Siesta Key Observer 12.23.21

SIESTA KEY

May the 25th be with you.

Observer

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FREE • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

VOLUME 52, NO. 24

Siesta decision day: Jan. 4 Local legislators prepare for up-or-down vote to bring incorporation proposal to Tallahassee. SEE PAGE 3A

YOUR TOWN

Courtesy photo

Key to the city for fighter A different sort of figure graced the Sarasota area last weekend for a special celebration.

Royce Gracie, a renowned fighter who is in the UFC Hall of Fame, visited Dec. 10 for two special announcements.

First, Mayor Erik Arroyo presented Gracie with a key to the city. He then announced Dec. 12 to be Royce Gracie Day in the city of Sarasota.

Gracie, who was born in Brazil and introduced to jiujitsu early through his father, Grand Master Helio Gracie, has had a long career with UFC and now teaches his style to students across the globe.

Dec. 12 also happens to be Gracie’s birthday.

The greatest gifts of all The best Christmas gifts don’t fit under the tree or get stuffed into a stocking.

SEE PAGE 6A

Courtesy photo

Clara Reynardus de Villanueva credits her husband, Roberto, and dogs, Bonham and Bowie, with helping her through a difficult time.

Eric Garwood

No bones about it

Sitting quietly in the corner of an Intercoastal Medical office in Hyde Park is a guy who’s seen better days but still manages to deliver a sound message this holiday season.

Complete with a Santa hat, a mask, a festive set of glasses and a T-shirt featuring a masked Jolly Old Elf wishing everyone would “Spread Joy, Not Germs,” the character drew a fair bit of attention during a recent lunch-hour rush.

“Bye, there, young fella,” one man said as he left the office.

Proposal makes a splash Mark Bergin

The splash pad is the centerpiece of a popular bayfront playground.

Aging bayfront recreation attraction will get an upgrade in 2022.

SEE PAGE 5A

A+E Flipping over circus show.

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W HAT ’S HAPPENING

SARASOTA OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

WEEK OF DEC. 23, 2021

School security force gets a new chief

“I’m with you, and I’m going to be a yes vote.”

Duane Oakes, a lieutenant in the Sarasota County Schools Police Department, will assume the role of police chief and executive director of safety and security in the new year, the school district announced last week.

Oakes will step into the role Jan. 11, 2022, following Tim Enos, who is retiring after the winter school break.

Enos had been a captain with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office and emergency operations bureau commander before coming to the school district’s police force in late 2018.

Oakes began with the school district police force as a sergeant when it was formed in April 2018 and rose to the rank of lieutenant in 2019.

Sen. Joe Gruters on supporting a local election enabling bill to allow Siesta Key residents to vote on incorporation. Read more on Page 3A

BY THE NUMBERS 5

Town employees proposed in the Siesta Key incorporation plan.

PAGE 3A

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Years since the city built one of Florida’s first splash pad play areas on the Bayfront.

Selby names new advancement officer

PAGE 5A

$25,000

Money raised by Casey Key volunteers to help deliver presents to families through the Salvation Army.

PAGE 1B

CALENDAR n Sarasota City Commission regular meeting — 9 a.m. Monday, Jan. 3, Commission Chambers, Sarasota City Hall, 1565 First St. n Sarasota County Commission regular meeting — 9 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 11, Commission Chambers, County Administration Building, 1660 Ringling Blvd. n Sarasota County School Board meeting — 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 18, Board Chambers, Landings Administration Building, 1960 Landings Blvd.

Eric Garwood

A remake of Ringling Boulevard from Lime Avenue to Pineapple Avenue is among the city’s top road priorities.

City plans to rank road ideas Jan. 3 A

t the first City Commission meeting of the new year, transportation planners will present the 2022 list of road and traffic project priorities for the regional Metropolitan Planning Organization.

On the agenda for Monday, Jan. 3, 2022, city leaders will discuss a ranking of projects seeking funding for further development and construction.

High on the list are bayfront roundabouts, in keeping with recent projects for similar inter-

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sections along Tamiami Trail at Fruitville Road, 10th Street and 17th Street.

Tops on the list of proposed priorities are roundabout projects at Main Street and Ringling Boulevard. Just below at No. 2 are roundabout projects at Myrtle Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Further along the list: n Replacement of Coon Key bridge just east of St. Armands Circle; n Phase two of a proposed

remake of Ringling Boulevard to better connect cyclist traffic from Lime Avenue to Pineapple Avenue. Phase one with restriping and plastic bollards is expected to coincide with Legacy Trail’s northernmost phase opening in downtown in March; n A multiuse trail on School Avenue between Webber Street and Datura Street; and n Raised crosswalks in St. Armands Circle.

The meeting is planned for 9 a.m. at City Hall, 1565 First St.

Marlo Turner will join the staff of Selby Gardens in January as vice president and chief advancement officer, the organization announced this week.

Turner was most recently vice president of development at Tidewell Foundation, a position she held since September 2020. She also worked as senior vice president of philanthropy at Community Foundation of Sarasota County for nearly five years.

The transformational master plan for Selby Gardens’ downtown-adjacent campus is underway.

The first of three phases in the Selby Gardens master plan will include a new four-story, 450-space parking garage; a welcome center; a plant research building; and an accessory restaurant.

Groundbreaking for that phase was held in June, “As Selby Gardens embarks on its exciting future, we are thrilled to welcome Marlo to this vital leadership role with our organization,” said Jennifer Rominiecki, the president and CEO of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, in a prepared statement.

“Her experience and knowledge of the community are invaluable.”

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

Photos by Eric Garwood

Above: Supporters of the incorporation plan were selling yard signs as a fundraiser.

Left: State Sen. Joe Gruters said he was a yes vote on the issue.

IN COMPARISON

Siesta Key incorporation planners say their proposed town would levy a property tax of 0.25 mills (25 cents for every $1,000 of taxable property value). Here’s what other millage rates look like in the area: Longboat Key: Property owners in the town pay 2.1144 mills, plus an additional millage rate (depending on location) for beach management.

Sarasota: Property owners in the city pay 3.137 mills.

School District: Property owners countywide pay 3.461 mills.

Sarasota County: Property owners countywide pay 3.3232 mills.

Up or down?

Siesta Key incorporation issue faces critical local delegation vote on Jan. 4.

ERIC GARWOOD MANAGING EDITOR

One thing is certain in the new year, as certain as can be expected in terms of government work.

Siesta Key residents who back a proposal to become an incorporated town will know by the end of the day Tuesday, Jan. 4 whether their push has a future.

At 5:30 p.m. in the Sarasota County Commission chambers of the County Administration building, the six members of the local legislative delegation — state house members and a senator who represent Sarasota and Manatee counties — are expected to vote up or down on the proposal. Five are Republicans, and one is a Democrat.

A local up vote, by simple majority, is a win for the Siesta Key effort but not a guaranteed campaign victory.

The proposal still requires committee and full-panel debate and votes in the state House of Representatives and Senate, where it could stall or be voted down at any stage.

If it gains the signature of Gov. Ron DeSantis, then residents of Siesta Key will vote in a referendum.

A down vote Jan. 4 or anywhere else along the line likely kills the proposal.

going to be a yes vote.”

Rep. Tommy Gregory conceded he had been a “hard no” and still had problems reconciling the notion of more government and additional taxes with supporters’ request for self-determination. “I have to be a realist when I tell you I don’t think it happens in Tallahassee,” he said. “It might. But I don’t think it will pass.”

Rep. Will Robinson, the delegation chair, said he had been hesitant to even schedule the delegation vote but did so because he expected to receive still-outstanding information about the proposal from the state.

He said he wanted to “respect the process” but wasn’t leaning one way or the other.

“If I vote for it, I want to be able

LOCAL DELEGATION MEETING The Sarasota-Manatee county legislative delegation is expected to vote on the Siesta Key incorporation proposal at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 4 in the County Commission chambers of the County Administration building, 1660 Ringling Blvd.

to tell the speaker or the chairman of the committee why I voted for it,” Robinson said.

Reps. James Buchanan and Michelle Rayner, a St. Petersburg Democrat, form the remainder of the delegation.

Gregory said he has run on a platform based on his belief of fiscal conservatism. “No new taxes, no tax increases and no growing government,” he said. “That’s what I believe. It’s taxes, and it’s growing government by default. Now, I know that’s not the intention. You’ve made your intentions that are pure very understandable and compelling.”

He said the proposal would be more palatable without a millage rate of any kind. “It would be a lot easier to get people who are against any new taxes to go for it,” Gregory said. “I don’t know if that’s a possible solution, but I will say your voices are heard.”

WHAT SUPPORTERS SAY

Proponents of Siesta Key incorporation have been working most of 2021 on building a case for breaking away from county rule, following the path laid out by state statute. Although incorporation isn’t a new idea — it’s been an issue since civic and business leader John Davidson broached it 30 years ago — it’s taken on new urgency of late following a series of decisions by county commissioners that didn’t sit well with Siesta Key residents.

Decisions that pave the way for at least two hotel projects were the latest, but approval of the mainland Siesta Promenade mixed-use development at Tamiami Trail and Stickney Point Road also drew criticism.

Lawsuits were filed in each of those approvals.

In September, Save Siesta Key delivered to state authorities the required feasibility study that included a provision for a $3.7 million budget from a municipal tax rate of 0.25 mills, which translates into less than $100 on property with a taxable value of $460,000. In a socalled government-lite approach, the town would furnish the basics of

WHAT THE DELEGATION SAYS

Rep. Fiona McFarland told a crowd of several hundred incorporation supporters at a town hall-style meeting this month on Siesta Key that she would sponsor an enabling House bill.

Sen. Joe Gruters told the same crowd that he was a yes, encouraging supporters to take a high road when urging his colleagues to support the proposal and avoid criticisms of the legislators.

“Take that energy, focus on the local delegation, and shower them with thanks and praise. And ask them, all of us, to move this forward, and hopefully we can help you guys out,” he said. “I’m with you, and I’m

State Rep. Tommy Gregory said the proposal faces a “steep climb” in Tallahassee.

governmental services, focusing on planning and land use, and retain the other county services that already exist. Five employees are planned, along with an elected commission.

Harry Anand, a member of the board of directors of Save Siesta Key, said his group’s feasibility study for incorporation was well received in Tallahassee and urged the delegation to take it at face value.

“There are no major red flags,” he said. “The feasibility study is solid.”

McFarland said she questioned the efficacy of a 0.25 mill tax rate to accomplish the goals of becoming a town capable of meeting supporters’ expectations but said that ultimately money might not be as big an issue with residents as it might be to others.

“I think what I heard tonight is for those of you in support of this, there might not be a price you would put on incorporation,” he said.

Anand has focused largely on the community’s desire to put the issue to a vote, as evidenced by the rally crowd’s chants to that effect. Sarasota County Commission votes not withstanding, Anand said the push for incorporation is more than just an emotional reaction to recent events and disputed the Republican legislators’ complaints about growing bureaucracy.

“This is not about big government.

This is about the right government,” he said. “This is about honoring the right to self-determination by all of you. True conservatism is driven by the love of what you have but at the same time tempered by the fear that it can all disappear. That’s why we’re all here.”

Resident after resident took the microphone to make clear their support of incorporation, their love of the community and their hope to preserve memories of better days.

Barbara Lancer, a 50-year resident and commercial land owner on Siesta Key, said recent decisions by the county have encouraged other potential commercial real estate speculators to inquire about what could be for sale.

“They are entertaining these offers because of what has come through from this terrible vote,” she said. “So we need to stop this. We need to get representation for ourselves, or this island will be lost forever.

“Once they start putting up these eight-story buildings, we’re done.

It’s never going to be the same.”

Resident Ashley Cebak said her grandmother moved to the area from Chicago in the 1960s “when there was nothing here,” and as a child she became enamored with Siesta Key after seeing photos of the largely undeveloped beach community.

She said she’s seen the same love for Siesta Key in others she holds herself.

“When we’re young, you always say: ‘What is your life goal? What do want to be when you grow up?’” she said. “Well, I always said I wanted to live on Siesta Key. Because of what this is — this means more to me than anything.”

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

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SARASOTA OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

5A

City plans a new place to splash Construction is scheduled to start by early summer 2022 and will take about eight months to complete.

MARK BERGIN STAFF WRITER

Landscape Architect Phillip Smith remembers when he was starting his career for David W. Johnston Associates.

Some 27 years ago, before Smith owned the company, the city of Sarasota hired the architecture firm to build Bayfront Park’s playground and splash pad.

“Back then, it was one of the first splash pads to be done in Florida, and so a lot of technology has come out since then, and (there are) splash parks all over Florida and all over the country,” Smith said.

The city plans to turn to the Sarasota-based firm again, along with Jon F. Swift Construction. The plan is to begin building a new playground and splash pad by early summer 2022 at Bayfront Park, which is also known as Island Park.

“The splash pad area is in really … disrepair, and part of that is not because of the city,” Smith said. “It’s just difficulty in the site, difficulty in the equipment. It’s very old.”

The proposal is still subject to approval by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department and the City Commission. Parks and Recreation General Manager Candie Pedersen declined to provide a cost estimate because plans have not yet been finalized. The city’s goal is to improve ADA accessibility, inclusivity and safety.

After receiving approval from the City Commission and Parks and Rec, Smith said construction would take about eight months to complete.

Andrew Pecorella and his family attended a public meeting at the

Above: The splash pad at Sarasota’s Bayfront Park remains closed.

Left: City leaders provided this rendering of the new playground they are planning to build at Bayfront Park.

Photos by Mark Bergin

David W. Johnston Associates Landscape Architect Phillip Smith presented renderings of the proposed park and splash pad during Tuesday night’s public meeting at the City Hall Annex.

City Hall Annex about the proposed changes to the park. Pecorella, who uses a wheelchair, said he wanted to see what the plans are about the park’s accessibility for children with disabilities.

“I would like to see more activities for children to do that might be in a wheelchair or other visual impairments that they could experience because play is important for all children,” Pecorella said.

Pecorella said he goes to Bayfront Park a few times a week.

The plan is for the playground and splash pad to be at the same level to allow back-and-forth play. It would eliminate the elevation change between the small amphitheater

Courtesy rendering

and playground that currently exists at the park.

“You can start on the playground and get wet, and you can go back to the playground,” Smith said. “It’s also designed so parents can hang out, and their kids can be in the space, and they can easily supervise.”

The playground’s theme is going to be a shipwreck.

“It’s meant to be a destination playground,” Smith said. “We worked on the Payne Park playground, which is circus-themed, so this is by the water, and so part of that is just tying in the arts and the

water elements of Sarasota.”

Jon F. Swift Construction President Jason Swift said the playground area would likely have a soft, kidfriendly surface but that the splash pad would be concrete.

“The splash pad — the problem is, anything you introduce that’s soft grows mold,” Swift said.

The city plans to have the fountains at the splash pad available for year-round use during the day.

Smith said his team is set to meet again with Parks and Recreation Department staff to sort out the details of the design.

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

ADVERTORIAL

GIFT FROM THE HEART Residents reflect on the greatest and most meaningful gifts they’ve ever received during the holidays.

Do You Smell That?

Here’s why your HVAC heat smells like it’s burning.

Our northern neighbors are gearing up for snow, sleet and slush during the holidays. Here in Florida, we just have to choose which long-sleeved shirts we’re going to dust off when those short-lived cold fronts hit (more on dust later).

If you’re like the average Floridian, these brief brushes of cooler air will also encourage you to select the “heat” setting on your thermostat.

Wait, there’s a “heat’ setting?

It doesn’t get a lot of use here in our corner of the country, but heat is an option. Since your heater sits dormant for months at a time, you may notice an unpleasant surprise when you turn it on for the first time this season. If your heater smells like it’s burning, here’s why — and if you should be concerned.

ABBY WEINGARTEN CONTRIBUTOR

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most profound gifts exist in the mind — sentimental memories of time spent with loved ones or trips taken in winters past.

