WEEK OF JULY 31, 2025
BY THE NUMBERS
“I don’t
think any of us want to raise the millage, but when somebody with the experience of our city manager comes in with this recommendation, you’ve got to heed that warning.”
City Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch. Read more on page 9
Aman sheriff’s deputies say twice robbed the same credit union branch in about a month is in custody following his arrest this week.
Christopher A. Borchardt, a 25-year-old Sarasota man, was initially charged with two counts of robbery without a weapon, according to a statement from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office and inmate records from Sarasota County Jail.
The Sheriff’s Office said Borchardt’s arrest was the result of collaboration between several
department units and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The USF Credit Union, 3487 Clark Road, was first robbed around noon on June 20. After escaping with cash, the robber was seen running toward Bronx Avenue, just west of the branch.
On July 18, a man witnesses said resembled the first robber entered the branch, demanded money and ran off in the same direction. No one was hurt in either incident and the amount of cash stolen was not disclosed.
In the July incident, a police ac-
count of the events shows a man entered the credit union around 2:30 p.m. and told a teller he was there to rob the branch again, demanding $8,000.
Police said the robber wore military fatigues with the insignia of an E-4 rank.
Investigators connected Borchardt to the robberies, searched his home less than a block west of the credit union branch and arrested him. Jail inmate records show he was brought to Sarasota County jail on Friday. No bond was allowed.
Allegiant begins new route to Toledo
Among multiple new nonstop routes serving Southwest Florida announced by discount airline Allegiant is a round trip service between Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport and Toledo, Ohio via Toledo Express Airport.
The new route begins service on Nov. 20, operating out of the new Concourse A at SRQ.
Allegiant is the only carrier serving the Toledo market.
“We’re excited to see Allegiant continue to expand its offerings at SRQ,” said airport President and CEO Rick Piccolo in a news release.
“The addition of Toledo marks the 35th nonstop destination served by Allegiant at SRQ and strengthens our connections to the Midwest.”
Closer to home, Allegiant will also begin a new service between Punta Gorda Airport and New Orleans via Louis Armstrong New Orleans International, also beginning Nov. 21.
Targeting potential visitors interested in local shopping, serenity and sports, Visit Sarasota County has launched its newest seasonal tourism marketing campaign. Through Sept. 30, the campaign is designed to appeal to travelers seeking a relaxing escape with a visual focus on retail and golf.
“Seasonal campaigns like this further demonstrate that, rather than resting on our laurels, we’re having a pulse check with our community to ensure every post and promotion is helping generate more economic impact for our region,” said VSC President and CEO Erin Duggan in a news release.
The campaign will lean into a combination of digital and print ads plus social media storytelling. It targets key drive markets including Atlanta, greater Tampa Bay, Orlando, Miami and Naples, as well as fartherflung major metros such as Boston, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit and Washington, D.C., among others.
With a goal of providing business startup space across all demographics, the group preserving the Colson Hotel plans to renovate it as the Colson Collective.
Business incubators are unique to cowork space in that they provide opportunities for young entrepreneurs to collaborate with each other in a shared environment, learn from their unique experiences and establish a fledgling business with lower overhead costs.
Opportunities include:
■ Providing affordable office space and access to shared equipment
■ Connecting startups with mentors who can offer guidance and advice
■ Helping startups find potential investors and secure funding
■ Facilitating connections with other entrepreneurs, industry professionals and potential partners
■ Workshops, training programs and educational resources
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, startups typically will stay in a business incubator for one to two years, allowing them to establish their business models, refine their products and gain valuable experience needed for independent operations. The goal is to provide support and resources during the crucial early stages of a company’s development and opportunities and, if desired, to secure growth-stage investment in the company.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
It could be a jazz club, or perhaps restored as a hotel.
Instead, the new nonprofit ownership of the historic Colson Hotel on the edge of the Rosemary District near Newtown plans to honor the century-old building’s roots by providing spaces for entrepreneurs across all demographics to help plant their own seedlings and eventually branch out into the business world.
Anand Pallegar led a collaborative effort to purchase the Colson Hotel at 1425 Eighth St. for $700,000 from a developer, saving it from likely demolition. Now that the remnants of years of occupation by vagrants have been removed, Pallegar’s DreamLarge marketing firm, Gulf Coast Community Foundation and Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation — partners in Save Sarasota Historic Properties Inc. — the concept of the Colson Collective has materialized.
“As we got into the property and saw it was largely intact to what it probably looked a lot like in the 1920s, it became all the more important to preserve that as opposed to taking down walls and modifying it for a different use,” Pallegar told the Observer. “So the question was, in preserving it, what is the highest and best use that would best serve the community?”
The answer, Pallegar said, was, “If we can incubate the next generation of ideas, entrepreneurs and nonprofits, the economic impact from that hotel could be tremendous as it catalyzes over years and decades versus just being a singular business.”
Originally named Colson Hotel for Negroes, it was the first accommodation in Sarasota for African Americans during segregation. Occupants of the 28 rooms used common bathrooms, but there found safe and inviting lodging in the Jim Crow era.
At the Sarasota City Commission’s July 21 meeting, Pallegar updated commissioners, just as he pledged to do on a regular basis as it was they who were instrumental in granting to developer JDMax necessary adjustments necessary for its planning of multifamily residences bordering the Colson. The developer had previously planned to incorporate the Colson site in the plan, likely demolishing it.
Having been previously denied an application to take down the building by the Sarasota Historic Preserva-
Built by Edwin Burns, brother of better known early Sarasota developer Owen Burns, the Colson Hotel was named in honor of the Rev. Lewis Colson, a former slave who was instrumental in platting the city in its founding days. From 1899 to 1915, he served as the first minister of Bethlehem Baptist Church while fostering the growth of the Black community in Overtown, now the Rosemary District. His wife, Irene, was a midwife who provided critical support for Black families who were denied standard medical care.
The couple are buried in Rosemary Cemetery just one block from the hotel.
tion Board, JDMax had appealed the ruling to the City Commission and, according to Pallegar at the time, had “checked all the boxes” to determine demolition would be permissible.
That’s when Pallegar and company stepped forward with a plan to acquire the Colson building and repurpose it in some fashion to preserve its iconic heritage, should the city allow. He appeared before the commission in September 2024 with JDMax principal Maximilian Vollmer seeking the necessary adjustments, pledging to acquire the building and preserve it if granted.
Last week, Pallegar told commissioners Save Sarasota Historic Properties is the “interim owner,” and the newly formed nonprofit is poised to launch a capital campaign to raise the $2 million to $3 million needed to restore the building and create an entity to operate it as a space for rent-based business incubator.
PRESERVING THE LEGACY
Intent on paying homage to the Colson Hotel legacy, Pallegar told commissioners any adaptive reuse of the structure would require considerable reconfiguration of the interior.
A hotel use would mean combining rooms by tearing out walls and running extensive plumbing for private bathrooms. That would reduce the original 28 rooms to perhaps a dozen or so, likely an unsustainable business model.
A jazz club, by the same token, would mean completely gutting the
building and, by operating as a bar, restricting its access to the community at-large.
“We believe that by going down this path, we can create a vision that is ultimately sustainable through a rent-based model that will not only protect the past but also catalyze the future,” Pallegar told commissioners last week. “The mission for the Colson Collective is to empower, support, foster and ultimately drive economic and social impact while preserving the legacy.”
A presented sketch plan largely maintains the existing form of the original 28 hotel rooms, requiring little change to the layout of the building. The final configuration may include 24 work spaces with some rooms on the first floor being combined.
Outside, a courtyard partially surrounded by the U-shaped building could be a venue for live music, such as a jazz ensemble, in the evenings.
For now, the Colson Collective remains an idea. Pallegar said the ownership group is in the process of formalizing the operational structure and recruiting members for a board of directors. Planning for a formal capital campaign is also underway.
“The intent is to stand up a nonprofit organization that will carry the vision and principles of the collective forward,” Pallegar told the Observer.
“Part of what we’re doing at the moment is recruiting for that organization — board members as well as donors. Now that we’ve clarified a direction, it’s going to become a lot easier to have those meaningful conversations with potential donors.”
The total capital raise for the project, he said, is approximately $2.5 million.
“It’s a relatively small project in the grand scheme of things in Sarasota,” he said.
The Colson Hotel opened in late 1926. The upcoming 100-year anniversary, Pallegar said, provides a target date for the grand opening of the Colson Collective.
“In a perfect world,” he said, “we would be cutting the ribbon exactly 100 years to the day it opened.”
MARCH 1, 2023: JDMax acquires Colson Hotel site and surrounding property between Eighth and Ninth streets along Cohen Way across from Lofts on Lemon.
MARCH 2, 2023: Negotiations begin with JDMax to acquire the hotel building.
MAY 2023: Preservationists begin to work to align with JDMax plans.
APRIL 2024: Demolition of the Colson Hotel is denied by the Sarasota Historic Preservation Board.
SEPTEMBER 2024: JDMax appeals demolition denial to the Sarasota City Commission.
DECEMBER 2024: The Colson Hotel is acquired by Save Sarasota Historic Properties Inc.
JULY 2025: Save Sarasota Historic Properties Inc. presents Colson Collective concept to the City Commission.
“The mission for the Colson Collective is to empower, support, foster and ultimately drive economic and social impact while preserving the legacy.”
Anand Pallegar
Having outgrown its facilities built on Coon Key in 1958, Sarasota Yacht Club has received approval to expand its facilities on its 3.76 acres just east of Plymouth Harbor.
On July 21, the Sarasota City Commission, with little discussion, unanimously approved a rezoning amendment and site plan to allow the club to construct a new threestory building, expansion of its existing clubhouse and structured parking plus an expanded outdoor dining deck area.
The club plans to build more than 12,000 square feet of new building space including a 1,000-squarefoot expansion of its existing outdoor dining deck. The project will include a 4,691-square-foot expansion of the existing clubhouse and a new 8,200-square-foot, three-story multiuse building to house offices, classroom space and a fitness center; a 2,540-square-foot roof deck; and additional parking spaces.
On May 14, the Sarasota Planning Board unanimously recommended commission approval of the club’s rezoning amendment request and site plan.
“The membership has grown in a way that we found that the fitness
has been much more in demand, and the existing fitness room in the building is not big enough,” said architect Mark Sultana, a 17-year member of the club and principal of DSDG Architecture. Of the new building, Sultana said, “We will have an entire floor devoted to fitness and wellness for the members. The second level will be office and classroom space for the sailing program that they have for youth. Right now, the kids have to be outside to get instruction from the coaches.”
Atop the new building will be a rooftop deck.
The 4,700-square-foot expansion to the existing building will include a grill room that will provide the added benefit of dining space for members when events such as weddings and bar mitzvahs are taking place in the dining room. Immediately to the west of the club and sharing Coon Key is the retirement community of Plymouth Harbor, which is planning an expansion of its own. The only concern raised by the commission is noise that may emanate from the club after hours when special events may be held.
Project consultant Joel Freedman told commissioners hours of operation of the club will not change and all special events have a hard stop of 10 p.m.
