Siesta Key Observer 2.3.22

SIESTA KEY

Observer YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

FREE • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022

VOLUME 52, NO. 30

YOUR TOWN

Sharing a vision City’s public arts master plan is taking shape. SEE PAGE 3

Courtesy photo

City officials gather for the development’s grand opening.

New space in Newtown Affordable housing can be hard to find.

It became a little easier on Feb. 1, when city officials and supporters came together to celebrate the Sarasota Housing Authority’s grand opening of an affordable housing community for seniors in Newtown.

The new Amaryllis Park Place development — at 1912 N. Orange Ave. — is designed for seniors and has 84 units.

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, Sarasota Mayor Erik Arroyo, Vice Mayor Kyle Battie, Sarasota commissioners and other supporters gathered Tuesday morning for the development’s ribbon cutting.

Speaking to the audience, Arroyo, Buchanan and other officials noted the difficulty of finding affordable housing.

Lessons of the past Daffodils and pinwheels help kids at Southside Elementary remember the Holocaust. SEE PAGE 14

Harry Sayer

Teddy Leary plants a pinwheel as part of a ceremony at Southside Elementary.

Courtesy photo

Gail Jordan and Breast Health Sarasota Director Suellen Kaeb at The Founders Golf Club “Golf for the Cure” event.

Helping with health Breast Health Sarasota provides diagnostic screenings and breast cancer prevention programs, and those medical services aren’t always cheap.

Fortunately, they’ve had assistance as of late. The Founders Golf Club Women’s Golf Association hosted its “Golf For The Cure” charity tournament to raise money for the nonprofit on Jan. 27.

Between entry fees, luncheon costs and varying levels of sponsorship, the tournament raised $23,000 for the health organization.

Founders Golf Club staff said the event’s final tally was one of the highest numbers ever raised by the tournament.

A+E Big top’s fever pitch.

INSIDE

Amped to save money Electric school buses are heading to Sarasota County with the goal of generating a new way to ride.

SEE PAGE 9

Courtesy photo

12 Jouley-model buses, manufactured by Thomas, are expected in the next four years.

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TABS

W HAT ’S HAPPENING

SARASOTA OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022

WEEK OF FEB. 3, 2022

Airline adds flight to Texas city from SRQ

“The board was rightfully concerned about ensuring sustainability for any program we start.”

Allegiant is adding a Texas destination from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, the airline announced Tuesday.

Twice-a-week flights to and from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport launch April 14, initially operating on Thursdays and Sundays.

In May, the flights shift to Wednesdays and Saturdays, according to the airline’s reservations website.

The airline in a release said fares would be as low as $49 each way.

Allegiant on Tuesday also announced a range of new flights to 11 cities, though no other new options involved Florida destinations.

SRQ in December completed its busiest travel year ever, with more than 3.1 million passengers, up 57% from the previous high in 2019.

December was the busiest month in the airport’s history, handling 347,268 passengers. The previous record was broken in July.

Chuck Henry, Sarasota County Health and Human Services director Read more on page 6

BY THE NUMBERS $175,000

Budget for roundabout art project at Fruitville Road and Tamiami Trail.

PAGE 3

$191 MILLION

Expected city share of the countywide 1-cent surtax.

PAGE 5

5

Areas of study performed by the county’s Mental Health Task Force.

Bobby Jones trails close for construction

PAGE 6

12

Number of electric school buses coming to Sarasota County in four years.

PAGE 9 Blake Fusselll

Parking in the lot coming soon to the Ringling Boulevard area will cost $1 an hour.

CALENDAR n Sarasota City Commission regular meeting — 9 a.m. Monday, Feb. 7, Commission Chambers, City Hall, 1565 First St. n Sarasota County Commission regular meeting — 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8, Commission Chambers, County Administration Building, 1660 Ringling Blvd. n Sarasota County School Board work session — 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8, Board Chambers, Landings Administration Building, 1980 Landings, Blvd.

Ringling parking lot could open in March C onstruction for a parking lot is underway at 2050 Ringling Blvd. near the Judge Lynn N. Silvertooth Judicial Center, adjacent to downtown Sarasota.

The 48-space pay-to-park lot is expected to be available for public use in late March.

The parking lot is located on city property and being built through an inter-local agreement between the city and Sarasota County.

Accessible from Adams Lane, a block south of Ringling Boule-

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vard, the lot will be managed by the city, and parking will cost $1 an hour.

Metered parking also exists in the same area.

Once lot construction is completed, payment will be accepted through an onsite pay station and the ParkMobile app. Not only will the lot make parking easier in the congested courthouse area, but an electronic vehicle charging station will also be installed, the city said.

Construction has been

handled by contractor Spectrum Underground for $405,768, according to the project’s agenda request from July 19, 2021.

In addition to the parking spaces and charging station, Spectrum Underground is also adding stormwater-quality devices, landscaping and lighting.

Construction crews and their equipment will be present on Ringling Boulevard as the parking lot is built. Drivers should be vigilant when traveling by the work area.

Nature and exercise trails at Bobby Jones Golf Club closed Tuesday to allow initial work to begin on the renovation of the golf course.

Bobby Jones is in line for a restoration of its original 18 holes, designed nearly a century ago by renowned golf course architect Donald Ross.

Under the current timeline, the 18hole regulation course could reopen in November, with a shorter, ninehole adjustable course ready for play

by January 2023. The city said the nature trails could reopen when the 18-hole course does.

City commissioners in January approved plans for the renovation, which cuts in half the number of regulation holes but also sets aside about 150 acres for a nature park on the site. They also approved the construction of the park’s basic framework.

City leaders approved a $20 million bond to finance the work and an agreement with the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast to partner on a conservation easement for the entire 261-acre property.

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SARASOTA OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022

3

EXAMPLES OF PUBLIC ART SHARING Location: Corner of Second Street and Pineapple Avenue Artist: Bruno Lucches Created: 2002

BA’AL AND YIZHAQ Location: Ringling Boulevard at Golf Street and Links Avenue Artist: Boaz Vaadia Created: 2005 (purchased and donated to city in 2018)

Photos by Eric Garwood

AN EVEN MORE CREATIVE CITY Sarasota works its way toward a master plan for public art, setting guiding principles for a lot more than roundabouts.

ERIC GARWOOD MANAGING EDITOR

A

rt isn’t hard to find in Sarasota. It’s on stages, walls, pedestals. Even in crosswalks.

A lot of it is private and belongs to someone. Think The Ringling.

But some of it was made for everyone, financed through a fee paid by developers. Or simply donated.

That makes it public art, and that’s where Mary Davis Wallace comes in.

As the city’s senior planner for public art, Wallace is spearheading the city’s first public arts master plan, a dynamic blueprint to help leaders make policy through 2030 on a whole museum’s worth of issues.

The first contributions to Sarasota public art came from John Ringling in the 1920s, and the sculptures he donated still decorate St. Armands Circle. Decades later, Sarasota began its own public art program, and it now has more than 90 pieces on display. And though the master plan will be the city’s first such document, there was an aesthetic-enrichment plan written in the early 1990s with similar goals.

“If we have a plan, if we understand as a community where we want to go, it’s only a matter of time before we start seeing great artists coming to our city, more than just what we have,” Wallace said. “I mean, we already have great artists. We’re going to have art lovers. I feel like we’re going to attract the creative class even more. We’re going to see a public art program be a real ingredient to the success of our city.’’

The most recent glimpse into public art took place last week, when the city’s Public Art Committee recommended Sunjin Lim to create the latest traffic circle centerpiece.

Wallace said the roundabout art program is one of the most-visible examples of public art. Her work in pushing forward a master plan to guide further refinements of public art is likely to engage a wider group of stakeholders than people simply behind the wheel.

After a roundtable with artists and arts administrators in January, business leaders will get a chance to speak up this month about the master plan and the general public in March on what’d they’d like to see.

“I like to see these as conversations,’’ Wallace said. “For the artists, we had a real conversation, you know, we were able to be cordial and respectful. It was actually just a real pleasure to talk to people from the community.”

The master plan is expected to take most of the year to write with a stated goal of allowing every resident, visitor or employee to “freely experience

A NEW PLACE FOR ART TO DWELL An artist’s nod to the wonders of the nearby sea will be forwarded to city commissioners as an advisory panel’s recommendation to adorn the traffic circle at Fruitville Road and Tamiami Trail.

Dwell, a colorful take on underwater coral from artist Sujin Lim, was the unanimous choice of the city’s Public Art Committee on Jan. 27 to move ahead to consideration for final approval.

City Commission members will weigh the recommendation as early as March.

Committee members moved the Canton, New York-based artist’s proposal forward with the provision the city, the artist and the Florida Department of Transportation confer to possibly to upsize the artwork laterally to more fully occupy the traffic-circle center space without exceeding a 20-foot height cap.

“It’s likable and kind of lovable,” said board member Leslie Butterfield. “It’s a very hopeful thing. It speaks to what our environment hopes to be.”

The selected piece is estimated to cost $175,000 from the city’s public art fund, which is financed not through tax revenue but rather via a 0.5% fee on developments and buildings over $1 million. Money for Dwell is coming from fees paid by the adjacent Quay multiuse complex under construction on the bayfront.

Courtesy rendering

Sunjin Lim’s winning proposal: Dwell.

quality art and creative expression as part of their daily lives.’’

“Here’s the thing: A master plan isn’t really an emotional plan,’’ Wallace said. “It’s a framework. It’s a way to guide us through the process so that we reach the goals.

“We don’t want this plan to be a static document that sits on the shelf, and we pull it out every now and then. We want to start implementing these visions.”

Though Sarasota County is not one of them, about 30 jurisdictions

(along with Tampa International Airport) have written their own public art master plans, and Wallace said most of them split into two styles.

Wallace said she hopes the plan she’s writing will bridge the difference between something very broad and something very specific.

“There’s some master plans that are written that are very general,” she said. “They talk about funding; they talk about staffing; they talk about, you know, ‘We’re going to have this many projects a year.’ But there are also master plans that dig into the neighborhoods; they identify opportunity zones and areas where certain art can take place.’’

Wallace said she is hoping to end up with a hybrid approach that’s citywide, not just focused on downtown or the bayfront.

“So we really do want to dig in and maybe even focus into these neighborhoods, into business districts, you know, things like that,” Wallace said. “We’ve got to get it written by the end of the year, but I’m hoping I’m going to have time to get into those details.”

The kinds of art recommended in the work-in-progress document includes small to major, done purposely because smaller projects can often move faster than bigger ones, creating forward progress and momentum without always waiting for a major work to be completed.

Etchings or paintings on sidewalks or walls, murals on paved surfaces and rotating exhibits inside City Hall are some of the smaller notions.

Cooperation with Sarasota County on potential artwork at Legacy Trail stops is a project that might take a little longer, and integrating art into capital improvement construction projects is another.

And then there are the roundabouts. The Gulfstream Avenue and Tamiami Trail project is moving forward, and others are in the design phase.

As members of the Public Art Committee discussed Florida Department of Transportation height limitations on the Fruitville Road submissions, members hoped for more latitude (and altitude) with a project they might be considering in the coming years.

The master plan also includes goals designed to create a sustainable source of fundraising and the creation of an “independent community organization whose sole purpose is to support public art in collaboration with the city of Sarasota.”

Wallace said Sarasota is uniquely positioned as a place known for its art and culture. The master plan is designed to support that reputation and broaden it for not only residents but also people who might visit.

“I think the people of Sarasota want this to work,” she said. “I think the citizens, the visitors ... I think people are really talking to us and saying, ‘We want this.’ We’ve been talking about our arts and culture for decades. Why not take it to the next level?”

GARDEN SCULPTURE 3 (Above) Location: Orange Avenue and First Street Artist: Doris Leeper Created: 1995

BUTTERFLY LADY Location: Corner of Palm Avenue and Cocoanut Avenue Artist: Auguste Moreau Donated: 2000

JUMPING FISH (Left) Location: Traffic Circle at Palm Avenue and Cocoanut Avenue Artist: Jeffrey Laramore Donated: 2019

NOBODY’S LISTENING Location: West side of City Hall Artist: Jack Cartlidge Created: 1967

EMBRACING OUR DIFFERENCES Location: Traffic circle at Orange Avenue and Main Street Artist: Blessing Hancock Created: 2016

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022

Housing program expands, adds funding

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Emergency rental program is taking new applications and has implemented ERA2, a second source.

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arasota County’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program had its eligibility requirements expanded and has recently implemented a second funding source, ERA2, to assist those in need of housing using $4 million received through the American Rescue Plan Act, according to a presentation prepared for county leaders.

ERAP began in May 2021 and has since disbursed $7.3 million in rental and utility assistance. The program has assisted 754 households and is currently processing more with the help of ERA2 funds.

ERAP will continue assistance through 2025 thanks to ERA2 funding. Those who are granted ERA2 funds can receive assistance for 18 months rather than the previous 15-month limit.