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share their versions of the greatest gifts

If your heater is still letting out a smoky, electrical odor after its initial startup for the season, it could be a sign of a much bigger problem. Electrical shorts and other malfunctions may be occurring in your system, leaving your HVAC unit and home in danger. If you have a constant smoky, electrical smell coming from your vents, turn off your system and call an HVAC professional right away.

they’ve ever received during the holidays, and their responses were full of heart.

Whether those gifts were mental snapshots of family dinners, December births of grandchildren or Christmas concerts across the country, each “present” had its own personal poignancy. Here are their stories.

Dust

Just like those winter clothes we mentioned earlier, an HVAC system can accumulate dust and other particles from the air supply in your home. This dust is the most common source of a burning smell from your heater. When the heat is turned on, these materials stir around and eventually burn up, causing that short-lived stench. If it continues after one or two heating cycles, consider contacting a pro for help.

Overheating Heater

If it has been a while since you’ve changed your air filter, this could be the reason for that burning smell. It’s possible that all the dirt and debris stuck to your filter is obstructing airflow, which in turn, causes your heater to work harder than it should. When this happens, the motors can overheat and start to emit that burning smell that is flowing through your house. The fix? Make sure you start off the winter season with a new air filter!

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SARASOTA OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

Beauty is our Business

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Cliff Roles with granddaughters Aslin and Emery

CLIFF ROLES

The birth of my twin granddaughters, Aslin and Emery, on Dec. 15, 2014, was my greatest gift. Here is the story: I never wanted children. As a career-minded music promoter with two divorces behind me, I had convinced myself that I wasn’t cut out to be a husband and father.

So by the time I reached the age of 60, I had banished the idea of ever having children in my life from my mind. I’m not quite sure of the exact moment my life changed. Maybe it was when Maria’s son, Steve, and his partner, Alana, announced they were pregnant. Or maybe it was the day after the birth of the girls, when we saw them for the first time in the hospital.

But what I do remember is Alana and Steve coming into my office on Christmas Eve 2014, carrying the two tiniest of human beings (my new twin granddaughters, Aslin and Emery, just a few days old) and placing them both carefully into my arms.

I sat, frightened to move a muscle in case I would drop them or break them.

I just stared down at them, tears streaming down my face. Every thought of living one second longer without them in my life was dispelled from my brain, as I realized that this was the best Christmas present that I had ever received.

Today, seven years later, friends still delight in reminding me of my cynicism and indifference toward children. I smile and nod my head, and I look forward to the hugs and kisses that Azzi, Emmy and I are going to share the next time they run through the door.

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

OPINION / OUR VIEW

SARASOTA / SIESTA KEY

A TIME TO KEEP OUR PERSPECTIVE

MATT WALSH

I

n this season to be jolly, it is, by golly, hard to be jolly.

And if you’re not all that jolly, when you think of what you, your family, your friends, your business and your work colleagues have endured in this trying year, perhaps we should put it in perspective — keep our perspective on what this season is really all about.

Compare, for instance, our lives today to those of Mary and Joseph in the year 4 A.D. We all know what happened on Christmas — as St. Luke masterfully wrote in his Gospel (see box).

But having some of the context that led up to that holy, remarkable day adds to its richness.

In truth, Jesus’ birth is a story for Jews and Christians alike. After all, Jesus’ parents, Mary and Joseph, were Jews. And the setting for this momentous, monumental event was in the heart of the land that God promised to Abraham and Moses: Israel.

The main characters leading up to Jesus’ birth — Mary; Joseph; Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth; and her husband, Zacharias — were anything but celebrities in their day.

They were as common as Iowa farmers. And yet, in reality, Mary and Joseph were indeed connected to royalty. Biblical scholars tell us they actually were both descendants from the lineage of King David, the longtime king of Israel.

But at that time — around 4 B.C. — the Jews of Judea (central Israel) were anything but a privileged, royal class. They were living under the rule of Caesar Augustus and his vast Roman empire and under a maniac ruler, King Herod, an Arab-Jew who was a client king for Caesar Augustus.

Imagine life under Herod. The biblical historian Josephus wrote that “Herod inflicted such outrages upon the Jews as not even a beast could have done if it possessed the power to rule over men.” So vile and monstrous, Herod became infamous for murdering his wife, three of his own sons, his father-in-law,

his brother-in-law and 300 of his military leaders.

On top of this, and even though Herod allowed Jews to practice their religion without much interference, the Jews also had to contend with the Samaritans, half-Jew, halfGentile who lived between Judea and Galilee.

“The enmity between Jew and Samaritan was so intense” biblical historian James Edward Talmadge wrote, “that travelers between Judea and Galilee would make long detours rather than pass through Samaria.”

This is what Mary and Joseph faced when they received word of Caesar Augustus’ order for a census. He demanded that everyone register in their hometown.

For Mary and Joseph, this meant traveling from Nazareth in Galilee in the north to Bethlehem in Judea in the south — an 80-mile, four-day journey that would have taken them right through Samaria.

And let’s not forget: Mary was nine months pregnant.

In his gospel on the birth of Christ, St. Luke was sparing on the details of Mary and Joseph’s trip.

The fact there are few details must mean it was mostly uneventful. But you could imagine it otherwise: Any woman in her ninth month of pregnancy is physically miserable — can’t sit for long stretches, can’t sleep, constant heartburn, hemorrhoids. So imagine Mary and Joseph traveling in a caravan, with Mary riding much of the trip on a donkey.

The nights were cold.

On Dec. 23, they had two days to go before reaching Bethlehem.

And at this point, they would just be passing through Samaria. Jewish travelers who dared that route were marks for bandits.

But we know God was watching over Mary and Joseph. They made it to Bethlehem, but only to find out there was no room at the inn.

Bethlehem was normally a sleepy little town, but it was bustling with Jews who had returned to register for the census.

Mary and Joseph, we know, found a stable. But this wasn’t the stable we see on the Hallmark Christmas cards. The stables in those days often were dark, cold caves with mangers — animal-feeding troughs carved into the stone walls. The mangers in those days were not wooden cribs padded with dry, neatly arranged hay.

With nowhere else to go, Mary gave birth — under the stars; amid the manure and muck; among the sheep, cows, goats and chickens; no doctors present to administer an epidural; with Joseph, her carpenter husband, assisting as best he could.

FOR UNTO YOU IS BORN THIS DAY And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, (because he was of the house and lineage of David) to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child.

And so it was, that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior, which is Christ the Lord.

“And this shall be a sign unto you. Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men.”

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.”

And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger.

— St. Luke, 2:1-16, King James Bible

Those who have witnessed birth know it’s difficult in a hospital bed.

Imagine the scene in a smelly, dark, cold cave.

Yet this lowly, humble setting was the way Jesus Christ, the savior whom God sent for mankind, came into this world.

Now contrast the differences: Caesar Augustus maneuvering for worldly power and the biggest worldwide celebrity of his day; Herod, a regional celebrity, abusing his power in unspeakable ways.

They were all about self-centered status, power and ego.

Mary and Joseph were the antithesis. Humble, not materially wealthy, ordinary in all appearances. And yet they were extraordinary.

God sent his messenger, the angel Gabriel, and stunned the innocent Mary, that she would conceive miraculously and bring forth a son who would “reign over the house of Jacob forever.” She would be his mother.

And Joseph, the quiet carpenter,

he fretted over what would happen to Mary, his fiancee, if people found out she was pregnant before they were married. The angel Gabriel gave comfort to Joseph, just as he did to Mary.

And with humility, without complaint and far below the status of celebrity, they carried out God’s will, remembering all the while Gabriel’s assurance to Mary: “For with God, nothing shall be impossible.”

This is our heritage.

If we do anything in this holiday season, we should keep our perspective — give thanks to God and bring “peace on Earth, good will toward men.”

Happy Hanukkah. Merry Christmas.

“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.”

Friedrich Hayek

“Road to Serfdom,” 1944 President and Publisher / Emily Walsh, EWalsh@YourObserver.com Executive Editor and COO / Kat Hughes, KHughes@YourObserver.com Managing Editor / Eric Garwood, EGarwood@YourObserver.com Sports Reporter / Ryan Kohn, RKohn@YourObserver.com Copy Editor/ Kaelyn Adix, KAdix@YourObserver.com Editorial Designers / Melissa Leduc, MLeduc@YourObserver.com; José Valle, JValle@YourObserver.com Black Tie Editor / Harry Sayer, HSayer@YourObserver.com Director of Advertising / Jill Raleigh, JRaleigh@YourObserver.com Sales Manager / 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 Bair, RBair@YourObserver.com; Beth Jacobson, BJacobson@YourObserver.com; Jennifer Kane, JKane@YourObserver.com; Honesty Mantkowski, HMantkowski@YourObserver. com; Toni Perren, TPerren@YourObserver. com; Brenda White, BWhite@ YourObserver.com Classified Advertising Sales Executive / Audri Ferguson, AFerguson@ YourObserver.com Sales Operations Manager / Susan Leedom, SLeedom@YourObserver.com Sales Coordinator / Account Manager Lori Downey, LDowney@ YourObserver.com Advertising Assistant / Sam Johnson, SJohnson@YourObserver.com Digital Fulfillment Specialist / Emma Burke, EBurke@yourobserver.com Director of Marketing / Robin Lankton, RLankton@YourObserver.com Marketing Coordinator / Samantha Dischinger, SDischinger@YourObserver.com Director of Creative Services / Caleb Stanton, CStanton@YourObserver.com Creative Services Administrator / Marjorie Holloway, MHolloway@ YourObserver.com Advertising Graphic Designers / Luis Trujillo, Louise Martin, Shawna Polana Digital Developer / Jason Camillo, JCamillo@YourObserver.com Director of Information Technology / Adam Quinlin, AQuinlin@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

(Editor’s note: A version of this has appeared annually since 2010.)

September 21, 1897

Is there a Santa Claus?

Editorial writer Francis P. Church’s famous response to Virginia O’Hanlon’s letter is the most reprinted newspaper editorial in history. Some of the lore of this famous letter and editorial is that the editors of the Sun didn’t think much of it initially.

The letter was placed in the third of three columns of editorials that day. What’s more, the Sun didn’t start reprinting the letter until 10 years after it first appeared.

It relented only because readers kept asking for it.

— Editor

W

e take pleasure in answering thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of the Sun: Dear Editor: I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.

Papa says, “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?

VIRGINIA O’HANLON 115 WEST NINETY FIFTH STREET

Virginia, Your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age.

They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds.

All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect

Observer Media Group Inc.

as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.

Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus!

It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence.

We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The external light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies.

You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove?

Nobody sees Santa Claus, but

that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus.

The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there.

Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen Virginia O’Hanlon and unseeable in the world.

You tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart.

Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond.

Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real Editor Francis P. Church and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! He Photos courtesy of James lives and lives forever. A thousand Temple and the Century years from now, Virginia, nay 10 Association Archives Foundation times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

is locally owned.

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SARASOTA OBSERVER

Greatest gift

|

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

LOU COSTA

FROM PAGE 7A

File photos

Cathy Layton and Pete Russell saw the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in 2001.

CATHY LAYTON

In 2001, my husband, Pete Russell, surprised me by fulfilling a lifelong dream: seeing the Mormon Tabernacle Choir perform on Christmas in Salt Lake City. Being a traditionalist when it comes to Christmas music, my childhood home was (and ours is now) filled with choral-style music, particularly from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Helplessly sappy, I cannot hear them or see them without tears. (My husband, on the other hand, is relieved when Jan. 1 arrives, and Americana is again the home genre of choice.)

About the concert: It was the first time we had flown since Sept. 11, 2001, so things were tense, and true joy was hard to muster following so much tragedy. Seeing the Conference Center on Temple Square’s soaring ranks of organ pipes and feeling their reverberation in my chest, joined by hundreds of perfectly pitched choir members, is a profound memory I can remember like it was yesterday.

Angela Lansbury was the guest performer, and she gently drew us back into experiencing Christmas joy by singing what I have come to think of as a healing song: “We Need a Little Christmas.” Pete tries each year to give me gifts I will love, but Christmas 2001 will always be his greatest.

I remember the wonderful dinners at my parents’ home in Boston that revolved around family, food, friends and guests. The festivities all began on Christmas Eve. We would have baked stuffed Maine lobsters and clams casino appetizers (littleneck or razor clams instead of oysters).

This was a tradition from our Sicilian grandparents who came to this country in the early 1900s. On Christmas Day, we had two full meals: one in the afternoon, followed by one at night. My mother would cook a pasta meal (lasagna or spaghetti) along with a turkey.

We had stuffed artichokes, stuffed peppers and roasted chestnuts (appetizers from our Italian heritage). This dinner was for immediate family and guests who had no local family available for the holidays.

We had to learn not to fill ourselves with pasta because a full turkey meal was still to come. Roasted potato slices cooked in the pan with the turkey was special. The night supper was leftovers for all the relatives who would show up.

It was typically 20 to 30 people.

(This required supper to be served in shifts.) Later at night, my friends would go to our parents’ homes with Santa hats on to sing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and have a holiday drink. Around midnight, the last stop for this group was my parents’ home.

The family is now spread all over the country. I miss this lost tradition.

Charlie and Crystal Bailey’s 2018 trip with their daughter launched a desire to see new places.

CRYSTAL BAILEY

As I reflect on the greatest Christmas gifts I ever received, I realize that I barely remember a handful of past gifts (though a life-sized stuffed Big Bird, a Nintendo game console and a Hypercolor T-shirt do come to mind).

Instead, the quality time spent with loved ones (chosen and family) are the special memories that last a lifetime. The smells of hot apple cider or sugar cookies fresh out of the oven instantly take me back to my childhood (and the magic of Santa, Frosty and Kevin McCallister from “Home Alone”).

On Christmas 2018, my husband, Charlie, and I gifted a trip to our then-14-yearold daughter, Claire, to see a concert in New Orleans.

It was our first Christmas married, and it was Claire’s first concert. The concert (Panic! At The Disco) was amazing, and the trip created memories that we continue to cherish. But the best part was that the experience became a launching point for our desire to continue exploring new places and creating new memories together.

Christmas is a time to reconnect with each other, reflect on the past year and prepare for a fresh start in the new year. The holidays often bring out the best in us and give us all time to slow down and remember what really matters.

Lou Costa remembers family times.

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

LET US DESIGN A POOL THAT FITS YOUR LIFESTYLE

Greatest gift FROM PAGE 9A

ROSS JOHNSTON

In moving from the West Coast of California to the West Coast of Florida, and living and working many places in between, community has always been the greatest gift to me. Enjoying the hidden gems and meeting new friends at the local hangouts are my favorite treasures.

These are only a few of the reasons that I have loved living in Sarasota over the past three years.

The many gifts offered by Sarasota can be found around every corner.

Whether I ’m walking through Se l by G a rd e n s ’ “Lights in Bloom” event or watching the downtown New Year’s Eve pineapple drop, the holiday season in Sarasota has provided me with a genuine sense of community, and it has helped me call this place home.

Courtesy photo In particular, the Greater Sarasota Ross Johnson enjoys many parts of the holidayseason.

Chamber of Commerce’s Young Professionals Group has provided me with a sense of camaraderie and support that has translated into building new friendships, forging new professional networks and creating new volunteer opportunities within the community.

I continue to be impressed with the many opportunities in Sarasota in which to get involved, which fuels my penchant for volunteerism and enhancing that sense of community gift giving. The multitude of volunteer opportunities, especially around the holidays, is really a testament to the supportive and compassionate Sarasota community. I view this community as a true gift and one that sustains my passion for community engagement.

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

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Greatest gift FROM PAGE 10A

AUTUMN STEINER

My dad, Gary, was an uninspired gift giver, and he was a procrastinator. Inevitably, around Dec. 22 each year, he would email me, asking what he should get my mom.

He would compensate for his ignorance with extravagance, like when he bought Mom a fancy DSLR camera, even though she barely used a point-and-shoot camera. Imagine his dilemma, then, the year we decided to do a small gift exchange (draw one name, buy one gift, and spend $25).

He could have lucked out by getting my brother, who was his mechanically inclined, motoroil-scented progeny. But, of course, he got me, his prissy, bookish daughter who wouldn’t know a wrench from a tire iron.