1970 Main St., Third Floor, Sarasota, FL 34236
PHONE: 941-366-3468 | WEBSITE: www.YourObserver.com
& SIESTA KEY TO EMAIL US
Email press releases, announcements and Letters to the Editor to: Kat Wingert, kwingert@yourobserver.com TO ADVERTISE
Display Advertising: To obtain information, call 941-366-3468, Ext. 345.
2 WAYS
Access your weekly Observer paper, anytime, anywhere with our Newspaper app. You can read page to page, section to section like a newspaper on your phone, tablet or laptop.
Subscribe at YourObserver.com/subscribe
Classified Advertising / Service Directory: For information and rates, or to place an ad, call 941-955-4888. Hours 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. To place a classified ad online, visit www.YourObserver.com, or email your ad to classified@yourobserver.com. PUBLIC NOTICES
To subscribe: Please call Donna Condon at 941-366-3468, Ext. 301, or email dcondon@yourobserver.com
The Sarasota/Siesta Key, East County and Longboat Observers meet the legal requirements to publish legal and public notices in Sarasota & Manatee counties, per F.S. 50.011. AUDITOR INFORMATION
Circulation Verified Council 12166 Old Big Bend Road, Suite 210 | St Louis, MO 63122 314-966-7111 | www.cvcaudit.com
FOLLOW
A memo issued by the Florida Department of Transportation requires local governments to comply with roadway and sidewalk marking standards or risk losing funding.
onstandard sidewalk and roadway markings are no longer permitted along any streets and highways throughout Florida, and Sarasota is no exception.
In a memorandum written by Florida Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue dated June 30, 2025, local governments were informed of department policy that “all traffic
control devices, including pavement surface markings, be compliant with the FDOT Design Manual and the Manual of Uniform Minimum Standards for Design, Construction and Maintenance for Streets and Highways.”
That includes any sidewalk art and pedestrian crossings on roadways. In Sarasota, the policy enforcement includes three installations.
A statement from the city reads, “Based on FDOT’s June (30), 2025,
memo, city staff have determined three installations in the city limits may not comply with FDOT standards and may be subject to removal.”
Those installations are:
■ Crosswalk art at the Cocoanut Avenue, Pineapple Avenue and Second Street intersection
■ Crosswalk art at 1400 Main St.
■ Sidewalk art on Pineapple Avenue and Orange Avenue
“City staff are seeking clarification from FDOT regarding who would be responsible for potentially removing the pavement markings and who would cover the cost,” the city statement concludes.
Perdue’s memo cites concerns caused by nonstandard surface markings, signage and signals that do not directly contribute to safety or controls, which can lead to distractions or misunderstandings among drivers and pedestrians. It also states that consistent application of pavement surface markings is critical to operations of autonomous vehicles as those technologies heavily rely on uniform markings.
According to the memo, FDOT may enforce compliance by withholding state funds from local governments found to be in violation of
the policy.
Reads the memorandum, “Any identified noncompliant traffic control devices or pavement markings currently installed on Florida public roads are to be immediately remedied, i.e., removed, modified or replaced as required for conformity with FDOT policy and standards.”
It further states, “Permission to allow noncompliant traffic control devices or pavement markings to remain may be granted at the Department’s discretion, if the public agency is able to demonstrate good cause for doing so.”
One of those good causes may be the annual Sarasota Chalk Festival in Burns Court, which features chalk art on sidewalks.
The memorandum is not clear on temporary installations and no city officials would speculate on such instances.
Chalk Festival organizer Denise Kowal declined to comment on the impact the policy may have on the event until further clarity is available.
The Observer reached out to state officials regarding that question and has not received a response.
Sarasota Interim City Manager Dave Bullock told city commissioners an increase over the current fiscal year’s property tax rate is necessary to rebuild the general fund balance.
Taking heed of Interim City Manager Dave Bullock’s assessment of the city’s precariously low general fund balance, the Sarasota City Commission on Tuesday voted 4-1 to set the maximum citywide property millage rate for fiscal year 2026 at 3.3.
An increase over the current year’s 3.0 mills, Bullock said, is needed to begin to rebuild the general fund balance, which was severely depleted due to recovery costs already incurred, and costs still to come, from the 2024 hurricane season.
During the two-day budget workshop on July 28 and 29, Bullock told commissioners the general fund balance at the start of the next fiscal year is expected at approximately $18 million, or 14% of the proposed $108.37 million general fund spending plan. The city’s policy is to maintain that balance at 17% to 25%, enough money to fund operations for approximately three months in the event of natural disaster or other catastrophic emergency.
Bullock’s plan is to bank all the additional property tax revenue generated by the millage increase as part of a three-year plan to replenish the fund balance. His proposal was for a 0.273 increase in the fund balance, which he said would raise it to just more than $20 million by the end of the fiscal year.
That assumes the city receives no additional FEMA reimburse -
ments nor suffers any storm damage through the next fiscal year.
Vice Mayor Debbie Trice cast the lone dissenting vote, preferring the commission set the max millage rate at Bullock’s recommendation of 3.273 mills. Between now and final budget adoption, scheduled for Sept. 15, the commission may lower the millage rate, but cannot increase it.
“I was prepared to accept a higher number today with the belief that we would bring it down to 3.273 before September, but I’m getting a sense that there will be leaning in the commission to keep it at that 3.3 so I’m going to vote against the motion,” Trice said of Commissioner Kathy Kelley Ohlrich’s motion. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do. I just won’t support it.”
The impact of a millage increase to 3.3 on a home with an assessed taxable value of $200,000 is $60 per year; on a $350,000 home $105; on a $500,000 home $150; and on a $1 million home $300, all marginally less at 3.273 mills.
A millage rate at then 3.5 combined with an overall increase of 6.5% in citywide property tax value would have captured just more than $6.1 million to place in the fund balance, $1.4 million more than the $4.7 million projected by 3.273. That data supports a position floated earlier by Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch to capture more revenue earlier with the opportunity to lower the millage rate in succeeding years.
There was no appetite among the commission, though, to set the maximum any higher than 3.3 mills.
“I don’t think any of us want to raise the millage,” said AhearnKoch, “but when somebody with the experience of our city manager comes in with this recommendation, you’ve got to heed that warning, and if we set it at a maximum of 3.3 it does give some space (between now and budget adoption) for things that may come up.”
Sarasota’s fund balance safety net is far below city policy and must be replenished.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
In similar fashion to the tropical weather events of 2024, Interim City Manager Dave Bullock blew into Sarasota City Hall just more than two months ago amid budget season. On Monday he sucked the air out of the meeting chamber with some fiscally challenging news.
Last year’s back-to-back-to-back visits by Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton left up to $50 million in damages to city property in their wake, inflicting an estimated $38 million impact to the city’s general fund balance.
Entering the current fiscal year, that fund balance was approximately $32 million. With expenditures thus far of some $20 million, even with an advance of $7.7 million from FEMA, that leaves the city going into next fiscal year with an unassigned fund balance of $16.8 million, well below the city’s policy of range of 17% to 25% of its total operating budget in its emergency savings account.
Bullock delivered that news to the Sarasota City Commission during the first of its two-day budget workshop on July 28, with the caveat that uncertainty surrounding the typically standard FEMA reimbursements for natural disaster recovery costs of at least 75% is presently not a certainty. And even if it was, it can take years to receive.
“It took awhile, and it took a lot of gyrations, but there was a check in the mail,” Bullock said of the usual time frame for reimbursement.
“Now, we are uncertain.”
As such, Bullock’s first, and in all likelihood only, draft city of Sarasota budget was prepared assuming a worst-case scenario of no FEMA reimbursements and a recommended “modest” property tax increase of 0.273 mill. All of the increase — about $5.2 million — would be allocated to jump start a three-year strategy to rebuild the fund balance, this year taking it above the $20 million amount spent on hurricane recovery thus far.
“I view that $20 million as a lesson learned, and we should not go into any year with less than what we had to spend,” Bullock told commissioners. “This may have been an extraordinary year. We may not get another extraordinary year for another 100 years or we may get one this year. The inability to know what’s going to happen to us indicates some level of experience that should take us to some level of fund balance expectation.”
Bullock’s submitted budget was prepared assuming no FEMA reimbursements. Should those checks arrive, so much the better. The general fund spending plan of $108.37 million is slightly higher than the current fiscal year’s $107.21 million, but it includes no new personnel that the general fund and cost-of-living
Andrew Warfield
Sarasota Director of Finance Kelly Strickland talks fiscal year 2026 budget with the Sarasota City Commission as Budget Manager Tyler Harris looks on.
Summary of 2024 storms impact on the general fund, not including damages covered by enterprise fund balances, estimated at another $12 million.
■ Debris removal: $13,267,351
■ Sidewalks, boardwalks, shoreline stabilization, signage: $652,000
■ Water intrusion/wind damage to city facilities: $399,000
■ Police services for pre-storm preparation, emergency operations, equipment, and vehicles: $148,000
■ Parks, trails, buildings, playgrounds, docks and piers: $23,329,567
■ TOTAL: $37,795,918.
increases would cover. All employees eligible for step increases, however, will receive those salary hikes.
On the plus side, the city’s taxable property value rose 6.5% over the current fiscal year from $18.3 billion to $19.5 billion. That, however, represents a 6.32% decrease in growth from fiscal year 2025, which represents a continuing downward trend from the 2022 assessed value spike, up 17.85% from the year prior.
Bullock said he expects that downward trend to continue, but added he doesn’t think assessed values will ever go negative year over year.
“The operating budget is almost flat with last year,” Bullock said. “Including benefits, personnel costs went up and the operating costs went down. The capital costs have gone down, and some of our transfers have gone down. Service levels in the proposed budget have not been reduced.”
The two-day workshop included reports and budget requests from all departments across city government, including the general fund and enterprise (self-supporting) funds.
Only two public hearings remain on the budget season calendar before final adoption — during the regular City Commission meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 2, and a special meeting on Monday, Sept. 15, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
A vote to adopt the fiscal year 2026 budget will follow the conclusion of the second public hearing.
It’s a wonderful story of college spirit and pride — how one of Sarasota’s own, Anna Lazzara, created the new mascot for New College.
Sarasota native Anna Lazzara will forever be in the history and lore of New College of Florida. In June 2023, she created and sketched what is now the college’s mascot — the Mighty Banyans.
It’s a wonderful story of college spirit and pride, and it fits the phrase: “Local girl makes good.”
Not many people know the story of Lazzara’s creation. That’s largely because when the New College Board of Trustees and its president, Richard Corcoran, approved the adoption of the new mascot, as usual, the “againsters” panned it.
One of the critics stated the final illustration of Lazzara’s creation was racist, referring to it as reminiscent of the Tarzan books “full of vile racial stereotyping.”
The student rep on the board of trustees complained the student body deserved to have more of say in whether to retire the college’s previous mascot, “Null Set,” in favor of the Mighty Banyans.
Oh, please. For one, whatever the heck is a “Null Set?” How inspiring. And, really? New College is not a democracy. No school is.
It was unfortunate the whining drowned out what should have been celebrated: That one of Sarasota’s own — a native, lifelong Sarasotan and graduate of Sarasota High — is the Mighty Banyans’ creator. No small thing.
It’s a story that will be part of the Lazzara family lore for generations — as well as being cemented in the history of New College.
