle elements that indicate how the pair’s relationship changes over time. He also invited viewers to offer their own opinions of what they see in the art.
“This whole series is based off of true events from my life and from close friends,” he added. “I blended them into these two characters.”
Attendees took the opportunity to chat with the artist.
When asked what it means to him to see patrons actively engage with his work, Kirkwood said, “She did exactly what abstract artwork should prompt. It should draw you in, make you ask questions, instead of just automatically putting a label
on something. It means the world to me that people respond to it the way they do.”
Even though it took some extra steps to coordinate, Kirkwood said he is glad the traveling exhibition could include the original paintings rather than prints. Up close, viewers can better detect the subtle writings and other elements incorporated into the art.
Milos Davidovic, regional general manager, said the resort looks forward to offering similar events open to everyone in the community, especially considering how much residents appreciate the thriving local art scene.
He said Kirkwood was the perfect artist to feature as the resort seeks to extend its hospitality to the wider community, considering much of his work centers around human energy and connection.
“It correlates with our core values and what we represent as an industry,” he said.
Kirkwood, who is based in Los Angeles, brought his traveling exhibition to Lido Key as part of a fivecity tour among Opal properties. For more about his other works, visit SoloTheArtist.com.
Dana Kampa
Artist Darnell
“Solo the Artist” Kirkwood shared his series
“Discoveries Along the Way” with visitors at Cirque St. Armands Beachside during a pop-up event open to the community.
IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER
Ian Swaby
The run begins during the event held June 3.
Mira Mar Beach home sells for $5.2 million
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
141 Avenida Veneccia
LLC sold the home at 141 Avenida Veneccia to Takeasiestakey Village
LLC for $5.2 million. Built in 2021, it has six bedrooms, five-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,625 square feet of living area.
SARASOTA
CEDAR COVE ESTATES
Kelly Marie McQuaid and Clyde Catton, of Ontario, Canada, sold their home at 1932 Baywood Terrace to Lisa Scibetta Devos and Brice Owen Devos, of Ocala, for $1,475,000. Built in 1985, it has five bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 4,065 square feet of living area. It sold for $1 million in 2022.
SHORELAND WOODS
Manuel and Christy Martinez, of Deephaven, Minnesota, sold their home at 3414 Old Oak Drive to 121 Claremont LLC for $1.22 million. Built in 1955, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,867 square feet of living area. It sold for $726,000 in 2020.
WESTBROOK
Brandon David Konkel and Courtney Renae Konkel sold their home at 1411 Quail Drive to Asim and Isa Chauhan, of Sarasota, for $1.2 million. Built in 1945, it has two bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,537 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.3 million in 2022.
HUDSON BAYOU
Sue Carlson, trustee, of Cadillac, Michigan, sold the home at 1723 Bay St. to PGM Investment LLC for $1.04 million. Built in 1923, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,237 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,219,800 in 2022.
RUSTIC LODGE
2415 Floyd St LLC sold the home at 2415 Floyd St. to Greg Barba, of Sarasota, for $1 million. Built in 2023, it has four bedrooms, threeand-two-half baths and 2,673 square feet of living area.
Robert Duncan Bennett and Alyson Louise Bennett, of Scarsdale, New York, sold their home at 2511 Prospect St. to Anthony Frank Anastasi and Almudena Presas Alonso, of Sarasota, for $985,000. Built in 2015, it has four bedrooms, threeand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,566 square feet of living area. It sold for $810,000 in 2021.
BAY POINT
Sandra Hokansson, of Sarasota, sold her Unit 11 condominium at 350 Golden Gate Point to Agnes Peterson, of Sarasota, for $950,000. Built in 1969, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,337 square feet of living area. It sold for $835,000 in 2023.
SAPPHIRE SHORES
Bruce and Ann Hutcheon, of Warwick, New York, sold their home at 426 S. Shore Drive to Barry Moss, of Sarasota, for $867,500. Built in 1955, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,657 square feet of living area. It sold for $500,000 in 2020.
LA LINDA TERRACE
Ericka Horton and Eric Norwood, of Sarasota, sold their home at 2235 Arlington St. to SPF Properties LLC for $839,900. Built in 1954, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,953 square feet of living area. It sold for $303,000 in 2020.