Even Mom was easier to shop for. Of all the gifts I’ve received from my parents over the years, just three had Dad’s fingerprints on them: a hammer (autographed in Sharpie, but that’s another story), a drill/driver and a level.

In what I can only attribute to Christmas magic, Dad managed to find me the perfect gift that year: a tape measure. Not just any tape measure, though: a bejeweled one. I loved it then. I love it now. It is practical and whimsical — the best of both worlds.

My dad died a few months ago.

There will be no more SOS emails, no more gift exchanges, no more calls to him when something is broken. But he left me with the tools I need, and for that I am thankful.

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My husband, Roberto, felt this story might be a little too “real” or “personal.” However, when I ponder the most meaningful, appreciated — and, yes, most romantic — gift I’ve ever received, there isn’t even a close second place.

During the summer of 2020, I had surgery that required an extremely painful recovery. Without getting into medical details, I could barely walk or sit, and I was too uncomfortable to even care about my appearance. In fact, this former fashionista dressed like a toddler for a month.

Per the doctor’s orders, recovery would require soaking in warm water numerous times a day for several weeks. Roberto surprised me by building an incredibly comfortable and stable contraption into which I could safely position myself and soak to my heart’s content.

But the gift didn’t end there. Each time I needed a dip (which, at first, was many times a day), he would get the water temperature just right, help me into place and then keep me company and distract me while I soaked.

Along with him, our two pups (Bonham and Bowie) would join us every time. They were a little confused about this new family activity, but they happily participated in taking care of Mommy. To this day, I’m deeply grateful for and inspired by Roberto’s compassion and kindness during such a vulnerable time, and I will never take his love for granted.

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

Sarasota’s Best

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me!

Every year during the holidays, I am blessed to be gathered with my family from all over the country. Historically, they have repeatedly gifted me a wide assortment of neckties and socks for the holidays.

On my birthday, I can expect the occasional coffee mug but, for the most part, the gifts tend to remain in the categories of socks and neckties. You’re probably asking yourself, “Erik, but what do you receive for Father’s Day or Professional Day or Wheneverthe-Gators-Win-a-Championship Day?” The answer might surprise you.

My family, friends, acquaintances and neighbors come down to visit, and after a tremendous amount of thought on the matter, they eventually conclude that the best gift ideas are dress shirts, neckties and socks.

This year will be no different, and I expect no deviation next year. However, the best gift I have ever received is the time and company of being with these individuals for these fleeting moments. We must value time as the great equalizer.

Whether you’re a billionaire or you work a minimum-wage job, you cannot make more time.

We all have 8,760 hours in a year to find joy and meaning in our interactions, professions and activities. The best gift you can give is your time and attention to things that truly matter.

Logically, today is the youngest that you will ever be. This year, you can give yourself a gift: Protect your space, and refuse to give away your limited time to negative thoughts, worries, the past, toxic relationships, unfulfilling jobs and unnecessary projects. Think of the person that would appreciate you calling them the most right now, and give them a call. You will thank yourself later.

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We would like to thank you for your continued patronage & wish you a Voted One of A Happy and Safe Holiday Season

ERIK ARROYO

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on’s

SARASOTA OBSERVER

14A

SARASOTA OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

ATTENTION JEFFREY LABELLE CLIENTS

The Levin Papantonio Rafferty law firm is investigating claims for multiple investors to recover losses suffered due to recommendations of previously registered Broker Jeffrey Guy Labelle, formerly associated with First Allied Securities, Inc. and LPL Financial. Labelle allegedly sold high risk and illiquid non-traded REITs to multiple clients.

The Nice List ERIC GARWOOD MANAGING EDITOR

F

rom decorations to parties, there’s no shortage of Christmas cheer visible around the Sarasota area.

However, every year, the city’s organizations give special attention to the meaningful spirit of the season with plenty of donations. Several organizations put their most generous foot forward during December and make the Nice List with ease.

IT’S A HOLIDAY TRADITION

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A WORLD OF GOOD THOUGHTS

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When the decision was made to install security bollards in front of the main entry of Temple Sinai’s school, Laura Freedman, the director of early childhood education, worried what this large, round, immovable object would look like and if it would be a constant reminder of all the “what ifs.”

An idea sprung to mind, and she sought out a very talented local artist, Skip Dyrda, who happens to be a member of the temple.

The “meatball” has been transformed into a sphere depicting planet Earth, a globe with a diverse

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Five-hundred turkeys were provided to fire-rescue and police officers Dec. 15 at each of the businesses’ three showrooms, in Bradenton, Sarasota and Venice.

“We are incredibly blessed to once again host our annual turkey giveback event for first responders in our community,” said Chris Quattlebaum, the general manager of Manasota Flooring. “With so much uncertainty, it’s nice to give back and have the opportunity to stick to our traditions, giving an extra boost to our heroes and first responders. Our community continues to grow, and we are proud to step up and show our thanks and appreciation for those who keep us safe.”

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ORNAMENTAL POPULARITY

The staff of Gulf Gate’s Mirror Image Dentistry (run by twins Amy and Leslie Nulty — get it?) like to keep people’s minds off what’s happening in their mouths during the holiday season. So for the past 20 years, they’ve been enlisting their patients’ help in voting for their favorite staffmade decoration hanging on the lobby Christmas Tree.

Each year, the popular-vote winning ornament’s title is inscribed on a lobby plaque.

Skip Dyrda painted the security bollards at Temple Sinai in the form of a globe.

HELPING OUT

Cardinal Mooney students are spreading the Christmas spirit with hundreds of toys to help those in need this season.

The Cardinal Mooney chapter of the St. Vincent de Paul Society collected toys to support Andrew’s Toybox in partnership with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.

The toys donated by Cardinal Mooney students will benefit the 12th Judicial Circuit of Florida Guardian ad Litem Program. Donations were picked up by the Sheriff’s Department on Dec. 13.

The school’s families and staff also purchased gifts for three dozen residents of Sunshine Meadows Nursing Home in Sarasota.

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ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

Spencer Fordin

Above: Students rehearse in preparation for this year’s holiday show, “Let it Snow.”

Right: Sailor Circus students perform on the dance trapeze during the Holiday Spectacular in 2020.

THE TRADITION

Photo courtesy of Lenore Golden Duensing

CONTINUES

This annual holiday performance is just one way the circus lives on. PAGE 16A

Spencer Fordin Photo courtesy of John Jones

Above: Two students rehearse their trapeze performance in preparation for “Let it Snow.”

Left: Sailor Circus students perform on the tramp wall during last year’s performance.

16A

SARASOTA OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

Sailor Circus Academy returns with ‘Let It Snow’ holiday show SPENCER FORDIN ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

THE CIRCUS EXPERIENCE

“Let It Snow,” which runs 90 minutes plus an intermission, is designed to give the audience the complete circus experience in its brief run time.

Jared Walker, the creative director of the Sailor Circus, says his aim was to design a routine around the skills the performers had learned over the past few months.

Walker, a former actor, joined the Sailor Circus family after performing briefly as a ringmaster.

“I never saw it in my future at all,” Walker says. “But I’ll tell you, it’s been exciting and challenging all at the same time since I’ve been here.

And very fulfilling. I get to do everything that I do in one place.”

That same concept applies to the student performers. The Sailor Circus is a full-fledged magnet school for circus arts, which means that many of the students spend half a day at Sarasota High School and half the day working through their routines. Jennifer Mitchell, the chief operating officer of the Circus Arts

Spencer Fordin

It takes a village of staff, students and volunteers to put on the Sailor Circus’ holiday production, “Let It Snow.”

Conservatory, says that’s unique.

“I often say: ‘If you want to learn the history, go to Ringling Museum.

They have an incredible story to tell you. But if you want to see what’s happening actively in today’s circus, come here,’” Mitchell says. “Ninety percent of the kids go on to college.

They become lawyers and doctors, but we always say that the life lessons and skills they learned here really help them in their career. You can imagine the confidence you build in front of audiences.”

Mitchell’s daughter, Emma Clarke, is one of the students building that confidence. Clarke, a junior in high school, says she’s been participating in the circus activities for about eight years and hopes to make a career out of it. Every day she puts seven hours into her craft while still taking care of her school responsibilities.

“I get here at like 12:30,” Clarke says of her daily routine. “Most of my teachers know that I have a super busy schedule, so they’re a little more lenient with me. And then they come to the show and say, ‘OK, she’s busy.’”

And for some of the students, the path continues even after they’ve graduated.

Lila Watkins, who performs on the straps, suffered a serious knee injury during her senior year of high school

A Meal Makes A Difference.

A FAMILY AFFAIR

For Watkins, much like Clarke and Jacobs, the circus is a family endeavor. Watkins says her dad was a clown with The Ringling Bros. for many years, and she fell in love with circus when her sister enrolled at Sailor Circus. Watkins wasn’t old enough at first, but now that she’s a participant, she says that it’s been everything she hoped it would be.

“It’s athleticism and acting. It’s dance,” she says. “Performing incorporates everything, which is one of the reasons I love it. As a woman in this industry, you’re pushed to be strong and graceful at the same time, which is one of my biggest passions.”

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and did not get to perform with her peers. And while she recovered from her injury, she refused to leave the circus alone. Watkins, a former acrobat, learned a routine on the straps while she was hurt and fell in love with the new apparatus.

“When I was rehabbing and healing, I couldn’t do anything with my legs. This was just my arms. So I was really thankful to have that introduced to me,” she says. “It’s very different going from a group of 20 to performing by yourself and all eyes on you. I’ll definitely go back and try acrobatics again, but I don’t know if that’s my passion.”

Miguel Vargas, the CAC’s head coach, is responsible for installing those passions and keeping it fun for his young charges. Vargas, a fifthgeneration circus performer and former Cirque du Soleil troupe member, says that he sees himself in his students. Vargas began in the circus at 7 years old and it gave him a career that lasted 35 years.

Vargas, who spent his youth touring from city to city, says Sarasota offers a unique opportunity to both the performers and the audience, who in many cases are growing up together from season to season.

“We always say that if you make it look easy, you’ve definitely honed your craft,” Vargas says. “But it’s also great that the audience members get to see the students grow. They move on from some of the easier disciplines to some of the more advanced ones. And now within the program, most of the students are doing some really high-level skills, so we’re really proud of them for being able to showcase skills that you would see in a professional level circus.”

Jacobs says she’s proud Sailor Circus was able to continue performing during the pandemic with enhanced safety protocols, and she’s excited for her students to see a capacity crowd during their holiday performances.

Taught in the circus arts by her parents and by godmother Margie Geiger, Jacobs wants nothing more than to keep the arts alive for the next generation in the same place she was fortunate enough to learn them.

“Pedro and I, this is our life,” she says. “We’re able to give back to the community through the circus arts.

We put our heads on our pillow at night, and we feel proud of all the hard work. We’ve got great employees and great volunteers. Everybody here believes in the kids and believes in what we’re doing.”

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T

he music is blaring, the lights are shining, and the students are performing without a net.

It’s just another day at the Sailor Circus Academy, an institution for seven decades in Sarasota, and a whole array of rehearsals are going on at the same time. There are kids attacking the trapeze, and some others flipping and somersaulting off a trampoline. Soon, some teenagers will take on the Roman Rings in front of one of the world’s greatest practitioners.

Sarasota resident Dolly Jacobs, the co-founder of the Circus Arts Conservatory, has had a lifelong love affair with the circus arts. She’s the daughter of famed performer Lou Jacobs and former model Jean Rockwell, and after spending three decades as a performer, Jacobs is now dedicating her life to passing down the craft she spent her life perfecting.

“They learn camaraderie. They learn respect. They learn hard work pays off,” says Jacobs, a former aerialist. “They learn to encourage their other peers. ... When somebody finally accomplishes a feat, they all get excited. When they do it themselves, you can’t buy or teach that type of accomplishment and that type of pride. They have to earn it.”

Jacobs, speaking during a rehearsal for the Sailor Circus holiday show, “Let It Snow,” can’t help but look back and consider how much things have changed and how they’ve stayed the same. When she was a student, she learned at the Sailor Circus alongside the children of

other circus performers, and it was really a fledgling program without many bells and whistles.

It was born out of expediency, Jacobs says, because a lot of the students were already trying circus skills on their own. Now, decades later, the Sailor Circus is housed in a state-of-the-art facility and is staffed by world class performers.

“It’s much different now,” says Jacobs, who runs the Circus Arts Conservatory with her husband, Pedro Reis.

“We practiced outside, and when we did put up an actual tent, we had sawdust on the ground. We’ve advanced quite a bit since Pedro and I took over. We’ve traveled the world, and we’ve seen other circus schools.”

Reis, born in South Africa, agrees with that assessment.

“Circus has become cool,” he says.

“But it’s still a battle.”

When: 1 and 6 p.m. Dec. 26; 2 and 7 p.m. Dec. 27-30 Where: Sailor Circus Arena, 2075 Bahia Vista St. Tickets: $20-$35 Info: Visit CircusArts.org.

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The Sarasota tradition returns for another holiday show headlined by student performers.

IF YOU GO

(941) (941) 894-6747 894-6747

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SARASOTA OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

17A

REVIEWS

HOLIDAYS at the Van Wezel

Photo courtesy of Frank Atura

Victoria Hulland, Dierdre Miles Burger and Ricardo Rhodes in Sir Peter Wright’s “Giselle”

‘Giselle’ delivers the drama SARA RACHON DANCE CRITIC

“G

iselle” is one of the world’s oldest and most-performed ballets across the globe, originally choreographed by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot. The Sarasota Ballet returned to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall stage with Sir Peter Wright’s version Dec. 17-19.

“Giselle” is a two-act romance that tells the story of a young peasant girl (Giselle) who falls for a flirtatious aristocrat (Albrecht). After learning that he has deceived her, the fragile Giselle goes mad and dies. She joins the afterlife and becomes one of the Wilis, the ghost spirits who died after being betrayed by their lovers.

They force the men who deceived them to dance until exhausted.

Wright’s version is the perfect blend of dance and drama.

Victoria Hulland reprised the coveted title role on opening night, her debut more than 10 years ago (also the Sarasota Ballet’s debut of this version). From the moment she entered in Act 1, she dominated the stage with the perfect fusion of technical maturity and artistic nuance.

She is innocent and darling as she falls in love with Ricardo Rhodes’s

Albrecht, and her mad scene is hauntingly realistic.

Hulland and Rhodes were a fine match as he wooed her in Act 1 and partnered her gently in Act 2. Solo sections for the principles throughout the ballet are some of the most technically challenging, yet Hulland and Rhodes tackled them with ease.

One of the highlights in Wright’s version is the peasant pas de six, traditionally choreographed as a pas de deux. The three couples brought an abundance of energy in the first act.

Arcadian Broad and Yuki Nonaka were virtuoso and in sync in the male duet, and Marijana Dominis was gorgeous throughout. Ricki Bertoni portrayed Hilarion, the local forester who is also in love with Giselle, with anguish and attack. Dierdre Miles Burger was tender in the smaller but important role of Berthe, Giselle’s mother. The ensemble sections — the lively peasant dances in Act 1 and the serene Wilis in Act 2 — were meticulous.

The vivacious performance on stage was accompanied perfectly by the Sarasota Orchestra, conducted

by Jared Oaks, a guest conductor and the music director at Ballet West. Aaron Muhl exquisitely lit the detailed sets and costumes, supervised by Doug Nicholson.

A Spectacular Celebration with Singers, Dancers and Full Orchestra!

MON, JAN 3 • 7PM SPONSOR: WUSF Public Media

Winner of four Grammy Awards® and recipient of the U.S. National Medal of Arts, Renée Fleming has sung for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony and the Diamond Jubilee Concert for Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.

WED, JAN 5 • 8PM SPONSOR: WUSF Public Media

The Lovin’ Feelin’ is back as blue-eyed soul pioneers The Righteous Brothers return to the Van Wezel!

Original Brother Bill Medley is joined by Bucky Heard in a concert experience that features their biggest hits, including the most played song in radio history: “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’.”

Something for everyone

SUN, JAN 16 • 7PM

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SARASOTA OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

THIS WEEK THURSDAY

‘HAIR’ 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. at Asolo Repertory Theatre, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail $32-$93 Visit AsoloRep.org.