Anna Lazzara, 21, is the daughter of Scott and Leanne Lazzara, also lifelong Sarasotans. Lazzara’s father, who moved to Sarasota at age 4, is the founder and owner of Florida Payroll Consultants, a 15-year-old, independent payroll/ PEO and employee benefits outsourcing brokerage. Leanne Lazzara is the office manager of her brother’s chiropractic practice and also a bartender/server at a Del Webb community clubhouse.
“She’s a Chatty Cathy,” Lazzara says of her mother. “She likes talking with people.”
As the saying goes: Apples don’t fall far from the tree.
Talk to Lazzara, and you’ll find she overflows with positive effervescence and enthusiasm.
Lazzara will be a senior this coming fall, majoring in humanities and museum studies. She chose New College almost by happenstance. She wanted a liberal arts college and was considering Rollins College in Winter Park or Eckerd College in St. Petersburg. But then her cousin, an alumna of New College, suggested she take a look. “I was blown away,” Lazzara says.
She loves New College — especially now that the physical campus has been transformed. “I like to show off my campus, especially being from Sarasota. It’s like a point of pride for me, like a point of pride for our city for our area.”
In the course of interviewing Lazzara recently about her three years at New College and how the atmosphere of the college has changed, the subject of the creation of the Mighty Banyan came up. That was all it took.
In her own words, here is how the Mighty Banyans came to be:
“When they announced that they were going to come up with a new mascot, they sent out this survey with some options. I was like, ‘No,
these aren’t any good. They don’t represent what New College is.’
“So I said, ‘What if I come up with my own idea?’ I’m an artist, a creative person.
“I was thinking about the spirit of New College, because I feel very, very connected to New College and its past — especially having a family member who’s an alumna. And I know that this place is unique. It’s never going to be your run-ofthe-mill state school, so I knew it couldn’t have a mascot that was just average.
“I was thinking about our natural landscape at New College. OK, what’s something that really represents New College? What’s something that’s here on campus?
“I was thinking: Oh my gosh, we have so many banyan trees on this
Florida Agricultural & Mining University,
campus and over next door at the Ringling Museum.
“They’re everywhere, and people gather at the banyan trees. We have parties under the banyan trees. I was thinking this is such a central figure to New College culture. Even in the 1960s, they were talking about the banyan trees. They’ve been here forever.
“I was like: ‘Oh my gosh, what if we were the Mighty Banyans?’
“So I did this sketch, and I swear it took me, I don’t know, five, 10 minutes. I was, like, I need to make it look athletic because this is for an athletics program.
So I did this kind of flexing pose, right? I was, like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is so in the moment, this is so funny; I’m going to keep this for myself as a little memento of my
The New College administration sent out these suggestions for the school’s new mascot:
■ Sailfish (State designated saltwater fish)
■ Otters
■ Bears (Oxford University, for which New College was founded, has the Bears as its mascot.) ■ Spoonbill
Oystercatchers
Pelicans
Pilots
Trailblazers
Ambassadors
The Leaders
Explorers
Conquistadors
The Rebels
Gamechangers
Other
time, and they’re going to move on and choose their mascot.’
“I showed it to my mom, and she said, ‘Anna, no, you have to bring this to somebody. This is awesome. This could really be something.’
“So we actually went together and went to visit (athletic director) Mariano Jimenez in his office. We showed him, and he was like, ‘Wow, this is really cool. I will definitely support this in conversations with the president.’
“Then flash forward a week later. I got an email from the president’s executive assistant asking to meet with me, and then we talked about it. He made sure it was my original idea and I didn’t take it from anywhere.
“Then they hired a company to do the actual logo, but I retained the actual sketch.
“It’s been the highlight of my time at New College.”
Matt Walsh will be on leave until October.
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
Sports Reporter / Vinnie Portell, VPortell@YourObserver.com
Digital News Analytics and Marketing Strategist / Kaelyn Adix, KAdix@YourObserver.com
Digital News Editor / Eric Garwood, EGarwood@YourObserver.com
Copy Editor / Gina Reynolds Haskins, GRHaskins@YourObserver.com
Senior Editorial Designer / Melissa Leduc, MLeduc@YourObserver.com
Editorial Designer / Jenn Edwards, JEdwards@YourObserver.com
A+E Editor / Monica Roman Gagnier, MGagnier@YourObserver.com
Chief Revenue Officer / Jill Raleigh, JRaleigh@YourObserver.com
Regional Sales Director / Penny Nowicki, PNowicki@YourObserver.com
Regional Digital Director / Kathleen O’Hara, KOHara@YourObserver.com
Senior Advertising Executive / Laura Ritter, LRitter@YourObserver.com
Advertising Executives / Richeal McGuinness, RMcGuinness@ YourObserver.com; Jennifer Kane, JKane@ YourObserver.com; Honesty Mantkowski, HMantkowski@YourObserver.com; Toni Perren, TPerren@YourObserver.com; Anna Reich, Anna@YourObserver.com Brenda White, BWhite@YourObserver.com
Classified Advertising Sales Executive / Sydney Shunk, SSchunk@YourObserver. com
Head of Sales Operations / Susan Leedom, SLeedom@YourObserver.com
Account Managers / Lori Downey, LDowney@YourObserver.com; Caitlin Ellis, CEllis@YourObserver.com; Lexi Huelsman, Lexi@YourObserver.com
Social Media and Content Manager / Emma B. Jolly, EJolly@YourObserver.com
Tributes Coordinator / Kristen Boothroyd, Tributes@YourObserver.com
Director of Partnerships / Ron Trytek, RTrytek@YourObserver.com
Director of Creative Services and IT / Caleb Stanton, CStanton@YourObserver. com
Creative Services Administrator / Marjorie Holloway, MHolloway@ 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, Jacksonville Daily Record, Key Life Magazine, LWR Life Magazine, Baldwin Park Living Magazine and Season Magazine
CEO / Matt Walsh
MWalsh@YourObserver.com
President / Emily Walsh
Chairman Emeritus / David Beliles
Vice President / Lisa Walsh (1995-2023) 1970 Main St. Sarasota, FL 34236 941-366-3468
IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER
Dozens of members of the public turned out during a July 22 school board meeting as the board voted 3-2 to approve for advertising an amended version of its student code of conduct.
Speakers criticized revisions that removed the enumeration of specific protections for students in categories that include race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.
The new code of conduct emphasizes discrimination, as well as bullying and harassment, will not be tolerated under any circumstances, and states that it covers “any protected classification recognized by state or federal law.”
The wording includes, “Sarasota County Schools strictly prohibits ANY form of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation by or against students. EVERY student has the right to learn in an environment that is free from bias, exclusion or unfair treatment.”
Attorney Patrick Duggan told meeting attendees the decision was made from a “risk management standpoint” to put the district in a position to be compliant with state and federal law, and ensure it will not unnecessarily lose funding.
In a June 17 board workshop, Duggan had stated the district receives about $30 million in federal funding from the Department of Education and must ensure it is in compliance with its policies.
He said there was a basis for the action in “the current stance coming out of the administration in Washington, which is now in symmetry with what’s going on in Tallahassee.”
“I don’t have a crystal ball; I don’t know how the U.S. Department of Education would view non compliance with their regulations, but my goal when I’m advising you is to put you in risk-averse situa-
tions so you don’t have to deal with those liabilities and those distractions,” Duggan had said.
Four board members expressed support for the decision, although board member Tom Edwards ultimately voted against.
“When I look at the ‘all’ piece, it’s all. It’s everyone,” said board Chair Tim Enos. “To me, there’s no delineation to say that it’s you’re this or you’re this or you’re this, because also, that same thing that was said, is about putting people into categories.”
Board member Bridget Ziegler said there were no protections being removed and that she agreed with the idea that “words matter,” referencing the time when gender and gender identity were added to anti-discrimination policies.
“The fact is that whole process and that whole trajectory led public education across the United States to be completely undermined, and the lack of trust, and the parental rights movement, and I’m very proud to be a part of it because I believe in it,” she said.
Board member Tom Edwards said he did not feel “for a moment” that students were unsafe based on the policy, stating he was convinced the administration was equipped to handle bullying and that much of the problem was occurring online.
However, Edwards stated he would be voting against the change to avoid the perception that he was aligned with Ziegler’s viewpoints.
“I was really trying hard, to the ‘every’ and ‘all,’ and the reference to the statutes, to really try,” he said. “When Mrs. Ziegler said what she said, I didn’t want anyone to misunderstand that I was on that page because I’m not, and I never will be … ”
Dissenting from the majority was Liz Barker, who said her research clearly showed districts with specifically enumerated protections had better outcomes for students’ well-being.
SATURDAY, JUNE 28
Disturbance: Flagged down by security at a downtown club an officer encountered a female complainant — who appeared to be intoxicated — alleging a male patron spat upon her. She was asked if she wished to file a complaint, at first declining because she was camera shy of the officer’s activated body camera. She attempted to cover the camera, insisting she was being humiliated by its use.
MONDAY, JUNE 30
WATERED DOWN GAS
10:55 a.m., 301 Bird Key Drive
She eventually relented and went on to weave a tale of sitting at the bar when a male subject “with tattoos and glasses” according to the report, began winking at her. She said he then left the bar. Then a woman in a red dress arrived and was “holding her hostage” by grabbing her arms and asking what she said to her brother. She said she never spoke to the man and did nothing wrong.
The complainant then alleged she was spit on by the woman before responding with a retaliatory salivary salvo of her own. When asked if the man had spit on her, the complainant then mentioned she did not know who, but someone had spit in her face. She also mentioned the man was arguing with the red dress-clad woman and that he was “most likely a drug dealer,” according to the report. She also said she had not been drinking, but a bartender reported otherwise.
A club security guard said the incident began when he heard his boss yelling, went upstairs and saw the complainant fighting with the woman in the red dress and that a male was also involved.
Video footage of the incident was obtained, which shows the complainant sitting at the bar with a friend while the man in question sat with a woman nearby. The video shows the complainant leaning out of her seat, pointing in the direction of the male while laughing. As she leaves her seat she continues to laugh at the man, who then appears to gesture for someone to come to him. The woman in the red dress then ap-
Criminal Mischief: An officer met with a couple at Bird Key Yacht Club to discuss damage done to their boat when it appeared someone had put approximately nine gallons of water into the fuel tank. They said they were last at their boat on May 31 and, when they returned on June 12, they noticed the flag pole on the top of their boat was bent and the water hose on their boat slip appeared disturbed.
On June 17, they started the boat for the first time since May 31 and began to leave the slip when they noticed the boat shaking. When it would not accelerate, they returned to their boat slip. Another attempt to take out the boat on June 21 yielded the same result. On June 23, a mechanic discovered the water mixed with gas in the fuel tank. The service to remove it cost $700. A tuneup was then recommended, which costs approximately $7,000.
The couple first wanted to press charges, but called later in the day to say they changed their mind and did not wish to press charges without explaining why. Asking that the incident only be documented, no further action was taken.
pears, he points in the direction of the complainant and together they approach her.
That’s when the alleged spitting ensues as the complainant appears to lunge toward the man
as if spitting on him. In response, his head appears to snap in the same direction as if struck by an unknown object. Red dress then engages the complainant as another female emerges, unsuccessfully attempting to keep them separated. Security subsequently intervenes and all parties are compelled to take it to the street.
