Roommates Alison Bradsher and Lavonna Burns had never filled sandbags before, yet when Bradsher saw lines were absent from the sandbag station at Ed Smith Stadium, they decided to head over.
“I think probably last year with some of the hurricanes, we said, we’ve got some spots that we need to shore up, and so I think we just wanted to take that opportunity to get some sandbags,” said Burns. After experimenting with cones and using them to funnel in sand, they said they were glad for the chance to be prepared, not just for the rain forecasted later this week, but hopefully for hurricane season.
A talented lineup
Music Compound’s owner and president, Jenny Townsend, said in a media release the school’s July programming came together “just perfectly.”
That includes a month with appearances by notable names. Fifteen-year-old pianist River Eckert, of New Orleans, will teach “groove, feel and storytelling” on July 17.
Drummer Nic Collins, the son of renowned musician Phil Collins, will lead a drum clinic on July 19, alongside other well-known drummers and instructors, and in partnership with the Percussive Arts Society. Sessions are for varying age ranges. Costs range from $25 to $30. Sessions are free for Music Compound members.
$0.10
Ian Swaby
Teacher Heather Gomez, River Marshall, 8, her sister, Millie Krystyniak, 3, and student Bryan Marchan, 11, meet Scout the Eagle.
Courtesy image
Brandon Taaffe (right) and The Crossing
Ian Swaby
Courtesy image
David Rojas Jr.
WEEK OF JULY 3, 2025
BY THE NUMBERS
“I said this may be the most highly anticipated Savior since Jesus Christ, and with a bit of Moses in there, and that we don’t need you to part the water. You need to part the sand.”
Sarasota County Commissioner Mark Smith Read more on page 6
n
Sarasota man faces $3 million fraud charge
ASarasota man has been charged in what police say is a multicounty construction scheme that defrauded 13 victims of more than $3 million.
In connection with his arrest, authorities report they found 64 firearms and more than 10,000 rounds of ammunition that belonged to him.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Seth Andrew Bloom, 33, is charged with scheme to defraud, misapplication of construction funds, grand theft more than $100,000, wire
fraud and forgery.
When officials executed a search warrant at Bloom’s office at 2 N. Tamiami Trail, Suite 314, they say they found 64 firearms, including 14 handguns and 50 rifles/long guns, as well as more than 10,400 rounds of ammunition, resulting in weapons charges including possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.
They also say they found computers, business records and additional evidence linked to the
fraud.
“What started as a financial crime investigation led to the removal of a significant number of illegally possessed firearms from our community,” Sarasota Police Chief Rex Troche said in a statement. “It’s another example of our department’s commitment to protecting victims and pursuing justice at every level.”
A judge set bail at more than $3 million for Bloom, who remains in jail as of June 30. His arraignment is scheduled for July 25, records show.
GCCF names new board leadership
The Gulf Coast Community Foundation Board of Directors has elected new leadership.
DreamLarge Founder and CEO
Anand Pallegar has been elected chair and Williams Parker Attorneys at Law partner Rose-Anne Frano has been named vice chair. Both will serve one-year terms that began July 1, 2025.
The board also welcomed three new board members in Deb Kabinoff, Elizabeth Moore and Gail Morrison Morganroth, each for three-year terms. Kabinoff has founded several businesses and has a passion for expanding access to affordable housing. She is CEO of Gulfstar Homes, which builds affordable homes in North Port.
Other foundation board members for 2026 fiscal year are Anne Essner, Ping Faulhaber, John Giglio, David Green, Rod Hershberger, Keith Johnson, Frank Martucci, Pete Petersen, David Sessions, Peter Soderberg and Susan Sofia.
Foundation named for local AIDS advocate
CAN Community Health has announced the official launch of the Susan Terry Foundation, a charitable arm dedicated to empowering people affected by HIV.
The foundation is named in honor of longtime AIDS advocate Susan Terry, who died in 2009.
Beginning in the early 1990s, Terry was a leader in the fight against AIDS in Sarasota at a time when stigma and fear surrounded the epidemic. She stepped forward with Dr. Jeffrey Stahl to establish the Comprehensive Care Center, one of the first clinics dedicated to treating AIDS patients, later becoming Community AIDS Network and now known as CAN Community Health. It serves more than 22,000 annually across Florida and has expanded to include clinics in Arizona, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. For more information about the Susan Terry Foundation visit SusanTerryFoundation.org or contact Executive Director Ray Carson at 813-300-6555 or email to Info@ SusanTerryFoundation.org.
Courtesy Sarasota Police Department
Police say 64 firearms were seized in connection with the arrest of Seth Bloom of Sarasota, owner of Calderoni Trucking, doing business as CC Civil.
Crossing the sea for CF
Two Sarasota brothers and two friends take on an 80-mile Atlantic paddleboard challenge to provide support for individuals and families battling cystic fibrosis.
WARFIELD
ANDREW
STAFF WRITER
For even the most ardent of paddleboarders, no amount of training in Phillippi Creek, Sarasota Bay or even off the shore of Lido Beach can provide complete preparation for paddling 80 miles over more than 13 hours in the open ocean.
But it’s still easier than battling cystic fibrosis.
The latter is the cause that prompted Sarasota residents and brothers Brandon and Travis Taaffe to take the challenge in 2024, the annual event called The Crossing for Cystic Fibrosis, which was canceled because of unsafe weather conditions.
Still, they got to take a boat ride from Sarasota to Bimini in The Bahamas, meet the organizers and other competitors and, in the process,
SHIPS THAT PASS IN THE NIGHT
Brandon Taaffe said his Crossing team didn’t encounter any fascinating sea life during their 13 hours on the water, other than many sea turtles as they approached the Florida coast. One team, he said, encountered a sperm whale and stopped to swim with it.
Ships, particularly in the dark of night, were a different matter.
“It’s a shipping lane, so there are these huge ships that you can see on the radar and there was one that crossed right in front of us,” Taaffe said. “It looks like you’re going to hit it, but really it’s so big that it looked close. I turned on my spotlight just to make sure it wasn’t too close because the radar was telling me it was a half-mile away, which is plenty of room, but it didn’t look like it was that far.”
become motivated to try it again this year.
Adding two members to the team — fellow Sarasota resident and developer James Brearley and his friend, Michael Barron, of Georgia — they entered the four-person relay team division for the event held June 21-22. Four days later, they found out they won their group title with a time of 13 hours and 20 minutes to paddle from Bimini to Lake Worth Beach just south of West Palm.
“Last year, it got canceled, but we met all the people, including Travis Suit, who is the head of it, and really learned what a great organization it is, the great things it does for peo ple with cystic fibrosis and what a positive organization it is,” Brandon Taaffe said. “On top of that, what a cool adventure and serious paddle board race it is. So we said, ‘OK, we’ve got to come and try again this year.’”
Suit, who lives on the east coast of Florida, founded The Crossing for Cystic Fibrosis in 2013, two years after his daughter, Piper, was diag nosed with the condition. That first crossing involved Suit and three oth ers in an effort to raise awareness for CF, an endeavor that has grown to include 975 paddlers over the years, raising more than $3.9 million.
Funds raised from the annual event benefits Piper’s Angels Foundation, which helps empower individuals and families battling cystic fibro
rough that Travis and James did their whole time paddling on their knees because it was truly challenging to be standing. This year there were 3- to 5-foot seas.”
Training for The Crossing involved hours on the paddleboard, heading out into Sarasota Bay from the Hud son Bayou three or four mornings per week before work. Both Taaffe brothers and their father are attor neys with the Sarasota law firm of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick.
They would navigate the bay beneath the Ringling Bridge and back, getting in three to four miles per session. To practice in higher waves, they paddled off Lido Beach on a few occasions. Both living along Phillippi Creek, they would also pad dle closer to home.
“We trained all around town for a couple months to get in shape and to get ready for the effort because it’s definitely a big, a big effort,” Taaffe said. “It is definitely something you have to train for.”
All that training, though, doesn’t prepare you for that last 10 miles, when the shoreline is visible after paddling for 70 miles and, no matter how fast you go, the beach doesn’t seem to get any closer.
A veteran of ironman competitions, Taaffe said he was prepared for that sensation of the finishing seeming so close yet so far away.
“It seems like you’re so close, but 10 miles is still two hours, and those are the hardest for sure,” he said. “But once you’re really in close, in the last mile or two, it really gets fun and you get your energy back.”
year’s The Crossing. He has had thoughts about trying it solo, but said he is having second thoughts after this year’s experience. The winning solo time this year was more than 15 hours.
“It was very hard, but the team aspect of it was really fun,” he said.
“Maybe someday I’d still like to try and do the whole thing by myself, but it was really fun doing it as a team. Fifteen hours by yourself, that’s a lot.”
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
To learn more about The Crossing and its cause, visit CrossingForCysticFibrosis.com.
WEST PALM BEACH
LAKE WORTH BEACH
ALICE TOWN
Bimini Islands
The map shows the route Sarasota attorneys Brandon and Travis Taaffe, and their friends, James Brearley, of Sarasota, and Michael Barron, of Georgia, took, using a paddleboard to raise money for cystic fibrosis.
FLORIDA
From left, The Crossing team of Michael Barron, James Brearley, and brothers Travis and Brandon Taaffe. The team won its division during the competition from Bimini in The Bahamas to Lake Worth Beach.
Courtesy images
Brandon Taaffe takes a turn on the paddleboard during The Crossing.
New 3D guidance system enhances SMH hip replacement procedures
Sarasota Memorial Hospital is now employing the first FDAcleared mixed reality navigation system for optimization of total hip replacement.
Led by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Edward Stolarski, the hospital is using HipInsight 2.0, the latest intra-operative guidance system developed to help orthopedic surgeons customize hip implant placement, verify accuracy during surgery and anticipate and safeguard against potential complications.
Stolarski has used the system in more than 100 hip replacements with promising results, according to a news release. The advanced technology promotes more precise positioning, especially in complex cases that involve arthritis, hip dysplasia and other complicating conditions.
“HipInsight is the first system to incorporate spinal alignment and pelvic positioning into implant planning,” Stolarski said in the release.
“It displays a 3D hologram over the surgical area in the physician’s direct line of sight during surgery,basically giving surgeons X-ray vision to see
Stolarski said the technology allows surgical teams to predict and identify risk factors prior to procedures and to map out a treatment plan that supports long-term results.
Using HipInsight’s mixed reality platform, Stolarski uses headmounted Microsoft HoloLens 2 mixed-reality glasses to overlay 3D holograms of a patient’s pelvis onto the hip during surgery. The enhanced visualization enables him to precisely plan custom implants to fit each patient’s unique anatomy.
Surgeons use the system with CT scans before surgery to develop a 3D surgical plan. This plan includes information on planned component size, pelvic tilt, leg length and offset change to ensure accurate and efficient implant positioning.
Surgeons perform hip replacement surgery under spinal anesthesia. Stolarski typically performs the surgery using a minimally invasive approach through the front of the leg, resulting in less trauma to the muscle tissue. While some will stay in the hospital for a day or two before being discharged, most are able to go home the same day.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Edward Stolarski wears Microsoft HoloLens 2 mixed reality glasses to overlay 3D holograms of a patient’s pelvis onto the hip during surgery. The enhanced visualization enables him to precisely plan and position custom implants to fit each patient’s unique anatomy.
Courtesy image
City Commission faces hefty agenda after June break
The Bobby Jones clubhouse, city manager search, Mira Mar rezoning and formalizing its decision about Obsidian highlight the Sarasota City Commission’s July 7 agenda.
ANDREW WARFIELD
Following a month away from the meeting chamber, the Sarasota City Commission will address many to-dos at its meeting on Monday, July 7, with several key items on its agenda.
Among them is a quasi-judicial public hearing about Phase 3 of the Bobby Jones Golf Club renovation as it considers approving a 17,000-square-foot, two-story clubhouse. It’s the final piece of the restoration of the city-owned golf course to the Donald Ross layout.