MONTY FRANKLIN 7 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy, 1923 Ringling Blvd. $25 Visit McCurdysComedy.com.

Franklin, an Aussie stand-up comic and a co-star of the upcoming film “The Great Emu War,” takes over McCurdy’s in the final week of 2021. Franklin, who has been part of TV shows including “New Girl” and “Real Rob,” has headlined the Melbourne International Comedy Festival multiple times.

‘A CHRISTMAS CAROL’ 7:30 p.m. at Studio 1130, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail $36.50 Visit ThePlayers.org.

SUNDAY

‘LET IT SNOW’ 1 and 6 p.m. at Sailor Circus Arena, 2075 Bahia Vista St. $15-$30 Visit CircusArts.org.

They’ve been training for weeks, and for 10 shows, the performers at the nation’s longest-running youth circus are ready to blow your mind. The students, who range in age from 8 to 18, will put on a full show complete with tumbling, trapeze, trampoline artists, contortionists and much, much more.

Runs through Dec. 30.

MONDAY

‘JOYFUL! JOYFUL!’ 7:30 p.m. at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N. Orange Ave. $50; students and military $20 Visit WestcoastBlackTheatre.org.

RHODNIE DÉSIR: ‘CONVERSATIONS’ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Road Free with admission Visit Ringling.org.

Nate Jacobs and Donald Frison have collaborated on this holiday special full of song and dance. Jacobs, the founder and creative director of Westcoast Black Theatre

Désir, a dancer and choreographer, has chased the roots of African and Afro-descendant cultures and rhythms in places as far apart as Martinique, Haiti, Brazil, Canada

and the U.S. Her inaugural exhibition, “Conversations,” is created in conjunction with other artists and is meant to take the viewer on a journey with Désir in which she places the people and countries she’s visited in a dialogue with each other. Runs through April 3.

DANNER WASHBURN — ‘EFFIGY: HEMRIC’ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail $15; members free Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org.

The artist explores the life and culture of tobacco farmers in North Carolina who endured financial hardship, causing some to abandon the trade and others to sustain their practice through the support of government subsidies. Runs through May 8.

WEDNESDAY AL FULLER’S FAMOUS BLUES JAM 7:30 p.m. at The Blue Rooster, 1525 Fourth St. $5 Visit BlueRoosterSRQ.com.

Al Fuller has been playing his blues jam for more than two decades, and he’ll be supported by drummer Rich MacDonald and bassist Barry Sykes at the Blue Rooster.

JAZZ AT TWO: SCHOLARSHIP CONCERT 2-4 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church, 3975 Fruitville Road $20; members $10 Visit JazzClubSarasota.org.

DON’T MISS

‘THE ROCKET MAN SHOW’ It might be a long, long time before you get to see this show again. Rus Anderson brings his popular Elton John tribute show to Venice and briefly steals the famed rock star’s signature tunes and fashion. Prepare for an out-ofbody experience as Anderson pulls off the feat of playing one of rock’s most inimitable performers.

IF YOU GO When: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 29-31 Where: Venice Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave., Venice Tickets: $58-$68 Info: VeniceTheatre.org

The Jazz Club of Sarasota presents a group of 2021 scholarship winners backed by a local trio. Jazz at Two is normally held on Fridays, but this performance was moved to not conflict with New Year’s Eve.

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Bring in the holidays with Ebenezer Scrooge. Jim Floyd plays more than 20 characters, including the famous curmudgeon Scrooge, in this one-man adaptation of Charles Dickens’ famous holiday tale. The play, adapted by Greg Oliver Bodine, represents the final performance of the year for The Players Centre for Performing Arts.

Dig out your tie-dye shirts and peace symbol necklaces, and prepare yourself for Asolo Rep’s premiere of this iconic production.

It’s well known for its take on hippie counterculture and the sexual revolution of the 1970s, and its music has risen to anthem-level for the times. Tap into your rebellious side and view the “Age of Aquarius” through a group of bohemian draft-dodgers living it up in New York City, complete with anti-war rhetoric, drug exploration and a much-talked-about nude scene.

Runs through Jan. 1.

Troupe, wanted “Joyful! Joyful!” to be an expression of his jubilation of being alive. Frison choreographed the show, which features music from several different eras and dance styles. Jacobs and Frison say that the show is like their Christmas card to the community.

Songs include “African Drummer Boy,” “Carol of the Bells” and “Hallelujah Chorus.” “Joyful! Joyful!” will run through Dec. 30 before the troupe hits reset in 2022.

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BLACK

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

20TH ANNIVERSARY GALA Sunday, Dec. 12, at Michael’s On East | Benefiting Designing Women Boutique Above: Honorees Dr. Lisa Merritt, Lee-En Chung and Linda DiGabriele Below: Jocelyn Udell and Marlo Turner

Above: Anthony Holds and emcee Savannah Holds Below: President Ida Zito and co-Founder Margaret Wise

Photos by Harry Sayer

T

he Designing Women Boutique honored local exemplary women during its 20th anniversary gala Dec. 12 at Michael’s On East.

The organization’s 2021 gala had hundreds of guests meeting at Michael’s for an afternoon of mingling and fun. Designing Women Boutique supports the arts through selling donated and consigned designer fashion as well as hosting fundraising events.

Guests caught up and had drinks and snacks before heading into the ballroom for the program to begin. This year’s event honored Dr. Lisa Merritt, engineer and entrepreneur Lee-En Chung, and Asolo Repertory Theatre Managing Director Linda DiGabriele for their years of work in their respective fields.

The night included a paddle raise to benefit the Make A Wish Foundation as well as jazzy music sung by mistress of ceremonies Savannah Holds as well as Diana Houston.

Lauren Walsh

—HARRY SAYER

W ON NO LE

SA

!

The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical Book and lyrics by

GEROME RAGNI & JAMES RADO

JAN 12 – MAR 26 BY THORNTON WILDER | DIRECTED BY DESDEMONA CHIANG

Music by

GALT MACDERMOT

Directed and Choreographed by

JOSH RHODES

colorful and evocative

— SARASOTA HERALD-TRIBUNE

NOW – JAN 1

Artwork created by Manuel Gonzalez Ruiz & Mago Atelier

vivid direction and choreography

by Josh Rhodes

JAN 19 – APR 1 BY BESS WOHL | DIRECTED BY CELINE ROSENTHAL

FEB 9 – APR 2 BY LAUREN YEE | DIRECTED BY VANESSA STALLING

941.351.8000 | asolorep.org SEASON SPONSORS:

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A S O L O R E P E R T O RY T H E AT R E

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

Investors Luncheon Thursday Dec. 9, at Michael’s on the Bay Benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters

B

ig Brothers Big Sisters of the Suncoast celebrated its mentors, mentees and supporters at its Investors Luncheon on Dec. 9 at Michael’s on the Bay at Selby Gardens.

Guests mingled in the event space overlooking the bay before sitting down for the program hosted by mistress of ceremonies Emily Kinzer. President and CEO Joy Mahler welcomed the audience and spoke before having several Big Brother and Big Sister mentors and their mentees speak about how the program has benefited them.

Photos by Harry Sayer

Above: Toyan Scott and Krissy Cassidy Below: Rayne Estrada and Anthony Baldo

Above: CEO and President Jessica Hays with Mary Ellen Mancini Left: Tina McGovern, Sandy Fulkerson and Bonnie Van Overbeke

—HARRY SAYER

Holiday Luncheon Wednesday, Dec. 8, at Michael’s On East Benefiting SPARCC

S Photos by Harry Sayer

Co-chairwomen Maggie Shaw and Andrea Andrus

Ross Alander, Poppy Rosano, Jay Kasmark, and President and CEO Joy Mahler

PARCC CEO Jessica Hays was expecting a decent crowd for her group’s annual Holiday Luncheon at Michael’s On East — maybe around 200 people, as it had been at its peak in the past.

What she didn’t expect was the final number. Around 240 supporters gathered at the luncheon, all with presents to donate to the organization’s Holiday Toy Store for people in need. The annual luncheon started with a social hour that went into lunch where Hays thanked the audience for attending.

The audience enjoyed entertainment from Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe during the afternoon.

—HARRY SAYER

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DECEMBER 23, 2021

— Cardinal Mooney High’s Kali Barrett SEE PAGE 23A

HIGH

SPORTS

“I played with a bunch of sixth grade boys, so I had to get good fast. I love it now.”

5 Mooney junior guard Olivia Davis leads the team in scoring through nine games.

Mooney freshman Sy’monique Simon drives the lane against Sarasota High.

Photos by Ryan Kohn

1

Riverview High junior forward Krystal Montas had 14 points and 13 rebounds Dec. 16 in the Rams’ 49-45 girls basketball win in overtime at home against Braden River High.

Above left: Mooney senior point guard Natalie Mercadante shoots a three-pointer against Sarasota High.

Above right: Mooney junior forward Jordyn Byrd battles for position with Sarasota sophomore forward Madison Macdonald. Byrd finished with 14 points.

SCRATCH & CLAW After a run to the state title game in 2020, Cardinal Mooney wants everyone’s best shot RYAN KOHN SPORTS REPORTER

L 2

Cardinal Mooney High sophomore guard Franklin Liriano scored 19 points Dec. 17 in the Cougars’ 72-65 boys basketball win on the road against Sarasota High.

3

Riverview High freshman wing Jamier Jones tipped in a shot at the buzzer Dec. 16 to give the Rams a 6059 boys basketball win at home against Southeast High. Jones finished with 22 points.

4

Riverview High senior Milan Augustin scored Dec. 16 in the Rams’ 1-0 boys soccer win at home against Sarasota High.

5

Sarasota High sophomore forward Madison Macdonald had 12 points and 13 rebounds Dec. 15 in the Sailors’ 39-36 girls basketball win on the road against Lakewood Ranch High.

ALL THE WAY. PAGE 22A

ast year belongs in the past.

That’s the motto Cardinal Mooney High girls basketball Coach Rico Antonio is telling his team to follow.

In 2020, the Cougars turned their potential into reality and finished 20-9, including an eight-game win streak that landed them in the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 3A state championship game. Cardinal Mooney lost 59-34 to Miami Country Day School, a girls basketball dynasty that has won seven state titles in eight years, but the Cougars proved that the school should be taken as a threat.

But none of that happened in the 2021-2022 season, and that’s all that matters to Antonio, who wants his players with their eyes on the future.

Antonio said this year’s team will have to go through the same trials that last year’s team did in order to get back to the state final four.

That’s why the coach scheduled a slew of tough opponents early in the year and late in the year, to make sure that the Cougars don’t get complacent.

Through nine games, the Cougars have responded as well as Antonio could have hoped. Cardinal Mooney is 8-1, the loss coming in the team’s season opener against Mount Paran Christian (Kennesaw, Georgia), 49-29, in the Inside Exposure Thanksgiving Classic tournament held Nov. 22-24 in Jacksonville. The Cougars beat two other teams from Georgia in that event and since then have looked overpowering against Florida teams. MaxPreps ranks the Cougars as the eighth-best team in Florida (all classifications) and No. 1 in Class 3A. “This year we have been able to take people’s punches and handle the adversity against good teams,” Antonio said. “We have some girls on the team whose will to win is contagious.

It’s tough to beat. We also have more depth this year, which helps.”

The team has two seniors, point guard Natalie Mercadante and for-

ward Jasmine Scurry, which means younger players have to lead as well.

Antonio pointed out junior guard Olivia Davis and junior forward Jordyn Byrd as players who have taken on more responsibility on and off the court. Both Davis and Byrd were already statistical leaders last season, averaging 15.5 and 14.7 points a game respectively, but this year both players have stepped things up in various ways.

To wit: In the first half of a road game against Sarasota High on Dec. 18, Davis hit a layup while getting fouled and let out a yell — not of pain but of dominance. It was loud enough to make the baseline official jump in surprise while also firing up her team. The Cougars are confident in themselves because their leaders are. When a team’s top players refuse to lose, that team typically does well.

“We’re still a young team, believe it or not,” Antonio said. “They need to be pushed sometimes, and Olivia (Davis), she pushes them. It’s a good dynamic.”

The Sarasota game ended 70-27; it was a showcase for how well Cardinal Mooney shoots but also how stifling their defense can be. The Cougars spread the ball around, so Davis didn’t come close to her 19.6 points per game average, but Byrd scored 14. The 6-foot-4 Byrd, who is committed to Texas for volleyball, might not be as intense as Davis, but she’s steady, giving the team a consistent post presence on offense and defense and providing encouragement.

Freshman Kali Barrett led the team with 16. Barrett, a forward, and the team’s other freshman — guard

“This year we have been able to take people’s punches and handle the adversity against good teams. We have some girls on the team whose will to win is contagious. It’s tough to beat.”

— Rico Antonio

Sy’monique Simon — have provided the team with capable role players who have the ability to step into bigger roles if needed. That’s something the Cougars didn’t have in 2020 and what could get them over the hump in the state tournament.

“We are sharing the ball well,” Barrett said. “We’re always looking for each other, and we have each other’s backs out there. I think we have to keep doing those things, even more than we are now. We have the talent to reach the finals if we do.”

Perhaps the most impressive accomplishment of the team’s season came Dec. 10. The Cougars hosted South Fort Myers, a Class 5A school which entered the game 8-0 and features junior point guard Addison Potts, a Purdue commit.

Cardinal Mooney scored the first seven points of the game and would never trail on the way to a 58-43 win.

Potts was held to 15 points; Davis led the Cougars with 21.

Or maybe the most impressive game of the season came a few days earlier, Nov. 30, when the Cougars became the first team to beat Clearwater High (8-2) at home since January 2019. Cardinal Mooney knocked off the Tornadoes 54-51. The fact that it’s hard to pinpoint the team’s best moment of the first half of the season is a testament to all it has accomplished.

It is far from done, too. When the team returns from the winter sports holiday break, the difficulty of its schedule will ramp back up. The team plays in the Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational, full of top teams from Florida and elsewhere, starting Dec. 29 and will travel to play the No. 2 ranked team in Class 3A, Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High, in a road contest on Jan. 7. The Phoenix nearly beat undefeated Class 7A school Riverview High on the road Nov. 30, losing 53-50 in overtime, and will not make things easy for the Cougars.

That’s great news for Antonio, who wants his team to give its all every time it takes the court. There’s only one thing on the mind of the program, and that is getting back to Lakeland in March.

“We’re going to be challenged, and I can’t wait to see how we respond,” Antonio said.

IF YOU GO

What: Cardinal Mooney High girls basketball (8-1) vs. University Prep (Redding, California; 8-1) When: 6 p.m. Jan. 3 Where: Cardinal Mooney High Why: It’s the first home game for the Cougars after the holiday break, and it is a chance to see how the team stacks up against a talented out-of-state opponent.

Cougars player to watch: Junior guard Olivia Davis, who is averaging 19.6 points and 3.4 rebounds a game

SARASOTA OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

PROSE AND KOHN

RYAN KOHN

Courtesy photo

Former Sarasota High running back Brian Battie was named a Consensus All-American on Dec. 16, becoming just the second South Florida player given the honor.

Mess with the Bull…

Brian Battie, a sophomore at South Florida, was named a Consensus AllAmerican kick returner after leading the nation.

B

rian Battie never cared much about special teams.

It’s not that the former Sarasota High running back felt such playing time was beneath him, exactly. Sure, he played in kick and punt formations in high school and had a handful of kick return opportunities at South Florida as a freshman. But Battie never considered special teams a focus area, instead putting all his training and

study hours into his teams’ offenses and being the best running back he could be.

That changed for Battie in 2021.

Battie said early-season talks with Bulls Special Teams Coordinator Daniel Da Prato convinced Battie that he could thrive on “teams,” as football people say, with a bit more dedication to it.

“He made me realize it was a good thing,” Battie said. “You have to be a good player to be good at it. He told me I could use it to get to the next level, and that instilled a new mindset in me. I started studying it more, and Coach (Da Prato) started scheming things up for me. He’s one of the best coaches, and I give him a lot of props for that.”