One major change that was added alongside ERA2 is the definition of economic impact. Originally, applicants had to show economic impact “directly or indirectly from the COVID-19 pandemic,” a Jan. 25 ERAP presentation read.

Now, applicants are required to show “economic impact during the COVID-19 pandemic,” which has broadened what is necessary to be approved for aid.

One of the goals for the program going forward is to streamline documentation, meaning requiring fewer supporting documents from applicants, according to the presentation. ERA2 has $4 million in available funds but could be allotted up to $10 million if the need for it is shown.

Applicants to both programs are required to be U.S. citizens renting property in Sarasota County who have experienced housing instabil-

File photo

ity. Applicants must earn 80% or less of the median income in the area.

Income requirements have been provided on the Sarasota County website. For example, a household of two must earn $49,400 or less annually to be eligible for assistance. The maximum income increases with the number of people in a household.

While requirements have been broadened regarding the definition of COVID-19 impact, some requirements remain firm, according to the Sarasota County website’s ERAP page. RVs and motel rooms without a proper lease agreement are not eligible to receive assistance.

Applications are submitted, reviewed and communicated with online. All resources needed to complete the application are also available online, but ERAP ambassadors also offer in-person assistance with the application.

Ambassadors are present to assist at the Fruitville Public Library through Feb. 7. After that, ERAP representatives will move to a location inside the Gulf Gate Public Library. Other locations throughout the county have ambassadors stationed to help and can be found on the county website.

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SARASOTA OBSERVER

Eric Garwood

The five-citizen Surtax IV Ad Hoc Committee recommended $10 million to extend Legacy Trail beyond downtown to University Parkway. The trail’s latest link into the Payne Park-Fruitville Road area is expected to open in March.

Sarasota panel finalizes list for surtax projects City plans on receiving about $191 million over 15 years if fourth iteration of countywide 1% tax passes.

ERIC GARWOOD MANAGING EDITOR

T

he city’s advisers on how to spend about $191 million over the next 15 years have wrapped up nine months of work with a final list of projects they recommend should receive at least some funding from a voter-approved sales tax.

The five-citizen Surtax IV Ad Hoc Committee has been at work since May 2021, first gathering input from city staff and the public, then prior-

itizing dozens of ideas, sometimes combining their components into bigger line items.

The last few weeks the panel has been assigning dollar values to those projects in preparation for a Feb. 14 meeting with city commissioners, who will have the final say on how the city’s share of the 1% countywide sales tax revenue should be spent.

Once the City Commission has its final list together, it will be forwarded to Sarasota County commissioners, who have the responsibility of considering the tax issue for the November ballot.

If approved by voters, the sales tax will be renewed for its fourth run through 2039. Tourists and nonresidents typically pay about a fifth of the sales tax total in Sarasota County, the county said.

“Since 1989, there have been sig-

nificant improvements made to all of our community, increasing the quality of life,” said Doug Jeffcoat, the city’s Public Works director and liaison with the commissionerappointed advisory panel. “If this goes away, it’s definitely going to be a burden on communities to maintain that quality of life and to enhance that quality of life.”

The 1% surtax is in addition to the normal 6% sales tax on the first $5,000 of a purchase. A quarter of the countywide revenue total is sent directly to Sarasota County Schools.

The remainder is divided among the county and its municipalities, based on population.

The city’s expected share is $191 million, which served as the funding goal for the committee. In the surtax’s last round, which elapses in 2024, the city has spent about $112

million, with roads, sidewalks and community projects taking up about $70 million.

Projects passing the committee’s muster range from things as large as improvements to city park amenities ($36 million) and road resurfacing and repair ($19 million) to money for Americans with Disabilities Act infrastructure changes and the construction of public bathrooms ($900,000).

Among the suggestions that didn’t make the cut: money for fountain restoration, investment of surtax dollars in a new bayfront performing arts center and money for a Historical Society Resource building.

A pair of Legacy Trail-connected projects attracted a share of the money.

Committee members recommended $10 million for the trail’s eventual build-out north from Fruitville Road to University Parkway. The segment of the trail leading into downtown from the south is expected to open officially in March.

Money to expand the city’s multimodal trail network ($6.7 million) includes linking the Legacy Trail to a new park at Bobby Jones Golf Club via a new spur through north Sarasota neighborhoods and across several major roadways.

Jeffcoat said the way forward on the northern Legacy Trail extension will depend largely on the ability to negotiate the purchase of the rail route that runs parallel to U.S. 301, a block or so to the east. Surtax money cannot be used to lease land, only for capital projects and purchases.

“This would fund the capital improvements to be able to create the trail, but understand, I just want to give you a heads up, this one will have a lot of conversation I’m sure at the commission table whether to fund this at what level,’’ Jeffcoat said.

In total, 54 projects were recommended either by citizens or the city staff. Of that total, about 20 were supported by both the advisory panel and city staff. Of the remainder, 11 were agreed on by both staff and the panel not to advance, and five were promoted by the panel without the support of city staff. Some ideas were also combined.

While Jeffcoat will present the staff recommendations to the City Commission on Feb. 14, panel chair Carl Shoffstall said he will appear,

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022

WHAT AND HOW MUCH? The Surtax IV Ad Hoc Committee breaks down the expenditure of about $191 million in expected revenue this way between 2024-2039: Road resurfacing/rehabilitation: $19 million Parks and recreation amenities: $36 million Sidewalk expansion/replacement: $4.75 million North Legacy Trail: $10 million Expanded multimodal trail network: $6.7 million Seawall replacement/upgrades: $4.4 million Green canopy/streetscapes/ urban forestry: $4.1 million Street light upgrades/replacement: $4.75 million Flood resiliency: $2 million Dredge/shore up Hudson Bayou: $1.3 million Traffic calming infrastructure: $2.48 millon Bobby Jones Nature Park: $5 million Streetscapes: $40 million Affordable/workforce housing: $5.4 million The Bay: $10 million Bridge replacement/rehab: $5.25 million 12th Street North Complex revitalization: $14.5 million Public restrooms: $900,000 Underground utilities: $4.35 million Smart City initiative: $5 million Police vehicle replacement: $4 million Traffic signal upgrades: $1 million ADA barrier removal: $1 million Total: $190,995,500

too.

“My personal opinion is, I would like to see all of us down there,” he said of his committee. “Even though it’s going to be directed through you, through me. But if there is a question I can say to anyone, ‘Would you care to speak about that?’ I can bring that up.”

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022

HAVE YOU MET

Mental health task force has priorities approved

BOB?

The task force presented a report to the commission that prioritizes mental health needs in the community.

BLAKE FUSSELL STAFF WRITER

T

he Sarasota County Mental Health Needs Assessment Task Force spent much of 2021 discovering unmet needs in the community and created a report of its findings. The report was presented and approved by the County Commission on Jan. 25.

The goal of the task force, assembled by Sarasota County Health and Human Services Director Chuck Henry, has been to find the priorities for creating a Mental Health Dependent Special District.

“The whole purpose of the district is to create a structure and a system for consistent funding for mental health, substance abuse and behavioral health,” Henry said. “It’s understood that mental health and substance abuse are a big part of the behavioral health system.”

The task force’s report, created through analysis, data and surveys, was separated into five areas to narrow down which sectors were found to need the most attention. The areas were categorized as crisis response, treatment and counseling, recovery support, prevention and early intervention, and structural/policy change.

Within each area were specific services that either needed improvement or were found to be strengths, as decided by surveys. The services were then prioritized according to the findings and presented publicly on Jan. 25.

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The goal of the task force, assembled by Sarasota County Health and Human Services Director Chuck Henry, has been to find the priorities for creating a Mental Health Dependent Special District.

“With the board accepting the report, the work this task force was put together for is done,” Henry said. “Now we’re looking at making changes to the governing structure as we begin to fund things.”

Broadly, the task force found that 87% of available resources should be used for the prioritized programs and services, 8% should be used for innovation, and 5% should be used for infrastructure and planning. The discussed budget is $6.5 million, according to the report. It will be up to the County Commission to decide on funding for the initiatives during its next budget process.

Although the task force consisted

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of volunteers and its work has been completed, those involved will continue to provide the board with recommendations. One of the top concerns going forward is sustainability because of the ongoing services.

“The board was rightfully concerned about ensuring sustainability for any program we start,” Henry said. “This isn’t like constructing a building, where you build it and you’re done, outside of maintenance. These aren’t programs that can be started and stopped quickly.”

Within the crisis response area, Crisis Stabilization Units and Mobile Crisis Response units were among the county’s strengths. The top priority was found to be further developing a 24-hour walk-in crisis facility as an alternative to hospital emergency departments, followed by adding community crisis and respite beds.

The portion of the report on treatment and counseling included five priorities considered by the authors as top-tier. No other segment included as many top-tier priorities.

These priorities included expanding trauma treatment, increasing psychiatric outpatient capacity, therapeutic group homes for older youth and specialty care services for highrisk youth.

“We had a great amount of data as a starting point from other quality studies, so the first thing was gathering that and making it available to the task force,” Henry said. “Then we went forward with the questions that weren’t answered from the previous studies.”

Just as mental health troubles can affect other areas of a person’s life, the task force found the same to be true with their needs through its findings for the recovery support area. The top priorities within it pertain to affordable housing for those who need mental health treatment.

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Beauty is our Business The priorities within prevention and early intervention pertained to providing a more-immediate response to youth experiencing crisis. Meanwhile, the report included a full, separate list of priorities within structural changes that elaborated on governance, funding, additional infrastructure and partnerships.

“We’re looking to come back to the board with recommendations on governance,” Henry said. “We’re looking at how to make these funds available in the longer term. Governance is a very important piece in getting these things funded.”

The task force worked from June to December 2021 to put the report together. The talks of creating a Mental Health Dependent Special District, along with the task force itself, have been in the works since 2019 but were put on pause due to the pandemic.

“We’d be one of the first in Florida countywise to establish a district,” Henry said. “This all started back in 2019, but the talks on it were put on hold because of COVID-19. It goes back quite a ways.”

The county’s 171-page report was separated into five areas to narrow down which sectors were found to need the most attention.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022

OPINION / OUR VIEW

SARASOTA / SIESTA KEY

‘Yes’ on the two referenda Sarasota County voters have shown since 2002 that they’ll support good schools with their money. Expect that again on March 8. Meanwhile, voters should go back to countywide voting for commission seats.

O

h, is it that time again?

Yep. It’s time for that every four-year ritual when Sarasota County voters go to the polls to decide whether to renew the 1-mill property tax dedicated to the county’s public schools.

And what’s this: Sarasota County voters will be voting again on whether to have single-member districts for the County Commission. Wasn’t that decided four years ago?

It was. Then why again? Politics.

So it goes.

Come March 8, Sarasota County voters will go to the polls to decide these two issues once again.

Too bad the votes will be in March and not November. Expect a low turnout, which means the groups with the most at stake — e.g., parents with school-age children and teachers, and the Democratic Party of Sarasota County (more on the latter later) — will be most motivated to vote and have a good chance of determining the outcomes.

With mail-in voting underway and early voting starting Feb. 26, here are the Observer’s recommendations: n SCHOOL DISTRICT MILLAGE

Perhaps it is apropos this vote is in March — March Madness college basketball month. Come March 8, just as has occurred every four years since 2002, the outcome most likely will be, well, a slam dunk — in favor of renewal.

Now, there always is a contingent of voters who will oppose any tax, and we get it.

We all understand there is a cost to having a democratic republic, and that it makes sense to pool taxpayer dollars for certain services — e.g., the courts, national defense, protection from criminals, (some) roads, to name a few. But we have often made the argument that a private-sector alternative to the education of our youth could be — and probably would be — better than state-controlled education.

Just look at the mess we have in state-controlled education. Especially during the past two years, it became crystal clear that teacher unions put themselves ahead of their customers and bosses (children and taxpayers). What’s more, the pandemic helped parents see what really has been going on in many of the classrooms (e.g., CRT brainwashing).

Overlay on all that how state legislators — Republicans and Democrats alike — go along with layers of regulations that interfere with teaching, that protect lousy teachers and prohibit innovation.

It’s enough to make you not want to support your local public

schools.

Of course, that would be heresy, especially in Sarasota County. Ever since the initial adoption of the 1-mill tax for schools in 2002, Sarasota County taxpayers decisively have supported — and still support — this tax.

(Reminder to readers, especially newcomers: It’s not a new tax; it’s a vote to renew it and keep it going.)

Why the support? Perhaps the best way to answer that is voters have been satisfied with the results.

Sarasota County and St. Johns County school districts are the only two districts that have achieved the Florida Department of Education’s “A” grading every year since grading began in 2004.

Renewing the voter-approved referendum will not increase taxes.

The 1 mill has been in place since 2002.