ALINARI
John and Colette McDonald, trustees, of Minnetonka, Minnesota, sold the Unit 402 condominium at 800 N. Tamiami Trail to Kevin and Deborah Pennell, of Freehold, New Jersey, for $620,000. Built in 2007, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,323 square feet of living area. It sold for $429,000 in 2007.
SOUTH GATE
Richard Jennette, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the home at 3124 Tanglewood Drive to Brian Firth, of Sarasota, for $615,000. Built in 1960, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,783 square feet of living area. It sold for $374,000 in 2018.
Joanna D’Angelo, of New York City, and Mark D’Angelo, of Traverse City, Michigan, trustees, sold the home at 2425 Calamonga Lane to Barbara Sassen May, trustee, of Sarasota, for $535,000. Built in 1957, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,705 square feet of living area.
REGENCY HOUSE
Jerold Ross and Lee Dougherty Ross, of Sarasota, sold their Unit 1005 condominium at 435 S. Gulfstream Ave. to David Butler Jr., of Sarasota, for $575,000. Built in 1972, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,537 square feet of living area. It sold for $400,000 in 2016.
ESPLANADE BY SIESTA KEY
Harold Jay Ashner and Vivian Carol Ashner, trustees, of Burke, Virginia, sold the home at 5870 Cavano Drive to Shawn Carroll and Stephanie Carroll, trustees, of Sarasota, for
TOP BUILDING PERMITS
$570,000. Built in 2013, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,639 square feet of living area. It sold for $575,000 in 2021.
GULF GATE
Edward and Cassandra Smith, of Frederick, Maryland, sold their home at 2466 Breakwater Circle to Agnes and Ervin Racz-Paradi, of Sarasota, for $550,000. Built in 1967, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,841 square feet of living area. It sold for $360,000 in 2015.
ONLINE
See more transactions at YourObserver.com.
Other top sales by area
SARASOTA: $3.85 MILLION
One88
Maureen Huber, of Farmington Hills, Michigan, sold the Unit 202 condominium at 188 Golden Gate Point to George Oberer, of Xenia, Ohio, for $3.85 million. Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, three-and-ahalf baths and 2,879 square feet of living area. It sold for $3.4 million in 2020.
PALMER RANCH: $1.05 MILLION
Enclave at Silver Oak
Daniel and Lynne Doyle, of Sarasota, sold their home at 8808 Enclave Court to David and Heather Viar, of Fairfax Station, Virginia, for $1.05 million. Built in 2006, it has two bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,390 square feet of living area. It sold for $740,000 in 2012.
OSPREY: $1.7 MILLION
Sorrento Shores
Scott and Eileen Zelken, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 525 S. Shore Drive to Michael and Heike Mongiovi, of Osprey, for $1.7 million. Built in 1972, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,315 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.09 million in 2021.
NOKOMIS: $3 MILLION
Harbor Shore Drive
Robert Savage and Jayne Savage, trustees, of Palmetto Bay, sold the home at 603 Harbor Shore Drive to Andrew Adam Kalley and Robin Garner Kalley, of Nokomis, for $3 million. Built in 2012, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,964 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,823,800 in 2021.
Source: Sarasota County, city of Sarasota
YOUR CALENDAR
BEST BET
SUNDAY, JUNE 29
SUNDAYS AT THE BAY FEATURING LONNIE BRITTON
6-7 p.m. at The Oval, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Enjoy a free performance by Lonnie Britton as part of this weekly series of concerts featuring local performers at The Bay. A self-taught outlaw country blues and southern rock musician from North Carolina, Britton writes lyrics that span “addiction, triumphs and everything in between.” Visit TheBaySarasota.org.
FRIDAY, JUNE 27
FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT: THE EMPEROR’S NEW GROOVE
7:30-8:50 p.m. at The Oval, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Enjoy a free, outdoor family friendly movie under the stars at The Bay. The selection is “The Emperor’s New Groove” (rated G), the story of a selfabsorbed emperor named Kuzco who is transformed into a llama, now celebrating its 25th anniversary. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.