In the team’s season-opening

game against North Carolina State on Sept. 2, Battie returned two kicks a combined 49 yards, including a 33-yard scamper. That was good enough to earn Battie more opportunities. It didn’t take long for him to show the country exactly what he could do. On Oct. 16, he returned a kick against Tulsa 100 yards.

In a home game against Houston on Nov. 6 that aired nationally on ESPNU, Battie caught the opening kickoff at his own goal line and started up the right side of the field.

He spotted a lane created by his blockers and burst through it.

No one was going to catch him.

“All the fans were out for that game,” Battie said. “It was Homecoming. It was electric. That week, Coach (Jeff) Scott had been talking

about how good Houston’s returner (Marcus Jones) was and that we were going to show them that we have a good returner, too. That had to be my favorite one.”

Battie said the opening touchdown against the Cougars was his favorite moment of the season — but it wasn’t his last touchdown of the game.

Battie scored again in the second quarter, zipping his way through the Houston special teams unit like lightning for 100 yards. That one gave the Bulls a 33-28 halftime lead over the favored Cougars, though they lost 54-42. The score also gave Battie the national lead in kick return touchdowns in 2021, a mark no one would match. Battie finished the year with a 33.9 yard average on 21 returns.

Battie credited the rest of the Bulls’ special teams unit for opening holes long enough for him to fit through them in addition to Da Prato’s schemes. What Battie figured out this season, he said, is that the formula for kick return magic is a mysterious combination of preparation, natural talent and timing. The more he watches film of the opposition’s special teams unit, the easier it is for him to see weak areas when he gets the ball in his hands. But his teammates still have to land clean blocks, and Battie still has to hit the holes they make before they close. He’s not freestyling back there, but it’s still up to him to make sure the team’s plans are executed properly.

“You can watch a lot of film and not translate what you learn to the field and vice versa,” Battie said.

“Ultimately, you have to make it happen.”

The Bulls’ formula worked. Since the end of the season, Battie has been showered in awards for his special teams efforts. The biggest came on Dec. 16 when Battie became the second player in South Florida football’s history to be named a 2021 Consensus AllAmerican (i.e., Battie earned firstteam All-American honors on at least half of the NCAA-recognized All-American teams). The first Bull to reach the feat was defensive end

George Selvie in 2007. Battie was named a first-team All-American

by Walter Camp, the Football Writers Association of America, Phil Steele, Bleacher Report, Pro Football Network and the Action Network. He was also named a second-team All-American by Pro Football Focus, the Sporting News and CBS Sports/247 Sports.

“I can’t lie, I did not expect for all of this to come, especially so early in my career,” he said. “This is the stuff I dream about.”

His kick returns made most of the headlines, but Battie also found the field on offense in 2021. In a rotating running back group, Battie got 58 carries, which he turned into 324 yards (5.6 yards a carry) and a touchdown. He also caught seven passes for 67 yards. Battie said he was fairly happy with his offensive play, though he’ll be hitting the weight room this offseason to bulk up. That way he can handle a larger load and more easily break through attempted tackles.

South Florida finished 2-10 in 2021, Scott’s second season. The results were disappointing. Battie, though, was a massive bright spot.

I’m not surprised by that. As someone who was lucky enough to watch him in high school, I could tell back then Battie was a different breed.

He’s one of the shiftiest players I’ve ever seen. It’s a bit of a cliche to say that a player has a chance to score every time they touch the ball — technically, this is always true — but with Battie, it does feel like you’re always seconds away from seeing that makes your jaw drop.

These awards are telling the world something us in Sarasota always knew: Brian Battie is one of the best football players in the country.

Ryan Kohn is the sports writer for the Sarasota Observer. Contact him at RKohn@ YourObserver.com.

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SARASOTA OBSERVER

What is your best skill?

I would say my best skill is being an all-around player. I’m versatile. I can do a bit of everything and do it well.

What have you been working to improve?

I have been working on my shooting lately, outside and mid-range. I have had some problems with my shot lately, but I’m working through it.

What is your favorite memory?

When I was in seventh grade at (Carlos E.) Haile Middle, I hit a gamewinning shot for my team. I don’t remember who we were playing, but I remember the feeling. It was awesome.

Which superpower would you pick?

I would pick the ability to read minds. I want to know what people are thinking. I really want to know what he’s thinking sometimes. (Barrett pointed to Mooney Coach Rico Antonio, who laughed.)

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What is the best advice you have received?

My mom always tells me that it’s OK to not be OK (mentally), but also to shake things off. If I get knocked down, I’m going to get back up.

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Our only goal is getting to the state tournament, and I believe we have the talent to do it.

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What is the appeal of basketball to you?

It helps me take my mind off things.

It helps to get rid of any stress I have.

What is your favorite TV show?

I think “All-American” is my favorite show I have watched recently. I haven’t been watching many shows during the season, though.

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When did you start playing basketball?

I started playing in third grade. I played with a bunch of sixth grade boys, so I had to get good fast. I love it now.

What is your favorite food?

Tacos are my favorite food. I don’t put anything special on them, just cheese. I like them pretty plain.

23A

369153-1

Kali Barrett is a freshman on the Cardinal Mooney High girls basketball team. Barrett, who is 6-foot, scored 16 points Dec. 17 in the Cougars’ 7027 road win over Sarasota High.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

NEW on Siesta Key!

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Kali Barrett

If you would like to make a recommendation for the Sarasota Observer’s Athlete of the Week feature, send it to Ryan Kohn at RKohn@ YourObserver.com.

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

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YOUR NEIGHBORS

Harry Sayer

Julie DeRice has plenty of guests filling up her guest room.

Going into overdrive J HARRY SAYER | STAFF WRITER

ulie DeRice works hard during the holidays.

She doesn’t have to, mind you.

She and her husband, Andrew, have had

successful careers in real estate and now enjoy retirement on Casey Key. All the same, DeRice finds herself organizing a team of volunteers every December for an important mission: fundraising, buying presents and distributing them to dozens of children and families through the Salvation Army.

Julie DeRice organizes the Casey Key Toy Drive each year.

She and her neighbors raise tens of thousands of dollars for the drive.

They’ve reached a new high this year with $25,000 raised.

It comes from a personal place.

DeRice said she wants to provide for others the kind of happy holidays that she didn’t always experience growing up.

“This is my joy,” DeRice said. “This is my Christmas.”

DeRice grew up in Maine amid rough conditions. She said she had a dysfunctional family and was raised by her grandparents.

“When people say, ‘I was poor, but I didn’t know it’ — kids know they’re poor,” DeRice said. “They’re not responsible for the choices their parents make.”

She was showered with love and affection, but her family’s financial state became more obvious during the holidays. She remembers other children receiving brand-new bikes while her grandfather repainted a

used bike for Christmas.

She met Andrew and married early; both were around 16. They moved in together, and Andrew started working at a meat-packing company.

“We were on our own,” DeRice said. “We were two people who needed each other.”

Things steadily improved, and the pair found themselves in the real estate world developing properties.

They raised a family, continued to work hard and eventually resettled to Casey Key. Giving back is something that’s been in the DeRice family for years.

When she and her daughter, Felicia, were living in Maine, they started the tradition of “adopting” a family and providing them with presents every Christmas.

Her daughter now carries out the tradition with her own children.

When DeRice slowed down during retirement, she started thinking about the families and children who go through hardships of their own.

“I was one of these children,” DeRice said. “I think that’s part of my motivation.”

DeRice eventually joined the Casey Key Association Board and had the idea to assemble some of

the neighbors to direct their good will and resources in a more targeted direction.

“There’s so much wealth here and such wonderful people,” DeRice said.

“But there was no structure with a holiday (drive). I said, ‘Why don’t we start something?’ And that was 11 years ago.”

The Casey Key Toy Drive has been going strong in partnership with the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program ever since.

She and fellow volunteers are assigned a number of children each year where each child has a tag listing their gift wishes and also basic necessities, such as diapers and clothing. DeRice gets to work collecting funds from neighbors and well-wishers starting in October.

Any money that isn’t spent on presents and necessities is given to the Salvation Army.

Volunteers then go to Walmart, Old Navy, toy stores and other outlets to buy the gifts.

The most popular present DeRice finds that kids ask for year in and out is a bicycle, and she sometimes buys groups of bikes from Walmart.

Dozens of presents and bags of goodies are dropped off and moved into DeRice’s guest room. She organizes the presents — which involves hours of sitting at her living room table checking tags and matching them with gifts — and hands them off to the Salvation Army, and the process starts over for weeks up through mid-December.

“I’m on a first-name basis with the UPS (delivery) guy,” DeRice joked.

It was a smaller endeavor at first but has steadily grown in size and money raised.

DeRice connected with neighbors and volunteers through Facebook at first, and she now has a reliable group working to donate funds and acquire presents with her for years. That constant level of support doesn’t go unappreciated by DeRice.

She’s gotten good at it over the years.

The number of children she provides for has grown over time, reaching nearly 50 this year. Sometimes other Salvation Army volunteers are unable to give out presents like they’d hoped, and DeRice is happy to take those children off their hands.

She’s been doing it long enough that the larger numbers of presents to acquire doesn’t put her off in the slightest.

Giving back has been good for her spirits as well. What once was a small charitable act has grown into a sizable operation that has people from outside the Casey Key area checking in and making their own donations to the toy drive.

It’s that charitable spirit that makes the holidays bright for DeRice.

“I find people want to do this,” DeRice said. “It takes very little to get a ball rolling. All it takes is one person to start it, (and then) it grows and grows. People want to give. Some of them just need a little guidance.”

this holiday season we wish you ... JOY

LOVE HEALTH PEACE & TOGETHERNESS

MAY YOUR SPIRITS BE BRIGHT

bk

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

GIFTS FOR THOSE WHO SEEK BALANCE

INSIDE & OUT

File photo

BEST BET SUNDAY, DEC. 26

‘LET IT SNOW’ Dec. 26-30 at Sailor Circus Arena, 2075 Bahia Vista St. Circus Arts Conservatory students ages 8 to 18 will soar through the air and perform a number of tricks during this annual holiday production. Tickets are $20. For information, go to CircusArts.org.

FRIDAY, DEC. 24

‘LIGHTS IN BLOOM’ Early entry at 5 p.m. at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 1534 Mound St.; general admission at 6 p.m. Thousands upon thousands of lights will again decorate the downtown Selby campus for the annual show running through Jan. 2. Early tickets $35; general admission tickets $25. Call 366-5731.

SATURDAY, DEC. 25

CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK 9 a.m. at Whitaker Gateway Park, 1455 N. Tamiami Trail. The Truly Valued Inc. nonprofit will be handing out supplies, gift cards and more.

Haircuts will also be available. Free.

Contact Leslie@TrulyValued.org for information.

SUNDAY, DEC. 26

SANTA STUMBLE PUB CRAWL 9 p.m. at Siesta Key Village. The annual pub crawl will have people getting jolly in their happiest Christmas attire for this tradition at Siesta Key Oyster Bar, Daiquiri Deck and many others. Free.

ABOVE EXPECTATIONS. BEYOND SHOES. Quality footwear in a wide range of hard-to-find widths and sizes. One-on-one consultations and fittings with the experts.

All adding up to a more comfortable fit.

TUESDAY, DEC. 28

YOGA BY THE BAY WITH ERIN 5:30-6:30 p.m. at Bayfront Park, 5 Bayfront Drive. Erin Hurter leads a weekly yoga session. Free. Visit Facebook.com/YogaByTheBayWithErin.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 29

MINI BEAST HOTELS 10 a.m. at The Children’s Garden, 1670 10th Way. Children and families can learn all about creepy crawlies and other bugs that live in gardens at this morning event. Tickets start at $5. For information, go to SarasotaChildrensGarden.com.

FRIDAY, DEC. 31

NEW YEAR’S EVE PINEAPPLE DROP Ring in the new year in downtown Sarasota with live music, food, drinks and fireworks. The party starts at 1 p.m. at Five Points Park in downtown Sarasota, and the live music will be at Lemon and Main streets. The party will go late into the night, ending with fireworks over Sarasota Bay. Visit Facebook.com/ DestinationDowntownSarasota.

NOW ACCEPTING HOLIDAY PRE-ORDERS!

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Take ‘em live or we’ll steam for you!

2020

Tuna, Cod, Haddock, Salmon, Sword, Steamers, Mussels, Hard Clams, Scallops, Chowders and Crabcakes.

941.918.2529 | 8780 S. Tamiami Tr, Sarasota 34238 OPEN Christmas Eve 11-7 Christmas Day 2-5 & New Year’s Eve 11-7 Normal Store Hours: TUES-SAT 11-6 | SUN 11-4 | CLOSED MONDAY LotsaLobsterSarasota.com | Next to SkyKing Fireworks, South of Sarasota Square Mall

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

3B

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State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate and baccalaureate degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota. State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota does not discriminate on the basis of sex, pregnancy, race, religion, age, national origin/ethnicity, color, marital status, disability, genetic information or sexual orientation in any of its educational programs, services and activities, including admission and employment. Direct inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies to: Equity Officer, 941-752-5323, 5840 26th St. W., Bradenton, FL 34207.

370950-1

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

SARASOTA 66 N Washington Drive 4 Beds 3/1 Baths 4,983 Sq. Ft. Kristina Waskom 941-266-8658 A4519666 $10,900,000

BRADENTON 8415 Broadstone Court 4 Beds 4/1 Baths 5,189 Sq. Ft. Stacy Haas 941-587-4359 A4515827 $4,395,000

SARASOTA 500 S Palm Avenue 101 3 Beds 3/1 Baths 2,830 Sq. Ft. Marybeth Flynn 941-704-1477 A4517329 $3,000,000

SIESTA KEY 225 Little Pond Lane 5 Beds 4 Baths 3,200 Sq. Ft. Stacy Hanan 941-266-0529 A4517313 $2,750,000

SARASOTA 3835 Pomegranate Place 3 Beds 3/1 Baths 3,179 Sq. Ft. Kelly Quigley 941-356-9954 A4519108 $2,195,000

SIESTA KEY 1001 Point Of Rocks Road 411 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,370 Sq. Ft. Joanna Benante & Ann Martin & Amber Watson 941-356-7717 A4517478 $1,575,000

SARASOTA 1350 5th Street 303 3 Beds 3/1 Baths 1,928 Sq. Ft. Heidi Lusk 941-681-5227 A4519729 $1,575,000

SIESTA KEY 5533 Cape Aqua Drive 3 Beds 3 Baths 2,302 Sq. Ft. Brian Loebker 941-735-4393 A4517797 $1,395,000

UNIVERSITY PARK 7003 Lancaster Court 4 Beds 3/1 Baths 3,439 Sq. Ft. Robert Krasow 617-840-1181 A4515333 $1,299,000

SARASOTA 2203 Hillview Street Tim Koons-McGee 941-320-7073 A4518090 $1,250,000

VENICE 2602 Firetree Lane 4 Beds 3 Baths 3,196 Sq. Ft. Dawn Durell 941-202-8922 N6118056 $1,000,000

SARASOTA 7700 Iguana Drive 4 Beds 3 Baths 2,550 Sq. Ft. Lee Byron & Sue Keal 941-350-5542 A4512842 $930,000

BRADENTON 12503 Natureview Circle 5 Beds 4 Baths 4,053 Sq. Ft. Chris Baylis 941-735-4713 A4516676 $899,000

VENICE 4700 Forbes Trail 4 Beds 2 Baths 2,000 Sq. Ft. Peter Mann 941-914-5657 N6118561 $880,000

SIESTA KEY 19 Whispering Sands Drive 1005 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,282 Sq. Ft. Maurice Menager & Lin Dunn 941-809-2154 A4519955 $875,000

BRADENTON 348 Snapdragon Loop 3 Beds 3 Baths 2,469 Sq. Ft. Stuart Lawrence & Laura Lawrence 941-894-4001 A4519347 $850,000

SARASOTA 1835 4th Street Tim Koons-McGee 941-320-7073 A4495690 $539,000

VENICE 343 Melrose Court 111B 2 Beds 2 Baths 2,329 Sq. Ft. Sharon Ross 941-320-4190 A4516774 $473,000

BRADENTON 5155 San Palermo Drive 4 Beds 2/1 Baths 1,997 Sq. Ft. Rachelle Golden 941-538-8998 A4515613 $439,000

SARASOTA 800 Benjamin Franklin Drive 203 1 Bed 1/1 Baths 900 Sq. Ft. Ray Rausa 941-228-7614 A4515723 $439,000

VENICE 214 Southampton Drive 327 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,571 Sq. Ft. Rachelle Golden 941-538-8998 A4519904 $379,900

SARASOTA 3639 S Lockwood Ridge Road 2 Beds 1 Baths 1,186 Sq. Ft. Valarie Wadsworth 941-780-3858 A4518154 $349,777

PORT CHARLOTTE 4468 Belfountain Street 3 Beds 2 Baths 1,392 Sq. Ft. Robert Moffatt & Peggy Wellman 941-374-0811 A4520082 $294,900

VENICE 433 Cerromar Lane 331 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,002 Sq. Ft. Lee Anna Sciutto 941-218-9778 N6118774 $269,000

LAKEWOOD RANCH 8809 Manor Loop 202 1 Bed 1 Baths 752 Sq. Ft. Lee Byron & Sue Keal 941-350-5542 A4520081 $179,900

SARASOTA 1335 Second Street PH 5 Beds 5/2 Baths 5,883 Sq. Ft. Jonathan Abrams 941-232-2868 A4516602 $6,450,000

SARASOTA The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Residences, Penthouse 1701 3 Beds 3/1 Baths 4,951 Sq. Ft. Beth Afflebach & Joan Dickinson 941-737-1756 A4499645 $5,795,000

SARASOTA 1440 John Ringling Parkway 5 Beds 4/1 Baths 3,772 Sq. Ft. Barbara May & Fred Sassen 404-822-9264 A4519599 $4,995,000

888.552.5228 | MICHAELSAUNDERS.COM

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SARASOTA OBSERVER

ADAM HUGHES

A

three-home property sale in Siesta Properties tops all transactions in this week’s real estate. Docket Gold Properties LLC sold three homes at 7660, 7711, and 7712 Sanderling Road to RDB 7712 LLC for $14 million. The property at 7660 was built in 1957, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,016 square feet of living area.