The item is a continued public hearing that was opened at its Sept. 3, 2024, meeting for the clubhouse and restaurant facility estimated to cost upward of $9 million.
The applicant, which, in this case
is the city, is proposing a facility that includes a cart barn, golf shop, office space and a second-story restaurant with a wraparound veranda. The proposed restaurant is approximately 3,485 square feet along with the associated bar and kitchen areas, as well as a 490-square-foot community room.
The clubhouse facility will be open to the public, including the restaurant. The structure is located internal to the golf course parcel, located off of the main entrance from Circus Boulevard.
On April 10, 2024, the Planning Board unanimously recommended approval of the site plan. The golf course is currently operating out of a temporary clubhouse with carts stored outside.
MIRA MAR PRESERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Unless pulled for further discussion and a separate vote, in the consent agenda is the second reading to approve an amendment to the Future Land Use Chapter of the city’s Comprehensive Plan. This will allow for rezoning of the Mira Mar building and associated property at 65 S. Palm Ave. and 136 Miramar Court.
The owner of the property, Seaward Development, plans upward of a $29 million restoration of the Mira Mar building, providing the rezoning of the entire site to Downtown Bayfront to accommodate two 18-story condo towers. The site is currently Downtown Core, which has a height limit of 10 stories.
During a marathon meeting on May 19, 2025 — much of it regarding the Mira Mar matter — the City Commission unanimously approved the Comprehensive Plan amendment. Because it’s a site-specific change, the amendment will not go to Tallahassee for review.
Presuming second-reading
The proposed Bobby Jones Golf Course clubhouse features Old Florida architecture reminiscent of the original Gillespie
approval, a quasi-judicial public hearing will take place on Monday on rezoning the 1.2-acre tract from Downtown Core to Downtown Bayfront.
The rezoning request would allow for the property to be developed with the two 18-story towers on a shared podium to realize adequate revenue to rehabilitate the Mira Mar building, which will incorporate into the design of the new buildings and will continue to serve as retail storefronts facing South Palm Avenue. A boundary adjustment application would be required to combine the two properties into one lot and any future redevelopment will be subject to administrative site plan review.
On May 19, 2025, the Planning Board voted 3-2 to recommend approval of the Comprehensive Plan amendment.
CITY MANAGER SEARCH
Staff is seeking additional direction from the commission regarding its role in the search for Sarasota’s next city manager.
On May 23, the commission directed staff to issue a letter of interest to the Florida Local Government Executive Search Firm List, since receiving several responses. On June 16, the
IF YOU GO
The next meeting of the Sarasota City Commission will begin at 9 a.m. Monday, July 7, in the commission chamber at City Hall, 1565 First St. To view the agenda or to view the meeting online, visit the city’s website at SarasotaFL.gov.
commission requested supplemental responses from each firm, and the firms provided them.
From here, staff is looking for direction on the following:
■ Is the commission ready to narrow the field down to receive proposals?
■ If so, narrow down to which firms from which they wish to receive proposals?
■ If not, what are the further questions or information requested from the firms to narrow down the list?
The city has been without a permanent city manager since Marlon Brown retired in October 2024.
Senior staff member Doug Jeffcoat filled the role on an interim basis through May 2025, when former
OBSIDIAN APPEAL
In a matter of housekeeping, the commission will look to formally adopt a resolution granting the appeal by Bay Plaza Property Owners Association of the Planning Board’s approval of Obsidian.
On Feb. 12, the Planning Board, by a 4-1 vote, approved three adjustments for Obsidian, a 342-foottall, 18-story, 14-unit condo tower planned for 1260-1274 N. Palm Ave. The opposing Bay Plaza, which wraps around three sides of the site, appealed that decision to the City Commission, which granted the appeal by a 4-1 vote on May 14, reversing the Planning Board’s decision.
The city zoning code requires the City Commission to adopt a resolution following an appeal hearing. That sets the stage for a possible appeal by developer MK Equity Corp. to the 12th Judicial Circuit Court, which by code must be filed within 30 days from the day that the City Clerk accepts the executed resolution for filing with her office.
Longboat Key Town Manager Dave Bullock was named interim city manager.
Clubhouse.
Residents of Bay Plaza (the building to the left) object to street-level code adjustments and the 348-foot height of Obsidian, which is planned at 1260 N. Palm Ave.
Courtesy images
County carves out new stormwater department
Citing public perception of slow response to 2024 flood mitigation, the Sarasota County Commission votes to remove that function from the Public Works Department.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
The Sarasota County Commission held a budget workshop on Tuesday and a discussion over stormwater mitigation broke out.
Occupying the first 75 minutes of the workshop was a presentation by Public Works Director Spencer Anderson in an attempt to address growing public unrest over the county’s response to 2024 hurricane season flooding, particularly caused by Tropical Storm Debby.
Several members of the public spoke, many of them directly indicting the flood mitigation leadership, primarily as it relates to dredging and other cleaning out of Phillippi Creek, which overflowed and flooded neighborhoods in Pinecraft and nearby communities.
In his remarks, Anderson touted the experience and expertise of the staff working to secure permitting and executing operations along all the problematic waterways throughout the county. They included:
■ Eighty-seven staff supporting the stormwater mission with a combined nearly 1,500 years of professional experience
■ Almost 900 of those years in public service to Sarasota County
■ Forty-three staff with graduate or postgraduate college degrees
■ Five licensed professional engineers and six licensed engineer interns
■ Two project management professionals
■ One freshwater master naturalist
■ One licensed U.S. Coast Guard captain
■ One senior professional wetland
DIGGING IN
In his remarks to the County Commission, Public Works Director Spencer Anderson cited work that has been done to mitigate flooding experienced in 2024.
“Since June 1, we’ve completed roughly 2,000 maintenance tasks that include our contractor services, inspections, pipe, televising and cleaning ditch excavation and mowing operations,” Anderson said.
In addition, he said county staff has continued working on maintenance of some specific areas including Cow Pen Slough in eastern Sarasota County, excavating more than 6,500 cubic yards of material since early June, plus the excavation of some 7,600 linear feet along Phillippi Creek.
scientist
In addition, the group has 49 stormwater operator certifications, one licensed underground utility and excavation contractor, 11 staff certified through the National Association of Sewer Service Companies pipeline assessment program, and 12 current or former professional organization board members. The entire team, Anderson added, is accredited by the American Public Works Association for more than five years.
“I think anyone would be hard pressed to find a public organization with a team that has credentials and experience and professionalism that
exceed what we have here at Sarasota County,” Anderson said. “This isn’t a staff of time card-punching, 8-to5 employees, but a fully engaged, accredited team of first responders who are the first ones in after a major natural disaster to provide relief and recovery for our residents.”
Residents who spoke, mostly residents along Phillippi Creek, had no issues with the staff and its expertise. They were faulting leadership for what they said is an inadequate response to last year’s flooding as the 2025 hurricane season sets in. With a budget item on the agenda regarding a separation of storm water management from the Public Works Department, they asked commissioners for some fresh perspective.
“Please hire new blood. Do not hire from within,” said David Oaks.
“Hiring from within means hiring someone who is accustomed to a reactive, inefficient, ineffective and even neglectful culture. … You very well have the expertise. You just need different leaders.”
Added Kristy Molyneaux, “Now that the board is considering a separate stormwater department, it would be sensible if the person selected to head the new stormwater department was well versed in local policy, regulatory and hydrologic conditions.”
The commission quickly acted on the residents’ pleas, unanimously approving a motion to separate stormwater management from Public Works as its own department, and another motion to direct staff to utilize the report from independent consultant Stephen Suau dated Nov.
14, 2024, and provide the status of compliance for his recommendations for the commission at its July 8 meeting.
In making those motions, Commissioner Tom Knight said, “We work for the citizens, and I think it’s been very loud and clear that we need to start regaining some public trust with our stormwater.”
Commissioner Mark Smith suggested bringing in a supervisor, even if only interim, as quickly as possible. Commissioners also unanimously voted to table eliminating the stormwater management interlocal agreement with the city of Sarasota for one year, that motion also made by Knight.
County Administrator Jonathan Lewis then presented commissioners with the proposed staffing of the new Stormwater Department. It includes a department director, senior manager of field services and administrative specialist. With Public Works rebranded the Transportation Department, there is a proposal for a manager of field services controls.
A separated stormwater department would have a fiscal year 2026 budget of $37 million, $35.9 million funded from the Stormwater Environmental Utility Fund and, with another $1.1 million funded by Navigable Waterways Maintenance and Assessment Fees and stormwater operating grants, the total increase to the budget is $273,519.
At the commission’s behest, by the start of Wednesday morning’s budget session, Lewis had already posted the stormwater management position, reporting several inquiries received so far.
Commissioner Smith augmented Lewis’ report by adding he contacted Suau just prior to the meeting, who expressed interest in the interim role. “I said this may be the most highly anticipated savior since Jesus Christ — and with a bit of Moses in there — and that we don’t need you to part the water. You need to part the sand,” Smith said. “He’s willing to come in and help on a temporary basis.”
Image courtesy of Sarasota County
Sarasota County Public Works Director Spencer Anderson briefs the public about flooding during the 2024 hurricane season.
25 years devoted to liberty
For a quarter-century on the Fourth of July, we have used this page as a reminder of the magnitude of 1776.
For the past 25 years, before or on the Fourth of July, we have devoted this page to serving as a reminder of our Founding Fathers’ courageous act of declaring the nation’s independence and articulating the principles that compelled them to do so. One theme dominated these essays: We must constantly remind ourselves to stay committed to Jefferson’s immortal words: “ … That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights … life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Here are passages from those 25 years that we hope will keep you committed to fighting for liberty:
■ June 28, 2007
The American colonists called it the Glorious Cause. They never should have won. They were mostly farmers, little more than a militia of rag-tag misfits, challenging the most powerful military in the known world. And they were young. George Washington, the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, was 43; John Hancock, president of the Continental Congress, was 39; John Adams was 40; Thomas Jefferson, 32. And Thomas Paine, the journalist who rallied all of America with his pen, was 37. That they succeeded against the overwhelming odds was a miracle, a work of Providence, the result of indomitable passion for the Cause.
It is a story to hold in awe, the perpetual emblem of what we have today — freedom.
■ July 3, 2009
The Spirit of America — a relentless burning for Freedom — became etched in our nation’s collective psyche and culture when Thomas Jefferson penned the indelible words that: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
On the occasion of Japan’s surrender in World War II, Sept. 2, 1945, President Harry Truman told the nation:
“We now know that that spirit of liberty, the freedom of the individual and the personal dignity of man are the strongest and toughest and most enduring forces in the world.
“Those principles provide the faith, the hope and the opportunity which help men to improve themselves and their lot.
“Liberty does not make all men perfect nor all society secure. But it has provided more solid progress and happiness and decency for more people than any other philosophy of government in history. And this day has shown again that it provides the greatest strength and the greatest power which man has ever reached.”
■ July 1, 2010
Thomas Paine’s words still reverberate today. While they can bring to mind the images of the incredible struggles our forebearers endured to establish this free, independent nation 234 years ago, Paine’s writing is as relevant to our nation’s struggles today as it was then.
These indeed are times that try men’s souls in America. Yes, of course, there are big differences between now and then. Our
present-day government isn’t murdering American citizens, or ransacking, looting and burning our homes and confiscating our property as the king’s soldiers did in the 1770s. But few Americans now would deny that our federal government today has taken on similarly tyrannical qualities and parallels, though without the violence. …
This makes Paine’s “Common Sense” an allegory for us, a reminder, as he put it, “not to exhibit horror for the purpose of provoking revenge, but to awaken us from fatal and unmanly slumbers … ”
He was not just against the king and British rule; Paine argued for independence and freedom. And in so doing, he planted a seed that grew into the Spirit of America. Called Paine: “O ye that love mankind! Ye that dare oppose, not only the tyranny, but the tyrant, stand forth!”