CLASSIC FILM CLUB: CASABLANCA
2-4 p.m. at Gulf Gate Library, 7112 Curtiss Ave. Free. This month, Gulf Gate Library’s Classic Film Club, which screens famous masterpieces of 20th-century cinema, will feature “Casablanca” (1942). Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.
CRAFTERNOONS: WATERCOLOR BATIK PAINTING WITH ELIZABETH GOODWILL
2-3:30 p.m. at Gulf Gate Library, 7112 Curtiss Ave. Free. Join a dropin art class featuring local artist Elizabeth Goodwill, who will teach the art of watercolor batik painting. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket. com.
NOIR & NARRATIVE WITH TWO-TIME EDGAR AWARDWINNING AUTHOR LORI ROY 6-7 p.m. at Bookstore1Sarasota, 117 S. Pineapple Ave. General admission free; admission with book included
is $31.02. Two-time Edgar Awardwinning novelist Lori Roy will speak about her latest thriller, “The Final Episode.” Purchase a copy of the book and have it signed. Visit EventBrite.com.
MONDAY, JUNE 30
MAT PILATES AT THE BAY
6-7 p.m. at Sarasota Garden Club, 1130 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Suitable for all ages. Enjoy a free lesson at The Bay, presented by BODYBAR Pilates. These exercises focus on building the core while promoting full-body strength, balance and body awareness, and can improve well-being. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.
TUESDAY, JULY 1
ARTISTS IN THE LIBRARY: COLORFUL SUMINIGASHI
JEWELRY MAKING WITH KAT 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Library, 2801 Newtown Blvd. Free. Join special presenter Kat Sjogren and learn about the art of Suminigashi, a Japanese printmaking technique that dates back to the 12th century. Prints are placed on bezel jewelry trays and covered with cabochon glass. Create your own necklaces, zipper pulls and book marks. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.
THURSDAY, JULY 3
STORYTIME ADVENTURES
10:30-11:30 a.m. at Fruitville Library, 100 Apex Road. Free. Infants to 5 years old, attending with caregiver. Enjoy simple stories, nursery rhymes, songs, fingerplays and crafts. Space is limited. Tickets are available at the youth desk beginning at 10 a.m. the morning of the program. Visit SCGovLibrary. LibraryMarket.com.
AGENTS OF DISCOVERY: MISSION
PINECRAFT PARK
9-10:30 a.m. at Pinecraft Park, 1420 Gilbert Ave. Free. Put on a secret agent disguise, grab your smart device and join Sarasota County staff and educators as you explore Pinecraft Park on the Agents of Discovery app, solving nature-based challenges to complete the mission. Visit SarasotaCountyParks.com.
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SPORTS
FAST
Booker rising senior Chauncey Kennon will announce his college football commitment on July 6 at the Bradenton Dream Center. Kennon, one of the topranked cornerback recruits in the nation, will choose between Florida, Florida State, Miami, Georgia and LSU.
... Two Cardinal Mooney football players announced their commitments to play college football recently. Rising senior defensive back Macaiden Brown announced he is going to Liberty University, and rising senior safety LaRon Dues announced he is going to Indiana.
... Sarasota basketball player Johnny Lackaff has an offer from Florida State. Lackaff was the leading scorer last season as a sophomore with 21.9 points per game for a Sailors team finishing with a 28-3 record and a regional championship.
... The Sarasota Sharks swim team competed in an intrasquad meet from June 19-22 in Sarasota led by top finishes from Emma Lynch Sophia Malkowicz and Sydney Hardy Lynch took first place in the 100-yard freestyle, the 50-yard freestyle and the 400-yard individual medley for the 12-yearold age division. Malkowicz finished first in the 200-yard freestyle and the 200-yard breaststroke in the 13-14-yearold age division. Hardy won the 100-yard freestyle, the 100yard backstroke, the 200-yard backstroke and the 100-yard breaststroke in the 13-14 yearold age division.
Charles Campbell of Sarasota finished tied for fifth in the Florida State Golf Association Senior Amateur Match Play Championship from June 16-19 at Lakewood National Golf Club. Campbell shot a 73-72 in the two-round event.
Anthony Thomas of Sarasota finished tied for ninth along with his partner, Chris Tan of Bradenton, in the FSGA Men’s Net Two-Man Shoot-Out from June 22-23 at Tara Golf and Country Club. Thomas and Tan shot a 68-69 in the two-day event.