Renewing this tax, then, is Sarasota taxpayers sending two messages: 1) that they put a high value on quality education, and 2) they expect their schools to remain among the state’s best.

We are never fans of handing over private property (your hardearned income) to the state. But you can make the case over the past 20 years, vis-à-vis other districts and other states’ schools, that the return on this investment has been worthwhile.

When voters approve the extension of this property tax for another four years, the pressure will shift to the school board, school administration and teachers — to keep that record of straight “A’s” for another four years.

We recommend: Vote yes

MARCH 8 ELECTION QUESTIONS SCHOOL DISTRICT MILLAGE Shall the Sarasota County School District continue the 1-mill per year ad valorem millage beginning July 1, 2022, and ending June 30, 2026, for school operational purposes, including recruiting and retaining quality teachers; implementing and preserving educational programs; providing textbooks, technology, and other resources; and sharing funds with charter schools proportionate to student enrollment asrequired by law, with expenditure oversight by an independent citizens’ financial oversight committee?

Disadvantages of Single-Member Districts n Single-member districts must be redrawn on a regular basis to maintain populations of relatively equal size; n They are usually artificial geographic entities whose boundaries do not delineate clearly identifiable communities, and as a consequence, the entities have no particular relevance to citizens; n Because of their tendency to over-represent the majority party and under-represent other parties,

SARASOTA COUNTY CHARTER AMENDMENT TO CHANGE COUNTY COMMISSION ELECTIONS TO COUNTYWIDE VOTING Shall each member of the Board of County Commissioners be elected countywide, thereby allowing voters to vote for all five County Commissioners as each office comes up for election, rather than voters being able to elect only a single County Commissioner from the district in which the voter resides as presently exists in Article II, Section 2.1A of the Sarasota County Charter?

Amount the school tax is expected to generate in fiscal 202122 and previous years.

n Pay for teacher salaries, guidance counselors, athletic trainers, music, dance and arts programs. n Support pre-K and early learning opportunities. n Keep the added 30 minutes of instruction per school day, equal to 18 extra days a year. n Continue to enhance safety and security at schools.

n SINGLE-MEMBER VS.

COUNTYWIDE DISTRICTS If you go back to 2018, it seems Sarasota County was emphatic about its preference for the type of voting districts it wants for the Sarasota County Commission.

In the November election that year, 60% of those voting favored converting to single-member County Commission districts.

On a surface level, you can see how most voters — Democrats, Republicans or NPAs (independents)– can think single-member districts would be good.

For one, they allow voters to be able to know to whom specifically they should gripe if they’re not happy.

You know that line when people are referring to their district or region’s representative: “So-and-so is an SOB all right, but he/she is our SOB!” It’s true: Voters can have much more of personal relationship with one county commissioner than with all five of them.

Likewise, advocates for single-

member districts often argue they give minorities a better chance of being elected — assuming the district boundaries are drawn to help that outcome. In addition, there is the argument that single-member districts make it easier for more people to run for office because it’s less expensive to campaign in one district than countywide.

In 2018, the Democratic Party of Sarasota saw this issue as an opening to break the Republican Party’s dominance of the five County Commission seats. With some redrawing of districts here and there, Democratic Party candidates actually might be able to win a seat or two.

That didn’t happen, of course.

Likewise, we would bet that if you asked the average Sarasota County voter if he or she knows his/her county commissioner, much less developed a relationship that he/she did not have before, the answer most likely is “no.”

PROS, CONS ON SINGLE-MEMBER, MULTIMEMBER DISTRICTS Advantages of Single-Member Districts Supporters say single-member districts: n Provide voters with strong constituency representation because each voter has a single, easily identifiable, district representative; n Encourage constituency service by providing voters with an easily identifiable ‘ombudsman’; n Maximize accountability because a single representative can be held responsible and be re-elected or defeated in the next election; n Ensure geographic diversity.

Friedrich Hayek

“Road to Serfdom,” 1944

FACTS, DATA ON THE SCHOOL TAX

The Sarasota School District has published the following information about the use of the money from the 1-mill tax: n Pays for summer learning programs and some reading recovery teachers, allowing students to avoid the summer slide in learning. n Funding for technology support professionals in each school.

cannot produce proportional representation for political parties.

Conclusion The strengths of single-member districts rest in the close ties between representatives and constituents, the accountability of representatives to the voters and constituency service. They are also said to foster strong and stable government.

Advantages of Multimember Districts n Multimember districts can more easily reflect administrative divisions or communities of interest in the country because there is flexibility with regard to the numbers of representatives per district and, therefore, the size and geographic composition of the district; n Need not change boundaries, even if the population of a district increases or decreases, because the number of representatives can be altered; n Essential for achieving proportional representation, although not all multimember district systems

produce proportional representation for political parties; n Tend to produce more balanced representation by encouraging the nomination of a diverse roster of candidates.

Disadvantages of Multimember Districts n They dilute the relationship between representatives and voters; dilute the accountability of individual representatives.

Conclusion Their strength rests in the ability to generate more-balanced representation, both for certain groups, such as women and ethnic minorities, and for political parties.

The degree to which multimember districts are able to do this depends on the magnitude of the districts and the voting rules. Only multimember districts with large magnitudes and some form of proportional voting will consistently produce proportional election outcomes.

Source: Electoral Knowledge Network

“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.”

Try this: Do any of you know who your Sarasota County district commissioner is? Ha! We argued against single-member districts in 2018 primarily because they foster bad and corrupt government — more so than when voters have the opportunity to cast a vote for all five county commissioners.

At that time, we said: “To understand how single-member districts are a bad idea all you need to do is look at the U.S. House of Representatives — representing the special interests of their districts, not the best interests of the nation.”

What’s more, with single-member districts, commissioners who want to be re-elected just need to vote and make decisions to keep their district’s constituents happy. It doesn’t matter if the Venice-area commissioner votes for or against issues that adversely affect north Sarasota County voters.

Single-member districts also foster behind-the-scenes dealmaking and dirty politics — e.g., “I’ll vote for your bridge if you vote for my road.”

Voters disdain that kind of sleazy politics.

To be sure, neither type of districting is ideal. Each has its advantages and disadvantages (see box). But when we think of which system is better, the Longboat Key Town Commission is a microcosm of how good government can and should work.

Longboat has seven commissioners — five from districts, two at-large commissioners. All Longboat Key voters vote for all commissioners.

This system has proven beneficial over and over again. When commissioners vote on policy decisions, they vote for what’s best for all Longboat Key residents and Longboat Key. They have the big picture in mind, not just the interests of the residents in their districts. We would argue, as a result, that Longboat Key is one of the best-governed and best-managed municipalities in Florida.

The current system of voters voting on all commission candidates assures taxpayers that commissioners are motivated to make decisions that are good for the many, not just the few.

We recommend: Vote yes

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022

9

Electric buses generate hopes for cost savings State grant helps pay about 70% of the cost using money from a federal lawsuit settlement with Volkswagen.

HOW THE DEAL WORKS With money sourced from Florida’s share of a settlement with Volkswagen in an emission standards lawsuit, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s grant program works this way in Sarasota County:

ERIC GARWOOD MANAGING EDITOR

F

or the price of 12 new dieselpowered buses, Sarasota County Schools over the next four years will take delivery of a dozen electric buses with the help of a Florida Department of Environmental Protection grant.

The school district expects to operate the first three battery-run buses by the early part of the 202223 school year. Three new buses will arrive each subsequent year until the 12-bus order is completed.

As part of the requirements of the grant, the fleet’s oldest diesel buses will be scrapped as the electric ones arrive. The DEP grant will pay $236,746 for each bus, leaving the district to pay the equivalent of a new diesel bus, about $120,000.

All told, the deal is worth $4.28 million, with the district paying $1.4 million. Beyond the grant’s price reduction, school district officials are looking for potential efficiencies in fuel savings and maintenancecost reductions.

And then there’s the environment,

WILL THERE BE ANYTHING ELSE? The school district is also buying for delivery in the next year 19 standard diesel buses at $111,057 each ($2.11 million total) and two diesel buses equipped with wheelchair lifts at $120,001 each ($240,002 total).

In case you are wondering, a 2022 Porsche 911 Cabriolet sports car begins at $114,000.

n Amount the DEP grant pays for each electric bus: $236,746 n Amount Sarasota County Schools pays for each electric bus: $120,000

12 buses would have ordinarily cost the school district $4.28 million, but the district will pay $1.4 million.

Photo courtesy of Thomas Co.

The Jouley electric bus is manufactured by the Thomas Co.

said Jason Harris, the director of Sarasota County Schools’ transportation division.

“It’s part of our strategic plan to have efficient and effective operations through fiscal stewardship,’’ he said, adding that electric transit buses have been on the road successfully. “That has now moved into the school bus realm. We are are happy to take advantage of the grant and implement that sustainability here in Sarasota.’’

Sarasota is among 23 counties in Florida — including Manatee County, which announced it will be purchasing three to five electric buses upon board approval — chosen to take part in the statewide grant program. According to DEP, $116 million has been set aside for a range of electric bus applications from the state’s share of settlement money derived from a federal law-

suit involving Volkswagen. In total, Volkswagen paid nearly $3 billion into a nationwide mitigation fund after it was found that the carmaker dodged federal emissions standards on about a half-million cars sold to the public. Florida Power & Light is working with the school district to install charging stations at the district’s transportation base in Osprey.

In Florida, the 23 counties are broken into five urbanized areas around Pensacola, Jacksonville, east and west Central Florida and South Florida.

The electric buses chosen by Sarasota County Schools will be built by Thomas, a manufacturer of school buses across the decades. The Jouley model — a physics play on words based on a scientific term for a unit of energy — looks and acts like a standard diesel bus and is built on a standard bus chassis. It’s yellow, with a

Sarasota’s Best Voted One of

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folding door in front and a seating capacity of 77.

But on the road, while no specialized training will be required for drivers, the experience will be unlike a typical school bus ride.

“It’s very, very quiet,” Harris said.

In its sales materials, Thomas touts the quiet as a safety feature, helping drivers hear better what’s going on inside the cabin and out.

The model Sarasota chose can expect to drive about 125-150 miles on a charge, which makes an electric bus ideal inside city limits or in an environment of more concentrated bus stops, Harris said.

Electric vehicles incrementally recharge their batteries on the road while coasting or braking. Stretches of uninterrupted driving interfere with that function, cutting range.

Sarasota will launch its electric buses along with several other coun-

ties with plans to compare notes on performance to better understand their optimum use.

Fuel savings and maintenance savings are a given, Harris said, but the operational numbers are still a bit of a mystery until the buses are humming up and down Tamiami Trail.

“Our plan is to look at it for the first year, and then we’ll get the next three, and then we’ll get the next three,” Harris said. “We’ll collect all of that data, and we’ll be watching that and analyzing that over the years, just to come to get that number, to find out if it truly is more efficient.”

Harris said the school district’s plan to accept delivery of three electric buses a year for four years was also designed to possibly take advantage in upgrades in years to come.

“Yes, there’s the possibility that the technology is going to improve over the next couple years,’’ he said.

“So, for our electric buses, the possibility is there for them to become even more efficient. We know that technology is evolving, and what we get now, or what we get in our first order, may not be as advanced as what we receive in our last order.”

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022

WEDNESDAY. JAN. 26

NO NEED FOR THE HOSPITAL 6:00 p.m., 3000 block of Cheshire Square Suspicious person: A man heard an unknown woman knocking on his door who said, “I have the keys to the apartment.” The man did not answer the door, so the woman approached another person in the parking lot.

She told the person she needed an ambulance. An ambulance was called, and the woman was evaluated but not transported to the hospital.

MONDAY, JAN. 24

PUPPY GUARDING 1:35 p.m., 1200 block of Panama Drive Animal problem: A woman called police because a dog across the street from her home was barking at her. The woman said she felt intimidated and did not feel comfortable walking into her home. When police arrived, they approached the barking dog. In a matter of seconds, the dog became friendly and calm.

Police placed the dog in their car as the woman entered her home.

TUESDAY, JAN. 25

DROPPING THE HAMMER 7:40 p.m., 1000 block of 41st Street Noise disturbance: Police responded to a noise disturbance call and were met at the door by a male resident. He explained that the noise was coming from his female roommate, who was using a sledge hammer. Police attempted to speak with the woman, but she refused.

The male resident explained that the woman, who has caused disturbances before, was not a threat to herself or anyone else. It was not clear why the woman was using a sledge hammer.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 26

Weather doesn’t damper Circle art

J

osh Fradis’ glass art pieces sparkled in the sun during the 19th annual St. Armands Circle Art Festival, and they received a lot of looks as sun-seeking attendees searched for the warmest spots on Jan. 29. Hundreds of people flocked to the Circle for the two-day festival, which stretched from the inner park to Boulevard of the Presidents.