The report notes the officer did not witness the complainant wiping her face after claiming assault by saliva, although it does appear she launched the first, and perhaps only, salvo in the skirmish. The entire incident was determined to be mutual combat and no further action was taken.
TUESDAY, JULY 1
NEIGHBORLY GESTURE
GOES BAD
6:04 p.m., 1600 block of Laurel Street
Property damage: The weekend tenting of an adjacent property left behind a removed section of fence and an unfulfilled promise to have it reinstalled. The homeowner told an officer the manager of the multifamily property asked if the tenting company could remove a section of fence in order to secure the tent, providing it was put back in place at the end of the work.
Several days after the tent had been removed, the complainant saw the section of fence had not been replaced. The property manager told him, according to the incident report, the work was scheduled, and the fence had been temporarily leaned in place. His concern was the fence prevents homeless people from accessing his backyard.
On this day, he came home around 3 p.m. to find trash strewn across the yard and the section of fence lying in the street.
The complainant told the officer he discussed the matter with the property manager, who explained he was having difficulty finding a contractor to replace the fence as previously agreed. The officer advised the complainant that it was a civil matter that would have to be settled in small claims court if not remedied.
Monday, July 21, 2025 at 11:00AM precisely at Montefiore Cemetery (Sec. Mem.
Marjorie Snyder Peabody Stapleton 1923-2025
Marjorie Snyder Peabody Stapleton, age 101, of Longboat Key, Florida passed away on July 11, 2025 in Stuart, Florida after complications from a brief illness. She was born in Detroit, Michigan on November 17, 1923, to Clifford and Helen (Kennedy) Snyder. She was preceded in death by husbands Edwin N. Peabody (1978) and David W. Stapleton (2005). She was the devoted mother of Jane (fiancé Tim) Peabody Fennessy, Clifford (Laure) Peabody, Marjorie Peabody Hamond, Susan Peabody Clark, Betsy Peabody Rowe, and the late Bradley (Lynn) Peabody, and was a beloved grandmother.
SERVICE: Relatives and friends are invited to Graveside Services,
Stunning
•
Marjorie attended Denison College, where she joined the Delta Gamma Sorority. She remained very active in local DG chapters in Ann Arbor, Michigan and Longboat Key, Florida. While raising her children in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, and supporting all their school activities, she was a member of the Grosse Pointe Hunt Club and Grosse Pointe Memorial Church. In the 1980’s, she became a winter resident in Florida and eventually made her permanent home in Longboat Key. Marjorie became a vital part of the church community at All Angels Episcopal Church, and enjoyed singing in the choir
and playing in the handbell choir until her health declined. She supported the Southeastern Guide Dogs by walking newly appointed dogs and also by raising money via participation in 5K walks at ages 90-92. She also enjoyed volunteering in a Sarasota elementary school by helping young children learn to read.
SERVICE: A celebration of her life is tentatively planned for November 2025, around what would have been her 102nd birthday, in Longboat Key, Florida.
DONATIONS: Memorial contributions may be made to All Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church, 563 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key, FL 34228.
Marjorie’s children and grandchildren were her pride and joy. She always said that they changed her life for the better, and they felt that in the love and support she provided. Her passing leaves a void that her family cannot fill, and they will never forget the love she brought to all their lives.
448580-1
Sarasota Players brings Kander and Ebb’s sexy, portentous musical to a
IF YOU GO
‘CABARET’ When: July 31Aug. 10
Where: the Sarasota Players, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail
Tickets: $35; students $15; VIP tables for two $150. Info: Visit ThePlayers.org.
MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Like several other arts groups in town, the Sarasota Players is a mom-and-pop shop. With husband and wife Brian Finnerty and Amanda Heisey Finnerty steering the creative ship, the community theater is skewing younger and edgier these days. Last summer, it leaned into sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll with Green Day’s “American Idiot” musical.
This summer, Sarasota Players is producing “Cabaret,” set in a seedy Berlin nightclub as the Nazis solidify their iron grip on Weimar Germany. First staged on Broadway in 1966, the Kander and Ebb musical gained broader audiences and Oscar gold with a 1972 film adaptation.
Directed by Bob Fosse with a screenplay by Jay Presson Allen, the film starred Joel Grey as the Emcee and Liza Minnelli as the sultry singer Sally Bowles. “Cabaret” has been revived several times on Broadway and the West End over the years, winning rave reviews and a Tony Award for Alan Cumming as the Emcee in 1998.
Even if you’ve never seen the musical or movie, you’ve heard the titular siren song:
“What good is sitting alone in your room?
“Come hear the music play.
“Life is a Cabaret, old chum, “Come to the Cabaret.”
Unfortunately, the cheerful ditty has led to some misconceptions about “Cabaret.” Amanda Finnerty, who stars as Sally in the Sarasota Players version, remembers the reaction of fellow theatergoers when she went to see Asolo Repertory Theatre’s production in 2022.
“I didn’t think it was going to be so dark,” Amanda recalls a woman saying to her date. Evidently, it was too
dark because the couple decided to leave at intermission, she says.
Brian Finnerty, who is directing Sarasota Players’ “Cabaret,” doesn’t want scare audiences away. In fact, they’re having fun with the staging, doing the show on a circular stage surrounded by tables that act as a VIP section of the Kit Kat Club, where “Cabaret” takes place. But with authoritarianism on the rise all over the world, the couple isn’t shying away from the underlying theme of the show, namely that good times and complacency can pave the way for autocracy.
Based on the previous collaborations of Amanda and Brian, that ominous warning will be leavened with plenty of sexy singing and dancing, even within the restrictions of the Sarasota Players’ temporary home in The Crossings at Siesta Key mall.
The Finnertys recently sat down to talk about their vision for “Cabaret” at the Sarasota Players’ costume shop on 10th Street. The conference table for the meeting sat on top of the round stage that had yet to be transported across town for “Cabaret.” It sat in the middle of a two-floor warehouse bursting with props and costumes from previous productions by the community theater, which kicks off its 96th season in September.
According to Brian Finnerty, the round stage was last used for the production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” during the community theater’s 90th season in 2019. Back then the troupe was known simply as “The Players” and its home was at 838 N. Tamiami Trail, a theater across from the Sarasota Municipal Auditorium that it sold.
In “Joseph,” the round stage rotated, Brian Finnerty says. However, this time, it will remain stationary
The Venice Theatre recently invited members of the public to sign a construction beam as it rebuilds following the destruction of its Jervey Theatre in 2022 by Hurricane Ian.
One of the largest community theaters in the country, Venice Theatre has raised $20 million toward its $25 million capital campaign from a variety of sources, including state and local grants and private philanthropy.
The public beam signing attracted about 100 families, elected officials, donors and industry vendors, including Sarasota’s Magnum Builders, which is handling construction on the Jervey Theatre.
“This moment transcends steel and concrete. It’s about the people who refused to let the arts vanish from their community,” said Kristofer Geddie, executive direc-
tor of Venice Theatre and president of the American Association of Community Theatre.
After the 432-seat mainstage Jervey Theatre was destroyed, the Venice Theatre moved quickly to transform its Raymond Center education facility into a theater that seats 130. It has also held performances in its 90-seat black-box Pinkerton Theatre.
The July 18 beam signing was designed to drum up support for the Venice Theatre’s Next Act summer fundraising campaign, in which donations will be matched, thanks to a $125,000 fund approved by the Venice City Council.
The goal is to make enough progress on rebuilding the Jervey Theatre, once the home of the Kentucky Military Institute, in time for the June 2026 AACT WorldFest, which is expected to attract 8,000 members from all over the U.S. for productions, parties and workshops.
and a ramp will allow the Kit Kat Club performers to strut their stuff.
To add to the nightclub ambience, there will be three VIP tables for two surrounding the stage. Those VIP seats, $150 each, include champagne and a charcuterie board from Pineapple Kitchen and chocolates.
The VIP seats sold out early. Brian expects those ticket holders to show up in attire appropriate to a Berlin nightclub in the 1930s. “If not, we’ll have costumes at the door that can help them dress the part,” he says. “We’ll have some fun little boas and such that they can throw on so they can be part of the story.”
Brian says those who have bought the VIP tickets have been told they will “get played with a lot” during the show, which runs from July 31 through Aug. 10.
DRESSED TO KILL
We’ll try to avoid spoilers, but one mannequin that greeted a visitor when she walked in the front door of the costume shop was dressed in a filmy black dress covered with satin glove-like hands. Yowza! That’s just one of many sexy outfits Sally Bowles wears in the show. “Each of the Kit Kat Club girls has six costume changes,” notes Amanda Finnerty.
About those costumes: They’re the handiwork of Jill Castle.
Performing come-hither songand-dance is not a great leap for Amanda, a member of Hard Heart Burlesque under the stage name Karma Kandlewick. She and Brian performed together in various productions for six years on area stages before Brian popped the question on stage after an August 2021 performance of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.”
In that Dingbat Theatre Project production, Brian directed, choreographed and designed the costumes, while Amanda played Yitzhak, a Jewish drag queen.
With the departure of Sarasota Players’ artistic director, Steven H. Butler in March 2024, the Finnertys, who married in 2024, have taken a greater role in the community theater’s creative direction under
CEO William Skaggs. Brian’s official title is production manager, and Amanda serves as marketing and PR director, but they wear a variety of hats on and off the stage.
The Finnertys said they were initially thinking of putting “Rock of Ages” into their summer slot, given the success of last year’s “American Idiot,” which attracted a young, enthusiastic audience. “With college kids home from school, we try to do something a little more risque, a little raunchier than usual in the summer,” Brian says.
Still, no one could accuse the Sarasota Players of not having fun and not appealing to young audiences during its regular season.
Among the productions in their 2024-25 lineup were “Seussical: The Musical,” “Little Women,” “Fun Home” and “Into the Woods.”
The Finnertys had some performers in mind for “Rock of Ages,” a jukebox musical of 1980s heavy metal anthems, but changed their minds at the last minute. “Things kept happening in the world, and we thought, ‘Let’s do ‘Cabaret,’” Brian says. “I think it’s probably the most important show we could do right now.”
In some of its productions, the Sarasota Players seats the audience on three sides of the stage, but “Cabaret” seemed a natural for a theater-in-the-round production, Brian says. The community theater is quite creative at using the shopping mall space that once housed a Banana
Republic store as it waits to move into its permanent home in Payne Park. Renovations on the cityowned Payne Park Auditorium are expected to be completed by fall 2026, in time for the Sarasota Players’ 97th season.
ALL THE WORLD’S A (ROUND) STAGE Theater in the round requires choreography and staging that keeps the show moving so performers never have their backs to part of the audience for long. Former dance kid Brian Finnerty is always ready to tackle choreography. “Of course, I’m biased, but I love Brian’s choreography,” says Amanda. “We don’t normally do things this dance-driven, and the Kit Kat Girls are killing it.”
Brian’s assisted in his “worldbuilding” for “Cabaret” by Technical Director Scott Schuster and Assistant Technical Director Logan Jenkins. Jason Ellis, the theater’s assistant director of operations, is ready for any challenge. He’s also multitalented, serving as the Emcee in “Cabaret.”