Healing in the face of tragedy
Brian Battie was awarded the 2025 Wilma Rudolph Award for his resilience.
VINNIE PORTELL STAFF WRITER
By the time Brian Battie made it to Auburn University, he had learned how to overcome his limitations as a football player.
Navigating through the limitations life brought him after football has been a much tougher challenge.
Battie and his brother, Tommie Battie IV, were shot at the Tallywood Centre Plaza in Sarasota on May 18, 2024. Tommie died that night, and Brian was taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital in critical condition.
The Battie family has spent the past year trying to recover.
Brian — shot in the head — has been rehabbing daily from a traumatic brain injury that left him unable to walk, talk, open his eyes or even breathe on his own for more than two weeks after the shooting.
He remains on the road to recovery. He still walks with a cane and is working on returning his right hand to functionality.
“The hardest part is not having my brother with me,” Battie said. “It’s not going to get any better not having my brother with me. That’s the hardest fight.”
The National Association of Academic and Student Athlete Professionals awarded Brian the 2025 Wilma Rudolph Student-Athlete Achievement Award on May 28. The annual award goes to five collegiate athletes who have overcome adversity to contribute in the classroom, campus or community.
LIVING FOR TOMMIE
Despite being undersized for a running back at 5-foot-8, 165 pounds, Brian Battie became a standout high school player for Sarasota and Braden River high schools.
He started his collegiate career as a backup running back and kick returner in his first two years at the University of South Florida, but had a breakthrough season as a junior when he ran for 1,186 yards and eight touchdowns.
That standout year earned him the chance to transfer to Auburn for the 2023-24 season, where he played as the Tigers’ kickoff returner and as a backup running back.
His traumatic brain injury, however, left him as a shell of his former self.
Tommie and Adriene Battie said that doctors predicted Brian’s permanent paralysis on his right side. Despite that prognosis, it took him
just three weeks to begin walking with a cane.
That was a monumental moment, but months of long days and dark nights remained ahead.
Tommie and Adriene spent the next few months navigating a balancing act of mourning one son while being present for another.
The Battie family described Tommie Battie IV as “the soul of their family.” Some of the things they miss the most are his laugh, how he carried himself, and the music he would sing.
Brian Battie and Tommie Battie IV played football together for Sarasota High in 2017. The brothers were shot in Sarasota on May 18, 2024. Tommie Battie IV was pronounced dead at the scene, while Brian Battie was taken to a local hospital in critical condition. His absence is a silence that is very hard to get through,” Adriene Battie said.
Brian still is impacted by his brother’s energy, and he constantly remembers his brother telling him to work harder and to be better. It stays with him every day.
“When I could barely stand on my own and I first stood up straight, I felt his presence as if he was right there next to me saying, ‘Come on bro, come on,’” Battie said. “I felt a strong sense of his presence multiple days when I just felt like giving up and not doing it, I felt his presence touching me.”
The grief of losing their son was inescapable at times for Tommie Battie III and Adriene.
PERSEVERANCE AWARDED
The 2025 Wilma Rudolph StudentAthlete Achievement Award to Brian Battie of Auburn University was one of five given by the National Association of Academic and Student Athlete Professionals. In the release, the group stated:
“Brian Battie is the epitome of facing adversity and overcoming it, through perseverance and unwavering belief in himself. A year after suffering a traumatic brain injury and enduring intensive physical therapy, he continues to chase his dreams of being a college graduate. From the football field to the classroom, his resilience in tough times has always carried him and brings him to a new journey where he has overcome learning to be himself again.
A fighter mentality with a smile that can light up a room, he has conquered more mountains than anyone should have to during the last year. Brian and his relentless pursuit of becoming something greater every day is someone who stands to inspire generations that come after him.”
“There were moments where I couldn’t breathe,” Adriene said. “There were moments where people had to pick me up off the floor. There were days where it felt like the grief was suffocating me to the point where I didn’t know how to go on.”
Tommie Battie III struggled as well, but said he ultimately found strength through knowing that his son wouldn’t want their family to crumble. That mindset motivated Tommie
File image
Booker High four-star cornerback Chauncey Kennon will return for the Tornadoes as a senior in 2025.