In the Circle’s inner park, tents blocked festivalgoers from the wind, yet despite the wintry Florida day, attendance was about what it normally is for the festival, artists said. Bundled-up art lovers strolled through slow-moving crowds looking at the art, which ranged from fiber to oil to wood to glass and more. Jennifer Ardolino said she had a lot of browsers and sales despite the weather.

“The people in this area are really good about coming out in all kinds of weather for art,” Ardolino said.

—NAT KAEMMERER

FALSE ALARM 4:40 p.m., 100 block of South School Avenue Suspicious device: A woman was driving out of a parking garage when her headlights reflected on a suspicious box placed beneath another vehicle’s driver’s-side door.

The parking garage is primarily used by county workers, so the woman was suspicious of the box. Police arrived and gathered the vehicle’s VIN number and called its owner. The box turned out to be a set of tools a friend had left for the vehicle’s owner to pick up later.

WHERE AM I? 8:49 p.m., Boulevard of the Arts and Orange Avenue Intoxicated person: A homeless man was found to be sleeping on the sidewalk. Police found that the man was impaired and did not recognize where he was. The man had trouble speaking and could not walk without assistance. Police found that he could be a danger to himself or others without medical care, so they transported him to a hospital.

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Friendly faces taking over Café L’Europe Ron and Julie Milton have agreed to sell Café L’Europe to John and Amanda Horne.

MARK BERGIN STAFF WRITER

A

nna Maria Oyster Bar President John Horne and outgoing Café L’Europe owner Ron Milton remember meeting several years ago.

Horne collects steak knives from around the world. He recalled adding to his collection at Café L’Europe’s soft opening in 2016, when Milton took over the restaurant at 431 St. Armands Circle.

“I made a joke that I was stealing a steak knife, and so we have a picture that (my wife) Amanda took of me sitting back laughing my keister off and him like, ‘Oh, my God. I’m losing a knife tonight,’” Horne said. “So Amanda and I stole the knife, and we put it in a frame with that picture.”

Horne gave Milton the picture and returned the knife in a shadowbox frame.

“The gist was, ‘Welcome to the hospitality industry. It’s not your enemies you have to worry about, it’s your friends,’” Horne said.

Milton, 70, and his wife, Julie, have agreed to sell Café L’Europe for an undisclosed amount to John and Amanda Horne.

“Our friendship started here, and it’s going to continue from here,” Ron Milton said.

The Hornes, who own four Anna Maria Oyster Bar locations, took over operations of Café L’Europe on Feb. 1.

While Ron Milton is retiring, he said it’s been difficult to balance owning the restaurant and traveling to and from Pinehurst, North Carolina, where the Miltons owned and operated the Magnolia Inn, which was built in 1896. They also opened a restaurant at the inn called Village Ristorante & Bar. The couple has since sold the inn and restaurant to Pinehurst Resort.

“I haven’t been here much the last two, two and a half years,” Milton said. “When they say Elvis is in the building when the owner is in the building, everything seems to change a little bit.”

The Miltons will live in North Carolina full time.

Ron Milton said several people approached him about taking over, but he feared they would turn the restaurant into one that offered a different kind of cuisine.

“John and Amanda have a reputation in this town that’s second to none,” Ron Milton said. “They give a lot back to this community. I know where his heart is.”

John Horne said he plans to keep the staff of 27-30 employees, which grows to 50 during snowbird sea-

“I’ve talked to Ron more than I’ve talked to my wife in the last three weeks.”

— John Horne

son. He also said he will keep the menu intact since the restaurant was opened in 1973 by Titus Letschert and Norbert Goldner.

Before the restaurant opened, the front of the building was owned by John Ringling, Ron Milton said. “(Letschert) and (Goldner) opened the restaurant, and when they split up, (Goldner) went to Palm Beach and opened another Café L’Europe, and (Letschert) continued on,” Ron Milton said.

Café L’Europe is known for dishes such as dover sole meuniere, chateaubriand, shrimp pernod, potatocrusted grouper and French onion soup served in an onion.

“It feels like Titus and the memory of Titus are still here,” John Horne said.

Horne said he’s in the process of getting the licensing changed over and keeping the same vendors.

“I’ve talked to Ron more than I’ve talked to my wife in the last three weeks,” Horne said.

Horne said he and Amanda plan to spend “a lot of time” as they take over Café L’Europe. He called it an

Mark Bergin

Ron Milton and John Horne became friends in 2016. Horne agreed to purchase Café L’Europe from Milton for an undisclosed amount.

“unbelievable opportunity” to own a restaurant in St. Armands Circle.

“We got a super, super team at the Anna Maria Oyster Bar, and some of them will help us in this venture,” John Horne said.

Many well-known Sarasota area chefs have gotten their start at Café L’Europe.

“It’s been the birthplace of a lot of

restaurateurs and a lot of chefs and a lot people that have opened their own restaurants, so we want to continue that,” John Horne said.

Café L’Europe will celebrate its 50th anniversary on Jan. 23, 2023.

“We want to keep Café L’Europe going for another 50 years,” John Horne said.

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olly Weizenberg’s parents lived through the Holocaust.

They left Poland as teenagers before anything could happen to them, but Weizenberg said they had family who didn’t survive. It was a fact that was passed to him when he was young and is something he’s made sure his own daughter, Jasmine, knows as well.

Tolly, his wife, Jessie, and Jasmine took time to pay tribute to the many children who died during the Holocaust by planting yellow pinwheels at Southside Elementary on Jan. 27.

The school partnered with The Daffodil Project, a nonprofit based in Atlanta, to place daffodils outside the school in honor of Holocaust Re-

membrance Day. The Daffodil Project aims to plant 1.5 million daffodils in honor of the 1.5 million Jewish children who died during the Holocaust. Volunteers planted 150 daffodils at Southside Elementary.

Because the flowers had already been planted at Southside, children and families put down yellow pinwheels in remembrance.

The event was put forward by Sepi Ackerman, Mary Collier, Jessica Fairweather and Hillary Yunis, who worked with the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee to organize and sponsor pinwheels for every student.

— HARRY SAYER

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— Riverview High’s Luke Spycher SEE PAGE 18

HIGH

SPORTS

“If you let them take control of your game, it can end badly. You always have to be in control of yourself.”

5 Photos by Ryan Kohn

Riverview senior Alef Pezan (19) goes up against the Venice defense for a header.

1

Former Riverview High boys basketball player A.J. Caldwell, a junior at Tennessee-Chattanooga, scored 11 points and made six rebounds Jan. 20 in the Mocs’ 72-64 road win against North Carolina-Greensboro.

RAMS FIND THEIR FOOTING Riverview scores four goals in a district tournament victory over Venice High.

RYAN KOHN SPORTS EDITOR

A 2

Cardinal Mooney High sophomore Dylan Higgins scored 21 points Feb. 1 in the Cougars’ 67-63 road boys basketball victory against Admiral Farragut High.

3

Cardinal Mooney High senior Jenna Santiago scored three goals Jan. 31 in the Cougars’ 8-0 girls soccer victory against Frostproof High. The game, part of the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 3A, District 9 tournament, was played at Lake Placid High.

4

Riverview High junior Emeile Selberg scored a goal and two assists Jan. 26 in the Rams’ 3-1 home girls soccer victory against North Port High. The game was part of the Class 7A, District 8 tournament..

5

Sarasota Christian senior Ben Papineau scored 19 points Jan. 31 in the Blazers’ 55-46 boys basketball victory on the road against Bayshore High.

IN HIS PRIME. PAGE 17

ll season, Riverview High’s boys soccer team has waited for its offense to consistently come alive.

Its defense has been good enough to carry things while the team waited. More than good enough, actually.

The Rams have allowed two goals all season, one on a penalty kick and one while playing a man down. That dominance has helped the Rams to an 11-0-4 record.

As the postseason has arrived, so too has Riverview’s offense.

The Rams scored three first-half goals and added another late Feb. 1 in a 4-0 home win against Venice High (8-7-3) in the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 7A, District 8 tournament. All four goals came from different players: senior midfielders Ryan Sims and Luke Spycher, senior defenseman Davi Stefenoni and freshman midfielder Filippo Testini. The goals were a result of aggressive play, something that pleased Rams coach Ed Stroop.

“We played our style tonight,” Stroop said. “We have focused on that the last two weeks. We had gotten away from that a little bit, but they brought it back. We possessed the ball 80% of the match and we finished when we had the opportunity.”

The four-goal performance — which could have been a wider margin with slightly better luck — came three weeks after Riverview tied Venice 0-0 on the road. Spycher said that previous performance bothered the Rams.

“Our chemistry at the beginning of the year was not great,” Spycher said. “We were lucky to have such a strong defense behind us. We have been playing more as a team lately.

The first half tonight, especially, was good. I think we wanted some revenge. But we tend to get a little out of control once things start going our way and that can bite us in the long run, so I think a bit more focus would be good. We have to keep working together.”

As senior-laden as the Rams are, it’s not only the veterans contributing. Testini, the freshman who scored against Venice, was a late-season call-up from junior varsity. Stroop said the team wanted to bring him on to give him a taste of the intensity of varsity soccer. He capitalized on his opportunity against Venice, making several strong runs to the net in the second half and eventually putting in an easy goal after putting a move on

IF YOU GO What: Riverview High boys soccer (11-0-4) vs. Gulf Coast High (15-4-2) When: 7 p.m. Thursday Where: Riverview High At stake: An FHSAA Class 7A District 8 championship Tale of the tape: Gulf Coast is ranked eighth in Class 7A and 25th in Florida by MaxPreps; Riverview is seventh and 24th, respectively Rams player to watch: senior Ryan Sims, who leads the Rams with 12 goals according to MaxPreps Sharks player to watch: junior Marcello Maffei, who leads the Sharks with 14 goals according to MaxPreps

the Venice goalkeeper. Testini celebrated the moment by covering his mouth, which had dropped in shock, then pointing to the crowd and sprinting down the field, where his teammates mobbed him with hugs.

The goal made no difference in the outcome, but it was evidence that the Rams are playing for each other.

While the Rams’ offense takes off, the defense is steady as ever. Venice put a few shots on net early in the second half, which Stroop said was the result of sloppy Rams substitutions, but only came close to scoring on a corner kick that was summarily scooped up. The Rams used three goalkeepers in the win: senior Israel Aguilar Valle, junior Josh Weisman and freshman Luca Stefenoni. All three goalkeepers have played at least 340 minutes of game time this season, according to MaxPreps; Stefenoni leads with the trio with 420 minutes.

“We have certainly had some good teams,” Stroop said. “The first year I was here, we won 20 games and the district tournament. That was a solid team. But it didn’t have a defense like this. Giving up two goals all season?

That’s crazy. That’s pretty unheard of. Some of it is luck, of course, in a few instances, but it’s mostly not.

It’s our back line and our number six (defensive midfielder) Alex Escobar.

They are just so solid.”

Stroop said the Rams, the No. 1 seed in the district tournament, will host Gulf Coast High (15-4-2) for the district championship at 7 p.m.

Thursday. The Rams will advance to the FHSAA Class 7A regional tournament no matter the result, but the Rams don’t plan on losing a game now. The Sharks are a tough opponent, though. The Sharks are ranked eighth in the class and 25th in Florida

by MaxPreps; the Rams are ranked seventh and 24th, respectively. And

while the Rams have a dominant defense, the Sharks have a strong one, too, giving up a goal a game.

Stroop said the team has not felt any additional pressure from being the top seed. When you already expect to win every game against everyone’s best shot, there’s not much pressure that can be added.

“I think we can go all the way if we keep our composure,” Stroop said.

“We have to play our style: possession and quick tempo. We do that and we’ll go as far as they (the players) believe they can go. For now, it’s one game at a time.”

Top: Riverview senior Dominic DeGuia controls the ball against Venice High.

Above: Riverview junior Gustavo Trope Mayer boots the ball downfield against Venice High.

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PROSE AND KOHN

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022

17

RYAN KOHN

Primetime A Riverview football player picked up a handful of bigschool offers in January.

W

Ryan Kohn

Riverview’s Charles Lester III is now a national-level recruit.

e have just about arrived at the meatiest part of the high school winter sports schedule.

Boys and girls soccer teams are completing district tournaments and preparing for regionals. Girls basketball teams are beginning district tournaments with boys teams following next week. Wrestling programs will begin district tournaments in two weeks. And, though it has a tendency to get ignored, girls weightlifting will hold its state championships in Port St. Joe starting Feb. 10. Our area has some contenders, so I’ll expand on that in a second.

But before I get to the district playoffs, I need to talk about something that involves none of what you just read. n Riverview football sophomore defensive back Charles Lester III has been picking up steam on the recruiting trail for a while. If you are a consistent reader of this column, you know this. Things went to a different level in the last two weeks, however, when Lester picked up offers from a group of top-tier schools. First was Michigan on Jan. 21. Then Ohio State four days later. Alabama’s offer came in the next day (as did offers from other competitive schools such as Central Florida and South Carolina). On Monday, Lester got an offer from national champion Georgia.