■ June 30, 2011
So here is a short shot of historical truths to inoculate from the fatal venom of forgetting how we got here.
■ America was built on the backs of colonists who wanted freedom to pursue their Christian faith without the persecution of state-run religious institutions in Europe.
■ America was built from the minds and hearts of men who understood that life without liberty was not life worth living.
■ America was and is watered by the blood of men and women from Concord to Gettysburg to Belleau Wood to Normandy and Iwo Jima to Inchon to Khe Sanh to Kuwait to Iraq to Afghanistan. They have made the ultimate sacrifice for the cause of freedom and kept the shining city safe. Thomas Jefferson said, “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” And that includes force of arms.
■ America was built on free trading markets and the backbone of capitalism. Although the term was not in use at the time, the founding fathers understood the importance of this and made allowances for free men and women to operate freely in the realm of business. This economic liberty is integral to who we are and is precisely how we came to be the wealthiest nation on earth … America did not just happen; its wealth has not always been; and there is no guarantee that it always will be.
Jefferson’s words never rang truer: “My God! How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy!”
That is America, the bright city on a hill, the beacon of liberty the world over.
Let us not allow ignorance to put out that lamp. Without a free and prosperous shining America, the world will be a much, much darker place.
■ July 2, 2015
Our ancestors — from the Revolutionary War to the Greatest Generation — endowed us with the obligation that we must never forget. The Spirit of America is the Spirit of Liberty. It’s not free. We must protect it and spread it, especially
among our own.
■ June 30, 2016
Jefferson penned in that room not only the summary of preceding decades of events and relations with the Motherland and its King, but he crystallized what became the fundamental premise of American life, then and thereafter: We have the right to create our own destiny.
■ June 29, 2017
So it is. On the eve of the day 56 members of the Second Continental Congress ratified and signed the Declaration of Independence — pledging to each other their lives, fortunes and sacred honor; and declaring liberty and renouncing tyranny — on the eve of the day Americans will celebrate the 241st anniversary of the birth of what has become the greatest democratic republic in history, we are ripped apart. A strongly woven garment ripped jaggedly at the seams, with the perpetrators standing opposite one another gripping serrated knives.
This is not right. We should be feeling patriotic. We should be feeling proud to be an American, proud of the values we have pursued and cherished for two and a half centuries … As a friend said recently: “To be an American is to win the lottery of life.”
■ July 4, 2019
John Adams warned future generations: “Posterity: You will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it.”
Washington, Adams, Jefferson, the 25,000 who died, the other 54 who signed the Declaration of Independence and the thousands of other Colonists who fought and helped out did so for their independence, freedom from tyranny and their unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
How refreshing it would be to hear those who seek national public office today remember the struggles of our nation’s founding and pledge, as the Founding Fathers did, their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor in support of the Cause: Liberty. If they won’t, we must.
■ July 2, 2020
(T)his year’s edition of Spirit of America celebrates those among us who rose up in a time of crisis — the COVID-19 pandemic — to lift others’ spirits and serve others in need. The stories and photographs remind us of that quintessential generosity, determination and cando spirit that has been a hallmark of the people who make up the extraordinary tapestry of this great nation.
What’s more, this year’s Spirit of America stories should give us hope, especially when so many of us are worried as never before about what is next and what is to come of the future of our Republic …
On this awkward Fourth of July — with the COVID-19 pandemic subduing our Independence Day celebrations — we hope the holiday nevertheless marks a turning point — a time when the Silent Majority, the vast majority of law-abiding
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
Regional Sales Director / Penny Nowicki, PNowicki@YourObserver.com
America-loving patriots begins to reassert its voice.
We hope it’s a unified voice that asserts a decisive call for the defense of our nation’s founding principles; a just enforcement of the rule of law; and a forceful repudiation of life-destroying Marxism, socialism and anarchy.
We hope the Silent Majority, starting this Fourth of July, begins to end its silence and, like our Founding Fathers, recommits to the immortal declaration to everyone’s peaceful unalienable rights to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.
On this July 4, let the Spirit of America rise up once more.
■ July 1, 2021
How do we pursue happiness?
At the root of that pursuit is the human yearning to be free; to be individuals; to be free to make our own choices, choices in our selfinterest and the interests of others; and not to be under the yoke of some tyrannical power who makes us slaves.
Far, far too few Americans seem to appreciate — indeed, revere — all of that. Nor do they appreciate how extraordinary were the Declaration of Independence and the aura around it; or how precious it still is; and how precious it is to their lives today.
■ June 30, 2022
Come Monday, July 4, this is the day Americans want to be happy, the day we want to feel good about the U-S-A.
It is the one day every year we want to celebrate and be thankful to our founding ancestors for two of the most extraordinary human concepts that took root in this land and flourished over the next 244 years: independence and freedom.
■ June 20, 2023 & July 4, 2024
When President Calvin Coolidge concluded his 1926 Fourth of July address, Coolidge told his fellow Americans:
“If we are to maintain the great heritage which has been bequeathed to us, we must be likeminded as the fathers who created it. We must not sink into a pagan materialism.
“We must cultivate the reverence which they had for the things that are holy. We must follow the spiritual and moral leadership which they showed. We must keep replenished, that they may glow with a more compelling flame, the altar fires before which they worshipped.”
As you wave your flag or fire up your grill on the Fourth of July, we’ll encourage you as we did in 2021: Wave that flag hard. Be resilient, as resilient as the pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock and as courageous as the Founding Fathers who pledged their lives, their fortunes and honor with their signatures on the Declaration of Independence. Continue to believe in the magnificent principles that all men are indeed created equal and stand strong for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Happy Independence Day.
Regional Digital Director / Kathleen O’Hara, KOHara@YourObserver.com
Senior Advertising Executive / Laura Ritter, LRitter@YourObserver.com
Advertising Executives / Blake Chitwood, BChitwood@ YourObserver.com; Richeal McGuinness, RMcGuinness@YourObserver.com; Jennifer Kane, JKane@YourObserver.com; Honesty Mantkowski, HMantkowski@ YourObserver.com; Toni Perren, TPerren@ YourObserver.com; Brenda White, BWhite@YourObserver.com
Classified Advertising Sales Executive / Anna Reich, AReich@YourObserver.com
Sales Operations Manager / Susan Leedom, SLeedom@YourObserver.com
Advertising Graphic Designers / Luis Trujillo, Taylor Poe, Louise Martin, Shawna Polana
Digital Developer / Jason Camillo, JCamillo@YourObserver.com
Information Technology Manager / Homer Gallego, HGallego@YourObserver. com
Chief Financial Officer / Laura Strickland, LStrickland@YourObserver.com
Controller / Rafael Labrin, RLabrin@ YourObserver.com
Office and Accounting Coordinator / Donna Condon, DCondon @YourObserver.com
Observer Media Group Inc. is locally owned. Publisher of the Longboat Observer, East County Observer, Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer, West Orange Times & Observer, Southwest Orange Observer, Business Observer,
MATT WALSH
Courtesy National Archives
Artist John Trumbull’s 12-by-18 oil on canvas painting (1818) of the Declaration of Independence that hangs in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol.
Sarasota dedicates new HQ
County opens the doors to its new $16 million headquarters for fire, rescue and emergency services.
With a ceremonial hose
decoupling, ribbon cutting and push-in of a vintage fire truck into its new home, Sarasota County celebrated the opening of its new headquarters for the county’s Emergency Services.
Located at 6062 Porter Way just off I-75, the new $16 million, 28,418-square-foot facility is the new home to administrative personnel supporting fire and EMS operations working out of 25 locations throughout the county.
“Just five years ago, the Sarasota County Fire Department’s administrative staff consisted of a fire chief, EMS chief, operations chief, logistics chief and 10 administrative support staff,” said Director of Emergency Services Richard Collins during Monday’s ceremony. “They worked from a 3,789-square-foot area on the sixth floor the Sarasota County Administration Building in downtown Sarasota.”
Since then, the county’s population has grown by 50,000 to more than 480,000, bringing with it a call
“We see the potential for adding 46 positions between unfunded mandates for the fire marshal’s office that we need to comply with and the growth of our citizens,” Collins said.
The new headquarters is located within a short walk to the county’s Emergency Operations Center where the top administrative and emergency staff ride out and direct responses to hurricanes and tropical storms.
“The administration building represents a continued effort to serve our community and those who serve it at the very highest level as stewards of public safety,” said County Commission Chairman Joe Neunder. “It is indeed our responsibility to provide the proper facilities, tools and resources for our personnel to deliver critical services.”
LETTERS
Put SPAC issue on a referendum
How about simply putting it out for a vote from the taxpayers like they did for the legacy trail expansion?
My guess is it would be soundly voted down.
GEORGE HELLYER SARASOTA
Walsh sounds like the President
If it weren’t for the lack of the misspellings, grammatical errors, and incoherence that often signify messages from Donald Trump, Matt Walsh’s June 19 opinion piece denouncing the “No Kings” protests in Sarasota could have been dictated by the President himself.
occurred on the day of the protests: A Trump voter’s attacks on Democratic state legislators and their spouses in Minnesota, which left two dead and two seriously injured. No surprise, there are plenty of dangerous crazies on both sides, as Jan. 6, 2021, amply demonstrated. I agree with Walsh’s argument that the nation’s borders must be protected, but oppose demonizing immigrants. Walsh also correctly states that Trump is no king ... but it’s certainly not for trying. Consider the obsequiousness that he demands — and gets — from his party. And look how infuriated he becomes when judges block his unconstitutional actions, or when the Fed won’t bend to his will.
As for Walsh’s questioning of the protestors’ patriotism, dozens of them were veterans. I am one, too, like many in my family, including one awarded a Silver Star before being killed in the Battle of the Bulge. It’s ironic that the commander-in-chief, whom Walsh so admires, is quite likely a draft dodger. (The daughters of a podiatrist who figured in Trump’s Vietnam-era medical deferment say the physician told them he did a “favor” for Trump without disclosing what it was.) During his first administration, the President denigrated as “losers” American soldiers slain in World War I, according to former Gen. John Kelly, then his chief of staff. And Trump once declared that dating was his “personal Vietnam.”
volume increase of 11.4%. According to Collins, the county has responded to the greater demand with a reorganization of its emergency services personnel to include two deputy chiefs, seven assistant chiefs and several battalion chiefs.
The new headquarters can withstand a Category 4 hurricane. To allow for future growth, there is room for expansion in unfinished space on the second floor.
Right now, Neunder said, a call for service goes out every seven minutes and 45 seconds and EMS transports more than 100 patients daily to area hospitals.
“This is dreaming big, and as Sarasota County grows up, we have had the great fortune of being able to allocate funding to make incredible days like today happen,” said District 1 Commissioner Teresa Mast. “We look forward to the future of this department in this amazing building, and we are glad to you a place to continue this life-saving work.”
I currently am a registered Democrat, but have voted for Republican, Democratic and third-party candidates (Remember Ross Perot?) over the years, based on their positions on the issues, rather than party agendas.
Walsh seems to think that a lot of Sarasotans are fools. I doubt that many of the 7,000 or so who took part in the June 14 demonstrations expect Trump to soon order beheadings. I doubt, too, that many of them would excuse violence against the authorities, as Walsh implies. In fact, the vast majority surely would condemn it. Conveniently, Walsh doesn’t mention the most appalling violence that
Despite having this man in the White House, there is no need to Make America Great Again. Regardless of its flaws, the U.S. is great. What we really need is to make America America again.
RICHARD RESCIGNO SARASOTA
SEND US YOUR LETTERS Have something to tell us? Send your letters to Michael Harris at MHarris@ YourObserver.com.
The new administration building was celebrated by the decoupling of a fire hose.