To add to the fun, “Cabaret” has not one, but two music directors. William P. Coleman, who recently appeared in “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill” at Stageworks in Tampa, will be on stage playing piano. Meanwhile, Heather Weiskerger, the in-house music director, will be handling music tracks that she recorded in advance.
No matter the Sarasota Players production, audience members must be prepared for characters entering and exiting from different corners of the room. But they’re given advance warning not to stick their feet out in the aisle, lest they trip a performer. This is community theater, folks!
Brian Finnerty uses the same qualifier in his spirited description of “Cabaret.”
“Yes, it’s community theater, but we have a really solid group,” he says. “They can sing, they can dance and they really care about the musical. It’s going to be a really great show.”
So what good is sitting alone in your room? Come hear the music play ...
THURSDAY
‘A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD’
7 p.m. at FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail $15-$19 Visit AsoloRep.org.
Asolo Repertory Theatre rolls out a fun, family-oriented production that’s priced right. Adapted from Arnold Lobel’s children’s stories, Robert and Willie Reale’s musical follows the friendship of Frog and Toad through the seasons. Runs through Aug. 3.
DON’T MISS SUMMER CIRCUS SPECTACULAR
Pack up the car with Grandpa and the kids and head for the Circus Arts Conservatory’s annual Summer Circus Spectacular at The Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theater, a jewelbox venue that elevates any show. This thrilling, 60-minute circus of fresh new acts is perfect for people of all ages with short attention spans. There’s room for walkers, strollers, wheelchairs, you name it — but please arrive early so ushers can store them. Make it a circus day by adding a ticket to The Ringling’s famed Circus Museum for just $5 on the day of the show. Runs through Aug. 9.
IF YOU GO When: 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Thursday, July 31 Where: The Ringling’s Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Road Tickets: $20 adult; $15 child Info: Visit CircusArts.org.
‘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 in this showcase of stories and songs featuring the months June, July, August and September. Whether she’s singing songs made famous by Janis Joplin or Randy Newman, she leaves the audience with something they never knew before. Runs through Sept. 14.
‘THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE’
7:30 p.m. at Venice Theatre’s Pinkerton Theatre, 140 W. Tampa Ave., Venice $37, $15 youth Visit VeniceTheatre.org.
Brad Wages directs the Venice Theatre’s production of the Tony Award-winning musical about six lovable kids in a bid to win a highly competitive spelling bee. Wages choreographs, while Michelle Kasanofsky is music director for the show, which is recommended for middle school students and older. Runs through Aug. 3.
‘DOROTHY’S DICTIONARY’
8 p.m. at FST’s Keating Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave. $42 and up Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
Alice M. Gatling stars as Dorothy, who introduces a troubled teen played by Ethan Jack Haberfield to the healing power of books.
Directed by Kate Alexander, the tale explores memory, identity and how relationships can transform our lives. Runs through Aug. 10.
FRIDAY
LOOMIS BROS. CIRCUS
7:30 p.m. at Robarts Arena, 3000 Ringling Blvd. $30 adult ticket also admits two children; each additional child $8 Visit LoomisCircus.com.
Ringmaster Justin Loomis presides over a thrilling three-ring circus
‘A TALE OF DUTY AND VALOR’ SaiNrityalaya School for Dance uses the Bharantanatyam dance form from Southern India to tell the tale of an exiled prince’s quest to rescue his wife from a demon monarch.
designed to bring back the glory days of the big top. Acts include “America’s Got Talent” competitors Chicago’s Official Flyerz Boys, Miss Natasha on trapeze, motorcycle daredevils, foot jugglers and animals of all kinds. Runs through Aug. 3.
SATURDAY
‘THE HIGH LIFE: CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY AND THE BIRDS’
10 a.m. at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 1534 Mound St. $28; $23 online Visit Selby.org.
This eye-catching exhibition features about 70 works of birds by more than 50 photographers from around the world. The works are displayed in the Museum of Botany & the Arts and outside in the gardens, where some of the birds look like they just flew in. Runs through Sept. 14.
MONDAY
RAUSCHENBERG: A CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
10 a.m. at The John and Mable Ringling Art Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Road Free with $25 admission; Mondays free Visit Ringling.org.
IF YOU GO
When: 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2
Where: Sarasota Opera, 61 N. Pineapple Ave.
Tickets: $20.60-$41.20
Info: Visit SarasotaOpera.org.
The Ringling joins museums around the world in honoring the centenary of maverick artist Robert Rauschenberg, who burst onto the art scene in the mid-20th century with collages he called “combines.” The exhibition includes works that The Ringling has in its collection, including pieces Rauschenberg created during his time on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Runs through Aug. 3.
TUESDAY
‘LILLIAN BLADES: THROUGH THE VEIL’
10 a.m. at the Sarasota Art Museum campus of Ringling College, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail Free for museum members; $20 Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org.
Award-winning artist Lillian Blades invites visitors to get lost in her first solo museum exhibition, at Sarasota Art Museum. Her installation of “veils” combine handcrafted and found objects to create a mesmerizing display. Blades attributes her use of dazzling color to her childhood in The Bahamas and her process of creating large-scale assemblages to her late mother, an accomplished seamstress. Runs through Oct. 26.
SCAN
Luke McMaster pays tribute to Lamont Dozier and other Motown songwriters in ‘How Sweet It Is.’
MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER
S+ ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
top (in the name of love) ... before you miss “How Sweet It Is,”
Florida Studio Theatre’s Summer Cabaret featuring the songs of Motown and others inspired by Berry Gordy’s iconic record company.
“How Sweet It Is” is the “love child” of Canadian singer/songwriter Luke McMaster, a Motown aficionado who’s made a documentary about Lamont Dozier, the middle member of the famed HollandDozier-Holland songwriting team.
It’s the home stretch of McMaster’s run at FST, where he’s accompanied by journeymen performers Louis Tucci and Miles Aubrey. A veteran of the Broadway show “Jersey Boys,” Aubrey takes “How Sweet It Is” away from the Motown songbook with a Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons favorite. (We’re not telling which one.)
It’s not the only time the show leaves Hitsville U.S.A. (the name of the Detroit studio where Motown songs were recorded). There’s a song or two by Felix Cavaliere of the Young Rascals, as well as a memorable ditty by McMaster called “Vodka Martini,” inspired by a golf lesson the songwriter received from Smokey Robinson in Palm Springs. (Yeah, Smokey’s in hot water right now with sexual battery allegations, but that’s the man, not his music.)
The libretto, or storytelling part, of “How Sweet It Is” is more than just a pastiche of anecdotes and video found on the internet about the history of Motown. McMaster’s got his own story to tell about how the music label changed his life.
IF YOU GO
‘HOW SWEET IT IS’
When: Through Aug. 3
Where: FST’s Goldstein Cabaret, 1239 N. Palm Ave.
Tickets: $18-$42
Info: Visit FloridaStudioTheatre. org.
Despite his fears of being an “imposter,” which he voiced both on stage and during an interview, McMaster’s got the street cred to be a practitioner of blue-eyed soul.
The musical second son in a family of hockey-playing brothers has spent time writing songs in LA, Las Vegas and Nashville. He also made a half-hour documentary about Dozier (watch it on YouTube) before the legendary Motown songwriter died in 2022 at the age of 81.
“Sometimes, I wonder what my life would have been like if I’d been born in another place and time,” McMaster muses, perhaps imagining himself topping the charts instead of entertaining cabaret audiences in Sarasota.
It’s already been proven that being white isn’t a barrier to covering Motown hits. The label’s songs have been interpreted by plenty of white singers, including The Beatles (“You Really Got a Hold on Me”), Linda Ronstadt (“The Tracks of My Tears”), Phil Collins (“You Can’t Hurry Love”) and James Taylor, who recorded the song that gave McMaster the title for his show.
Before he made his FST debut this summer, McMaster played with his band The Undercovers on Florida’s
East Coast. When he got a callback after “cold-calling” FST Associate Artist Catherine Randazzo, she put him together with FST veteran Aubrey, who recently wrapped the FST Winter Cabaret show “The Music of Laurel Canyon,” and Tucci, a seasoned New York City musician.
Randazzo, who oversees FST’s cabaret program, helped McMaster with his libretto. “I like to tell stories during my show, but Catherine helped me write a script that was precise right down to the minute and second,” McMaster says. “It was like having a tutor.”
Despite the fact that he’s working from a script, McMaster leaves room for spontaneity and interaction with the audience. During a recent matinee, he let an inquisitive audience member know that she can find “Vodka Martini” on Spotify and that he’ll earn “point zero, zero five cents” if she downloads the song.
Obviously, McMaster is driven by his love of Motown, not money. He says he first began writing songs as an adolescent, up in Brandon, Manitoba’s second largest city.
“There was a loose floorboard where I used to hide my notebooks,” he recalls. To practice his songs and
to mimic Smokey’s falsetto, he’d use a hairbrush as a microphone.
When he was growing up, never did McMaster imagine one day he’d hit the links with his idol. The Canadian accepted an out-of-the-blue invitation that came by telephone from Smokey to play golf, even though he doesn’t know how to play.
‘SHAKE IT LIKE A VODKA MARTINI’
When it became apparent to Smokey that McMaster needed some help with his swing, his advice was to “shake it like a vodka martini,” giving the novice duffer the inspiration for a song and a great anecdote for his cabaret show libretto.
One of the most moving parts of “How Sweet It Is” is when McMaster plays a clip from his “Icons of Soul” documentary about Dozier. McMaster got to collaborate on a song with Dozier, whose legacy has been overshadowed by the biggerthan-life Gordy, as well as Motown stars who both wrote and sang, such as Smokey. (Dozier was not a performer.) For the “Icons of Soul” documentary, McMaster and Dozier wrote “My Life is a Song,” which McMaster performs during his show. While McMaster’s co-stars prove
they are stars in their own right, one of the best parts of “How Sweet It Is” comes when Aubrey and Tucci leave the stage for a few minutes. During that time, McMaster puts down his guitar and sits down at the electronic keyboard, where he performs a medley of Motown hits at a slow tempo. Suddenly, the songs take on a new depth, bringing to the forefront the sorrow that has always been there but that you might have missed because you were tapping your foot or snapping your fingers to the infectious beat.
McMaster likes Sarasota so much that he’s decided to move here full time. He’s been house hunting in Lakewood Ranch and scouting venues for The Undercovers. He’s also working with Randazzo on a future cabaret show for FST. Mum’s the word on that one, McMaster says. Roger that. But if you want to see McMaster on stage before next winter, better a get move on. It turns out that rockabilly crooner Eddie Cochran got it wrong. There is a cure for the summertime blues; it’s called “How Sweet It Is.”
Siesta Key resident turns 100 as she carries on decades-long tradition.
As the sun set on July 28, Ozzie Exposito was standing outside with his family at Casa Blanca Vacation Rentals on Siesta Key, and they were waiting for a sound.
“She always times it perfectly,” Exposito said. “She never fails.”
The family was nonetheless surprised to learn it was also the 100th birthday of Irene Hryniewicki, who plays “Taps” each night on her balcony, from a handheld speaker.