24/7Sports has Lester ranked as a four-star, 90-rated player, ranked 30th in the country for the 2024 class and the No. 4 cornerback.

Rivals has not released its 2024 rankings but Lester is a four-star player there, too.

I have no idea where he will end up, but ultimately, it doesn’t matter.

Whichever school lands Lester will be better for it. If you haven’t had a chance to watch the 6-foot-2 cover machine, let’s change that this fall. n Girls weightlifting state meet is on the horizon. Riverview sophomore Allysen Byerly has qualified in the 183-pound snatch division in Class 3A. So have Cardinal Mooney seniors Sophia Simons (139-pound) and McKayla Cantrell (183-pound) in the snatch division of Class 1A. No matter how the state event goes for these three, it’s an awesome accomplishment to actually attempt the sport and to make it this far. Good luck to the trio, and may they push themselves past their preconceived limits of themselves. Do that, and they leave winners. n Another shout-out needs to go to the Sarasota Christian boys basketball team, which has won 13 games in a row after losing seven of its first ten games. The Blazers are 16-7 and head into next week’s district tournament in good shape. They do have three regular season games remaining, but even if the winning streak ends, it is clear that the team has figured out what it needs to do to play its best. The Blazers have three players averaging 13 points or more per game: seniors Brian Hershberger (13.5), Adam Bassil (14.7) and Drew Yoder (14.7). Hershberger is actually averaging a doubledouble thanks to his 10.1 rebounds a game. n The Sarasota High girls soccer team’s season came to a disappointing end with a 5-0 loss to Gulf Coast High last week in the Sailors’ district tournament, but the loss should not discount the strides the program made the season. The Sailors finished 11-3-3. According to MaxPreps, it is the program’s first season with double-digit wins since

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… well, since MaxPreps started keeping track of the program’s record in 2006, at least. Sarasota coach Cole Richardson has done a great job of battling through losing seasons to implement her style of play on the team and it appears to be paying off. Look out for the Sailors in 2022-2023. n The Riverview High girls basketball team completed a perfect regular season, 18-0, with a 51-42 road win over Fort Myers High on Jan. 27. The Rams begin their district tournament journey 7 p.m.

Wednesday night against North Port High (13-12). I do not know how the Rams’ postseason journey will end, but man, their regular season was impressive. Sometimes I think MaxPreps’ rankings can be a bit wonky, I’ll admit, but the Rams absolutely deserve their No. 4 in Class 8A, if not a bit higher. There are some great teams out there, but the Rams have already beaten some great ones. I can’t outright predict a state tournament run, but I will not be surprised one bit to see Riverview go that far. Talent and depth is a nasty combination. n I’ll keep this last one quick, but I have to give some space to Brion Whitley, the Riverview boys basketball grad who continues to have a fantastic season at Southern University. Whitley, a junior, had 18 points and four rebounds to pace the Jaguars in their 75-64 win against Jackson State on Jan. 31. It’s so great seeing Whitley thrive. This my personal opinion, but I always thought Murray State underutilized Whitley while he was there. No, he probably wouldn’t have been the next Ja Morant, but he could have been a solid contributor. His play for the Jaguars has only vindicated that. I’m happy that he found the right place for himself.

Ryan Kohn is the sports editor for the Sarasota Observer.

Contact him at RKohn@ YourObserver.com.

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Luke Spycher is a senior midfielder on the Riverview High boys soccer team. Spycher scored a goal Feb. 1 in the Rams’ 4-0 home win against Venice High. The game was part of the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 7A, District 8 tournament. The Rams will host Gulf Coast High in the district championship game at 7 p.m. Thursday.

What is your favorite memory?

Last year, my junior year, we were playing Newsome High. One of the seniors I looked up to, Lucas (Goncalves) — he was a pillar of our team in the midfield — sent a nice pass over to me, and I chipped it over the keeper. It was just a smooth, clean goal. That’s one of my favorite memories for sure.

When did you start playing soccer?

I started playing club soccer when I was 7 years old. That’s when it became serious. But I had been playing the game for fun since I was much younger. Ever since I can remember.

It’s a cultural thing. I was born in Switzerland, and everyone plays soccer there. We call it football. I moved to Canada when I was 7 and then moved here when I was 14.

What is your favorite food?

I really like sushi.

What is your favorite TV show?

I enjoy anime a lot. I think my favorite is “Naruto.”

What is the best advice you have received?

My coaches once told me I need to be like a goldfish. I took it as an insult at first until they explained that goldfish don’t have long memories.

I needed to stop thinking so much and just play the game. Playing on instinct helps me a lot.

What is the appeal to you?

I think it is the emotions of it. There is just something about being part of a team and playing together that is nice. It’s almost tough to explain in words.

What is your best skill?

I think my best skill is probably my vision. I like to look around and find players tactically. I’m not too bad. I try to make things work even when they normally would not.

What have you been working to improve?

Definitely my emotions. Like I said before, (soccer) is a sport with many emotions. If you let them take control of your game, it can end badly. You always have to be in control of yourself.

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YOUR NEIGHBORS FREE TO

DANCE A Sarasota woman remembers what dance meant to her and now takes steps to help others.

HARRY SAYER STAFF WRITER

D

Photos by Harry Sayer

“(The class) is close to my heart because I started dancing when I was a little girl. Everyone should have this opportunity.”

Above: Sarah Glass leads the children in dance each week.

Left: (From top) Zuri Colaile-Romero, Deanna Williams and Eyva Theodore.

Bottom: Peyton Jennings, instructor Sara Glass and Amayah Theodore

— Sarah Glass

help in the community; it gave us a sense of purpose.”

She started caring for her granddaughters six years ago. Amayah, 6, has congenital heart defects and is asthmatic, and Williams says she’s had to take her to the hospital to help with her breathing difficulties.

Between those trips and her husband’s hospital visits, it wasn’t possible to pay for dance classes.

“Things that weren’t essential were things I had to let go,” Williams said.

There were other parents of children with disabilities she knew who had trouble paying for dance classes as well. It was during those trips that Williams started having the idea to host free classes for children.

“I wanted to join in with the dancing,” Williams said.

It’s one thing to have an idea, though, and another to execute it.

Williams spent weeks contacting summer camps, day schools and other organizations, to no avail.

Eventually she connected with Goodwill Manasota and was able to access the Honore location’s community room.

It was tough at first. The dance program’s first instructor had to cancel shortly before the first class, so Williams had to teach the handful of students from a chair.

“I didn’t want to lose this oppor-

tunity,” Williams said. “I didn’t want this door to close.”

Providence came through Sarah Glass, a dance instructor and competitor in ballroom and Latin dance.

Glass typically teaches private lessons and competes at a state level but has had more time on her hands since the start of the pandemic.

A mutual friend introduced Glass to Williams, and the dance teacher decided to volunteer each week.

She’s been leading the class since late October. “(The class) is close to my heart

because I started dancing when I was a little girl,” Glass said. “Everyone should have this opportunity.”

It’s been a hard time for Williams, whose husband recently died after years of fighting. A continued solace, though, has been taking her granddaughters to the class each week.

Williams sits to the side and watches Amayah and Evya let go of everything and dance with their friends. It brings tears to her eyes.

“I just want them to be children and dance,” Williams said.

‘‘

eanna Williams has always loved dancing.

It helped her growing up in Bradenton after a neurological episode affected her speech and mobility. She says dancing helped her grow as a person and learn to never accept her physical challenges.

“I danced as long as I could until I couldn’t,” she said. “The discipline is good; it teaches you to have fluidity, and it builds fellowship.”

That feeling never left her, even as life has brought its own struggles.

A series of strokes 10 years ago further affected her mobility and brought about an early retirement.

She also has heart issues and takes care of two grandaughters, Amayah and Evya Theodore, one of whom has a similar heart defect. She enrolled her granddaughters in dance classes, but once her husband, Daniel — who suffered a series of strokes of his own — was admitted to the hospital, she could no longer afford them.

Williams knows what it is to lose things, but she used that feeling to find a way to give back to others.

The Sarasota resident recently organized a free dance class program for children with disabilities to provide the camaraderie and activity that helped her when she was young.

The weekly classes have attracted a handful of children learning from longtime dance instructor Sarah Glass at a Goodwill donation center on Honore Aveue.

Glass leads the children in choreographed routines, tumbling and fun games to round out each lesson.

“I want to give our community the opportunity to have dance where you don’t have to worry about the money,” Williams said. “Just show up and dance.”

Williams met Daniel at a grocery store in 1993 and the two married a year later. They both went through health troubles around the same time, and Williams said it was their bond that helped them get through them.

“I was strong when he was weak, and he was strong when I was weak,” Williams said. “We always tried to

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022

Emily Hale, 5, of Sarasota, had her own style of running during the Big Bill Foundation Kids Dash at Nathan Benderson Park.

Photos by Jay Heater

Wes, Will and Parks Robinson stand by one of five mile markers dedicated Jan. 29 to their late dad, Bill Robinson, on the Bill Robinson Lakeside Loop at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota.

REMEMBERING ‘BIG BILL’ Big Bill Foundation 5K raises money at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota for childhood cancer survivors.

JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR

During the dedication of the Bill Robinson Lakeside Loop at Nathan Benderson Park on Jan. 29, District 71 Rep. Will Robinson looked over at a mile marker post that bears his dad’s name.

Five such markers have been placed around the 3.4-mile trail that circles the lake at Nathan Benderson Park.

“I hope when you come across those markers, you think of those who have been impacted by cancer,” Will Robinson told the crowd at the ceremony. “It could be your family members or yourself.”

Bill Robinson, who was an original board member of Suncoast Aquatic Nature Center Associates, the nonprofit that operates Nathan Benderson Park for Sarasota County, died of leukemia in January 2020.

His son, Parks Robinson, led his family’s effort to form the Big Bill Foundation, which has a mission of

providing scholarships to survivors of childhood cancer.

“When he was going through chemo, I couldn’t imagine a kid doing it,” Parks Robinson said.

The dedication ceremony was followed by the second annual Big Bill Foundation 5K, which raises money to provide those scholarships. About 300 runners signed up for the event, which was run in temperatures that hovered just below 50.

Parks Robinson said Sarasota 18-year-old Tyson Odom, who had leukemia, received a $5,000 scholarship from the Big Bill Foundation.

Parks Robinson said the goal is to provide six scholarships a year.

Todd Buckingham of Grand Rapids, Michigan, who was on a brief vacation to the region, was the overall race winner at 15:25. It was his 33rd birthday.

He said he loves the course.

Parks Robinson and his dad, who started being called “Big Bill” by his grandchildren, started the Fit2Run chain in 2006.

“My dad was big on family,” Robinson said. “He loved people and the outdoors.”

Will Robinson said his dad was “his hero.”

“He always was very outgoing, and he respected everyone,” Will Robinson said. “He loved this park, and he thought of it as a very important community asset. It’s something we can all be proud of.”

SANCA CEO and President Stephen Rodriguez estimated that “thousands” of people will use Bill Robinson Lakeside Loop every week.

“Bill was intelligent and passionate,” Rodriguez said of Bill Robinson, the SANCA board chair from 2014 to 2018. “He had a love of health and wellness, and sports. He definitely had an impact on this park.”

Sarasota County Commissioner Rod Cutsinger said Bill Robinson will be remembered for “the countless hours he spent trying to make Nathan Benderson Park what it is.”

Todd Buckingham, the overall race winner from Grand Rapids, Michigan, was vacationing in the area when he saw that the race was being offered.

“It was so cool to be part of the ceremony and the tribute,” said Buckingham, who won the race on his 33rd birthday. “This is the first time I have raced here, but this is a beautiful course, and I love the local atmosphere.”

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022

21

Big Cat Habitat had plenty of goats.

Photos by Harry Sayer

Danica Wolcott, Sloan Rosenberg and Sage Rosenberg pet the goats.

Lions and tigers and more, oh boy

Above: Luna, Savannah and Violet Holds Left: Embracing Our Difference’s Ben JewellPlocher reads stories to Kyle and Tyler Jalwan

T

he Junior League of Sarasota took a walk on the wild side with its Jungle Jamboree event at Big Cat Habitat on Jan. 29.

Dozens of families bundled up for the fifth-annual fundraiser to enjoy the outdoor activities. The Jungle Jamboree benefits the nonprofit’s community programs for young women.

Children played with the petting zoo’s goats, enjoyed getting their faces painted and even got to safely feed the habitat’s bears through a fence.

Staff from the Embracing Our Differences nonprofit read stories to kids in a warmer indoor space while other families took photos with lemurs and wallabies.

Lynn Bates and event chairwoman Jamie Jalwan Isabel, Isabella and Joseph Iglesias pick out their treats.