The property at 7711 was built in 1952, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,616 square feet of living area. The property at 7711 was built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, three-andtwo-half baths, two pools and 6,480 square feet of living area.

SARASOTA

SOUTH HIGHLAND Gretchen Wilson, trustee, of Lebanon, Tennessee, sold the home at 1809 Ivanhoe St. to Todd and Amanda Rowley, of Sarasota, for $1.19 million. Built in 2015, it has five bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,712 square feet of living area. It sold for $765,000 in April.

Thomas and Jana Deery, of Ormond Beach, sold two properties at 1817 Ivanhoe St. to Andrzej Zorychta, of Sarasota, for $658,200. The first property was built in 1947; it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,428 square feet of living area.

The second was built in 1947; it has one bedroom, one bath and 837 square feet of living area. It sold for $253,200 in 2017.

PHILLIPPI GARDENS John David Tyson, of Sarasota, sold his home at 2159 Lusitania Drive to Faraway Property LLC for $1.1 million. Built in 1966, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,752 square feet of living area. It sold $185,000 in 1998.

Anthony and Phyllis Mollo, of Sarasota, sold their home at 2634 Britannia Road to William Filmore Baroux Evans and Peggy Ford Evans, of Sarasota, $475,000. Built in 1968, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,878 square feet of living area. It sold for $103,000 in 1998.

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

DEC. 6-10

Other top sales by area

RESEARCH EDITOR

SARASOTA: $3.11 MILLION

The Tower Residences Ronald and Anne Pizzuti, of Columbus, Ohio, sold their Unit 1101 condominium at 35 Watergate Drive to Andrew Anthony Serdula and Anne Serdula, of Sarasota, for $3.11 million. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 3,751 square feet of living area. It sold for $2.33 million in 2004.

PALMER RANCH: $1.2 MILLION

Courtesy photo

The main house at 7711 Sanderling Road was built in 1999. It has three bedrooms, three-and-two-half baths, two pools and 6,480 square feet of living area.

SARASOTA BAY CLUB Sarasota Bay Club LLC sold the Unit 1005 condominium at 1301 Tamiami Trail to Renee Crames, of Sarasota, for $1.06 million. Built in 2000, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,546 square feet of living area. It sold for $978,000 in March.

Sarasota Bay Club LLC sold the Unit 624 condominium at 1299 Tamiami Trail to Gerald Steinberg and Sally Vickers, of Sarasota, for $943,000. Built in 2003, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,524 square feet of living area. It sold for $823,000 in 2018.

RIVO AT RINGLING John and Loriann Liguori, of Freedom, New Hampshire, sold their Unit 1210 condominium at 1771 Ringling Blvd. to Quinn Vollmert and Cristina Ordonez, of Sarasota, for $925,000. Built in 2006, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,895 square feet of living area. It sold for $650,200 in 2006.

Silver Oak Jorg and Lilli Hernler, of Guetersloh, Germany, sold their home at 5308 Hunt Club Way to Richard and Colleen Devita, of Sarasota, for $1.2 million. Built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, fourand-a-half baths, a pool and 3,680 square feet of living area. It sold for $680,000 in 2009.

in 1974, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,476 square feet of living area. It sold for $100,000 in 2011.

SOUTH GATE Adam and Erin Kabinoff, of Sarasota, sold their home at 2755 Goldenrod St. to Robert Fillyaw, of Newberry, for $643,600. Built in 1957, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,567 square feet of living area. It sold for $350,100 in 2020.

Martin and Janice Knarr, of Clewiston, sold their home at 2220 River Ridge Drive to Neyah and Melissa Bennett, of Madison, Connecticut, for $536,000. Built in 1978, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,010 square feet of living area. It sold for $151,000 in 1999.

FOREST LAKES COUNTRY CLUB ESTATES Riviera 27 LLC sold the home at 2117 Riviera Drive to Julie Chambers, of Sarasota, for $730,000. Built in 1972, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,249 square feet of living area. It sold for $275,000 in 2020.

OSPREY: $2 MILLION

Oaks II Renata Steuer Pettinato, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the home at 691 Eagle Watch Lane to David Weza and David Leier, of Osprey, for $2 million.

Built in 1993, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 6,705 square feet of living area.

NOKOMIS: $625,000

Mission Estates Gerald and Tammie Camp, of Phil Campbell, Alabama, sold their home at 2413 Sonoma Drive to David and Angela Lurvey, of Springfield, Missouri, for $625,000. Built in 2002, it has four bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,303 square feet of living area. It sold for $235,500 in 2010.

ONLINE See more transactions at

YourObserver.com

In with the new SALES GALLERY OPEN

BUCCANEER BAY K&K Coastal LLC sold the home at 1829 Buccaneer Terrace to Beth Snyder and Nancy Parlor, of Sarasota, for $683,000. Built in 1979, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,449 square feet of living area.

THE 101 Robert Walker sold his Unit PH-K condominium at 101 S. Gulfstream Ave. to Vincent and Lucia Payne, of Sarasota, for $650,000. Built

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

REAL ESTATE

Home in private Siesta Key enclave sells for $14 million

|

Longboat Key

The Residences at the St. Regis | 941.213.3300 | From the $2,000,000’s | Call for appointment. SRResidencesLongboatKey.com

SALES GALLERY NOW OPEN

TOP BUILDING PERMIST These are the largest city of Sarasota and Sarasota County building permits issued for the week of Dec. 6-12, in order of dollar amounts.

Downtown St. Petersburg

CITY OF SARASOTA Address

Permit

Applicant

Amount

920 Boulevard of the Arts #10 Alterations

John Sutherland

$460,000

1911 Orchid St.

Alterations

Holly Barbour

$225,400

11 Sunset Drive #206

Alterations

Michelle Murray

$214,731

929 Alameda Way

Re-roof

Elita Krums Kane

$175,000

1919 Grove St.

Re-roof

Jack Knuese

$175,000

401 Quay Commons #401

Alterations

Ronald Grason

$99,100

3940 Bay Shore Road

Pool

Greg Anderson

$60,000

1340 Harbor Drive

Dock/Boat lift

Jack Wazen

$58,368

1338 Harbor Drive

Alterations

Eric Garfinkel

$50,000

1977 Clematis St.

Pool/Spa

Gary Kompothecras

$44,000

400 Central | 727.209.7848 | From the $1,000,000’s | Call for appointment. | Residences400central.com

MOVE IN FALL 2022

Downtown Sarasota

SARASOTA COUNTY Address

Permit Applicant Amount

403 Longbow Trail

Repairs

Ariel Acosta

$130,000

5760 Midnight Pass Road

Remodel

Christopher Silveri

$125,000

Seawall/Dock

#502 1031 Contento St.

Dale Linnes

$124,314

640 N. Mac Ewen Drive PH2 Windows/Doors

David Nichols

$112,000

6326 Midnight Pass Road

Richard Puterbaugh

$95,000

Renovations

The Collection | 941.232.2868 | From the $2,000,000’s | Call for appointment. | thecollection1335.com

Sales galleries open and available for virtual or in-person presentations.

Virtual home tours | OnDemand local experts | Interactive site and floorplans

1508 Pelican Cove Road #233 Alterations

Steven Jamison

$84,700

551 Eagle Watch Lane

Pool Renovations

Kristine Juall

$80,408

6675 Peacock Road

Re-roof

John Hodges

$74,800

Source: Sarasota County, city of Sarasota

WWW.MICHAELSAUNDERS.COM/NEW-HOMES | 844.591.4333 | SARASOTA, FLORIDA Prices as of November 2021.

Licensed Real Estate Broker

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SARASOTA OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

HOLIDAYWorship Guide Look for area services, programs and events to celebrate this joyous time of year.

5394 Midnight Pass Road, Siesta Key

December 24th Christmas Eve

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

You're invited to

1031 S. EUCLID AVE. SARASOTA (941) 953-7044 uccsarasota.com

Sinai Swingin' Shabbat Eve

TEMPLE SINAI 6:00 - 8:00 PM

Whoever you are and wherever you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here!

Masses at 4pm and 7pm December 25th Christmas Day

DEC

Year’s Eve countdown!

Black Tie Optional – Live Big Band – Champagne Oneg Reservations Preferred: templesinai-sarasota.org/event/kickbrassNYE

5:00 P.M. – Outdoors w/ Special Music 8:00 P.M. – Sanctuary w/ Special Music* 11:00 P.M. – Sanctuary w/ Communion

Temple Sinai 4631 S. Lockwood Ridge Sarasota, FL 34231 368953-1

* Also live-streamed via our website

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2021

Don’t miss this kick brass Shabbat service before your New

Christmas Eve Services

Masses at 8am and 10am

31

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ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL CATHOLIC CHURCH

SIESTA KEY CHAPEL PRESBYTERIAN (USA)

Christmas Eve Services In-Person & Live Stream

8:00 PM

Candlelight Service with Communion

Indoor and Outdoor Seating Beautiful music 941.349.1166

4615 Gleason Ave., Siesta Key, FL 368937-1

siestakeychapel.org

368959-1

5:30 PM

Family Service with Live Nativity

Christmas Eve at

Pine Shores Presbyterian Church 6116 Crestwood Avenue

(West of US 41 - North of Stickney Pt.)

~ 5:00 pm Family Service ~ for Children, Youth & Adults

~ 7:30 pm Traditional Service ~ Presenting Special Music with Chancel Choir & String Quartet

368944-1

Communion & Candlelight at both Services Nursery provided 4:45 pm – 8:45 pm www.pineshorespres.org • (941) 922-1597

Come! God’s Son Is Born for All!

EVERY SATURDAY AFTERNOON

4:30 p.m.: Worship with Holy Communion

EVERY SUNDAY MORN 9 a.m.: Contemporary Worship with Praise Band 11 a.m.: Traditional Worship with Choir CHRISTMAS EVE 7 p.m.: Family Candlelit Worship Service 11 p.m.: Candlelit Worship with Holy Communion

Concordia Lutheran Church 368934-1

ConcordiaSarasota.org

368941-1

2185 Wood Street

(Along School Avenue, North of Sarasota High School)

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SARASOTA OBSERVER

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7B

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST & CHRISTIAN SCIENCE READING ROOM

Faith Lutheran Church ELCA Christmas Eve Services

Sunday Service: 10:30am Wednesday Testimony Meeting: 4:30pm Reading Room: Tues - Thurs 12 noon - 4pm

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5:30 & 8:00 p.m.

All are Welcome

369161-1

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“Holiday Carols on Main Street” 2100 Main Street Thursday, December 23rd @ 6pm

7750 Beneva Rd, Sarasota, FL 34238 | 941.924.4664

2100 MAIN STREET | SARASOTA, FL 34237

ST. ANDREW UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

Christmas at St. Armands Key Lutheran Church

Christmas Eve: Special Music – 6:30 p.m.

Candlelight Worship – 7:00 p.m.

CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIP, 12/24 5, 7 & 9pm

LONGEST NIGHT SERVICE

Sunday Worship Service – 10:30 a.m.

IN PERSON OR LIVESTREAMING ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE

12/21 @ 6 pm • Chapel

Holy Communion, Festive Brass & Timpani at all services Prelude concert begins 20 minutes before each service Live Streamed Service at 7pm - www.saklc.com/live

SIESTA KEY BEACH SUNSET CHRISTMAS SERVICE

CHRISTMAS DAY, 12/25 9am Worship

Bring your chairs/blanket. Worship by the volleyball courts.

LESSONS & CAROLS, 12/26 10am Worship

For those who find the Christmas season a difficult time.

6908 Beneva Road, Sarasota FL 34238 941-922-7595 www.sarasotaucc.org

12/23 @ 5 pm

FAMILY & TRADITIONAL SERVICES 12/24 @ 5, 7, 9 & 11 pm • Sanctuary

A PROGRESSIVE AND INCLUSIVE CHURCH

Our 5 pm Family Service features drama, music & candle light.

St. Armands Key Lutheran Church

3224 BEE RIDGE RD., SARASOTA FL 34239 WWW.CHURCHOFTHEPALMS.ORG

369022-1 368938-1

368958-1

Our 7, 9 & 11 pm Traditional Christmas Eve Services features scripture, carols, music and a message.

40 North Adams Drive, Sarasota FL

941.388.1234 | office@saklc.com Rev. Dr. Kenneth Byth, Pastor

Michael J. Bodnyk, Minister of Music

LIVING LORD LUTHERAN CHURCH 11107 Palmbrush Trail, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 • (941) 753-9365 www.LivingLordFL.org

ADVENT SERVICES

Christmas at Church of the Redeemer Christmas Eve Friday, December 24

Christmas Day Saturday, December 25

Both in person & Livestream on Facebook

Christmas Eve Family Mass 3 p.m.

Christmas Day Mass 10 a.m.

CANDLELIGHT COMMUNION – CAROLS

Christmas Eve Mass 4:30 p.m. pre-service carols 5 p.m. mass (with incense)

Christmas Day Mass 1 p.m. (in Spanish)

Christmas Eve Mass 10 p.m. pre-service music 10:30 p.m. mass (with incense)

222 S. Palm Ave., Sarasota 941-955-4263 RedeemerSarasota.org

Friday, December 24 Contemporary 4:00PM Traditional 7:00PM

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Saint James UMC 2049 N Honore Ave Sarasota, FL 34235 941-377-6180 www.saintjamesumc.org

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES

368957-1

(If raining will be moved indoors)

Wednesday, December 1, 8 and 15, 7:00PM

Intimate Candlelight Chapel Service 8:00 pm December 24th

368956-1

Christmas Under the Stars 6:00 pm December 24th

C hristmas

EVE s erviCes Friday, December 24

Traditional Candlelight Services 4 p.m. & 7 p.m. - Sanctuary

6:15 p.m. - Preservice Music

368955-1

rking rvices

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

368931-1 370229-1

104 S. Pineapple Ave. • 941-955-0935 • www.firstsrq.com Parking Available at the Mark

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SARASOTA OBSERVER

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

It’s Christmas time in the city T

May the Holiday spirit

he holidays have been back in full swing in Sarasota for the past few weeks with holiday parades, Jewish festivals, Christmas tree lightings and much more.