It was a tradition that began with her husband, Rudolph (Buster) Heinle, who served in World War II. Since he died in 2018, Irene has carried on the ceremony every sunset.
The event continues to draw onlookers, as renters in the complex head outside, beachgoers look up toward the balcony, and hats come off in a gesture of respect.
For Hryniewicki, her 100th birthday was just like any day.
“I feel it,” she said of becoming a centenarian. “I feel OK.”
That day, as usual, she checked the time of the sunset on the news, which was 8:21 p.m.
“She knows exactly what it’s going to be in case it’s cloudy,” said her son Walter Jr. (Wally) Hryniewicki.
Hryniewicki lives relatively independently next door to her daughter, Judy Mattes, fetching a half a chocolate donut, and a half of a banana, for breakfast.
“I like chocolate. I always liked chocolate,” Irene said.
Irene is among those with longest ownership of property at Casa Blanca. She purchased the unit in 1968, with Mattes and Walter, after the complex was built in 1966.
The condo served as a rental home, then a winter home and finally a permanent home, and the family prepared much of the interior themselves, which included painting the walls.
“There’s nothing she can’t do: paint, sew, knit,” Mattes said of her mother, calling her a “hardworking woman” who has “nothing she hasn’t done.”
Born in 1925 in a log cabin in Thorp, Wisconsin, Hryniewicki was raised on a farm, leaving home at an early age to work as a nanny, and then in a department store.
She was the youngest child, with five older brothers, one of whom died in 1945 at the Battle of The Bulge in World War II.
When she married her first husband, Walter Hryniewicki, she helped on the family farm and in his appliance store, the places where Wally and Judy grew up.
Another job she held was making shells for the Vietnam War with National Presto Industries in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
“She hasn’t aged in years,” said Wally. “She looks the same, spry, always cheerful, happy.”
A TRADITION AT CASA BLANCA
After Walter died in 1999, Irene married Rudolph (Buster) Heinle, a good friend of the family who was also a widower, in 2003. Buster had served in the Marines
during World War II as a gunnery sergeant, and was involved in the Battle of Midway before he taught marksmanship to other personnel at Camp Pendleton in California.
The sunset tradition began around 2010.
“I don’t know, one day he just had one of those horns, a bugle, and he just went out there and started blowing bugle,” Irene said.
Eventually, Heinle was not able to play the song anymore due to dental work, so he bought a small device designed for insertion into a bugle, which plays a recording of “Taps.”
The couple, initially snowbirds, would play “Taps” in the north as well as on Siesta Key, but when Irene turned 90, they moved to Sarasota permanently, where she has lived since.
Irene says she hasn’t missed playing it “any time at all.” She’s conscious of the people waiting outside each evening.
“Little kids, they’re playing ball, and when I start playing ‘Taps,’ they quit and they stand like this,” she said, imitating a respectful pose. “Little kids.”
Currently, Irene is using what she says is her third speaker, which she obtained three or four years ago.
“It’s hard to get them though,” Irene said. “You’ve got to have a military person get them for you.”
The timing of the event is important to Irene, although she says she doesn’t always manage to execute it perfectly.
“(The sun) keeps going down, and then it gets halfway, or not even halfway, then I play ‘Taps,’ and then it goes down,” she said. “I don’t always get it (perfect) though.”
If the sun is setting into clouds, she’ll play “Taps” to the clouds, while if the sun is obscured entirely, she will play at sunset.
The appreciation doesn’t end with people turning out for the event, the family says.
Former renters will send cards addressed to “Bugle Lady.”
Sometimes, flowers, fruit or other gifts will be found at the door. Sometimes there will be a note, and sometimes not, but they always know it’s an appreciation for “Taps.”
Outside of the ceremony, Irene enjoys keeping up with her friends,
“(The sun) keeps going down, and then it gets halfway, or not even halfway, then I play ‘Taps,’ and then it goes down. I don’t always get it (perfect) though.”
Irene Hryniewicki
often by phone.
Some of the people she speaks with constantly are a nun she met during the ceremony, and an owner of the complex, while she noted she had just received a call from a friend of Buster in Germany.
Multiple times a week, she also works out with Judy’s husband, Aaron Mattes, who owns a local therapy clinic.
“I sure hope somebody takes over after I’m gone,” Irene said. “It is nice, it’s beautiful for the people, and everything else.”
The tradition holds a special meaning for Irene’s greatgranddaughter Paige Kressin, 17, who is involved in JROTC at Manatee High School, and has hopes of joining the military.
“I’d say that the fact she’s doing this at 100 years old says a lot about her, and she does it in memory of her husband, who was a previous service member in the Marines, so, a lot of respect for that,” said Kressin.
“It’s Grandma’s kind of purpose, her purpose every night,” said Kressin’s mother, Leah Hryniewicki, who is Wally’s daughter. “She watches the sun and makes sure that it’s just perfect, and goes over to Aunt Judy’s to catch the sun so the trees aren’t in the way and stuff. And she’ll never miss a time because she knows people are out here waiting for her.”
David Fogler, known locally as “Flip Flop Dave,” discovered Jimmy Buffett’s music years ago in college, and today, Buffett’s music is featured frequently in his repertoire as a performer.
He says his love for the musician isn’t just about his biggest hits, but other more obscure songs like “The Captain and The Kid,” which Buffett wrote about his grandfather.
“I learned a lot about life from him,” he said. “His song that he wrote about me is ‘Growing Older but Not Up,’ and that’s the way I try to live my life.”
On July 26, Fogler’s musical selection consisted entirely of songs sung by Buffett as he performed at Christmas and the Caribbean, held at The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime.
Celebrating Christmas in July, as well as a time halfway to the birthday of the late musician, which is Christmas Day, the event featured discounts on items at The Bazaar, along with Surfer Santa making the rounds, played by Scooter Maloney, for a fee he plans to donate to Boys & Girls Clubs.
Other attendees had a chance to join in the fun of not growing up, like Don Hanzlik, who says he’s been a Parrothead “for 127 years,” and said he was having fun that day.
“That’s what it’s about,” he said.
Experience The Sarasota Ballet difference.
Legal Aid of Manasota aims to equip the community at hurricane expo in Newtown.
IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER
As Emergency Operations Manager E.J. Landrith addressed attendees at the 2025 Hurricane Expo, he raised the topic of a positive mental space.
“We know that people who are in a better mental space are better survivors in all kinds of situations,” he said.
Attendees of the 2025 Hurricane Expo, hosted at Newtown Estates Community Center by Legal Aid of Manasota on July 26, left with not just information, however, but often with tangible items to support their safety and positivity.
Some guests earned raffle prizes, including lanterns and backpacks, while many accepted giveaways like small flashlights. Attendees had the chance to gain knowledge of the services in the area from vendors like Habitat for Humanity and Florida Power & Light.
Legal Aid of Manasota, a nonprofit, provides free civil legal aid to vulnerable residents, and the event had the stated goal of helping the community be prepared as hurricane season intensifies.
Linda Harradine, executive director of the organization, said while there were many events in South County, an area highly affected by the storms, the organization wanted to bring one to the Newtown area to help prevent people from having to travel farther.
“This is just an area that was hit so hard with all of the past hurricanes, especially last year, and we wanted to make sure that this was in the community,” she said.
Tesha Hill, a Newtown resident, said its focus on preparedness filled an important need.
“A lot of people, when the storms come, they’re not ready, and they don’t have the things that they need,
Visit: LegalAidOfManasota.org
because when they get ready to go to the store, all the flashlights are going to be gone, the batteries (are) going to be gone, and look, they have flashlights here,” she said.
After finding out about the event, she had the chance to bring along fellow resident Becky Shelley.
“The last storm, how it was, everybody should have come here, and I think it was very helpful for the community,” Shelley said. “We actually needed this for the community, and they should do more stuff like this, so we can be more prepared.”
Harradine noted a wide variety of ways that people could be more prepared by attending the event.
“We’re here on a prevention side, making sure people have a clear title of their home so they can access FEMA benefits, to make sure people have their legal checklist, that they have what they need, their documents, and again, they know who to call if after the storm, there’s mold growing in their house and the landlord won’t take care of it. We want to make sure that they know, proactively, that there’s resources available.”
Ian Swaby
Robbin Haynes and Tara Maffei of Family Promise of SarasotaManatee
Emily Letarte’s love of manufacturing began with building a doghouse at her grandfather’s house for her dog Lilly.
The 11-year-old says she chose manufacturing as an elective for middle school next year, and she is now in her second year of summer camp at Nailed It DIY Studio’s Sarasota location, at Palmer Crossing Shopping Center.
“We really wanted to do more of it because we really liked it, so I came to this for my birthday party and saw how good it was, and then I started doing camps here,” she said.
Studio co-founder Michelle Kenner said it’s important to offer wood shop skills to kids, for many woodworking programs have been cut from school budgets.
“It’s really important to put these tools in these kids’ hands. Once you realize you can build something small, it’s limitless,” she said. “You can build anything.”
The studio, which helps people handbuild wood decor and other items, is for all ages. Letarte said in the future, she wants to use woodworking skills to help build homes for stray animals and to help people find homes.
— IAN SWABY
Distinctive Lakewood Ranch Lifestyle
At Waterside, choose from a range of award-winning homes – from lock-and-leave living to neighborhoods with their own resort-style amenity centers. Each neighborhood is connected to Waterside Place, Sarasota’s only lakeside town center packed with shopping, dining, and yearround events and entertainment.
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
Michelle Witzer, of Sarasota, sold two properties at 1910 Datura St. to James and Sally Owen, of Sarasota, for $3.8 million. The first property was built in 2013 and has three bedrooms, three-and-two-half baths, a pool and 5,234 square feet of living area. The second property was built in 2013 and has one bedroom, one bath and 426 square feet of living area.
THE RESIDENCES
Paul and Amanda Yoder sold their Unit 1802 condominium at 1111 Ritz Carlton Drive to Louis Valente, trustee, of Sarasota, for $3.7 million. Built in 2001, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 4,971 square feet of living area. It sold for $2.88 million in 2021.
LANDINGS
Robert Joseph Gruesser and Merle
Beth Gruesser sold their home at 1780 Pine Harrier Circle to Laura Savary Rees, of Sarasota, for $1,695,000. Built in 1980, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,946 square feet of living area. It sold for $700,000 in 2018.
PHILLIPPI GARDENS
John and Christine Long, of Sarasota, sold their home at 5563 America Drive to Anthony Hikes and Cara Swetsky, of Sarasota, for $1.18 million. Built in 1971, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,191 square feet of living area. It sold for $633,000 in 2019.
MARK SARASOTA
Michael and Robin Fisher, of Sarasota, sold their Unit 716 condominium at 111 S. Pineapple Ave. to George and Miriam Dudenhefer, of Inlet Beach, for $1.12 million. Built in 2019, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,585 square feet of living area. It sold for $771,000 in 2019.
Donald and Elizabeth Snively, of Alpharetta, Georgia, sold their Unit 605 condominium at 111 S. Pineapple Ave. to Mark and Tracy Arsenault, of Belmont, Massachusetts, for $1,117,500. Built in 2019, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,500 square feet of living area. It sold for $690,600 in 2019.