— HARRY SAYER

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022

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TRIBUTES James Soda 1948-2022 James “Jim” Soda, 73, of Lakewood Ranch, FL, passed away peacefully with his family by his side after a long battle with cancer.

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Jim was born on September 26, 1948, the only child of James and Sally (Nyre) Soda. Jim spent his youth in Niles, Ohio and graduated from the University of Dayton in 1970.

After college, Jim lived in Canfield, Ohio where he started and built a successful trucking company. Jim eventually sold Dart Trucking and moved to Florida in 2001, where he reinvented himself as a realtor with his wife, Donna (Rossi) Soda.

They formed a potent team that were consistently in the top 1% of agents nationwide.

Jim was loved by many and was commonly referred to as the “Mayor of Lakewood Ranch.” He always had a winning smile and never took a bad picture. On top of being a successful businessman, Jim was an avid golfer with a sweet swing. Even with losing some distance over the years, his scores rarely changed, and he continued to find himself on the course until the very end.

In addition to golf, Jim enjoyed many activities over the years, including skiing, snowmobiling, shooting skeet, hunting, boating, and fishing. Jim was also a big sports fan, regularly cheering for hometown teams and creating lasting friendships

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in the process. Regardless of his location, he always held a special place in his heart for the San Francisco 49ers.

While Jim excelled in business and outdoor activities, he spent and enjoyed many of his years with his children and his grandchildren, visiting them in Ohio and Florida, and attending their games and first events whenever he could. He was proud of his children’s accomplishments and was always willing to offer guidance as their own careers blossomed.

Jim leaves behind his wife Donna of nearly 29 years. Jim and Donna lived a life of true partnership in both marriage and business. They formed a dynamic team which achieved historic success while sharing a life of mutual love. Donna was always at Jim’s side, especially during his long illness when she lovingly tended to his every need and provided him con-

stant care and comfort.

Also surviving Jim are his son James (Nikki) Soda of Jupiter, his daughter Pamela (Christopher) Soda Gray of Ohio, two grandchildren Harper and Elliot, his Aunt JoAnn (Nyre) and Uncle Richard Dunnigan, along with many cousins and friends.

All will miss him deeply.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents.

Friends are welcome to Jim’s memorial service on Friday, February 4, 10:00 AM, at Our Lady of the Angels, 12905 State Road 70 East, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202. He will rest at Calvary Cemetery in Youngstown, OH. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to V Foundation in his memory.

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You’re invited to MYAKKA CITY RIVER RENDEZVOUS Runs through Feb. 6 at Crowley Museum and Nature Center, 16405 Myakka Road. Traders, settlers and other 1800s figures will make their way to the Crowley Museum for a throwback showcase featuring archery, yarn spinning, smithing and more. $5. For information, call 322-1000.

SATURDAY, FEB. 5

11TH ANNUAL SUPERHERO 5K & 1 MILE FUN RUN 8:30 a.m. at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle.

The annual Superhero race returns with participants dressing as their favorite costumed characters. $35.

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27TH SARASOTA HIGHLAND GAMES 9 a.m. at Sarasota County Fair-

BACK TO LOVE ACOUSTIC RECORD RELEASE

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BRADENTON 1523 1st Avenue W 4 Beds 3 Baths 3,500 Sq. Ft. Fran DeDona & Pam Goodwin 941-812-5023 A4505327 $999,750

SARASOTA 1350 Main Street 1201 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,364 Sq. Ft. Lenore Treiman 941-356-9642 A4522873 $925,000

SARASOTA 7700 Iguana Drive 4 Beds 3 Baths 2,550 Sq. Ft. Lee Byron & Sue Keal 941-350-5542 A4512842 $899,998

PALMETTO 610 16th Avenue E 2 Beds 2/1 Baths 1,957 Sq. Ft. Rachelle Golden 941-538-8998 A4514336 $899,000

VENICE 23762 Waverly Circle 3 Beds 3/1 Baths 2,378 Sq. Ft. Kathy Kessel 617-538-3510 N6119272 $839,000

OSPREY 218 Willow Bend Way 4 Beds 3 Baths 2,509 Sq. Ft. Lorraine Neal 941-350-0997 A4522655 $825,000

SIESTA KEY 5858 Midnight Pass Road 16 & 18 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,062 Sq. Ft. Veronika Bajtala 941-504-0307 A4520457 $775,000

NOKOMIS/NORTH VENICE 805 Garland Avenue 2 Beds 1/1 Baths 1,150 Sq. Ft. Helen Moore 941-724-2030 N6118826 $728,000

SARASOTA 7208 Spur Court 3 Beds 3 Baths 3,287 Sq. Ft. Judy Nimz 941-374-0196 A4522853 $689,000

SIESTA KEY 8767 Midnight Pass Road 504F 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,370 Sq. Ft. Marlene & George Marshall 941-539-8850 A4522577 $675,000

SARASOTA 301 S Gulfstream Avenue 104 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,106 Sq. Ft. Marybeth Flynn 941-704-1477 A4521830 $648,000

NOKOMIS/NORTH VENICE 134 Palm Avenue E 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,760 Sq. Ft. Robin Sullivan 941-467-4210 N6118703 $599,900

ENGLEWOOD 19 Oakwood Drive N 19 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,628 Sq. Ft. Tammy Kitt 941-284-7274 N6118266 $430,000

BRADENTON 3413 Avenida Madera A 3 Beds 2 Baths 1,773 Sq. Ft. Drew Russell 941-993-3739 A4522510 $385,000

SARASOTA 3150 Lake Park Lane 27 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,607 Sq. Ft. Marcia Salkin, PA 941-376-6121 A4522692 $365,000

SARASOTA 3913 Roberts Point Road 4 Beds 4/1 Baths 2,793 Sq. Ft. Denise Mei & Nicole Mei 941-685-3198 A4522985 $2,699,000

LONGBOAT KEY 545 Sanctuary Drive A303 3 Beds 2/1 Baths 2,375 Sq. Ft. Kathy Callahan 941-900-8088 A4522671 $2,175,000

SIESTA KEY 6326 Midnight Pass Road 508 3 Beds 3 Baths 2,318 Sq. Ft. Karen Chandler 941-544-4919 A4523199 $2,159,000

888.552.5228 | MICHAELSAUNDERS.COM

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24

YourObserver.com

SARASOTA OBSERVER

Pair of homes sell for $3 million each

Other top sales by area

T

AQUALANE ESTATES Robert Broida, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the home at 1636 Shelburne Lane to Jill Reisinger, of N. Canton, Ohio, for $2 million. Built in 1958, it has three bedrooms, two-anda-half baths, a pool and 2,752 square feet of living area. It sold for $660,000 in 2013.

MATHENY Robert Meade Jr. and Pamela Gore Meade, of Sarasota, sold two properties at 1739 Floyd St. to Michael and Kacie Miklavic, of Siesta Key, for $1,975,000. The first property was built in 1926, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,183 square feet of living area. The second property was built in 1965, it has one bedroom, one bath and 378 square feet of living area. They sold for $460,000 in 2013.

MARINA TOWER Jacqueline Morton, of Sarasota, sold the Unit 602 condominium at 1233 N. Gulfstream Ave. to John Sherwood Gee Jr. and Susan Langley Gee, of Sarasota, for $1,675,000.

Built in 2001, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,780 square feet of living area. It sold for $850,000 in 2005.

REAL ESTATE

JAN. 17-21

RESEARCH EDITOR

SARASOTA

25

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

ADAM HUGHES

wo homes top the transactions in this week’s real estate. The first home is in Baywood Colony Westport.

Samuel George Shields III, of Weston, sold his home at 5800 Tidewood Ave. to Randy Scianna and Kim-Anh Nguyen, trustees, of Sarasota, for $3 million. Built in 2000, it has four bedrooms, three-and-two-half baths, a pool and 5,167 square feet of living area.

The second home is in the Oaks. Randall and Lori Benderson, of University Park, sold their home at 144 Osprey Point Drive to Robin Jean WellmanFisher, trustee, of Osprey, for $3 million. Built in 2002, it has four bedrooms, four-and-two-half baths, a pool and 5,158 square feet of living area. It sold for $2,744,000 in 2006.

|

SIESTA KEY: $2.67 MILLION

Harmony Wayne and Shelley Ives, of Siesta Key, sold their home at 4920 Primrose Path to Richard and Jennifer Anne Del Giudice, of Western Springs, Illinois, for $2.67 million. Built in 1955, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,836 square feet of living area. It sold for $669,000 in 2013.

Courtesy photo

This property at 5800 Tidewood Ave. was built in 2000. It has four bedrooms, three-andtwo-half baths, a pool and 5,167 square feet of living area.

MARK SARASOTA Ronald Ribnik and Susan StrongRibnik sold their Unit 713 condominium at 111 S. Pineapple Ave. to Barbara Fleischer, of Sarasota, for $1.3 million. Built in 2019, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,482 square feet of living area.

It sold for $904,100 in 2019.

SARASOTA BAY CLUB Sarasota Bay Club LLC sold the Unit 620 condominium at 1299 Tamiami Trail to Susan Schaen, of Sarasota, for $1,054,000. Built in 2003, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,849 square feet of living area. It sold for $600,000 in 2014.

KENTWOOD ESTATES HB Land Holdings II LLC sold the home at 1586 Eastbrook Drive to Richard Thomas Horan Jr. and Katherine Virginia Horan, of McLean, Virginia, for $975,000.

Built in 1968, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,870 square feet of living area. It sold for $975,000 in 2021.

GILLESPIE PARK J&J of SWFL LLC sold the home at 1835 Sixth St. to Mary and Robert Klinger, of Sarasota, for $670,000.

Built in 1959, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 1,583 square feet of living area. It sold for $525,000 in 2021.

PIER 550 William Joseph Ford, of Winter Springs, sold his Unit 9 condominium at 522 Golden Gate Point to James and Deborah Ford, of Muncie, Indiana, for $640,000. Built in 1948, it has one bedroom, one bath and 589 square feet of living area. It sold for $575,000 in 2021.

GROVE HEIGHTS Cam Tu Thi Le, of Sarasota, sold the home at 1965 Grove St. to MSGNK LLC for $635,000. Built in 1947, it has three bedrooms, two baths and

SOUTH GATE Shannon and Dylan Eastman, of Sarasota, sold their home at 2311 Juniper Place to Austin Wright and Cody Ford, of Sarasota, for $750,500. Built in 1959, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,765 square feet of living area. It sold for $205,00 in 2017.

ESSEX HOUSE Mark Wilson, of Montgomery Village, Maryland, sold his Unit 807 condominium at 707 S. Gulfstream Ave. to James Allen and Cynthia Lang, of Sarasota, for $712,500.

Built in 1974, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,247 square feet of living area. It sold for $210,000 in 2017.

PALMER RANCH: $1.07 MILLION

Prestancia Aaron and Madeline Kestenbaum, of Sarasota, sold their home at 4188 Losillias Drive to Adam Kestenbaum, of Sarasota, for $1,075,000. Built in 1989, it has four bedrooms, six-and-a-half baths, a pool and 4,523 square feet of living area. It sold for $505,000 in 1996.

NOKOMIS: $1.4 MILLION

Lightfoot Drive Joshua Wynne and Charlotte Michelle Wynne, of Nokomis, sold two properties at 8323 Lightfoot Drive to Esther Epp, of Ontario, Canada, for $1,408,000. The first property was built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,988 square feet of living area. The second property was built in 2017, it has one bath and 573 square feet of living area.

SEE REAL ESTATE, PAGE 26

In with the new SALES GALLERY OPEN

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 PERMITS These are the largest city of Sarasota and Sarasota County building permits issued for the week of Jan. 17-21, in order of dollar amounts.

Downtown St. Petersburg

CITY OF SARASOTA Address

Permit

Applicant

Amount

1850 Webber St.

Pool/Spa

Adam Simmons

$90,000

1755 Eighth St.

Demolition

Daniel Codre

$80,000

1501 Mallard Lane

Windows/Doors

Christian Hoffman

$78,000

2421 Tuttle Ave.

Pool

Rebekah Smith

$65,000

901 Alameda Lane

Boat Lifts

Innocenzo Gagliardi

$39,300

704 Colt Lane

Alterations

Burt Eneida

$26,738

707 S. Gulfstream Ave. #807 Remodel

Mark Wilson

$25,000

2524 Hawthorne St.

Pool Cage

Noel Pence

$23,496

1840 Hyde Park St.

Pool Cage

Gabriele Fischer

$21,247

1870 Bahia Vista St.

Fence/Gates

Salvatore Cantarella

$20,912

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

4959 Oxford Drive

Remodel

Michael Peterson

Amount

4100 Flamingo Ave.

Demolition

David Band

$83,100

411 Vanderkloot Drive

Windows/Doors

Mark Mitchell

$56,000

3365 Kenmore Drive

Pool/Deck

Joseph Dziemianzuk

$54,530

8964 Bloomfield Blvd.

Re-roof

K. Richard Wells

$54,215

8495 Woodbriar Drive

Re-roof

Edmund Meyer

$50,000

4753 Sweetmeadow Circle

Re-roof

Steven Balaity

$49,790

725 Mangrove Point Road

Dock/Lifts

Steven Seymour

$49,650

168 Park Trace Blvd.

Re-roof

Charles Epperley

$48,900

2362 Aubrey Lane

Alterations

Harry Bell III

$42,000

$100,000

Source: Sarasota County, city of Sarasota

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

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

Licensed Real Estate Broker

373402-1

SARASOTA OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022

Real estate FROM PAGE 25

1,360 square feet of living area. It sold for $300,000 in 2015.