Photos by Carlin Gillen
A vintage fire truck sits outside the new $16 million Sarasota County Fire and Rescue Administration building.
File image
The Legacy Trail
Airport-adjacent medical office clears Planning Board scrutiny
A medical office nestled among hotels near Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport wins endorsement from the city Planning Board.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
More new development is coming to the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport area with a new medical office building planned for University Parkway directly across from Airport Circle.
At its June 11 meeting, the Sarasota Planning Board unanimously recommended approval by the Sarasota City Commission a 6,050-squarefoot development on a heavily wooded 1.7-acre parcel nestled among several airport-area hotels. The property is owned by Benderson Development and the applicant is CCB Associates 5 LLC, which according to state records lists Shaun Benderson as among four managers.
The zoning for the currently vacant property is Commercial Park with a future land use classifica -
tion of Urban Mixed Use. East of the property is the Hyatt Place hotel, a Sleep Inn hotel is to the south and a Courtyard by Marriott hotel is to the west.
At the time of a tree survey, there were 170 trees with 144 proposed to be removed and replaced with 68 new trees. Of the 17 grand trees on the site, one of which is dead, the proposal is for nine to be removed.
The focal point of the Planning Board members’ discussion was on the trees.
“This truly is the first thing you see when you come out of the airport,” said Vice Chairman Shane Lamay, who wondered aloud if an opportunity existed to push the building deeper into the site and leave more trees along University Parkway.
“We are limited in our parking requirements and we’re maxed out with the drive aisle within that area,”
said Michael Booker of WRA Engineering. “Pushing the building back would cause issues there and probably put us below the required parking count.”
The applicant is providing a combination of mitigation with the replacement trees and will pay into the city’s mitigation fund to compensate for the trees that are being removed because room on the site is not adequate to install 7-inch caliper trees.
Dan Clermont of the Planning Board said he was content with the effort to save grand trees on the site.
“It’s not too many times that we see development where there are seven of them that are going to be retained, although you still have to mourn the eight that are going to be going away,” he said. “One of them was in bad shape … but a good job in working together to make it happen.”
BOTTLED UP
The Planning Board also unanimously approved a site plan and minor conditional use application for Club 23, a private club to occupy a 1,266-square-foot portion on the second floor at 1620 Main St., cur-
rently part of a larger co-work space.
Operators are pursuing a license to operate the private club as a bottle club and to sell alcohol.
The club will include a conference room, three offices, a lounge area and a coffee bar/snack area. It will also have personal lockers and hold a bottle club license to allow members to bring their own alcohol.
The operation was described as a hybrid of bottle club Waterworks, which is at 1005 N Orange Ave., and the co-work space WeWork business model.
“If Waterworks and WeWork had a child, that would be us,” said club representative Victor Cipolla. “We are looking for minor special conditional use permitting our club, so we can be a private club in downtown.”
First, though, the use needed to be approved by the city.
Already in operation by the same ownership on the first floor beneath the planned club and workspace is a coffee shop and gallery area with an outdoor atrium area for seating.
Andrew Warfield
Courtesy image
The site of a proposed medical office near Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport is outlined in red.
SATURDAY, JUNE 7
SWEET 15 PARTY PRACTICE GOES AWRY
8:39 p.m., 2000 block of Eighth Street
Disturbance: A quinceañera practice gone bad brought law enforcement to a home where a man complained that a female subject attacked his son. The minor advised an officer a younger female, whom he could identify, had playfully taken his phone but would not give it back.
Naturally, the situation escalated between the two to where they were chasing each other around and hitting each other, according to the boy, who said he was scratched and had his hair pulled. He stated at one point he had retaliated by taking the girl’s phone, leading to further scuffling.
The officer interviewed the minor girl, whose story was consistent with that of her mutual combatant. When asked why she absconded with the boy’s phone and did not give it back, she would only say that he touched her from behind while he was trying to retrieve his phone.
The host of the party rehearsal, who said the two minors do not otherwise know each other, said she wasn’t certain why the girl was antagonizing the boy, but theorized she did so thinking it was fun.
All parties were advised that no battery had occurred, the incident would be documented and the adults should better supervise their children in the future.
COPS CORNER
THURSDAY, JUNE 5
DRUNK AND STILL DISORDERLY
10:18 p.m., 1600 block of Main Street
Suspicious person: Sarasota County Fire Rescue was on already on the scene, evaluating a subject who was conscious and alert. He declined medical attention and EMS cleared the scene.
The man told an officer he had been downtown drinking and was walking back to his home nearby. He did not meet the criteria for the Marchman Act, but his troubles were far from over.
A background check revealed an active warrant in Pasco County for disorderly conduct.
The subject was placed in handcuffs and transported to the Sarasota County Jail.
SATURDAY, JUNE 7
NIGHT TRIPPIN’
11:42 p.m., 600 block of North Washington Boulevard
Trespassing: A subject who had been previously trespassed from a convenience store had violated the order and returned. An officer located the man nearby who confirmed he had been in the area of the store and, the report reads, “the people over there be trippin’,”
according to the incident report. Convinced the man was not assisting people who had fallen down, the man was given a notice to appear in court and told the trespassing warning would be renewed and valid for one year from this date.
SUNDAY, JUNE 8
REPEAT OFFENDER
4:50 a.m., 600 block of North Washington Boulevard Trespassing: Merely five hours after he was trespassed for a second time from a convenience store, the subject from the previous report was once again spotted on the premises, perhaps in search of more people trippin’.
Officers spoke with a store employee, who said the man was harassing customers and causing disturbances. This time, the man was handcuffed and taken into custody at Sarasota County Jail, where, rather than being booked, was issued a third trespassing warning and told if he were to return any time within the next year, he would be subject to arrest.
TRIBUTES
Ora Mendels passed away at the age of 88 in her home on Longboat Key, FL, on June 23rd, with her family around her. She is survived by her loving husband and partner of 68 years, Joe Mendels, and her children and grandchildren: Gilla, Charles, David, Alana, Danielle, Eli, Toby and Nelson.
Ora Mendels 1936-2025 447453-1
Ora was born in Jerusalem in 1936, grew up in South Africa, and immigrated to the US in 1964. She lived in the Philadelphia area and started visiting Longboat Key, FL, over 40 years ago, eventually retiring here. She met Joe on a beach in Cape Town, and many years later they were able to enjoy life together on the beach in Longboat.
Ora was a journalist in her early adult years and later wrote several novels, among them Mandela’s Children and Family Wars. She was committed to the fight against apartheid in South Africa in her youth and social justice throughout her life. She was passionate about tennis, chocolate, cooking, her rose bushes and orchids, books, walks on the beach with her husband, and most of all her family and friends.
SERVICE: A service was held held at 10 am Wednesday June 25 at Temple Beth Shalom Cemetery on Circus Boulevard Sarasota, Florida.
DONATIONS:
In lieu of flowers kindly make a donation in Oras’ honor to the All Faiths Food Bank.
Take charge of your health now
Listening to your doctor can lead to exciting diets and exercise plans to make you look and feel healthier.
MIRABAI HOLLAND CONTRIBUTOR
Most of us have had the experience of eyeballing a cool piece of clothing or something online we don’t really need but kinda want.
We visit it online and even put it in our shopping cart but don’t pull the trigger because it’s pricey. We don’t need it, and even wanting it makes us feel a little stupid.
But then the thing goes on sale, 40% off and we think — OK, that’s fate. I’m buying this. Well, everybody else must have been thinking the same thing because when you go to your cart to pay for it, you find it’s no longer available.
You’re mad at the company, you’re mad at yourself. They stole it out from under you. You waited too long; if you wanted it, you should have just bought it. You call customer service to see if they can find you one somewhere.
Well, your perseverance paid off. The customer service person found one in California and ordered it for you at the sale price. You get a great deal of satisfaction from that purchase and no buyer’s remorse.
Now imagine how ahead of the game we could be if we apply the same passion to taking care of our own health. Maybe it’s high cholesterol, or you need to lose some weight, cut down on this, quit doing that, whatever.
You know it’s important.
You’ve been meaning to do it and putting it off for no good reason.
Well, maybe it’s just that health care feels like work.
Health care is not sexy.
Home Discover
SHELLSTONE AT WATERSIDE
Sarasota, FL
Approx. 1,692-3,733 sf From High $500's 2 Amenity Centers Quick Move-Ins Available
MODEL CENTER
792 Blue Shell Loop Sarasota, FL 34240 941-361-2536
PALMERA AT WELLEN PARK
Venice, FL
Approx. 2,375-3426 sf
From High $700's Gated with Amenity Center Quick Move-Ins Available
MODEL CENTER 18188 Foxtail Loop Venice, FL 34293 941-361-2537
Personally, when I think of it that way, it unnerves me a little. Buying stuff is sexier than being healthier and maybe living longer? No, of course not. But it sure seems like it.
I think it’s that very premise that prompts ad agencies to come up with TV commercials for various drugs featuring people dancing in the street. Fitting into those sexy clothes and snuggling up with someone.
It got my attention. Ad agencies know if you can’t get them to do it for health, get them to do it for beauty. Twistedly brilliant.
So I guess, if beauty is the motivation, go for it. Nothing is wrong with it, especially when the health comes with it.
But it still takes a bit of discipline to do the un-sexy bits, even if they lead to the sexy ones. Here’s where we get tripped up. We procrastinate because we think getting tested and staying on whatever regimen the doctor puts us on isn’t sexy.
And when you’re facing something we think is going to be tedious, it’s hard to see past that. But it doesn’t have to go down that way. Sure, going for a test and listening to the doctor say you should do this
and not do that is less than thrilling. But right after that, the world is your oyster.
You can design a healthy food plan with exciting stuff you’ll love eating. You can ease into an exercise program that will make you look and feel fabulous. You can get those health issues under control.
You’ll look and feel like a new you and you’ll like your new lifestyle so much better than your old one. It’s like that 40% off deal because you’re outsmarting the grim reaper and looking good doing it.
Health is sexy. Living longer is sexy. Quality of life is very sexy.
Mirabai Holland is CEO of NuVue LLC, a health education and video production company. She is a certified health coach, exercise physiologist and wellness consultant for Manatee County government employees and has a private practice. Her wellness programs are implemented in hospitals, MD practices, fitness facilities, resorts and corporations worldwide. She is also an artist who believes creativity enhances health. Visit MirabaiHolland.com. Contact her at AskMirabai@MovingFree.com.
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
ALL-AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHER
Clyde Butcher’s legacy is secure, but he’s not through with his mission to save the Everglades.
MONICA ROMAN
GAGNIER
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
The family of Everglades champion Marjory Stoneman Douglas founded the newspaper that would become The Miami Herald, so it somehow seems fitting when environmental activist Clyde Butcher gets a call from the paper as a visitor arrives to interview him about his latest book.
The Herald wants to know what Butcher thinks about “Alligator Alcatraz.” That’s Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier’s nickname for an immigration detention center springing up in Big Cypress National Preserve. The Miami folks will have to wait; Butcher is fierce about honoring his commitments.
With the new book of his life’s work, “Lifeworks in Photography, 1972-2023,” and a recent National Medal of Arts crowning his many honors, Butcher’s legacy is sealed. But at a time when many octogenarians might be content to play with their grandchildren, Butcher has been galvanized by the plan to build Alligator Alcatraz in Big Cypress, located about 45 miles west of Miami adjacent to Everglades National Park.
Suddenly, the 82-year-old has become the poster boy for the Stop Alligator Alcatraz Movement. Butcher, who looks like Santa Claus dressed for a safari, took the microphone at a June 28 rally in Ochop-
ee, addressing the crowd from his wheelchair. Another speaker at the peaceful demonstration, which drew 1,000 people, was Native American activist Betty Osceola, a Miccosukee Tribe of Florida member. She was joined by other Miccosukees as well as members of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, whose ancestors once inhabited the land.