SOUTH HIGHLAND
Angela and George Gentsaryuk, of Kent, Washington, sold their home at 1807 Robinhood St. to Attila David Hegger and Eleanor Gililova, of Brooklyn, New York, for $910,000. Built in 2020, it has four bedrooms, three-and-two-half baths, a pool and 2,521 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,055,000 in 2022.
RIVO AT RINGLING
Judith Waxberg, of Sarasota, sold her Unit 1009 condominium at 1771 Ringling Blvd. to Luis Chu, of Sarasota, for $700,000. Built in 2006, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,442 square feet of living area. It sold for $550,000 in 2006.
SOUTH GATE
Marian Sabety and Thomas Knight, of Stuart, sold their home at 2410 Tanglewood Drive to Benuel and Lydianne Stoltzfus, of Gap, Pennsylvania, for $700,000. Built in 1959, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,105 square feet of living area. It sold for $356,300 in 2019.
Paul and Martha Hafner, of Sarasota, sold their home at 2516 Goldenrod St. to Nicole Deliso, of Sarasota, for $650,000. Built in 1958, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,662 square feet of living area. It sold for $277,500 in 2017.
SIESTA KEY
SARASOTA BY THE SEA
Sunshine Homes of Sarasota LLC sold the home at 6630 Midnight Pass Road to Mark Holt, of Mount Juliet, Tennessee, for $1.2 million. Built in 1955, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 1,790 square feet of living area. It sold for $550,000 in 2013.
SIESTA KEY
Deborah Shaw and James Colton Shaw, of Greenfield, New Hampshire, sold their home at 3737 Bayou Louise Lane to Michael Foran, of Sarasota, for $1 million. Built in 1997, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,960 square feet of living area.
SARASOTA BEACH
Lilian Moore, of Sarasota, sold her home at 5522 Calle Del Verano to 5522 Calle Del Verano LLC for $800,000. Built in 1956, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,358 square feet of living area. It sold for $166,500 in 1999.
OCEAN BEACH
Lance and Nichol Fountaine, of Sarasota, sold two properties at 4510 Banan Place to Gyorgy Papp, of Sarasota, for $650,000. The first property was built in 1962 and has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,290 square feet of living area. The second property was built in
2000 and has one bedroom, one bath and 304 square feet of living area. They sold for $825,000 in 2020.
MIDNIGHT COVE II
Timothy Taylor sold his Unit 311 condominium at 1700 Cove II Place to Ricky Lynn Drury and Jennifer Gormley Drury, of Winchester, Kentucky, for $535,000. Built in 1979, it has two bedrooms, one-and-a-half baths and 860 square feet of living area. It sold for $525,000 in 2005.
See more transactions at YourObserver.com.
SIESTA KEY:
$1,259,000
Whispering Sands
Nancy Knott and Harley Broe, of Seattle, sold the Unit 406 condominium at 20 Whispering Sands Drive to John Joseph Errico and Shirley Ann Errico, of Pawcatuck, Connecticut, for $1,259,000. Built in 1973, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,282 square feet. It sold for $1,335,000 in 2022.
PALMER RANCH:
$1.71 MILLION
Prestancia
David and Lorinda Bossman, trustees, of Sarasota, sold the home at 4224 Boca Pointe Drive to Peter and Cheryl Merolo, of Sarasota, for $1.71 million. Built in 1992, it has four bedrooms, threeand-a-half baths, a pool and 4,550 square feet. It sold for $985,000 in 2017.
NOKOMIS: $920,000
Mission Valley Estates
Susannah Genossar, of Dyke, Virginia, sold her home at 950 Trotter St. to Afshin Karjoo and Michele Gero, of Venice, for $920,000. Built in 1999, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,773 square feet of living area. It sold for $575,000 in 2018.
p.m.
SATURDAY, AUG. 2
BOOTCAMP
8-8:45 a.m. at Sarasota Garden Club, 1130 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. This 45-minute workout uses bodyweight exercises and intervals to build muscle strength, reduce body fat, increase cardiovascular fitness and maximize calorie burn. Modifications make this workout suited to those of all fitness levels and with physical limitations. Instructor Michelle Cook is a certified personal trainer, health coach, nutrition expert and Reiki II practitioner. Bring your own mat or towel and water bottle. Visit TheBaySarasota. org.
BACK TO SCHOOL:
FUEL THE FUTURE
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Florida Blue Center, 285 N. Cattlemen Road. Free. Become prepared for school in this family-friendly event offering free school supply giveaways, activities for kids and resources for students, as well as information on Florida Blue member benefits. Visit EventBrite.com.
SUNDAY, AUG. 3
BRUNCH AT THE BAY FEATURING
LIVE MUSIC BY TROY CUSSON
8 a.m. to 2 p.m. 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free to attend. Enjoy brunch items at The Nest Café including waffles, eggs, sandwiches, muffins, Bloody Marys and mimosas, while listening to Troy Cusson as he plays an acoustic selection of Americana, folk, and rock. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 6
BEESWAX CANDLE MAKING
BEST BET SATURDAY, AUG. 2
BUBBLES UNDER THE BANYANS — FEATURING SPHERES BUBBLE SHOW WITH BLAISE RYNDES
10 a.m. to noon at Downtown Sarasota Campus, 1534 Mound St. Free with admission. Members free; member guests $12; adults $28; ages 5-7; ages 4 and younger admitted free. Bubble artist Blaise Ryndes offers an immersive bubble show at Selby Gardens. In the past, Ryndes has performed for Disney, The Boston Children’s Museum, The Florida Aquarium and Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, as well as on Season 13 of America’s Got Talent.
THURSDAY, AUG. 7
SISTER CITIES ASSOCIATION OF SARASOTA LECTURE SERIES
5-6 p.m. at Selby Library, 1331 First St. Free. This series includes lectures about towns around the world that celebrate sisterhood with Sarasota. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket. com.
MOMENTS OF TRUTH: COMMUNITY CONVERSATION
6-7:30 p.m. at Chao Lecture Hall, John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Road. Free. Join AI leaders and journalists for a community conversation about how we can ensure trustworthy images are still produced in the age of AI-generated imagery. Hosted by Poynter Institute for Media Studies, the event features Alex Mahadevan, director of MediaWise; Rick Dakan, professor of creative writing and chair of the AI Task Force at Ringling College of Art and Design; and Andrea Melendez, a staff photojournalist and multimedia specialist at WGCU Public Media. The event will be moderated by Anand Pallegar, founder of At-Large. It ties in with the “Moments of Truth: An Exploration of Journalism’s Past, Present and Future” exhibition at the museum from Aug. 4-11. Visit Ringling.org.
2:30-3:30 p.m. at Fruitville Library, 100 Apex Road. Free. Create your own beeswax candles, an alternative to traditional candles that is natural, creates less soot emissions, does not require bleaching and is hypo-allergenic. Visit SCGovLibrary. LibraryMarket.com.
Memories bloom at the You Are Not Alone center Sarasota while honoring the beloved memory of friend and family member Janice Marie Chestnut.
On July 26, the National Alliance on Mental Illness and YANA center held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Janice Marie Chestnut Memorial Garden. The garden is a gift from the center from the Chestnut family as a thank you for all the mental health support Janice Marie Chestnut received.
“The fact that the family felt like she received so much when she attended here and they can honor her with a little zen garden in our backyard is really neat. (It) can continue her legacy and be a good reminder to folks,” said NAMI CEO Colleen Thayer.
The garden took about a year to plan and build and has inspired Chestnut’s son, James C. Jacobs, to launch a foundation in her name.
Jacobs said it’s his desire to break the stigma of mental health, provide care and education for the public.
The YANA Sarasota center is located at 240B S. Tuttle Ave. in Sarasota.
— CARLIN GILLEN
“It was painful, but it was a moment of growth for the team, for us to realize we could all do it if we really wanted to.”
The San Francisco Giants released former Sarasota High baseball player Vaun Brown on July 14. Brown was the organization’s No. 5 overall prospect in 2023 following a 2022 season in which he hit .346 with 23 home runs and 44 stolen bases. However, he hit .248 with no home runs and 14 stolen bases through 38 games this year.
... Two of the top high school football players in Sarasota switched teams this past week.
Jamaun Thompson, a senior edge rusher, transferred from Riverview to Booker and Da’Ron Parks, an offensive lineman who committed to Florida State on July 26, transferred from Cardinal Mooney to Nitro High School in West Virginia.
... The Sarasota Sharks swim team had several first-place finishes at the USA Swimming Futures Championship in Ocala from July 23-26. Liam Custer and David Melnychuk led the boys team. Custer took first in the 800-yard freestyle (8:11.27) and the 200-yard fly (2:04.87) and Melnychuk won the 100-yard backstroke (0:56.00). Sydney Hardy led the girls team. Hardy won the 800-yard freestyle (8:46.03), the 400-yard individual medley (4:47.86), the 800-yard freestyle relay (2:03.61) and the 400-yard medley relay (1:03.83). Madyson Hartway, Clare Custer Grace Alegi Jessica Robie Taylor Schwenk Angelina Lista and Natalina Lesniewski also won events.
... Former Cardinal Mooney student and current University of Florida swimmer Michaela Mattes competed in the FISU World University Games in Berlin, Germany, which took place from July 17-23. Mattes finished third in the 400-meter freestyle (4:09.88).
Lucas Trim of Sarasota won the championship flight of the Southwest Amateur Series, a Florida State Golf Association event, at Spring Run Golf Club in Naples with an even-par 7669 in the two-day event from July 26-27.
Sarasota gymnasts add circus flair to win gold medals.
VINNIE PORTELL STAFF WRITER
Erik Deubler remembers shaking to the point of tears when he first tried gymnastics at 9 years old in Frisco, Texas.
Now, Deubler expects only gold medals.
Deubler and his acrobatics partner, Arina Kosakovskyy, won four gold medals in the Elite Junior 12-18 Mixed Pair division at the USA Gymnastics National Championships in Rhode Island from June 16-21.
The two compete out of Circus Arts Conservatory rather than a gymnastics-only studio.
“I cried every day,” Deubler said of his first experiences in gymnastics.
“I was weak.”
Deubler, 16, has since devoted himself. He practices three hours a day and hits the gym afterward to maintain his strength.
Nowadays, strength isn’t a concern, especially when he has to lift his 10-year-old partner Kosakovskyy, who is 4-foot-5 and weighs 66 pounds.
The size difference between the pair (Deubler is 5-foot-8, 155 pounds) gave them a point deduction at the national championships. In gymnastics, there is slightly less than 12-inch allowance between partners. The difference between the two is just over 12 inches.
But the pair still won gold in Balance Routine, Dynamic Routine, Combined and All-Around.
The path from miserable practices to a gold-medal expectation took time for Deubler.
“My mom didn’t want me to stay home,” Deubler said of how he first got into gymnastics. “A lot of people think it’s not a sport, so they decide not to do it, but they say that because it’s difficult. I think it’s one of the hardest sports out there. It’s gymnastics, acrobatics, dancing, lifting people and catching them. How do you do that? It takes practice.”