GULF GATE WOODS Richard and Marcia Ball, of Green Cove Springs, sold their home at 7425 Bounty Drive to Michael Perry, of Sarasota, for $575,900. Built in 1980, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 1,789 square feet of living area.

A COVID Vaccine Mandated Campus 1951 N. Honore Ave. | Sarasota, FL 34235

LOCK IN YOUR RENT FOR

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GULF GATE PINES William and Barbara Grabowski, of Sarasota, sold their home at 2291 Pine View Circle to Dennis O’Sullivan and Katherine Taylor, of Sarasota, for $570,000. Built in 1982, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,850 square feet of living area. It sold for $320,00 in 2016.

SIGN NOW & SAVE!

*

WHITAKER Lynn Manning, of Sarasota, sold her home at 2459 Ixora Ave. to 41 Livingston LLC for $526,200. Built in 1945, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 1,026 square feet of living area.

It sold for $90,000 in 1998.

Skyrocketing property values mean the time is now to sell your home and lock in your rent rate at Aviva for 5 years. Protect yourself from rising inflation — and be part of a safe, secure, and thriving independent living community!

Sign by February 28th. Call 941.225.8369 today!

BOULEVARD ADDITION TO SARASOTA Edward Kestel, of Glendale, New York, sold his home at 1166 Cocoanut Ave. to MK Trust Holdings LLC for $510,000. Built in 1950, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 840 square feet of living area. It sold for $176,500 in 2008.

*5 Year Rate Lock applies to Independent Living Rental Agreements only, for the length of the lease, or until 5 years from lease signing. This cannot be used in combination with any other sales offer.

Limited time only offer. Expires February 28, 2022.

Assisted Living Facility #8951

MADISON PARK Insta Homebuyers LLC sold the home at 4909 Nutmeg Ave. to Aleksandr and Anna Kodryanu, of Vancouver, Washington, for $499,900. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,525 square feet of living area.

Limited Time OFFER AvivaSeniorLife.org

PELICAN COVE Donald and Cynthia Chamberlain sold their Unit 226 condominium at 1623 Pelican Cove Road to Timothy

Walsh and Mary Walsh, trustees, of Davenport, Iowa, for $495,000.

Built in 1981, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,320 square feet of living area. It sold for $172,000 in 2013.

GULF GATE Darren and Danielle Whitley, of Osprey, sold their home at 3312 Kenmore Drive to Francis and Michelle Palmeri, of Sarasota, for $489,000. Built in 1969, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,725 square feet of living area. It sold for $159,000 in 2010.

THE LANDINGS SOUTH Randall Brodsky and Jeffrey Brodsky sold their Unit 102 condominium at 5226 Landings Blvd. to Alice Howard, of Sarasota, for $440,000.

Built in 1984, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,244 square feet of living area. It sold for $140,000 in 1995.

SIESTA KEY SIESTA PROPERTIES INC. Gary and Beth Kompothecras, of Sarasota, sold their home at 7223 Turnstone Road to Thomas and Emma Johnson, of Sarasota, for $1.46 million. Built in 1964, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,522 square feet of living area.

It sold for $675,000 in 2019.

REVISED PLAT OF SIESTA Anthony David Mitchell sold his home at 229 Ogden St. to Flo Holdings 229 Ogden LLC for $1.45 million. Built in 1991, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,354 square feet of living area. It sold for $600,000 in 2012.

ONLINE See more transactions at YourObserver.com

373945-1

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YourObserver.com

SARASOTA OBSERVER

|

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022

27

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

S

O

BUYER | $9.2M LP

SELLER | $7.995M LP

S

O

BUYER | $5.25M LP

S

L BUYER + SELLER | $6.755M | ABOVE LIST

BUYER | $4.6M LP

SELLER | $4.5M LP

O

BUYER | $2.0M LP

SELLER | $1.995M LP

D BUYER | $4.25M LP

L

BUYER | $2.8M LP

S

SELLER | $5.9M LP

L

O

SELLER | $3.8M LP

D

SELLER | $2.25M | ABOVE LIST

D SELLER | $2.2M LP

L SELLER | $1.975M LP

D SELLER | $1.895M LP

SUCCESS STORIES “Judie Berger is a true professional and expert in her field of real estate. She has extensive knowledge of the business and works tirelessly to get the job done. She is extremely detail-oriented, works with you and listens to your concerns, and will be with you every step of the way. Judie has an excellent team working with her, starting with her stager, photographer and finally her marketing team.”

Connie Marie and Peter Dumas

23 Years Connecting Buyers & Sellers of Sarasota’s Finest Homes Ranked in the Top 1% of Realtors® in the USA

BUYING OR SELLING? SCAN FOR MORE INFO

1

No.

SIESTA KEY’S TOP SELLING REALTOR ® SINCE 2005

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.

371723-1

941.928.3424 | judie.berger@premiersir.com

28

WEATHER

SARASOTA OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022

NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH

FORECAST THURSDAY, FEB. 3 High: 84 Low: 63 Chance of rain: 8%

FRIDAY, FEB. 4 High: 82 Low: 63 Chance of rain: 10%

SUNRISE / SUNSET Sunrise

Sunset

Thursday, Feb. 3

7:13a

6:12p

Friday, Feb. 4

7:13a

6:13p

Saturday, Feb. 5

7:12a

6:14p

Sunday, Feb. 6

7:12a

6:15p

Monday, Feb. 7

7:11a

6:15p

Tuesday, Feb. 8

7:10a

6:16p

Wednesday, Feb. 9

7:10a

6:17p

MOON PHASES

SATURDAY, FEB. 5 High: 77 Low: 60 Chance of rain: 33%

SUNDAY, FEB. 6 High: 76 Low: 55 Chance of rain: 18% Gordon Silver captured this sunset over Sarasota Bay from Centennial Park.

March 2 New

March 10 March 18 March 24 First Full Last

RAINFALL Monday, Jan. 24

0

Tuesday, Jan. 25

0

Wednesday, Jan. 26

0.32

Thursday, Jan. 27

0

Friday, Jan. 28

0

Saturday, Jan. 29

0

Sunday, Jan. 30

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: 2022 0.44 in.

2021 1.19 in.

MONTH TO DATE: 2022 0.00 in.

2021 0.49 in.

MANASOTA FLOORING INC 941.493.7441 | www.manasotaonline.com

crossword

celebrity cipher

TOURING PRODUCTION by Ella Dershowitz. Edited by David Steinberg “las” 50 Slushy treat 52 “Othello” plotter 53 Howling pup’s mom 56 Seek damages 58 Date to beware 59 Meringue “ingredient” 62 “What bad news!”

64 Added to one’s online DOWN presence 1 Cuts off 66 ___Tok 2 Kind of sauce in Peking 67 Stench duck 68 More kind 3 Remove a label from, on 69 Takes a hit? social media 70 Shade 4 Mascara and such 71 “Tragically” 5 Like most company 72 Pub projectile retreats 76 “Butter” K-pop band 6 Combed line 77 “Highway to Hell” rockers 7 Reason for a raincheck 78 Sneaker, say 8 Lacks the ability to 79 Schlep 9 Assist 81 Dadaist Jean 10 Be loose-lipped 82 Gifted garlands 11 2021 film inspired by the 83 Egyptian key of life “101 Dalmatians” villain 85 Internet quickness check 12 Tuna type 87 Avian mascot of the 13 Father horse Harvard Lampoon 14 Make socks 89 Drink popular in China 15 Renowned right fielder 92 Library penalty Sammy 93 Reason for a meat recall 16 Colombian coins 95 Cosmetic tooth cover18 Ominous words from a ings teacher 96 Positives 19 Isolate, in business99 Chutzpah speak 100 Joint often injured by 23 No. 1 Olympian runners 24 One-liners 102 ___ d’etre 26 Qatari leader 103 Prenatal procedures, 32 Eggnog season for short 36 UPS alternative 104 Stand for art 37 Some batteries 106 Hot spot connection 38 Cat’s life count 108 Actor Glover 40 Begins attracting flies, 110 Believer in Jah say 111 Italian wine center 41 Poker buy-in 112 “Rats!”

42 Exam with logic games 113 Lose traction in the rain 43 Wild animals 115 Active stratovolcano 44 They’re comfier than 116 Rubberneck heels 117 Condo caretaker, 45 Bat mitzvah reading casually 47 Gym unit 119 Hit the bunny slope 48 Theater chain 120 Possesses 49 Nickname that drops 123 Very impressed 124 “Science Friday” network 125 High chair?

126 Like an art film, often 127 Inquire 128 “You bet!”

129 Beach trip reminders

©2022 Universal Uclick

ACROSS 1 Actress Elisabeth 5 Missions, for short 8 You may wave at one downtown 11 Bourbon barrels 16 Flower in many wedding bouquets 17 “Salt ___ Acid Heat” (Nosrat cookbook) 18 Goes boating 20 Animal in a crash, informally 21 Online party notice 22 *Cold, citrusy cocktails 25 *Muppets’ program 27 Water color in a watercolor 28 Text to a late guest 29 Folding craft 30 The word, so to speak

31 Like mackerel or salmon 33 Tax ID 34 Meal ___ (Home Chef delivery) 35 Spacious car 39 Like “mackerel” or “salmon,” at times 43 Forlorn 46 **Styling spots 48 French farewell 51 **DC journalist 54 Grammy Hall of Famer James 55 Animation technique in which movements are recorded, for short 56 “Grey’s Anatomy” actress Drew 57 Old photo tint 60 Solidify 61 Lines before your lines,

371151-1

941.748.4679 | Venice

say 62 Internet interruption 63 Chairside tricep exercise 65 Begin something, or a hint to an arrangement formed by each pair of starred clues’ answers 73 Sloth, but not opossum 74 Loathsome 75 Hunk of marble 77 Fire residue 80 “Bear” that’s not a bear 84 Age of Reason philosopher John 85 Commence 86 Spiced brew 88 ***How someone may “live” in your head 90 Nuisances 91 ***Move that Simone Biles is known for

94 Answered a 21-Across 97 ___ disease (glutenrelated condition) 98 Its bone goes on a Seder plate 101 Before, to a bard 102 Carly ___ Jepsen 105 Put in an overhead bin 107 Finale 109 Rhyming descriptor for Obama 111 Things you may pay not to see 114 Name hidden in “reliever” 116 ****Splotches on an apron 118 ****Luxury retailer based in New York City 121 Nail care brand 122 Kid’s wheels

By Luis Campos Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present.

Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

“EP PJASY HMVA PM YNMH LR OMV KMLV MHI YPMVK JIW YNMH LR OMV PNS WVSJT JIW UEYEMI KML NJUS OMV KMLVYSCO.”

– ASVVK HJYNEIXPMI

“BY B’S FCZW B IOAH IV ZIXW VCI VY IUVCFPO. XA BHPO SBAH BZ ILO HOKBP’Z TPXWJUVCAH.” – PBZX SXUBO TUOZPOW

“E’OH WHFEWHV D BSPYGH SU FENHI. EF’I KWHDF, ZHBDPIH LSP BDJ XPIF IDL, ‘SC, E’N ISWWL. E’N WHFEWHV.’” – ZEGG NPWWDL © 2022 NEA, Inc.

Puzzle Three Clue: K equals G

941.355.8437 | Bradenton

Puzzle Two Clue: K equals V

Sarasota

KITCHENS, BATHROOMS, BEDROOMS & MORE

Puzzle One Clue: X equals G

HARDWOOD

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

©2022 Andrews McMeel Syndicate

2-3-22

Made for where you live. Here!

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022

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TWO COMMUNITY SALE: Saturday, February 5th., 8a.m.-2p.m.

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FOR SALE Mercedes-Benz G550 4MATIC $25000 I want to sell my Mercedes-Benz G550 4MATIC, I am the first owner of this car and it is barely used for five months, No accident record and there is no mechanical or engine fault.

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

Painting 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.

ES HANDYMAN & REMODELING. Hardwood flooring, kitchens, drywall, painting and electrical.

Honest and best prices.