The holidays are also — in our opinion — a time to pause and reflect on where we are and where we’re going. We’ve rounded up some of the fun holiday moments from the past month.

be with you and your family today and throughout the New Year.

Lakefront in Gulf Gate Area DI PEN

— HARRY SAYER

NG

Photos by Harry Sayer

Above: The Ski-A-Rees group does a tricky balancing act at the Downtown Sarasota Holiday Parade on Dec. 4.

Left: Carla Geiser and Patricia Romig at the Siesta Key Holiday Parade on Nov. 27.

3366 Mayflower Street · Turnkey, Lakefront property in Gulf Gate Area · Enjoy the peaceful lake setting while watching the wildlife from your enclosed lanai · 2 Bedrooms with large closets, 2 Bath, 1 Car garage

· Located just minutes from all desired destinations such as Gulf Gate restaurants, shopping plazas, Siesta Key and Cultural Downtown. · Easy access to Tamiami Trail & I-75.

MLS#A4519486 $359,000

cell: 941-914-5540 office: 941-349-2922 betsy@betsydemanio.com

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Voted Sarasota Magazine’s Five Star Agent “Best in Client Satisfaction” 14 Years in a Row Coldwell Banker - International President’s Premier Agent

cell: 201-233-1959 office: 941-349-2922 Jackie@JackieEberley.com

Santa Claus waves to cheers and applause at the Siesta Key Holiday Parade on Nov. 27.

Coldwell Banker Realty Owned and Operated by NRT,LLC

COMPOUNDING PHARMACY & WELLNESS CENTER

SARASOTA

$50

We create custom dosages in unique modalities based on patient needs and doctor recommendations Pain Management • Wound Care • Adrenal/Thyroid • Podiatry Dermatology • Dentistry • Pediatrics • Veterinary

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Gummies • Lollipops • Topical Creams Sublingual Drops • Pet treats • and more!

XEOMIN NEUROTOXIN + DERMAL FILLERS INJECTIONS

Specializing in Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy

FREE SHIPPING Serving Sarasota for over 40 years!

2075 Siesta Drive

M-F 9:30am - 5:30pm

www.sarasotarx.com Gerry Letendre RPh, MBA, CHt

1345 2nd St, Sarasota, FL 34236 (941)-879-9399

370298-1

941.366.0880

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364269-1

#1 Agent in the Siesta Key Office for 29 years!

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

9B

369892-1

SARASOTA OBSERVER

AFFORDABLE

ENCLOSED STORAGE

369670-1

941.925.7150

Stage Door Studios put on a Rockettes-style show at the Downtown Sarasota Holiday Parade on Dec. 4.

1683 Cattleman Rd. (near I-75) • Sarasota, FL 34232

LEGACY ADVISORS

, INC.

Investment Counsel $5,000,000 account minimum Kristina L. Saperston Willard B. Saperston 1966 Hillview Street Sarasota, FL 34239 941-359-2604 941-366-1252 FAX ksap@saperstonlegacy.com

369973-1

Above: Matthew Walsh works on his ice sculpture at the Taste of Chanukah festival on Nov. 28.

Right: Daiane and Chris Boothroyd at the downtown tree lighting event on Dec. 2.

172 Lake Street Hamburg, NY 14075 716-854-7541 716-649-9875 FAX 1-800-879-7541

Your home has never been worth more BUYER | $4.6M LP

“On a scale of 1 to 5 Judie Berger is a solid 10!

Friendly, enthusiastic, honest, passionate, patient, and always responsive.

We highly recommend Judie; she is the very best of the best!”

NEW

SOLD

SUCCESS STORIES

405 BEACH RD | $4.25M

SELLER | $4.5M LP

SOLD

-Ted Ritter and Harma Nijhof

1

No.

SIESTA KEY’S TOP SELLING REALTOR ® SINCE 2005

3 DAYS | $1.832M | ABOVE LIST

NEW

“Judie is a consummate professional.

Her expertise, her intelligence as well as her support made for a great experience and a great outcome.

Highly recommend her.”

5731 HYDRANGEA CIR | $1.3999M

PENDING

SOLD

-Walt & Marian Kristlibas

2 DAYS | 659 TROPICAL CIR | $1.4M

Who you work with matters $137,000,000 PENDING & SOLD IN 2021

23 Years Selling Sarasota’s Luxury Real Estate Ranked in the Top 1.5% in the USA | #58 in Florida out of 200,000+ Realtors

Sotheby’s International Realty® and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered service marks used with permission. Each office is independently owned and operated. Equal Housing Opportunity.

369286-1

941.928.3424 | judie.berger@premiersir.com | www.homesofsarasota.com |

10B

WEATHER

SARASOTA OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH

FORECAST THURSDAY, DEC. 23 High: 71 Low: 46 Chance of rain: 6%

FRIDAY, DEC. 24 High: 75 Low: 54 Chance of rain: 6%

SUNRISE / SUNSET

Sunrise Sunset

Thursday, Dec. 23 7:15a 5:41p Friday, Dec. 24

7:16a

5:42p

Saturday, Dec. 25

7:16a

5:42p

Sunday, Dec. 26

7:16a

5:43p

Monday, Dec. 27

7:17a

5:43p

Tuesday, Dec. 28

7:17a

5:44p

Wednesday, Dec. 29 7:18a

5:45p

MOON PHASES

SATURDAY, DEC. 25 High: 78 Low: 58 Chance of rain: 10%

SUNDAY, DEC. 26 High: 79 Low: 60 Chance of rain:7%

Chris Boothroyd captured this monarch butterfly on a patch of milkweed at North Water Tower Park in Sarasota.

Jan. 17 Full

Jan. 25 Last

Jan. 31 New

Feb. 8 First

RAINFALL Monday, Dec. 13

0

Tuesday, Dec. 14

0

Wednesday, Dec. 15

0

Thursday, Dec. 16

0

Friday, Dec. 17

0

Saturday, Dec. 18

0

Sunday, Dec. 19

0

*Rainfall totals from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport

Submit your photos at YourObserver.com/Weather. All submissions will be entered for the 2021-22 Weather and Nature photo contest. In February 2022, you will vote for your favorite photo, and the submission with the most votes will win a $500 gift card.

YEAR TO DATE: 2021 45.79 in.

2020 56.91 in.

MONTH TO DATE: 2021 0.00 in.

2020 1.42 in.

MANASOTA FLOORING INC KARASTAN, MOHAWK, AIRO, SMARTSTRAND, ALL PET 941.748.4679 | Venice

941.493.7441 | www.manasotaonline.com

celebrity cipher

THINK DIFFERENTLY by Gary Larson. Edited by Amanda Rafkin 53 Real doozy 56 Exclamation point part 57 Dec. 24, e.g.

58 2014 MLK biopic 59 Egg drop participant?

DOWN 61 “Te ___” 1 Brand of flavored water 62 Dogs might bury them 2 Like some statistical 64 Some medical profesrelationships sionals (Abbr.)

3 Musician’s booking 66 Peanut butter cup brand 4 What e-cigs don’t 67 Beginning to snow? produce 68 So far 5 Like some salsas and 69 Tasseled hat temperatures 71 Laundry heap, e.g.

6 One-named Irish singer 72 Catholic service 7 Barely make (out) 74 “That’s for sure!”

8 Kraken’s home 76 Parenthetical comments 9 Little one 77 National Pet Rock Day 10 Imitating mo.

11 Bike for a couple 78 Paving goo 12 Avant-garde quality 80 Tease 13 Greek T 81 Lose it 14 Like a stoner’s lava 82 Chicago high rollers? lamp?

83 Tylenol alternative 15 Moral code 85 Narrow passage 16 Bit of gear for catching 86 “L8r g8r!” flies?

87 “Be ___ Guest” 18 ID on an IRS form 89 Part of a batting lineup?

20 Harley-Davidson bike 91 Steal from 21 Part for an actor 92 Org. measuring air 22 Trivial quality 27 “Finding ___” (2003 93 Woolly animal that Pixar film) might spit 30 Foreign correspondent, 95 Hebrew or Arab, e.g. perhaps?

98 Hay there!

31 Scornful look 99 Rung out 33 Prepared to jump out 100 Tennis icon Arthur and yell “Surprise!”

101 Holi celebrant 34 Comedian Philips 103 Second chances 36 Slop holder 106 Have on 38 Sphere 107 Bread for a pastrami 39 Tissue layer sandwich 40 Opposed to 108 Refuse to admit 42 Actively working 110 Hosp. lines 44 Opposite of subtract 111 Totally fill 45 Corn unit 112 Like a 1-1 score 47 Enjoyed some chipsi 115 World Cup cheer mayai 117 Director Ang 48 Silently agree 118 QB’s gains 49 Trail 119 ___ Day (rhyming 50 Double-reeded woodHawaiian celebration) wind 120 Like the name Lily for 51 Like a staticky radio a florist station?

123 The point of church?

124 Impolite 125 Enthusiastic assent 126 Made revisions to

©2021 Universal Uclick

ACROSS 1 World of Warcraft, e.g.

7 Large property 13 They/___ pronouns 17 The “ants” in an “ants on a log” snack 19 ATM feature 20 Country where Twoubadou music originated 21 Like a gravelly-voiced orator?

23 ___ to (should) 24 Word after “photo” or “special” 25 Eric who played McSteamy on “Grey’s Anatomy” 26 Film credits come right after it 28 Response in a game of Battleship, maybe

29 Jumps 32 Word typically ignored when alphabetizing 35 Film critic Siskel 36 Pampering, for short 37 Comedian Cleghorne 38 Kia model now known as the K5 41 “Cats” showstopper 43 Like close-up magic?

46 Arizona desert 49 Dropped in 52 Things that go up the more you down?

54 Because of 55 “All ___!” (train conductor’s shout) 56 The root of all suffering, in Buddhism 59 Embraced 60 Item in a shed

61 Overhead 63 Franklin who’s the subject of the movie “Respect” 65 ___ Majesty 66 Like a comedian on Zoom?

70 Spinning speed meas.

73 Rests atop 75 Track competitions 76 Sarah McLachlan hit hidden in “Glad I asked” 77 Word after “hair” or “Harry” 79 Fake 82 Gallery supporters?

84 Some noblemen 85 C ___ crossword 86 Crashes together 88 Take orders in advance 90 Like furniture at a nudist camp?

94 Cellist Pablo 96 Tree that becomes a “Wicked” song when a “U” is inserted 97 Italian scooter 101 “Psst!”

102 Palm reader, e.g.

104 Sound of shear enjoyment?

105 ___ Park, Colorado 106 Nintendo console 107 Paired Cheetos and Doritos 109 Light spray 113 Ooh and ___ 114 Diplomatic representative 116 Like shoes that come in triple-E sizes?

121 “Skyfall” singer 122 Made up (for)

By Luis Campos Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

“XNONWDN TWSG NWDNWVNXK OBTSNWPN, WTI PSLXBIG LWV IXCN ZNLPN. ... SBRNXLIBTW ACKI PTAN MXTA FBIEBW.” – KLWVXL PBKWNXTK “OMWGNS MB T GMYN GX PTGFNS PXKINW YXYNWGB, NYUTSV JDXW T BNWGMYNWGTK LXJSWNE TWI NWLXE NHNSE MIKN FXJS.” – LXFW UXBONKK “BX YITHID ETI UODC IJITXKEX WIHWZI LYH LHTS YETK, ETI YHRIDC ERK YEJI VRCIPTVCX.”

– DVRPIT UHTKVR DWETSD Puzzle Three Clue: O equals U

crossword

349251-1

941.355.8437 | Bradenton

Puzzle Two Clue G equals T

Sarasota

Puzzle One Clue E equals H

CARPET

© 2021 NEA, Inc.

sudoku Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.

©2021 Andrews McMeel Syndicate

12-23-21

Made for where you live. Here!

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

RED PAGES INFORMATION & RATES: 941-955-4888

Help Wanted

redpages@yourobserver.com •yourobserver.com/redpages DEADLINES: Classifieds - Tuesday at Noon Service Directory - Friday at 3PM • PAYMENT: Cash, Check or Credit Card

SLEEP APNEA therapy product (2) boxes of 30 each, $199 (941)355-3339

SELL YOUR STUFF FOR FREE! Items Up to $200

YourObserver.com/RedPages

Announcements

AVAILABLE FOR Personal Visits, Corporate Events, Personal Video Messages, Virtual Visits and Photos with Santa 954-336-1697

Merchandise Wanted SENIOR LOOKING to purchase precious metals, diamonds, time pieces, coins, jewelry, antique and estate jewelry, and collectors plates. Personal and confidential. Please call Marc: 941-321-0707.

Pets

Autos Wanted CASH FOR YOUR CAR We come to you!

Ho Ho Buys cars.

941-270-4400.

STORAGE FACILITY Boat/ RV/ Trailer. Secure facility, low monthly rentals, Clark Rd area.

941809-3660, 941-809-3662.

SELL YOUR STUFF HERE! 941-955-4888 PLACE YOUR AD ONLINE: YourObserver.com/RedPages

TOY AND teacup poodles call or text for more info 941-374-5413

jobs

WE BUY cars. top $$ paid for your vehicles.

Call Hawley Motors: 941-923-3421.

By Owner: oceanfrontsiesta.com

15% DISCOUNT FOR 4-WEEK RUN Color background: $ 5 per week Ad border: as low as $3 per week PLACE YOUR AD: Call: 941-955-4888 Fax: 941-362-4808 Email: RedPages@YourObserver.com Online: YourObserver.com/Red Pages

FIND BUYERS & SELLERS HERE!

real estate

First 15 words .................. $ 17.50 per week Each Add’l word ....... 50¢

2005 S4 Audi Convertible, V8, silver exterior with red/black interior, mint condition, fully loaded, original owner, 34K miles asking $18,000. 941-807-7422

*This position must be performed in the office. No remote work is available.

DIRECT OCEAN-FRONT SIESTA KEY

ANN: (407) 227-6817

tivities * Hourly 24/7 Care -Affordable Rates * Licensed/ Bonded/ Insured

Phone (941) 809-1438 HHA# 299994819

Auto Transport SHIP YOUR car, truck or SUV anywhere in the United States.

Great rates, fast quotes. Call Hawley Motors: 941-923-3421.

SELL YOUR STUFF FAST!

SELL IT GARAGE SALE FAST HERE! Advertise as low as $17.50 per week!

RED PAGES AD RATES

Autos for Sale

*Caregivers/Companions *Personal Care * CNA’s/HHA’s

* Assistance with Daily Living Ac-

8th floor, spacious, best views, 30 ft lanai, beautiful furnishings, many amenities, covered parking.

YourObserver.com/RedPages

Perfect Solutions For Seniors

Homes for Sale Luxurious Lake Club 4 Bed 4 Bath Built in 2019 Lakefront Lakewood Ranch $2,500,000 Sorrento Shores Waterfront 3 Bed 2 Bath Fantastic Views, New Dock $995,000 Stroll to Siesta Key Beach 4 B e d 2 B a th Heated Pool, 2 Car Garage $799,000

MAINTENANCE ASSOCIATE needed, full or part time Church of the Redeemer, Sarasota, $15+/hour STerres@Redeemer Sarasota.org 941-955-4263 Signing bonus: option for eternal life

Longboat Key Beach House: on Canal, 2BED-2BATH, Dock.

Owner/agent $530,000.

Use the RED PAGES to clean out your garage

Buy or Sell with Brooke O’Malley as your Realtor, and CLUB REALTY will Pay your title insurance.

Call 941-726-2677.

CALL 941-955-4888

Call for coming soon listings.

POST YOUR AD WITH EASE YourObserver.com/RedPages

CALL 941-955-4888

YourObserver.com/RedPages

Cleaning BRAZILIAN CLEANING Service

by Maria. Residential. Meticulous Cleaning. Excellent References.

Free Estimates. Reliable. Lic./Ins. 941-400-3342. www.braziliancleaningbymk.com

CLEANING BY Brazilian Lady.