After starting out at WOGA Gymnastics in Frisco, Texas — the home of Olympic champions Carly Patterson, Nastia Liukin and Madison Kocian — Deubler relocated to Florida in 2023 when his older brother, Alex Deubler, moved to the area to attend EVO Gymnastics in Sarasota. Deubler, who was partnered with
Arina’s older sister, Milena, persuaded the Kosakovskyy family to relocate, too.
“We didn’t want to lose this wonderful gymnast, and my partner was his partner,” said coach Slava Kosakovskyy, who represented Ukraine in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships and won a world championship in 1993. “So we left Texas and came here. He is committed 100% every day in practice. For me as a coach, that is very important. Even if you’re not talented enough, it doesn’t matter. We can work with a good athlete.”
Having a passion for gymnastics was more natural for Arina, who started tagging along to her older sister’s gymnastics classes at 2 years old.
Almost immediately, her father saw she was “naturally talented and strong,” and she has been competing in events since she was 4 years old.
In Sarasota, Deubler and the Kosakovskyys joined Circus Arts Conservatory after Kosakovskyy pitched the idea of the circus adding gymnastics.
“Gymnastics and acrobatics are a foundation of the circus arts, so it’s always been part of the school model,” CEO and president of CAC Jennifer Mitchell said. “Two years ago, Slava approached us and spoke to us about joining the program as a coach and bringing a professional and elevated and structured gymnastics and acrobatics program.”
Performing in circus acts wasn’t an easy transition for two gymnasts who were used to strict rules, pressure and intense competition.
Incorporating dancing into their routines under choreography coach Yuliya Suvalava was the most challenging aspect for Deubler.
“At the beginning, it was horrible,” he said. “I couldn’t move anything.”
Now adjusted to performing in circus acts, Deubler and Kosakovskyy said the circus side of gymnastics has sharpened their mental edge.
Deubler said he was stressed out at competitions, but isn’t nervous about circus arts, which has allowed him to channel more energy and confidence rather than focusing on his nerves.
As of now, Deubler and Kosakovskyy are the only gymnasticsfocused athletes at CAC, but Mitchell said the duo’s success will hopefully inspire other circus students.
“It gives students the opportunity
to see, ‘Oh, wow there’s a different path,’” Mitchell said. “Maybe I’m not meant to be always in a show. Maybe I do want to compete or maybe I want to go onto the national circuit and see what else is out there.”
Next for Deubler and Kosakovskyy is training for the 2026 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, which will take place from Oct. 17-25 in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
But even if there are no more gold medals to be won for the pair, the daily process of refining their skill to compete on a national and world stage has given them more than a medal or trophy can represent.
“We are trying out new skills and new interesting routines,” Suvalava said. “Even at nationals, we went there to show what we have and have fun. When you compete, you don’t focus on enjoying the process. Even now, when people ask, ‘OK, what will be next after nationals and worlds?’ It doesn’t matter. The process matters. What you have here and now is the most important thing in life.”
Anyone who wants to try gymnas tics or the circus arts can con tact the Circus Arts Conservatory at CircusArts. org or at 941-355-9335.
“Gymnastics and acrobatics are a foundation of the circus arts, so it’s always been part of the school model.”
Sarasota is rich with talented football players this fall, and many of them are seniors, which means fans are running out of time to watch them on the field.
The list is so deep it was a challenge to include everyone. Several talented players had to be left off, which speaks to the quality of football this area should produce this fall.
These are the top 12 players to watch this fall:
CHAUNCEY KENNON, BOOKER SENIOR (CB/WR)
Box score watchers might not realize how talented Kennon is unless they’ve seen him play. He finished last season with mostly modest numbers — 33 tackles (one for a loss of yards) with one interception, one forced fumble and 16 pass breakups. What those stats don’t tell you is how fast and fluid Kennon plays with his 6-foot-3, 178-pound frame. Earlier this month, he committed to play at Florida State and ranks as the No. 2 cornerback in the nation per 247 Sports. His stats on offense are more revealing of his potential. He had just 10 receptions but turned them into 317 yards and six touchdowns.
ELIJAH GOLDEN, CARDINAL MOONEY SENIOR (DL)
Standing at 6-foot-4, 275 pounds, Golden will be an intimidating presence for opposing ball carriers this season.
He finished with 61 tackles (29 for a loss of yards), 10 sacks, eight quarterback hurries, and a pass breakup this past season. College recruiters have taken notice. Golden has received 41 scholarship offers and ranks as a four-star prospect by 247 Sports — the No. 112 recruit in the nation and No. 13 recruit in Florida. He is scheduled to announce his commitment on Aug. 9.
CONNAIL JACKSON, CARDINAL MOONEY JUNIOR (RB)
Jackson put up numbers in 2024 that no one in the area could come close to matching. Despite being just a sophomore last year, the 5-foot-8, 165-pound running back rushed for 1,604 yards (9.5 yards per rush) and 28 touchdowns along with four receptions for 64 yards and another score.
He currently has seven Division I offers, including Auburn, Louisville, N.C. State and Pitt.
KARAIJUS HAYES, BOOKER SENIOR (SS)
The signal caller of the Tornadoes defense, Hayes led the team with 124 tackles (20 for a loss of yards) with a sack, an interception, four pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Hayes is a leader with his intelligence. He carries a 4.3 GPA and is committed to play for Vanderbilt. He chose the Commodores over 25 other scholarship offers.
TYREN WORTHAM, BOOKER SENIOR (WR)
Wortham had a late start to his breakout as a high school player. He played for a struggling Southeast team as a freshman and suffered a hairline fracture to his collarbone five games into his sophomore season.
Last year made those two frustrating years worth the effort.
Wortham led one of the top wide receiver groups in the state last year with 67 receptions for 1,360 yards and 17 touchdowns last fall.
He chose to commit to Michigan State in June over 33 other scholarship offers.
LARON DUES, CARDINAL MOONEY SENIOR (S)
Dues had 81 tackles (seven for a loss of yards), a team-leading four interceptions, 25 pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
His return is essential to a team that lost Chris McCorkle and Colton Davis — two top defensive backs — to graduation.
Dues, a 5-foot-10, 175-pound safety, committed to Indiana in June over 23 other scholarship offers.
KEVONTAY HUGAN, BOOKER SENIOR (DL)
Hugan, a 6-foot-3, 245-pound defensive lineman, finished with 114 tackles, a team-leading 36 tackles for a loss, a team-leading 18 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
He committed to Indiana in June over 27 other collegiate football programs.
KYMISTRII YOUNG,
CARDINAL MOONEY SENIOR (WR) Young’s was a consistent threat on a team that ran the ball more than 70% of the time.
The 6-foot-3, 185-pound wideout led the Cougars in every receiving stat last season with 25 receptions for 626 yards and 10 touchdowns.
He committed to Purdue in June over offers from 23 other Division I programs.
JAMAUN THOMPSON, BOOKER SENIOR (DE)
Thompson was set to be one of Riverview’s top returning defensive players until he transferred to Booker this month.
Now, one of the area’s top defensive linemen will help fortify a Tornadoes defense. Last year, Thompson made 31 tackles (five for a loss of yards) with two sacks. He has offers from five Division I football programs.
DYLAN WESTER, BOOKER SENIOR (WR/CB)
As a receiver, Wester hauled in 37 receptions for 675 yards and six touchdowns. As a cornerback,
he made 22 tackles (two for a loss of yards), 10 pass breakups and a forced fumble.
The 5-foot-10, 174-pound athlete committed to play for Pitt in March over scholarship offers from 12 other colleges.
GRAYSON MARTIN, RIVERVIEW SENIOR (C)
Martin has started since his sophomore season and will lead an experienced offensive line at Riverview.
Now one of the strongest and most experienced Rams players, Martin has bulked up into a 6-foot-3, 320-pound center with a 375-pound bench press. He received his first collegiate scholarship offer from Webber International University this month.
HUDSON WEST, SARASOTA SOPHOMORE (QB) West became a starting quarterback
as a freshman this past season. Despite leading the Sailors to a 3-7 season, West received scholarship offers from Cincinnati, Kentucky, Virginia Tech and UNC this summer.
Chip Bennett, a trainer and recruiting coordinator for The Stable, a quarterback training organization in Tampa, posted on X “We’ve been blessed with a lot of really good (quarterbacks). When it’s all said and done, Hudson West will be among our best.”
Vinnie Portell is the sports reporter for the Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer. Contact him at VPortell@ YourObserver.com.
The Riverview Rams finished with a 4-6 record last fall, lost some productive playmakers and changed head coaches — from Josh Smithers to Mark Cristiani — but experienced returners, such as starting center Grayson Martin make Riverview a better team.
Martin has started since his sophomore season and has since become a force on the offensive line at 6-foot-3, 320 pounds.
What has been the most memorable moment of this offseason? It would definitely be walking with (45-pound) plates around the campus and then having to run 110 (yards) on the pavement. It was painful, but it was a moment of growth, for us to realize we could all do it if we really wanted to.
What is your all-time favorite football memory?
My favorite football memory would be starting my sophomore year and being able to start on the varsity team and compete against a bunch of seniors across from me. I hadn’t had a lot of experience, and it was awesome to be on the varsity roster and play in big games.
What makes you confident in your team going into this season?
Coach Cristiani. He’s prepared us so much up until this moment. We’ve had the hardest offseason I can remember. He’s the most disciplined and encouraging coach I know. He’s going to lead us to a great year.
What has gone right for you personally in your development as a player?
My strength and cardio. I was injured in my junior offseason, so being able to have a full offseason my strength and develop my strength and push my endurance is going to lead up to a great senior year.
What has been the most humbling moment in football for you?
Every year playing the team down south (Venice) and never being
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.
able
meal at her house is always great.
What is your favorite TV show or movie? I like “Grown Ups.” I like comedy movies. I don’t really like horror movies.
What is your go-to warm-up song? I like listening to Whiskey Myers. I like country music, and they’re a great band to listen to.
If you’re not playing football, what are you doing?
Fishing, hanging out with friends and spending time with my family.
What does your ideal weekend look like?
Saturday, play a round of golf or go fishing with some friends. Sunday, do chores around the house and spend time with my family at my grandma’s.
Finish this sentence. Grayson Martin is ...
UNGEP
“ZNKY MI N HMIYNIY. MK MI DYNB’I JYIIYWUYB NWH MK JNLYI FI HX KYBBMSCY KZMWUI MW N IZNHXP XD XFB SYKKYB
Focused Technology, LLC in Sarasota, Fl. Work under the superv. of Manager. Review customer order payments & reporting issues to sales; assisting with accounts payable, vendor invoice processing, cost analysis, & budget preparation; analyze budget trends & performing cost-bene t studies, among other duties, Req: Bachelor's degree in Industrial Eng., Finance, Accounting, or its foreign degree equiv. Mail resumes to 1850 Porter Lake Dr., # 102, Sarasota, FL 34240.
MAINTENANCE/GROUNDS
TECHNICIAN
Oversee upkeep of grounds and facilities. General maintenance and repair of buildings and grounds. Repair and treat structures such as oors, showers, sinks, walls, roofs, carpets, etc. Perform minor troubleshooting, repairs and adjustments on doors, cabinets, closets, etc.
Full time position, great bene tsincluding paid medical, dental and vision, and a generous paid time off schedule. https://www.oda.edu/about/career-center