Former Sarasota and Braden River high schools running back Brian Battie played for Auburn University in 2023.
File image Brian Battie, left, and Tommie Battie IV played football together for Sarasota in 2017.
brothers were shot in Sarasota on
Fall prep sports storylines you won’t want to miss
The prep sports season won’t begin until August, but teams already are hard at work preparing for what’s to come.
This fall is setting up to be a special one in the Sarasota area.
There are teams with state championship aspirations, nationally known recruits and returning athletes who went to the state championships last year.
These are the things you won’t want to miss:
CARDINAL MOONEY FOOTBALL
POISED FOR BEST YEAR
It would be hard for the Cougars to top their season from two years ago when they won their first state championship since 1972, but that could be in the cards this fall.
This team is full of experienced senior starters who are some top collegiate recruits.
To top it off, a stinging 31-21 loss to Cocoa in the state semifinal round in what was their only loss of the season during a 12-1 campaign will certainly motivate them.
Some of the Cougars’ can’t-miss players include four-star offensive tackle Da’Ron Parks (6-foot-5, 350 pounds), four-star defensive lineman Elijah Golden (6-foot-4, 275 pounds), running back Connail Jackson (1,604 yards, 28 touchdowns in 2024), three-star wide receiver Kymistrii Young (626 yards, 10 touchdowns in 2024) and three-star safety LaRon Dues (four interceptions in 2024).
BOOKER FOOTBALL HUNGRY FOR FIRST STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
The Tornadoes shouldn’t be short on motivation this fall.
Booker has won regional championships each of the past two seasons, but lost in the state semifinal round twice in a row.
This year, many of its best players will be seniors who have faced bittersweet endings two years in a row. Also, the team lost head coach Scottie Littles, who resigned this spring.
Though some teams would crumble from losing the head coach that revived their program, Booker is using it as a rallying point, and none of its key players have transferred out of the program.
That group includes some of the top collegiate recruits in the state and the nation.
Players to watch include cornerback Chauncey Kennon (a top 10 cornerback in the nation), defensive lineman Kevontay Hugan (No. 38 overall recruit in Florida) and a wide receiver corps that combined
for 3,704 yards and 44 touchdowns in 2024 highlighted by Tyren Wortham (No. 55 overall recruit in Florida), Dylan Wester (No. 103 overall recruit in Florida) and Tyree Mannings Jr. (838 yards, seven touchdowns as a freshman in 2024).
NEW-LOOK CARDINAL MOONEY VOLLEYBALL TEAM
Cardinal Mooney’s volleyball team has been one of the best programs in the state over the past few years since putting itself on the map with a state championship in 2019.
The Cougars went 22-5 last year and finished the season ranked as the No. 12 overall team in the state before losing in the regional championship round to Tampa Berkeley Prep.
However, some of its best players — Izzy Russell, Riley Greene and Zoe Kirby — have now graduated.
Returning starters such as juniors Charleston Hermann (173 kills and 32 aces in 2024) and Sydney Sparma (75 kills and 182 digs) and seniors Sophia Vance (44 kills, 14 blocks) and Layla Larrick (39 kills, 20 aces, 13 blocks and 112 digs) will have to step up if the Cougars want to remain as a state title contender.
INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES CHASING RETURN TO STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
There were some impressive golfers, cross country runners and swimmers who are in the discussion for can’t-miss prep players this fall.
The Sarasota boys golf team placed fifth at the Class 3A state championships last season and will return several players, including senior Jake MacDonald (10th at 3A state championships with a 73-74) and junior Jacob Menard (20th at state championships with a 77-74).
Riverview sophomore Madison Muller could be in line for a state title this season. Despite being a freshman in 2024, Muller finished second at the 4A state championships as one of only two girls in 4A to run the 5K in fewer than 18 minutes (17:54.2). Last year’s state champion, Mackenzie Roy of Spruce Creek, has since graduated, leaving Muller as the top returning runner in 4A.
Not to be left out of the discussion is the Sarasota girls crosscountry team, which finished fourth as a team at the 4A state championships. Though Indy Grajalez (ninth at the state championships) has graduated, four state
runners return, led by sophomore Marley Brown (19:17.6 for 34th at state championships).