Meticulous, reliable, deep cleaning specialist. Residential.

Commercial. New Construction.

941-400-2866.

Landscaping/ Lawn Services Professional Gardener Design, installation, maintenance, flowers, herbs, vegetables, and exotic gardens.

Regular weekly lawn maintenance and restoration 40+ years experience.

Tomlarsen559@gmail.com farmgirlfarmboyorganics.com 941-357-7750 business or 678-755-3804 cell

Painting Adult Care Services PERSONAL CARE GIVER- Private care: Meal preparation, errands, shopping, and more.

Affordable hourly rates, available weekdays, weekends, and holidays.

Minimal shift 5 hours can also provide overnight care.

Temporary or long term care.

Over 10+ years experience.

References available. No new faces, one consistent caregiver.

COVID Negative.

Call Kati: 941-536-7706.

This week’s Crossword answers

CARLO DATTILO Painting Licensed & insured. Interior/ Exterior painting including drywall repair and retexturing.

Wallpaper installation & removal, pressure washing. Residential & commercial, condos. Honest & reliable.

Free estimates. 941-744-1020.

35+ years experience.

Tax Preparation EXPERIENCED TAX preparation, reasonable fees. Call for a quote.

800-278-7772 IRS AFSP Participants

This week’s Celebrity Cipher answers Puzzle One Solution: “Revenge only engenders violence, not clarity and true peace. ... Liberation must come from within.”

Sandra Cisneros Puzzle Two Solution: “Winter is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey and enjoy every idle hour.”

John Boswell Puzzle Three Solution: “My heroes are just everyday people who work hard, are honest and have integrity.”

Singer Jordin Sparks

This week’s Sudoku answers

©2021 Universal Uclick

©2021 NEA, Inc.

LANAI BLACK/FLORAL area rugs 5’ x 7’, $20, (4) faux leather chair cushions, $20 941-413-7808

2BR/2BA CONDO

home services

JAPANESE PAGODA.CEMENT 2 ft tall asking $145, shower chair, $25, pvc towel holder for pool, 4 ft tall $30 941-359-8460

Vacation/ Seasonal Rentals

Please email resume and WPM typing speed for immediate consideration. Please also specify your available date to start.

BUY & SELL HERE!

GOLF HOLE official wanted.

Watch golf, part-time work, make money, have fun! For more information, call Matt: 908-635-1897.

FAMILY SECURITY DRIVER 941-735-4732.

Ask for Eddie.

Many years experience with rock stars, wild teens, children, elderly, and foreign families.

Feel safe, Be safe 24/7 Licensed and Legal.

Single Male wants to buy home for sale by owner. Deposit and terms negotiable and according to the owner.

Contact Tom 678-755-3804 tomlarsen559@gmail.com

BOOKING NOW FOR 2023 AT 2022 RATES (See website for details)

Please email your resume to kboothroyd@ businessobserverfl.com

Help Wanted

You’re only cheating yourself.

ADVERTISE YOUR MERCHANDISE with the total value of all items $200 or less in this section for FREE! Limit 1 ad per month,15 words or less. Price must be included next to each item. No commercial advertising.

Ad runs 2 consecutive weeks in 1 Observer.

Call 941-955-4888 Or Email ad to: classified@yourobserver.com (Please provide your name and address) Or Online at: www.yourobserver.com Or mail to: The Observer Group 1970 Main St. - 3rd Floor Sarasota, Fl 34236

Autos Service

Real Estate Wanted

The ideal candidate will have strong computer software and hardware skills. Familiarity with Adobe InDesign and Filemaker Pro is a plus. Florida notary certification is also a plus.

*This position comes with paid vacation time off, paid holiday time off, and health benefits

peekers’ place

Items Under $200

auto

stuff

The Sarasota and Siesta Key Observer reserves the right to classify and edit copy, or to reject or cancel an advertisement at any time. Corrections after first insertion only. *All ads are subject to the approval of the Publisher. *It is the responsibility of the party placing any ad for publication in the Sarasota and Siesta Key Observer to meet all applicable legal requirements in connection with the ad such as compliance with towncodes in first obtaining an occupational license for business, permitted home occupation, or residential rental property.

Notice: All real estate advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.

THE BUSINESS OBSERVER newspaper is seeking a fastpaced, detail-oriented Proofreader / Typist for a full-time position in Sarasota, Florida. Hours are 8:30 am- 5 pm, Mon-Fri. The candidate must be able to type at least 75 WPM with great accuracy and proofread typed material and make corrections. Attention to detail is a MUST. Proofreading entails finding errors in the typed print that varies from the original document, not actually editing the documents for errors.

Adult Care Services

12B

SARASOTA OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

Aluminum

Cleaning

Concrete CRACK REPAIR

SIDEWALKS • DRIVEWAYS 9 EPLACE Don’t R Concrete d of Goo only 5% when cked! is cra

370255

941.650.9790 941.650.9790 YoderAluminum.com

YoderAluminum.com Computer

SELL YOUR CAR!

Reasonable Prices

Free Estimates

Doors

Sliding Glass Door Repair

“FIX IT - DON’T REPLACE”

Pegatronics Computer Instruction and Repair It’s Easier Than You Think!

370552

Hardware Repair Virus / Malware Cleanup Software & Printer Install New Computer Setups New Purchase Consults Seniors & Beginners

New Deluxe Rollers Will Make Your Doors Roll Better Than Ever Call Mark 928-2263 proslidingglassdoorrepair.com

Learn Computer Basics Phones/Tablet Help Apple & Microsoft Problems Solved On-Site and Off Much More! Call Today!

Furniture Repair

Patio Furniture Repairs.com

369160

Pegatronics.com

Furniture Sales & Repairs Cushions • Slings • Re-powdercoating

941-735-3362

941-504-0903

Find anything in the RED PAGES | 941-955-4888

FREE PICKUP / DELIVERY • FREE ONSITE QUOTES

Landscaping & Lawn

RED PAGES Bring Results | 941-955-4888

Handyman

Naji Aoun

GladysKhabbaz@gmail.com 805 Molly Circle, Sarasota

Ron Chapman Home Service

Window Repairs • Sliding Glass Door Repairs Sliding Glass Door Deadbolts

Interior/Exterior Painting Dryer Vent Cleaning • Gutter Cleaning

cell: 941.250.1505 • FREE Estimates

Call us today! 941.628.8579

STEVE PANEBIANCO H R S

www.ezslider.com

ome

FREE IN-HOM ESTIMATEE S

370268

CONSTRUCTION HANDYMAN • Home Repairs & Maintenance • Interior & Exterior 941.504.2745 • Garage Floor Paint 941.400.1563 • Power Wash

369996

DON’T let your PATIO DOORS be a DRAG or your WINDOWS be a PANE!!

Realtors

370257

941-929-9095

370573

369154

(Next to Beneva Flowers)

SERVING YOU IN THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME

424-333-0713 | rockstarmobilehair@gmail.com www.rockstarmobilehairsalon.com

Licensed & Insured

6968 Beneva Road

Beauty

AMANDA

918-8587

Also Laying Stone

DON’T THROW YOUR COMPUTER OUT THE WINDOW – CALL LORITECH!

5-Star Rated

Servicing the Sarasota area since 1999

Driveways • Sidewalks

New & Refurbished Computers Servicing PC & MAC on Site or In Shop Virus and Spyware Removal- Free Software We Make Windows 10 User-Friendly!

WE COME TO YOU

HoHoBuysCars.com

“No Job Too Small”

COMPUTER REPAIR SALES & SERVICE

FAST • EASY • SAFE

941.270.4400

Michael Koch Concrete, Inc.

360495

Auto Service

Call Bobby • FREE Estimates 319-693-8800 or 941-374-7670

epaiR

eRvice

• No JoB Too SmaLL • ScReeN RepaiRS • paiNTiNG/DRY WaLL • TiLe RepaiRS • & mUcH moRe!

24/7 SERVICE

(941) 809-7311

FREE

ESTIMATES!

Health

GET YOUR LIFE BACK! Do You Have Neck or Low Back Pain?

Do You Want To Avoid Surgery?

Give Us a Call - We Can Help

FREE CONSULTATION 941.358.2224 Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression provides safe, gentle & effective relief for upwards of 90% of patients that qualify for care.

Board Certified in the specialty of non-surgical spinal decompression

DR. DAVID CIFRA, DC

www.SarasotaDiscCenter.com DrCifra@SarasotaDiscCenter.com

The Only Thing You Have To Lose ... Is The Pain!!

CALL 941-955-4888 YourObserver.com/RedPages

369064

University Health Park 2415 University Parkway Bldg. 3, Suite 216 Sarasota, FL 34243

369090

369966

Owner /Insured Operator Insured

CONCRETE FUSION

370070

Dustin Yoder

Dustin Owner Yoder/ Operator

369157

“Specializing inin6” Gutters” “Specializing 6” Seamless Seamless Gutters”

BUZ CORP D/B/A

369087

370579

#1 in IR REPA c Cra k 5%

YourObserver.com

SARASOTA OBSERVER

Home Services

Movers

Wizard Moving SRQ

LEAKY ROOF?

make your moving day a pleasure.

Gulf Gate RoofinG inc.

368528 370586

941-345-5264

Veteran Owned & Operated • Third Generation Master Plumber All Major Credit Cards Accepted Generalplumbingsarasota.com

THE GRAB BAR GUY

specialty screens / screw replacement / paint Doors and more!

Trees

Manufacture and workmanship Warranties

941-923-8140

(941) 345-5264

Licensed & Insured State Lic CFC056748

Power Washing Pressure Washing

Licensed & Insured

10 Years Experience

941-232-1192

370597

Pressure Washing

369174

• Drain & Sewer Cleaning • Backflows Installation • Natural Gas Installations - Appliance Hook ups • Power Flush & Comfort Height Toilets • All Water Heaters - Tankless - Gas - Solar • All Major Plumbing Fixtures Repaired or Replaced • Garbage Disposals • New Water & Sewer Services • Dishwashers Installed • Wells & Pump Repairs

369172

Complete Plumbing Services & Repairs Residential, New Construction and Commercial Serving the area since 1993 No Job Too BIG or Too SMALL. We DO IT ALL!

Kitchen/Bath Remodeling

GLENN KROECKER

Windows

Honesty, Integrity and Pride

954-1878 (cell) 780-3346

• Roofs • Pool Cages • Decks • Driveways Deck/Paver Sealing• •Decks Gutter• Driveways Cleaning ••Roofs • Pool Cages AndSealing Much•More!

• Deck/Paver And Much More

Licensed & Insured

Serving Sarasota/Manatee Area Since 2004

SHOWER & BATH MAKEOVERS 370575

Cleaned - Regrouted - Caulked - Sealed

Call John 941.377.2940

941-544-1066

Res./Com. AFTER

BEFORE

Form Serving Longboat Key Since 2005

| scaperotta@aol.com

Italian American Owned

www.showerandbathsarasota.com

370588

Free Estimates Lawn & Landscape Maintenance

Eldridge Re-Screen Licensed

“No Job Too Small”

Insured

941-270-1561

TREASURES

found here.

Looking for something?

Your lucky discovery is closer than you think.

RED PAGES Made for where you live. Here!

Call 941-955-4888 or visit YourObserver.com/redpages

ows

140

$

INCLUDING SCREENS, TRACKS, MIRRORS & FANS

SPECIAL 00 5

$

senior citizen discount. www.sunsetwindowcleaningsrq.com

Purified water window cleaning available!!

369079

Curt’s Lawn Service

25

UP TO

STANDARD WINDOWS

Rescreening & Repairs

Lawn Care

Lic./Ins.

& Pressure C Window lean t e s ing as Sunrise Wi n w o n k Sun y l nd er

RED PAGES Bring Results | 941-955-4888

Free Estimates • Sarasota Resident Since 1974

370260

369089

• Pool Cage Restoration • Rescreening Specialists • Specialty Screens • Paint • Doors and more!

Satisfaction guarantee Satisfaction Guarantee Pool cage Restoration/ Rescreening specialists Manufacture and Workmanship Warranties

Plumbing

General Plumbing Services Inc.

369076

Screening

Serving South Sarasota Only including: Palmer Ranch – Osprey – Nokomis

www.setohealthgroup.com

370270

Melanie Gates

(941) 966-2960

Email (SSETO@MYHST.COM) Call/Text 941-993-4137

369162

941-626-3194

Licensed & Insured CCC - 058059 CBC - 1253936

• Pet Sitting • Dog Walking • Over 24 years experience • Excellent references

369078

Also, Medicare and Company Group plans

3687676-01

• Aluminum, Vinyl, & Wood Soffit & Fascia Repair & Installation • Roofing Repair & Installation • Metal Roofing & Tile Roof Repair Specialists

Pet Services

• Aetna, Cigna or United Health Care plans • Nationwide PPO networks • Wide range of deductibles • 1 year, 2 years or 3 years terms (fixed rate) • Effective any day of the year • AFFORDABLE and comprehensive

RED PAGES

Building & Roofing Contractor

THERAPY, LLC

by

370595

Kenneth Fuhlman Inc.

SHOALVIEW

Pet Care

Fully Insured

State Licensed Contractor #CCC057066

Diagnoses & Prognoses | Procedures & Treatments Acute & Chronic Illnesses | Sudden Medical Events & Surgeries Aging Health Concerns | Pre-surgical Preparation | Specialty: Cardiac

Individual and Family Health Insurance

CALL 941-955-4888

Joe Murray, Owner

Anxiety - Depression - Grief & Loss - PTSD related to:

Insurance

Showcase your products or services.

941-228-9850

Medical Support Therapy for:

Serving the Palmer Ranch Area Since 2007 Licensed & Insured

BOOST YOUR BUSINESS

All Work Guaranteed

Registered Clinical Social Worker Intern Ph: 941.922.2628 | Christi@ShoalviewTherapy.com PO Box 17276 | Sarasota, FL | 34276-0276 ShoalviewTherapy.com

Bob & Carol Guthrie 941.993.6613

724-2945

Specializing in Re-Roofing & Repairs

C H R I S T I W. D E C K E R, MSW, RN

Watching your home while you’re away

Lic. & Ins.

Licensed and insured #IMT708

Personal Services

PALMER RANCH HOMEWATCHERS®

373-9299

38 Years Experience

370589

369168

Ray - 941-313-4538

CALL PINNACLE TODAY! 941-306-1999

www.PalmerRanchHomewatchers.com PalmerRanchHomewatchers@comcast.net

Roofing

For $135 per hour you get: A truck, 2 men with equipment, experience and a great attitude to

Dave and Connie Grundy

13B

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

Call Tibor for FREE ESTIMATES | 941- 284 - 5880

370262

Pinnacle Home Watch.com Stop Worrying About Your Home While Away

|

SARASOTA OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2021

JUST LISTED

DIRECT GULF-FRONT

LONGBOAT KEY - SEAPLACE

$1,889,000

2089 Gulf of Mexico Dr., #G1-110 3 FULL BR/ 2 FULL BA | 1,492 SF Beautifully updated & turnkey furnished ground floor “walk out to the beach” corner residence that lives like a Beach House! New windows and sliders in 2021.

THANK YOU

for a Record-Breaking 2021!

RYAN ACKERMAN ryan@ackermangroup.net

BARBARA ACKERMAN barbara@ackermangroup.net

ackermansrq.com

CALL US FOR THE LATEST PROPERTIES AVAILABLE IN THESE COMMUNITIES!

BEACH RESIDENCES

EPOCH

RITZ TOWER RESIDENCES

BAYSO

TESSERA

LIDO BEACH CLUB

CALL US TODAY! (941) 387-1820 St. Armands Office: 443 John Ringling Blvd., Ste. F, Sarasota, FL 34236 Longboat Key Office: 595 Bay Isles Rd., Suite 250, Longboat Key, FL 34228

688 GOLDEN GATE POINT

BLVD SARASOTA

THE ACKERMAN GROUP THE NAME TO KNOW IN REAL ESTATE

This is not a solicitation of another broker’s listing.. Market data supplied by Market Quest June 2021.

367987-1

14B