The immigrant detention center under construction is literally in Butcher’s backyard. He and his wife, Niki, have an art gallery in Big Cypress, so one could argue there is some self-interest in Butcher’s opposition to Alligator Alcatraz.
But isn’t that true for some of the world’s high-profile conservationists? Cable TV magnate Ted Turner has acquired 2.1 million acres of land near his various ranches over the years to prevent it from ever being developed. That’s one way to keep the neighbors at a distance.
Butcher doesn’t have such grand ambitions, nor the wealth, to support such private conservation efforts. However, he is a big-picture guy —
IF YOU GO
‘CHRISTMAS IN JULY’ OPEN HOUSE When and Where: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on July 13 at Big Cypress Gallery, 52388 Tamiami Trail. 4-7 p.m. on July 24 at Venice Gallery, 237 Warfield Ave., Venice.
Clyde Butcher took “Whildens Pond 4” in 2002.
“Yosemite 175” was taken by Clyde Butcher in 2006, 90 years after Ansel Adams first photographed the national park.
Many orchid hunters have sought to steal or even see the elusive ghost orchid and failed, but Clyde Butcher managed to take this picture in 1999.
“Tamiami Trail 1” was taken by Clyde Butcher in 1986.
Images courtesy of Clyde Butcher
“Myakka Live Oak” was taken in 2017. Trees in Myakka State Park have recently been carved by visitors who are leaving their initials on the trees, which impacts their health.
literally. His black-and-white photographs of the Everglades and other national parks, such as Yosemite and Grand Teton, can run as large 5 feet by 9 feet. He is often compared to legendary landscape photographer Ansel Adams.
When Butcher received a National Medal of Arts this past October, the White House citation said: “From humble beginnings as a self-taught photographer, Clyde Butcher is considered America’s most acclaimed landscape photographer today. From the Rocky Mountains to the Everglades, and countless pristine places in between, his images inspire and challenge us to respect and defend our natural wonders.”
Ask Butcher why he’s stepping into the political fray with Alligator Alcatraz after suffering a debilitating stroke in 2017, not to mention a recent stay at Sarasota Memorial Hospital for health problems he’d prefer not to discuss, and you’ll get a long, winding story. Butcher describes how he and Niki, an artist in her own right, first discovered the beauty of the Everglades.
The native Californians were living in Fort Myers at the time. “We came here in 1980. I didn’t see or photograph much of Florida until 1984. That’s when I saw Tom Gaskins’ place up at Fisheating Creek. That gave me an introduction to the Everglades,” Butcher explains.
Gaskins, who died in 1998, owned the Cypress Knee Museum in Palmdale, where he sold cypress knees used for decorations and furniture.
A PENCHANT FOR DIALOGUEDRIVEN STORIES
“I brought my camera back the next day and photographed Gaskins’ place,” Butcher says. “The same week, I met Oscar Thompson, who had a studio down on Highway 80. I was looking at slides over his shoulder. I asked him, ‘Did you just get back from Africa?’
‘No.’
‘South America?’
‘No.’
‘Then where?’
‘Down the highway, about two hours.’
‘Can you take me there some time?’
‘How about now?’
Between those two events, I discovered the Everglades.”
Talk with Butcher some more, and it becomes clear that anecdote was not just a one-off conversational event. Butcher likes to answer questions with dialogue.
If he hadn’t been a photographer, maybe Butcher would have ended up in the movie business like Steven Spielberg, whom Butcher met at the National Endowment for the Arts awards ceremony at the White House, along with filmmaker Spike Lee and many other luminaries. (The two directors were the fellow honorees that Butcher mentions by name.)
It turns out that Butcher wasn’t the only one who thought the Everglades looked like Africa. That was also the impression of browsers at art shows across the country where Clyde and Niki sold their work. Suddenly, Butcher’s safari attire starts to make sense. He was also wearing it at the December 2023 opening of his exhibition at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ Historic Spanish Point.
“I’ve
been taking photos in Big Cypress and the Everglades for 40 years, and I’ve never seen another person. Never. Alligator Alcatraz will destroy the pristine environment.”
— Clyde Butcher
Given Butcher’s penchant for longwinded explanations, it’s no surprise his family, including his daughter, Jackie Butcher Obendorf, his son-inlaw, Neal Obendorf, and grandchildren Kayla and Robert, have helped distill his messages supporting the Everglades on social media. But even their posts for Clyde Butcher Photography are not short. Here’s an example:
“As the population of Florida increased, and the beauty of the land
“
became overrun by houses and strip malls, I began to worry about the rapid disappearance of natural Florida.
“Suddenly, my photographs of the Everglades were becoming history rather than images of how Florida presently appeared. That knowledge was disturbing and motivated me to begin my conservation activities.
“Saving the Everglades and working with state agencies and national environmental groups became part of my life, and the Everglades became the heart of my photography.”
A SON’S DEATH MARKS
A TURNING POINT
In interviews and books, Clyde and Niki Butcher inevitably return to the loss of their son and how it affected their art. Ted Butcher was killed by a drunken driver in 1986 at the age of 17. Ted’s death prompted Niki to devote herself more seriously to her photography and move away from the cute arts and crafts she was selling to help support the family.
Clyde’s soul-searching sparked his decision to abandon color photography. Upon reflection, he came to the conclusion that black-and-white images better illustrate the strange, wild beauty of Florida’s dark interior.
“When Ted died, we were doing a show in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and I sat there looking at my color work. I thought, ‘People are really interested in Florida, but I don’t think they can see it in color. That’s why I decided to go black and white.”
The story continues ... “After my son was killed by a drunk driver, I was pretty pissed off. At the time, they were trying to build a so-called resource recovery plant in Fort Myers, where we living. It turns out it was a trash-burning plant and I decided to try and do something,” Butcher says.
Aha! It turns out the movement to stop Alligator Alcatraz isn’t the first time that Butcher has used his “brand” to publicly oppose a facility that he believes will be detrimental to the Everglades.
For Butcher, here’s the bottom line: “I’ve been taking photos in Big Cypress and the Everglades for 40 years, and I’ve never seen another person. Never. Alligator Alcatraz will destroy the pristine environment.”
With winding discussions about travel to far-flung art shows and
long-gone souvenir outposts, one might be tempted to dismiss Butcher’s musings as those of an elder reminiscing in a rambling fashion about Old Florida.
But Butcher can surprise you with a firm grasp on numbers. This is a man who trained as an architect, after all, before turning to his hobby of photography to support his family when he was laid off during a real estate downturn in California.
When an interviewer points out that Butcher still has plenty of room to run in his crusade to protect Florida’s wilderness if he lives as long as Marjory Stoneman Douglas, who died at 105, he interjects, “She died at 108.”
Butcher may indeed follow the centenarian in longevity. But collectors of his photography understand that life is fragile. They turn out in droves, and we mean droves, for the open houses the Butcher family periodically holds at their Big Cypress and Venice galleries.
Indeed, Butcher’s recent stint at Sarasota Memorial reminded him of his own mortality. So after moving to digital photography in 2017, he has returned to traditional photography. His team, including his photo editor, Paul Tilton, scoured the internet, and found Butcher a camera that met his specifications in Tehran, Iran. After it arrived, the first picture Butcher took was of an oak in Myakka State Park. That photo has turned up in Clyde Butcher Photography’s social media feed juxtaposed with one of an oak carved with someone’s initials.
Some people have to be reminded not to deface trees. After all, younger generations didn’t see the America the Beautiful ads in the 1970s featuring a Native American shedding a tear at the sight of litter. (Since denounced for perpetuating Native stereotypes, they made a lasting impression on kids of the era, as did Woodsy Owl’s plea: “Give a hoot. Don’t pollute.”)
After learning about recent bombings of Iran by Israel and the U.S., Butcher became concerned about the welfare of the Tehran camera retailer. He asked his assistant to email the man. “I was so glad to hear he and his family are OK,” Butcher says. The environmentalist is also a humanitarian.
Courtesy image
Venice photographer Clyde Butcher is flanked by President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden after receiving the National Medal of Arts on Oct. 21, 2024.
THIS WEEK
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. 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. Add a ticket to The Ringling’s Circus Museum for just $5 on the day of the show. Runs through Aug. 9.
‘DAMES AT SEA’ 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 starring Bernadette Peters. With the help of a 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 13.
IF YOU GO
When: 8 p.m. Thursday, July 3
Where: FST’s Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St. Tickets: $42 and up Info: Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
The free Sights + Sounds concert series continues at Waterside Place with a patriotic performance by the Sarasota Concert Band featuring vocal soloist Kathryn Parks. Limited seating, so bring a lawn chair.
If you’re a comedy fan, you may be familiar with Carl Rimi, because he’s been doing standup for more than 30 years in comedy clubs across the country and on cruise ships. In 2013, Rimi began performing in front of the camera, and in 2021, he starred in his first feature film, “iPossessed.”
His next platform is TV, where he will write, direct, produce and star in “Mid-Life College.”
‘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.
‘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 — with Florida Studio Theatre’s Summer
DON’T MISS FIREWORKS ON THE LAKE Fireworks on the Lake returns with Twinkle and Rock Soul Radio providing the live entertainment; a Kids Zone, sponsored by Mote Marine; plenty of other family friendly activities; and food and beverage trucks. The fireworks show begins at approximately 9 p.m. VIP Viewing Experience tickets from the finish tower are $105 per adult; $65 per child for ages 12 and younger. The ticket includes complimentary food and beverages, an open bar with beer and wine and access to the air-conditioned finish tower. Parking is $40 per carload at Regatta Island; $30 in the South Parking Lot and the Special Event Parking Lot next to Homewood Suites; $60 for RVs in the South Parking Lot.
IF YOU GO When: 5 p.m. Thursday, July 3
Where: Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle
Tickets: Free; parking and VIP viewing extra Info: Visit FireworksOnTheLake.com.
FST IMPROV: ‘FREEDOM! THE MUSICAL’
7:30 p.m. FST’s Bowne’s Lab, 1265 First St.
$15-$18
Cabaret. The series kicks off with a Motown tribute called “How Sweet It Is.” Led by dynamic vocalist and songwriter Luke McMaster, an energetic trio demonstrates the enduring appeal of hits like “Tracks of My Tears,” “You Can’t Hurry Love” and “Stop! In the Name of Love.” Runs through Aug. 3.
Lakewood Ranch is pulling out the stops for its first-annual StarSpangled Spectacular. A show by the Circus Arts Conservatory at 8 p.m. and a drone show at 9 p.m. are the highlights of this free holiday event. The festivities will include circus acts, games, vendor booths, food and family friendly fun that includes a Kids’ Zone. Parking is free, and a trolley will run between Waterside Place and lots at The Out-of-Door Academy and Grace Community Church from 5:30-10 p.m.
SATURDAY
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.
Visit Florida StudioTheatre.org.
Feeling patriotic but looking for a laugh? Florida Studio Theatre Improv explores “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Laughter” in this comedy musical with a promise to share an untold story of the American Revolution.
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. Runs through July 13.
TUESDAY
‘LILIAN BLADES: THROUGH THE VEIL’ 11 a.m. at the Sarasota Art Museum campus, 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 at Sarasota Art Museum. Her installation of “veils” combine handcrafted and found objects to create a mesmerizing display. Runs through Oct. 26.
FRIDAY, JULY 4 | 7-10PM
Ahoy there!
The show offers a loving pastiche of 1930s musicals packed with plenty of laughs.
MARTY FUGATE
THEATER CRITIC
ames at Sea” has docked at Florida Studio Theatre. Robin Miller and George Haimsohn wrote the musical’s script and lyrics; Jim Wise composed its score. It’s a loving homage to 1930s musicals, not a satirical slap. It’s funny and how!
But short on originality. If you’ve ever seen a Busby Berkeley movie (or one of its imitators), you always know what’s coming. But here’s a plot summary anyway ...