The Riverview girls swimming team is in good position to defend its 2024 4A state championship season. The Rams are returning several of the swimmers that led them to a title, including seniors Brynn Lavigueuer, Taylor Schwenk, Jessica Robie, Clare Custer and Danica Aten, junior Angelina Lista and sophomore Sophia Malkowicz.
For the boys, Riverview’s swim team placed third in 4A and Sarasota swim placed fourth in 4A. The Rams will bring back key contributors in seniors Samuel Brozek, Jackson DeBruin, Vito Sgroi and junior Maddax Harlan. The Sailors return seniors Daniel Keegan, Jorge Guzman, Bogdan Zverev and juniors Jackson Irwin, Andrew Malaj and Daniil Siutsou.
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File photo
Fans won’t want to miss any of Cardinal Mooney’s home football games in what should be a fun 2025 season.
Vinnie Portell is the sports reporter for the Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer. Contact him at VPortell@ YourObserver.com.
Ryan Kohn Cardinal Mooney indoor volleyball junior Layla Larrick sets a pass during a team scrimmage Sept. 9. Larrick said the win over Calvary Christian on Sept. 5 was the team’s best performance of the season to that point.
and Adriene when they visited Brian each day in the hospital. Other family members, friends and even some of his teammates from Auburn visited, as well.
Video games, card games like UNO and Adam Sandler movies helped the Batties distract themselves from the tragedy at hand in Brian’s hospital room and provided some brief moments of comfort.
By November, Brian had made enough progress in his recovery to return to Auburn to watch his team play in the Iron Bowl against its rival, Alabama.
THE ROAD BACK
It’s been over a year since Brian laid in a hospital bed hooked up to a ventilator, and the strides he’s made in his recovery have been so significant they’ve been described as “unheard of,” according to Adriene.
His most recent sign of progress is graduating from speech therapy. Next up is a grind through days of physical therapy.
Fully healing from the loss of Tommie Battie IV might never happen for the family, but they experience moments of comfort when they think of him. Those moments come when they are out at a store or restaurant and they hear his favorite songs. It has happened so often they feel it can’t be a coincidence.
One day when Adriene was lying by a pool in Lakewood Ranch, a woman who asked her to speak with her friend, who is a medium.
The medium told Adriene Tommie Battie IV was in her dreams the night before and he sees Adriene kiss his picture every night.
Tommie Battie III was skeptical at first, until the medium mentioned that she said Tommie Battie IV told her of a ring inscribed with his fingerprint and signature the family wears — something she had no way of knowing.
“What we’ve seen, and those signs, and the strength that Brian has been able to pull out is not just physical,” Adriene said. “That’s the kind of strength that comes from some-
HELP FOR THE BATTIE FAMILY
The Battie family still faces a significant financial burden in Brian Battie’s recovery. Brian has countless hours of physical therapy to go and hopes to return to Auburn to complete his degree in sociology.
Donations for the Battie family can be made at GoFundMe.com/F/Help-TheBattie-Family.
where deeper, somewhere spiritual. We believe that strength is through Tommie. Brian’s healing has been a miracle.”
Slowly but surely, the Batties are working on getting back to living their lives.
Tommie Battie III returned to coaching football with Lakewood Ranch High last fall, and has since returned to his alma mater, Sarasota High, as the team’s offensive coordinator.
There is still healing to be done for Brian, but he now finds himself in a place with hope for the future.
His goals include completing the final four courses required to graduate with a Sociology degree at Auburn sometime soon.
After graduation, he said he wants to one day become a motivational speaker for kids, with the intent of sharing the message of don’t take anything in life for granted.
“I definitely plan on making a full recovery with a fully functioning body and a fully functioning mind,”
Brian Battie said. “I think I owe it to my brother and my family to not give up and don’t stop until I’m healed. I just want to be healed.”
Closure is still to come for the Battie family in the legal process.
Darryl Bernard Brookins Jr., a fivetime convicted felon, was arrested for the murder of Tommie Battie IV and the shooting of Brian Battie on May 22, 2024. Brookins is scheduled to appear at the Sarasota County Courthouse for criminal case management Aug. 20.
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