30+ years exp. Fully ins/lic. 716474-8492.

Auto Transport

Professional Services

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

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

CEMETERY LOTS Double stack lot with with interment rights at the beautiful Venice Memorial Gardens .Usually sell for $3,000 I am asking $2,000 (440) 251-9358

This week’s Crossword answers

REAL LOCAL STUFF HERE!

YourObserver.com/RedPages

YourObserver.com/RedPages

OLD ORIENTAL RUGS wanted

by Collector. Highest prices paid.

Please Call/Text 203-228-4868

DOWNSIZING FEBRUARY 3rd - 5th, 9am-2pm. Electronics, furniture, kitchenware, bedding, outdoor/yard items & much more!

7521 SUNDIAL TERRACE

FINANCIAL ANALYST to advise Sarasota real estate company on r.e. mgmt. & devel and foreign inv. prim from Italy. Req. 4 yrs exp. as Fin. or Inv. Analyst or Fin. Advisor. Mail resume to TIVOLI REALTY, INC., 32 S Osprey Ave., Ste. 203, Sarasota, FL 34236

Place Your Ad Online

Antiques/ Collectibles

Garage/ Moving/ Estate Sales

BUSINESS CONSULTANT to consult, advise & suggest solutions for the company's overall business model. Create in-depth reports & presentations, etc.

Mon-Fri 40hrs/wk. Bachelor’s in Business Mgmt./Admin. or related field of study OR 24 mos. as Business Consultant/related occupation req’d. Mail Resume to D&P Remodeling & Maintenance LLC, 1057 Willis Ave, Sarasota, FL 34232

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

Call 941-726-2677.

home services

941-955-4888

Call for coming soon listings.

Autos Service

7 VINTAGE hand held wood saws, with wooden handles. $30.ea 508-672-1119

As low as $17.50 per week!

Sorrento Shores Waterfront 3 Bed 2 Bath Fantastic Views, New Dock $995,000

PRESSURE WASHING Homes, pool/patio areas, fences, driveways, mobile homes. Small jobs welcome. Owner operated 30 years experience. I take great pride in doing a good job. Dependable and always ON TIME. (941) 402-6376

Landscaping/ Lawn Services

* Assistance with Daily Living AcLuxurious Lake Club 4 Bed 4 Bath Built in 2019 Lakefront Lakewood Ranch $2,500,000

Stroll to Siesta Key Beach 4 B e d 2 B a th Heated Pool, 2 Car Garage $799,000

21 CU.FT Freezer bought new Paper 2001- 32 degrees Key $200+ (941) 879-7884

GARAGE SALE

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

Call Hawley Motors: 941-923-3421.

Homes for Sale

Home Services

YourObserver.com/RedPages

Adult Care Services

©2022 Universal Uclick

You’re only cheating yourself.

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.

www.braziliancleaningbymk.com

941-955-4888

peekers’ place

CASH FOR YOUR CAR We come to you!

Ho Ho Buys cars.

941-270-4400.

real estate

LOCAL COLLECTOR pays cash for flags, guns, medals, helmets, war souvenirs, military items ours/theirs.

941-323-9417.

jobs

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 Wanted

auto

stuff Items Under $200

Merchandise Wanted

BRAZILIAN CLEANING Service

by Maria. Residential. Meticulous Cleaning. Excellent References.

Free Estimates. Reliable. Lic./Ins. 941-400-3342.

SELL IT NOW!

Service Directory - Friday at 3PM • PAYMENT: Cash, Check or Credit Card The Sarasota and Siesta Key Observer reserves the right to classify and edit copy, or to reject or cancel an advertisement at any time. Corrections after first insertion only. *All ads are subject to the approval of the Publisher. *It is the responsibility of the party placing any ad for publication in the Sarasota and Siesta Key Observer to meet all applicable legal requirements in connection with the ad such as compliance with towncodes in first obtaining an occupational license for business, permitted home occupation, or residential rental property.

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

Cleaning

This week’s Celebrity Cipher answers Puzzle One Solution: “It takes work to show up for your own story and show up for the dream and vision you have for yourself.”

Kerry Washington Puzzle Two Solution: “If I’m busy I tend to stay out of trouble.

An idle mind is the devil’s playground.”

Lisa Marie Presley Puzzle Three Solution: “I’ve retired a couple of times. It’s great, because you can just say, ‘Oh, I’m sorry.

I’m retired.’”

Bill Murray

This week’s Sudoku answers

Epic Home Care Personal Care-Respite Care Alzheimer’s CareLight Cleaning Med AdministrationMeal Prep Shopping, Errands & More Call for a FREE Evaluation!

941-536-6372 EpicHomeCare@yahoo.com Rosa Torres- Owner

©2022 NEA, Inc.

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022

Computer

Doors

Sliding Glass Door Repair

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

6968 Beneva Road

941.650.9790 941.650.9790 YoderAluminum.com

Owner /Insured Operator Insured

(Next to Beneva Flowers)

941-929-9095

YoderAluminum.com

Auto Service

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

FAST • EASY • SAFE

WE COME TO YOU

Patio Furniture Repairs.com

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

Furniture Sales & Repairs Cushions • Slings • Re-powdercoating

941-504-0903

FREE PICKUP / DELIVERY • FREE ONSITE QUOTES

Handyman

Pegatronics.com

5-Star Rated

941-735-3362

374144

374135

HoHoBuysCars.com

Furniture Repair

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

SELL YOUR CAR! 941.270.4400

Concrete Cleaning

#1 in IR REPA Crack %

CONCRETE FUSION

Interior/Exterior Painting Dryer Vent Cleaning • Gutter Cleaning

cell: 941.250.1505 • FREE Estimates

STEVE PANEBIANCO H R S

372501

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

ome

“No Job Too Small” Driveways • Sidewalks

Showcase your products or services.

Reasonable Prices

Licensed & Insured

918-8587

Free Estimates

Doors

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

Window Repairs • Sliding Glass Door Repairs Sliding Glass Door Deadbolts

Call us today! 941.628.8579 www.ezslider.com

372503

FREE IN-H ESTIMOATMEE S Realtors

24/7 SERVICE

Servicing the Sarasota area since 1999

Also Laying Stone

epaiR

eRvice

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

Michael Koch Concrete, Inc.

BOOST YOUR BUSINESS

GladysKhabbaz@gmail.com 805 Molly Circle, Sarasota

Ron Chapman Home Service

BUZ CORP D/B/A

360495

RED PAGES

374142

95 EPLACE Don’t R Concrete d of Goo only 5% when cked! is cra

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

Naji Aoun

CRACK REPAIR

SIDEWALKS • DRIVEWAYS

CALL 941-955-4888

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

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

374136

Dustin Yoder

Dustin Owner Yoder/ Operator

“FIX IT - DON’T REPLACE” 372506

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

373445

373065

COMPUTER REPAIR SALES & SERVICE

373059

Aluminum

374145

|

(941) 809-7311

FREE

373446

SARASOTA OBSERVER

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 Board Certified in the specialty of non-surgical spinal decompression

DR. DAVID CIFRA, DC University Health Park 2415 University Parkway Bldg. 3, Suite 216 Sarasota, FL 34243

www.SarasotaDiscCenter.com DrCifra@SarasotaDiscCenter.com

373439

30

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

Home Services

Pinnacle Home Watch.com Stop Worrying About Your Home While Away CALL PINNACLE TODAY! 941-306-1999

374149

Dave and Connie Grundy

PALMER RANCH HOMEWATCHERS® Watching your home while you’re away

Bob & Carol Guthrie 941.993.6613

www.PalmerRanchHomewatchers.com PalmerRanchHomewatchers@comcast.net

373069

373449

Serving the Palmer Ranch Area Since 2007 Licensed & Insured

YourObserver.com

SARASOTA OBSERVER

Pet Services

GRAB BARS

Pet Care

INCLUDES 2 MOEN STAINLESS STEEL ANTI SLIP CONCEALED SCREW GRAB BARS (16” & 24”)

COVERAGE AREA: LAKEWOOD RANCH TO S. VENICE

All Work Guaranteed

373447

941-228-9850

Joe Murray, Owner

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

DRGRABBARS.COM

General Plumbing Services Inc. 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!

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

941-923-8140

GLENN KROECKER

Licensed & Insured State Lic CFC056748

Licensed & Insured

Building & Roofing Contractor

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

941-626-3194

Licensed & Insured CCC - 058059 CBC - 1253936

YOUR BUSINESS Advertise as low as $85 per week.

SHOWER & BATH MAKEOVERS

Screening

Call to reserve your ad space: 941-955-4888 YourObserver.com/RedPages

www.showerandbathsarasota.com Lawn Care

make your moving day a pleasure.

373071

Licensed and insured #IMT708

House Washing, Roofs, Screen Cages, Pavers, Driveways and Walkways.

FREE INSTANT ESTIMATES when you Call RICK for SCHEDULING

Pressure Washing

Pressure Washing

Manufacture and workmanship Warranties

(941) 345-5264 374156

PRESSURE WASHING

941-CLEAN IT 2 5 3 - 2 6 4 8 $100 COUPON

Ray - 941-313-4538

SOFT WASH

Trees

Licensed & Insured

10 Years Experience

941-232-1192

373073

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

373769

373070

Wizard Moving SRQ

WE ARE THE SOFT WASH PRESSURE WASHING PROS

Doors and more!

$100 COUPON

$100 COUPON

Movers

$100 COUPON

specialty screens / screw replacement / paint

$100 COUPON $100 COUPON

724-2945

Lic. & Ins.

$100 COUPON $100 COUPON

$100 COUPON

Free Estimates Lawn & Landscape Maintenance

373-9299

941-345-5264

Power Washing

Curt’s Lawn Service

3687676-01

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

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

Call John 941.377.2940

$100 COUPON

374146

Cleaned - Regrouted - Caulked - Sealed

Free Estimates • Sarasota Resident Since 1974

Personal Services

Windows

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

Res./Com.

Honesty, Integrity and Pride • Roofs • Pool Cages • Decks • Driveways

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

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

• Deck/Paver And Much More

Serving Sarasota/Manatee Area Since 2004

AFTER

For

BEFORE

THERAPY, LLC

Made for where you live. Here!

RED PAGES YourObserver.com/RedPages

941-544-1066

| scaperotta@aol.com

Italian American Owned

Rescreening & Repairs

Eldridge Re-Screen Licensed

“No Job Too Small”

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

25

UP TO

ws

140

$

INCLUDING SCREENS, TRACKS, MIRRORS & FANS

Insured

941-270-1561

TREASURES

Serving Longboat Key Since 2005

STANDARD WINDOWS

SPECIAL 00 5

$

senior citizen discount. www.sunsetwindowcleaningsrq.com

Purified water window cleaning available!!

373443

374150

SHOALVIEW

373061

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

Lic./Ins.

& Pressure C Window lean t e s i Sun merly known as Sunrise Windo ng

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

373072

Kenneth Fuhlman Inc.

• 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

GROW

954-1878 (cell) 780-3346

Fully Insured

State Licensed Contractor #CCC057066

Plumbing

THE GRAB BAR GUY 372511

Specializing in Re-Roofing & Repairs

372516

LIFETIME GUARANTEE • LICENSED • BONDED • INSURED

38 Years Experience

(941) 966-2960

372751 364556

941.966.0333

Gulf Gate RoofinG inc.

374154

235

$ 235

LEAKY ROOF?

Melanie Gates

by

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

COMPLETE INSTALLATION PACKAGE

$

Roofing

Call Tibor for FREE ESTIMATES | 941- 284 - 5880

372517

CALL BEFOREYOU YOU FALL CALL BEFORE FALL

31

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022

373441

Kitchen/Bath Remodeling

|

SARASOTA OBSERVER

|

YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022

Premier Sotheby’s International Realty’s TOP PRODUCING TEAM in Sarasota and Manatee counties.

216

$

million CLOSED IN 2021

LE T US PUT OUR E XPERT MARKE T KNOWLEDGE, PROVEN NEGOTIATION SKILLS AND UNPAR ALLELED MARKE TING E XPOSURE TO WORK FOR YOU We are incredibly grateful to be one of the few real e state team s nationally to achieve the $20 0 million annual s ale s mile stone. Our continued succe s s has been po s sible due to the loyalt y and trust of our clients and friends.

Thank you for the trust and confidence you placed in our team. We are excited for the oppor tunit y to as sist you with the purchase and /or s ale of your home this year.

SCHEMMELSODAGROUP.COM

From the ISLANDS to the GREENS SARASOTA AND THE ISLANDS Joel Schemmel, J.D., REALTOR® 941.587.4894

Scan the QR Code for all listings

LAKEWOOD RANCH Donna Soda, REALTOR® 941.961.5857

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.

Property information herein is derived from various sources including, but not limited to, county records and multiple listing services, and may include approximations. All information is deemed accurate.

370145-1

32