The musical opens with a backstage meet-cute in a WPA theater on Broadway in the 1930s. The theater is putting on a musical — “Dames at Sea.” Fresh off the bus from Centerville, Utah, comes Ruby (Emily Ann Brooks), a wannabe chorus girl. She bumps into Dick (Devin Johnson), a wannabe songwriter who’s in the Navy. It’s love at first sight!
When the director, Joel Newsome, spies them, it’s casting at first sight. Ruby and Dick are instantly hired for the show.
Mona, the diva/star of “Dames at Sea” (Jenna Coker-Jones) takes a fancy to the sailor/songwriter and gives him a big smooch. It wasn’t Dick’s idea, but Ruby thinks she’s been thrown over. Her heart is broken.
Then a wrecking ball breaks into the theater. All is lost, right? Wrong! Dick has a crazy idea that just might work. “Dames at Sea” is set on a battleship, right? Why not use his ship as a theater?
Charmed by Mona, Dick’s captain (Newsome again) agrees. Hearts heal. The show goes on. Is that the sound of wedding bells I hear?
‘Dames at Sea’ sets sail at Florida Studio Theatre
IF YOU GO
‘DAMES AT SEA’
When: Through July 13
Where: FST Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St.
Tickets: $39-$59
Info: Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
Director/Choreographer Ben Liebert steers this madcap musical ship with a clever mix of choreography and slapstick. (His rat-a-tat tap-dancing numbers are great, though they make me feel uncoordinated.) He’s amped up the farce factor on the song and dance with bits of comic business right out of a Marx Brothers movie. My favorite gag’s the one where Mona keeps trying to strike a seductive pose on top of a piano — and keeps sliding off. The actors make the most of their stock 1930s characters.
Johnson’s Dick is a wide-eyed sailor with a song in his heart and dancing feet. Brooks’ Ruby is a starry-eyed ingenue with a big heart and legs that won’t quit. She’s great as this gee-whiz, good girl, always a thankless part.
Coker-Jones has far more fun playing Mona. Her cad girl character’s definitely on Santa’s naughty list. Just like Tux, Mona’s snarling pet Pomeranian, this domineering diva is fluffy, pretty and vicious. Dick’s shipmate Lucky (Larry Toyter) and Joan (Kelsey Stalter) hit all the right screwball comedy notes in their romantic banter. Newsome plays both the ship’s captain and the director. Both authority figures are bullish, hassled and past their prime. On land or sea, their respective jobs are like herding cats.
Songs like “Broadway Baby” and “Choo-Choo Honeymoon” sound familiar — by design. The musical’s daffy, charming tunes are sound-alikes of the period — but knock-offs, not rip-offs. (And
“Dames at Sea” is a musical layer cake of corny conventions.
satire’s fair use.) A three-piece band, led with panache by Music Director David Caldwell, punches above its weight and keeps the music flowing.
The show looks as good as it sounds. Isabel and Moriah Curley-Clay’s shape-shifting set does double duty as a Broadway theater and a battleship. K. April Soroko’s period costumes are a perfect fit for the show’s nostalgic comic vibe.
“Dames at Sea” is a musical layer cake of corny conventions. Its plot is a roller coaster of lucky breaks, unlucky problems, plucky solution, love scenes and pep talks. That’s the plot of every Busby Berkeley movie.
The musical’s creators shamelessly stole his recipe. And carefully followed it — aside from the fact that Berkeley had armies of leggy chorus girls and this parody has a cast of six. But that’s part of the joke. It adds up to a very funny spoof. If your experience of musical comedy begins with “Spamalot,” you might miss the show’s nostalgic/satirical point. But it’s still a boatload of laughs.
Image courtesy of Sorcha Augustine
Devin Johnson, Emily Ann Brooks, Kelsey Stalter, Larry Toyter, Jenna Coker-Jones and Joel Newsome star in Florida
Studio Theatre’s “Dames at Sea.”
Courtesy image Florida Studio Theatre Resident Director/Choreographer Ben Liebert.
Finding their voices
Kids perform opera scenes they produced as Sarasota Youth Opera’s summer camp ends season.
IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER
Thirteen-year-old Ara Martinez says she could see a whole opera in her mind as she was looking at the prop she received — a bell.
She had the idea to create a scene around the idea of the bell having the ability to resurrect a person’s deceased relatives, and she says she felt included in her group when they decided to use the concept.
“I saw something in my head, and I’m glad we brought it to life in less than five minutes,” she said.
As the Sarasota Youth Opera’s summer camp closed out for the year on June 27, kids came together to perform a series of opera scenes, including scenes campers had written and produced over the past three weeks.
A COLLABORATIVE CHORUS
According to Director of Education
Martha Collins, the goal of summer camp is to provide a taste of everything involved in opera, which she called an “incredible art form that incorporates all of these other arts.”
Professionals at the Sarasota Opera lead the camp, covering topics like singing, acting, physical
comedy, sets, props, wigs, makeup and costumes.
Held each June, the camp welcomes all skill levels, with ages 8-10 attending for two weeks and ages 11 and older attending for three.
Even the full three weeks may be a short span of time in which to teach a concept as multifaceted as opera, but nonetheless, kids took to the stage with confident voices and choreography.
To create the four student-produced scenes, the instructor gave each group one prop to inspire a story, around which they built their own lyrics and pantomimes.
The Puccini Chorus group created “The Treasure Map,” which featured a band of pirates arguing over the direction of their search for buried treasure, as well as “The Magic Orb,” in which some of the characters become possessed by a mysterious orb.
The Verdi Chorus created “The
Inheritance,” the scene centering on the bell, as well as “The Haunted House,” which involved a group of teenagers who enter a haunted house, to the discontentment of the ghosts there.
Abril Sanchez-Rodriguez, 11, said she likes that students at the Sarasota Youth Opera are encouraged to be creative.
Part of the camp’s Puccini Chorus, she said she never found a place to enjoy her love of performing, where she felt welcome, until joining the Sarasota Youth Opera about a year ago.
“We tried to find how many beats, the rhythm of it, how many syllables to put in each word, in each phrase, to do pantomime, and do the music and stuff, and when we finally got it, we were so proud of what we had done, because we all contributed into the
puzzle of what we have made,” she said. “That was our creation, not someone else’s creation.”
“Opera always teaches you to use your surroundings,” said Martinez, gesturing to a nearby chair. “If you’re doing improv, you could grab a chair right here. You have to know what to do with it.”
Now in her third year with the opera and a first-time attendee of summer camp, she says opera is something she wants to continue with “until the day I die.”
“I really enjoyed it,” she said. “I made so many new friends, and it’s a safe space for me to let out my real voice without getting judged for it, and the people here, the company, they want the best for you. They put you on stage and show what’s good about you.”
Lark Rippy, 15, of the Verdi Chorus, who is now in her fourth year with the summer camp and has also been involved with the organization elsewhere, said ultimately, the ideas of everyone in the group became part of the performances.
“I feel like the main challenge was probably ... the collaboration side of things, because everyone had so many amazing ideas, and obviously we didn’t get to use all of them, but we found ways to incorporate everyone’s idea into the final product,” she said.
Collins said the opportunity to perform their own scenes is something the students take pride in, treating it seriously and attempting to honor one another’s ideas.
“I love that they’re getting to hear the music emotionally and dramatically, and then they tie that in with dialogue,” she said.
How does it all come together in three weeks?
Collins says the answer to teaching kids opera is patience, but she also says, “I think it takes us believing that they can do it.”
“I made so many new friends, and it’s a safe space for me to let out my real voice without getting judged for it, and the people here, the company, they want the best for you. They put you on stage and show what’s good about you.”
Ara Martinez
Ara Martinez, 13, and Abril SanchezRodriguez, 15
Dylan Alan and Lael Zehr
Photos by Ian Swaby
A group of pirates makes a split in “The Treasure Map” with performers including Sawyer Tillman, 9, Harper Olney, 10, Miriam Mohib, 12, Dylan Alan, 12, education intern Isaiah Ramsey, 21, education intern Nadya Smirnova, 19, Abigail Gastaldo, 11, Bliss Rippy, 13, Stefaniia Biedakurova 10, Reyna Kim, 9, and Nina Lockhart, 12.
Soaring through summer
For students at Alta Vista Elementary, summer didn’t mark the end of school
— and neither was it the end of fun school activities.
The school hosted its Eagle Fest to celebrate the completion of summer school on June 26, inviting students and their families for offerings, including inflatables, face painting and other activities, and treats from Kona Ice.
Behind the event was a partnership with Southshore Community Church, whose contributions included the inflatables and helping staff the event with volunteers, such as fingernail painters.
“It’s probably about seven, eight years ago, we knew they were doing this and we said, ‘Hey, can we help take it to the next level?’” said the Rev. Nic Williams.
Community resources were involved as well, with organizations from UnidosNow to Suncoast Campaign for Grade Level Reading featured at an indoor expo.
“It really is just a fun celebration for them at the end of the year,” Williams said. “They accomplished school, but they also accomplish summer school, and we get to send them out with a bang, so it’s a cool event.” — IAN SWABY
Jonah Patterson, 2, attended with his parents, Jordan Sullivan and Brookes Patterson.
Jennifer Bowman and her daughter, Marley Bowman, 6
Photos by Ian Swaby
Noah Williams, 13, Aubrie Williams, 14, their father, Nic Williams, who is pastor of Southshore Community Church, and their mother, Lory Williams
From food to fireworks
Here are some events to add a spark to your Fourth of July this year.
IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER
Fourth of July is almost here, and from fireworks to allAmerican cuisine, here are some of the ways to celebrate.
RED, WHITE, BLUE AND GREEN
Enjoy the time-honored tradition of barbecue, amid a picturesque setting, at the Fourth of July All-American Cookout held at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.
“The Fourth of July event at Selby Gardens is a longstanding tradition, and it’s just a wonderful event for our community to commemorate the holiday, and see the fireworks over the bay,” said Selby Gardens’ President and CEO Jennifer Rominiecki.
Participants will be able to enjoy family-friendly activities on the gardens’ Great Lawn, including a bubble show by Blaise Ryndes, who has appeared on “America’s Got Talent” and is known for his giant bubbles.
The event will feature, as Rominiecki says, “all the American favorites, hamburgers, hot dogs, you
name it,” available for purchase from Michael’s On East Grill, as well as vendors Twisted Sugar Confectionary and Kona Ice. As the evening continues, you’ll have the chance for a view of the fireworks at Bayfront Park, from the
gardens’ vantage point along Sarasota Bay.
■ IF YOU GO Fourth of July All-American Cookout. 5:30-9:30 p.m. at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens Downtown Sarasota campus, 1534 Mound St. Member adults $25; adults $35; children 5-17 $10; children younger than 4 are admitted free. Parking $20. Visit Selby.org.
CELEBRATE WITH SPECTACLE
No Fourth of July experience is complete without the tradition of fireworks, and Sarasota offers two fireworks shows, both of which take place along the water.
Downtown Sarasota’s Fourth of July fireworks can be seen from various locations, but the closest and most popular location is Bayfront Park, which draws numerous attendees each year.
Suntex Marinas, the company that operates Marina Jack, fronts the cost of this year’s event in partnership with Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. Meanwhile, Siesta Key offers its
own event, with the Siesta Key Community Fireworks held on Siesta Key Beach.
The event is entirely communityfunded, and the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce works with its business partners throughout the year to raise the funds.
■ IF YOU GO Bayfront Park Fireworks. Friday, July 4, about 9 p.m., 5 Bayfront Drive, Sarasota. Free Siesta Key Community Fireworks Friday, July 4, 8-9:30 p.m. at Siesta Beach, 948 Beach Road. Free. Siesta Key Beach, 948 Beach Road. Visit My.SiestaKeyChamber.com.
AN OPPORTUNITY TO RELISH
On Saturday, a duo of similarly named offerings will be at The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime: the all-American food of hot dogs, and adoptable dogs.
After you order your hot dog at Hamlet’s Eatery, head to a buffetstyle room stocked with toppings.
The selection include “everything that you can imagine to put on a hot dog” according to The Bazaar coowner Kim Livengood, such as diced onions, caramelized onions, tomatoes, cheese, chili, sauerkraut, pickle relish, different types of pickles and different types of mustards.
They can be used to create items like Chicago-style dogs and New York-style dogs.
The event is held in honor of National Hot Dog Day on July 16.
Livengood said The Bazaar has to shop at multiple stores to find all of the items and had to make an expedited order of sport peppers when it
didn’t find them locally.
Meanwhile, you can take the opportunity to meet adoptable dogs from the Dachshunds Seeking Forever Home Rescue.
“We love to be able to support the dog rescues,” Livengood said. “It’s a mission near and dear to our hearts. We’re all dog lovers at The Bazaar.”
The event also includes free beer samples from Sun King and Big Top brewery, $5 beers all day and live music by Capt. John.
■ IF YOU GO
Hot Dog Day at The Bazaar. Friday, July 5, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime, 821 Apricot Ave. Free to attend. Visit HamletsEatery.com.
PATRIOTIC PICKUP
After all the celebrations, you also have the chance to join the community in keeping the beaches and other sites pristine.
The Liberty Litter Cleanup is one of the three major cleanup initiatives held throughout the year by Keep Sarasota County Beautiful, and focuses on spots heavily used during the Fourth of July.
The organization is an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, which has over 700 state and community-based affiliate groups across the country, according to its website.
■ IF YOU GO Liberty Litter Cleanup. 7:30 a.m., Saturday, July 5, at various locations. To register and choose a location, visit EventBrite.com.
File photos
Russ Zolatov watches fireworks.
Alex, Carter and Claire Andrejkovicz at Selby Gardens’ All-American Cookout.
Craig Burnett puts on his gloves for the Liberty Litter Cleanup.
A condo in Plaza at Five Points sells for $4.5 million
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
Anthony Sanzo and Kathy Sanzo, trustees, of Sarasota, sold the Unit 17PHC condominium at 50 Central Ave. to James and Susan Davis, of Sarasota, for $4.5 million. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 4,174 square feet of living area. It sold for $2,167,000 in 2011.
SARASOTA ZAHRADA
Stephen and Bridget Neidhart, trustees, of Sarasota, sold the Unit 212 condominium at 1542 Fourth St. to Dan Riley, trustee, of Sarasota, for $2.05 million. Built in 2021, it has four bedrooms, three-and-ahalf baths and 2,520 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,599,000 in 2021.
LA LINDA TERRACE
Jonathan Drew Keller, of Boca Raton, sold his home at 2149 Hyde Park St. to Dustin Robert Stanley, of Tampa, for $1,975,000. Built in 2024, it has four bedrooms, threeand-a-half baths, a pool and 3,036 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,749,000 in 2022.
THE LANDINGS
JohnPaul Fortin and Gabrielle Raquel Fortin, of Brentwood, Tennessee, sold their home at 4636 Pine Harrier Drive to Jeffrey Robert Thomas and Erin Walker Thomas, of Sarasota, for $1.55 million. Built in 1981, it has three bedrooms, twoand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,226 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.14 million in 2022.
HYDE PARK CITRUS
RJJM LLC sold the home at 2319 Webber St. to Valerie Bosmans, of Sarasota, for $1,375,000. Built in 2024, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,568 square feet of living area.
THE 101
Upland Apartments LLC sold the Unit 16K condominium at 101 S. Gulfstream Ave. to Betsy Shaw Elsasser and James William Elsasser III, of Sarasota, for $1,115,000. Built in 1974, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,476 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,125,000 in 2024.
SOUTH HIGHLAND
Jenel Marie White sold her home at 1800 Robinhood St. to Charles Wood Jr. and Orlaith Burke, of Sarasota, for $860,000. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 2,825 square feet of living area. It sold for $420,000 in 2018.
GROVE LAWN
Theresa Bresin, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the home at 2105 Hibiscus St. to CRA Land Acquisition LLC for $675,000. Built in 1956, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,420
square feet of living area. It sold for $525,000 in 2023.
SAPPHIRE HEIGHTS
Daniel and Georgia LaPorte, trustees, of Palos Verdes Estates, California, sold the home at 4857 Stevens Drive to Paul and Susan Shepard, of Sarasota, for $635,000. Built in 1957, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,767 square feet of living area. It sold for $560,000 in 2021.
ONE WATERGATE
Robert Irl Donnellan Jr., trustee, of Yulee, sold the Unit 3E condominium at 1111 N. Gulfstream Ave. to Rejane Monetti, of Holmes Beach, for $625,000. Built in 1974, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,575 square feet of living area. It sold for $410,000 in 2019.
1350 MAIN RESIDENTIAL
Eric Doy Howell, of Sarasota, sold his Unit 1009 condominium at 1350 Main St. to Thomas Alan Brita, of Sarasota, for $600,000. Built in 2007, it has one bedroom, one bath and 895 square feet of living area. It sold for $530,000 in 2023.
BAYWINDS ESTATES
Andrew Bernard Sprenger, trustee, of Kaneohe, Hawaii, sold the home at 1658 Ridgewood Lane to R F Properties LLC for $500,000. Built in 1985, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,881 square feet of living area. It sold for $113,000 in 1985.
SIESTA KEY
GULFMEAD ESTATES
3441 Gulfmead LLC sold the home at 3441 Gulfmead Drive to M&J Pham Development LLC for $2 million. Built in 1955, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,556 square feet of living area.
SIESTA COVE
Rose Mary Soto, of Sarasota, sold the home at 5239 Siesta Cove Drive to John and Alice Lynn Durland, of Carrabelle, for $1.1 million. Built in 1983, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,332 square feet of living area. It sold for $550,000 in 2003.
PEPPERTREE BAY
Kurt and Suzanne Carey, of St. Peters, Missouri, sold their Unit 107 condominium at 1255 E. Peppertree Drive to Gregory Maliken and Phyllis Kirkwood, of Amherst, New York, for $707,000. Built in 1972, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,105 square feet of living area. It sold for $110,000 in 1993.
ONLINE
See more transactions at YourObserver.com.
Other top sales by area
SIESTA KEY: $2,025,000
Siesta Key
Nicolina Stewart, trustee, and Christian Lynn Fassey sold the home at 9275 Blind Pass Road to 9275 Blind Pass Rd LLC for $2,025,000. Built in 1970, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,156 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,175,000 in 1997.
PALMER RANCH: $1,125,000
Hammock Preserve
Helene Simpson-Kurtz, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the home at 12448 Golden Sage Drive to Paul and Berta Grieco, of Sarasota, for $1,125,000. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,489 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,125,000 in 2023.
OSPREY: $3,602,000
Southbay Yacht and Racquet Club
Paul and Berta Grieco, of Sarasota, sold their home at 445 Yacht Harbor Drive to Richard Even and Bernadette Cuen, of Osprey, for $3,602,000. Built in 1978, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 4,440 square feet of living area. It sold for $625,000 in 1989.
NOKOMIS: $857,000
Calusa Lakes
Catherine and Bruce Schnitzer, of Nokomis, sold their home at 1965 White Feather Lane to Daniel and Bonnie Stadler, of Muskego, Wisconsin, for $857,000. Built in 1992, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,022 square feet of living area. It sold for $525,000 in 2004.
Source: Sarasota County, city of Sarasota
Ian Swaby The Unit 17PHC condominium at 50 Central Ave. was built in 2005 and has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 4,174 square feet of living area.
YOUR CALENDAR
THURSDAY, JULY 4
FOURTH
6:30 p.m. at Church of the Redeemer, 222 S. Palm Ave. $15. Enjoy a Fourth of July concert at Church of the Redeemer, followed by a fireworks viewing from the church’s location near Sarasota Bay. Tickets include parking on Strawberry Hill, the concert and a barbecue dinner. Visit RedeemerSarasota.org.
SATURDAY, JULY 5
CHESS CLUB
Noon to 3 p.m. at Gulf Gate Library, 7112 Curtiss Ave. Free. Teens and adults. Play friendly, low-stress games of chess. All levels are welcome. First come, first seated. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.
MONDAY, JULY 7
YOUTH LAB: PAPER ELECTRONICS
— LIGHT UP CARD
3-4 p.m. at Selby Library, 1331 First St. Free. Ages 5-9. Create circuits using simple materials, and take home a card that lights up with LED lights. Caregiver assistance may be needed. Registration required. If registering multiple children, you must fill out the form for each participating child. Visit SCGovLibrary. LibraryMarket.com.
TUESDAY, JULY 8
GUIDING LIGHTS: A HISTORY OF FLORIDA’S MOST FAMOUS LIGHTHOUSES
1-2 p.m. at Gulf Gate Library, 7112 Curtiss Ave. Free. Teens and adults. Learn about Florida’s lighthouses and the roles they played in history, as author and editor Liz Coursen tells their stories using vintage postcards and contemporaneous ephemera. First come, first seated. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket. com.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 9
DIDGERIDOO DOWN UNDER
1-2 p.m. at Fruitville Library, 100 Apex Road. Free. Learn about the Land Down Under with this show combining Australian music, culture, comedy, character building, storytelling and audience participation. Hear the sound of the didgeridoo, an Aboriginal wind instrument, and explore topics like the Great Barrier Reef, the Outback, Aboriginal artwork and Australian wildlife. Regis-
BEST BET
THURSDAY, JULY 4
BAYFRONT PARK FIREWORKS About 9 p.m. at 5 Bayfront Drive. Free. Watch the annual fireworks display over Sarasota Bay from Bayfront Park.
1:15-3 p.m. at Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Library, 2801 Newtown Blvd. Free. Learn about Florida’s snakes species with an interactive presentation, activities and art projects, led by a UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County educator. Families will learn how to identify common snake species, distinguish between venomous and nonvenomous species and understand why snakes are important in a healthy ecosystem. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket. com.
POETRY BOOK CLUB: ‘THE CROSSROAD: POEMS’ BY PAT WILLIAMS OWEN 2-3 p.m. at Bookstore1Sarasota, 117 S. Pineapple Ave. $18.95. July’s selection for this monthly book club led by Doug Knowlton is “The Crossroad: Poems” by local poet Pat Williams Owen. Cost is the purchase of the book, which can be picked up at Bookstore1 any time before the meeting. Visit EventBrite.com.
Ian Swaby
SPORTS
FAST BREAK
Wyatt Plattner, a former Cardinal Mooney student who is now playing golf at UNLV, finished tied for 84th out of 288 players in The Amateur Championship at Royal St. George’s and Royal Clinique Ports in England from June 16-21. Plattner shot a 73-69 (1-under par) and missed the cut by one stroke. The Amateur Championship, organized by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, began in 1885 and has become one of the most prestigious amateur golf events in the world.
... The Sarasota American 8- 9- 10-year-old Little League All-Stars won the Section 6 championship in LaBelle and will advance to play in the state tournament in Freeport from July 11-13. All-Stars Stone Meininghaus and Grayson Hugo each hit a home run during the sectional championship.
... The New Manatee Broncos and Sarasota Seminoles Florida Elite youth football programs will match up in the Manatee Kickoff Classic at Booker High School on July 19. The games begin with 6U at 9 a.m. and continue all day, wrapping up with a 14U game at 4:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 for kids and $10 for adults.
... Booker rising senior Chauncey Kennon, one of the nation’s top cornerbacks, will play in the Navy All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas on Jan. 10, 2026. The event, which will be broadcast on NBC, features the nation’s top 100 high school football players pitted against each other in an East vs. West game.
... The Sarasota Tsunami Swim Team finished sixth out of 52 teams at the Speedo Sectionals in Ocala from June 26-29. The team was led by Riley Leach (second in 200 IM, fourth in 400 IM, fifth in 200 fly), Ruby Broadfoot (fourth in 200 breast, sixth in 100 breast), Henry Shoemaker (first in 800 free, fourth in 400 IM), Samuel Brozek (fourth in 400 free, fifth in 200 free) and Jackson Irwin (third in 200 IM, fourth in 200 back, fourth in 800 free).
“I think we’re going to be a really good offense that’s explosive and fast.”
BOOKER RECEIVER PICKS Spartan
MICHIGAN STATE
The wide receiver room at Booker High School couldn’t be more crowded if it were five offensive linemen crammed into a broom closet.
The Tornadoes had five passcatchers who racked up at least 300 yards and six touchdowns each last season, yet Tyren Wortham found a way to shine above the rest.
Wortham, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound rising senior, is determined to play in the NFL one day.
“I told him, ‘Hey man, the sky is the limit,’” said Booker head coach Carlos Woods, who was an assistant coach with the Indianapolis Colts from 2006-08. “You continue to ascend the way that you are and you stay healthy, God willing, you have a shot to play on Sundays.”
Before Wortham can play on Sundays, however, he’s had to figure out where he will play on Saturdays, a process that led him to flip a commitment to the University of Central Florida to Michigan State on June 22.
Wortham transferred to Booker from Southeast High — where his father, Faron Hornes, a wide receiver at Butler Community College and the University of South Florida, played in high school — as a 162-pound sophomore and told the Tornadoes coaching staff he wanted to bulk up to 190 pounds.
He’s now just 10 pounds away from that goal, but it’s his growth as a receiver that has most impressed Woods.
After beginning his career as a “fade guy,” which is a deep sideline route, Wortham has developed into a complete receiver who runs a full route tree, Woods said.
“There are teams who were interested in having him in the slot, so we’ve been able to move him around and give him jet sweeps and elevate his game to the next level,” Woods said. “He’s a very dynamic player.”
Along with gaining weight and learning routes, Wortham has overcome injury. He suffered a hairline fracture five games into his sophomore season, which he said affected his recruitment.
Despite that setback, he still received his first Division I offer the summer after his sophomore year from East Carolina University, which motivated him to earn more this past fall. He finished last season with 67 receptions for 1,360 yards (seventh in Florida) and 17 touchdowns to help lead Booker to a regional championship.
Wortham has received 27 scholarship offers since the end of
his junior season, including offers from Georgia, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Arizona, Iowa, Kansas State and the school he initially committed to, UCF.
Sifting through those offers — now up to 33, including six offers prior to this past season — hasn’t been easy.
Wortham has gone on visits to UCF, Georgia, Kansas State and Michigan State this summer. His favorite part of the visits has been the photoshoots, with his favorite pose being the “Ryan Williams pose,” with two arms behind his back and his head tilted to the side.
The more stressful aspect has been tallying up the pros and cons of each school.
When it came to Michigan State, Wortham found he had too many pros to say no.
“Michigan State was very fun,” Wortham said. “I had a good connection with the players and the coaches. It’s a family out there, and it felt different to me. I felt like a priority there.”
Wortham, the No. 68 receiver in the nation and No. 55 recruit in Florida, is the Spartans’ third highest rated commit for the Class of 2026, which is ranked as the No. 31 class in Division I football by 247 Sports.
Before Wortham has to worry about adjusting from the heat of Sarasota to the snow of East Lansing, he still has time left at Booker.
He said he wants to score 20 to 25 touchdowns this season and help lead Booker to its first state championship.
“He runs through arm tackles, he runs through two to three guys trying to angle tackle him and he’s outrunning guys,” Woods said. “It’s great to see the fruits of his labor from everything he’s put into this program.”
“Michigan State was very fun ... I had a good connection with the players and the coaches. It’s a family out there, and it felt different to me. I felt like a priority there.”
— Tyren Wortham
— Hudson West, Sarasota High quarterback SEE PAGE 27
File image Wyatt Plattner, pictured with the 50th Southern Junior Championship trophy he won in 2022, competed at the Amateur Championship in England from June 16-21.
VINNIE PORTELL STAFF WRITER
commit Tyren Wortham
Photos by Ryan Kohn
Booker High’s Tyren Wortham was the Tornadoes’ top pass catcher in 2024.
Booker junior wide receiver Tyren Wortham celebrates catching a 60yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Joel Morris against Carrollwood Day.
Baseball fans won’t want to miss top prospects in Sarasota
Some baseball fans might not even be aware that they’ll soon have the chance to watch some of the next stars of the game at Twin Lakes Park. Even casual fans of Major League Baseball will likely recognize some of the names who have played for the Florida Complex League Orioles — the rookie-ball affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles — in Sarasota.
There’s about to be a rare window for fans to watch the next wave of talent come through.
The 2025 MLB Draft will take place from July 13-14, and it’s customary for selected players to get their start in the FCL, like the Orioles.
However, fans have to be quick to get to a game.
Colton Cowser, the No. 5 overall pick by the Orioles in 2021, played with the FCL team for seven games that year. Jackson Holliday, the No. 1 overall pick by the Orioles in 2022, played at the FCL level for eight games. Enrique Bradfield, the No. 17 overall pick by the Orioles in 2023, played in Sarasota for just three games.
“You’re seeing tomorrow’s major league players,” FCL Orioles manager Christian Frias said. “We’ve had a number of players come through this league that have already debuted or are close to debuting in the big leagues, not only for our team but other teams as well.”
It’s no guarantee that top picks will play for the FCL Orioles. Vance Honeycutt, the Orioles’ first-round pick in 2024 (No. 22 overall) skipped the rookie-ball level and went straight to the Single-A Delmarva Shoebirds in Salisbury, Maryland. Even if fans miss out, there are advantages to watching this level of baseball that true fans of the game can appreciate.
The FCL Orioles are playing this season at Twin Lakes Park on the fields behind Orioles’ Buck O’Neil
The FCL Orioles may receive some of Baltimore’s top picks for a brief window.
Complex because of renovations to Ed Smith Stadium this summer. But don’t fret if you think you’re in the wrong place at first.
After receiving directions to the field, I was unsure of where to park my car and how to find the game.
After driving past the complex at the front of the park, visitors will want to park in a lot next to a playground halfway down the road. Then, they’ll want to walk through an open gate across the road until they start to see what resembles MLB jerseys.
If fans are bold enough to travel out in the middle of the day and the sweltering heat — many FCL games start at noon — it’s worth the effort,
and the free parking and admission certainly don’t hurt.
I attended a game between the FCL Orioles and the FCL Rays and was blown away by professional baseball talent playing in a Little League atmosphere.
Once I got past the shock of the rudimentary setup, it was easy to appreciate the unique qualities it offered that are unavailable at nearly any other minor league or major league game.
There were fewer than 20 fans in attendance, which allowed those present to listen to all said between coaches and players, aided by the fact the dugout was simply a bench with a roof and no walls located 20
“You’re
seeing tomorrow’s major league players.”
— Christian Frias, FCL Orioles manager
feet away from the bleachers. Most fans likely aren’t familiar with the players on the field, but there are some diamonds in the rough worth watching.
Three FCL Orioles players — Stiven Martinez, Jordan Sanchez and Elvin Garcia — are ranked among the organization’s top 30 prospects per MLB Pipeline. Martinez, the Orioles’ No. 12 ranked prospect, stands above the rest despite being just 17 years old. Coming out of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, he ranks as one of the top 50 international prospects projected as a “run-producing corner outfielder,” according to his scouting report on MLB Pipeline.
“It’s an exciting level because you can see the raw talent and you see baseball players being molded into what they are into the future,” Frias said. “You see them make huge jumps weekly, and sometimes daily, in how they learn and grow. You live on projections of, ‘Man, this guy is going to be a monster once he gets to be this age.’ Seeing them compete, handle the culture shock and be away from family and friends while trying to be a professional player and make the big leagues is definitely exciting when I get to go home and watch them on TV.”
Vinnie Portell is the sports reporter for the Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer. Contact him at VPortell@ YourObserver.com.
Photos by Vinnie Portell
FCL Orioles pitcher Adrian Heredia delivers a pitch against the FCL Rays in a game at Twin Lakes Park on June 30.
Baltimore Orioles’ No. 12 prospect Stiven Martinez is an FCL Orioles player with lofty projections.
Hudson West
Sarasota High quarterback Hudson West is still just a rising sophomore, but he’s not wasting any time hitting the recruiting trail.
West has been all over the country attending various collegiate football camps this summer and has been offered several scholarships. West has offers to the University of North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Kentucky and Cincinnati.
When and why did you start playing football?
I started playing football, probably around second grade. There was no other reason besides I thought that it was fun. I saw it on TV and wanted to play it.
What’s been the most memorable part of this summer?
Probably meeting Bill Belichick at the UNC camp. That was crazy, from seeing him on TV to seeing him in real life, walking in his office and seeing his Super Bowl trophy. That was a really cool experience.
What’s your favorite all-time football memory?
Probably my first start at Sarasota against Brandon. It was the Kickoff Classic. It was when I transferred in (from Bradenton Christian). My teammates welcomed me, and it was my most memorable and favorite moment because I was out there playing against high school kids in one of the biggest divisions in Florida. It was really cool to start as a freshman.
How have you grown this past year?
I would say definitely not physically, but a lot mentally. I’ve gotten a lot smarter and a lot more comfortable in the game. I’m a lot more familiar with it, I understand it more and I’m enjoying it more. I’ve also put on 15 to 20 pounds of weight since the season ended. I’m trying to get bigger and put on more weight every single day.
What has you most excited about this upcoming season? Our offense. I can’t wait to go out
If you would like to make a recommendation for the Sarasota Observer’s Athlete of the Week feature, send it to Vinnie Portell at VPortell@ YourObserver.com.
there. We have a couple of guys who came in, and I’ve been playing with some of them my entire life. It’s exciting. I think we’re going to be a really good offense that’s explosive and fast.
What’s your favorite meal?
Steak and mashed potatoes. I like my steak cooked medium rare. I’ll eat it at home, at a restaurant or wherever. I’ll always enjoy it.
What’s your favorite TV show or movie?
I wouldn’t say I have one. I don’t watch a lot of TV.
What’s your go-to warm-up music?
I don’t really get in the zone, but I’ll definitely listen to Bob Marley before stuff. I like to be comfortable and relaxed.
If you’re not playing football, what are you doing?
I love to fish. My best catch is a 34inch snook I caught in the Sarasota Bay.
Who’s your favorite football player and why?
I wouldn’t say I have a favorite football player, but I do love watching football. It helps me understand the game a lot better and learn things from the NFL. Finish this sentence. Hudson West is ... A leader.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Full Mouth Implant Dentistry
NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH
THURSDAY, JULY 3
FRIDAY, JULY 4
SATURDAY, JULY 5
TICKING AWAY
by Les Mots, edited by Taylor Johnson
By Luis Campos
Michael Graham captured this photo of a group of sandhill cranes and wood storks grazing in a lake at Bobby Jones Golf Club.
INFORMATION & RATES: 941-955-4888 redpages@yourobserver.com •yourobserver.com/redpages
DEADLINES: Classifieds - Tuesday at Noon
Service Directory - Friday at 3PM • PAYMENT: Cash, Check or Credit Card
The Sarasota and Siesta Key Observer reserves the right to classify and edit copy, or to reject or cancel an advertisement at any time. Corrections after first insertion only.
*All ads are subject to the approval of the Publisher.
*It is the responsibility of the party placing any ad for publication in the Sarasota and Siesta Key Observer to meet all applicable legal requirements in connection with the ad such as compliance with towncodes in first obtaining an occupational license for business, permitted home occupation, or residential rental property.
Notice: All real estate advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.
